For years, Westchester County’s single-family home market followed a familiar seasonal pattern, with spring and the broader first half of the year driving most pending home sales. However, data from 2015 to 2025 shows a clear shift: in both 2023 and 2024, the second half of the year accounted for the majority of our annual pending sales, while the first half’s share has fallen noticeably from the mid-50% range seen in periods before the pandemic years.

Why Is the Second Half of the Year Gaining Strength?

It’s not mortgage rates. In September 2023, rates spiked and stayed elevated through the end of the year. In 2024, they followed a different pattern: peaking in April, then declining through September, before climbing again in the fourth quarter.

The more consistent driver appears to be inventory — or the lack of it. Westchester County continues to face historically low annual home supply. With many buyers unable to secure a home earlier in the year, they’ve become more flexible, extending their search well into the second half. Sellers should no longer assume the spring is their best window anymore. Today’s buyers are shopping, and closing, year-round.