Published October 18, 2026 in Market Update

Primary DOTW has more listings, but buyers are still moving

By James Hemphill Jr.

Real estate, Primary DOTW

Rates climbed above 7% for the first time since January 2025, according to Realtor.com. That is the headline. But the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,675 pending sales across Primary DOTW in the three months ending August 31, 2026, up 1.9% from the same months of 2025. Buyers are still moving.

More choice is real. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,620 homes for sale across Primary DOTW, up 35.8% from a year before. That is a meaningful shift. Sellers who price carefully now have more competition than they did last summer.

Rates are higher. Deals are still closing.

Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.40% as of October 15, 2026. That is real money on a monthly payment. Redfin reported the typical U.S. buyer's monthly payment hit $2,777, the highest on record except the week before. And yet, across Primary DOTW, 1,660 homes sold in the three months ending August 31, 2026, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator.

That total was down 2.6% from a year before, the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows. So not every seller found a buyer. But 1,660 closings is a market that is working, not one that has stopped.

Some ZIP codes moved fast. Others took longer.

The story is not the same everywhere. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows 98201 had a median of just 8 days on market, 8 days shorter than a year before. In 98087, the median was 32 days, 15 days longer than a year before. Same market, very different pace.

Speed tracks with price range and inventory. In 98203, the Real Estate Data Aggregator found that 58.3% of homes went under contract within two weeks of listing. In 98087, that share was 27.4%. Good prep and the right price still separate the homes that sell from the ones that sit.

Prices: mostly steady, a few dips

Nationally, the Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices rose 2.6% from July 2025 to July 2026. Locally, the picture is mixed. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows 98290 led the area with a median sale price of $955,000, up 17.3% from a year before. But 98204 dipped to $535,000, down 10.7%. Most ZIP codes landed somewhere in between.

Realtor.com reported that 20.8% of listings nationally took a price cut in September, the highest share since October 2022. That is a useful signal. Homes priced right from the start are still selling. Homes priced too high are the ones getting cut.

Are sellers still getting what they ask?

Mostly yes, though it depends on the ZIP. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows 98020 averaged 100.7% of list price, and 98258 and 98208 both averaged 100.3%. At the other end, 98012 averaged 98.6% and 98087 averaged 98.8%. Sellers in those areas gave a little back.

Supply is up, but not out of control

More inventory sounds like bad news for sellers. It is not that simple. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows months of supply ranged from 1.6 months in 98020 to 4.4 months in 98204. Under 3 months is generally a seller's market. Most ZIP codes here are still at or near that line.

One street can read very differently from the whole ZIP code. The numbers above are a starting point, not the final word on your home.