Headlines love a big round number — “the median price is X.” But that number alone won’t tell you what your home is worth or what you’ll pay. Here’s how to read the market like a pro.
Median list vs. median sold
Median list price is what sellers are asking; median sold price is what buyers actually paid. When sold trails list, buyers have room to negotiate; when they’re close, it’s a firmer market. The gap between them is the real story.
Sale-to-list ratio
This is sold price divided by list price. Near or above 100% means homes are selling at (or over) asking — a seller’s edge. Well below 100% means buyers are negotiating. It’s one of the clearest temperature checks on a market.
Days on market
How long homes take to sell tells you about supply and demand. Rising days-on-market means things are cooling; falling means they’re heating up. Watch the trend, not just one month.
Why averages can mislead
A couple of luxury sales can pull a small area’s median way up; a few starter homes can pull it down. Real estate is hyper-local — the number that matters is the one for your neighborhood and home type, not the whole county.
Want the real read on your street? Check your home’s value, explore the community pages, or reach out and I’ll pull the numbers that actually apply to you.
