The Data Is Lying: What Buyers Are Really Paying in 2026 (Less Than You Think)

We’ve all seen the data. Home prices are falling but remain relatively “flat,” year over year.

 

There’s just one problem: the data is lying.

 

We’re in a full-blown buyer’s market now, and what investors are actually paying for homes is much less than most people realize.

 

Behind the scenes, buyers are negotiating thousands—even tens of thousands—of dollars in seller concessions that never show up in home sales data. Closing costs. Interest rate buydowns. Repair credits. Even cash.

 

These concessions are quietly driving the real cost of homes much lower than the numbers suggest. In fact, nearly half of all home sales now include some kind of seller concession, and that’s on top of the price drops we’re seeing in many markets.

 

How much are investors really saving? The amount is often capped based on the deal and the loan. But even these concession limits have workarounds.

 

If you use this two-pronged strategy for negotiating asking price and concessions, you’ll have a clear path to saving 3%, 5%, or maybe even upward of 10% on your next deal. This is the kind of advantage that can make the numbers work, even in the toughest of markets.

In This Episode We Cover

Why the median home sale price isn’t what investors are actually paying in 2026

How to negotiate massive discounts on properties in most markets

Two ways to get around the seller concession limits for investors

The markets with the highest percentage of home sales with seller concessions

A “balanced” strategy for scoring a lower purchase price and seller concessions

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

Join the Future of Real Estate Investing with Fundrise

Join BiggerPockets for FREE

Join us at the BiggerPockets Conference October 2-4 in Orlando. Buy tickets

Sign Up for the Investor Brief Newsletter

Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area

11 Items You Can Negotiate in a Real Estate Deal

Dave's BiggerPockets Profile

Redfin: 46% of Home Sellers Gave Concessions to Buyers in May, the Highest Share on Record for That Month

Redfin: America’s Housing Market Favors Buyers—But Their Advantage Is Starting to Shrink

Grab the Book on Negotiating Real Estate

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