Trends
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Bold, geometric designs like chevrons, sunbursts, zigzags and stepped shapes are making a huge comeback as of late — and Houzz said that will continue into 2026.
The typical asking rent for an average rental unit reached $2,224. Though that’s a 2.7% increase from last year, the median household income outpaced this acceleration, growing 3.9% during the same time frame.
The chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS® also predicts home prices will climb 4% compared to 2025.
A $25 million waterfront estate on Mercer Island was the most expensive home sold in greater Seattle in October.
At the top of the list? WaterSense fixtures — the plumbing solution, which claims to reduce water use by more than 20%, increased in popularity by 289.6%.
At the same time, the average age of the first-time buyer hit an all-time high of 40, according to the 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.
Nationwide, the median price for a single-family home increased 1.7% year over year to $426,800. Prices increased by the same annual rate during the second quarter.
Half of the 10 most expensive new listings in Seattle were listed by Windermere Real Estate agents — including the top three, led by a $7.7 million mansion with mountain views.
Given the rate of sales, the nation had a 4.6-month housing supply, up from 4.2 months a year prior.
Nationally, home sales in the 52 metro areas surveyed by RE/MAX increased 8.5% year over year for the fourth time in 2025, but declined 4.6% month over month.
Tapping into Realtor intel, Zillow analyzed its listing database for keywords that are increasing most in popularity heading into the new year.
Agent Publishing Founder and Publisher Anne Hartnett discusses Brokerage Culture with Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty’s Val Burmester, Rachel Schindler and Dean Jones.
Modern architecture is a prominent theme on this month’s list of the 10 most expensive homes sold in greater Seattle.
The pace of home sales, meanwhile, remained at “multi-decade lows” even as affordability reached its most favorable level since 2022.
Accessibility, quality and diversity propelled Seattle’s status.
The pace of home-price appreciation declined to its weakest pace in 10 years, according to the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index.
