Buyers Have More Negotiating Power Than They've Had in Years (And Tucson Is No Exception)

According to new Redfin research, home buyers have more negotiating power than they've had in years.

Last month, sellers gave concessions to buyers in 46.2% of all U.S. home sales. That's the highest share for May that Redfin has ever recorded. Nearly half of all sellers are sweetening the deal for buyers just to get their homes sold.

But knowing concessions are happening more often doesn't help you much if you don't know why they're happening or what kinds of concessions you can actually ask for.

That's what I'm digging into today, and I'll tie it back to what I'm seeing here in Tucson and Sahuarita.

What a Seller Concession Actually Is

A seller concession is something a seller offers to help reduce what it costs you to buy their home. These typically fall into three categories:

Repair credits: The seller gives you money to cover repairs instead of fixing them before closing.

Closing cost contributions: The seller covers some or all of your closing costs, which can add up to thousands of dollars.

Mortgage rate buydowns: The seller pays to temporarily or permanently lower your interest rate, which reduces your monthly payment.

It goes without saying that any concession should be in writing, clearly spelled out in the purchase agreement.

One more detail worth remembering: Redfin's concession data does not include list price reductions or negotiated price drops. Concessions are a separate category on top of price.

So just because a seller insists their price is as low as they're willing to go does not mean they are closed off to concessions that could make the deal more affordable for you.

Why Sellers Are Offering Concessions Right Now

Buyers have leverage right now, and sellers know it.

There are currently 47% more home sellers than buyers across the U.S. Mortgage rates and home prices are still historically high, and a lot of would be buyers are sitting on the sidelines because of broader economic uncertainty, including concerns around inflation, job security, and wider economic ripple effects.

With demand soft and listings climbing in many markets, sellers are competing for a shrinking pool of buyers.

Sun Belt markets are feeling this more than most. Cities like Nashville and Phoenix built aggressively during the pandemic homebuying boom and are now sitting on excess inventory. Rising insurance costs and HOA fees tied to climate risk have made those markets even tougher for sellers to move homes in.

Tucson is part of that same Sun Belt story, just a step behind Phoenix. As of June 2026, Tucson has shifted into a buyer favorable market. Months of supply climbed from about 3.5 in May to roughly 4.7 in June. The median home is now sitting about 82 days on the market, the sale to list ratio has slipped to around 97.6%, and only about 18.5% of homes are selling over asking. The median sale price is hovering near $310,000, which is down slightly from a year ago. Translation: sellers no longer have momentum on their side, which is exactly the environment where concessions get handed out.

What Buyers Can Realistically Ask For

Knowing concessions exist is an advantage. Knowing what to request is where this actually gets useful.

The three concession types are not mutually exclusive, by the way. Redfin found 15.7% of home sales in May included both a concession and a price drop, up from 12.8% a year earlier. That is the highest May share on record for that combination.

Put another way, roughly 1 in 7 homes that sold last month came with both. Not a slam dunk, but very much worth looking into.

Here is how to think about which concession to prioritize:

If cash is tight at closing, ask for closing cost contributions. This keeps more money in your pocket on day one.

If your monthly payment is the sticking point, ask for a rate buydown. Even a small reduction in your rate can lower your payment by a meaningful amount over the life of the loan.

If the home needs work, ask for a repair credit. You will have more control over the outcome and can apply the credit toward contractors you choose.

Asking for a combination is reasonable in this market. A good agent will help you figure out what is worth pushing for based on the specific home and the specific seller situation.

Here in Tucson, the data backs this up. A big share of active listings have already taken a price reduction, and homes that did drop their price are still negotiating with buyers underneath that new number. Offering under asking is the norm right now, not the exception. When you pair that with an 82 day median time on market, you are usually dealing with a seller who has been waiting a while and is motivated to make something work. That is the seller most likely to say yes to a credit or a buydown on top of price.

How to Use This in Tucson Right Now

If you are under contract or about to make an offer, this is the conversation to have with your agent before you finalize your ask. The national numbers give you useful context, and what is happening right here in Tucson is what will shape what is actually achievable in your negotiation.

If you are still early in your search, this is a good moment to get clear on what a concession would mean for your specific finances. In a market sitting near 97.6% of list with inventory building, a rate buydown might do more for you than a price drop ever would.

Every situation is different, and getting that clarity now means you are not figuring it out on the fly when you finally find the right home.

If you want, I am happy to walk through your specific numbers and map out what is realistic to ask for on a given property here in Tucson or Sahuarita. That is the part that turns a national headline into money back in your pocket.