---
title: Your House Has Been on the Market for a Month. Now What?
description: Homes are taking a little longer to sell in Maine and New Hampshire, but that doesn't mean the market is falling. Here's what sellers and buyers should know.
---

[Field Notes from the Greenhouse | Priscilla Weston, REALTOR®](https://priscillaweston.com/blog)

# [Your House Has Been on the Market for a Month. Now What?](https://priscillaweston.com/blog/your-house-has-been-on-the-market-for-a-month.-now-what)

 Written by [Priscilla Weston](https://priscillaweston.com/blog/author/priscilla-weston) | Jan 21, 2026, 4:15:00 PM

There's a funny thing that happens when a house doesn't sell in the first week.

People start getting nervous.

The seller wonders if something is wrong with the house. The neighbors start wondering why it hasn't sold. And somewhere along the way, everyone seems to forget that selling a house used to take longer than a weekend.

I think we got a little spoiled during those years when houses were selling almost as quickly as the signs went into the yard.

But the market is changing. And honestly, I don't think that's entirely a bad thing.

## A little perspective on the numbers

Looking at recent local market data, homes are still selling at an average of **99.81% of their asking price**, compared with 98.81% during the same period last year.

That's actually an improvement.

Meanwhile, average days on market has increased from 26 to 33 days.

Seven days.

That's the difference we're talking about.

And yet, when a house has been listed for three or four weeks, it's easy for everyone involved to start feeling like something has gone terribly wrong.

It hasn't necessarily.

Inventory is still relatively tight, too. The absorption rate has dropped from approximately two months to one, which suggests there are still fewer homes available than buyers would need for a balanced market.

Some properties are taking longer to sell, particularly homes with one, two, or five or more bedrooms. But even those are closing at around 97% of their asking prices.

In other words, buyers haven't disappeared.

They're just taking a little more time.

## Remember when home inspections were normal?

One of the things I'm happy to see returning to real estate is the ability for buyers to make thoughtful decisions without feeling like they're participating in some sort of competitive sporting event.

Home inspections are becoming more common again.

So are home-sale contingencies.

And I think that's a good thing.

I talk to buyers who would love to move but assume they can't because they need to sell their current home first.

During the most competitive years, that was a genuine obstacle. Sellers often had multiple offers to choose from, and an offer contingent on another property selling wasn't always going to make the cut.

But that's not necessarily the case anymore.

Depending on the property, the seller's circumstances, and how an offer is structured, there may be room for a buyer who needs to sell before purchasing.

It doesn't mean every seller will accept that arrangement.

But it does mean we can have the conversation.

And that's progress.

## A longer time on market isn't automatically a problem

Now, I'm not going to tell you that days on market don't matter.

They absolutely do.

If a property is sitting while comparable homes are selling, I want to understand why. Is it the price? The condition? The presentation? Are buyers consistently raising the same concerns?

Those are things worth paying attention to.

But I also don't think we should treat every week without an offer as an emergency.

Sometimes a house needs a little more time to find the right buyer.

And sometimes the market is telling us something we need to listen to.

The important thing is knowing the difference.

## A little less urgency might be good for everyone

For sellers, a quieter market doesn't automatically mean you've missed your opportunity. Well-positioned homes are still selling, and buyers are still willing to pay strong prices for properties that make sense.

For buyers, it means you may have a little more room to ask questions, evaluate the condition of a property, and make an offer that reflects your actual circumstances.

And for people who need to sell one home to buy another?

There may be more possibilities than you realize.

I don't think buying or selling a house should require anyone to abandon their common sense.

It's a big decision. Usually one of the biggest financial decisions people make.

A little breathing room isn't necessarily a sign that the market is struggling.

Sometimes it's just a sign that people have time to think again.

**Homes still sell. Prices can still hold. And panic is optional.**

*Priscilla ✨*

*Priscilla Weston | REALTOR®*

[View full post](https://priscillaweston.com/blog/your-house-has-been-on-the-market-for-a-month.-now-what)

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