Sales bloom in Spring like daffodils and the months of April, May and June are still the biggest months for buying and selling.
Experts anticipate a more active spring 2026 than recent years, thanks to modestly lower mortgage rates and gradually improving inventory.
Buyers and sellers will find a more balanced market than in recent years. More inventory reduces competition for buyers, but prices aren't crashing, experts see stabilization rather than a dramatic turnaround. Buyers may find more choices and slightly better affordability, while sellers can attract buyers, but need realistic pricing amid slower appreciation.
It's not the hot seller's market of the early 2020s nor the deep buyer's market of post-2008, but a gradual shift toward recovery.
Buyers seem to be adjusting to rates in the mid-to-low 6 percent range. Listings are up notably, with active inventory is up 10 percent year-over-year in early 2026. So, buyers have more options than in tight recent markets.
Current 30-year fixed mortgage rates hover around 5.9 to 6.11 percent (as of early February 2026 data from sources like Freddie Mac and Zillow), down from higher levels in 2025.
This makes 2026 one of the better years recently for affordability, with forecasts noting gradual improvement as wage growth outpaces modest price gains.
Home prices are stable, and may even have declined slightly. Year-over-year appreciation slowed to about 0.9 percent by late 2025, with some forecasts predicting flat growth in 2026 (J.P. Morgan) or modest rises of 1-2.2 percent (Redfin, Realtor.com, Zillow).
Existing-home sales are expected to rise modestly (1.7-3.9 percent in 2026 per various forecasts), reaching around 4.1 to 4.2 million annually'still below historical norms but improving from 2025 lows.