Published October 4, 2026 in Market Update

More homes are sitting a bit longer, even with solid demand

By Shelly Kivett
Real estate, Buy box 2

Here is the one thing that matters most right now: mortgage rates climbed above 7% for the first time since January 2025, according to Realtor.com. That changes the math for buyers and puts more pressure on sellers to price carefully from the start.

Nationally, Realtor.com reported that price cuts hit 20.8% of listings in September, the highest share since October 2022. That is roughly 1 in 5 sellers adjusting their number after going live. It is a reminder that the list price is a starting point, not a guarantee.

In Buy box 2, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 809 homes sold and 945 pending sales in the three months ending July 31, 2026. Demand is real. But days on market vary widely across the ZIP codes in this market, from 22 days in one area to 58 days in another. Where your home sits in that range depends on the ZIP, the price, and the prep.

How long homes are sitting, by ZIP code

Median days on market, three months ending July 31, 2026
97034 – Lake Oswego, OR22 days97038 – Molalla, OR26 days97116 – Forest Grove, OR33 days97002 – Aurora, OR39 days97301 – Salem, OR43 days97303 – Salem, OR49 days97317 – Salem, OR55 days97355 – Lebanon, OR58 days
Real Estate Data Aggregator, three months ending July 31, 2026. ZIP 97017 had too few sales for a reliable median.
Source: Real Estate Data Aggregator, the three months ending July 31, 2026

ZIP 97034 held steady at 22 days, the same as a year before, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. ZIP 97355 moved in the other direction, up 8 days from last year to 58 days. ZIP 97002 saw the biggest jump: 29 days longer than the same period in 2025. That is a meaningful shift for sellers in that area.

Where prices landed

ZIP 97034 led at $1,359,000, up 13.3% from a year before. ZIP 97002 dipped the most, down 13.9% to $768,750, though that ZIP had only 14 sales, so one or two homes can move the number. ZIP 97116 and 97303 also saw modest price dips year over year.

How quickly homes went under contract

In ZIP 97002, 40% of homes went under contract within two weeks, the highest share in Buy box 2. ZIP 97116 saw the biggest gain year over year, up 24.5 points. ZIP 97317 had the lowest share at 21.5%, down 7.5 points from a year ago. Well-priced homes are still moving. The ones sitting longer are mostly the ones that started too high.

Sale price versus list price

Average sale-to-list ratio, three months ending July 31, 2026
97317
up 1.1 points year over year
97301
up 0.5 points year over year
97303
down 0.2 points year over year
97038
down 1 point year over year
97034
up 0.2 points year over year
Source: Real Estate Data Aggregator, the three months ending July 31, 2026

Most ZIP codes are still selling very close to list price. ZIP 97317 averaged 100.5%, meaning homes there sold slightly above asking on average. That is a good sign for sellers who price right. ZIP 97034 came in at 98.4%, which means buyers there are getting a small amount of room on price.

Supply and pending sales across Buy box 2

Buy box 2 totals, three months ending July 31, 2026
Homes sold
across all 10 ZIP codes
Homes for sale
active inventory
New listings
came to market this period
Pending sales
under contract
Source: Real Estate Data Aggregator, the three months ending July 31, 2026

Pending sales of 945 against 946 homes for sale tells you buyers are active. This is not a slow market overall. It is a market where some ZIP codes are moving faster than others, and where pricing and condition are doing more of the sorting than they were a year ago.

Months of supply by ZIP code

ZIP 97116 and 97224 both sit at 2.7 months of supply, the tightest in Buy box 2. ZIP 97355 and 97034 are at 4.8 months each, giving buyers a bit more breathing room. None of these numbers signal a market that has stalled, but they do show real differences from one ZIP to the next.

In short
  1. Rates above 7% are real, and Realtor.com says nearly 1 in 5 sellers nationally cut their price in September.
  2. In Buy box 2, the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows homes still selling close to list price and nearly 945 deals pending.
  3. But days on market range from 22 to 58 depending on the ZIP.
  4. Pricing well from the start matters more now than it did a year ago.

One more thing worth knowing: these are ZIP-code-level numbers. One street, one price range, or one home condition can read very differently from the broader picture. I am happy to pull a closer look at your specific address any time.

Your next step

(503) 421-2624

Text me your address and I will send back how long homes like yours are taking to sell in your ZIP right now, and how your price stacks up against what actually closed. Takes a day, costs nothing.

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Where these numbers came from
Shelly Kivett
Better Homes & Gardens Realty Partners · (503) 421-2624
Privacy policyTerms of useDo not sell or share my informationAccessibility statementFair housing notice
Shelly Kivett is a licensed real estate agent with Better Homes & Gardens Realty Partners, license #Licensed in OR. 201249268. Market numbers come from MLS records and are believed accurate but not guaranteed. Nothing on this site is an appraisal or a promise of value. If your home is already listed with another broker, this is not a solicitation.
© 2026 Shelly Kivett · Better Homes & Gardens Realty PartnersEQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY