Markets

Whether Maryland is a buyer's market or a seller's market shows up in a handful of published numbers: months of supply, days on market, pending sales, new listings and price cuts. Read them against the same month a year earlier, county by county, and the balance becomes clear. In August 2026, Maryland had 3.0 months of inventory, down from 3.5 a year earlier, according to Maryland REALTORS, while NAR's national figure was 4.9 months (National Association of REALTORS). The two are calculated differently, as explained below, so treat the state-versus-nation gap as a rough guide. No single number settles it, and the answer can differ a few miles apart. This guide explains what each signal measures, where Maryland publishes it, and how to read it, using the August 2026 releases, the newest available when this was written, as a worked example. For the latest read, see our Fall 2026 Maryland housing market update. Key Takeaways Months of supply measures how long current listings would take to sell at the recent sales pace; a rising number means more choice for buyers. Maryland REALTORS reported 3.0 months of inventory statewide in August 2026; NAR's national figure, calculated differently, was 4.9 months. Compare each figure with the same month a year earlier, since NAR says month-to-month median price comparisons don't account for seasonality. Counties diverge: Howard County had 1.6 months of inventory in August 2026 and Baltimore City 4.7, in the Maryland REALTORS table. What makes it a buyer's market or a seller's market? A market tilts toward buyers when homes outnumber the buyers ready to make offers, and toward sellers when buyers outnumber homes. NAR puts it in one measure: months' supply, "the number of months it would take to exhaust the total inventory at the current sales pace" (NAR, August 2026 existing-home sales). When that number climbs, buyers get more choice and more room to negotiate. In NAR's August 2026 report, its chief economist said the national supply of 4.9 months, its highest level in over ten years, was "giving homebuyers better opportunities to negotiate." When it falls, competition for each listing tightens. You'll see rules of thumb that put an exact number on where buyer's territory begins. None of the publishers below states one, so this guide sticks to direction: is supply rising or falling, and how does your county compare with the state and the nation? Which five numbers should you watch? Five published signals cover most of the picture. Each one comes from a source you can check yourself. Months of supply or inventory. How long the current listings would last at the recent sales pace. Higher means more choice for buyers. Days on market or days to contract. How long homes take to sell. Rising times suggest buyers are slowing down. Pending sales. Homes under contract that haven't closed yet. They show what buyers are doing now, before closings catch up. New listings versus active listings. New listings show sellers entering; active listings show what's piling up unsold. Price decreases. The share of active listings that cut their price. More cuts suggest sellers are meeting buyers where they are. Median price is useful too, but read it carefully. NAR notes that "the only valid comparisons for median prices are with the same period a year earlier due to seasonality in buying patterns" (NAR). So compare August with last August, not with July. Where does Maryland publish these numbers? Three publishers cover Maryland, and each counts a little differently. Maryland REALTORS publishes monthly statewide and county tables using Bright MLS data (Maryland REALTORS, Housing Statistics). In its tables, "Units" are sales settled that month, "Pending Units" are homes under contract that will settle later, and "Active Inventory" is homes still on the market. Its Months of Inventory uses current active inventory against the average of the current month and the previous 11 months of sales, a 12-month sales average (Maryland REALTORS, August 2026 Housing Statistics). It also estimates each county's median price itself, because Bright doesn't provide that level of detail. Bright MLS publishes a monthly housing market report and county-level metro reports (Bright MLS, August 2026 Housing Market Report), plus a weekly snapshot. The weekly report defines Median Days to Contract as the median days from a listing's MLS publication to going under contract, and tracks the share of active listings with a price decrease during the week (Bright MLS, weekly market report). NAR publishes national existing-home sales each month, the benchmark for comparing Maryland with the country. One caution: these figures get revised. Maryland REALTORS notes that its data are "revised on a regular basis" and older reports aren't adjusted (August 2026 Housing Statistics). Compare figures within the same report, not across old editions. If you want to know where listing data comes from in the first place, our guide to Bright MLS, Zillow and Realtor.com explains it. What did August 2026 look like in Maryland? In August 2026, the Maryland REALTORS figures showed a market tighter than a year earlier, with less supply than NAR's national figure, while Bright MLS's Baltimore metro figures showed supply rising (below). This is the Maryland REALTORS table for the state and four Baltimore-area jurisdictions, August 2026 versus August 2025 (Maryland REALTORS, August 2026 Housing Statistics): Area Months of inventory Median days on market Median sales price Units sold Maryland 3.0 (3.5 in Aug 2025) 17 (16) $445,000 (+2.3%) 5,582 (-8.5%) Howard County 1.6 (2.7) 9 (10) $640,000 (-0.8%) 330 (+7.8%) Anne Arundel County 2.2 (2.5) 11 (13) $507,000 (+1.3%) 615 (-12.1%) Baltimore County 2.3 (2.7) 14 (13) $390,000 (+6.8%) 687 (-10.5%) Baltimore City 4.7 (5.0) 24 (21) $225,000 (-8.2%) 530 (-19.9%) Howard County had the lowest months of inventory of any Maryland jurisdiction in the full Maryland REALTORS table, and Baltimore City had the highest of these five at 4.7 months. Statewide, the same table shows new listings falling to 6,249 from 8,177 a year earlier, so fewer sellers were coming to market. Bright MLS tells a different inventory story Bright MLS's own Baltimore metro report for the same month shows active listings up 14.7% from a year earlier, with months of supply at 2.72 versus 2.35 (Bright MLS, Baltimore Metro report, August 2026). By county, it put Howard at 1.66 months, Anne Arundel at 2.14, Baltimore County at 2.28 and Baltimore City at 4.69. In Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County and Baltimore City, that's the opposite direction from the Maryland REALTORS table, which shows active inventory down from a year earlier; Howard County fell in both. The two publishers' August levels sit close together (Anne Arundel's active inventory, for example, was 1,344 in the Maryland REALTORS table and 1,320 in Bright's report). They part ways on the year-ago figure, so compare each publisher with its own year-ago number. Bright explained its numbers this way. New listings fell because "most home sellers are also home buyers," yet active listings rose "as a result of fewer buyers making offers and homes remaining on the market longer" (Bright MLS, Baltimore Metro report). Across its whole service area, Bright said inventory grew because of fewer buyers making offers, "rather than more sellers listing their homes for sale" (Bright MLS, August 2026 report). The weekly view Weekly data moves sooner. For the week ending October 4, 2026, Bright's Baltimore metro snapshot showed 574 new purchase contracts, down 16.7% from a year earlier, and a median time to contract of 36 days, up 5 days. Active listings were up 19.7%, and 11.4% of active listings had a price decrease that week, down 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier (Bright MLS, weekly market report). How do mortgage rates fit in? Rates shape how many buyers can act. For the week of October 1, 2026, Freddie Mac's survey put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.28%, up from 6.34% a year earlier (Freddie Mac, Primary Mortgage Market Survey). Read rates alongside the supply numbers: Bright's August reports tied rising inventory to fewer buyers making offers, not to more sellers listing. How do official analysts describe a market? Federal housing analysts don't reduce a market to one label either. HUD's analysts described the Baltimore-area sales market as "tight but easing" as of September 1, 2023, citing 1.5 months of for-sale inventory and an estimated sales vacancy rate (HUD, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson Housing Market Profile). Earlier that year, HUD called the metro "tight but easing" while describing the Baltimore City submarket as "slightly soft," with a 2.0-month supply (HUD, Comprehensive Housing Market Analysis). Those are dated examples, not current readings. The lesson still holds: the city and the suburbs can read differently in the same month. What should buyers and sellers do with these numbers? Use them to set expectations, then check the specific neighborhood. If you're buying: rising months of supply, longer days to contract and more price cuts mean more room to negotiate on price and terms. In Maryland, who pays the transfer and recordation taxes is usually negotiable: the law presumes buyer and seller split them equally unless the contract says otherwise. One exception: when the buyer is a first-time Maryland home buyer who will live in the home, the law puts the state transfer tax on the seller outright. The seller also pays the recordation and local transfer tax, unless the contract expressly says otherwise (Md. Code, Real Property §14-104). Our Maryland transfer tax guide shows the math. Our buyer resources cover the steps. If you're selling: lower supply and fast days on market support firmer pricing, but watch the direction of change, not just the level. Our Maryland pricing guide and seller resources show how to set a price that fits the data. For a past snapshot to compare against, see our Summer 2026 market update. Either way: county figures can hide big differences between ZIP codes and neighborhoods, and the monthly reports cited here stop at the county level. Ask an agent to pull the MLS numbers for the ZIP code you're