Episode Summary: "September Was A Home Buyer's Market"

Podcast: Your Money Minute
Host: Jessica Ettinger (CNBC)
Date: November 5, 2025
Episode Theme:
This episode explores the state of the U.S. real estate market in September 2025, focusing specifically on market conditions favoring homebuyers. CNBC’s Jessica Ettinger delivers timely insights from CNBC’s latest Real Estate Market survey, including price trends, agent experiences, and the shifting balance of power between buyers and sellers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. September’s Real Estate: A Buyer’s Market

• Buyers’ Advantage:
  • The September market gave the upper hand to buyers due to sluggish home sales and adequate inventory.
    • Quote (Diana Olek, 00:08):
      “It was a buyer's market, meaning that buyers had the advantage because homes weren't selling quickly and supply was sufficient.”
• Agent Survey Results:
  • CNBC conducted a new survey of real estate agents, providing nationwide insight into market sentiment and pricing trends.
    • Quote (Jessica Ettinger, 00:15):
      “That's CNBC's Diana Olek on the new CNBC Real Estate Market survey of agents.”

2. Shifting Prices and Seller Behavior

• Falling Prices:
  • 44% of surveyed agents reported seeing home prices decline during September.
  • While real estate remains highly localized, the overarching trend in the survey points to decreasing prices and increased negotiation room for buyers.
    • Quote (Diana Olek, 00:20):
      “As for prices, 44% said they saw them declining. Now again, all real estate is local. Still, the trend is definitely for lower prices...”
• Sellers Cutting Prices:
  • 89% of agents indicated at least one of their sellers reduced their asking price in the last quarter.
    • Quote (Diana Olek, 00:26):
      “...89% of our agents reporting having at least one seller who decided to cut their price last quarter.”
  • Comment on Seller Mindset:
    • Some sellers remain overly optimistic about price expectations despite economic uncertainty and a cooling housing market.
      • Quote (Diana Olek, 00:33):
        “That really shows how kind of over optimistic sellers still seem to be despite all the uncertainty in the economy and a slowing housing market.”

3. Agent Strategies in a Cooling Market

• Competitive Landscape:
  • Agents are actively competing for listings, yet tempering owner expectations about achievable prices to avoid over-promising.
    • Quote (Jessica Ettinger, 00:44):
      “The agents say it's game on as they compete for listings, but they try to be realistic about pricing with owners who are looking to sell. They say they're trying not to over promise.”

4. Where to Find More Information

• Further Resources:
  • Listeners interested in deeper details are encouraged to visit CNBC’s website for the full agent survey and more comprehensive real estate coverage.
    • Quote (Jessica Ettinger, 00:51):
      “Lots more on this latest survey of real estate agents@cnbc.com I'm Jessica Ettinger.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Diana Olek (00:08):
  “It was a buyer's market, meaning that buyers had the advantage because homes weren't selling quickly and supply was sufficient.”
• Diana Olek (00:26):
  “...89% of our agents reporting having at least one seller who decided to cut their price last quarter.”
• Diana Olek (00:33):
  “That really shows how kind of over optimistic sellers still seem to be despite all the uncertainty in the economy and a slowing housing market.”
• Jessica Ettinger (00:44):
  “The agents say it's game on as they compete for listings, but they try to be realistic about pricing with owners who are looking to sell.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–00:08: Jessica Ettinger introduces the buyer's market theme.
• 00:08–00:20: Diana Olek explains current market conditions and surveys.
• 00:20–00:44: In-depth price trends, seller optimism, and agent observations.
• 00:44–01:02: Agents’ strategy and a resource call-to-action for more information.

This brisk, insight-packed minute from CNBC’s “Your Money Minute” makes clear that September 2025 served up buyer-friendly conditions, with price declines and seller optimism colliding amidst a cooling market. For further exploration and data, CNBC’s real estate coverage online is highlighted as the next step.