King County: Week of May 26, 2026

May 26

Written By Toni Del Rio

King County Real Estate Weekly

May 25, 2026 · King County, WA

⚡ This Week's Highlights

King County median home price at $859,000 — down 5.3% year-over-year as rising inventory shifts leverage toward buyers.
Active listings surged +31% year-over-year in Seattle; months of supply now at 2.6 months, the most available inventory since 2019.
Days on market hit 12 days countywide — nearly double last year's 7-day pace. Well-priced, move-in-ready homes still move fast.
30-year fixed rate climbed to 6.65% this week, its highest since August 2025, tightening affordability for move-up buyers.
The Fed held rates at 3.50–3.75% with no cuts on the near horizon — strong jobs data and above-target inflation keep policy restrictive.
Eastside cooling: Bellevue DOM hit 33 days (up from 20); Sammamish median fell 12.7% YoY to .46M amid tech-sector caution.
Renton remains the county's value play at 63K median with relatively brisk turnover — strong demand from first-time and move-up buyers.

01 Market Overview

Median Price

$859K

▼ 5.3% YoY

Inventory

2.6 mo

▲ from 2.1 mo

Days on Market

12 days

▲ from 7 days YoY

New Listings (May)

1,782

▲ +19.2% YoY

Total Active

2,809

▲ +31% YoY

Sales Intensity

43.3%

▼ from 47.2%

Buyer's MarketBalancedSeller's Market

Transitioning → Balanced Market

King County is shifting from the frenzied seller's market of recent years toward more balanced conditions. Inventory is rising faster than demand, giving buyers breathing room and negotiating power they haven't had since pre-pandemic. Sales Activity Intensity — the share of listings going pending in the first 30 days — fell to 43.3%, down from 47.2% a year ago.

Price reductions are becoming more common, particularly above M. The market is not distressed — 2.6 months of supply is still technically a seller's market — but the direction is clear, and buyers should move with confidence.

02 City Spotlight

City	Median Price	YoY Change	Days on Market	DOM vs. Last Yr	Trend
Seattle	~$880K	+0.6%	12 days	↑ from 7	→ Stable
Bellevue	$1,490,000	—	33 days	↑ from 20	↓ Cooling
Redmond	$989,000	—	31 days	↑ from 23	↓ Cooling
Kirkland	$1,252,590	—	~28 days	↑ vs. last yr	↓ Cooling
Renton	$763,206	—	~15 days	↑ vs. last yr	→ Stable
Sammamish	$1,461,158	▼ 12.7%	~35 days	↑ sharply	↓ Declining
Bothell	~$850K	—	~18 days	↑ vs. last yr	→ Stable

Sources: Redfin, Zillow, Movoto (April–May 2026). DOM marked ~ are interpolated from county trend data where city-level figures were unavailable.

03 Neighborhood Map — Movers & Shakers

High Demand Stable Cooling Rising Opportunity

Click any marker for neighborhood details. Circle size reflects relative median price.

04 Mortgage Rate Tracker

30-Year Fixed (Bankrate / MND)

6.65%▲ +0.15 wk/wk

30-Year Fixed (Freddie Mac, May 21)

6.51%▲ +0.15 vs. prev. week

15-Year Fixed (est.)

~5.95%▲ Rising

5/1 ARM (est.)

~6.10%→ Flat

Mortgage rates climbed sharply this week — the 30-year fixed hit its highest point since August 2025, up from 6.36% just two weeks ago. For a King County buyer at the $859K median with 20% down, the move from 6.36% to 6.65% adds roughly 45/month in payments.

A household now needs approximately $200K+ in annual income to comfortably afford the county median at today's rates. ARMs have grown more popular as buyers seek any edge, but the spread between ARM and fixed rates remains narrow relative to historical norms.

05 Economic Factors

Fed Funds Rate

3.50–3.75%

Held steady since Dec 2025

NAHB Builder Index

Subdued (below 50 = pessimistic)

Existing Home Sales

3.98M

Annual pace — ▼ 3.6% in March

National Inventory

1.36M

Unsold units — rising

Federal Reserve: The Fed kept its benchmark rate at 3.50–3.75% in May — unchanged since December 2025. Chair Powell signaled no urgency to cut: inflation remains above the 2% target and the labor market, while moderating, is still firm. Markets have pushed back rate-cut expectations to late 2026 at the earliest.

Local impact: King County's high-price market is acutely sensitive to rate movements. Tech-sector caution from major Eastside employers — Amazon, Microsoft — has further softened buyer confidence in the M+ segment, more than national data alone would suggest.

Outlook: National home prices are projected to grow just 2–3% in 2026–2027 — a sharp cooldown from recent years. Low inventory still prevents outright price declines at the county level, but selective softness in premium submarkets will likely persist through year-end.

06 Weekly Outlook

Summer 2026 is arriving with more opportunity for buyers than King County has seen in years. With inventory up 31% and mortgage rates near nine-month highs, the pressure that defined this market through most of this decade has measurably eased. Expect continued softness at the high end — especially Sammamish, Bellevue, and Kirkland — while entry-level and mid-range homes in Renton, Bothell, and South Seattle remain competitive.

For buyers, this is arguably the best positioning window since 2019. More choices, longer timelines, and a growing willingness among sellers to cover closing costs or offer rate buy-downs. For sellers, the market still rewards homes that are well-priced and move-in ready — but the era of selling above list with minimal prep is largely over for now.

The key variable to watch: any Fed signal that rate cuts are coming sooner than expected could reignite demand quickly. Conversely, another leg up toward 7% would further suppress activity and pressure prices. For now, the market sits in a measured, functional holding pattern — and well-informed buyers are in a strong position to act.

07 Sources

Toni Del Rio