2026 March Housing Market Update

By Matt Stark

Matt Stark is a top 1% REALTOR® in Seattle with over 19 years of experience. A Seattle native, he began his career in 1999 as an investor before transitioning to full-time real estate.

As we wrap up the first quarter of 2026, housing inventory in the Greater Northwest is rising faster than expected. At the end of March, we saw 1,278 active listings in the market. That’s a significant jump from the beginning of the year. This marks a 46% increase in inventory from January, which is faster than we saw in 2025, when we didn’t hit the 1,200 mark until late May.

Inventory is rising quickly. The number of active listings has been climbing steadily since January, and it’s happening earlier than usual. This is a strong indicator that more options are available for buyers, but how is demand holding up?

Buyer demand is still there. The good news is that homes are still going under contract at a steady pace. While there’s more inventory on the market, buyers are still actively looking and making offers. So while we have more choices available, demand continues to absorb that supply.

Price reductions are holding steady for now. On a weekly basis for March, about 10% of active listings did a price reduction, roughly 120 homes out of the 1,200 on the market. To put that in context, when the market is strong and prices are firm, that number typically sits around 6%. When the market starts softening, it climbs to 12, 13, even 14%. At 10%, we’re in flat territory, meaning prices are holding but they’re not going up. If that number starts creeping higher, it could signal a shift.

For sellers, pricing matters more than ever right now. About 60% of active homes have been on the market for more than 21 days, and a large portion of those will very likely need a price reduction. Homes that sit too long start to feel stale to buyers, and at that point, a price adjustment becomes almost unavoidable. This is why preparation, pricing, and marketing are so important right now. Your home needs to be in good condition, or at the very least, priced for the condition it’s in.

It’s still an active spring market. Homes are continuing to move, and there are real opportunities for both buyers and sellers. But strategy matters. If you’re a seller, getting your pricing right from the start can make the difference between a smooth sale and chasing the market down with reductions.

If you have questions about the market or want to talk through your specific situation, feel free to reach out. You can contact me at 206-940-4557 or email me at matt@mattstarkrealestate.com. I’ll be back next month with another update, and I look forward to hearing from you.