Published October 18, 2026 in Market Update

Inventory stayed tight in the Primary market while U.S. listings grew

Realtor.com reported that for-sale listings across the U.S. were growing by nearly 7% in the week ending October 10, 2026. Here in the Primary market, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 810 homes for sale in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is down 7.7% from a year ago. More choice elsewhere, less choice here.

For sellers, fewer competing listings can help a well-priced home stand out. For buyers, it means choices are still limited here, even as supply grows nationally.

Sales picked up, but pending sales slipped

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 859 homes sold across the Primary market in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up 5.8% from a year ago. More homes are closing. But pending sales, a forward-looking signal, came in at 888, down 4% from the same period last year. Not every sign points the same way.

Rates are adding pressure for buyers

Freddie Mac put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.40% as of October 15, 2026. The 15-year fixed averaged 6.71% the same week. Those numbers make every dollar of price matter more. A tight local inventory on top of that means buyers have less room to be patient.

How each ZIP code read in the three months ending August 31, 2026

The market-wide number of 810 homes for sale covers a wide range of ZIP codes. Some tightened sharply. Others loosened. Here is how inventory moved in each one, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator.

ZIP 92117 saw the sharpest drop, down 33.7% in homes for sale. ZIP 92103 moved the other way, up 16%. The same market can feel very different depending on which street you are on.

Median sale prices varied widely across ZIP codes

Prices did not move in one direction across the Primary market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows that some ZIP codes saw strong gains while others dipped. Here is the full picture for the three months ending August 31, 2026.

ZIP 92102 had the largest price gain, up 33.9% from a year ago, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. ZIP 92103 had the largest drop, down 9.1%. A rising or falling ZIP code average does not tell you what one specific home is worth.

Speed: how fast did homes go under contract?

The Real Estate Data Aggregator tracked the share of homes that went under contract within two weeks of listing. ZIP 92117 led the market at 47.3%. ZIP 92037 was the slowest at 24.6%. Tight inventory and fast contract rates go hand in hand in several of these ZIP codes.

The national picture adds context

The National Association of Realtors reported that existing-home sales nationally reached 3.99 million units in September 2026. National inventory rose to 1.60 million homes that same month. National prices were up 1.3% in September 2026. The Primary market's tighter local inventory sits against a backdrop of growing national supply.