Long Island Real Estate Market Update: September 2026

Prices are still climbing, inventory remains historically tight, and buyers are still competing — here is what the latest data means for Nassau and Suffolk County homeowners and buyers this fall.

If you have been watching the Long Island real estate market this year, the September 2026 data will feel both familiar and instructive. The market has not cooled the way some predicted it would. Prices across Nassau and Suffolk County are higher than they were a year ago, homes are still selling at or above list price in many cases, and the overall supply of available homes has actually declined slightly on a combined basis. That is not the portrait of a market that is losing steam. It is the portrait of a market that continues to reward sellers who price strategically and frustrate buyers who are not prepared to move quickly.

The August 2026 OneKey MLS data, which reflects activity reported through September 8, 2026, gives us a clear window into where Long Island stands as we head deeper into fall. What I find most meaningful about this month's numbers is the continued gap between what buyers want and what is actually available. New listings are ticking upward in both counties, which is genuinely good news, but that increase in fresh supply has not been enough to meaningfully loosen conditions. Homes are still selling in roughly five to six weeks on average, and sale-to-list ratios are holding above 100 percent across the board.

In this update, I will walk you through the Nassau County and Suffolk County numbers individually, talk about what the combined Long Island picture looks like, and then give you my honest read on what all of this means whether you are thinking about selling, buying, or simply trying to understand the market you live in. Let's get into it.

Nassau County Housing Market: September 2026

Nassau County's single-family market continues to be one of the more competitive real estate environments in the entire New York metro area. The median sale price in August 2026 came in at $911,000, which represents a 4.7 percent increase over the same period last year. That is a meaningful gain in dollar terms, and it reflects the persistent imbalance between buyer demand and available inventory that has defined Nassau County real estate for the better part of the past several years.

A few things stand out to me in these numbers. First, the 6 percent jump in new listings is genuinely encouraging. More sellers coming to market gives buyers more to choose from, and that slight loosening of supply is something I have been watching for throughout 2026. However, the total inventory of 2,259 available homes is still down 0.4 percent from a year ago, which tells us that the new listings coming on are largely being absorbed by demand before they have a chance to pile up and create real breathing room for buyers.

The sale-to-list ratio of 100.5 percent is a number that deserves attention. When homes are selling, on average, above their asking price, it tells you that sellers are not just holding firm during negotiations but that buyers are actively bidding up well-priced properties. At 38 days on market, Nassau County homes are moving in just over five weeks. That is not a frenzied pace, but it is decisively a seller's market by any conventional definition. The slight dip in closed sales of 3 percent year-over-year is most likely a function of constrained inventory rather than a pullback in buyer interest. When there are fewer homes to sell, fewer closings happen, even when demand is strong.

Suffolk County Housing Market: September 2026

Suffolk County's single-family market is telling an equally compelling story, and in some ways the numbers are even more striking than Nassau's. The median sale price reached $760,000 in August 2026, representing a 7 percent year-over-year increase. That is the stronger price growth of the two counties, and it speaks to how intensely competitive the Suffolk market has become over the past few years as buyers look further east and the county's own demand base remains robust.

The most striking figure in Suffolk County's data is the sale-to-list ratio of 102.2 percent. That means the average home in Suffolk County is selling for more than 2 percent above its asking price. In dollar terms on a $760,000 home, that is a meaningful premium, and it signals that competitive offer situations are not the exception but closer to the norm, at least for well-presented, accurately priced properties. This is the highest sale-to-list ratio between the two counties, and it reflects real urgency in the market.

The inventory picture in Suffolk County is tighter than it appears at first glance. Available homes dropped 3.9 percent year-over-year to 3,129. While the raw number looks larger than Nassau's inventory, keep in mind that Suffolk County is geographically much larger and encompasses a significantly broader range of communities and price points. New listings were up 2.9 percent, which is a positive sign, but similar to Nassau, that incoming supply has not been enough to rebuild the inventory base in any meaningful way. Closed sales were nearly flat, down just 0.9 percent, which suggests that the market is transacting at close to full capacity given what is actually available to buy.

The Long Island Single-Family Market at a Glance

When you combine Nassau and Suffolk County data, the full scope of the Long Island single-family market comes into focus. Across both counties, there are approximately 5,388 available single-family homes, which is down roughly 2.1 percent from one year ago. Total closed sales for the period came in at approximately 2,000 transactions, and new listings across both counties reached approximately 2,256. These combined figures underscore the core dynamic that has defined Long Island real estate for years now: demand is consistently outpacing new supply, even as more sellers begin to enter the market.

What strikes me most about these combined numbers is how balanced the new listing count and the closed sale count are relative to each other. Roughly 2,256 new listings came to market, and roughly 2,000 sales closed in the same period. That ratio leaves very little room for inventory accumulation. Homes that come to market are being absorbed quickly, and the homes sitting in active inventory are largely those that are either overpriced or have other factors complicating their sale. If you are a well-priced home hitting this market, the data suggests your odds of a timely sale at or above list price are quite strong right now.

The combined picture also reinforces that Long Island's real estate market, while it has two distinct counties with different price points and community characteristics, is behaving in a broadly similar way. Price growth, compressed inventory, above-list-price sales, and sub-40-day market times are themes that show up consistently on both sides of the county line. That coherence matters when you are trying to understand the overall health and trajectory of this market heading into the final months of 2026.

