A Turning Market
The last weekend in March. A house in Lititz. What happened next could only mean one thing: spring is coming.
Multiple clients of mine requested showings throughout the day for this particular rancher, the first starting at 8 a.m., the last at 5 p.m. Arriving a few minutes early, I expected to be the only one there, only to be greeted by another agent preparing for their clients. Each client I showed was not alone. We overlapped with multiple parties, people arriving at the house excited for what’s to come.
When a well-priced house meets a turning market, people take notice. This is the inevitable reality of what spring brings to the Lancaster real estate market.
Not as Easy as it Looks
Looking back to last April, the data tells the story. From March 2025 to April 2025, there was an increase in almost every category in Lancaster County: listings hitting the market, listings going pending, listings settling, and the average sold-to-original-list price. This alerts both buyers and sellers of the shift taking place in winter. But what does it mean for buyers looking to purchase this spring?
Market Spotlight
Lancaster County, PA — Residential
Median Days on Market
• March 2026: 30 days
• March 2025: 25 days
• YoY: +5 days (+20%)
What it means: Homes are taking noticeably longer to sell than a year ago.
New Inventory Listed in the Last 7 Days
164 homes (Active + Coming Soon, on-market 0–7 days, as of 4/8/26)
Most buyers would read that information and conclude that listings are up, which is correct. There are more homes to look at. But the problem is that all the well-priced houses are moving fast. Sellers who were prepared and marketed their homes accordingly capitalized on the shift from winter. More inventory doesn’t always mean more opportunity. What it does mean is that preparation and education for spring buyers is of the utmost importance.
For sellers, yes, the market favors you. But winging it has a price. Some think that, because of the inventory shortage and its advantages, there is no need to prepare. Get it up, and it will sell. While that may be true, the question is: what are you leaving on the table? The 101.1% average sold-to-list price rewards precision in preparation. Pricing too high or skipping the prep work rewards you with longer days on market, price drops, and less attractive offers. We’ve all seen a house sit on the market week after week, and the first question we ask is: what’s wrong with it? When a house sits on the market for a long time, it brings doubt, and ultimately, less money.
What It Means for You
So how do we, as buyers and sellers, capitalize on this turning market?
Buyers — be prepared. Know the data. More listings mean more opportunities for those who are ready. Have a real conversation about what you are willing to spend in certain areas, what terms you feel comfortable with when competing, and how motivated you are to get it done this spring. If you’re not, you will find yourself losing week after week, getting frustrated as houses go by.
Sellers — don’t lose out on thousands of dollars. The median home price currently sits at $349,950, meaning that 101.1% could put an extra $3,000 or more in your pocket. Do the work to prepare your home so you’re not stuck watching it sit on the market week after week. This is not a pitch to underprice and create a bidding war; it’s a plea to not leave dollars on the table by cutting corners.
Alex Whitt is the founder of The Whitt Group at Keller Williams Elite, serving Lancaster County and the surrounding region. He’s been featured in Real Producers Magazine and writes about the Lancaster County housing market each week for the Lancaster Review.
If you have questions about what you read here, or the real estate market in general, you can email Alex at: alex@alexwhitt.com