Published October 18, 2026 in Market Update

Not every part of this market is moving the same way

By Tamika R. Johnson, MBA, Associate Broker

Real estate, Primary buy box (2)

Here is the fact that changes what you should do. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 0.8 months of supply in ZIP 21046 and 8.1 months in ZIP 21216, for the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is the same market, separated by a few miles, reading completely differently.

Realtor.com reported that active listings topped 1.16 million homes nationally in September 2026. That pressure is showing up locally too. Across all 14 ZIP codes in this market, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted homes for sale up 14.8% from a year ago. More supply means buyers have more choices, and that shifts the balance.

But that shift is not happening evenly. Some parts of this market are still moving fast. Others are sitting. The number that tells you which side you are on is months of supply. Under two months, sellers still have leverage. Above four, buyers do.

Months of supply by ZIP code

The tightest ZIP codes: 21046, 21045, 21044

ZIP 21046 had just 13 homes for sale and 0.8 months of supply, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Sixty percent of homes there went under contract within two weeks of listing. Sellers in 21046 still have real leverage, but preparation still matters. A well-prepared home in a tight market sells above list. A sloppy one still sits.

ZIP 21045 and 21044 both showed 1.6 months of supply. In 21045, the Real Estate Data Aggregator found that 66.2% of homes went under contract within two weeks, and the average sale came in at 101.4% of list price. In 21044, 62.6% went under contract in two weeks at the same 101.4% of list. Both ZIPs are competitive. Both also saw median prices dip slightly from a year ago, down 2.6% in 21045 and down 9.2% in 21044. More homes came to market in both areas, up 8% and up 22.7% respectively. Buyers have a few more options than they did last year.

The middle ground: 21037, 21113, 20784

ZIP 21037 had 2 months of supply. Homes there took a median of 37 days to sell, 9 days longer than a year ago. The average sale came in at 99.4% of list, meaning sellers gave a little back. That is not a crisis, but it is a signal. Pricing needs to be precise.

ZIP 21113 sat at 2.1 months. Nearly half of homes there, 46.2%, went under contract within two weeks. The sale to list ratio was 100.4%. This ZIP is still performing well, even with inventory up 26.8% from a year ago.

ZIP 20784 had 2.6 months of supply. The average sale came in at 98.1% of list, and median days on market stretched to 46. Sellers here need to price sharply from day one.

The slower ZIPs: 20782, 20747, 20785, 20748, 20743, 20746, 20783, 21216

This is where strategy changes most. ZIP 21216 had 8.1 months of supply, up 2.4 months from a year ago. Median days on market were 69. Only 21.7% of homes went under contract in two weeks. Homes sold at 100.9% of list on average, but that number covers a wide range. The homes that sold well were priced right. The ones that sat were not.

ZIP 20783 had 4.5 months of supply, up 1.7 months from last year. The share of homes going under contract within two weeks dropped 14.1 points. ZIP 20782 showed 2.8 months of supply but median days on market of 67, up 16 days from a year ago. That gap between supply and days tells you homes are lingering even when inventory is not extreme.

In these slower ZIPs, pricing and patience are the job. More marketing is not the answer. The right price is.

What the national picture adds

Freddie Mac put the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 7.40% as of October 15, 2026. That is the highest it has been since January 2025, according to Realtor.com. Higher rates slow buyers down. They reduce how much home a buyer can afford, and they give hesitant buyers a reason to wait.

Realtor.com also reported that price cuts hit 20.8% of listings nationally in September 2026, the highest share since October 2022. That lines up with what the Real Estate Data Aggregator is showing locally in the slower ZIPs: homes that are not priced to the current market are sitting.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported that U.S. home prices rose 2.6% from July 2025 to July 2026. Prices are still positive nationally, but the pace is slow and the direction varies by location.

What this means for you

If you own in 21046, 21045, or 21044, you are in a market that still rewards preparation. Get the home ready, price it correctly, and buyers will compete.

If you own in 21216, 20783, or 20782, the strategy is different. Overpricing is the fastest way to sit. Buyers in slower markets have options and time. The homes that sell are the ones priced ahead of the market, not behind it.

One more thing worth saying: these are ZIP code numbers. One street can read differently from the ZIP around it. A block with recent sales and low inventory can behave like a tight market even inside a slow ZIP.