Seattle-area homeowners considering a sale are entering a market with considerably more competition than they faced a year ago. October 2026 data from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) shows active listings increased 32.8% in King County and 41.7% in Snohomish County compared with October 2025.
Across the NWMLS service area, pending sales declined 17.8%, while the number of new listings was unchanged from a year earlier. More homes are remaining available because sales are moving at a slower pace, rather than because significantly more properties are entering the market.
For sellers in Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond and surrounding communities, these conditions warrant a closer examination of pricing, competing inventory and the time a property may need to attract an offer.
Why Are There More Homes for Sale in Seattle and the Eastside?
Growing housing inventory can result from an increase in new listings, a decline in sales activity, or a combination of both.
October's figures point primarily to slower sales.
NWMLS reported 23,519 active listings across its service area at the end of October, compared with 18,791 a year earlier. Yet brokers added exactly 7,991 new listings in both October 2025 and October 2026.
Pending sales fell from 6,739 to 5,541 over the same period. Closed transactions also declined, falling 14.3% year over year.
These figures describe a market in which available homes are accumulating faster than buyers are purchasing them.
For homeowners preparing to sell, that means a property may face competition from listings that have already been available for several weeks, as well as homes newly entering the market.
A seller evaluating an asking price should consider both groups. Existing listings reveal what buyers can currently choose from, while recent closed sales provide evidence of what buyers have actually been willing to pay.
Neither measure should be evaluated in isolation.
Are Seattle-Area Home Prices Dropping?
October's NWMLS report shows that median sale prices declined across several important Puget Sound markets.
In King County, the median price for residential homes and condominiums combined was $851,250, down 4.1% from October 2025. The median price for single-family homes fell 7.2% to $925,000.
Snohomish County recorded a 5.4% decline in its combined median sale price, to $699,250.
These figures indicate a change in the prices of homes sold during the reporting period. They do not establish that every property in King or Snohomish County has declined in value by the same percentage.
Median prices are influenced by the types, sizes, locations and price ranges of properties that sell in a given month. Changes in the mix of completed transactions can affect the reported median even when individual property values have changed less dramatically.
A homeowner in Bellevue should therefore avoid applying King County's overall percentage decline directly to a property valuation. The same applies to sellers in Seattle, Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah and Sammamish.
A more useful valuation begins with recent comparable sales in the property's immediate market, adjusted for condition, features and current competition.
For a closer look at the factors that influence an individual property's value, see our guide to understanding your Seattle-area home's market value.
What Does Increased Inventory Mean for Sellers?
The NWMLS region ended October with approximately 4.41 months of inventory, compared with 3.02 months a year earlier.
Months of inventory estimates how long the current supply of homes would take to sell at the prevailing sales pace if no additional properties were listed.
An increase indicates that supply has grown relative to the pace of completed sales.
For sellers, this can affect how buyers approach the search process.
When several comparable properties are available, buyers can examine differences in condition, layout, asking price and location before deciding which homes deserve closer consideration.
A property may still attract substantial interest if its price and features compare favorably with available alternatives. Other listings may require more time or adjustments before receiving an acceptable offer.
The amount of competition also varies by property type.
October's NWMLS figures show 6.59 months of condominium inventory across the service area, compared with 4.14 months for single-family homes. In King County, condominium inventory reached seven months.
A seller listing a condominium in Seattle or Bellevue should therefore examine condominium competition separately from the broader residential market.
How Should Sellers Price a Home When Sales Are Slowing?
An asking price should reflect current market evidence, including what has recently sold and what buyers can purchase today.
A comparable sale from several months earlier may still be relevant, but its usefulness depends on whether market conditions have changed since the transaction closed.
For example, if several similar homes have entered the market at lower asking prices, those listings become part of the competition a new seller must evaluate.
The analysis should consider recent closed sales, active listings competing in the same price range, pending transactions, property condition, and the length of time comparable homes have remained available.
The purpose is to establish a defensible price based on the property's characteristics and the market in which it will compete.
An asking price substantially above comparable alternatives can limit initial interest. A price set too low without a sound strategy may also fail to serve the seller's financial objectives.
Hao Dang and his team work with sellers throughout Seattle and the Eastside, where pricing decisions require attention to differences among communities, property types and individual homes.
Homeowners considering a sale can learn more about the team's approach to selling a home in Greater Seattle.
What If Your Home Is Already Listed but Not Selling?
A home that has been available longer than expected deserves a fresh review of its market position.
The first question is whether the property is reaching prospective buyers.
Listing photographs, property descriptions, available showing arrangements and the accuracy of listing information can all affect how buyers encounter and evaluate a property.
The next consideration is how buyers are responding.
Showing activity, feedback and competing listings can help identify questions worth investigating. However, a single showing or isolated comment is not enough to establish why a property has not sold.
A seller should also examine whether comparable homes are going under contract while their property remains available.
If similar properties are attracting offers, the differences between those listings and the subject property deserve attention.
If comparable homes are also remaining on the market, the issue may be related to broader demand within that price range or property category.
The distinction can help determine whether the appropriate response involves presentation, marketing, pricing or additional time.
Our related article, Why Some Seattle-Area Homes Sell Quickly While Others Stay on the Market, examines how property condition, competing inventory and buyer activity affect marketing times.
Should You Reduce Your Asking Price?
A price reduction may be appropriate when current market evidence no longer supports the original asking price.
Before making that decision, sellers should review the home's exposure, showing activity, competing inventory and the most recent comparable sales.
A reduction should have a clear purpose. Changing the price without understanding how the property compares with available alternatives may produce little improvement in buyer interest.
The size and timing of any adjustment should reflect the property's circumstances.
A home that has received meaningful interest but no acceptable offers presents a different situation from one that has generated very few inquiries.
Likewise, a property competing with several recently reduced listings may require a different strategy from a home with limited direct competition.
Sellers should evaluate the evidence rather than assume that every extended listing period requires an immediate reduction.
Is It Still a Good Time to Sell a Home in Seattle or Bellevue?
The latest housing data does not provide a single answer for every homeowner.
Some sellers have flexibility in their timing and may choose to evaluate their options before listing. Others are selling because of a relocation, a property change or another personal decision.
The relevant question is whether the property's likely selling price, anticipated expenses and marketing timeline align with the owner's objectives.
October's inventory growth and slower sales activity suggest that sellers should prepare for greater competition and avoid relying on pricing assumptions from earlier market conditions.
However, countywide statistics cannot predict how an individual property will perform.
A well-maintained home with a competitive asking price may face different conditions from a property requiring substantial repairs. Single-family homes and condominiums may also encounter different levels of demand, even within the same community.
Understanding those distinctions is essential when deciding whether to list now and how to prepare.
Selling a Home in Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland or Redmond
The October 2026 housing report gives Seattle-area sellers a useful starting point: inventory has increased, fewer transactions are moving forward, and median sale prices have declined in King and Snohomish counties.
The next step is to examine how those changes apply to a specific property.
Hao Dang and the Hao Dang Real Estate Team help homeowners evaluate comparable sales, current listings, property condition and pricing options throughout Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond and surrounding communities.
If you're considering selling or reviewing the performance of an existing listing, contact the Hao Dang Real Estate Team through their seller services page to discuss your property's market position and available options.
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