Published October 25, 2026 in Market Update

Higher mortgage rates are meeting softer demand in Primary market

By Annie O

Real estate, Primary market

The number that changes what sellers should do right now: 61 days. That is how long the middle home in ZIP 34638 sat on the market in the three months ending August 31, 2026, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is 16 days longer than the same period a year before. Price for today, not last year.

Freddie Mac reported the 30-year fixed rate averaged 7.32% on October 22, 2026. Realtor.com put the average mortgage rate at 7.40% that same week. Those numbers make the monthly payment the hard part for most buyers right now.

Fewer buyers are moving forward. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 280 pending sales in ZIP 34638 for the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is down 13.6% from a year before. Realtor.com reported September pending home sales were down 11.3% year over year nationally, so this is not just a local story.

Prices dipped a little, but homes are still selling close to list

The Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median sale price in ZIP 34638 at $409,190 for the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is down 3.3% from the same period a year before. Prices softened, but they did not fall off a cliff.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator found that homes sold for an average of 98.6% of their list price. That is only 0.1 points lower than a year before. Sellers who price right are still getting close to what they ask.

Not every home sold fast, though. Only 5.5% of homes sold above list price, down 5.6 points from a year before, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Bidding wars are rare in ZIP 34638 right now.

One bright spot: well-priced homes still move quickly

The Real Estate Data Aggregator found that 23.2% of homes in ZIP 34638 went under contract within two weeks of listing. That share is actually up 5 points from a year before. Homes priced for today's budget are still finding buyers.

The national picture lines up with what we see locally

The National Association of Realtors reported existing-home sales reached 3.99 million in September 2026. Inventory rose to 1.60 million homes nationally that same month. More supply and slower sales is a pattern showing up across the country, not just here.

The National Association of Realtors also reported existing-home prices rose 1.3% in September 2026 nationally. In ZIP 34638, the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows prices moved the other way, down 3.3%. Local results do not always follow the national headline.

Realtor.com reported the national median days on market was 62 days for homes sold the week of October 22, 2026. The Real Estate Data Aggregator put ZIP 34638 at 61 days for the three months ending August 31, 2026. This market is moving at roughly the same pace as the country.