watching. To talk through what the data means for a specific move, contact Next Step Realty. Frequently Asked Questions Is Maryland a buyer's or seller's market right now? It depends on the county and the month. In August 2026, Maryland REALTORS reported 3.0 months of inventory statewide, down from 3.5 a year earlier, while the national figure was 4.9 months. Howard County was the tightest at 1.6 months; Baltimore City had 4.7. Check the latest monthly release for your county. What does months of supply mean in real estate? It's how long the current inventory would take to sell at the recent sales pace. NAR describes it as the months needed "to exhaust the total inventory at the current sales pace." Maryland REALTORS calculates it from active inventory and a 12-month average of sales. A rising figure means more choice for buyers. Where can I find Maryland housing market data? Maryland REALTORS publishes monthly statewide and county tables from Bright MLS data. Bright MLS publishes monthly market reports, county-level metro reports and a weekly snapshot. NAR publishes national existing-home sales each month. These reports stop at the county level; for a ZIP code or neighborhood, an agent can pull the MLS numbers. Can I compare inventory figures from different reports? Not reliably. In August 2026, Maryland REALTORS showed Anne Arundel County's active inventory below the year before, while Bright MLS's Baltimore metro report showed it up 18.4%. Compare each publisher's figure with its own year-ago number rather than mixing publishers in a year-over-year comparison. Sources Maryland REALTORS, Housing Statistics, retrieved 2026-10-05, https://www.mdrealtor.org/HousingStats Maryland REALTORS, August 2026 Housing Statistics (current as of September 4, 2026), retrieved 2026-10-05, https://www.mdrealtor.org/Portals/22/adam/Page%20Elements/6PbyCYFmAUuCknSNNK36Ag/August/August%202026%20Housing%20Stats.pdf Bright MLS, August 2026 Housing Market Report (released September 10, 2026), retrieved 2026-10-05, https://www.brightmls.com/press-release/bright-mls-august-2026-housing-market-report Bright MLS, Baltimore Metro Housing Market Report, August 2026, retrieved 2026-10-05, https://image.m.brightmls.com/lib/fe2b11747364047b741278/m/1/c78e4997-e0bf-4d63-896e-09cb2d6419f1.pdf Bright MLS, Weekly Market Report, week ending October 4, 2026, retrieved 2026-10-05, https://image.m.brightmls.com/lib/fe2b11747364047b741278/m/1/92163607-cb80-49fc-8ab6-c04414b88f7a.pdf National Association of REALTORS, Existing-Home Sales, August 2026, retrieved 2026-10-05, https://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/nar-existing-home-sales-report-shows-2-0-decrease-in-august Freddie Mac, Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of October 1, 2026, retrieved 2026-10-05, https://www.freddiemac.com/pmms U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson Housing Market Profile (2023), retrieved 2026-10-05, https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/periodicals/USHMC/reg/BaltimoreColumbiaTowsonMD-HMP-23.pdf U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson Comprehensive Housing Market Analysis (2023), retrieved 2026-10-05, https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/BaltimoreColumbiaTowsonMD-CHMA-23.pdf Maryland Code, Real Property §14-104, retrieved 2026-10-05, https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Statute_Web/grp/14-104.pdf Market figures cited here are the editions available on October 5, 2026; newer monthly releases may be out by the time you read this. 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Maryland's housing market cooled over the summer. In the Baltimore metro area, the median sold price reached $425,000 in August 2026, up 2.4% from a year earlier, while active listings rose 14.7% and showings fell 6.0% (Bright MLS, August 2026 Housing Market Report, published September 10, 2026). August is the most recent month Bright MLS has published. Key Takeaways The Baltimore metro median sold price was $425,000 in August 2026, up 2.4% year over year, with median days on market at 15 (Bright MLS, August 2026 report). Active listings across the Baltimore metro rose 14.7% year over year even though new listings fell 8.5%. Buyers pulled back; sellers did not pile in. The 30-year fixed mortgage averaged 6.76% on September 10, 2026, up from 6.35% a year earlier (Freddie Mac). County-level detail lags by a month. Through July 2026, Howard County's median was $674,900 and Anne Arundel's was $553,500 (Maryland REALTORS®). What is the Maryland housing market doing in fall 2026? It's slowing. In August 2026, there were 19,191 closed sales across the Bright MLS service area, a 3.6% drop from a year earlier, and new pending sales fell 5.8% (Bright MLS, August 2026 Housing Market Report, September 10, 2026). Prices are still rising, just more slowly than they did in spring. The turn showed up quickly. Bright MLS reported 21,407 closed sales in July 2026, running 4.0% above the prior year. One month later the same series had flipped to 3.6% below. Neither report says as much on its own, but read back to back they put the seasonal turn