Key takeaways
- The current real estate market in Western Washington is even more nuanced and has shifted meaningfully. There is little margin for error in pricing and preparation.
- Housing inventory has been rising, giving homebuyers more negotiating power than in recent years. Overpriced or underprepared listings are likely to sit on the market even longer than they have in recent months.
- If you want to position yourself to sell your house for the top dollar the current market will bear, you need to handle basic maintenance and repairs and present a clean, neutral home that can be called turnkey.
Homes.com’s most recent housing market report showed that housing inventory was up 4.4% from a year earlier and 42.7% higher than three years ago, with about 1.42 million homes for sale nationwide in July, 2026. The national median sale price remained steady at $400,000, a 2.6% year-over-year increase, while roughly 347,000 homes sold during the month, up 2.9% from July 2025. These numbers showed that even with higher mortgage lending rates, the housing market is firmer than many expected, and sellers face more competition for buyer attention than at any point in the last three to four years.
All Real Estate is Local
This adage still applies. Local conditions vary enormously. You will get top dollars that the current market will bear for your home if:
- You researched thoroughly when buying this house
- Didn’t overpay
- Bought in the right neighborhood
- Prepared your home to sell, thoughtfully
- Price it right based on the current market conditions
Are there benefits to selling in the Fall and Winter?
Yes. Fall offers a more motivated pool of buyers, albeit a smaller one than summer, but that also includes casual browsers. Fewer competing listings can also work in a seller’s favor. Savvy buyers plan several months and start scoping neighborhoods, even specific homes, even those that may not have a For Sale sign up. These buyers are ready to put pen to paper and want to get settled in by spring.
Be practical and realistic about the current real estate market in Western Washington
Over the last couple of years, inventory has trended upward. According to the national stats in the Homes.com report, the number of homes for sale increased in 70% of the more than 900 markets tracked in July. Nationally, the average days on market reached 56, and the sale-to-list price ratio sat at 97%; in other words, a typical home sold for 3% below its asking price.
These stats show that current homebuyers have more leverage than at any point in the past several years. More homes available on the market means more competition. Pricing your home just right and making it appealing to a wide range of buyers matter more now than at any time in the last few years.
Start early and seek professional help!
You can go it alone and try to figure it all out. The most efficient and cost-effective way to prepare your house to sell is to engage a listing broker early in the process. A national referral service ranks Broker Nadir as a broker who sells a home faster than 88% of brokers in the same area. We can do this primarily because we get our home sellers to start preparing their homes several months before listing. Can it be done faster? Yes, of course. But like all rush jobs, it’ll cost more, and quality is likely to suffer.
One key advantage of starting this process with the help of the listing broker is that you will be able to establish the dollar amount of your net proceeds from the sale of your house with reasonable accuracy. A seasoned listing broker is best able to help you with this crucial step. With this information, you can then set a budget for improvements and upgrades.
I strongly believe in getting a home inspection done at the start of this process. A professional home inspection will identify specific areas that need attention and will minimize the need for re-negotiations during the ‘homebuyer’s inspection’ phase, if the buyer chooses to do so.
