Prices surged. Buyers retreated. The gap between price and market activity is getting harder to ignore.
September delivered some extraordinary price increases, with median sales prices jumping more than 45% for single-family homes and 72% for attached properties. But behind those impressive numbers, a very different story is unfolding. Pending sales dropped sharply, inventory continued to grow as buyers are taking more time to make decisions.
🟢 The Good
• Median sales prices posted remarkable year-over-year gains, increasing 45.8% for single-family homes and 72.0% for attached properties.
• New attached listings increased 38.9%, creating additional opportunities for buyers looking at townhomes, condos and duplexes.
• National home prices continued to appreciate, rising 1.6% year-over-year, marking 38 consecutive months of annual price gains.
🟡 The Bad
• Pending sales declined sharply, falling 30.5% for single-family homes and 20.0% for attached properties. Buyers are clearly becoming more selective.
• Single-family new listings decreased 14.7%, while overall inventory still increased 12.2%. Fewer new listings aren't translating into tighter market conditions.
• National existing-home sales declined 2.0% month-over-month, slipping below an annualized pace of 4 million homes.
🔴 The Ugly
• Days on Market increased 28.1% for single-family homes and 3.8% for attached properties. Even with higher reported prices, properties are taking longer to sell.
• Months Supply of Inventory increased 16.4% for single-family homes and 50.8% for attached properties, giving buyers more options and greater negotiating leverage.
• The most telling statistic: Median prices increased dramatically while pending sales fell by double digits.This is exactly why headline price appreciation doesn't necessarily reflect what's happening to individual property values. A handful of higher-priced transactions can significantly influence the median without signaling broad market strength.
The takeaway? This is becoming an increasingly selective market. Well-positioned properties can still attract strong interest and multiple offers, but buyers are demonstrating that they won't chase unrealistic pricing simply because a seller believes the market is appreciating.
If you're considering buying or selling in Aspen or the Roaring Fork Valley, I'm always happy to offer perspective on what these numbers mean for your particular situation.
Source: Aspen Glenwood MLS Market Statistics, powered by ShowingTime. September 2026 market data, published in October 2026.