Published November 1, 2026 in Market Update

The market is still moving, but buyers are taking longer to choose

By Tamika R. Johnson, MBA, Associate Broker

Real estate, Primary market

The single most important thing to know right now: buyers have more time, and they are using it. Realtor.com counted a median of 64 days on market for U.S. homes in the week ending October 24, 2026. Several ZIP codes in this market are right there with that number, and two are past it. That is not a crisis. It is a signal about preparation and pricing.

These numbers cover the three months ending August 31, 2026, as counted by the Real Estate Data Aggregator.

Where days on market are climbing the most

Two ZIP codes stand out. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted a median of 61 days on market in ZIP 20720 (Bowie), up 24 days from the same period in 2025. In ZIP 20772 (Upper Marlboro), the median was 55 days, up 20 days from a year before. Those are not small moves.

White Plains (ZIP 20695) came in at 71 days, up 13 days from last year, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Washington, DC's ZIP 20020 was 68 days, though that one actually improved: it was 16 days shorter than the same period in 2025.

Homes are still selling, and most are selling close to asking

Slower does not mean broken. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,680 homes sold across the Primary market in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is real volume. And in most ZIP codes, sellers are still getting very close to what they asked.

ZIP 20603 (Waldorf) averaged 101.8% of list price. ZIP 20708 (Laurel) averaged 102.1%. ZIP 20613 (Brandywine) averaged 101.4%. Those are homes that sold above asking, on average. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted all three of those results.

The ZIP codes where buyers are moving fast

Not every part of this market is slow. The Real Estate Data Aggregator found that in ZIP 20708 (Laurel), 43.3% of homes went under contract within two weeks of listing. ZIP 20707 (Laurel) was at 43.1%. ZIP 20706 (Lanham) led the market at 47.6%. ZIP 20733 (Churchton) was the highest of all at 70.6%, though that ZIP had only 14 sales, so one or two deals move the number.

What the national picture adds

This slower pace is not unique to this market. Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates surged above 7% for the first time since January 2025. Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.24% as of October 29, 2026. That cost slows buyers down everywhere.

The National Association of Realtors counted 3.99 million existing-home sales nationally in September 2026. Inventory nationally rose to 1.60 million homes. More choices for buyers means more time before they decide. That is the environment sellers are working in right now.

What this means if you are thinking about selling

A longer clock is not a reason to wait. It is a reason to prepare. When buyers have 60 days to decide instead of 10, they notice things. A price that is slightly high sits. A home that needs work sits. A home that is priced right and shows well still sells, and the data shows it still sells near or above asking in most of this market.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator found that in ZIP 20774 (Upper Marlboro), 31.8% of homes sold above list price, up 3.4 points from a year ago. In ZIP 20602 (Waldorf), 42.9% sold above list, up 11.6 points. In ZIP 20603 (Waldorf), 51.2% sold above list, up 11.2 points. Those results do not happen by accident. They happen when a home is priced and presented to compete.

The ZIP codes where sellers need to be more careful

ZIP 20720 (Bowie) had a median of 61 days on market, up 24 days from last year. The median sale price there dipped 6% to $550,000, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Only 22.8% of homes sold above list, down 13.7 points from 2025. That is a market that has shifted. Pricing needs to reflect it.

ZIP 20695 (White Plains) was 71 days on market, up 13 days. The median price dropped 12% to $433,290. Only 11.8% of homes went under contract within two weeks, down 12.7 points. More days, lower prices, fewer quick sales: that is three signals pointing the same direction.

ZIP 20745 (Oxon Hill) had 7.8 months of supply, up 2.9 months from last year. That is the highest supply in the market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted only 53 homes sold there in the three months ending August 31, 2026, while 134 were for sale. When supply is that high, buyers have leverage.

One street can read differently from the whole ZIP code

These numbers describe ZIP codes, not individual homes. A well-prepared home on a strong block can outperform its ZIP code. A home that needs work on a slower street can underperform it. The ZIP code tells you the environment. Your specific home tells you the opportunity.