Seattle Market Pulse
Four indicators that tell you where the Seattle residential market is heading — sourced directly from NWMLS and refreshed monthly.
A headline number rarely tells the whole story.
Scroll down for the complete view — every chart, every data point, three full years of context. Because the difference between a good decision and a great one is almost always in the trendline beneath the number.
See all graphs & dataSource: Northwest Multiple Listing Service® via InfoSparks (ShowingTime). Residential sales, Seattle segment. Reported figures are NWMLS data and are not guaranteed. Equal Housing Opportunity. Matthew Konsmo · Coldwell Banker Danforth.
May 2026 — Matthew’s Analysis of the Seattle Market
In May 2026, the median sales price across Seattle residential came in at $1.03M, up 4.1% from the month prior, while the median price per square foot stood at $571. Year over year the median is up 3.7%, a signal of underlying price support in this market.
On the supply side, Seattle saw 1,106 new listings come to market in May 2026, against 1,498 homes for sale at month end. Active inventory is up 16.6% from a year ago, giving buyers a wider field of choices than they had last year. At roughly 3.0 months of supply, that points to a relatively balanced market by the conventional rule of thumb (under three months favors sellers, over six favors buyers).
Demand stayed active: 665 pending sales and 595 closings in May 2026. The median home took about 7 days to sell — a fast pace that rewards prepared buyers. Sellers are realizing about 100.0% of their original list price — at or above their original asking price, a sign sellers are holding leverage.
Taken together, the ten indicators describe a balanced Seattle market. Pricing has held up year over year, while inventory and pace are the levers worth watching month to month. For a buyer or seller weighing a move, the right read is rarely a single headline number — it is the direction these series are trending together, which is exactly what the full charts below lay out.
Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service® via InfoSparks (ShowingTime). Residential sales, Seattle segment. Analysis by Matthew Konsmo · Coldwell Banker Danforth. Figures are NWMLS data and are not guaranteed.
Seattle Housing Market Trends & Residential Sales Data
Thinking about buying or selling a Residential home in Seattle? This page tracks the Seattle real estate market using live Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) data—updated monthly with median sale prices, days on market, closed sales, and inventory levels.
Because Seattle is large and made up of dozens of distinct neighborhoods—each with its own price points, housing stock, and pace of sale—citywide numbers can mask significant variation from one area to the next. That makes localized data essential for understanding general market direction. Whether you are timing a purchase or preparing to list, the data below provides a clear, objective look at current market conditions.
Looking for a more localized market perspective? Explore our hyper-local neighborhood guides for a micro view of specific real estate markets across the city, from Queen Anne, Ballard and Laurelhurst.
Buying or selling a condo in Seattle? Condo Market Trends >
Why Direct Comps Reign Supreme
While median and average prices are useful for identifying broad market shifts, they are often too “macro” when you are trying to value a specific front door. To find the true market value of a Seattle home, nothing beats a direct comparable (comp).
Contact Matthew for a Comparable Market Analysis on your home >
Direct comps account for the critical nuances that broader statistics completely ignore:
Hyper-Locality Matters
In a city as varied as Seattle, averages can be almost meaningless. The city’s hills mean a Lake Washington, Puget Sound, downtown, or Mt. Rainier view corridor can appear—or disappear—within a single block, swinging value well beyond 5% to 10%. School attendance areas shift street by street, and the difference between walkable, transit-served pockets near 1 Line stations and quieter interior blocks is real money. A waterfront home in Madison Park, a view lot in Magnolia or West Seattle’s Alki, a Craftsman in Wallingford, and a townhome in Ballard all live in the same “Seattle” statistic but trade in completely different markets. A direct comp reflects the reality of the specific street and neighborhood.
Accounting for Quality and Finishes
Broad data points can’t distinguish between builder-grade finishes and high-end custom upgrades. Whether a home features standard laminate or custom mitered-edge quartz, direct comps allow for “line-item” adjustments. Seattle’s housing stock is exceptionally varied—from century-old Craftsman and Tudor homes in Wedgwood, Ravenna, and Phinney Ridge to ground-up modern townhomes and skinny houses filling in across the city. Line-item adjustments ensure the premium investments made in a home’s interior are actually reflected in its valuation.
The “Vibe” Factor
Statistics often treat square footage as equal, but buyers don’t. A 1920s classic Craftsman in Laurelhurst and a 2026 modern build in Capitol Hill might share the exact same footprint, yet they appeal to entirely different buyer pools. Using direct comps ensures you’re comparing “apples to apples” by matching the architectural style, character, and lifestyle appeal of a property.
The Bottom Line: If you want to know what a home is worth in today’s market, look past the ZIP code averages and focus on the three or four most similar properties that have closed nearby. That’s where the real data lives. Get the facts behind your home’s value. Contact me for a personalized CMA based on your Seattle property’s specific characteristics and current market data.