Shark Tank investor Barbara Corcoran shares 3 secrets to help homebuyers win a competitive market

Shark Tank panelist and real estate investor Barbara Corcoran recently shared strategies to help buyers improve their chances of securing a home. The Shark Tank investor underscored that homebuyers face challenges in today’s market due to high mortgage rates and limited inventory.

In a recent Instagram video, she highlighted three key approaches: targeting older listings, shopping off-season, and seeking properties with separate entrances.

Additionally, in a Yahoo Finance interview, she further discussed market conditions and how buyers can find opportunities where others are not looking.

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Strategies to navigate a competitive housing market according to Shark Tank's Barbara Corcoran

Homebuying recommendations from Corcoran

On February 20, 2025, Corcoran posted an Instagram video sharing three methods that homebuyers can use to gain an advantage. She emphasized the importance of focusing on listings that have been on the market for an extended period. She explained,

“When a house is on the market for six months or longer, nobody's paying attention. They're all running to the new listings now. Make sure you look at the old listing—that’s where your low offer will be accepted.”

Corcoran also highlighted the benefits of purchasing during less competitive seasons. The Shark Tank investor stated,

“Everybody's out in the spring and summer, so you should be shopping in the winter. That’s always where the best deals are taken in the wintertime.”

The third recommendation involved looking for homes with separate entrances. Corcoran noted that such properties allow homeowners to create a separate unit for rental income, which could help offset mortgage costs. The Shark Tank investor explained,

“A separate entrance allows you to make a separate unit which you could rent to offset the cost of your mortgage.”

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Homebuyer strategies from Corcoran’s market analysis

In a February 15, 2025, interview with Yahoo Finance, Corcoran provided additional insights on market conditions and homebuying strategies. She pointed out that mortgage rates, which had been fluctuating between 6% and 7% for over two years, continued to impact buyers.

She noted that sellers who had locked in lower mortgage rates were reluctant to list their properties, reducing available inventory and increasing competition.

Corcoran reiterated that buyers should target older listings rather than focusing on newly listed properties. The Shark Tank investor stated:

“You want to look at the houses that have been sitting on the market a while, not the houses that just come on the market where buyers tend to rush.”

She recommended searching for properties that had been listed for at least nine months, as sellers in those cases might be more inclined to accept lower offers. She also discussed the advantages of shopping in the winter when fewer buyers are active. The Shark Tank investor explained,

“People don’t like to shop in the wintertime or Christmas time. They think it’s a bad time. It’s a great time to shop the houses because you’re not going to have any competition out there, and they’re going to be more likely to take your bid.”

Corcoran also emphasized the benefits of purchasing a home with a separate entrance. She explained that buyers could convert such spaces into rental units, which could help cover housing costs by generating additional income.

The Shark Tank investor concluded by stating that successful homebuyers should focus on opportunities where others are not looking.

She explained that following these strategies allows buyers to enter less competitive areas, reducing the likelihood of bidding wars.

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