Either it will be in a buyers' market or a sellers' market, or sometimes, a little of both. Most real estate practitioners consider a typical market to be one in which homes take an average of six months to sell. If the number rises above six months inventory on hand, then the market is swinging into a buyer's market. If it falls below, it is becoming a seller's market. A buyer's market is one in which there are too many homes on the market for the number of buyers.
Homes take longer to sell and prices fall.
Sometimes buyers believe that winter time is a buyers' market. Although it is true that there are fewer buyers, there are usually a compensating fewer homes on the market as well. And there may be unhappy times. That's a considerable investment in time, effort, and money. It's never too early to face the fact that most home buyers have to use credit to swing a purchase this large.