Did you know that 80% of real estate agents burnout in their first two years? From finding suitable properties to pricing them to market demand and listing them, working in real estate is taxing. The constant need for a fresh set of ideas and solutions can be draining.
The lack of routine and a schedule combined with a constant high-pressure state can make even the most optimistic agents feel fatigued. The business is set up so that if you don’t take intentional care of yourself, burnout is almost inevitable. The best way to avoid burnout is to make sure you’re taking care of yourself and your business in a way that’s sustainable and prioritizes your needs.
Existing-home sales decreased by 8.4% in January, according to the National Association of REALTORS® Existing-Home Sales Report.
Month-over-month and year-over-year sales fell in all regions.
“The decrease in sales is disappointing. The below-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation this January make it harder than usual to assess the underlying driver of the decrease and determine if this month’s numbers are an aberration,” said NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun. “Affordability conditions are improving, with NAR’s Housing Affordability Index showing that housing is the most affordable it’s been since March 2022. This is due to wage gains outpacing home price growth and mortgage rates being lower than a year ago. However, supply has not kept pace and remains quite low.”
“Due to low supply, the median home price reached a new high for the month of January,” Yun added. “Homeowners are in a financially comfortable position as a result. Since January 2020, a typical homeowner would have accumulated $130,500 in housing wealth.”
Affordability improved for the seventh consecutive month, according to NAR’s Housing Affordability Index—increasing to 116.5 in January from 111.6 in December and 102 a year ago.
Total Existing-Home Sales
8.4% decrease in existing-home sales month over month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.91 million.
4.4% decrease in sales year over year.
Inventory
1.22 million units: Total housing inventory, down 0.8% from December and up 3.4% from January 2025 (1.18 million).
3.7-month supply of unsold inventory, up from 3.5 months in December and one year ago.
Median Sales Price
$396,800: Median existing-home price for all housing types, up 0.9% from one year ago ($393,400) – the 31st consecutive month of year-over-year price increases.
3 bedrooms + large loft; 2.5 bathrooms; 2,090 square feet
Beautifully maintained former model home offered for sale for the first time! This spacious residence features a bright, open floor plan with generous room sizes, abundant storage, and thoughtfully designed living spaces throughout. The kitchen includes some stainless steel appliances, a double oven, double sink, center island, eating area, and a large pantry — ideal for everyday living and entertaining! All appliances stay, including washer and dryer. The versatile layout offers 3 bedrooms plus a large loft that can serve as a family room, office, or flexible bonus space. The primary suite includes a bathroom with a wide soaking tub for relaxation. Energy-efficient gas furnace and water heater add comfort and efficiency. Enjoy outdoor living with a patio, fully fenced yard featuring a gate, sprinkler system, and access from the 3-car garage, where all shelving is included for added storage. Two security systems are installed — one monitoring doors and windows and another with cameras. Located in the Fern Crest community, residents enjoy two parks with playgrounds, including one with a sport court and expansive open space. Conveniently situated on Kent’s East Hill near shopping, dining, and the scenic Soos Creek Trail!
A link to more details, photos, floor plan and the 360 degree tour on my website…
January housing market data shows a continuation of recent trends, with growing inventory outpacing buyer demand across much of Washington state. Active listings increased nearly 21% year over year, while closed sales declined 7% and median prices fell 3%.
“Substantial year-over-year growth in active listings continues to be accompanied by much slower, even negative growth in sales and median prices,” said Steven Bourassa, director of the Washington Center for Real Estate Research at the University of Washington.
Compared to December, inventory rose nearly 6% in January, while closed sales dropped 31% and median prices declined about 3%. The data suggests more homeowners are willing to sell, while affordability constraints continue to limit buyer participation.
Key Takeaways
Active Listings
The total number of properties listed for sale increased 20.9% year over year, with 12,376 active listings on the market at the end of January 2026, compared to 10,241 at the end of January 2025. Month over month, active inventory increased by 5.6%, up from 11,718 in December 2025.
Closed Sales
Closed sales decreased 7% year over year, with 3,465 transactions in January 2026 compared to 3,727 in January 2025. Month over month, sales decreased 30.8% from 5,010 in December 2025.
Median Sales Price
The median sales price for residential homes and condominiums sold in January 2026 was $595,000, down 3.25% from January 2025 ($615,000). Month over month, the median price declined 2.8% from $612,250 in December 2025.
The counties with the highest median sales prices were San Juan ($969,000), King ($770,000), and Snohomish ($678,500), while the lowest median prices were recorded in Columbia ($265,000), Okanogan ($330,000), and Grant ($339,900).
Interior designers offer tips to make small homes feel more spacious, including maximizing natural light with wall mirrors, using soft paint colors to reflect more light and choosing appropriately scaled furniture. They also recommend multifunctional furniture for added storage, utilizing vertical space for storage and shelving, and installing curtains close to the ceiling to create the illusion of height.
I’m in Olympia today, meeting with Legislators in my district, as well as others, to advocate for these Legislative Priorities.
