If you're shopping for a home in the Tri-Cities and see one that's been sitting on the market for 60, 90 or even 120 days, it's easy to assume one of two things:

Something must be wrong with it.

Or:

The seller must be desperate.

Neither one is automatically true.

A home can sit for a long time because it started overpriced, the presentation wasn't great, showing access was difficult, a previous buyer backed out, the property has some condition issues, or buyers simply had other choices.

And right now, Tri-Cities buyers have a lot of choices.

I'm Kim Feliciano, a REALTOR® in the Tri-Cities helping buyers and sellers in Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, West Richland and Benton City.

When I see a home that's been sitting, I don't immediately think:

“Great, let's lowball them.”

I think:

“Why hasn't this house sold?”

That's the question I want to answer before we decide whether the property is an opportunity, a problem or simply a house that hasn't found the right buyer yet.

Homes Are Taking Longer to Sell in the Tri-Cities

This question is especially relevant in our current market.

According to the Tri-City Association of REALTORS® August 2026 housing statistics, there were 1,303 active listings across its statistical area. That's the highest active inventory reported since September 2013.

The median days on market was 27 days, compared with just 16 days in August 2024.

That doesn't mean every home is sitting.

It means buyers currently have more properties competing for their attention.

And when buyers have more choices, some perfectly reasonable houses are going to take longer to sell.

Days on Market Is a Clue, Not a Diagnosis

I look at days on market as information.

Not a verdict.

If a home has been listed for 90 days, I want to understand those 90 days.

Did it start at an unrealistic price?

Has the price changed?

Did it go under contract and come back?

Was it difficult to show?

Was it poorly photographed?

Was it occupied by tenants?

Was it under construction?

Has the seller been unwilling to negotiate?

Is there something about the location buyers consistently object to?

Is there deferred maintenance?

Or has the house simply been competing against better-positioned properties?

Those are very different situations.

Start With the Listing History

One of the first things I'll look at is the history of the property.

Maybe today's list price is $425,000.

But perhaps it originally came on the market at $485,000.

That's useful information.

A buyer looking only at today's price might think:

“Wow, this has been sitting forever.”

But maybe the house spent most of that time priced significantly above what buyers were willing to pay.

Once the seller adjusted the price, we may essentially be looking at a different opportunity.

That's why the number of days alone doesn't tell me enough.

A Price Reduction Doesn't Automatically Mean a Bargain

This is another place buyers can get tripped up.

Imagine a house originally listed for $500,000.

The seller reduces it to $475,000.

Then $450,000.

Now it's listed at $425,000.

You might think:

“They've already dropped $75,000. This has to be a great deal.”

Maybe.

But what if comparable properties support $410,000?

The fact that the seller reduced the price doesn't tell us whether today's price is good.

We still need to look at comparable sales, current competition, condition and the actual property.

A large price reduction from an unrealistic starting point doesn't automatically create value.

Why Did the House Come Back on the Market?

If the property was previously under contract, I want to know what we can learn about what happened.

A failed transaction can happen for all kinds of reasons.

The buyer's financing could have fallen apart.

The buyer could have had a personal emergency.

The buyer may have terminated under a contingency.

The parties may not have reached an agreement after an inspection.

The sale of another property may have fallen apart.

There are plenty of possibilities.

I don't automatically assume:

“The inspection must have been terrible.”

We ask questions.

We review the information available to us.

Then you decide whether you're comfortable moving forward.

A Long Time on Market Doesn't Replace an Inspection

This is important.

If a home has been sitting for 100 days, that doesn't mean 100 days of buyers have inspected it and rejected it because something is wrong.

Maybe very few people actually toured it.

Maybe previous buyers never reached the inspection stage.

Maybe a prior transaction failed for reasons completely unrelated to the physical property.

I don't want you treating days on market as a substitute for your own due diligence.

If your offer includes an inspection contingency, get your own qualified inspector and evaluate the house you're actually buying.

Sometimes the Problem Really Is Condition

Of course, sometimes a home is sitting because buyers keep seeing the same problem.

Maybe the roof is near the end of its useful life.

Maybe the HVAC system is old.

Maybe there's significant deferred maintenance.

Maybe the house needs flooring, paint and updates.

Maybe there's an issue with the layout.

Maybe buyers are comparing it with homes that are simply in better condition for similar money.

That's not necessarily a reason to walk away.

It may simply mean we need to understand the cost.

There's a big difference between:

“This house needs work.”

and:

“This house needs work that doesn't make financial sense for me.”

Sometimes the House Was Just Poorly Presented

I've seen good houses marketed poorly.

Bad photos.

Dark photos.

No floor plan.

Clutter.

Poor description.

Unclear room use.

No effort to help buyers understand the property.

A house can be perfectly functional and still get overlooked online.

That's especially important when buyers have more than a thousand active listings across the broader Tri-Cities statistical area to choose from.

Most buyers see the house online before they ever decide whether to walk through the front door.

If the listing didn't make a strong first impression, the property may have been eliminated before buyers ever saw it in person.

