3 Reasons to Buy a Fox Cities, Wisconsin House Before Spring
Buying a house in the Fox Cities, Wisconsin and surrounding areas can be tough with today's mortgage rates. You might be wondering, "Should I wait until spring when more homes become available and rates might be lower?"
The truth is, we don't know where mortgage rates will go next. If you wait, you might have to deal with more competition, higher costs, and added stress.
What if buying now, before the spring rush, could give you an advantage? Here are three reasons why that could be true.
1. Fewer Fox Cities, WI Buyers Are Competing With YOU
The real estate market is usually slower during the winter months. There are fewer people searching for houses, so you will probably have less competition when you make an offer. This makes the process feel calmer and less hurried.The National Association of Realtors (NAR) says that homes take longer to sell in winter than in spring and summer (Navigating the Housing Market: A Seasonal Perspective, 2024). See image below:
With fewer buyers around, you'll have more time to think carefully about your choices. This also means you might have a stronger ability to negotiate. The Alabama Association of Realtors (2025) says that:
“A significant benefit of buying a home in winter is the reduced competition. Because of the perceived benefits of spring, many buyers delay the start of their house hunt. As a result, you will find fewer people competing for the same properties during winter. Less demand can translate into more negotiating power as sellers may be more willing to entertain offers or agree to concessions to get a deal closed quickly.”
2. Greater Ability to Negotiate in the Fox Cities
Since homes are taking longer to sell, home sellers might be more open to negotiating to get the deal done. This can help you get into a better position as a buyer, either by lowering the price or by getting extra benefits, such as sellers paying for closing costs or fixing issues. Chen Zhao, an Economist at Redfin, says that:
“. . . buying during the off season means less competition from other buyers. That means potentially negotiating a better deal” (Carbonaro, 2025).
Also, when demand is low, sellers usually feel more pressure to cooperate with serious buyers. This could help you obtain better terms that suit your needs.
3. Secure Today's Fox Cities, Wisconsin Prices Before They Go Up
Home prices usually reach their lowest levels during the winter months. Data from NAR shows that home prices were lowest in January, February, and March last year, just before the spring buying season began (Existing-Home Sales, 2025). See graph below:
This trend has been seen before. Sturtevant (2025), PhD Chief Economist at Bright MLS data shows that from 2010 to 2024, home prices in January and February were usually 15% lower than the highest prices, which are generally in June. Off-season home buying helps you escape the higher prices that come with spring's high demand.
Also, home prices usually increase over time, which means they often go up every year. If you are ready to buy now, you can benefit from some of the lowest prices of the year. Additionally, you can secure today's price before it goes up later.
Fox Cities Real Estate Winter Season Conclusion
Spring might seem like the best time to buy, but getting an earlier start to your Fox Cities real estate adventure can be better. You'll face less competition, have more power to negotiate, and find lower prices. If you want to look at your multiple Fox Cities real estate options, let's get in touch.
References:
Alabama Association of REALTORS. (2025, January 6). New Year, New home: The benefits of buying and selling in winter. https://www.alabamarealtors.com/posts/2025/01/06/new-year-new-home-the-benefits-of-buying-and-selling-in-winter
Carbonaro, G. (2025, January 1). Housing market 2025: Where and when to buy and sell, according to experts. Newsweek. Retrieved from https://www.newsweek.com/housing-market-2025-where-when-buy-sell-experts-2004799
Existing-Home sales. (2025, January 24). Retrieved from https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/housing-statistics/existing-home-sales
Navigating the Housing Market: A Seasonal perspective. (2024, April 29).Retrieved from https://www.nar.realtor/blogs/economists-outlook/navigating-the-housing-market-a-seasonal-perspective
Sturtevant, L. (2025, January 9). When is the best time of year to buy a house? Nestfully. Retrieved from https://www.nestfully.com/blog/when-is-the-best-time-of-year-to-buy-a-house