inside a four-week window. Bright MLS Chief Economist Lisa Sturtevant attributed the slowdown to cost pressure. "Mortgage rates have remained persistently high this summer," she said in the August report. "With home prices still rising in most markets, some homebuyers are simply hitting an affordability ceiling. Others are waiting for more certainty in both the economy and the housing market." Baltimore Metro: Year-Over-Year Change, August 2026 Active listings +14.7% Median sold price +2.4% New pending sales -4.9% Showings -6.0% New listings -8.5% 0% Source: Bright MLS, August 2026 Housing Market Report (published September 10, 2026). Median days on market in the Baltimore metro was 15 in August 2026, one day slower than a year earlier. That is still quick by national standards, which is worth remembering when national coverage sounds gloomier than what you see here. Our summer 2026 Maryland market update covered the June data, when the story was tightening supply rather than building inventory. How much are homes selling for in Baltimore, Anne Arundel and Howard counties? County-level figures run one month behind the metro numbers. The most recent county data comes from Maryland REALTORS®, Housing Statistics, July 2026, which draws on Bright MLS data and was current as of August 6, 2026. Statewide, the July median sale price was $455,000, up 2.2% year over year, on 6,328 units sold. Here is how the local jurisdictions looked in July 2026, the newest month published at county level: Jurisdiction Median sale price (July 2026) Change vs. July 2025 Units sold Median days on market Howard County $674,900 +6.3% 369 7 Anne Arundel County $553,500 +9.6% 750 11 Maryland (statewide) $455,000 +2.2% 6,328 14 Baltimore County $385,000 +1.3% 790 10 Baltimore City $250,000 0.0% 606 22 Source: Maryland REALTORS®, Housing Statistics, July 2026 (data from Bright MLS; current as of August 6, 2026). Median Sale Price by Jurisdiction, July 2026 Howard Co. $674,900 Anne Arundel Co. $553,500 Maryland $455,000 Baltimore Co. $385,000 Baltimore City $250,000 Source: Maryland REALTORS®, Housing Statistics, July 2026 (data from Bright MLS). Price movement varied a lot by jurisdiction. Anne Arundel posted the largest year-over-year gain in the group at 9.6%, while Baltimore City's median was unchanged from July 2025. Gaps that wide between neighboring jurisdictions usually reflect what kind of housing stock each one has and how much of it is on the market at the time. For neighborhood-level detail, we keep guides to Annapolis, Towson, Severna Park, Catonsville and Ellicott City and Columbia updated separately. Why is inventory rising while new listings fall? Because buyers slowed down, not because sellers sped up. Across the Bright MLS service area, active listings at the end of August 2026 were up 12.6% year over year while new listings were 1.7% lower. Bright MLS put it plainly in its August 2026 report: "Inventory is growing as a result of fewer buyers making offers, rather than more sellers listing their homes for sale." The Baltimore metro shows the same pattern more sharply. New listings there fell 8.5% year over year in August 2026, yet active listings still finished the month 14.7% higher. The growth in supply is coming from homes that were already listed and have not sold. That distinction matters if you're deciding whether to list this fall. A wave of new sellers would mean competing against fresh, well-prepared homes. What's actually out there is a backlog of listings that have been sitting, and a well-priced home stands out against those. The most recent weekly reading points the same direction. For the week ending September 6, 2026, Bright MLS counted 6,179 new listings across its service area, down 2.1% from the same week in 2025, against 50,335 active listings, up 12.2% year over year (Bright MLS, Bright Research Weekly Statistics). New purchase contracts that week came in at 4,563, within 0.2% of last year's level, and the median time to contract was 30 days. How tight is supply across the region? Through July 2026, most of the region still had well under three months of inventory. Maryland statewide sat at 3.0 months, down from 3.4 months in July 2025, while Howard County was the tightest jurisdiction in the region at 1.8 months (Maryland REALTORS®, Housing Statistics, July 2026). Maryland REALTORS® defines the figure in its own footnote: months of inventory is "based on current active inventory and the average of the current month and previous 11 months of sales." In plain terms, it estimates how long the homes currently for sale would last at the recent pace of selling. Months of Inventory, July 2026 Howard Co. 1.8 Anne Arundel Co. 2.1 Baltimore Co. 2.2 Maryland 3.0 Baltimore City 4.8 Source: Maryland REALTORS®, Housing Statistics, July 2026 (data from Bright MLS). The two datasets appear to contradict each other, and the mismatch is mostly definitional. The July county figures showed active inventory down year over year in Anne Arundel, Howard, Baltimore County and Baltimore City, while the Bright MLS metro figure for August showed active listings up 14.7%. They cover different months and draw their boundaries differently, so neither one cancels the other. August is the newer reading, and the one to watch as fall data lands. What are Maryland mortgage rates right now? Higher than a year ago. