Long Island Real Estate Market Update: July 2026

Inventory is creeping up, prices are holding firm, and competition is still very real. Here is what the latest data tells us about where the Long Island housing market stands this summer.

The Big Picture Heading Into Late Summer

If you have been watching the Long Island real estate market closely over the past several months, July 2026 feels like a continuation of a familiar story with a few new wrinkles worth paying attention to. Prices are still rising, homes are still selling above asking price on average, and the total supply of available homes remains historically thin. At the same time, new listing activity is showing some encouraging movement, which gives both buyers and sellers a slightly different landscape to navigate compared to a year ago.

Across Nassau and Suffolk counties combined, just over 5,300 single-family homes were available at the close of July. That figure is down roughly 8.6 percent from where inventory stood a year ago, which tells you immediately that the foundational pressure keeping prices elevated has not gone away. When supply shrinks and demand stays relatively steady, prices do not have much reason to fall, and the data bears that out. The combined median sale price picture continues to reflect appreciation across both counties, even if the rate of growth varies depending on where you look.

What is worth noting this month is the divergence between Nassau and Suffolk in terms of price growth. Suffolk County is posting stronger year-over-year appreciation right now, while Nassau County, which already carries a higher median price, is seeing more moderate gains. Neither county is showing signs of a slowdown that would meaningfully shift negotiating leverage toward buyers in the near term. That said, the modest uptick in new listings arriving on the market is a signal worth watching as we move deeper into the second half of the year.

Nassau County Housing Market: July 2026

Nassau County's single-family market in July 2026 reflects the kind of stability that comes from sustained demand meeting very limited supply. The median sale price settled at $875,000, representing a 2.9 percent increase from the same time last year. That figure is not a dramatic jump, but in a county where the median has been elevated for several years now, consistent appreciation of nearly 3 percent is meaningful. Sellers are not just holding value here; they are adding to it.

One of the most telling numbers in Nassau County's July report is the sale-to-list price ratio of 101.3 percent. On average, homes in Nassau are selling above their asking price. That is not an accident or an anomaly; it is the direct result of motivated buyers competing over a limited pool of available properties. With just 2,327 homes available and 743 closed sales recorded in the month, the absorption dynamic remains tilted firmly in favor of sellers. The days-on-market figure of 42 days, unchanged from a year ago, confirms that the pace of the market has not softened. Homes are not sitting, and they are not being discounted.

The 5 percent increase in new listings is one of the more encouraging data points for buyers in Nassau this month. More sellers are choosing to list, which is a healthy development for market function. However, even with that uptick, the year-over-year decline in available inventory of 5.5 percent tells you that new listings are being absorbed before they can build any meaningful cushion in supply. The pipeline of new product coming to market is welcome news, but it has not yet translated into relief for buyers in terms of reduced competition or softening prices.

Suffolk County Housing Market: July 2026

Suffolk County is telling a slightly different story in July 2026, and the headline number is hard to ignore. The median sale price reached $750,000, a 7.1 percent increase year-over-year. That is a notably strong rate of appreciation, and it reflects what happens when inventory drops sharply and buyer activity remains steady. Suffolk has more total transactions than Nassau this month, with 963 closed sales, and the inventory picture there is actually tighter on a relative basis. Available homes fell 11.6 percent from last July, the steepest decline of the two counties.

The sale-to-list price ratio in Suffolk actually edges out Nassau at 101.8 percent, which is a meaningful detail. When buyers in Suffolk are consistently paying above asking price at a rate slightly higher than in Nassau, that speaks to the competitive intensity of the market there. Days on market came in at 44, just two days behind Nassau, which indicates that well-priced homes in Suffolk are also moving quickly once they hit the market. These are not conditions where buyers can afford to move slowly or expect to negotiate sellers down significantly from list price.

The near-flat growth in new listings, just 0.1 percent year-over-year, is the most concerning supply-side figure in Suffolk's July report. Essentially, the volume of new inventory coming to market has barely moved from a year ago, even as the existing pool of available homes has shrunk by nearly 12 percent. That gap between supply contraction and listing stagnation is the engine driving Suffolk's stronger price appreciation compared to Nassau. Until new listing activity picks up more meaningfully in Suffolk, upward pressure on prices is likely to persist.

The Long Island Single-Family Market at a Glance

When you step back and look at Nassau and Suffolk together, the combined picture for July 2026 is one of a market that continues to function under supply stress. Across both counties, approximately 5,311 single-family homes were available, a combined decline of roughly 8.6 percent from July 2025. Total closed sales came in at approximately 1,706 transactions, supported by roughly 2,748 new listings entering the market during the month. The ratio of new listings to closings suggests that inventory is not accumulating, which is consistent with the price appreciation data both counties are reporting.

