09/16/2026
🏡 **So…what’s actually happening in the U.S. housing market right now?**
There’s been a lot of talk about the housing market, so I thought I’d share what the **latest National Association of REALTORS® data** is actually showing.
📊 **Here are a few numbers worth paying attention to:**
• Existing-home sales **fell 2% in August** from July and are down 1.2% from a year ago.
• Inventory is finally giving buyers more breathing room. There were **1.62 million homes for sale in August**, up 5.9% from last year.
• That puts the market at **4.9 months of inventory** — the highest level in more than 10 years.
• The national median existing-home price is **$429,100**, still up 1.6% from a year ago.
• And here’s an encouraging piece of the story: existing-home sales are **up 1.6% year-to-date** through August.
So what does all of this mean?
👉 **Buyers have more choices and more negotiating power than they’ve had in quite a while.**
👉 **Sellers can still command strong prices**, but pricing a home correctly matters more when buyers have additional options.
👉 And despite higher mortgage rates, there is still demand. Rising wages and continued job growth are helping support the market.
In other words, we're not looking at a market where *everything is flying off the shelf* — but we're also not looking at a market where *nobody is buying.*
We're moving toward a market where **strategy matters.**
For buyers, that can mean taking advantage of increased inventory and negotiating opportunities.
For sellers, it means understanding your local market, pricing strategically, and making your home stand out from the competition.
And that's why national numbers are helpful — but **your local market is what really matters.** Northeast Ohio can tell a very different story than the national headlines.
If you're wondering what these numbers mean for **your specific home, neighborhood, or buying plans**, I'm always happy to take a look. 🏠
*Source: National Association of REALTORS®, August 2026 Existing-Home Sales Report.*
