If it's felt a little different out there this summer — more homes to tour, fewer bidding wars, sellers a bit more willing to talk — that's not just a feeling. The numbers published in the latest Northwest MLS report back it up, and if you're buying or selling on the Eastside right now, they're worth understanding before you make your next move.
According to the July 2026 Northwest MLS report, active listings across the region's 27-county service area rose nearly 20% year-over-year, while closed sales dipped about 3% and pending sales fell just over 7%. Locally, the shift was even more pronounced.
In King County, inventory climbed almost 24% compared to July of last year. The combined median sales price held roughly steady at $879,500, but the pattern underneath was mixed: single-family homes eased slightly to a median of $995,000, while condos slipped further to $519,975.
In Snohomish County, the swing was sharper. Inventory jumped 35% year-over-year, the highest level the county has seen in about a decade, and the combined median sales price fell 6% to $719,000. Single-family homes there dropped to a $757,250 median, with condos down to $500,000.
Mortgage rates played a clear role. Rates averaged above 6.5% through July, which continued to keep some buyers on the sidelines even as more inventory came onto the market.
More listings and softer prices add up to something buyers on the Eastside haven't had much of in recent years: leverage. That doesn't mean every home is negotiable, well-priced, move-in-ready homes in strong Bellevue and Kirkland-adjacent locations are still moving quickly, but it does mean you have more room to ask for repairs, negotiate on price, or simply take a second look before writing an offer. If you've been priced out or outbid over the past couple of years, this is a market worth re-entering with fresh eyes.
If you're planning to list this fall, pricing accuracy matters more now than it did a year ago. With inventory up nearly a quarter in King County and over a third in Snohomish County, buyers have options, and homes priced even slightly above where the market actually sits are sitting longer. That's not a reason to panic; it's a reason to price realistically from day one rather than testing the market high and chasing it down later.
One number from the report is worth a caveat rather than a headline. West of I-405 in Bellevue, the reported single-family median fell from $4.3 million to $3.3 million. That's a dramatic-looking swing, but in a lower-volume luxury segment, the median often reflects which specific homes happened to sell in a given month rather than a broad drop in value. If you own or are considering a home in that price range, that number is a starting point for a conversation with your agent, not the whole story.
Rates above 6.5% are still shaping buyer behavior more than anything else in this market. They're a big part of why pending sales are down even with more homes available; some buyers are waiting to see whether rates ease before committing. If you're a buyer with financing flexibility, or a seller whose home appeals to buyers who can pay with less rate sensitivity, that's a real advantage right now.
This is the most balanced the Eastside housing market has looked in a while, more choices for buyers, and a market that rewards sellers who price with the current data rather than last year's numbers. Whether you're weighing an offer, deciding when to list, or just trying to figure out where your specific neighborhood sits in all of this, I'm happy to pull the numbers for your street and talk through what they actually mean for your situation. Reach out anytime.