From The Allison Ziefert Real Estate Group:
If it feels like every conversation lately eventually turns into real estate, you’re not imagining things.
One of the questions we’re hearing most often right now is:
“What’s really happening with the market?”
Depending on which headline you read, the market is either crashing, booming, frozen, or about to change dramatically.
Here in Maplewood and South Orange, the reality is much simpler.
Prices are up. Inventory remains tight. Buyers are still competing for desirable homes. And despite higher mortgage rates, demand continues to outpace supply in many segments of the market.
The first half of 2026 has been a good reminder that national headlines don’t always reflect what’s happening locally.
As local real estate professionals, we’re often asked whether buyers have finally disappeared or whether higher mortgage rates have put the brakes on the market.
The short answer? No.
The longer answer is more interesting.
What we’re seeing six months into 2026 is a market that is evolving, not weakening. There are fewer casual buyers, fewer homes available, and fewer transactions overall—but the buyers who are actively searching remain highly motivated. When the right home comes along, they’re still willing to compete for it.
Here is our latest market report for South Orange:
Here is our latest market report for Maplewood:
Let’s break down the trends we are seeing at now that we are midway through 2026.
Prices Continue to Climb
Through June 2026, the average sale price in Maplewood reached $1,238,033, up 17.7% from the same period last year. South Orange wasn’t far behind, with an average sale price of $1,172,884, up 14.0% year over year.
Those aren’t small increases.
Buyers are also continuing to pay well above asking price. Maplewood homes sold for an average of 116.8% of list price, while South Orange homes sold for 113.3% of list price.
We continue to see multiple offers on well-prepared homes, particularly those in prime locations, near downtowns, parks, schools, and train stations.
The market may not feel quite as frenzied as it did a few years ago, but strong homes continue to command strong results.
The Real Inventory Story: Why So Few Homes Are Available
One of the most common comments we hear lately is:
“There seem to be so many houses for sale.”
We understand why people feel that way, especially in the spring time when “for sale” signs seem to pop up all over the place.
But the numbers tell a very different story.
In fact, finding inventory today can feel a bit like finding a parking spot at the Maplewood train station after 8 a.m.—possible, but you’ll need good timing and a little luck.
While demand remains strong, the number of homes changing hands each year has fallen dramatically compared to historical norms. Inventory remains remarkably constrained.
Maplewood
In the mid-2000s and during the pandemic, Maplewood regularly saw close to 400 homes sell annually. In 2025, just 256 homes were sold. Through the first six months of 2026, only 103 homes have sold, putting the market on pace for another relatively low-volume year.
South Orange
South Orange tells a similar story. Annual sales frequently approached 300 in total. In 2025, only 158 homes sold, and through June 2026, just 80 homes have closed, despite strong buyer demand.
As local agents, we see this disconnect all the time. Someone will tell us, “There are houses everywhere!” Then we pull up the data and discover there are only 15-20 active listings in each of the towns.
That’s not an oversupplied market. That’s still a market where demand exceeds supply.
One thing we’ve learned after helping hundreds of families buy and sell homes here is that inventory isn’t measured by how many signs you happen to see on your drive to the train station.
It’s measured by how many good options buyers actually have.
And right now, there still aren’t enough.
Why Inventory Remains So Tight
There are several reasons for that.
Many homeowners refinanced into historically low mortgage rates during 2020 through 2022 and are reluctant to give them up.
Many longtime residents have accumulated substantial equity and simply aren’t in a hurry to move.
Downsizers often discover that finding their next home is almost as challenging as selling their current one.
And perhaps most importantly, people genuinely like living here.
They’ve built friendships, become involved in schools and community organizations, know the owners of local businesses, and put down roots.
Even when they could move, many choose not to.
That’s one of the reasons inventory has remained stubbornly low even as buyer demand continues.
Fewer Showings Doesn’t Mean Less Competition
Here’s where things get interesting.
Some sellers notice fewer people coming through open houses or scheduling private showings on active listings than they remember during the height of the pandemic market and assume demand has weakened.
