Published October 18, 2026 in Market Update

Primary market is still faster than the national pace

By Beverly Stermer

Real estate, Primary market

Realtor.com reported the U.S. median days on market at 61 days for the week of October 15, 2026. In the three months ending August 31, 2026, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted homes selling in 11 days in ZIP 24401, 17 days in ZIP 22939, and 27 days in ZIP 22980. That is a big gap. It means sellers here still have an edge, and buyers still need to be ready to move.

How fast are homes selling, ZIP by ZIP?

ZIP 24401 is the fastest at 11 days. That said, the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows that is 2 days longer than the same period last year. Not every home is flying off the shelf, but the pace is still well ahead of the national number.

Some areas did slow a little

ZIP 22980 slowed the most. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows median days on market there rose 10 days compared with the same three months of 2025. ZIP 24477 was 15 days longer than last year. Those are honest shifts worth knowing. Still, even 27 days is less than half the national pace Realtor.com reported.

Buyers are still going under contract fast

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted that 53.8% of homes in ZIP 24401 went under contract within two weeks of listing in the three months ending August 31, 2026. In ZIP 24477, that share was 42.9%. In ZIP 22939, it was 46.2%, actually up 9.2 points from last year. Buyers: being ready with financing matters here.

What about prices and the broader picture?

The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows median sale prices ranging from $280,350 in ZIP 24441 to $442,500 in ZIP 24421 for the three months ending August 31, 2026. ZIP 24441 saw prices dip 16.3% from a year ago, a real drop worth noting. Most other ZIPs with year-over-year data saw prices climb.

Nationally, the National Association of Realtors reported existing-home sales reached 3.99 million units in September 2026, with prices up just 1.3% year over year. Local price gains in most of our ZIP codes are running well ahead of that national figure.

Mortgage rates are a factor for everyone

Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.40% as of October 15, 2026. The 15-year fixed averaged 6.71%. Realtor.com noted rates climbed above 7% for the first time since January 2025. Higher rates slow some buyers down. That is part of why even a fast market is not the same for every home.

The overall market count

Across all ZIP codes in the Primary market, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 430 homes sold and 476 pending sales in the three months ending August 31, 2026. There were 619 new listings and 424 homes for sale. More listings are coming to market, which gives buyers a little more to choose from.