Published October 4, 2026 in Market Update

Pending sales are still ahead of inventory in the Primary market

By LORI DONNELLY

Real estate, Primary market

2,577 pending sales. 2,025 homes for sale. That gap tells you demand is still leading supply here, and that matters for every homeowner thinking about what comes next.

Realtor.com reported homes under contract were down 4.1% year over year nationally as of September 30, 2026. The Primary market is telling a different story. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 2,577 pending sales against just 2,025 active listings in the three months ending July 31, 2026.

Rates are making buyers work harder. Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.28% as of October 1, 2026. CNBC reported the average contract rate on conforming loans at 7.30% as of September 30. Realtor.com noted rates crossed 7% in late September for the first time since January 2025, up nearly 40 basis points over the prior four weeks. That is real pressure on monthly payments.

Even so, the Primary market added 3,126 new listings in those three months, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. More supply is a good thing for buyers. But pending sales outpacing listings means the new supply is being absorbed.

Not every ZIP reads the same

Some areas are moving fast. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted a median of just 14 days on market in ZIP 07746 and ZIP 07760 in those three months. ZIP 07733 sat at 15 days. Buyers in those areas are making quick decisions.

Other areas are giving buyers more room. ZIP 08758 had a median of 39 days on market. ZIP 08755 sat at 38 days. ZIP 08527 and ZIP 08757 each came in at 32 days, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator.

Prices are mostly up, with a few exceptions

The Real Estate Data Aggregator showed median sale prices rising in most ZIP codes year over year. ZIP 08758 led with a gain of 22.8%, reaching $565,000. ZIP 07746 was up 18.5%, to $930,000. ZIP 07760 rose 15.4%, to $2,365,500.

A few ZIPs dipped. ZIP 08755 saw its median fall 9.5% to $439,000. ZIP 07751 was down 10.7% to $735,000. ZIP 07733 slipped just 0.1% to $1,194,500. Prices do not move in one direction everywhere.

Above-list sales: competitive pockets remain

The Real Estate Data Aggregator found that 68.2% of homes sold above list price in ZIP 07733. ZIP 07746 was at 61.8%. ZIP 08734 came in at 60.6%. Those are not soft markets.

On the other end, ZIP 08757 had 23.6% of homes sell above list, down 7.8 points from a year before. ZIP 08527 was at 28.5%. Buyers in those areas have more room to work with.

Nationally, the National Association of Realtors reported 4.9 months of supply, the highest in over ten years. The Primary market is tighter than that in most ZIP codes, with many sitting below 3 months of supply according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator.

What this means for you

For homeowners: demand is still there. Pending sales outpacing listings is a steady signal. Prices rose in most ZIP codes year over year.

For buyers: rates at 7.28% (Freddie Mac, October 1, 2026) mean monthly costs are up. But more listings are coming. Realtor.com reported active listings up 6.3% from a year ago nationally as of October 1, 2026. A few local ZIP codes are showing more supply too.

One honest note: not every home sold fast, and not every price went up. ZIP 08755 and ZIP 07751 both saw median prices fall. ZIP 08757 saw above-list sales drop 7.8 points. The market is not uniform.

These are the three months ending July 31, 2026. Numbers shift, and your street may tell a different story than the ZIP code around it. Reply and I will take a closer look at what is happening right where you are.