Published October 18, 2026 in Market Update

More homes are moving in Primary Buy Box (2), even with rates at 7.40%

By Scott Williams

Real estate, Primary Buy Box (2)

Here is the one thing that changes what you should do right now. Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.40% on October 15, 2026. Most people expect that number to stop buyers cold. It did not.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,943 pending sales across Primary Buy Box (2) in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up 8.1% from the same three months in 2025. People are still signing contracts.

Freddie Mac also reported the 15-year fixed rate at 6.71% on October 15, 2026. Some buyers are using that shorter loan to keep payments manageable. It is not the right fit for everyone, but it is one more tool.

What the market actually did

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,781 homes sold across the market, up 3% from a year ago. More sellers listed too. New listings reached 2,167, up 1.4%. Buyers had a little more to choose from, and they still bought.

Nationally, the Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices rose 2.6% from July 2025 to July 2026. Local prices in this market moved in different directions by ZIP code, which matters more than any national figure.

Speed by ZIP code

Not every home sold fast. But the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows some ZIP codes moved very quickly. Here is how median days on market compared across the 16 ZIPs.

ZIP 48150 and ZIP 48307 tied for the fastest median at 13 days each. ZIP 48323 took the longest at 29 days. That is still under a month. No ZIP in this market was stuck.

How many homes went under contract fast

The Real Estate Data Aggregator also tracks the share of homes that went under contract within two weeks of listing. That tells you how many sellers did not have to wait long at all.

In ZIP 48150, the Real Estate Data Aggregator found 62.2% of homes went under contract within two weeks. ZIP 48185 was close behind at 57.4%. Even the slowest ZIP in this group, 48334, still saw 37.8% of homes move that quickly.

Median sale prices across the market

The spread is wide. ZIP 48306 had a median sale price of $644,900, up 13.1% from a year ago according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. ZIP 48135 sat at $223,500. That range means this market has entry points at many price levels.

Where prices dipped a little

A few ZIPs did see prices ease. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows ZIP 48111 dropped 10.3% year over year to $329,500. ZIP 48323 fell 5% to $521,500. ZIP 48307 was down 4% to $427,000. Lower prices in those ZIPs did not stop buyers. Sales volume rose in 48111 and 48323.

Realtor.com reported that 20.8% of listings nationally had price cuts in September, the highest share since October 2022. That is a national number. In this market, most ZIPs were still selling at or above list price.

Sale price versus list price

Nine of the 16 ZIP codes averaged above list price. That means sellers in those ZIPs were still receiving more than they asked. ZIP 48304 and ZIP 48111 averaged 98.7%, meaning sellers gave up a small amount on average. Not a collapse, just a slight lean toward buyers.

What rates mean for you right now

Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.40% on October 15, 2026. CNBC reported that Fannie Mae forecasts that same rate to average 7.4% for all of the fourth quarter of 2026, and 7.5% through 2027.

That means the usual loan path is not getting cheaper soon. But the usual loan path is not the only one. A land contract or owner financing can bridge the gap when a bank rate does not work. Those routes take more explaining, and that is fine. Ask.

These are market-wide numbers as of October 18, 2026. Your block, your price range and your home's condition all shape what the numbers mean for you specifically. Reply and I will tell you what I see for your address.