08/24/2026
Market watch Monday time!!!
Busy week ahead prepping our listings that are coming to market.
Shifting Market or Seasonal Change?
One might think they represent the same thing; however, there is an important distinction. A shifting market suggests a change in market dynamics, moving from a seller's market toward a buyer's market, from an unbalanced market toward greater stability, or from a slower market to a more robust one.
Seasonal change is different. It reflects the natural ebb and flow of buyer and seller activity as we move from one season of the year to another. As summer gives way to fall, vacations end, school begins, schedules change, and real estate activity typically adjusts with them. Fewer sellers may choose to put their homes on the market, while buyer activity may also slow, ultimately affecting the number of closed transactions.
In either case, it doesn't mean the market has died. It simply means the market is different from where it was, and opportunity exists regardless.
Buyers who remain engaged during the Fall market can benefit from less buyer competition. And buyers who are active in the Fall tend to be serious buyers, prepared to act when the right property becomes available. Sellers can benefit from less competition as well. Less competition, not no competition. The same fundamentals remain essential to a successful sale: proper pricing, thoughtful presentation, and a property that offers the perceived value today's buyers demand.
Changing markets and changing seasons don't eliminate opportunity. They simply change where and how we find it.
What direction do the numbers suggest?
New Listings were flat, declining slightly from 596 to 584 week over week, while finishing more than 6% ahead of the 549 posted in 2025. Coming Soon improved modestly from 219 to 228, an increase of 4%. Both numbers may reflect the approaching Labor Day holiday, with some sellers seeking advance exposure through Coming Soon while others wait until after the holiday to fully enter the market.
Buyer activity remained solid this week, despite a decline in Pendings and a flat performance from Active/Under Contract. Pendings fell 7%, from 235 to 219, while Active/Under Contract posted 341 compared to last week's 339. Combined, these two primary indicators of future closings declined modestly from 574 to 560, a drop of 2.4%. Closed Transactions provided a bright spot, improving 9%, from 507 to 549.
The two numbers to keep an eye on continue to be Price Reductions and Back to Active properties, both of which provide insight into current market dynamics. Price Reductions increased 7%, from 468 to 503, once again crossing the 500 mark. This reinforces the importance of reading the market in real time. As inventory and competition increase, sellers who miss the market on price, condition, presentation, or perceived value may find themselves reacting later with a price adjustment.
Back to Active remained well above the 100 mark at 117, although flat for the week. Buyers and sellers are coming to terms and ratifying contracts, yet the continued number of transactions finding their way back to the market warrants attention. This remains an important number to watch as we assess buyer commitment and overall market stability.
Shifting Market or Seasonal Change?
At this moment, it feels more like seasonal change. However, we are still in the final days of the summer market with Labor Day just ahead. Steadily improving inventory levels, healthy pent-up buyer demand, stubbornly high interest rates, and concerns about the current geopolitical environment suggest the market may continue much as it has throughout the summer, at least in the near term.
If you are thinking about buying or selling email us at [email protected] or PM us Sandy Gardner Brill, Emily Miller & Mike Gardner.
