Published October 4, 2026 in Market Update

More homes are for sale in Primary market, but not every part is easing

By Harry "Zvi" Allman

Real estate, Primary market

These numbers cover the three months ending July 31, 2026. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 679 homes for sale and 912 new listings across Primary market in that period. More choice is real. But the range is wide, and your ZIP code may tell a very different story than the market as a whole.

The big picture: more homes, but rates are climbing too

Realtor.com reported that active listings nationally rose 6.3% from a year ago, the fastest pace in at least six months. That is good news for buyers who have felt squeezed. At the same time, Freddie Mac put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.28% as of October 1, 2026. Rates crossed 7% in late September for the first time since January 2025, Realtor.com noted. More homes plus higher rates means buyers have more to look at but also more to weigh.

Realtor.com also found that 20.8% of listings nationally carried a price cut in September, the highest share since October 2022. That tells sellers something plain: overpricing is harder to hide when buyers have options.

Supply by ZIP: the range is striking

Months of supply means how long it would take to sell every home listed, at the current pace of sales. Below 3 months tends to favor sellers. Above 6 months tends to favor buyers. Primary market right now has both ends at once.

The tightest spots: still moving fast

ZIP 10980 had just 1.4 months of supply, down 2.2 months from a year ago, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is a meaningful tightening. In the same period, 65% of homes there sold above list price, up 15 points from last year. The median sale price dipped a little, down 1.8% to $692,500, but homes were under contract in a median of 21 days, 10 days faster than the year before. Sellers there are still in a strong spot, even with the small price dip.

ZIP 10956 also stayed competitive. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 2.9 months of supply there, with a median of 19 days on market and 64.1% of homes selling above list. The median sale price rose 5.6% to $855,000.

The looser spots: buyers have more room

ZIP 10952 is a different story. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 5.9 months of supply there, with a median of 58 days on market, 21 days longer than a year ago. Homes sold at an average of 96.7% of list price, meaning sellers gave a little back. The median price still rose 5% to $995,000, which shows demand is not gone. But buyers there have real room to negotiate.

ZIP 10974 had 13.8 months of supply. That is a lot of inventory relative to sales. Only 4 homes sold in that period, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Small sample sizes like that can swing the numbers, so take it as a signal rather than a verdict.

ZIP 10993 showed 9.2 months of supply with just 4 homes sold. Again, a small pool. But the pattern of slow absorption is worth noting for anyone pricing a home there.

Prices: mostly up, with a few exceptions

Most ZIP codes where the Real Estate Data Aggregator has year-over-year price data showed gains. ZIP 10989 led with a 43.7% jump in median price to $743,500, though sales fell 18.2% there. A big price move on fewer sales can reflect a shift in what type of home sold, not just raw appreciation. ZIP 10960 was up 23% to $802,500. ZIP 10970 rose 18.4% to $769,500.

A few ZIPs dipped. ZIP 10920 fell 2.2% to $665,000. ZIP 10980 slipped 1.8% to $692,500. Neither drop is large, and both ZIPs showed strong above-list-price activity. So the price dip did not mean weak demand.

How fast are homes going under contract?

One useful measure is the share of homes that went under contract within two weeks of listing. In ZIP 10923, that figure was 18.8%, up 12.5 points from a year ago, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. ZIP 10956 was at 18.3%, up 7.1 points. ZIP 10952 was at 20.8%, up 2.5 points. Those are the ZIP codes where well-priced homes still move quickly.

On the other end, ZIPs 10927, 10964, 10968, 10974, 10984, 10986 and 10993 all showed 0% of homes going under contract within two weeks. That does not mean nothing sold. It means nothing sold that fast. Buyers in those areas had time to think.

What the national picture adds

The National Association of Realtors reported that the national months' supply of homes reached 4.9 months, the highest level in over ten years. Existing-home sales fell 2.0% in August 2026, though they are still up 1.6% year-to-date through August. That backdrop matters here. A market where buyers nationally are pulling back slightly is one where local pricing and condition matter even more.

Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates climbed nearly 40 basis points over the four weeks ending September 30, 2026. Homes under contract nationally fell 4.1% year over year in that same report. Higher rates do not stop sales, but they do slow decisions. A home priced right still sells. A home priced for last year's rate environment can sit.

What this means if you are selling

If your home is in a tight ZIP like 10980, 10956 or 10954, the data still leans your way. Price it right and it moves. If your home is in a ZIP with 5 or more months of supply, buyers have options and they know it. Condition and price are doing more work now than they were a year ago.

What this means if you are buying

More listings means more chances to find something. But ZIP 10980 at 1.4 months of supply and ZIP 10956 at 2.9 months will not wait around. In those areas, being ready to move matters. In ZIP 10952 at 5.9 months or ZIP 10993 at 9.2 months, you have more time and more room to ask questions.

One street can read differently from the whole ZIP code. If you want to know where your specific address sits in this picture, text me. 📍