Published October 11, 2026 in Market Update

More homes are hitting the market, but buyers are still showing up

By Tamika R. Johnson, MBA, Associate Broker

Real estate, Primary market

Here is the one fact that changes what a seller should do right now: active listings nationally are up 6.7% from a year ago, according to Realtor.com. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 2,177 new listings and 1,994 homes for sale across the Primary market in the three months ending August 31, 2026. More supply means buyers have more choices. That makes sharp pricing and solid preparation more important, not less.

More listings does not mean a stalled market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,798 pending sales across the Primary market in that same period. Buyers are still writing contracts. The pipeline is moving.

Rates are putting pressure on both sides of the table

Freddie Mac put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.40% as of October 8, 2026. The 15-year rate sat at 6.73%. Realtor.com noted that rates surged above 7% for the first time since January 2025, rising nearly 40 basis points over four weeks. That matters because it raises the monthly cost for buyers, which can slow decisions and stretch timelines.

Nationally, the National Association of Realtors reported that existing-home sales dipped 2.0% month over month in August 2026. But year-to-date through the first eight months of 2026, sales are still up 1.6% compared with the same period last year. The trend is soft at the edges, not broken.

How the ZIP codes compare on days on market

Homes are taking longer to sell in most parts of the Primary market compared with a year ago. That is not unusual when supply rises. But some ZIP codes are moving faster than others, and the gap is wide.

ZIP 20708 had the shortest median time on market at 33 days, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is 8 days shorter than a year ago. ZIP 20695 sat at the other end at 71 days, which is 13 days longer than a year ago. Same market, very different experience depending on where you are.

Prices are mixed, and that is the honest read

Some ZIP codes saw prices rise. Others dipped. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows ZIP 20721 with a median sale price of $600,000, up 9.6% from a year ago. ZIP 20910 came in at $680,000, up 1.9%. On the other side, ZIP 20695 dropped 12% to $433,290, and ZIP 20706 fell 8.6% to $416,000. Neither direction is the whole story. Your ZIP code, and your specific home, is what matters.

Buyers are still paying close to asking, and sometimes over it

This is the part that surprises people. Even with more supply and higher rates, buyers in most ZIP codes are still paying very close to list price. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows ZIP 20603 averaging 101.8% of list price. ZIP 20708 came in at 102.1%. ZIP 20613 hit 101.4%. These are not fire-sale conditions.

ZIP 20603 had 51.2% of homes sell above list price in the three months ending August 31, 2026, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. ZIP 20708 was at 53.6%. ZIP 20716 was at 43.5%. Nationally, Redfin reported that 21% of U.S. home sellers dropped their asking price in a recent four-week period. That gap tells you something: well-priced homes here are still drawing competition.

Where supply is building and where it is still tight

Months of supply measures how long the current inventory would last at the current sales pace. Below 3 months is generally seller-favored. Above 6 months tilts toward buyers. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows ZIP 20745 at 7.8 months and ZIP 20020 at 7 months. Those are the two ZIP codes where buyers have the most room to compare and negotiate. Nationally, the National Association of Realtors put supply at 4.9 months, the highest level in over ten years.

On the tighter end, ZIP 20623 had just 2.3 months of supply. ZIP 20733 sat at 2.2 months. ZIP 20603 was at 2.5 months. Sellers in those ZIP codes still have meaningful leverage, even with more listings entering the market overall.

What this means if you are thinking about selling

More supply means buyers have more to compare your home against. That is a real shift. But it does not mean the market is soft across the board. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows that in ZIP 20733, 70.6% of homes went under contract within two weeks of listing. In ZIP 20707, that figure was 43.1%. In ZIP 20706, it was 47.6%. Demand is still there in many parts of this market.

The job for sellers right now is tighter than it was two years ago. Price it accurately. Prepare the home so it competes on condition. Understand what has actually sold near you, not just what is listed. Overpricing into a market with rising supply is where sellers lose leverage.

These numbers cover the three months ending August 31, 2026. One street can read very differently from the ZIP code around it. Text me your address and I can show you what is happening specifically where you are.