Are vacation homes taking longer to sell right now?

Sometimes, and 'taking longer' usually means the listing is out of sync with its buying season. Vacation properties sell on lifestyle timing, far more than primary homes do. A beach home moves fastest in summer, when buyers are picturing that life. A mountain or ski home may actually sell better outside peak ski season. That same seasonality is a buyer's tool. The best time to buy in a seasonal market is usually its off-season, when competition thins out and the sellers still listed tend to be the motivated ones. A listing that comes on during the dead off-season, with almost no buyer traffic around, often signals a seller who genuinely needs to move. And a home that sits through an entire peak season without an offer is usually telling you the price is wrong. Condition matters a lot too. Turnkey, highly upgraded units still command a premium in slower stretches, while average-condition homes move slower and closer to fair value. Absent a real problem, a well-kept, correctly priced vacation home rarely sits forever. If you are selling, price to the season and the condition. If you are buying, shop the off-season and let the calendar work in your favor.