🇺🇸 National Real Estate Market (2026)

1) The big headline: The market is resetting (not crashing)

• Price growth has slowed to about ~1% nationally (Business Insider)
  
  
• Some markets are flat or slightly down
  
  
• Others (Midwest/Northeast) are still rising due to affordability (Kiplinger)
  
  

👉 Translation:
We’ve moved from a frenzy → normalization

2) Inventory is rising = more balance

• Many metros now have more listings and longer days on market (New York Post)
  
  
• Some areas are tipping toward buyer’s markets
  
  

👉 This is the biggest shift from 2021–2023.

3) Mortgage rates: stabilizing (but still a factor)

• Around ~6% range in 2026 (Jim Allen Group)
  
  
• Slightly improving affordability, but not cheap
  
  

👉 Buyers are cautious, not desperate.

4) Affordability is STILL the biggest issue

• Housing shortage ~4 million homes nationally (Reuters)
  
  
• Rising costs (taxes, insurance, HOA) are hitting owners
  
  
• Foreclosures are ticking up—not a crash, but stress showing (The Wall Street Journal)
  
  

5) What kind of market is it?

👉 Hybrid market

• Some cities = buyer advantage
  
  
• Some = still competitive
  
  
• Overall = balanced trending toward buyers
  
  

📍 Raleigh / Triangle Market (YOUR backyard)

1) Prices: slightly down or flat

• Median list price ~ $465K (↓ ~3.4% YoY) (Realtor)
  
  
• Median sale price around $420K–$426K (Redfin)
  
  
• Values down ~1–3% range depending on data set
  
  

👉 Not a crash — a correction/reset

2) Inventory: UP significantly

• Listings up ~20%+ in Wake County (WRAL News)
  
  
• More supply than we’ve seen in years
  
  

👉 This is WHY the market feels different.

3) Days on market: rising

• ~43–46 days vs much faster before (Realtor)
  
  
• Raleigh ranked among biggest slowdowns nationally (ABC11 Raleigh-Durham)
  
  

👉 Buyers now have:

• Time
  
  
• Leverage
  
  
• Options
  
  

4) Seller reality: pricing matters again

• ~20% of listings cutting price (Realtor)
  
  

👉 Your world now:

• Overprice = sit
  
  
• Price right = sell
  
  

5) Market type in Raleigh?

👉 Balanced market leaning slightly toward buyers

• Still strong economy + population growth
  
  
• Still desirable
  
  
• BUT no more “throw it on MLS and win”
  
  

🔥 The Simple Truth (what you should be saying to clients)

National:

👉 “The market isn’t crashing — it’s normalizing.”

Raleigh:

👉 “We’ve shifted from a speed market to a strategy market.”

My Thoughts: 

For sellers:

• Pricing strategy is EVERYTHING
  
  
• Presentation matters again
  
  
• Negotiation is back
  
  

For buyers:

• Opportunity window is OPEN
  
  
• Less pressure, more control
  
  
• Ability to negotiate terms, not just price