Published October 4, 2026 in Market Update

More homes are for sale here, but demand has not fallen apart

By Tamika R. Johnson, MBA, Associate Broker

Real estate, Primary buy box (2)

These are numbers for the three months ending July 31, 2026.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,207 homes for sale across this market, up 14.3% from a year ago. That is the headline. More competition for sellers, more choice for buyers. But here is what matters: homes sold still edged up 1.2% to 1,293. Demand did not fall apart. The market shifted, it did not break.

Pending sales slipped 2%, which is worth watching. A pending sale is a home under contract but not yet closed. When that number dips while inventory rises, it tells you buyers have more options and are being more selective. That is not a collapse. That is a more competitive selling environment.

Redfin reported that Baltimore home prices rose 0.9% month over month on a seasonally adjusted basis in August. Nationally, the Federal Housing Finance Agency put U.S. house prices up 2.6% year over year through July. The broader picture is not falling apart either. But Realtor.com noted that price cuts hit 20.8% of listings nationally in September, the highest share since October 2022. That is the tension sellers need to understand: prices are holding in many places, but overpriced homes are getting cut.

What the ZIP codes are actually telling you

This market covers a wide range. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows median sale prices running from $172,995 in ZIP 21216 to $602,000 in ZIP 21037. Days on market run from 21 days in ZIPs 21046 and 21045 to 64 days in ZIP 21216. Those are not the same market. They just share the same report.

ZIP 21044 had 55% of homes sell above list price. ZIP 21045 had 66.4% of homes go under contract within two weeks. ZIP 21113 sat at 1.9 months of supply. Those are still strong numbers. But the Real Estate Data Aggregator also shows ZIP 21044's median price dropped 11.6% from a year ago, even as more homes sold. That combination, more sales and a lower median, often means the mix of what sold shifted, not that every home lost value. Do not read one number in isolation.

The ZIPs where sellers are waiting longer

ZIP 21216 sat at 64 days on market, 14 days longer than the same period last year. ZIP 20784 hit 55 days, up 18 days from a year ago. ZIP 20782 reached 61 days, up 17. In those ZIPs, inventory is up and homes are sitting. That is not a reason to panic. It is a reason to price carefully and present the home well from day one.

Rates are not helping, but they are not the whole story

Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.28% as of October 1, 2026. The 15-year came in at 6.60%. Realtor.com noted that rates topped 7% for the first time since January 2025. Redfin's senior economist put rates sitting above 7%. Higher rates shrink the buyer pool. That is real. But this market still closed 1,293 sales in three months. Buyers are out there. They are just more careful about what they will pay.

What this means if you are selling

More inventory means your home has more competition than it did a year ago. That is true across almost every ZIP in this market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows new listings across the full market came in at 1,605, up 0.9% from last year. Sellers are adding supply. Buyers have options.

The homes that are still going under contract quickly, and still selling above list price, are not doing it by accident. In ZIP 21045, nearly 7 in 10 homes went under contract within two weeks. In ZIP 21044, more than half sold above list. Those results come from correct pricing and good preparation, not from a market that forgives everything.

Nationally, Redfin reported that 21% of sellers dropped their asking price during the four weeks ending September 20. That is a signal. A price cut after listing costs you time and leverage. Getting the number right before you list is a different job entirely.

What this means if you are buying

More inventory is real. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,207 homes for sale, up 14.3% from a year ago. That gives you more to look at and, in some ZIPs, more room to negotiate. But in ZIP 21044, ZIP 21045 and ZIP 21113, supply is still below two months. In those ZIPs, well-priced homes are still moving fast and drawing offers above list. Do not assume the whole market has softened just because some of it has.