The housing market is beginning to show some encouraging signs as we move further into 2026.
According to a recent housing market update from Realtor.com, pending home sales increased in March despite elevated mortgage rates and continued affordability concerns. Inventory levels also improved, and new listings saw a noticeable increase compared to earlier periods.
For buyers, that means more options and slightly more negotiating flexibility. For sellers, demand remains steady for homes that are well-prepared, properly priced, and strategically marketed.
In many ways, the market appears to be shifting toward something healthier and more sustainable.
Throughout Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, we are seeing many of these same patterns locally. Buyers are becoming more thoughtful and informed in their decisions, while sellers who position their homes carefully are still generating strong activity and interest.
One of the most interesting shifts is that today’s market increasingly rewards preparation over urgency.
During the ultra-competitive market conditions of previous years, speed often overshadowed strategy. Today, factors like presentation, pricing accuracy, neighborhood positioning, and long-term value are becoming more important again.
That can create better long-term opportunities for both buyers and sellers.
For buyers, improved inventory means there may be more flexibility to compare options carefully and negotiate confidently. For sellers, realistic pricing and strong marketing continue to stand out.
Real estate remains deeply local, and market conditions can vary significantly between neighborhoods, school districts, and price ranges throughout Spokane and Coeur d’Alene. National headlines provide important context, but understanding local trends and buyer behavior remains critical when making real estate decisions.
Whether you are considering buying, selling, or simply watching the market, these recent trends suggest that the housing market may be moving toward a more balanced and sustainable phase.
The national housing market may finally be settling into a healthier and more balanced phase.
According to recent housing data from Redfin, home sales have increased compared to last year, inventory levels are improving, and mortgage rates remain slightly lower than they were a year ago. While affordability continues to be an important factor for buyers, these shifts are helping create more flexibility and opportunity across many housing markets.
That trend is increasingly visible throughout Spokane and Coeur d’Alene as well.
For the past several years, many buyers faced extremely competitive conditions with limited inventory, rapid price increases, and very little negotiating power. Sellers often benefited from multiple offers and compressed timelines. Today’s market feels different. Activity remains steady, but buyers are becoming more thoughtful and strategic about pricing, condition, location, and long-term value.
In Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, well-prepared homes are still attracting strong attention, especially properties that are priced correctly and marketed effectively from the start. At the same time, buyers are beginning to regain a bit more breathing room to evaluate homes carefully and negotiate more confidently.
One of the more interesting developments in this market cycle is that balance itself may actually be a positive sign.
Balanced markets often create healthier long-term outcomes for both buyers and sellers because success depends less on urgency and more on preparation, timing, pricing strategy, and understanding local neighborhood trends.
National headlines can provide helpful context, but real estate remains deeply local. Conditions can vary significantly between neighborhoods, price ranges, school districts, and even individual streets throughout Spokane and Coeur d’Alene.
Whether you are considering buying, selling, or simply trying to better understand the market, staying informed about both national trends and local market dynamics can make a meaningful difference.
New Redfin housing data points toward a more balanced market with improving inventory and increased opportunities for buyers and sellers in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene.
A thoughtful reminder for anyone planning a future move in Spokane or Coeur d’Alene: the best next step often starts with better information.
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb
It is a simple quote, but it speaks directly to one of the most common real estate questions buyers and sellers ask: When is the right time to make a move?
For many people in the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene real estate markets, the answer is rarely obvious at first. Buyers may be wondering if mortgage rates will improve. Sellers may be watching home values, inventory levels, or seasonal timing. Homeowners may be thinking about downsizing, moving closer to family, purchasing acreage, or relocating between Washington and Idaho.
Those are all valid considerations. Real estate decisions should not be rushed. But waiting for perfect certainty can also keep people stuck longer than they intended.
The better first step is often not making a decision today. It is getting better information.
Start With Clarity, Not Pressure
A thoughtful real estate plan begins with understanding where you are now.
For a Spokane homeowner, that might mean reviewing your home’s current market value, looking at recent comparable sales in North Spokane, checking local inventory, and understanding what improvements could help your home show well.
For a Coeur d’Alene buyer, it might mean reviewing purchasing power, comparing neighborhoods, understanding Idaho market trends, and getting clear on what monthly payment range actually feels comfortable.
