Published October 4, 2026 in Market Update

Primary market sales rose even with mortgage rates above 7%

By Ellie George

Real estate, Primary market

Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.28% as of October 1, 2026. That is the headline number every seller and buyer is watching right now. Here is what it means for you: buyers in this market did not stop.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 942 homes sold across the Primary market in the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is up 6.7% from the same three months in 2025. Nationally, the National Association of Realtors reported existing-home sales were down 2.0% month over month in August 2026. This market moved in the other direction.

Pending sales tell you what is coming next. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,040 pending sales in the Primary market, up 4.2% from a year ago. Buyers are still writing offers. That matters if you are thinking about listing.

Rates jumped hard in September

Realtor.com reported mortgage rates surged nearly 40 basis points in September 2026. CNBC put the average 30-year conforming rate at 7.30% as of September 30, 2026. Nationally, Realtor.com also reported pending sales fell 4.1% year over year. The Primary market held up better than that national number.

Nationally, Realtor.com reported active listings are up 6.3% from a year ago. Locally, the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows homes for sale in the Primary market up 3.3%. More choice for buyers, but not a flood.

How each ZIP code read in the three months ending July 31, 2026

The market is not one thing. Some ZIP codes moved fast. Others slowed down. Here is how they compare on median sale price and days on market.

A few ZIP codes worth watching

ZIP 97535 moved the fastest. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted a median of just 9 days on market there, 18 days shorter than a year ago. The average sale came in at 100.5% of list price, and 40% of homes sold above list. That said, only 10 homes sold, so one or two deals can move those numbers a lot.

ZIP 97502 also moved quickly. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 18 median days on market and 92 homes sold, up 8.2%. The average sale came in at 99.3% of list price, up 0.8 points from a year ago. Nearly 3 in 10 homes there sold above list price.

ZIP 97530 saw the biggest price gain. The Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median sale price at $669,000, up 7.9%. Sales there jumped 65.5%. Days on market rose 26 days longer than a year ago, though, so it is not a fast-moving ZIP. Sellers got close to list: 97.4% on average.

ZIP 97526 is worth a plain admission. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows the median sale price dipped 4.9% to $404,000. Days on market rose 12 days longer than a year ago, to 39 days. Homes sold fell 8.1%. It is a slower pocket right now, and pricing carefully matters more there.

What this means for sellers and buyers

Sellers: buyers are still active, but they have more homes to look at. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows homes for sale up 3.3% across the Primary market. Price carefully from the start. Homes priced well are still selling close to list.

Buyers: the National Association of Realtors reported the national months' supply hit 4.9 months, the highest in over ten years. Locally, supply varies a lot by ZIP. ZIP 97502 sits at 2.1 months of supply. ZIP 97503 sits at 4.5 months. Know your ZIP before you decide how fast to move.