Every week you'll see another headline telling you the housing market is "hot," "cooling," or "crashing."

None of those headlines tell you whether your house would sell quickly.

They don't tell you if buyers would negotiate.

They don't tell you whether you should move this year or wait.

That's because real estate is local.

When I'm helping clients in Oxford, Lake Orion, Rochester, Clarkston, or anywhere else in Oakland County, I'm not paying attention to national headlines. I'm looking at five numbers that tell me what's actually happening on the ground.

Here are the five metrics I watch every month.

 

1. Inventory: How Much Competition You'll Have

Inventory is simply the number of homes currently for sale.

This tells you who has the leverage.

When inventory is low, buyers have fewer choices and sellers generally have more negotiating power.

When inventory rises, buyers become more selective. That doesn't mean your home won't sell. It means pricing, presentation, and marketing become even more important.

Here's what I'm seeing in Oakland County

• Active single-family listings: Approximately 3,400 homes
• Compared to one year ago: Up about 15%

That's a meaningful increase, but we're still nowhere near an oversupplied market. Well-prepared homes continue to attract strong interest. They just don't have as much room for pricing mistakes as they did a couple of years ago.

 

2. Days on Market: How Fast Homes Are Actually Selling

Days on Market (DOM) measures how long homes sit before going under contract.

Think of it as the market grading your price.

A home that sells in two weeks usually tells buyers one thing.

They priced it right.

A home that sits for six or eight weeks often raises questions, even if nothing is wrong with it.

Here's what I'm seeing in Oakland County

• Median Days on Market: About 15 days
• Compared to one year ago: Essentially unchanged

That tells me buyers are still active. They're simply becoming more selective.

Homes that are priced correctly and show well are still moving quickly. Homes that "test the market" are often ending up with price reductions later.

 

3. Price Reductions: Are Buyers Pushing Back?

One of my favorite numbers to watch is price reductions.

Why?

Because it tells us how many sellers started too high.

Every price reduction is the market sending feedback.

If lots of listings are reducing prices, buyers are saying,

"We're willing to buy. Just not at that price."

Here's what I'm seeing in Oakland County

• Price reductions: Roughly 25% of active listings have had at least one price reduction.
• Compared to one year ago: Slightly higher.

That doesn't mean values are falling.

It means today's buyers are rewarding accurate pricing and ignoring wishful thinking.

If you're planning to sell, getting the price right on Day One usually puts more money in your pocket than starting high and chasing the market down later.

 

4. Months of Supply: The Number That Tells You Who Has Leverage

If I could only look at one housing statistic, this would probably be it.

Months of Supply estimates how long it would take to sell every home currently on the market if no new homes were listed.

Here's the general rule.

• Under 3 months = Seller's Market
• 3 to 6 months = Balanced Market
• Over 6 months = Buyer's Market

Here's what I'm seeing in Oakland County

• Months of Supply: About 2 months
• Compared to one year ago: Slightly higher, but still firmly in seller's market territory.

That's why you're seeing something that confuses a lot of people.

Inventory has increased, yet good homes are still selling quickly.

Those two things can absolutely happen at the same time.

 

5. Mortgage Rates: The Number That Affects Sellers Too

Most people think mortgage rates only matter if you're buying.

Not true.

Rates determine how many buyers can comfortably afford your home.

Even a small change in rates can change a buyer's monthly payment by hundreds of dollars.

That directly affects demand.

Here's what I'm seeing today

• Average 30-year fixed mortgage rate: 6.58%
• One week ago: 6.55%
• One year ago: 6.72%

Rates remain higher than they were a few years ago, but buyers have largely adapted. The people who need to move are still moving. They're just paying closer attention to value than ever before.

 

So, What Does This Mean for You?

Here's what I tell every homeowner.

Don't make a six-figure decision because of a headline.

Make it because the numbers make sense for your situation.

Right now, Oakland County is still a healthy market. Homes that are priced correctly and marketed well continue to sell. Buyers are still out there, but they're more informed and more selective than they were a few years ago.

That means strategy matters more than ever.

Sometimes inventory is climbing, but your neighborhood is still seeing multiple offers.

Sometimes mortgage rates are higher than you'd like, but selling still puts you in a stronger financial position because of the equity you've built.

Every situation is different.

That's why I don't believe in one-size-fits-all advice.

If you're wondering what your home could realistically sell for, whether now is the right time to move, or what these numbers mean for your specific neighborhood, let's have a conversation.

I'll give you honest advice, walk you through the numbers, and help you understand your options.

No pressure. Just practical, strategic real estate advice.