The more you understand the selling process, the more potential buyers you will attract—which can boost your selling price and facilitate a quick sale. Click a step to learn more. If you understand current market conditions, you'll position yourself better as a buyer. It helps to know if you're in a seller's market or a buyer's market. In a seller's market, you may have to make a full-price offer or higher just to beat the competition. In a buyer's market, you have more room to negotiate. You can get a sense of the market from certain indicators such as: Median home price The median home price gives you the midpoint in the range of sales prices for a specific period. Compare over the past several years to see whether prices are rising or falling in the overall market and specific areas. Number of home sales The number of home sales indicates the number of homes sold in a specific period. Compare over the past several years to see whether this number is rising or falling. Generally, the more active the market, the higher the number of homes sold.