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.76% on September 10, 2026, up from 6.71% the week before and 6.35% a year earlier, according to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey. The 15-year fixed averaged 6.09%, up from 6.04% a week earlier and 5.50% a year before. Both terms rose week over week, and both sit above where they stood a year ago: the 30-year by 41 basis points, the 15-year by 59. So financing has gotten more expensive at the same time inventory has gotten easier, which is the tension buyers are working with this fall. Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's Chief Economist, offered a practical note alongside the September figures: "Aspiring buyers should remember shopping around for the best mortgage rate and getting multiple quotes can potentially save them thousands." Take that literally. Rate quotes vary between lenders on the same day for the same borrower, and over a 30-year term that gap is real money. If you're comparing loan types before you shop, our guide to FHA, conventional and VA loans in Maryland covers the tradeoffs, and the difference between pre-approval and pre-qualification matters more in a slower market. How does Maryland compare to the national market? Maryland is tighter and faster. Nationally, existing-home sales ran at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.06 million in July 2026, down 1.7% from June, with a median existing-home price of $434,100, up 2.0% year over year (National Association of REALTORS®, released August 11, 2026). National inventory stood at 1.54 million units, a 4.6-month supply, and homes sat a median of 29 days. Set that against Maryland's July numbers from Maryland REALTORS®: 3.0 months of supply statewide and a median of 14 days on market. Maryland had roughly two-thirds the national months of supply, and its homes sat about half as long as the national median. Howard County's 7-day median was faster still. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun described the national picture as steadier than the headlines suggested: "Home sales have been remarkably stable, even amid the rising mortgage rate environment of the past few months." Read national real estate coverage at a discount here this fall. A story built on a 4.6-month national supply figure is not describing the market Maryland buyers and sellers are standing in. What fall 2026 means if you're selling Price it against today's data, not spring's. The Baltimore metro median sold price still rose 2.4% year over year in August 2026, so values held, but showings fell 6.0% and pending sales fell 4.9% in the same month (Bright MLS, August 2026 report). Fewer people are walking through, which puts more weight on the asking price. Your first two weeks still carry a lot of the outcome. Median days on market in the Baltimore metro was 15 in August 2026, one day slower than a year earlier, so half the homes that sold went under contract inside roughly two weeks. With active listings up 14.7%, the ones that took longer were being weighed against a wider field than last year. That also raises the cost of getting the number wrong. In a market where inventory is accumulating, an overpriced home tends to sit and then become the listing that makes everything after it look reasonable. Our guide to how to sell your home in Maryland walks through the sequence, and what staging actually adds covers presentation without overspending. Work out your net before you list, too. The sale price isn't what you keep, and Maryland seller closing costs breaks down what comes out between contract and settlement. What fall 2026 means if you're buying You have more to choose from and more room to ask. Active listings in the Baltimore metro were 14.7% higher in August 2026 than a year earlier, and showings were down 6.0%, which means less competition per property (Bright MLS, August 2026 report). The offset is financing cost: at 6.76% on September 10, 2026, the 30-year fixed sits 41 basis points above its year-ago level (Freddie Mac). Those two forces pull against each other, and which one wins depends on your price point and how long you plan to stay. More inventory improves your negotiating position on price, repairs and timing. A higher rate raises the monthly cost of whatever you negotiate. Some of the groundwork is easier now than it will be in January. Settle the financing first, because a slower market rewards a clean, ready offer. It's also worth looking at homes that have been listed a while, since sellers still holding spring expectations are the ones most likely to move on terms. And check the assistance programs before you assume you don't qualify: household income limits for the Maryland Mortgage Program vary by county and household size, and other first-time buyer programs set their own eligibility rules. If you're starting from scratch, the Maryland home buying process walks through the order of operations. Frequently