More Homes to Choose From? What Middle Tennessee Buyers Should Do Next

By Frank Burks II, Certified Mortgage Advisor | NMLS #841644
The Burks Lending Group, empowered by NEXA Lending

What should buyers do when more homes are available? 

Set a comfortable monthly housing budget, review financing early, and compare actual properties using the same loan assumptions. Then have your agent and mortgage advisor evaluate whether a lower price, seller credit, or another offer structure addresses your biggest obstacle. More listings can give you more choices. They do not guarantee a discount or unlimited time to decide.

More homes to choose from sounds like good news.

It can be. But before you fall in love with the kitchen and start figuring out where the sectional goes, let's see what that house is going to do to your budget. 😂

Three questions come first:

• What full monthly payment are you comfortable making?
• How much cash will you need to close, and what will you have left afterward?
• Could a different offer structure make the purchase work better?

Those answers help you shop with a plan, whether you're buying your first home in Antioch, moving up in Franklin, or comparing properties in Mt. Juliet and Lebanon.

Are Middle Tennessee buyers getting more choices?

In several local markets, Realtor.com's summary tables labeled September 2026 show more active listings than a year earlier. But the details vary.

Source: Realtor.com market summary tables labeled September 2026, checked October 5, 2026. Antioch uses a ZIP boundary; the other rows use the site's city boundaries. These are separate local snapshots, not a combined regional inventory total. Historical chart sections on the source pages are labeled through August.

Here's what stands out: Antioch had more listings, but shorter market time than a year earlier. Smyrna had slightly fewer listings, but longer market time.

That is why I wouldn't tell every buyer, “You've got plenty of time now.” Your agent should look at the particular home, comparable sales, condition, and competing listings. A citywide median can't tell you whether the house you want will still be available next weekend.

My advice: get your financing reviewed before you start making offers. You want to be ready to evaluate a home without rushing into a payment you don't want.

Compare two homes using the full monthly cost

Looking at one house in Mt. Juliet and another in Lebanon? Send me both listings. Let's compare the numbers alongside the rooms, location, and commute.

A useful comparison includes:

• Principal and interest
• Property taxes and homeowners insurance
• Mortgage insurance, when applicable
• HOA dues, including any known assessments
• Estimated cash to close

Use the same loan type, down payment assumptions, and rate assumptions where possible. Get property-specific tax and insurance estimates rather than assuming every house costs the same to carry.

If one calculator includes taxes and insurance and another leaves them out, the cheaper-looking payment may simply be missing part of the bill. The CFPB's Loan Estimate explainer helps show where those costs appear. HOA dues may be paid separately, so include them in your budget too.

Keep room for life after closing

Utilities, maintenance, your commute, and money for unexpected repairs belong in the conversation. Your maximum approval amount is not a spending assignment.

I want you comfortable in the house after the closing-day pictures are taken.

Price reduction or seller credit: which helps more?

Before deciding what to request, identify what is keeping the purchase from working.

Is it the monthly payment? The upfront cash? Or both?

A lower purchase price

A price reduction may mean a smaller loan and potentially a lower payment and down payment. We need to recalculate the financing at the reduced price to see what it actually saves you.

A permitted seller credit

A seller credit may help cover eligible closing costs, prepaid expenses, or an allowable buydown. We need to check program limits, actual eligible costs, and any pricing tradeoffs.

A seller credit generally does not replace your required down payment. Nor should you assume unused credit comes back to you as cash. The allowed amount and use depend on your loan and transaction.

A combination of both

If preserving cash is the problem, let's compare what a permitted credit would do. If the payment is the problem, let's calculate the effect of a price reduction or other suitable financing options. Sometimes a combination is worth discussing.

Run the comparison before your agent writes the offer. A bigger incentive on paper isn't helpful if it doesn't solve your problem.

Buying new construction? Read the whole incentive package

A builder's incentive may be valuable. You still need to understand the conditions attached to it.

