NWMLS June Market Report: Summer Home Sales Gain Momentum

Information and statistics compiled and reported by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS), the source for the most current, accurate market listing data in Washington state, released its May 2026 Market Snapshot on July 2.

Regional Market Recap

Housing inventory continued to expand across the NWMLS service area in June, giving buyers the greatest selection of homes this year. Active listings increased 16.4% year over year and 8.0% from May, reaching 23,088 homes on the market. Buyers had access to more than 1,700 additional homes than the previous month, continuing the market’s gradual shift toward more balanced conditions.

Despite elevated mortgage rates and ongoing affordability challenges, buyers remained active. Closed sales increased 2.3% compared to June 2025 and 10.2% from May, reflecting continued demand as the summer market gained momentum. Pending sales declined modestly from both the previous month and a year ago, while the median sales price held steady at $650,000 for the second consecutive month, though it was 3.0% lower than June 2025.

Consumer activity reflected a typical seasonal slowdown following the peak spring market. Keybox activity and scheduled showings both declined from May, while 25,583 listings received at least one showing during June—an 8.7% increase from one year ago. Additionally, 73.6% of listings across the NWMLS service area qualified for down payment assistance programs, continuing to expand affordability opportunities for eligible buyers.

While inventory continues to increase across much of Washington, mortgage rates remain an important factor influencing affordability and buyer activity.

“At the end of February 2026, 30-year fixed mortgage interest rates had reached their lowest point since September 2022: 5.98%,” said Steven Bourassa, director of the Washington Center for Real Estate Research (WCRER). “Then the war with Iran started, resulting in increased inflation and, in turn, higher interest rates. By the end of June, rates had risen by just over half a percentage point to 6.49%, which was also the average rate for the month and slightly higher than the average for May. Not surprisingly, median home prices across the NWMLS service area were unchanged from the previous month and 3% below last year’s level. Closed sales increased about 2% year over year but continued to lag the approximately 16% increase in active listings, consistent with the decline in median prices.”

April 2026 Key Takeaways for King and Kittitas Counties

Active Listings

• The total number of properties listed for sale in King County increased 16.9% year over year, with 7,405 active listings on the market at the end of June 2026, compared to 6,334 at the end of June 2025. Month over month, active inventory increased 6.4%, up from 6,961 in May 2026.
• Kittitas County also saw a big jump in active listings month over month and year over year—up 18.2% from June 2025 and 11.4% from May 2026—reaching the highest number of active listings in at least 18 months at 500.