Published October 26, 2026 in Market Update

Primary market inventory is flat overall, but the pressure is not the same everywhere

By Bruce McQuiston-Your real estate coach

Real estate, Primary market

The headline number looks steady. But steady overall does not mean steady on your street.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 2,005 homes for sale across the primary market in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up just 0.5% from the same months of 2025. Nationally, the National Association of Realtors reported inventory at 1.60 million homes in September 2026. Both numbers sound calm. Neither one tells you what is happening in your ZIP code.

Pending sales falling 4.9% while new listings rose 1.6% is worth watching. More homes came to market. Fewer went under contract. That gap shows up differently in each area.

Rates are not helping buyers move faster

Freddie Mac put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.32% as of October 22, 2026. The 15-year averaged 6.68%. Realtor.com reported the average mortgage rate on the market at 7.40% as of October 22, 2026. Rates above 7% slow decisions on both sides of a deal.

Where supply tightened and where it loosened

The story changes a lot depending on which ZIP code you are in. Some areas saw inventory fall sharply. Others saw it climb. That gap is where leverage shifts.

80110, which covers the City of Englewood near South Broadway, saw the sharpest inventory jump at 37%. At the same time, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted only 58 homes sold there, down 31% from a year before. More supply and fewer closings is a combination that gives buyers more room to negotiate.

80127, a Littleton mailing address covering parts of Jefferson County including the Ken Caryl area, moved the other direction. Inventory there fell 25.9%, the Real Estate Data Aggregator found. Half of all homes went under contract within two weeks of listing, up 22.2 points from a year before. Sellers there held more of the leverage.

80126, a Littleton mailing address in Douglas County covering parts of Highlands Ranch, also tightened. Inventory fell 16.2%. Months of supply dropped to 1.9. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 205 homes sold, up 19.2% from a year before. That said, the median sale price dipped 9.5% to $737,000. More homes sold, but buyers pushed back on price. Homes there carry HRCA dues, which cover the four rec centers, so cost of ownership is part of every conversation.

How fast homes are moving, ZIP by ZIP

The City of Littleton, ZIP 80120, moved fastest at a median 17 days. That is 9 days shorter than a year before, the Real Estate Data Aggregator found. Castle Rock ZIPs 80104 and 80109 were the slowest, at 41 and 39 days. Both Castle Rock ZIPs also saw days on market tick longer compared with a year before.

Where prices rose and where they slipped

The City of Littleton, ZIP 80120, saw the strongest price growth at up 7.4%. Historic Main Street, the Downtown Littleton light rail station and the Platte River trail make this a distinct market. Do not read that number across to other Littleton mailing addresses, which can fall in Jefferson County or Douglas County with different taxes, school districts and HOA structures.

80111 carries an Englewood mailing address but covers parts of the DTC and Centennial area. That is a different market from the City of Englewood. Its median price dipped 5.5% to $945,000. Homes sold there fell 19.2%. Buyers in that price range had more choices and used them.

Note that a Littleton mailing address can mean the City of Littleton in Arapahoe County, a community like Ken Caryl or Columbine in Jefferson County, or an area like Highlands Ranch or Roxborough in Douglas County. County lines change taxes, school districts and metro district costs. Always confirm which one you are looking at.

The two-week test: who is moving fast and who is not

The share of homes going under contract within two weeks tells you how much urgency buyers feel. The Real Estate Data Aggregator tracked this for each ZIP.

Half of all homes in 80127 went under contract within two weeks. That is the highest in the market. In 80104 Castle Rock, only about 1 in 4 did. Same period, very different buyer urgency.

What the national picture adds

The National Association of Realtors reported existing-home sales at 3.99 million units in September 2026. Prices nationally were up 1.3% from a year before. That is a slower pace than what the City of Littleton or the Parker 80138 area showed locally. Realtor.com reported national pending home sales down 11.3% year over year in September 2026. The primary market's pending sales fell 4.9% over the same stretch, which is a smaller drop than the national number.

One more thing worth keeping in mind. A single street can read differently from the whole ZIP code. Lot size, school district, county line, HOA or metro district costs, and access to C-470, Santa Fe or I-25 all shape what a buyer will pay and how fast they will move. The ZIP code average is a starting point, not the final answer.