Quick Answer
Days on market (DOM) is how long a home has been actively listed before going under contract. For buyers it's a negotiating signal: a listing sitting well past the local norm usually means more room to negotiate. For sellers it's a warning light — and the most common cause of a high DOM is simply overpricing at launch.
- What it measures
- Days actively listed before going under contract
- High DOM signals
- Overpricing, condition, or poor marketing
- Buyer takeaway
- More negotiating room
- Seller takeaway
- Usually a pricing problem
- Resets?
- Sometimes, if relisted — ask your agent
Days on market is one of the few numbers in a listing that tells you about the market's opinion of a house rather than the seller's. It rewards a little interpretation.
How Buyers Should Read It
A home that's been listed well beyond the local norm has, in effect, been rejected by every buyer who has seen it so far. That's useful. It usually means one of three things: the price is too high, the condition needs work, or something structural about it (location, layout, a busy road) is limiting appeal.
None of those are automatically dealbreakers — and all of them are negotiating leverage. A seller sixty days in is generally far more flexible than one who listed last Thursday. Some of the best value in any market sits in listings that others have scrolled past.
Conversely, a brand-new listing in a desirable area may draw competing offers within days. There, DOM tells you to move quickly and lead with your strongest terms.
How Sellers Should Read It
Your listing gets its largest burst of attention in its first two weeks. Every serious buyer watching that price band sees it immediately. If those buyers pass, DOM starts climbing — and the number itself becomes a problem, because later buyers see it and assume something is wrong.
That's the trap of overpricing: you don't just fail to sell at the high price, you damage your ability to sell at the right one. Homes priced correctly from day one routinely outperform identical homes priced high and reduced twice. See pricing your home.
The Nuances
DOM can reset. A listing that's withdrawn and relisted may show a fresh number while cumulative days on market tell a longer story. If a listing looks suspiciously new for a home you remember seeing months ago, have your agent check the full MLS history.
Context matters. What counts as "long" varies enormously by price point and location. Luxury homes and rural properties normally take longer — a high DOM there may say nothing about the house.
It's not the whole story. A home can sit because of a bad photo set or a poorly timed launch. Sometimes a great house has simply been marketed badly, which is an opportunity.
Where to See It
DOM comes from the MLS and consumer portals sometimes display it inconsistently. For accurate days on market and full listing history, search the MIBOR MLS through the Your Realty Link property search, or ask us to pull the complete history on any address.
Questions About Your Situation?
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Frequently Asked Questions — Days on market (DOM)
Is a high days on market a red flag?
Not necessarily, but it is worth investigating. It usually means the home is overpriced, needs work, or has a structural drawback like a busy road. All three are negotiating leverage rather than automatic dealbreakers. Context matters too, since luxury and rural properties normally take longer to sell.
Does days on market reset if a listing is relisted?
It can. A listing that is withdrawn and relisted may display a fresh number even though cumulative days on market tell a longer story. If a listing looks suspiciously new for a home you remember seeing months earlier, ask your agent to pull the full MLS history.
How long should it take to sell a house in Indianapolis?
It depends heavily on price point, condition, and location. Well-priced homes in desirable Central Indiana areas often go under contract quickly, while overpriced homes can sit for months regardless of market conditions. Pricing accurately at launch is the single biggest factor.