Connecticut · October 2026
The best offer is not always the biggest one
Sellers looking at five offers are weighing contingencies as carefully as price. Here is what that means if you are the one writing.
Connecticut, statewide · September 2026
These are the headline figures. The same measures for every area this report covers are on the market stats page. See the numbers side by side →
Connecticut is still a strong seller’s market, and one of the biggest things I’m working through with my buyers right now is what it actually takes to write a winning offer.
We hear stories about homes selling for $100,000 or $200,000 over asking, or cash buyers winning everything. And while those things happen, that’s not really the whole story.
What I’m seeing is that sellers want the cleanest, most reliable path to closing. It’s not always about the highest offer, and it’s not always about cash.
Financing, inspections, and especially appraisal contingencies are becoming a big part of the conversation. A seller looking at five offers might prefer one with fewer uncertainties over another offering more money.
That doesn’t mean buyers should automatically waive protections. Those contingencies exist for good reasons, and removing them comes with real financial risks.
But understanding what makes an offer attractive to a seller, beyond just the purchase price, is becoming one of the most important parts of buying a home in Connecticut right now.
Rate Watch
Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey put the national average 30-year fixed rate at 7.40% on October 15, unchanged from the week before, with the 15-year at 6.71%. These are national survey averages, not quotes, and not a rate available to any particular borrower. Your own number depends on your credit, the loan type and the lender. Borrowing costs are still one of the larger inputs into what a monthly payment looks like, which is why the survey is worth watching week to week rather than month to month.
Buying?
Before you write, know what each contingency is actually protecting you from and what waiving it would cost if the appraisal or the inspection goes the wrong way. Text me and we will go through it on your specific deal.
Selling?
If several offers come in, the highest number and the most reliable close are not always the same envelope. We can read them side by side.
Source: SmartMLS September 2026 Monthly Indicators, State of Connecticut, single family. Member-only report.
The observations below are Ross's own, from offers he is working on now. SmartMLS did not supply or verify them, and they describe what he is seeing rather than how every Connecticut transaction behaves.
What does this mean for your Connecticut property?
Send us the address and what you are weighing up. We will tell you how this month's numbers actually apply to it.