That doesn't necessarily mean there's anything wrong with the house.

Showing Access Can Hurt a Listing Too

Sometimes there's another practical explanation.

Maybe the seller requires a lot of notice.

Maybe there are tenants.

Maybe there are pets that need to be removed.

Maybe showings are restricted to certain days or times.

Maybe appointments have been difficult to coordinate.

When buyers have plenty of alternatives, they may simply go see the easier house.

That can contribute to longer market time without telling us anything about the property's physical condition.

Location Can Be the Reason

Sometimes the house itself is fine.

The objection is something you can't change.

Busy road.

Railroad tracks.

Unusual lot.

Steep driveway.

Commercial property nearby.

Smaller yard.

Limited parking.

Something behind the property.

Maybe other buyers didn't like it.

The question is:

Do you?

This is where I don't want other buyers making your decision for you.

If you've evaluated the location and you're comfortable with it, the fact that somebody else wasn't may not matter.

But we should also think about resale.

The characteristic affecting demand today could affect your future buyer too.

Don't Assume the Seller Is Desperate

This is one of the biggest mistakes I see in conversations about older listings.

A buyer sees:

97 days on market.

And immediately thinks:

“They'll take anything.”

How do we know?

Maybe the seller owes very little.

Maybe they don't have to move.

Maybe the home is vacant and carrying costs aren't a major concern.

Maybe they're emotionally attached to a certain number.

Maybe they already rejected lower offers.

Maybe they're highly motivated.

We don't know until we start gathering information.

Days on market can influence negotiation.

It doesn't tell us what's inside the seller's head.

How Low Can You Offer on a Home That's Been Sitting?

This is where I come back to the same question I ask buyers in other negotiations:

Are you trying to lowball, or are you trying to actually get the house?

Those aren't always the same strategy.

Let's look at the comparable sales.

Let's look at current competition.

Let's look at condition.

Let's look at the listing history.

Let's look at previous price changes.

Then tell me:

How much do you actually want this house?

If comparable properties support the current price and you love the home, submitting an extremely low offer just because it's been sitting could cost you the house.

On the other hand, if the numbers support a lower offer, we have something objective to work with.

A Seller May Negotiate on More Than Price

This is where a longer-market-time property can get interesting.

Price isn't the only thing we can discuss.

Depending on the seller, property and financing, there may be opportunities involving:

Closing costs.

Repairs.

Closing date.

Included items.

Other terms within the purchase agreement.

Maybe reducing the purchase price by another $10,000 isn't the thing that helps you most.

Perhaps a seller concession, if permitted by your loan program and approved by your lender, would preserve cash or improve the financing in a way that's more useful to you.

Your lender needs to explain what is allowed and how a concession would affect your particular loan.

Then we can decide how to structure the real estate offer.

Look at Today's Competition

This is one of the most important things I'll do with you.

If we're considering a house that's been listed for 80 days, I want to know what else you can buy today.

Maybe it's $450,000.

What other homes are available around $450,000?

How do they compare?

Condition?

Lot?

Square footage?

Location?

Updates?

Garage?

Major systems?

Seller concessions?

New construction?

This is especially important in the current Tri-Cities market because inventory is elevated.

The older listing doesn't exist in a vacuum.

It has to compete with what you could buy instead.

New Construction Can Be Part of That Competition

In some parts of the Tri-Cities, a resale home may be competing with new construction.

That's important.

A buyer might compare an existing home with a builder offering a new house nearby.

But don't compare list prices alone.

What comes with the new home?

What doesn't?

Landscaping?

Fencing?

Blinds?

Appliances?

Lot premium?

Upgrades?

Builder incentives?

And what does the existing home already have?

The older listing may look expensive until we compare the finished cost.

Or the opposite may be true.

I want to compare the whole picture.

Long Market Time Can Give You More Breathing Room

One advantage of an older listing is that you may not be walking into the same environment as a brand-new property that just hit the market.

That doesn't guarantee you won't have competition.

Another buyer can show up at any time.

But a home that has already been exposed to the market for a while may give us more information.

We may have listing history.

Price changes.

Feedback patterns.

Previous contract history.

More context about the seller's positioning.

Information helps.

Don't Let the Listing Age Scare You Away Before You See It

This is the buyer mistake I really want to prevent.

You see a home online.

It checks a lot of boxes.

Then you notice:

112 days on Zillow.

And you think:

“Nope. Something must be wrong.”

Maybe something is wrong.

Let's find out.

If the property fits your budget, location and needs, I'd rather investigate than eliminate it based on one number.

Sometimes the home everyone else skipped is worth a closer look.

But Don't Buy It Just Because Nobody Else Did

The opposite is also true.

A long time on market isn't automatically an opportunity.

Don't talk yourself into a house you don't like because you think you're getting a deal.

Maybe it's been sitting because the floor plan is awkward.

Maybe the location doesn't work for you.

Maybe it needs more money than you want to spend.

Maybe there are better choices.

A discount doesn't fix a house that doesn't work for your life.

Scenario: The Overpriced House

Let's say a home originally listed at $525,000.

