Monthly Market Update
July 2026 Market Update
At a Glance
A Quick Summary
Two markets, two speeds. The Eastside crossed into buyer's market territory with four months of supply, the most homes for sale since 2011, while Seattle stayed neutral and faster at 2.9 months.
In both places the pattern is the same: well-priced homes still sold quickly at full asking, and homes that missed on price sat and gave up leverage.
Below: the headline figures for each market side by side, how homes sold, the cost of waiting, and what it means if you are buying or selling right now.
Written by Colin Dalrymple, Luxury Advisor and Managing Broker, Windermere Real Estate.
Last updated . Figures checked against the source Northwest MLS export before publishing.
The market side by side
| Measure | Eastside | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Months of supply | 4.0 | 2.9 |
| Median sales price | $1,575,000 | $999,500 |
| Active listings | 1,948 | 1,520 |
| Pending sales | 486 | 531 |
Eastside
July 2026 Eastside in focus
Months of Supply
4.0
vs. 2.4 a year ago, officially a buyer's market (4+ months)
Median Sales Price
$1,575,000
down 0.3% year over year, up 10.9% since 2022
Active Listings
1,948
up 38% year over year; the highest for any month since 2011
Pending Sales
486
down 17% year over year; closed sales down 11%
July Takeaway
Comparable competition now matters as much as comparable sales.
With four months of inventory, buyers are shopping today's active listings against each other. Closed sales tell you where the market was. Active listings tell you what buyers can choose from right now, and pending sales tell you what they are actually willing to buy. Pricing to that reality is the whole game this summer.
The first two weeks tell you everything
Median sale price as a percentage of the original list price, by how long the home sat on the market. Just under 52% of July closings happened in the first fifteen days, and those sellers gave up nothing.
| Days on Market | % of Original List | Share of Sales | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 days | 100.0% | 51.8% | 253 |
| 15 – 30 days | 95.8% | 22.5% | 110 |
| 31 – 60 days | 93.0% | 14.8% | 72 |
| 61 – 90 days | 91.2% | 6.6% | 32 |
| 90+ days | 87.7% | 4.3% | 21 |
How July closings landed
- 13%
Sold above list
61 sales · 5 avg. days on market
- 14%
Sold at list
70 sales · 8 avg. days on market
- 34%
Sold below list
168 sales · 19 avg. days on market
- 39%
Price change before sale
189 sales · 77 avg. days on market
Sold above list, every July
Share of July closings that sold above the asking price. Two years ago more than four in ten July sales cleared list; this July, thirteen percent did.
Not every listing sells
New Listings (12 mo.)
9,289
Closed Sales (12 mo.)
4,948
Listings That Sold
53%
Over the trailing twelve months there were 9,289 new residential listings and 4,948 closed sales. Only about 53% of the listings taken resulted in a sale, which is why list price strategy matters more than ever.
The cost of waiting a year
| Period | Median Price | 30-Yr Fixed | Principal & Interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | $1,575,000 | 6.54% | $9,997 |
| July 2025 | $1,580,000 | 6.72% | $10,216 |
A buyer purchasing the July 2026 median-priced home would pay roughly $220 less per month, about $2,638 a year, than the same purchase twelve months earlier, on a $5,000 lower median price and a 0.18% lower rate.
Rates per FreddieMac.com/pmms, averaged across all weeks reported in the month.
If you are selling
Price against today's competition
- Comparable competition now matters as much as comparable sales. Closed sales tell you where the market was, active listings tell you what buyers can choose from today, and pending sales tell you what buyers are actually willing to pay.
- Thirty-nine percent of July sales had at least one price reduction before finding a buyer, and homes that sold below original asking did so by a median of 3%. Getting the first price right is cheaper than correcting it later.
- The first two weeks are still the market's vote. Homes that sold in under 15 days closed at 100% of original list price; homes sitting 90+ days closed at 87.7%.
- Before assuming a price reduction is the answer, review new pending sales since you listed, compare your home to today's active competition, and decide whether the issue is price, presentation, condition, or exposure.
If you are buying
Leverage, finally on your side
- Four months of supply means more homes to choose from, more time to make a decision, and real negotiating leverage, a combination that has been rare on the Eastside since 2011.
- Only 27% of July sales closed at or above list price while 34% closed below it. A well-supported offer below asking is normal negotiation right now, not an insult.
- Buy for the next several years of ownership, not for a quick rebound. If you want to live here and can comfortably afford the home, this is a strong window.