asked questions Is it a buyer's or seller's market in Maryland in fall 2026? It's shifting toward buyers but hasn't crossed over. Maryland statewide had 3.0 months of inventory in July 2026, down from 3.4 a year earlier (Maryland REALTORS®). Meanwhile Baltimore metro active listings rose 14.7% year over year in August 2026 while showings fell 6.0% (Bright MLS). Supply is still tight, but buyers have more room than they did. What is the median home price in the Baltimore area right now? The Baltimore metro median sold price was $425,000 in August 2026, up 2.4% from August 2025, according to the Bright MLS August 2026 Housing Market Report published September 10, 2026. At the county level, where data runs through July 2026, medians were $674,900 in Howard County, $553,500 in Anne Arundel County and $385,000 in Baltimore County. What is the current mortgage rate in Maryland? Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey put the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at 6.76% on September 10, 2026, up from 6.71% a week earlier and 6.35% a year earlier. The 15-year fixed averaged 6.09%. Freddie Mac publishes a national average; the rate an individual borrower is quoted varies by lender, credit profile and loan type. How long are Maryland homes taking to sell? Median days on market in the Baltimore metro was 15 in August 2026, one day slower than August 2025 (Bright MLS). Statewide in July 2026 the median was 14 days, and Howard County's was 7 days (Maryland REALTORS®). All of those are well below the national median of 29 days reported by NAR for July 2026. Are home prices in Maryland going to fall this year? No source cited here forecasts a decline. Prices were still rising as of the most recent data, up 2.4% year over year in the Baltimore metro in August 2026. Bright MLS does expect the pace of growth to ease, describing its outlook for the region as "a relatively slow fall housing market, with prices growing more slowly, inventory rising, and homes staying on the market longer." The short version Maryland went into fall 2026 with prices still rising, inventory building and buyers moving carefully. The Baltimore metro median sold price was $425,000 in August 2026, up 2.4%, on 14.7% more active listings and 6.0% fewer showings. The 30-year fixed sat at 6.76% on September 10, 2026. County-level detail runs a month behind, and through July the region was still tight, with Howard County at 1.8 months of inventory and Anne Arundel at 2.1. For sellers, that still supports the price, as long as it's set against current numbers instead of spring's. For buyers it means a wider field than a year ago, with 14.7% more active listings to work through and fewer people competing for each one. If you're weighing a move in the Baltimore or Annapolis area, Next Step Realty has agents working across Anne Arundel, Howard and Baltimore counties from offices in Timonium and Annapolis. Call 443-901-2200 or get in touch here and we'll go through what the current numbers mean for your street and your timeline. Sources Bright MLS, "Bright MLS August 2026 Housing Market Report: Mid-Atlantic Housing Market Cools," published September 10, 2026, retrieved September 10, 2026. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/09/10/3359681/0/en/bright-mls-august-2026-housing-market-report-mid-atlantic-housing-market-cools.html Bright MLS, "Bright MLS July 2026 Housing Market Report," published August 11, 2026, retrieved September 10, 2026. Cited for the July closed-sales figure of 21,407, up 4.0% year over year. Maryland REALTORS®, "Housing Statistics, July 2026" (data from Bright MLS; report current as of August 6, 2026), retrieved September 10, 2026. https://www.mdrealtor.org/HousingStats Bright MLS, Bright Research Weekly Statistics, week ending September 6, 2026, retrieved September 10, 2026. https://www.brightmls.com/weeklystats Freddie Mac, Primary Mortgage Market Survey, "Mortgage Rates Average 6.76%," published September 10, 2026, retrieved September 10, 2026. https://www.freddiemac.com/pmms National Association of REALTORS®, "NAR Existing-Home Sales Report Shows 1.7% Decrease in July," published August 11, 2026, retrieved September 10, 2026. https://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/nar-existing-home-sales-report-shows-1-7-decrease-in-july Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, Maryland Mortgage Program, "Eligibility," retrieved September 10, 2026. Cited for household income limits varying by location and household size. https://mmp.maryland.gov/Pages/Eligibility.aspx Market data in this article was current as of September 10, 2026. Bright MLS publishes metro-level figures monthly and Maryland REALTORS® publishes county-level figures on a one-month lag, so both are worth rechecking before you act on them. {"@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "Maryland Housing Market Update: Fall 2026", "description": "Baltimore metro's median sold price was $425,000 in August 2026, up 2.4%, with active listings up 14.7% and the 30-year fixed at 6.76%.", "datePublished": "2026-09-26T09:00:00-04:00", "dateModified": "2026-09-26T09:00:00-04:00", "author": {"@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Soper"}, "publisher": {"@type": "Organization", "name": "Next Step Realty"}, "mainEntityOfPage": {"@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://nextsteprealtymd.com/maryland-housing-market-update-fall-2026/"}, "url": "https://nextsteprealtymd.com/maryland-housing-market-update-fall-2026/"}