The goal is not to force a move. The goal is to replace guesswork with useful information.
In real estate, the first step often creates the clarity that waiting never does.
Why Timing Feels So Difficult
Real estate markets are always moving. Mortgage rates change. Inventory shifts. Buyer demand rises and falls with the season. Local neighborhood trends can vary from one area to another.
That is especially true across the Inland Northwest. Spokane, North Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Coeur d’Alene, Hayden, Post Falls, and surrounding communities can each behave differently depending on price range, property type, location, and condition.
A well-prepared seller in one neighborhood may have a very different experience from a seller in another. A buyer looking for a newer home in North Spokane may face different options than someone looking for land, acreage, or waterfront property in North Idaho.
That is why broad national headlines only tell part of the story. Local real estate guidance helps turn general information into a practical plan.
Small Steps Can Create Better Options
You do not have to list your home tomorrow to begin preparing. You do not have to write an offer this week to begin learning the market.
A useful first step might be:
Reviewing your home’s estimated value Walking through possible improvements before selling Understanding your current equity position Comparing Spokane and Coeur d’Alene market conditions Talking with a lender about updated purchasing power Identifying neighborhoods that fit your next chapter Building a timeline that works for your family
Those small steps can make a major difference when the time comes to act. Preparation often gives buyers and sellers more confidence, more control, and better options.
For Sellers: Preparation Pays Off
If you are thinking about selling a home in Spokane, North Spokane, or Coeur d’Alene, early preparation can help you avoid rushed decisions later.
A good listing strategy usually includes more than choosing a price. It involves understanding buyer expectations, property condition, timing, presentation, photography, marketing, and how your home compares with competing listings.
Sometimes the best move is to make improvements. Sometimes the better choice is to price transparently and let buyers see the value. The right approach depends on the home, the neighborhood, and the current market.
Starting early gives you time to make those decisions thoughtfully.
For Buyers: Knowledge Builds Confidence
For buyers, the first step is often understanding what is realistic.
That means more than looking at online listings. It means understanding financing, monthly payment comfort, inspection considerations, neighborhood tradeoffs, and how quickly good homes are moving in your target area.
In the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene housing markets, buyers who are prepared can often move with more confidence when the right home appears. They know what they can afford, what compromises they are willing to make, and where they should hold firm.
That kind of confidence rarely happens by accident. It comes from preparation.
The Second Best Time Is Now
The quote works because it is honest. Yes, there may have been an earlier time to start. But that does not make today less valuable.
Whether you are considering selling a home in Spokane, buying in Coeur d’Alene, relocating within the Inland Northwest, or simply trying to understand your options, now is a good time to begin with information.
You do not need pressure. You need a practical next step.
And in real estate, that first step can often make the whole path clearer.
Buyers Gain Purchasing Power as Mortgage Payments Ease
A recent Fox Business report points to a welcome shift for homebuyers: purchasing power has improved compared with one year ago. According to the report, typical mortgage payments are now 8.4% lower year over year, while median-income buyers have gained roughly $30,302 in additional buying power due to lower mortgage rates and rising household incomes.
For buyers in Spokane, North Spokane, and Coeur d’Alene, this is meaningful. It does not mean affordability challenges have disappeared. Home prices, interest rates, insurance costs, and available inventory still matter. But in a market where many buyers have been sitting on the sidelines, even a modest improvement in monthly payment can change the conversation.
A lower monthly payment may help a buyer qualify for a slightly higher purchase price, feel more comfortable re-entering the market, or expand the number of homes that fit their budget. In real estate, small shifts can make a real difference.
The Fox Business article also noted that buyer purchasing power is now at its strongest level since 2022, helped by mortgage rates easing from their recent highs. For local buyers, that could create new opportunities in the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene housing markets, especially for those who paused their home search when rates were higher.
The key is perspective. Improved purchasing power does not automatically make every home affordable, and it does not guarantee that prices will fall. But it can give buyers more room to maneuver, especially when paired with careful budgeting, local market knowledge, and a clear understanding of current mortgage options.
For sellers, this is also worth watching. When buyers feel a little more breathing room, showing activity and offer activity can improve. Well-priced homes in desirable Spokane and Coeur d’Alene neighborhoods may benefit if more buyers move from “waiting” to actively looking.
