As someone who’s spent over 35 years guiding buyers and sellers through real estate changes in Oxford, Lapeer, and Lake Orion, I keep a close eye on housing inventory trends—both nationally and here at home. By Mid-Q3 2026, national active inventory reached 1.14 million, up about 4% from last year’s 1.1 million. That’s still growth, but it’s a much gentler pace compared to the sharp 21% annual gain we saw a year earlier. Even after a brief slowdown (just 2% growth in late Q2), the market hasn’t fully bounced back to pre-pandemic levels. Eighteen states and DC have surpassed their 2019 inventory, yet nationally we’re still about 8% below where we were in Mid-Q3 2019, with 1.14 million active listings versus 1.24 million. What does this mean for buyers and sellers? The post-boom cooling period has eased, and the market remains soft with flat prices—while higher yields and mortgage rates could still affect momentum. I always keep my clients informed, so you can make decisions confidently, no matter which direction the market turns.
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