If you’ve been watching the news lately, you’ve probably heard everything from “the market is slowing” to “the crash is coming.” And honestly? I get why people are confused. The headlines don’t match what people are actually experiencing in real life.
I’m in this market every single day—talking to buyers, sellers, and agents and what I’m seeing is very different from the fear-based narratives floating around. The March 2026 housing stats for Maryland just came out, and while the numbers matter, the story behind the numbers matters more. So let’s break it down in plain English, the way I’d explain it if we were grabbing coffee.
📉 Sales Are Down… But That’s Not the Problem
- Units Sold: 4,874 (down 4.4% year-over-year)
This is where most people panic.
Fewer homes sold = “the market must be slowing,” right?
Not exactly.
We simply don’t have enough homes to sell.
Inventory is tight, and that naturally limits how many transactions can happen. It’s not that buyers disappeared—it’s that they don’t have enough good options.
💰 Prices Are Still Climbing (Yes, Really)
- Average Price: $513,997 (up 4.9%)
- Median Price: $430,000 (up 1.6%)
Let me simplify this:
👉 If demand was weak, prices would be dropping.
They’re not.
Prices are still rising—just not at the insane pace we saw a few years ago. That tells you buyers are still out there, still competing, and still willing to pay for the right home.
📦 Inventory Is Low… But Not All Inventory Is Equal
- Active Listings: 12,762 (down significantly from last year)
- Months of Supply: 2.3 months
👉 A balanced market is 5–6 months of inventory.
We’re nowhere near that.
But here’s what I’m seeing every day:
There’s low inventory… and then there’s even lower desirable inventory.
- Clean, updated homes → selling quickly
- Dated homes → sitting
- Overpriced homes → sitting or getting pulled
This is not a “sell anything” market anymore.
⏳ Homes Are Taking Longer… But Let’s Be Real
- Median Days on Market: 18 days (up from 12)
People hear that and think: “Uh oh…”
Let’s relax for a second.
👉 18 days is still FAST.
What’s actually happening:
- Buyers are being more selective
- Pricing matters again
- Presentation matters again
This is a shift toward a healthier, more balanced dynamic—not a collapse.
📉 New Listings Dropped (And That’s a Big Deal)
- New Listings: 7,145 (down from 9,482 last year)
This is the quiet problem in the market.
A lot of homeowners are locked into low interest rates and simply don’t want to move.
So what happens?
👉 Fewer homes hit the market
👉 Inventory stays tight
👉 Prices stay supported
It’s a cycle—and it’s not breaking anytime soon.
⚠️ What This Market Means for Homeowners Under Pressure
Here’s something I’m starting to see more of—and it’s not being talked about enough.
As interest rates have gone up and affordability has tightened, there are some homeowners quietly feeling pressure.
Not everyone… but it’s there.
- Adjustable payments resetting
- Job or income changes
- People who bought at peak prices with minimal equity
👉 And in some cases…
the numbers just aren’t working anymore
Now here’s the part most people don’t realize:
They think their only options are:
- Keep struggling to make payments
- Or go into foreclosure
That’s not true.
There’s a third option that more homeowners should at least understand…
👉 a short sale
🧩 A Short Sale Isn’t a Failure—It’s a Strategy
In simple terms, a short sale is when you sell your home for less than what you owe—and the bank agrees to it.
And before you think “that sounds bad,” let me be clear:
👉 Banks often prefer short sales over foreclosure
Why?
Because foreclosure is expensive, slow, and unpredictable for them.
A short sale gives:
- More control
- Less credit damage
- A cleaner exit
👀 What I’m Seeing Right Now in Maryland
I’m not saying we’re in some wave of foreclosures—because we’re not.
But I am seeing early signs of what I’d call:
👉 “quiet distress”
- People stretched thin
- People unsure what their options are
- People waiting too long to ask questions
And here’s the truth:
👉 Most homeowners don’t realize they qualify for a short sale until it’s almost too late
🔗 If You Want a Full Breakdown of Short Sales
I put together a full guide that walks through exactly how short sales work here in Maryland:
👉 What Is a Short Sale and How Does It Work in Maryland? (Baltimore Guide)
🔥 Buyers Haven’t Gone Anywhere
- Pending Sales: 6,870 (up from 6,319)
This is one of the most important stats in the entire report.
👉 More homes are going under contract right now than last year.
That means buyers are still active. They’re just being smarter about what they choose.
💡 Dan’s Take
Here’s the real talk.
The market didn’t get weaker—it got more disciplined.
For a while, you could throw a house on the market and it would sell no matter what. That’s over.
Now?
Buyers are doing the math. Higher interest rates mean higher payments, so expectations are higher too.
What I’m seeing right now is a split market:
👉 The right homes still sell fast and for strong prices
👉 The wrong homes sit… or disappear
Inventory is still low, but a lot of what’s out there just isn’t great—and buyers are calling it out by not moving on it.
This isn’t a hot market or a cold market—it’s a smart market.
So where does that leave you?
If you’re a seller, you still have the advantage—but you need to be realistic about pricing and presentation. The days of testing the market and hoping for a bidding war are mostly behind us.
If you’re a buyer, you’ve got more breathing room than you did a couple of years ago—but when the right home comes along, you still need to move decisively.
The Maryland housing market in 2026 isn’t broken—it’s just more thoughtful. And honestly? That’s a good thing. It rewards preparation, strategy, and working with someone who actually understands what’s happening.
If you’re dealing with a situation where the numbers aren’t working anymore, or you just want to understand your options before things get stressful… reach out. There are more solutions than most people realize.
Dan McDevitt
President | Realvolution Homes Group
Realtor® | Cummings & Company Realtors
📱 Call or Text: 410-670-4762
📧 Email: dan@realvolutionhomes.com
🌐 Website: https://www.realvolutionhomes.com
🏢 Office:
Cummings & Company Realtors
9607 Belair Road
Baltimore, MD 21236
🔗 Helpful Resources & Links:
👉 https://linktr.ee/realvolutionhomes
About Dan McDevitt
Dan McDevitt is a Baltimore, Maryland Realtor with Cummings & Company Realtors and President of Realvolution Homes Group. He specializes in short sales, foreclosure prevention, estate sales, and helping homeowners navigate complex real estate situations.
