Thursday, October 1, 2026
The first full month of spring was a busy one for the residential market, as sales and prices climbed amid a big leap in active listings in Thurston County.
The median price for a single-family home rose 1.57 percent to $548,500 in April from $540,000 in April 2025, according to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service’s (NWMLS) Monthly Market Update for April 2026. The median price is the point where half the homes sell for more and half for less.
At the same time, single-family sales increased to 303 from 266. That marked a gain of 13.90 percent in the period.
While the residential market has been on a role this spring, the condominium landscape has been a bit rocky.
The median price of a condo advanced to $350,000 in April from $325,000 in April 2025. But in a continuation of barely there activity, sales sank to six from 10 in the same period.
Condo and home sales have been influenced by low inventory levels in the region. While total inventory climbed to 3.4 months in January, it retreated to 2.59 months in February, and lower yet in March at 2.09 months before rising to 2.54 months in April. That ranked the Thurston County market as the third lowest in the state.
Kitsap County ranked lowest at 1.94 months of inventory, followed by Pierce County at 2.52 months. Douglas County and Cowlitz County rounded out the top five at 2.72 months and 2.77 months, respectively.
“A balanced market is considered to be (four) to (six) months by most industry experts,” said the Northwest Multiple Listing Service in its Monthly Market Update. “At the current rate of sales, it would take a little more than three months (3.27) to sell every home that is active in the NWMLS inventory.”
Active residential and condo listings were robust at 784 in April, up from 547 in April 2025. That marked an increase of 43.32 percent in the same period, and it also ranked Thurston County fifth in the state.
Snohomish County posted the largest increase at 58 percent, followed by Walla Walla County at 54 percent, Okanogan at 52.4 percent and Skagit County at 44.5 percent.
“Nearly all NWMLS counties experienced year-over-year inventory growth, with 21 of 27 counties posting double-digit increases,” said the Northwest Multiple Listing Service in its Monthly Market Update.
New residential listings surged 31.87 percent to 571 in April from 433 in April 2025, while new condo listings slumped 23.80 percent to 16 from 21 at the same time.
Pending sales inched up to 409 in April from 403 in April 2025, while pending condo sales dropped to 12 from 16 in the same period.
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Musiklove
Hard to read when the following
While the residential market has been on a role this spring, the condominium landscape has been a bit rocky.
Should be
While the residential market has been on a roll this spring, the condominium landscape has been a bit rocky.
Saturday, May 30 Report this
Yeti1981
The most important takeaway from these numbers isn't that prices increased 1.6%. It's that Thurston County still has only about 2.5 months of inventory when a balanced market is generally considered 4-6 months. Even with a 43% increase in active listings, we're still operating in a market with a significant housing shortage. That's why prices continue to remain elevated despite more homes coming onto the market.
The long-term solution to affordability isn't simply hoping prices fall. It's increasing housing supply through more single-family homes, townhomes, condos, ADUs, and apartments across the county. If we want homeownership to become attainable for more families, we need policies that make it easier (not harder) to build housing at all price points.
Wednesday, June 10 Report this