Maryland's housing market stayed firmly in sellers' favor through the first half of 2026, but slightly lower mortgage rates and a national inventory rebound are starting to shift the picture. The statewide median sale price reached $465,000 in June 2026, up 3.3% from a year earlier, with the typical home selling in just 11 days on 2.9 months of supply (Maryland REALTORS®, Housing Statistics, June 2026). Here's what the numbers mean if you're planning to buy or sell this summer. Key Takeaways Maryland's median sale price was $465,000 in June 2026, up 3.3% year over year (Maryland REALTORS®, 2026). At just 2.9 months of supply, tighter than a year ago, Maryland remains a seller's market, even as national inventory rises. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 6.55% the week of July 16, 2026, down from 6.75% a year earlier (Freddie Mac, 2026). Fannie Mae's July 2026 forecast expects rates near 6.3% and home prices up about 2.3% nationally through year-end. Is it a buyer's or seller's market in Maryland right now? It's still a seller's market. In June 2026, Maryland had just 2.9 months of housing supply, down from 3.3 months a year earlier (Maryland REALTORS®, 2026). A widely used industry rule of thumb treats under about four months as favoring sellers, four to six as balanced, and above six as favoring buyers; ask your agent how your specific market compares. Maryland isn't close to balanced. What's driving the squeeze is the supply side. New listings fell 17.9% year over year and active inventory dropped 13.3%, while the number of homes going under contract actually rose 7.0%. Fewer homes, steady demand: that's the recipe for the 11-day median time on market. Maryland Supply Squeeze, June 2025 vs June 2026 New listings 8,974 (’25) 7,370 (’26) Active inventory 18,788 (’25) 16,283 (’26) Under contract 6,412 (’25) 6,863 (’26) Source: Maryland REALTORS®, Housing Statistics, June 2026 (data from Bright MLS). This is the opposite of the national trend, which matters if you've been reading headlines. Nationally, inventory has been rising through 2026; Freddie Mac's chief economist noted that purchase demand has softened even as affordability improves and national supply keeps climbing (Freddie Mac, July 2026). Maryland simply hasn't loosened the same way, so don't assume national "buyers are back" coverage applies to your Baltimore or Annapolis search. What are Maryland mortgage rates in summer 2026? Rates have eased modestly. The 30-year fixed averaged 6.55% the week of July 16, 2026, down from 6.75% a year earlier, according to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey. The 15-year fixed sat at 5.93%; notably, that's a touch above its year-ago level even as the 30-year fell below. For a Maryland buyer, that roughly 0.20-point year-over-year drop on the 30-year isn't dramatic, but on a $465,000 median-priced home it still trims the monthly payment. The bigger takeaway: rates in the mid-6s have become the market's normal, and buyers who kept waiting for a return to pandemic-era 3% rates have largely stopped waiting. For the programs that help offset today's rates, see our Maryland first-time buyer programs guide. How much are Maryland homes selling for by county? The statewide $465,000 median hides a wide county spread. In June 2026, Montgomery and Howard counties led at roughly $680,000 and $675,850, while Baltimore City sat at $266,500, and posted the fastest price growth in the group at 6.6% year over year (Maryland REALTORS®, 2026). Median Sale Price by County, June 2026 Montgomery$680,000 Howard$675,850 Anne Arundel$535,000 Frederick$515,000 Maryland$465,000 Baltimore Co.$400,000 Baltimore City$266,500 Source: Maryland REALTORS®, Housing Statistics, June 2026 (data from Bright MLS). Because the range is this wide, a statewide median is close to useless for pricing your specific home or setting your buying budget. What matters is the sold-comp data for your neighborhood and school zone. Our community guides, like the Annapolis and Towson breakdowns, go market by market. What does the rest of 2026 look like for Maryland real estate? Forecasters expect a stable, slightly-warmer market rather than a swing in either direction. In its July 2026 outlook, Fannie Mae's Economic & Strategic Research group projected the 30-year fixed averaging about 6.3% for the year, total home sales up 0.2%, and national home prices rising roughly 2.3% (fourth-quarter over fourth-quarter). Worth noting: Fannie Mae actually revised that home-price forecast down in July from 3.2% a month earlier, a reminder that price growth is cooling nationally. But with Maryland's supply this tight, local prices have more support than the national average suggests. The practical read for Marylanders: don't expect a rate