Seattle Monthly Housing Report

Seattle Housing Market Report

October 2026 | More choices, selective buyers, and homes that still sparked competition.

Prepared by Brandice Raybourn · Real Estate Broker · Coldwell Banker Danforth

Quick Take

More Homes to Compare. Some Still Sold Fast.

September brought more inventory than August or last September. More homes went pending than in August, but fewer sales closed, and both contracts and closings stayed below a year earlier.

The experience changed depending on what you were selling. Condos had a longer wait and more negotiating. Resale below $700,000 also showed pressure, while successful resale sellers from $850,000 upward received full original asking at the median.

There were standout sales again in Whittier, Green Lake, Fremont, and Montlake. At the same time, hundreds of listings were canceled or expired, and many active sellers were still waiting.

My takeaway: buyers had more choices, but the right home could still give them a reason to move quickly.

Whole-City Market

What Happened Across Seattle in September?

These are September 2026 results. M/M compares August 2026, and Y/Y compares September 2025. For asking-price comparisons, pp means percentage points.

Whole City

Whole-City Snapshot

Seattle | September 2026

Homes for sale: 3,647
Went under contract: 736
Closed sales: 571
Time to find a buyer: 17 days
Original asking received: 98.0%
Median sold price: $830,000

Typical showing visits8Aug 2026: 9 · M/M -1 showingsSep 2025: 9 · Y/Y -1 showings

Median sold price per sq. ft.$545Aug 2026: $520 · M/M +4.8%Sep 2025: $562 · Y/Y -3.0%

New listings1,777Aug 2026: 1,324 · M/M +34.2%Sep 2025: 1,792 · Y/Y -0.8%

Seattle Whole-City Snapshot Summary for September 2026

Inventory was up compared with my previous report and this time last year. Buyers had more homes to choose from, and sellers had more competition. But September was not simply a story of fewer buyers: more homes went pending than in August, even though contracts stayed below last September and fewer sales closed in both comparisons. The middle seller received 98% of original asking, so negotiation was still part of the picture. Showing visits before an offer eased from nine to eight. That tells us about homes that found an offer, not the traffic every seller received. Let’s look at each housing type and resale price range to see where these results came from.

The Homes That Did Not Sell

759 September Cancellations and Expirations

483Canceled listings

276Expired listings

129Expired September 24–30

These were the September listing outcomes I reviewed. A cancellation can happen for different reasons, but 759 cancellations and expirations show why I do not look only at the homes that sold. One property can have more than one listing, so these are listing outcomes rather than that many different owners.

Seattle could have fast standout sales and frustrated sellers in the same month. Your home’s price, condition, location, and competition mattered more than a broad market headline.

Housing Types

How Did Buyers and Sellers Do With Each Kind of Home?

Start with residential resale across all price ranges, then compare new construction, condos, and townhomes.

Residential Resale

Seattle | September 2026

Homes for sale: 594
Went under contract: 218
Closed sales: 174
Time to find a buyer: 8 days
Original asking received: 99.7%
Median sold price: $991,897

Typical showing visits9Sep 2025: 12 · Y/Y -3 showings

Median sold price per sq. ft.$537Sep 2025: $538 · Y/Y -0.2%

New listings426Sep 2025: 357 · Y/Y +19.3%

Seattle Residential Resale Summary for September 2026

Here is the overall resale view across all five price ranges. There were more homes to compete with than last September, but fewer went pending or closed. The homes that sold still found their buyer in a median of eight days, a little faster than a year earlier, and the middle seller received 99.7% of original asking. Showing visits before an offer fell from 12 to nine. So successful resale sellers could do well, but that does not tell us every home had an easy time. The median price was almost unchanged from last September. The price-range sections below explain why the overall resale result can look strong while some sellers had a much harder month.

