How long, is too long, on the market?

[Marty Gold]

I've heard people say a listing is old or stale or that's it's been on the market too long.  I'd assume those are house's which likely get reduced in price or possibly would be willing to negotiate a bit more liberally.  But how long is too long?  I'm sure all markets are different and year to year may change.  But is there a generally accepted rule of thumb anyone can offer?

Ty

[Mindy Jensen]

@Marty Gold , it is location specific, but even sub-location as well. And it is compared to the other homes on the market at that time. So my area is super hot, and everything sells within a week. 2 weeks is a long time to be listed. A home down the street was significantly overpriced and sat on the market for more than 180 days before being pulled right before Christmas. 

When I sold a house on a lake a few years ago, lake houses would sit for months - even years - before selling. Those listings didn't become stale, because they had a specific - and very small - market.