The rate of home-price appreciation slowed to just over half the rate of inflation in July, Cotality noted. 

Is it officially a buyer’s market in northwest Washington?

Despite the decrease in borrowing costs, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Market Composite Index showed a decrease in mortgage applications in the week ended Aug. 29. 

Prices for the 10 most expensive new listings in Seattle range from $3.6 million up to nearly $21 million.

Signed contracts declined despite lower interest rates and improved affordability and inventory, the National Association of REALTORS® said.   

The pace of home-price appreciation declined to its slowest pace in two years, according to the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index. 

The metro will add 11,196 units by the end of the year — and construction is only set to increase in 2026 as zoning changes related to House Bill 1110 create more opportunities for development.

The upside surprise came despite monthly and yearly declines in the pace of sales. 

Nationally, home sales rose 0.6% year over year but slid 0.7% month over month, RE/MAX said. 

The association said the housing market is making a definitive swing back in the direction of the buyer thanks to wage growth, slowing home-price gains and rising inventory. 

The single-family sector managed to eke out a slight monthly gain, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index slid a point to 32, reflecting ongoing negative sentiment in the homebuilding industry. 

Compass agents handled both the buyer and seller sides of the Seattle area’s most expensive residential real estate transaction last month.

Windermere Real Estate Principal Economist Jeff Tucker shared his Seattle market insights for July — including his take that buyers are gaining leverage over sellers.

NAR’s report — which surveyed nearly 5,000 Realtor members — also found that the typical agent took on 10 transactions in 2024, the same as a year prior.

Home-purchase activity remained elevated from 2024, but a cloudy economic outlook has deterred some would-be homebuyers.