New Construction

Seattle | September 2026

Homes for sale: 678
Went under contract: 85
Closed sales: 88
Time to find a buyer: 22 days
Original asking received: 98.1%
Median sold price: $792,000

Typical showing visits4Aug 2026: 6 · M/M -2 showingsSep 2025: 8 · Y/Y -4 showings

Median sold price per sq. ft.$568Aug 2026: $586 · M/M -3.1%Sep 2025: $642 · Y/Y -11.5%

New listings286Aug 2026: 258 · M/M +10.9%Sep 2025: 281 · Y/Y +1.8%

Seattle New Construction Summary for September 2026

Builders had more homes for buyers to choose from than in August or last September. September closings improved from August, and the homes that sold found a buyer faster. But new contracts fell in both comparisons. The middle seller received 98.1% of original asking, a little less than August and last September. The median sold price changed very little, while price per square foot fell. To me, that means we need to compare the actual home and purchase terms, not assume a builder’s starting price tells the whole story. More choice can be useful for buyers, but not every new home offers the same opportunity.

Condos

Condominiums

Seattle | September 2026

Homes for sale: 1,095
Went under contract: 125
Closed sales: 117
Time to find a buyer: 42 days
Original asking received: 95.4%
Median sold price: $470,000

Typical showing visits6Aug 2026: 6 · M/M unchangedSep 2025: 6 · Y/Y unchanged

Median sold price per sq. ft.$537Aug 2026: $536 · M/M +0.2%Sep 2025: $591 · Y/Y -9.1%

New listings388Aug 2026: 340 · M/M +14.1%Sep 2025: 414 · Y/Y -6.3%

Seattle Condominiums Summary for September 2026

Condos still had some of the clearest seller pressure. Inventory increased, and fewer buyers went pending than in August or last September. Closings edged up from August, but were well below a year earlier. The homes that sold needed a median of 42 days to find their buyer, and the middle seller received 95.4% of original asking. That is more negotiation and a longer wait than in either comparison. The median price was slightly higher than last September, but price per square foot was lower. I would want to compare the building, dues, condition, and nearby alternatives before treating that price headline as the answer for a particular condo.

Townhomes

Seattle | September 2026

Homes for sale: 422
Went under contract: 75
Closed sales: 55
Time to find a buyer: 21 days
Original asking received: 98.0%
Median sold price: $740,000

Typical showing visits5Aug 2026: 7 · M/M -2 showingsSep 2025: 6 · Y/Y -1 showings

Median sold price per sq. ft.$517Aug 2026: $503 · M/M +2.8%Sep 2025: $537 · Y/Y -3.7%

New listings206Aug 2026: 161 · M/M +28.0%Sep 2025: 215 · Y/Y -4.2%

Seattle Townhomes Summary for September 2026

Townhomes had more inventory, but September also brought more pending sales than August. The homes that sold found a buyer faster and received a little more of original asking than in either comparison. That sounds encouraging, but fewer sales closed than in August or last September. Buyers had a bigger selection, and the median sold price remained below a year earlier even after rising from August. Typical showing visits before an offer fell to five. A home could find its buyer without lots of visits, but it still needed to compare well on price, layout, and the monthly payment.

Residential Resale

Where Did the Resale Price Range Make a Difference?

These ranges cover previously owned residential homes. The strongest successful-sale result was not always in the most affordable range.

Resale by Price Point

Under $700K

Seattle | September 2026

Homes for sale: 179
Went under contract: 59
Closed sales: 36
Time to find a buyer: 23 days
Original asking received: 95.3%
Median sold price: $606,000

Typical showing visits8Aug 2026: 11 · M/M -3 showingsSep 2025: 11 · Y/Y -3 showings

Median sold price per sq. ft.$469Aug 2026: $478 · M/M -1.9%Sep 2025: $511 · Y/Y -8.2%

New listings116Aug 2026: 77 · M/M +50.6%Sep 2025: 77 · Y/Y +50.6%

Seattle Under $700K Summary for September 2026

This was the busiest resale range for new contracts, and pending sales increased from August and last September. But inventory grew much faster, while closings fell. The homes that sold took 23 days to find a buyer, compared with nine in August, and the middle seller received 95.3% of original asking. That is a very different experience from the higher resale ranges. A more reachable price did not automatically make a home an easy yes. Buyers had plenty to compare, and sellers needed to make the condition and price work together. The median price was above a year earlier, but that did not erase the negotiating room buyers found.

