Why March 2026 Was the Strongest Month in Five Years

By David Brough

From a young age, real estate captured David's interest, and that passion has remained throughout his life. Over the past 15 years as a Realtor.

March was a pretty fantastic month, and I want to walk you through some of the numbers because I think they matter for how you’re approaching your conversations right now.

Nationally, pending sales hit a five-year high. Zillow reported 281,546 new pending listings in March. That’s the second highest monthly total since August 2022, and the strongest March we’ve seen in five years. On top of that, page views on Zillow were up 32% year over year. That matters because it signals intent. People don’t just click around on Zillow for fun. When traffic goes up, contracts usually follow, even if it takes a few months to show up in the numbers.

The payment picture is improving too. The typical mortgage payment is 4.4% lower than it was a year ago. Not the rate itself, but the overall payment. That’s encouraging, and it’s the kind of detail that can change a conversation with a buyer who’s been sitting on the sidelines thinking they can’t afford to move.

Now, here’s the part that’s not all rosy. What’s going on with the conflict in Iran has set things back. Even if it stops tomorrow, there’s been enough disruption to infrastructure and a big enough spike in energy prices to create what economists call second-round effects. That means inflation expectations and interest rates aren’t going to snap back to where they were in February just because the headlines change. I think the rate volatility is short-term and things will trend back down, but it won’t be immediate. That’s important to know so you’re not caught off guard when a client asks about it.

But here’s something genuinely encouraging. Incomes are now rising faster than home prices. There was a stretch where home prices were outpacing income growth by a wide margin, and that squeezed affordability for a lot of people. We’re past that now. Incomes are steadily climbing above home prices, which means our clients are in a better position to comfortably afford their homes without being stretched every single month.

Locally, the numbers are even more interesting. In Allen County, new listings jumped 39% from February to March. Nationally, that jump averages about 18%, so we’re well above the norm. We also put 2% more listings on the market in March than we did in March 2025. If you’re working with buyers right now, you’ve probably noticed it. There used to be maybe three to five houses to choose from. Now it feels like 10 or 15 at all times. That’s a good thing. People have more choices and you’re not competing on every single offer.

Here’s something I want you to pay attention to. A lot of sellers who delisted at the end of 2025 are coming back on the market. Some of them are relisting with discount brokers who won’t show up to closing, won’t provide assistance, nothing. If you see a house that got delisted, look that seller up. Have the conversation. “Hey, what are your plans? Interest rates are down a bit since you last listed. Prices have risen a little. It’s a different season and a different feel than November.” That’s a real opportunity if you’re paying attention.

And one more thing that I think is worth sharing. Right now, 62% of homes nationally are selling below list price. We haven’t seen that since 2019. Only 23% are selling above list price, compared to 40 to 45% during 2021 and 2022. We’re clearly moving back toward a more neutral market. But here’s what surprised me: the percentage of homes selling at list price has barely changed. It’s been sitting right around 16 to 17% since 2017. That means the agents who are pricing homes correctly have always had about the same success rate. What’s changed is that fewer homes are getting bid up. The takeaway for your listing appointments: pricing accurately from day one matters more now than it has in years.

If you have questions about any of this data or want to talk through how to use it in your conversations, reach out anytime. Call me at 260-308-4335, email me at david@anthonyrealtors.com, or visit fortwaynerealestatepro.com.