I’m especially excited to advocate for Ensuring Public Marketing of Residential Housing Opportunities. The proposed legislation would require all listings to be marketed publicly and be available to all brokers. If passed, this legislation will promote transparency, fairness, and equal access in the residential real estate market.
Existing-home sales increased by 5.1% in December, according to the National Association of REALTORS® Existing-Home Sales Report. Month-over-month sales increased in all regions. Year-over-year sales increased in the South, remained flat in the Midwest and West, and decreased in the Northeast.
Total Existing-Home Sales for December
5.1% increase in existing-home sales month over month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.35 million.
1.4% increase in sales year over year.
Inventory in December
1.18 million units: Total housing inventory, down 18.1% from November and up 3.5% from December 2024 (1.14 million).
3.3-month supply of unsold inventory, down from 4.2 months in November and up from 3.2 months in December 2024.
Median Sales Price in December
$405,400: Median existing-home price for all housing types, up 0.4% from one year ago ($403,700) – the 30th consecutive month of year-over-year price increases.
On January 29 Washington Realtors® will meet with legislators to discuss the challenges REALTORS® and consumers are facing in today’s market. We are excited to be the key to advancing pro-housing policy and supporting transparent homeownership in Washington!
A Hot Topic: Ensuring Public Marketing of Residential Housing Opportunities
Over the past 5 years, Washington REALTORS® has focused on making Washington the most consumer-friendly state in which to buy and sell real property. WR has supported a number of bills under that vision, and in 2026 we’re supporting another bill that will move us closer to this goal. The proposed legislation would require all listings to be marketed publicly and be available to all brokers. If passed, this legislation will promote transparency, fairness, and equal access in the residential real estate market.
This policy will ensure that the marketing of available housing, for sale or for rent, is provided to the public and real estate market, not solely to a limited or private group. A transparent real estate market is in the best interests of consumers, fair competition, and supports principles of fair housing.
The 2026 Washington State Legislative Session brings both opportunities and challenges for real estate and the broader business community. Here are a few more REALTOR® Legislative Priorities for the 2026 session:
Rural ADUs: This policy aims to create affordable housing options by allowing detached Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in rural areas, outside of the UGA, that can be built quickly and help toward relieving housing demand pressures.
Residential Uses in Commercial Zones: Allow residential uses in areas zoned for commercial or mixed use in cities with populations over 30,000, with exceptions to ensure protection of industrial lands or other areas inappropriate for residential use. Local governments cannot require conditional permits or impose design-related restrictions for residential development in these areas. This bill will help housing supply by allowing housing in underutilized commercial areas.
Incentivize Stacked Flat Condominium Construction: This bill builds on last year’s condominium legislation by allowing stacked flat building types of up to 4 floors and 12 units within the new 2-10 home warranty option, and by not requiring parking on the ground floor. This will allow an additional type of building to use the new 2-10 warranty process.
Do No Harm: Substantive budget and tax discussions are concerning as they relate to housing costs, and we ask that Legislators avoid policies that make housing and real estate more expensive. Examples would be REET increases (HB 1044 and HB 1867), B&O tax increases, or other excise tax proposals (HB 2258).
Washington REALTORS® has been approved for a disaster relief grant from NAR’s REALTORS® Relief Foundation to help those impacted by the recent flooding across western Washington.
These funds are available to ANY Washington resident whose primary residence was damaged — not just REALTORS®. Eligible applicants can receive housing assistance for temporary shelter, repairs, or mortgage relief.
This isn’t a scam! I’m a REALTOR® and voluntarily serving on the Washington REALTORS® Flood Relief Task Force to spread the news of these grant funds. Feel free to reach out with any questions!
The number of closed sales showed a slight year-over-year increase of 0.21%, up by 141 transactions compared to 2024’s total of 67,788. Total dollar volume also edged upward from just under $54.5 billion.
The median sales price for completed transactions reached $644,500, a 0.7% increase over 2024’s median of $640,000. For perspective, the median price in 2015 was $310,000, illustrating a decade of sustained home value growth. Homes sold for an average of 99.6% of the list price, reflecting a market that has gradually shifted away from the extremely competitive bidding conditions seen in earlier years.
Despite increased inventory, affordability constraints continued to weigh on market activity. Average active listings rose more than 34% compared to 2024, while new listings increased by only 8.9%, implying a longer time on the market for listings. As a result, sales transactions remained virtually unchanged, and median prices rose by less than 1%.
Listing Activity
When reviewing the overall inventory of all active listings, on average there were 16,007 active listings in the NWMLS database each month in 2025, a 34.4% increase from 2024’s average of 11,910.
Months of supply averaged 2.83 months, an improvement from the previous year’s 2.11 months, but still short of the 4–6 months typically associated with a balanced market. Inventory levels were lowest in March at 2.15 months and highest in September at 3.25 months.
Source: NWMLS 1/15/26
Feel free to contact me for more details and/or statistical graphs!
Managing The Real Estate Details 