Resale by Price Point

$700K to $849K

Seattle | September 2026

Homes for sale: 127
Went under contract: 37
Closed sales: 35
Time to find a buyer: 8 days
Original asking received: 98.3%
Median sold price: $785,000

Typical showing visits7Aug 2026: 13 · M/M -6 showingsSep 2025: 9 · Y/Y -2 showings

Median sold price per sq. ft.$491Aug 2026: $459 · M/M +7.0%Sep 2025: $508 · Y/Y -3.3%

New listings85Aug 2026: 58 · M/M +46.6%Sep 2025: 66 · Y/Y +28.8%

Seattle $700K to $849K Summary for September 2026

Successful sales moved faster here than in August or last September. The middle seller received 98.3% of original asking, better than August but a little below last September. Buyers still had more homes to choose from, and fewer homes went pending or closed in both comparisons. The median sold price rose, while price per square foot stayed below a year earlier. I see good results for the homes buyers chose, alongside more sellers competing for those offers. Your price still needed to make sense next to the other choices.

Resale by Price Point

$850K to $1.049M

Seattle | September 2026

Homes for sale: 124
Went under contract: 48
Closed sales: 50
Time to find a buyer: 9 days
Original asking received: 100.0%
Median sold price: $925,000

Typical showing visits10Aug 2026: 11 · M/M -1 showingsSep 2025: 12 · Y/Y -2 showings

Median sold price per sq. ft.$503Aug 2026: $457 · M/M +10.1%Sep 2025: $507 · Y/Y -0.8%

New listings96Aug 2026: 77 · M/M +24.7%Sep 2025: 86 · Y/Y +11.6%

Seattle $850K to $1.049M Summary for September 2026

This range had a stronger closing month than August, even though fewer new homes went pending. The homes that sold found their buyer in nine days, faster than August and the same as last September. The middle seller received full original asking, an improvement in both comparisons. Inventory was higher and the median sold price was lower, so I would not call every result stronger. What stood out was how well the selected homes performed. Buyers were comparing more homes, but could still act quickly when one made sense.

Resale by Price Point

$1.05M to $1.349M

Seattle | September 2026

Homes for sale: 75
Went under contract: 41
Closed sales: 26
Time to find a buyer: 5 days
Original asking received: 100.0%
Median sold price: $1,163,000

Typical showing visits10Aug 2026: 12 · M/M -2 showingsSep 2025: 16 · Y/Y -6 showings

Median sold price per sq. ft.$582Aug 2026: $567 · M/M +2.6%Sep 2025: $567 · Y/Y +2.6%

New listings68Aug 2026: 42 · M/M +61.9%Sep 2025: 82 · Y/Y -17.1%

Seattle $1.05M to $1.349M Summary for September 2026

More homes went pending than in August, while closings fell. Compared with last September, inventory was slightly lower, but both pending and closed sales were lower too. Successful homes still found a buyer in five days and the middle seller received full original asking. That quick response continued from my previous report. The median price was unchanged from August and slightly below a year earlier. There were buyers ready to act, but fewer finished sales, so I would keep the fast successful-sale result separate from the experience of homes still waiting.

Resale by Price Point

$1.35M or More

Seattle | September 2026

Homes for sale: 88
Went under contract: 33
Closed sales: 27
Time to find a buyer: 6 days
Original asking received: 100.0%
Median sold price: $1,550,000

Typical showing visits13Aug 2026: 12 · M/M +1 showingsSep 2025: 14 · Y/Y -1 showings

Median sold price per sq. ft.$624Aug 2026: $670 · M/M -6.9%Sep 2025: $629 · Y/Y -0.8%

New listings61Aug 2026: 44 · M/M +38.6%Sep 2025: 74 · Y/Y -17.6%

Seattle $1.35M or More Summary for September 2026

The upper resale range also kept a fast successful-sale timeline and a median at full original asking. Pending sales increased from August, but stayed below last September, while fewer homes closed in both comparisons. Inventory rose and the median price fell. So a strong luxury home could still find its buyer quickly, but the larger selection did not translate into more finished sales. I would compare the features, location, and competition around the individual home before using that six-day median as an expectation for every seller.

