Puget Sound isn’t one housing market right now. It’s three, and the right strategies change for which county you’re shopping in.
King County: the most room to negotiate
King County has 8,242 active listings and 4.3 months of inventory. The median sold price is $835,000, homes take about 29 days to sell, and sellers get roughly 98.1% of list price. King prices are down year over year. beyondwabeyondwa
The big split is by property type. King County single-family homes sit at 4.1 months of inventory, while condos are at 7.05. If you’re buying a condo in King County, you have real leverage. northendhomes
Snohomish County: tighter, but loosening fast
Snohomish County has 3.5 months of inventory and a $699,000 median sold price, with 26 days on market and 98.6% of list price. Single-family inventory is up 45% from a year ago, so buyers are gaining ground, just from a tighter starting point. beyondwanorthendhomes
Snohomish condos are firmer than King’s. They’re at 4.59 months of inventory, and the median condo price of $489,950 is up 1.5% from last year. northendhomes
Pierce County: still the most seller-friendly
Pierce County has 3.3 months of inventory and a $565,000 median sold price, with 26 days on market and sellers getting about 99% of list price. Pierce is the one major Puget Sound county where prices are up year over year, by about 3%. beyondwabeyondwa
What this means for you
Buying in King County: negotiate. Ask for credits, repairs and rate buydowns, especially on condos.
Buying in Snohomish County: you have more choice than last year, but good homes still move.
Buying in Pierce County: be ready to compete on well-priced homes. Don’t count on big discounts.
Averages hide pockets. A county number won’t tell you what a specific neighborhood or price range is doing, so as is usually the case, the details matter more than the headline.
All three counties share one headwind: the 30-year mortgage rate is 7.40%. That’s why leverage is rising even as buyer activity stays low. freddiemac
Want to know what your price range looks like in your county and neighborhood? Call or text me at 206-931-8706.
© 2026 Fletch Newland Real Estate – Spire One Realty – Mount Lake Terrace, WA.
General information only, not financial advice. Market conditions change weekly.
Sources: NWMLS data via Beyond Real Estate (Oct 2026); Northend Homes (Oct 2026); Freddie Mac.