NORTHERN KENTUCKY The Northern Kentucky housing market is giving buyers more options and more negotiating power as inventory continues to grow and homes take longer to sell.Local realtor Eileen Taylor, who has 17 years of exper ience in the Northern Kentucky market, said the market has shifted from the conditions sellers enjoyed in recent years.The Northern Kentucky Association of Realtors reported that active listings in July were up 13% compared with July 2025. At the same time, the median sales price increased to $315,000, while homes spent an average of 28 days on the market.WATCH: What buyers need to know about northern Kentucky's housing market Northern Kentucky housing market shifts as buyers gain more negotiating powerTaylor said buyers, particularly FHA and VA buyers, may have more opportunities to negotiate on price and other terms.She described the current market as a cream puff market, where homes that are priced appropriately, well-maintained and move-in ready can still sell quickly.Homes that need significant updates or are priced too aggressively, however, may sit on the market longer and ultimately require a price reduction.That shift means sellers may need to adjust their expectations.Taylor recommends homeowners who are considering selling this fall use September to prepare their properties. That could include making minor repairs, touching up paint, updating worn carpet, cleaning up landscaping and making sure the home looks its best inside and out.The timing comes as the market enters its typical seasonal slowdown.Taylor said the usual decline in pending sales from the spring into the summer has been more noticeable this year, creating some uncertainty about what the fall market will look like.For buyers, Taylor recommends looking beyond the mortgage rate alone when negotiating a purchase.She said buyers may want to focus on closing costs and other concessions, particularly if they expect they may be able to refinance their mortgage in the future if rates fall.While national housing trends can provide context, Taylor cautions that the Northern Kentucky market does not always move in lockstep with the national market.For now, her advice is to pay close attention to local conditions and work with real estate professionals who understand the Northern Kentucky market.For Northern Kentucky homeowners thinking about selling, Taylors message is to prepare before putting a home on the market.For buyers, increased inventory could mean more opportunities to negotiate than they had in the hotter sellers market of recent years. ...read more read less