[Opening Scene- on camera, conversational tone]

Agent:

Everyone's asking it this year: has 2026 finally flipped into a buyer's market? Here's what the actual numbers say.

The headline number: national months of supply climbed from 3.8 in January to 4.6 by mid-year, and July's existing-home data held right at that 4.6-month level. That's real, measurable movement toward balance.

But here's the nuance that matters: most analysts define under 4 months as a seller's market, 4 to 6 months as balanced or neutral, and above 6 months as a genuine buyer's market. At 4.6 months, 2026 has moved out of seller's-market territory, but it hasn't crossed into buyer's-market territory either. It's landed in the neutral middle.

The regional split is the real story. States like Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York remain 25 to 40% below pre-pandemic inventory, and sellers there still hold real pricing power. Meanwhile, new construction is sitting at 8.5 to 9.4 months of supply nationally, firmly in buyer's-market territory, a completely different picture from the existing-home market.

[Closing Scene]

Agent:

The bottom line: 2026 isn't the buyer's market some headlines are claiming, but it's the most balanced the market has been since before the pandemic. Whether it feels like a buyer's market or a seller's market still depends entirely on your specific zip code.

Does your local market feel balanced, or still seller-favored? Tell me what you're seeing.