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Monthly Housing Market Report
Lake Stevens Housing Market Update
August 2026
This report breaks down what actually happened in the Lake Stevens housing market during July 2026 using real NWMLS data. Instead of stopping at citywide numbers, we will look at housing types and residential resale price ranges, because July was a strong example of why the average does not tell the whole story.
In One Sentence
Lake Stevens buyers had far more homes to choose from than last July, but they still competed aggressively for a small group of exceptional properties while 34 listings left the market without selling and more than 100 active listings had already been sitting for over 60 days.
Who's Feeling This Market Right Now
Working in your favor
- Selective buyers, 256 homes were for sale at the end of July, 35% more than one year earlier, creating more room to compare condition, location, and price.
- Sellers with an exceptional home, several standout properties across Lake Stevens attracted fast offers and meaningful premiums above the original asking price.
A mixed picture
- Sellers between $750,000 and $949,999, closed homes moved in a median of 6 days and typically received 100% of the original asking price, but only the strongest listings drew exceptional competition.
- Condo buyers and sellers, activity increased sharply, but the typical condo still took 22 days to go pending and closed about 2.6% below its original asking price.
Worth a closer look at strategy
- Owners of homes already sitting, more than 100 active listings had been on the market longer than 60 days. The issue was not simply a lack of buyers. Buyers were choosing carefully.
- Sellers whose listing did not sell, 25 listings were canceled and 9 expired in July. Before relisting, price, condition, presentation, and competition all deserve a fresh look.
- Supply, how many homes buyers had to choose from.
- Buyer Demand, how quickly and actively buyers responded.
- Negotiating Power, how much of their asking price sellers kept once a buyer was found.
- Friction, listings that stalled, got canceled, or expired.
July was not a market where every good home sold quickly. It was a market where a few exceptional homes performed exceptionally, while a large group of active listings continued to wait.
Snapshot One
Whole City · All Housing Types CombinedWhat Is Happening Across the City Right Now?
This snapshot looks at the entire Lake Stevens housing market. It shows how much choice buyers had, how many homes went under contract or closed, and how many listings came off the market without selling. Later sections focus on residential resale, new construction, condos, and townhomes, so the totals will not always match because the citywide figures include additional property types that are not broken out separately in this report.
Homes Available to Buyers
These numbers show how much choice buyers had during July.
Lake Stevens ended July with 256 homes for sale, 35% more than July 2025 and more than double the number available in July 2024.
Homes for Sale at the End of the Month
- July 2026
- 256
- Change From July 2025
- Up 35%
New Listings Added During the Month
- July 2026
- 132
- Change From July 2025
- Up 45%
Homes Buyers Chose
These numbers show how many sellers attracted a buyer and how many sales were completed.
Pending sales increased modestly, but closed sales were nearly unchanged from last July even though buyers had 67 more homes to choose from.
Homes That Went Under Contract
- July 2026
- 71
- Change From July 2025
- Up 8%
Homes That Completed a Sale
- July 2026
- 67
- Change From July 2025
- Down 1%
Typical Days Before Going Under Contract
- July 2026
- 14 days
- Change From July 2025
- 5 days faster
Typical Showings Before Going Under Contract
- July 2026
- 6 showings
- Change From July 2025
- 3 fewer showings
How Close Closed Sales Came to the Original Asking Price
This percentage describes the middle closed sale, not every seller's result.
The typical closed sale received 99.5% of its original asking price, which means about 0.5% below asking. Several exceptional sales above asking helped keep the citywide result close to 100%.
Median Percent of Original Asking Price Received
- July 2026
- 99.5%
- Plain-Language Meaning
- The middle closed sale finished about 0.5% below its original asking price.
Average Sales Price
- July 2026
- $795,564
- Plain-Language Meaning
- Down 4.4% from last July, which may reflect the mix of homes sold rather than a uniform change in individual home values.
Median Price Per Square Foot
- July 2026
- $360
- Plain-Language Meaning
- Down 1.9% from July 2025.
Listings That Did Not Sell
Canceled and expired listings came off the market without completing a sale.
Thirty-four Lake Stevens listings left the market without selling in July. Compared with 67 completed sales, that is roughly one failed listing for every two sales.
Canceled Listings
- July 2026
- 25
- Plain-Language Explanation
- The seller or listing broker withdrew the home before it sold.
Expired Listings
- July 2026
- 9
- Plain-Language Explanation
- The listing agreement ended before the home found a buyer.
Total Listings That Did Not Sell
- July 2026
- 34
- Plain-Language Explanation
- Canceled and expired listings combined.
Active Listings on Market More Than 60 Days
- July 2026
- More than 100
- Plain-Language Explanation
- A large part of the active market was still waiting for a buyer at the end of July.