cliff or a price crash; expect more of the same, with pricing and preparation deciding who wins. What summer 2026 means for buyers and sellers For sellers, conditions remain strong: low inventory, an 11-day median time on market, and prices up year over year. The catch is that today's buyers are rate-sensitive and picky; sharp pricing and professional presentation still separate a fast sale from a stale listing. Our guide to selling a home in Maryland walks through the full timeline and costs. For buyers, the slightly lower 30-year rate helps, but tight inventory means competition is real in the sought-after counties. Getting pre-approved, knowing your target school zones, and moving decisively still matter. Whichever side you're on, the smart move in a market like this is a local agent with live Bright MLS data, not an online estimate. Plan your next move with local market data Whether you're buying or selling in the Baltimore or Annapolis area, decisions this good require current, block-level numbers. Talk with a Next Step Realty agent for a live Bright MLS market analysis of your neighborhood, or explore our buyer and seller resources to see how a Maryland boutique brokerage with 125 agents and full Bright MLS access can guide your move. Frequently Asked Questions Is it a good time to sell a house in Maryland in 2026? Yes, conditions favor sellers. In June 2026 Maryland had just 2.9 months of supply, tighter than a year earlier, with an 11-day median time on market and prices up 3.3% year over year (Maryland REALTORS®, 2026). Low inventory and steady demand support strong, quick sales. What are mortgage rates in Maryland right now? The 30-year fixed mortgage averaged 6.55% the week of July 16, 2026, down from 6.75% a year earlier, and the 15-year fixed was 5.93% (Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 2026). Rates move weekly, so confirm the current figure before you lock. Are Maryland home prices going up or down in 2026? Up modestly. Maryland's median sale price rose 3.3% year over year to $465,000 in June 2026 (Maryland REALTORS®). Nationally, Fannie Mae's July 2026 forecast projects prices up about 2.3% for the year: cooling growth, not falling prices. Is Maryland a buyer's or seller's market? A seller's market. At 2.9 months of supply (Maryland REALTORS®, 2026), Maryland is well below the four-to-six-month range that a widely used industry rule of thumb treats as balanced; ask your agent how your specific market compares. Unlike the national trend of rising inventory, Maryland's supply actually tightened year over year. Which Maryland county has the highest home prices? In June 2026, Montgomery County led at roughly $680,000, just ahead of Howard County at $675,850, while Baltimore City was lowest at $266,500 (Maryland REALTORS®, 2026). County medians vary widely, so pricing to your local comps matters more than the statewide figure. Sources Maryland REALTORS®, "Housing Statistics, June 2026," retrieved 2026-07-16, https://www.mdrealtor.org/HousingStats Freddie Mac, "Primary Mortgage Market Survey, Mortgage Rates Average 6.55%" (week of July 16, 2026), retrieved 2026-07-16, https://www.freddiemac.com/pmms Fannie Mae Economic & Strategic Research, "Housing Forecast: July 2026," retrieved 2026-07-16, https://www.fanniemae.com/data-and-insights/forecast { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ {"@type":"Question","name":"Is it a good time to sell a house in Maryland in 2026?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, conditions favor sellers. In June 2026 Maryland had just 2.9 months of supply, tighter than a year earlier, with an 11-day median time on market and prices up 3.3% year over year (Maryland REALTORS, 2026)."}}, {"@type":"Question","name":"What are mortgage rates in Maryland right now?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The 30-year fixed mortgage averaged 6.55% the week of July 16, 2026, down from 6.75% a year earlier, and the 15-year fixed was 5.93% (Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 2026). Rates move weekly."}}, {"@type":"Question","name":"Are Maryland home prices going up or down in 2026?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Up modestly. Maryland's median sale price rose 3.3% year over year to $465,000 in June 2026 (Maryland REALTORS). Nationally, Fannie Mae's July 2026 forecast projects prices up about 2.3% for the year."}}, {"@type":"Question","name":"Is Maryland a buyer's or seller's market?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"A seller's market. At 2.9 months of supply (Maryland REALTORS, 2026), Maryland is well below the four-to-six-month range that a widely used industry rule of thumb treats as balanced; ask your agent how your specific market compares. Unlike the national trend of rising inventory, Maryland's supply tightened year over year."}}, {"@type":"Question","name":"Which Maryland county has the highest home prices?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"In June 2026, Montgomery County led at roughly $680,000, just ahead of Howard County at $675,850, while Baltimore City was lowest at $266,500 (Maryland REALTORS, 2026)."}} ] }