That’s not necessarily the case.
The buyers we’re seeing today are serious. They know what they want, they’ve done their homework, and when the right house comes along they move quickly.
The casual weekend browsers have largely disappeared at this time of year. The committed buyers have not.
Many buyers begin their search expecting dozens of options. A few weekends later, they’re shocked by how quickly the best homes disappear.
A listing hits the market on Thursday, open houses are busy all weekend, and by Friday we’re hearing:
“Wait, it’s already under contract?”
Often, yes.
That’s reflected in the numbers. Homes are still moving quickly, with average days on market of just 17 days in Maplewood and 24 days in South Orange.
Why Buyers Continue to Choose Maplewood & South Orange
People aren’t just buying a house here.
They’re buying walkable downtowns, direct train service to New York City, highly regarded schools, beautiful parks, architectural character, strong community connections, and neighborhoods where people genuinely want to put down roots.
That’s why buyers continue coming from Brooklyn, Manhattan, Jersey City, Hoboken, and other nearby markets.
It’s also why demand has remained so resilient despite higher mortgage rates and affordability challenges.
As long as more people want to live here than there are homes available, values are likely to remain supported.
The 10-Year Appreciation Story Is Remarkable
One of the most common reactions we hear from longtime homeowners is surprise at how much values have increased.
Many people know their home has appreciated. They just don’t realize by how much until they see the numbers.
When we pull up the long-term data, the appreciation story is pretty remarkable.
In 2015, the average sale price in Maplewood was $544,000. By 2025, it had reached $1,002,000—an increase of approximately 84%.
In South Orange, the average sale price rose from $622,000 in 2015 to $1,056,000 in 2025—an increase of approximately 70%.
For many homeowners, their house has become one of the strongest-performing assets in their financial portfolio.
What the Headlines Miss
One reason we spend so much time studying the numbers is because the market is rarely one thing.
The market for a turnkey Colonial near downtown Maplewood is different from the market for a condo. The market for a house that needs updating is different from the market for a beautifully renovated home. A luxury home in Wyoming is not competing with a starter home near Seton Hall.
When people ask us whether it’s a good market to buy or sell, our answer is usually:
“Tell us more.”
The details matter.
That’s why we don’t put much stock in sweeping national predictions. We’d rather focus on what’s actually happening in our own backyard.
And what we’re seeing today is a market where demand remains healthy, inventory remains constrained, and buyers continue to compete for homes that are well-priced, well-prepared, and well-marketed.
What We’re Watching for the Rest of 2026
The advantage of being local market specialists is that we don’t have to rely solely on national headlines to understand what’s happening.
We’re watching showing activity.
We’re watching private listings.
We’re watching buyer demand, offer activity, inventory levels, and the conversations happening at kitchen tables throughout the community.
Right now, the trends we’re seeing suggest that demand remains healthy, particularly for homes that are move-in ready, well-located, and priced strategically.
The market isn’t rewarding every seller equally, however.
The gap between a home that’s thoughtfully prepared and one that’s not has widened considerably. Buyers have become more selective, and presentation matters.
That’s one reason staging, preparation, pricing strategy, and marketing continue to have an outsized impact on results.
Looking Ahead
The biggest takeaway from the first half of 2026 is that the fundamentals of our local market remain strong.
People continue to want to live in Maplewood and South Orange.
Inventory remains limited.
Buyers continue to compete for desirable homes.
And homeowners continue to benefit from years of appreciation driven by simple supply and demand.
Will the market look exactly the same six months from now? Probably not. Markets evolve.
But based on what we’re seeing every day—showings, buyer activity, offers, contracts, private inventory, and conversations with homeowners—the story hasn’t changed much.
Demand remains strong.
Inventory remains limited.
And great homes still command great results.
As always, if you’re wondering what your home might be worth, considering a move, or simply trying to make sense of the headlines, we’re happy to share what we’re seeing. You can email us at [email protected] After all, tracking this market isn’t something we do once a month when the reports come out. It’s what we do every day.