What I'm Seeing
Supply grew much faster than sales, which gave buyers more power to separate the exceptional homes from everything else.
There were still buyers making fast, aggressive offers. They just were not doing it broadly. More than 100 active listings had already been on the market for over 60 days, while a small group of standout homes sold in two or three days and above asking.
That is not a contradiction. It is a selective market. Price still matters, but so do condition, setting, views, layout, and how a home compares with everything else a buyer can afford.
Snapshot Two
By Housing TypeHow Did Each Type of Home Perform?
This snapshot compares residential resale homes, new construction, condos, and townhomes. The numbers come from separate NWMLS filters, so each category should be read as its own market rather than added together.
Where the Market Activity Was
Compare how many homes were available, went under contract, and completed a sale.
Residential resale carried the most activity, while new construction had 39 homes for sale but only one July closing.
Residential Resale
- Homes for Sale
- 126
- Went Under Contract
- 43
- Homes Sold
- 41
New Construction
- Homes for Sale
- 39
- Went Under Contract
- 7
- Homes Sold
- 1
Condos
- Homes for Sale
- 29
- Went Under Contract
- 10
- Homes Sold
- 12
Townhomes
- Homes for Sale
- 13
- Went Under Contract
- 6
- Homes Sold
- 3
How Quickly Buyers Chose Them
These figures are based on properties that completed a sale, not every active listing still sitting on the market.
Residential resale sold in a median of 14 days. New construction took 54 days, although that figure is based on only one July closing.
Residential Resale
- Typical Days Before Going Under Contract
- 14 days
- Typical Showings Before Going Under Contract
- 7 showings
New Construction
- Typical Days Before Going Under Contract
- 54 days
- Typical Showings Before Going Under Contract
- 2 showings
Condos
- Typical Days Before Going Under Contract
- 22 days
- Typical Showings Before Going Under Contract
- 5 showings
Townhomes
- Typical Days Before Going Under Contract
- 20 days
- Typical Showings Before Going Under Contract
- 5 showings
How Close Sellers Came to Their Original Asking Price
This translates the median percentage received into plain language.
Residential resale finished closest to asking. Townhome sellers gave up the most ground, while the new construction result reflects only one closed sale.
Residential Resale
- Typical Share of Original Asking Price Received
- 99.3%
- What That Means
- The typical seller received about 0.7% less than the original asking price.
New Construction
- Typical Share of Original Asking Price Received
- 94.0%
- What That Means
- The one July closing finished about 6.0% below the original asking price, so this is not a broad builder trend by itself.
Condos
- Typical Share of Original Asking Price Received
- 97.4%
- What That Means
- The typical condo seller received about 2.6% less than the original asking price.
Townhomes
- Typical Share of Original Asking Price Received
- 96.0%
- What That Means
- The typical townhome seller received about 4.0% less than the original asking price.
What I'm Seeing
Housing type changed the experience substantially in July.
Condos produced three times as many closings as last July, yet sellers typically negotiated below asking and the average sales price was lower. That combination suggests the mix of condos sold mattered.
New construction had 39 homes for sale and just one closed sale. Because speed, price, and negotiation figures are based on that single closing, they should not be treated as a citywide builder verdict.
Townhomes also required more negotiation than residential resale. A strategy built for a detached resale home may not fit either of these categories.
Snapshot Three
Residential Resale Only · By Price RangeHow Did Different Residential Resale Price Ranges Perform?
Buyers often shop by budget before they shop by neighborhood. These price bands show where inventory accumulated, where closed homes moved fastest, and where sellers kept the most negotiating power.
Where Homes Were Available and Selling
The $600,000 to $749,999 range had the most homes for sale and the most completed sales. Inventory was also substantial above $1.35 million, with 15 active homes and 5 closings.
$599,999 or Less
- Homes for Sale
- 7
- Went Under Contract
- 7
- Homes Sold
- 4
$600,000 to $749,999
- Homes for Sale
- 40
- Went Under Contract
- 21
- Homes Sold
- 17
$750,000 to $949,999
- Homes for Sale
- 36
- Went Under Contract
- 10
- Homes Sold
- 12
$950,000 to $1,149,999
- Homes for Sale
- 16
- Went Under Contract
- 1
- Homes Sold
- 2
$1,150,000 to $1,349,999
- Homes for Sale
- 12
- Went Under Contract
- 2
- Homes Sold
- 1
$1,350,000 or More
- Homes for Sale
- 15
- Went Under Contract
- 2
- Homes Sold
- 5
How Long It Took Sold Homes to Find a Buyer
These figures are based on closed properties. Active listings may be experiencing something completely different.
The $750,000 to $949,999 range moved fastest at 6 days. The under $600,000 range took 30 days, showing that a lower price did not automatically create a faster sale.