The takeaway is simple: affordability is still a challenge, but the market may be giving buyers a bit more leverage than they had a year ago. In a housing market shaped by interest rates, inventory, and confidence, that small improvement matters.
Real estate scams can turn an otherwise well-planned purchase into a difficult problem. For buyers and sellers in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, the most useful protection is a clear process for confirming who you are dealing with and where your money is going.
After more than 20 years in real estate, I put considerable weight on the details between an accepted offer and closing. There are documents to review, deadlines to track, and several professionals involved. That is exactly when an unexpected message can appear to fit the conversation.
How real estate scams can reach a closing
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warns that criminals may impersonate someone involved in the transaction and send last-minute changes to wiring instructions. An email can look familiar without being legitimate. A recognizable name or a correct property address should not be your only verification.
Before sending closing funds, call your settlement professional using a phone number you independently verified earlier. Confirm the payment instructions directly. Do not rely on a phone number or link in the message asking you to change them.
A practical checklist before closing
Establish your contacts early. Keep your lender’s and escrow or settlement professional’s verified contact information somewhere you can find it without searching a new email.
Agree on the process. Ask how payment instructions and sensitive documents will be delivered and how you should confirm them.
Pause when instructions change. Urgency is a reason to verify the request, even when the message refers to a real deadline.
Use the agreed document channel. Ask your lender or settlement professional for their secure submission process before sending financial records.
Confirm receipt. After an authorized transfer, contact the intended recipient through your established channel.
The CFPB’s mortgage closing scam guidance explains the verification steps and what to do if funds are sent to the wrong account.
If something seems wrong
If you suspect a fraudulent transfer, contact your bank or wire-transfer company immediately and ask whether the transfer can be stopped or recalled. Alert your settlement professional and report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center through the link in the CFPB guidance. Recovery is not assured, so prompt action matters.
Build verification into your moving plan
A useful closing plan leaves room to ask questions. For example, if your sale proceeds will fund your next purchase, confirm the sequence with the professionals handling both transactions before the closing dates arrive. The goal is to avoid making an unfamiliar payment decision while everyone is watching the clock.
If a request does not fit the process we discussed, call me. I would much rather help you check an ordinary message than have you feel pressured to act on an unusual one.
Updated October 7, 2026. This spring article has been expanded with guidance for interpreting market reports. It is not a current mortgage-rate quote or local market forecast.
National spring housing trends can offer useful context for Spokane and Coeur d’Alene buyers and sellers. They tell us something about the broader environment, but they do not establish what a particular home is worth or how much competition you will face.
My recommendation is to use a national report to identify good questions, then answer those questions with current financing information and local property comparisons.
Read spring housing trends in their original context
Start with the date and the market being measured. A monthly change, a year-over-year change, and a seasonally adjusted figure answer different questions. A report on existing-home sales also covers a different market from a report on new construction.
Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey is a useful way to follow national mortgage-rate trends. It is not a personalized loan offer. Your lender can explain the rate, fees, loan structure, and qualifications that apply to your situation.
For a purchase decision, ask for a payment and cash-to-close comparison using the same assumptions across the options. A lower advertised rate may come with different costs. The CFPB’s homebuying tools can help you organize those financing questions.
Bring the discussion back to your neighborhood
A regional market can contain several different experiences at once. A buyer considering a low-maintenance property in Liberty Lake is evaluating a different set of alternatives from someone looking for acreage near Colbert. Price range, property type, condition, and location all shape the comparison.
I would look at recent comparable sales, competing listings, pending activity, and the time similar properties have spent on the market. No single number should carry the entire decision. Our Spokane and North Idaho community guides can help you define the area before we narrow the property search.
What this means for buyers and sellers
For buyers: decide what payment, reserves, and property responsibilities fit your household. Then consider the available homes and the terms that matter to you. A favorable headline does not make an unsuitable home a good purchase.
For sellers: compare your home with the properties buyers can choose today as well as the homes that recently sold. Preparation and pricing should reflect that competition. A national price trend is not a substitute for a property-specific pricing discussion.
The useful question is what the information changes about your next decision. Sometimes it changes the timing. Sometimes it changes the budget or negotiation strategy. And sometimes it simply confirms that the plan you already have still makes sense.
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