- Certainty is currency. Stronger earnest money, fewer contingencies, cleaner inspection terms, and a faster close often beat a higher but messier offer.
Seattle
July 2026 Seattle in focus
Months of Inventory
2.9
a neutral, balanced market (2 to 4 months), up from 2.1 a year ago
Median Sales Price
$999,500
down 1.1% year over year, up 4.6% since 2022
Active Listings
1,520
up 16% year over year and the strongest July selection since 2013
Pending Sales
531
down from 636 last July
Speed is what separates Seattle
Median sale price as a percentage of the original list price, by how long the home sat on the market. Well-priced Seattle homes are still selling in under two weeks at full asking.
| Days on Market | % of Original List | Share of Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Under 15 days | 100.0% | 31% |
| 15 – 30 days | 97.2% | 28% |
| 31 – 60 days | 95.7% | 22% |
| 61 – 90 days | 92.0% | 19% |
| 90+ days | 93.6% | reported separately |
How July closings landed
- 31%
Sold above list
homes that sold in under 15 days went for 100% of list price on average
- 19%
Sold at list
priced to the market and met at the number
- 22%
Sold below list
averaging 21 days on market
- 28%
Price change before sale
averaging 68 days on market
Seattle inventory, by July
| July | Months | Active | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1.6 | 981 | $954,500 |
| 2023 | 1.3 | 793 | $899,950 |
| 2024 | 2.0 | 1,097 | $972,500 |
| 2025 | 2.1 | 1,305 | $1,010,000 |
| 2026 | 2.9 | 1,520 | $999,500 |
Selection has climbed every July since 2022, and 2026 is the strongest July since 2013.
The cost of waiting a year
| Period | Median Price | 30-Yr Fixed |
|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | $999,500 | 6.54% |
| July 2025 | $1,010,000 | 6.72% |
Rates eased from 6.72% to 6.54% and the median price came down about $10,500. Waiting cost last year's buyer very little, but timing rates is a gamble and selection this strong rarely carries into spring.
Rates per FreddieMac.com/pmms, averaged across all weeks reported in the month.
If you are selling
Win the first price
- Pricing right out of the gate matters more than ever. Homes that sold in under fifteen days went for 100% of list price on average, while homes sitting 61 to 90 days settled near 92% of original list.
- Well-priced homes still win. Thirty-one percent of July sales closed above list price. Competition still exists for the right home at the right price.
- There is more competition than last year. Active listings are up 16% year over year, 22% of July sales closed below list, and 28% required a price change before selling. Condition and presentation carry real weight.
- 28% of July's closings needed a price correction before selling. Pricing right from day one is what avoids landing in that group.
If you are buying
Know which listing you are writing on
- Selection is the strongest July selection since 2013 at 1,520 active listings, and 2.9 months of supply leaves genuine room to negotiate, particularly on homes past thirty days.
- Leverage depends on the listing, not the market. A well-priced new listing still sells quickly, often over asking, while a stale listing invites negotiation. Know which one you are writing on.
- Homes sitting 61 to 90 days on market settled near 92% of original list price, the biggest gap in the data, and real room to negotiate on anything that has been sitting.
- Payments moved in buyers' favor this year: a lower median price and a lower average rate than last July.
A note from Colin
Eastside
The headline is that the Eastside has crossed into buyer's market territory for the first time since 2011. The reality on the ground is more specific than that. Some neighborhoods are genuinely soft, and in others a well-prepared home still draws competing offers in the first week. What has changed is that the market no longer forgives a price that ignores the competition. Sellers who study today's active and pending listings, not just last spring's comps, are still getting excellent outcomes. Buyers finally have the time and leverage to be selective.
Seattle
Seattle and the Eastside are telling two different stories this summer. Seattle is faster and tighter, with a neutral 2.9 months of supply and well-priced homes still going in under two weeks at full price. The Eastside has crossed into buyer's market territory with four months of supply. That difference should change how you price a listing and how aggressively you write an offer, depending on which side of the lake you are on.
Data derived from Northwest Multiple Listing Service and compiled by Windermere/East. Residential only. Statistics are not compiled or published by NWMLS. Payment figures assume a 20% down payment on the median price at the average 30-year fixed rate for the month per Freddie Mac; taxes and insurance are not included. Figures are revised as late-reported sales are recorded.
Data derived from Northwest Multiple Listing Service and compiled by Windermere Mount Baker and Windermere/East. Residential only. Statistics are not compiled or published by NWMLS. Figures are revised as late-reported sales are recorded.