It sits.

The seller reduces it to $500,000.

Then $475,000.

Now it's $450,000.

You've been watching it the entire time.

At $525,000, maybe it didn't make sense.

At $450,000, maybe we run the comps again and discover it's now positioned much closer to similar sales.

That doesn't mean we automatically offer $400,000 because the seller already reduced the price.

We evaluate the house based on where it is today.

Scenario: The House That Fell Out of Contract

You find another property that's been on the market for 75 days.

But when I look at the history, I discover it spent part of that time under contract.

Now the timeline makes more sense.

We ask what information is available about why the previous transaction didn't close.

Maybe it was financing.

Maybe it was an inspection-related issue.

Maybe it was something else entirely.

If there's information available that matters to your decision, we review it.

Then you conduct your own due diligence.

Previous buyer behavior doesn't replace your investigation.

Scenario: The House Everyone Overlooked

Now imagine a home with terrible listing photos.

The rooms look dark.

The furniture overwhelms the space.

The listing description barely tells you anything.

But we walk inside and realize:

The layout works.

The major systems have been maintained.

The yard is great.

The location works for you.

And the price makes sense compared with nearby sales.

That's exactly why I don't want you judging every property by its days on market.

Sometimes we're finding a problem.

Sometimes we're finding poor marketing.

What I Want to Know Before You Make an Offer

If we're considering a long-market-time home, I'm looking at the bigger picture.

How long has it actually been available?

Has it been under contract?

What was the original list price?

How many price reductions have there been?

How does today's price compare with sold properties?

What's currently competing with it?

What's the physical condition?

What does your inspection strategy look like?

Are there obvious location considerations?

What terms matter to you?

And most importantly:

Do you actually want the house?

Because negotiating doesn't matter if we're negotiating for something you don't really want.

Common Mistakes Buyers Make With Older Listings

One mistake is assuming something must be structurally wrong because the home hasn't sold.

Another is assuming the seller is desperate.

Another is making an extremely low offer based only on days on market.

Another is treating price reductions as proof that today's price is a bargain.

Another is ignoring the home's previous listing and contract history.

Another is skipping normal due diligence because other buyers have already seen the property.

And another is getting so excited about negotiating that you forget to ask whether you actually like the house.

FAQ: Buying a Home That's Been Sitting in Tri-Cities, WA

Is a house that's been on the market for 90 days a red flag?

Not automatically. Longer market time can result from pricing, condition, location, marketing, showing restrictions, previous failed transactions or simply greater competition. Investigate the reason rather than assuming.

Will a seller accept a low offer if the house has been sitting?

Maybe, but days on market alone doesn't tell you how motivated a seller is or what they'll accept. Look at comparable sales, current competition, property condition and listing history when deciding what to offer.

Should I ask for seller-paid closing costs on an older listing?

It may be worth discussing. Seller concessions depend on the seller, overall offer, market conditions and your financing. Your lender should tell you what contributions are permitted and how they would affect your loan.

Why would a house go pending and then come back on the market?

Transactions can fail for many reasons, including financing, contingencies, inspection negotiations or changes in a buyer's circumstances. Don't assume the reason. Ask what information is available and conduct your own due diligence.

Does a price reduction mean the house is a good deal?

No. A price reduction only tells you the seller changed the asking price. Compare the current price with relevant sales, current competition and the property's condition.

Should I still get a home inspection if a house has been listed for months?

If your purchase agreement includes an inspection contingency and you choose to exercise it, use your own qualified inspector. Long market time doesn't tell you the physical condition of the property.

Are Tri-Cities homes taking longer to sell right now?

The latest available TCAR/PACMLS statistics for August 2026 reported a median of 27 days on market, compared with 16 days in August 2024. The same report showed 1,303 active listings, the highest active inventory reported since September 2013. Market conditions vary by city, price range and property type, so those overall statistics don't tell us how a particular home should perform.

A House That's Been Sitting Might Be Worth a Second Look

In a market where buyers have more choices, I don't want you automatically eliminating a house because other buyers haven't purchased it yet.

I also don't want you assuming you've found a screaming deal simply because the listing is old.

Let's investigate.

Why has it been sitting?

What was the original price?

What's happened since then?

How does the house compare with what else you can buy today?

What does the condition look like?

What do the comparable sales tell us?

And does the house actually work for you?

I'm Kim Feliciano, a REALTOR® in the Tri-Cities helping buyers and sellers in Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, West Richland and Benton City.

I've sold real estate in two Greater Seattle-area markets as well as here in the Tri-Cities, and one thing I don't like doing is making assumptions based on a single number.

Days on market is useful information.

It's not the whole story.

Sometimes a house has been sitting because there's a problem we need to understand.

Sometimes it was simply priced wrong.

And sometimes everybody else overlooking it gives us a reason to take a closer look.

Book a time with me here.

Kim Feliciano
Tri-Cities, WA REALTOR®

Helping buyers and sellers navigate the housing market in:

Richland
Kennewick
Pasco
West Richland
Benton City

Website: www.heykimfeliciano.com
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