Ask whether it requires a particular lender or title company, a specific loan program, a closing deadline, points, or a temporary buydown. Then compare the full purchase price, rate and APR, fees, cash to close, and payment.

Check the payment after a temporary buydown ends

A temporary buydown can lower the amount you pay during an initial period when allowed. The subsidy ends. Make sure the later payment works within your budget, and review the qualification requirements for the underlying loan.

Bring me the incentive sheet and the financing estimate. We can see what the offer actually does for your transaction.

Get your financing situation sorted before the offer

Move-up buyers: connect the sale and purchase timelines

If your down payment depends on selling your current home, start there. Can you qualify while still carrying the existing mortgage? When will the sale proceeds be available? What happens if that closing is delayed?

Your agent and mortgage advisor need to coordinate those details before you have two contracts and a moving truck booked.

Self-employed buyers: review how your income will be documented

Your business may be doing well while your tax returns tell a different story because of deductions. That deserves a conversation early.

Depending on your situation, we can compare standard documentation with available alternatives, including bank statement options. Different programs have different income calculations, pricing, down payment, and reserve requirements. Deposits aren't automatically qualifying income, and not every program fits every business.

Let's review the documents before you start negotiating on a house.

First-time buyers: understand assistance before choosing it

If cash to close is the obstacle, we can review available assistance through my lender portfolio. A grant, a forgivable second mortgage, and a repayable second mortgage are different arrangements.

Ask whether payments are required, what the terms are, when forgiveness applies, and whether selling or refinancing could trigger repayment. We also need to check whether the assistance can be combined with your proposed seller credit or builder incentive.

You deserve to know what you're signing up for.

Investors: use the property's numbers

A city's median rent does not establish what your property can earn. Review comparable rentals, the intended use, and any restrictions with your agent. Include taxes, insurance, HOA fees, maintenance, vacancy, and management in your cash-flow analysis.

A lender's qualification calculation may differ from your own investment budget. Both matter. Send me the listing and tell me how you intend to use it so we can review the financing alongside your property research.

Middle Tennessee homebuyer FAQs

Does more inventory mean it's a buyer's market?

Not automatically. Inventory is one measure. Pricing, demand, market time, and the competition around a specific home also matter. The September local summaries show different patterns across Middle Tennessee.

Should I get preapproved before touring homes?

Reviewing financing early can help establish your budget and identify documentation issues. Preapproval is conditional, not a guarantee of a final loan. Ask what has been reviewed and what still needs to be verified.

Can a seller credit cover my down payment?

Generally, a standard seller credit pays permitted transaction costs rather than replacing your required down payment. Separate assistance or eligible gift arrangements have their own rules. Confirm the proposed structure for your specific loan.

How do I compare a builder incentive with another loan offer?

Compare the same purchase price and loan assumptions where possible. Review rate, APR, points, lender fees, total payment, cash to close, and any incentive conditions. For a temporary buydown, include the payment after the subsidy ends.

What should I send Frank to get started?

Send the listing links, your comfortable monthly housing budget, an estimate of your available funds, and your buying timeline. Let me know if you're self-employed, selling another home, or buying an investment property. We'll work out the next documents from there.

Let's put a plan around the home you want

Bring me two listings, a builder offer, or the home you're ready to pursue. We'll compare the estimated payment, cash to close, and financing options before you make the offer.

Whether you're shopping in Smyrna, Antioch, Mt. Juliet, Lebanon, Nashville, Franklin, Shelbyville, or Tullahoma, the goal is the same: a home that fits and a payment you can live with.

Explore your home purchase options, or schedule a conversation with Frank. If you're reaching out on social, DM PLAN.

Clear To Close Starts Here.

Frank Burks II
Certified Mortgage Advisor | NMLS #841644
The Burks Lending Group, empowered by NEXA Lending
Company NMLS #1660690 | Equal Housing Lender

Market figures are local summaries, not individual property valuations or predictions. Financing, concessions, assistance availability, and eligibility depend on current program requirements and borrower and property qualification.