These combined figures reinforce a point that is easy to miss when looking at individual county data in isolation. Long Island as a regional market is constrained. There is finite land, a well-established population base, and a set of economic anchors that continue to support housing demand. The supply side of the equation has been unable to respond the way it might in markets where new construction can more easily expand inventory. That structural reality shapes every transaction happening on Long Island right now, whether you are buying, selling, or simply watching the market.

Buyer Demand Remains Active

The closed sales figures for July tell an important part of the demand story, but they do not tell the whole story. Closings represent transactions that went into contract weeks or months before they settled, meaning the 1,706 combined closings recorded this month reflect decisions buyers made back in the spring and early summer. The fact that transaction volume is up in both counties on a year-over-year basis, 1.5 percent in Nassau and 3.7 percent in Suffolk, indicates that buyer activity has been consistent and not fading.

The above-asking sale-to-list ratios in both counties are perhaps the clearest evidence that demand is not simply present; it is competitive. When buyers are routinely offering more than list price to secure a home, it signals that the pool of active buyers is large enough relative to available inventory to create bidding pressure. That dynamic has been a defining feature of the Long Island market for several years now, and July 2026 data shows it has not resolved. If anything, the continued contraction of available inventory suggests that buyers entering the market this summer are facing conditions that are at least as challenging as those of a year ago.

Single-Family Homes Are Not the Entire Story

This update focuses primarily on single-family home data because that is where the most comprehensive and comparable statistics are available through the OneKey MLS for this reporting period. However, it would be incomplete to discuss the Long Island housing market without acknowledging that condominiums and co-ops represent a meaningful segment of the overall housing inventory, particularly in certain parts of Nassau County and along transit corridors throughout both counties.

The condo and co-op market tends to attract a different set of priorities around maintenance, lifestyle, and price points, and it often responds to broader market forces in ways that diverge from the single-family sector. While I do not have fully verified July 2026 condo and co-op figures to report with the same level of confidence as the single-family data above, the general conditions of limited supply and sustained demand that define the single-family market are broadly present across property types. If you are specifically weighing options in the attached or multi-unit segment, I am glad to pull localized data for the specific towns or communities you are considering.

What the July 2026 Market Means for Long Island Sellers

You Are Still in a Strong Negotiating Position

The sale-to-list price ratios in both Nassau and Suffolk tell you something straightforward: properly priced homes are generating offers at or above asking price. That is the kind of market condition sellers benefit from significantly. If you have been on the fence about listing because you were not sure whether the market had cooled, the July data suggests that concern is not warranted. The fundamental supply-demand imbalance that has favored sellers for the past several years remains in place.

Pricing Strategy Still Matters

Selling above asking price does not happen by accident. Homes that are priced accurately, presented well, and marketed effectively are the ones generating competitive offers. The days-on-market figures of 42 to 44 days reflect averages across the entire market, which means some homes are moving faster and some are sitting longer. The ones sitting longer are almost always overpriced or under-marketed. Getting pricing right from day one remains the most important decision a seller makes, and it matters just as much in a seller's market as in any other.

The Increase in New Listings Creates Some Competition

Nassau's 5 percent increase in new listings year-over-year is a modest but real development worth understanding as a seller. More homes coming to market means buyers have slightly more to look at, which can affect how urgently they feel the need to move on any single property. In Suffolk, where new listings were essentially flat, that competitive pressure among sellers is less pronounced. Either way, the answer is the same: a well-prepared, well-priced listing will always stand out, especially when overall inventory remains this constrained.

The Window Is Not Closing, but Timing Still Has Value

There is no sign from the July data that the Long Island market is on the verge of a significant shift in favor of buyers. Supply is contracting, demand is active, and prices are appreciating. That said, real estate markets are dynamic, and the conditions that exist today will not last indefinitely. Sellers who act in a strong market capture the full benefit of those conditions. Waiting for prices to go higher always carries the risk that other factors, including interest rate movements, economic changes, or a sudden surge in new listings, shift the balance in ways that are difficult to predict.

What the July 2026 Market Means for Long Island Buyers

Competition Is Real and Preparation Is Non-Negotiable

If you are planning to buy a single-family home on Long Island right now, the data makes one thing clear: you need to be ready to move when the right property comes along. With sale-to-list ratios above 101 percent in both counties and days on market in the low 40s, there is very little room for hesitation. That means having your financing fully in order before you start seriously touring homes. A pre-approval letter is not just a formality; it is often what separates competitive offers from those that do not make it to the seller's consideration at all.

