How long does it take to sell a house in 2026

In the summer of 2023, a well-priced single-family home in Columbus, Ohio spent about 27 days on the market before a buyer closed the deal. Fast-forward to early 2026, and that same type of home now takes 53 days. In San Antonio, the wait has stretched past 100.

Something shifted in the American housing market, and sellers who have not been paying close attention may be caught off guard by how much slower things have gotten.

Offerpad analyzed multiple listing service data across 15 major metropolitan areas, covering more than 350,000 single-family home transactions over 39 months. The conclusion: Selling a home in 2026 takes meaningfully longer than it did even one year ago, and that is true in every city examined.

How Long It Takes to Sell a House in Every Major Market

These are the average days on market for single-family homes that closed in the first three months of 2026, ranked from fastest to slowest.

Average Days on Market: Q1 2026

Homes that closed in summer (May through August) spent an average of 45.2 days on market. Homes closing in winter (December through February) spent 59.9 days. That is a 33% penalty for winter sellers.

But the seasonal swing varies widely by city.

Markets with the biggest seasonal swings (summer 2025 vs. winter 2025–26):

This defies the typical assumption that a slowing market means a declining market. What it suggests instead is a housing environment where inventory is still tight enough to support prices, but where buyer hesitation - driven by mortgage rates and affordability ceilings - is stretching the transaction timeline. The result for sellers in these eight cities: you will likely still get your price, but you will wait longer for it.

Markets where both selling times and prices are moving in the wrong direction tell a different story. Tampa saw prices drop 3.1%, Dallas fell 1.4%, and Houston dipped 0.9%, all while homes sat longer. These markets may be in the early stages of a more traditional correction, where slower sales eventually pull prices down.

What This Data Means for Home Sellers in 2026

The 39 months of data in this analysis point to several practical takeaways for anyone considering selling a home this year.

Build more time into your plan. The average across all 15 markets is 67 days in Q1 2026, but markets like San Antonio, Austin, and Orlando are running well above that. If you are planning a move tied to a specific date for a job relocation or other life event, exploring your selling options early gives you the most flexibility. Some sellers are turning to cash offers as a way to lock in a closing date and avoid the uncertainty of an extended listing period.

List in the spring if you can. Homes that close in summer sell about 15 days faster on average than homes closing in winter. In markets like Indianapolis and Austin, the seasonal advantage is 25 or more days. For a seller in Indianapolis, listing in March for a June close versus listing in October for a January close could mean the difference between 31 days on market and 57.

Price accurately from the start. The data shows a strong relationship between extended time on market and price reductions. In a market where the average price drop already exceeds $20,000 in some cities, overpricing compounds the financial cost of waiting. Understanding your home's current market value before setting a list price helps set realistic expectations.

Know your local market. The difference between Columbus (53 days, 27% selling above list) and San Antonio (101 days, 11% above list) is enormous. National housing headlines often miss these city-level differences. The costs of selling a home vary just as much as the timelines, and understanding both is part of making an informed decision.

Methodology: This analysis is based on aggregated multiple listing service data for single-family home transactions from January 2023 through March 2026 across 15 metropolitan markets where Offerpad operates. All statistics represent market-wide transaction data, not Offerpad-specific transactions. Jacksonville, FL was excluded from this analysis due to MLS data licensing restrictions. Data from one additional market file was unavailable at the time of analysis. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Markets analyzed: Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Charlotte, NC; Columbia, SC; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Las Vegas, NV; Orlando, FL; Phoenix, AZ; Raleigh, NC; Saint Louis, MO; San Antonio, TX; Tampa, FL.

About the source data: Offerpad analyzed MLS data covering single-family home transactions in 15 metropolitan markets where the company operates. The dataset includes monthly aggregated metrics: closed property count, median close price, median price per square foot, average price drop from initial listing, average days on market, average seller concessions, and percentage of homes selling above list price. Data spans January 2023 through March 2026 (39 months per market, covering more than 350,000 total transactions).

This story was produced by Offerpad and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Copyright 2026 Stacker Media, LLC

This story was originally published April 13, 2026 at 10:10 AM.