Where Buyers Still Stepped Up

Returning Areas Had Standout September Sales

Whittier, Green Lake, Fremont, and Montlake again had September closings above final asking. Those areas stood out in my previous report too. That does not mean every home there sold at a premium, but it shows buyers were still willing to compete for particular homes.

A Whittier home listed at $899,950 closed at $1,113,000 after five days, about 23.7% above asking. That is one example of a fast, strong result in the same month that other sellers were waiting.

What I Noticed With Active Homes

Among the active homes I reviewed, 665 had a September price-change date and were asking less than their original price. That does not mean every reduction happened in September, but it shows how many sellers were revisiting their position.

The largest groups of homes over 90 days were in Queen Anne (57), Downtown (42), Belltown (37), and Capitol Hill (31). These describe the active homes I reviewed, rather than a separate September month-end inventory total. If you were selling nearby, I would want to understand what buyers could choose instead of your home.

First Look: A New Way to Get Attention Before Launch!

For sellers who want some pre-marketing while getting their home ready, this is exciting news. NWMLS introduced First Look in September. Sellers can choose up to 21 days to showcase a home before its Active launch, and decide whether to allow showings and publish it on public real estate websites. All NWMLS member brokers can see it.

I found 38 homes still marked First Look with September status dates in the listings I reviewed. These are separate from Active listings, and they do not count every home that used First Look before changing status. Let’s talk about whether that preparation period would fit your plan. More about First Look from NWMLS.

Questions You May Be Asking

What Does This Mean for Your Plans?

Are buyers still buying, or is everyone waiting?

Buyers were still moving forward. September had more pending sales than August, even though contracts remained below last September. Closings fell in both comparisons. More offers starting and fewer sales finishing can happen in the same month, so I would look at both before calling the market stronger or weaker.

With this much inventory, can I offer less than asking?

There may be room, but I would not use one discount for every home. Condo sellers received 95.4% of original asking at the median. Successful resale sellers from $850,000 upward received full original asking. Let’s compare the specific home, its pricing history, and your other choices before deciding on an offer.

Shouldn’t a home under $700,000 sell quickly?

Not automatically. That resale range had more new contracts, but the homes that sold took 23 days to find a buyer and the middle seller received 95.3% of original asking. Buyers had more choices there too. A reachable price helps, but the condition and monthly payment still need to make sense.

Why did some homes sell so fast while others sat for months?

The homes buyers chose could get a quick offer, especially in the higher resale ranges. But I also reviewed hundreds of active homes over 90 days. Those are different experiences. A fast median among successful sales does not tell us how long every unsold home will wait.

Where were buyers still competing?

Whittier, Green Lake, Fremont, and Montlake again had homes close above final asking. Those examples tell us buyers could still step up for a particular home. They do not mean every seller in those neighborhoods could expect the same premium.

Can I get some attention before my home is fully ready?

First Look gives sellers an option for up to 21 days of pre-marketing while preparing for an Active launch. You can decide whether to allow showings during that time. We can discuss how that fits your home and timing before choosing a launch plan.

Seattle Market Conclusion

What Did September Tell Us?

More choices did not mean every home had the same result.

Seattle inventory increased from my previous report and from last September. More homes went pending than in August, but closings fell, and both contracts and closings stayed below a year earlier. The middle seller received 98% of original asking. Buyers were active, but they were choosing from a larger group of homes.

I reviewed 759 September cancellations and expirations, alongside 623 active homes listed over 90 days. Many active sellers had revisited their pricing. Those homes matter because the sale-price and timing results describe sellers who succeeded, not everyone still waiting. Only a small share of the older active group was marked new construction.

