The 2026 Market Outlook: What Buyers and Sellers Should Know

After several years of whiplash, the housing market is settling into something closer to normal. Inventory has climbed for the third consecutive quarter, mortgage rates have found a range, and homes are once again selling on their merits rather than on scarcity alone.

For sellers, this means preparation matters again. The homes commanding premiums are the ones that show beautifully: professionally staged, photographed, and priced against a realistic comparable set. Overpricing in this market doesn't just slow a sale — it stigmatizes the listing.

For buyers, more inventory means more leverage. Inspection contingencies are back on the table, seller credits toward rate buydowns are increasingly common, and the frantic same-day-offer pace has eased in most neighborhoods — though the most desirable streets still move fast.

The bottom line: strategy beats timing. Whether you're buying, selling, or both, the plan you make in the next 90 days matters more than trying to predict the next rate move. Let's build that plan together.