The latest pace of sales says waiting might feel safe, but it may not buy you much breathing room.
Trying to decide whether you can take your time or whether Daly City, CA will make you pay for hesitating? My rule of thumb is simple move calmly, but do not move slowly, because a typical single-family home took 11 days to sell over the previous 30 days.
The answer to the waiting question is pretty direct. Last month, single-family homes in Daly City, CA had 29 active listings, 34 new listings, and 15 homes under contract, while supply sat at 1.3 months. Offers landed around 108% of asking, and the average home drew 2 offers. That combination does not scream chaos, but it definitely does not whisper bargain basement either.
What matters for a purchase decision is the split inside the timing. The typical sale timeline was 11 days, but the average stretched to 24 days, which tells me the best-positioned homes are moving fast while the less compelling ones linger. That is useful. It means patience can help, but only when you are patient about the right homes instead of assuming every listing will sit around waiting for your weekend mood to improve.
I would get fully ready before touring seriously. I would separate homes into two buckets right away the ones you need to act on quickly and the ones with room for negotiation if they sit longer. I would also watch attached homes if your budget is tight, because last month there were 7 active attached listings, 11 new ones, and a typical closed price of $450,000. That is not a magic trick, but it is a real option.
