July 2026 Home Sales Report
Solid Summer Housing Market Continues as Sales and Prices Rise
Date: August 20, 2026
July 2026 at a glance
For the second straight month, Wisconsin home sales increased by a healthy margin, which put strong upward pressure on home prices. Existing home sales in July 2026 rose 8.1% compared to July 2025, and the statewide median price increased 6.8% over that same period to $360,000.
On a year-to-date basis, sales rose 4.9% relative to the first seven months of 2025, and the median price was up 6.2%, rising to $345,000. Regionally, year-to-date home sales and prices increased in every region of the state relative to the same time frame last year.
Total listings and new listings kept pace with July last year, rising 1.6% and 1.3%, respectively, but strong demand for homes resulted in a slight reduction in months of inventory, which fell from 4.3 months in July 2025 to 4.2 months this past July.
The state housing market remains a seller’s market since it is below the six-month benchmark that indicates a balanced housing market. However, available inventory varies by urban status, with tighter supply in more urban areas. Counties in the state’s metropolitan areas, which contain the largest cities, had just 3.8 months of supply, and micropolitan areas, which include smaller towns and cities with less than 50,000 population, had 4.3 months of supply in July. In contrast, rural counties, which are below a population threshold of 10,000, were essentially balanced at 5.9 months of supply.
The Wisconsin Housing Affordability Index fell 4.1% over the past 12 months. Minor improvements in mortgage rates and median family income relative to July 2025 were insufficient to offset the 6.8% rise in median prices. This puts affordability only slightly higher than the lowest level recorded in June 2024. The WRA has tracked affordability since 2009.
Additional analysis
Solid Summer Housing Market
“So far, we’ve seen a solid housing market this summer as statewide home sales are up nearly 8% compared to June 2025 and July 2025. This is the strongest first two months of peak summer sales since 2022 when mortgage rates began increasing.”
Amy Curler, 2026 Chair of the Board of Directors, Wisconsin REALTORS® Association
Demand Remains Strong Even with Tight Supply
“The state has technically been in a seller’s market for the past nine years, and strong price pressure and relatively high mortgage rates have severely eroded affordability. Still, demand remains quite strong, especially among millennials, who have had to adjust to the new normal of mortgage rates in the 6% to 7% range. While challenging for first-time buyers, this should continue to drive growth in sales over the remainder of the year.”
Tom Larson, President & CEO, Wisconsin REALTORS® Association
Fed Leaving Rates Unchanged for Now
“New Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh has signaled an ongoing commitment to the 2% target rate for core inflation and, under his direction thus far, the Fed has kept the short-term Federal Funds Rate unchanged. Getting core inflation closer to this target is important because it will lower inflationary expectations, which are a key driver of mortgage rates.”
Dave Clark, Professor Emeritus of Economics and WRA Consultant
About the WRA
The Wisconsin REALTORS® Association is one of the largest trade associations in the state, representing over 17,500 real estate brokers, salespeople and affiliates statewide. All county figures on sales volume and median prices are compiled by the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association and are not seasonally adjusted. Median prices are only computed if the county recorded at least 10 home sales in the quarter. All data collected by the WRA is subject to revision if more complete data becomes available. Beginning in June 2018, all historical sales volume and median price data from 2015 forward at the county level have been re-benchmarked using the Relitix system that accesses MLS data directly and in real-time. Data prior to January 2015 is derived from the Techmark system that also accessed MLS data directly. The Wisconsin Housing Affordability Index is updated monthly with the most recent data on median housing prices, mortgage rates and estimated median family income data for Wisconsin. Data on state foreclosure activity is compiled by Dr. Russ Kashian at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Note that the WRA employs a slightly different protocol to determine inventory levels than the protocol used by the REALTORS® Association of South Central Wisconsin (RASCW). For consistency, the summary tables for the South Central region reported in the WRA release employ the WRA approach. However, a modified table employing the RASCW methodology is available from the WRA upon request.