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📰 As featured in The Washington Post: “It’s a great time to buy a house — if you can stomach a 7% rate,” by Rachel Lerman, Oct. 12, 2026. Read it free with an email sign-in, no subscription needed.
Our clients Joe Hiebert and Annie Reagan bought a 1960s ranch in Nashville's Whispering Hills in June for about $482,000, nearly $20,000 under list. When the inspection turned up a roof that needed replacing, we went back to the seller and got another $23,000 in repair credits.
Their purchase is the Nashville was featured in a Washington Post story about buyers hanging back in a market built for them. Stephanie is quoted near the top of the piece:
“Interest rates are the entire story.”
Stephanie Crawford, Nesting Realty broker, in The Washington Post
🏡 How Joe and Annie’s $43,000 came together
Joe and Annie were first-time buyers. Once rates started climbing, they moved their search to the conservative end of their budget, and this ranch sat at the top of it. What made it work was time on market. The house had been listed for more than 40 days, which told us the seller had room to move.
The first negotiation brought the price down nearly $20,000. At a 7% rate, that cut alone takes roughly $130 a month off a 30-year mortgage payment. The second negotiation came after inspection. The report flagged several repairs, the roof biggest among them, and the seller agreed to $23,000 in credits to cover them. Between the two, Joe and Annie came out about $43,000 ahead on a house listed around $500,000.
📊 Nashville’s numbers back it up
Redfin’s September buyers-versus-sellers report came out Oct. 14:
- An estimated 7,161 active buyers in the Nashville metro, against 18,068 homes for sale. That’s 152% more sellers than buyers.
- Among the 50 largest U.S. metros, only Miami (159%) tilted further toward buyers. Houston was third.
- Nationally, sellers outnumber buyers by 63%, the widest gap in Redfin’s records going back to 2013.
Redfin counts any market with more than 10% more sellers than buyers as a buyer’s market. The same week the Post story ran, the 30-year mortgage rate hit 7.4%, its highest level in three years.
💸 Rates are keeping your competition at home
Redfin estimated 928,892 active buyers nationwide in September, the fewest since it started counting in 2013. Stephanie told the Post she believes a lot of the missing buyers would jump back in if rates came down. Those are the buyers who would have been bidding against Joe and Annie.
Waiting for a lower rate means waiting for more competition.
If the monthly payment works at today’s rate, don’t wait for a better one. Budget for the payment you’ll have at closing, and treat any future refinance as a bonus. Our home loans guide walks through the options.
🤝 Where the room to negotiate comes from
Two things set how far a Nashville seller will move:
- Days on market. The longer a listing sits, the more a seller usually gives. Joe and Annie’s ranch was past 40 days.
- The inspection. Repairs the report turns up open a second negotiation, separate from price. That’s where their $23,000 came from.
A price cut isn’t the only thing to ask for. A seller credit can buy down your rate or cover closing costs, and we break down which seller concession to ask for in a separate post.
🏷️ If you’re the one selling
Joe and Annie’s seller gave up about $43,000 after more than 40 days on the market. With 18,068 listings competing for an estimated 7,161 buyers across the Nashville metro, pricing right from day one and handling the repairs an inspector will find keeps more of that money with you. More on both: why overpricing costs more than you think and whether a pre-listing inspection is worth it.
❓ Nashville buyer’s market FAQs
Is Nashville a buyer’s market right now?
Yes. In September 2026, Redfin estimated 152% more home sellers than buyers in the Nashville metro, the second-largest gap among the 50 biggest U.S. metros after Miami. Redfin defines a buyer’s market as one with more than 10% more sellers than buyers.
How much can buyers negotiate on a Nashville home right now?
It depends on how long the home has been listed and what the inspection finds. Our first-time buyers Joe Hiebert and Annie Reagan got nearly $20,000 off list on a home that had been on the market more than 40 days, plus $23,000 in repair credits after inspection. A home that hit the market last week usually has less room.
Should I wait for mortgage rates to drop before buying in Nashville?
If the payment works at today’s rate, don’t wait. Lower rates would bring sidelined buyers back, and more buyers means less room to negotiate on price and repairs.
Can I ask a Tennessee seller to pay for repairs after the home inspection?
Yes. After inspection, you can ask the seller to make repairs, lower the price or give you a credit at closing. Lenders cap how much a seller can credit toward your costs, and the cap varies by loan type, so we shape the request around your loan.
Buying in Nashville this fall?
Tell us what you’re looking for and the payment you’re comfortable with. We’ll point out which listings have room to negotiate.
Talk with us about buyingSelling instead? See what your home is worth.
📚 Keep reading
- Your Inspection Report Isn’t as Scary as AI Makes It Sound
- First-Time Home Buyer Guide Nashville TN: Programs & Down Payment Assistance
- How Much Cash Do You Need to Buy a House in Nashville?
- Nashville Sellers Give Back About a Point After Labor Day. Rates Are Adding to It.
- Half of Nashville Listings Don’t Sell on the First Try
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James & Stephanie Crawford
James and Stephanie are Nashville natives and the husband-and-wife team behind Nesting Realty. Since 2003 they’ve handled more than 500 sales across Davidson, Williamson, Wilson, Rutherford, Sumner, Cheatham, Robertson and Maury counties. James is in the field for showings and listing appointments, and Stephanie, the broker, runs strategy, negotiation and contracts. There are no assistants or hand-offs; you work with both of them from start to finish. Get in touch.