$599,999 or Less
- Typical Days Before Going Under Contract
- 30 days
- Typical Showings Before Going Under Contract
- 5 showings
$600,000 to $749,999
- Typical Days Before Going Under Contract
- 18 days
- Typical Showings Before Going Under Contract
- 8 showings
$750,000 to $949,999
- Typical Days Before Going Under Contract
- 6 days
- Typical Showings Before Going Under Contract
- 8 showings
$950,000 to $1,149,999
- Typical Days Before Going Under Contract
- 7 days
- Typical Showings Before Going Under Contract
- 5 showings
$1,150,000 to $1,349,999
- Typical Days Before Going Under Contract
- 7 days
- Typical Showings Before Going Under Contract
- 15 showings
$1,350,000 or More
- Typical Days Before Going Under Contract
- 10 days
- Typical Showings Before Going Under Contract
- 14 showings
How Much Sellers Negotiated
This translates the median percentage received into plain language.
The $950,000 to $1,149,999 range had the strongest median result at 102.9%, but it was based on only two closed sales. The $750,000 to $949,999 and $1.35M plus ranges both held at 100%.
$599,999 or Less
- Typical Share of Original Asking Price Received
- 94.3%
- What That Means
- The typical seller received about 5.7% less than the original asking price.
$600,000 to $749,999
- Typical Share of Original Asking Price Received
- 98.9%
- What That Means
- The typical seller received about 1.1% less than the original asking price.
$750,000 to $949,999
- Typical Share of Original Asking Price Received
- 100.0%
- What That Means
- The middle closed sale received its full original asking price.
$950,000 to $1,149,999
- Typical Share of Original Asking Price Received
- 102.9%
- What That Means
- The middle result was about 2.9% above asking, based on only two closed sales.
$1,150,000 to $1,349,999
- Typical Share of Original Asking Price Received
- 98.1%
- What That Means
- The one closed seller received about 1.9% less than the original asking price.
$1,350,000 or More
- Typical Share of Original Asking Price Received
- 100.0%
- What That Means
- The middle closed sale received its full original asking price.
What I'm Seeing
Some Lake Stevens sellers saw exceptional returns in July, but those results were tied to exceptional homes, not one neighborhood or one price point.
A rambler near Lake Cassidy received multiple offers, went pending in two days, and sold about 4.59% above its original asking price, nearly $70,000 over list. A Frontier Airpark home above $1.35 million also sold above asking.
In the $950,000 to $1,149,999 range, a Machias home sold in two days and about 6.2% above its original asking price. In the $750,000 to $949,999 range, a Sunnyside area home with Sound, Olympic, greenbelt, valley, and city skyline views went pending in three days and sold about 5.56% above asking.
These were not clustered in one pocket of Lake Stevens. What they had in common was that buyers viewed them as exceptional compared with the competing homes available at the same price.
My Take
Those standout sales may have helped hold the median percentage of original asking price at or above 100% in several price ranges. They should not be mistaken for the typical seller experience.
At the same time, more than 100 active listings had been on the market for over 60 days. July's lesson is not that Lake Stevens homes automatically sell at asking. It is that buyers will still compete hard when a home gives them a compelling reason to.
The right question is not only, "What did homes sell for?" It is, "Why did buyers choose those homes over everything else they could have purchased?"
Questions Raised by the Data
What Might a Buyer or Seller Wonder Next?
Why did some homes sell far above asking while more than 100 listings sat for over 60 days?
Buyers were not absent in July. They were selective. Several homes with standout settings, views, layouts, or overall presentation created immediate competition. Many other listings did not give buyers the same reason to act, especially with 256 homes available across the city.
What does a 99.5% median of original list price mean for sellers?
It means the middle closed sale finished about 0.5% below its original asking price. It does not mean every home sold within half a percent of asking. Some sellers received substantial premiums, while others negotiated more, reduced their price, canceled, or expired.
Does the lower average sales price mean every Lake Stevens home lost value?
No. July's average sales price was $795,564, down 4.4% from last year, but averages can shift because a different mix of homes sold. More condo closings, fewer new construction closings, or changes in the sizes and locations of sold homes can move the average without every individual property losing the same amount of value.
Market Summary
A Selective Market, Not a Silent One
Lake Stevens buyers had more choices in July, and that made the difference between an average listing and an exceptional one more visible.
Several sellers achieved remarkable results in different parts of the city and at different price points. At the same time, 34 listings left the market without selling and more than 100 active listings had already been waiting longer than 60 days.
The market was still rewarding homes that stood out. It was simply less forgiving of homes that did not.
Data is the insight.
The right strategy gets the result.
This report shows the citywide picture. Use the form below to tell me what you are planning, and I will personally prepare a market review tailored to your situation.
