Aired October 15, 2025 on WUSA9's Great Day Washington
Short answer: In most of Maryland and the DC area, the housing market has shifted toward buyers. Homes are staying on the market longer, sellers are more willing to negotiate, and buyers are getting concessions and repairs that were rare a few years ago. That's what Steven J. Saucedo of The Saucedo Team at Keller Williams Flagship of Maryland told WUSA9's Great Day Washington during its Real Estate Top Performers segment.
Steven joined host Elaine Espinola along with Josh Greene, President of Eastern Title & Settlements, and Carey Riel of Mortgage Link.
Is it a buyer's market in Maryland and DC?
For most neighborhoods, yes. "This market has flipped," Steven said. For the last few years, sellers could list a house and pick from a stack of offers. Now houses are sitting longer than normal, and that gives buyers room to negotiate.
There are exceptions. In a few of the most in-demand neighborhoods, sellers still aren't budging much on price. Across most of the area, though, Steven is seeing a lot more negotiating than he did even a couple of years ago.
"If you are looking to purchase and get a deal, now is probably the time for you," he said.
What can buyers negotiate for right now?
Elaine asked what that negotiating actually looks like. Steven named three things he's seeing in Maryland deals:
Seller concessions, including sellers paying down a point so the buyer gets a lower interest rate.
Repairs after the home inspection. "That wasn't happening three years ago," he said.
Real conversation between buyer and seller. A few years back, an offer under asking often got no reply at all. Now there's usually a counter.
How should sellers price a home in this market?
Listen to your agent. That was Steven's main advice for Maryland home sellers.
A lot of homeowners want to list $25,000, $50,000, even $75,000 above the last sale in their neighborhood. "We're not in that market right now," Steven said. Sellers who ignore their agent and pick their own number end up chasing the market. The price drops, drops again, and the listing goes stale.
Price it right from day one and serious buyers will come see it.
Did the government shutdown affect the DC-area housing market?
Some. The panel talked about how the federal government shutdown at the time was hitting the DC region. Carey Riel pointed out that people unsure about their next paycheck were holding off on buying, which makes sense.
For buyers with steady income, it was a different story. They could negotiate, ask for concessions and take advantage of interest rates that had come down. Carey also noted that homeowners who bought when rates were near 7% might be able to refinance and lower their monthly payment. Every loan is different, so talk with a lender to get your own numbers.
Should you wait until spring to buy or sell?
The panel's answer was no. Buyers who move now face less competition, and sellers who price with the market can still sell.
Thank you to Elaine Espinola and the WUSA9 team for having Steven on, and to Josh Greene and Carey Riel for joining him.
Watch Steven's full WUSA9 segment
Work with a Maryland real estate team
The Saucedo Team at Keller Williams Flagship of Maryland helps buyers and sellers across Maryland and the DC area. If you're getting ready to move, or you're curious what your home would sell for today, give us a call. It's your journey, and we're here to help.
Call: (240) 778-8260 Email: steven@thesaucedoteam.com Broker Office: 231 Najoles Road, Suite 100, Millersville, MD 21108
Follow Steven on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube: @stevenjsaucedo
The Saucedo Team at Keller Williams Flagship of Maryland | (410) 729-7700