Above-Asking Offers Are Often Necessary, Not Optional

The average home in Nassau County sold for 101.3 percent of its asking price in July. In Suffolk, that figure was 101.8 percent. These are averages, which means plenty of homes received offers well above those ratios. Going into a negotiation with the assumption that you will be able to offer under or even at list price and win is a strategy that the data does not support. Working with an agent who understands how to structure a competitive offer, beyond just the price, is critically important in this environment.

Inventory Constraints Require Flexibility

With roughly 5,300 single-family homes available across both counties combined and approximately 1,700 closings in a single month, the math on competition is not in your favor if you have a very narrow set of criteria. That does not mean you should compromise on what matters most to you, but it does mean that flexibility on secondary priorities, whether that is square footage, specific town, or cosmetic condition, often opens up meaningful opportunities that more rigid search parameters would exclude. The buyers who are succeeding right now tend to be clear about their must-haves and flexible about everything else.

Long-Term Value Supports the Decision to Buy

Buying in a competitive market with elevated prices can feel counterintuitive, and that is a completely understandable reaction. But Long Island's housing market has demonstrated over many cycles that the structural drivers of value here, proximity to New York City, established communities, quality school systems, and a finite supply of land, continue to support home values over time. Buyers who wait for conditions to become dramatically more favorable may find themselves waiting for a correction that does not materialize in the way they expect, while prices continue to move in the direction they have been moving.

Is Long Island Still a Seller's Market?

Based on everything the July 2026 data shows, yes, Long Island remains a seller's market. The definition of a seller's market generally involves limited inventory relative to demand, rising prices, and homes selling quickly and at or above asking price. All three of those conditions are present right now. Available inventory is down nearly 8.6 percent year-over-year on a combined basis, median prices are rising in both counties, days on market are in the low 40s, and sale-to-list ratios are above 100 percent. There is not a metric in the current dataset that points to a fundamental shift in market dynamics.

That said, it is worth keeping the nuance in view. A seller's market does not mean every home sells instantly or that overpricing has no consequences. Sellers who price too aggressively will still see their homes sit and eventually require reductions. Buyers who are well-prepared and strategic are still finding homes and closing transactions; that is what the closed sales figures confirm. The market rewards preparation and informed decision-making on both sides of a transaction. The data gives you the context; working with a knowledgeable local agent gives you the strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Long Island home prices expected to keep rising through the rest of 2026?

Based on the conditions reflected in the July 2026 data, the primary factors supporting price appreciation remain in place. Inventory is still declining year-over-year, demand is active, and homes are selling above asking price on average. Predicting where prices will be in six months involves variables that no one can control with certainty, including interest rate movements and broader economic conditions. What the current data tells us is that there is no meaningful inventory buildup underway that would typically precede a price correction.

How long does it take to sell a home on Long Island right now?

The median days on market for single-family homes in July 2026 was 42 days in Nassau County and 44 days in Suffolk County. These are averages, and well-priced, well-presented homes in strong locations frequently go under contract much faster. Homes that are overpriced or need significant work tend to take longer. The days-on-market clock starts when a listing is active, so the total timeline from listing to closing is typically longer once you factor in the contract-to-close period.

Should I sell my Long Island home before buying another one?

This is one of the most common strategic questions sellers and buyers face in a tight market, and the answer depends heavily on your individual financial situation and risk tolerance. Selling first gives you clarity on your proceeds and strengthens your position as a buyer because you are not carrying a contingency. Buying first avoids the scenario of being without a home between transactions. Many homeowners in this market use bridge financing or negotiate a post-closing occupancy arrangement to manage the timing. It is a conversation worth having early in your planning process.

Is Suffolk County catching up to Nassau County in terms of home prices?

The July 2026 data shows Suffolk County appreciating at a faster rate, 7.1 percent year-over-year compared to Nassau's 2.9 percent. The median price gap between the two counties remains significant, with Nassau at $875,000 and Suffolk at $750,000, but the faster rate of appreciation in Suffolk does reflect strong demand relative to available supply there. Suffolk also posted the steeper inventory decline at 11.6 percent year-over-year, which is consistent with stronger upward price pressure.

What does a sale-to-list price ratio above 100 percent actually mean for me?

A sale-to-list price ratio above 100 percent means that on average, homes are selling for more than their listed asking price. For sellers, it is a positive signal that appropriately priced homes are attracting competitive offers. For buyers, it means that budgeting only to the asking price of homes you are interested in may not be realistic; you likely need to be financially prepared to offer above list price in order to be competitive. The ratio in July 2026 was 101.3 percent in Nassau and 101.8 percent in Suffolk, meaning buyers are on average paying one to two percent above asking to secure a deal.

Data reflects July 2026 OneKey MLS reports. Statistics are deemed reliable but not guaranteed and may be revised.