What "Days on Market" Actually Tells You (and What It Doesn't)

It's one of the most-cited numbers in real estate, and one of the most misread. "Days on market" (DOM) sounds simple — how long a listing has been active — but what it actually signals depends a lot on context most headlines skip.

What a low DOM usually means

A home selling in under two weeks is often a sign of strong buyer demand for that price point, that neighborhood, or that specific type of home. In the Valley, we tend to see this most with well-priced homes in tight school districts, or move-in-ready homes under a certain price ceiling where first-time buyers are competing.

What a high DOM usually means — but not always

A home sitting for 90+ days can mean it's overpriced for its condition or location. But it can also mean it was listed during a slow season, has an unusual layout that takes the right buyer to appreciate, or the seller simply isn't in a rush and hasn't adjusted price to match interest. High DOM is a prompt to ask more questions, not a verdict on its own.

The number to actually pay attention to

DOM matters most when you compare it against similar homes in the same immediate area, not a citywide or national average. A 60-day DOM might be completely normal for one Kingsburg neighborhood and unusually long for another two miles away. That's the comparison we walk every buyer and seller through before they read too much into a single number.

Reading the number correctly is what gets you here, faster.

— Todd & Nancy