Days on market, often shortened to DOM, is the number of days between a home being listed and going under contract. It is a useful signal of demand, and it is easy to misread.
What it is good for
When homes sell quickly, buyers are competing and sellers hold the advantage. When days on market lengthen, buyers gain time and negotiating room. Watching that trend over several months is more informative than any single number.
How it can mislead
- Relisting. A home that is taken off the market and relisted can appear new, hiding how long it has really been available.
- Price differences. Homes priced well sell faster than overpriced ones, so a low average can reflect good pricing and not simply a hot market.
- Averages hide extremes. A few homes that sat for months can hide the fact that most sold quickly, and the reverse.
- Seasonality. Beach towns often see activity change with the seasons, so compare with the same period a year earlier.
How to use it well
Look at days on market alongside the sale-to-list price ratio and the number of homes for sale. Together they paint a much clearer picture than any one of them alone.
What it means for you
If you are selling, days on market helps you set expectations for timing. If you are buying, it helps you judge how much room you may have to negotiate. In either case, the numbers for homes like yours matter more than the citywide headline.
Rudy can explain what the current data says about your specific situation.