The new overall resale section helps put the price ranges together. Successful resale homes found their buyer quickly and received close to original asking at the median, while inventory was higher and contracts and closings were lower than last September. That strong successful-sale result did not remove competition for the sellers still on the market.

New construction had more homes for sale and fewer new contracts. Its September sales finished a little better than August, but builders were still competing for attention. Condos had the longer wait and more negotiating. Townhomes saw more new contracts than August and faster successful sales, but fewer closings. I would compare the housing type before borrowing a citywide conclusion for your home.

Under $700,000 was the busiest resale band for new contracts, but sellers waited longer and negotiated more. From $700,000 to $849,999, successful homes moved faster even as activity declined. From $850,000 to $1,049,999, closings improved from August and the median reached full original asking. The $1.05 million to $1.349 million range kept a five-day successful-sale timeline and full original asking. Above $1.35 million, successful sales were also quick and at full original asking, but inventory grew and fewer homes closed. Every price range had a reason to look beyond one headline.

Whittier, Green Lake, Fremont, and Montlake again produced above-final-asking examples. Buyers could still compete hard for a particular home, while other sellers nearby had a very different experience. That is why I look at the actual property, its presentation, and its closest competition.

For Buyers

You had more room to compare, and some homes offered negotiating opportunities. But a standout home could still need a quick, thoughtful offer. I would help you understand the alternatives before deciding how far to go.

For Sellers

Your home needed a clear reason to be the one buyers chose. Price, condition, and presentation worked together. I would watch your real competition and the response to your home rather than assume a quick-sale median guaranteed your result.

What I Am Watching Next

I want to see how September’s pending sales turn into closings, whether the larger inventory starts to come down, and whether pricing adjustments help the homes still waiting. I am also watching how sellers use First Look while preparing their launch.

My takeaway: Seattle had buyers, but your home had to give them a reason to say yes.

Interest Rates

And Then There Is the Monthly Payment!

Freddie Mac’s October 1 weekly update put the 30-year fixed average at 7.28%, compared with 6.34% a year earlier. That difference matters when buyers are working out what feels comfortable each month.

30-year fixed7.28%Previous week: 7.03% · Year earlier: 6.34%

15-year fixed6.60%Previous week: 6.42% · Year earlier: 5.55%

I would look at the payment before falling in love with the price. These are national weekly averages released October 1, not September’s monthly average or a personal loan quote. Source: Freddie Mac.

Source: NWMLS. Showings are visits, not necessarily different buyers. Timing and asking-price results describe the homes that sold.

Questions About Your Plans?

Let’s Talk About Your Next Move

Buying or selling in Seattle? I can help you make a plan that fits your home, budget, and timing.

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Never Miss the Next Update

What Happened Across Seattle in September?

Seattle Whole-City Snapshot Summary for September 2026

759 September Cancellations and Expirations

How Did Buyers and Sellers Do With Each Kind of Home?

Seattle Residential Resale Summary for September 2026

Seattle New Construction Summary for September 2026

Seattle Condominiums Summary for September 2026

Seattle Townhomes Summary for September 2026

Where Did the Resale Price Range Make a Difference?

Seattle Under $700K Summary for September 2026

Seattle $700K to $849K Summary for September 2026

Seattle $850K to $1.049M Summary for September 2026

Seattle $1.05M to $1.349M Summary for September 2026

Seattle $1.35M or More Summary for September 2026

Returning Areas Had Standout September Sales

What I Noticed With Active Homes

First Look: A New Way to Get Attention Before Launch!

What Does This Mean for Your Plans?

Are buyers still buying, or is everyone waiting?

With this much inventory, can I offer less than asking?

Shouldn’t a home under $700,000 sell quickly?

Why did some homes sell so fast while others sat for months?

Where were buyers still competing?

Can I get some attention before my home is fully ready?

What Did September Tell Us?

For Buyers

For Sellers

What I Am Watching Next

And Then There Is the Monthly Payment!

Let’s Talk About Your Next Move

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