In San Francisco and the Bay Area, statistics show there are two periods in the year when potential homebuyers have prime negotiating power: late summer and NOW. Competition from other potential homebuyers is lower and the seller is obviously extremely motivated or they wouldn’t be putting their home on the market during the holidays.

While September often sees the most new listings in San Francisco and the Bay Area, November and December bring a dramatic dropoff, making this a perfect time for eager homebuyers to strike a deal.

And if you’re worried about the future economy, an Urban Land Institute study ranked San Francisco as 12th, San Jose 13th, the East Bay as 30th among the top 80 metros where growth is expected to continue.