Year-over-year growth in nationwide median home sale price picked up to 1.3% while market metrics showed an improved negotiating balance between buyers and sellers
Homes.com, a CoStar Group (NASDAQ: CSGP) leading online residential marketplace, released a new report analyzing home price trends through January 2026, including details across major metros and house types.
Early 2026 saw continued appreciation in home values as the nationwide median sale price grew from $370,000 in January 2025 to $374,900 in January 2026. Home price growth has averaged 2.8% per year over the past two years, almost identical to overall inflation. Incomes have been growing much more rapidly than house prices over that period, improving home affordability for prospective homebuyers.
At the same time, housing market indicators suggest improved negotiating balance between buyers and sellers. The inventory of homes available for purchase (equivalent to four months of supply) and the median number of days that homes stood on the market before selling (almost 12 weeks) were both normal for the month of January. That indicates that neither buyers nor sellers have the upper hand.
“The signs from the homes market are encouraging as we move into the spring homebuying season,” said Brad Case, Chief Residential Economist for Homes.com. “Home prices have continued to appreciate, but not at the breakneck speed that scared so many buyers away just a few years ago. Continued growth in incomes, along with mortgage rates that have declined appreciably over the past year, have improved the homebuying affordability equation. Homes are being offered for sale with asking prices that set the stage for better negotiations between buyers and sellers.”
A handful of large markets in the Northeast region joined several Midwestern markets at the top of the home price appreciation tables. The median home sale price in Philadelphia grew by 8.6%, strongest in the nation among large markets, from $350,000 in January 2025 to $380,000 in January 2026. Median prices also grew strongly in Baltimore (5.6%), Washington D.C. (4.8%), and Boston (3.7%), along with Midwestern markets such as Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, all of which saw year-over-year growth of more than 5%. Across the nearly 1,000 markets tracked by Homes.com, more than 57% showed year-over-year price growth in January. In contrast, median sale prices declined in several cities in the South and West, led by Raleigh, North Carolina at -4.3% and Seattle at -3.8%.
The data shared in this report could change slightly as additional home sales are recorded. Brad Case, Chief Residential Economist, is available for interviews to provide insights on the data and the residential real estate market. For more information and insights on the latest home buying and selling market trends, visit Homes.com.
Contacts
Media:
Matt Blocher
CoStar Group
[email protected]
202- 346-6775