Buyer Demand Remains Active

One of the questions I hear most often from homeowners considering a sale is whether buyer demand is genuinely still there or whether higher prices have pushed people to the sidelines. Based on everything I am seeing in the data and in my day-to-day conversations with buyers and their agents, demand remains solid. The sale-to-list ratios above 100 percent in both counties are the clearest evidence of that. Buyers are not just accepting asking prices, they are in many cases exceeding them to secure a home. That behavior does not happen in a market where demand is fading.

The days-on-market figures of 38 and 39 days for Nassau and Suffolk County respectively also tell an important part of this story. Well-priced homes are not sitting. They are attracting attention and generating offers within a reasonable window. While the pace is not as frenetic as the single-digit days-on-market numbers we saw during the height of the pandemic-era market, a five-to-six-week average means sellers are not waiting long to find a buyer. The uptick in new listings, which is positive news for buyers, has not created enough additional supply to slow that pace appreciably.

It is also worth noting that the slight declines in closed sales in both counties are almost certainly supply-constrained rather than demand-constrained. When inventory is this limited, the number of transactions that can close is effectively capped by how many homes are actually available to purchase. The demand is there. The inventory is the bottleneck, and until that changes in a more significant way, buyers will continue to face a competitive environment across Long Island.

Single-Family Homes Are Not the Entire Story

This market update focuses specifically on single-family home data from the OneKey MLS, because that is where the most comprehensive and consistent data is available for Nassau and Suffolk County comparisons. However, I want to be clear that condominiums, co-operatives, and multi-family properties represent a significant and active segment of the Long Island real estate market, and conditions in those segments can vary considerably from what the single-family data shows.

Condos and co-ops often attract a different set of market participants and can behave differently in response to interest rate changes, maintenance and carrying cost structures, and board approval requirements. If you are specifically interested in those segments, I would encourage you to reach out directly so we can review the data that is most relevant to your situation. The numbers I have shared above reflect single-family homes only, and using them as a proxy for the condo or co-op market would not give you an accurate picture.

Multi-family properties and new construction are also active areas of the Long Island market that carry their own dynamics and data sets. The single-family figures in this update represent a large and meaningful portion of the overall market, but they are not the whole market, and context matters when you are making a significant financial decision about where and what to buy or sell.

What the September 2026 Market Means for Long Island Sellers

Pricing Strategy Still Matters Enormously

The data shows that homes are selling above list price on average, but that does not mean every home receives multiple offers the moment it hits the market. The homes that are driving that 100.5 percent and 102.2 percent sale-to-list ratio in Nassau and Suffolk County are the ones that were priced thoughtfully from the beginning. Overpriced homes still sit, accumulate days on market, and often end up selling for less than they would have if they had been priced correctly from the start. A strong market environment gives sellers leverage, but it is not a substitute for a sound pricing strategy built on real comparable sales data.

New Listings Are Up, Which Means More Competition

The 6 percent increase in new listings in Nassau County and the 2.9 percent increase in Suffolk County are good reminders that you are not the only seller in the market. More homeowners are making the decision to list, which means buyers have more options to consider and will be comparing your home against others in your price range and area. Presentation, marketing quality, and the experience of the agent you hire to represent you all become more important when there are more competing listings in the market. This is not the moment to cut corners on preparation or photography.

The Window Is Still Favorable but Not Unlimited

I am not in the business of creating artificial urgency, but I do think it is fair to observe that the current seller-favorable conditions in Long Island real estate are not guaranteed to persist indefinitely. Inventory is showing early signs of recovery in some pockets of the market, and the direction of interest rates over the coming months will influence buyer activity. Sellers who are seriously considering a move in the near term are operating in a favorable environment right now. Taking advantage of that while conditions are as strong as the current data suggests is a reasonable and strategic decision.

Preparation Before Listing Pays Off

With homes averaging 38 to 39 days on market across Long Island, there is still time to prepare properly before going live. Sellers who invest in pre-listing preparation, whether that means addressing deferred maintenance, freshening up paint and landscaping, or simply decluttering and staging, typically see better offers and a smoother transaction process. The goal is to make sure your home is in a position to generate the kind of competitive interest that the market data suggests is absolutely possible right now. A well-prepared home in this market is genuinely well-positioned.

What the September 2026 Market Means for Long Island Buyers

Competition Is Still Real, So Preparation Is Everything

If you are a buyer in this market, the most important thing I can tell you is that being prepared before you fall in love with a home is not optional, it is essential. With sale-to-list ratios above 100 percent in both counties, you need to know exactly what you can offer and under what terms before you walk through a door. That means having a fully underwritten pre-approval, not just a pre-qualification letter, and having a clear conversation with your agent about what a competitive offer looks like for the specific segment of the market you are targeting. Arriving at an offer situation without that preparation is how buyers lose homes they could have had.

New Listings Offer Opportunity If You Move Decisively

The increase in new listings coming to market in both counties is genuinely positive news for buyers, and I do not want to understate that. More homes hitting the market means more opportunities to find a property that fits your needs. The key is responding quickly when something right comes along. At 38 to 39 days on average, some homes are selling faster than that average, and others are taking longer. Properties that are priced well and presented well tend to be on the faster end of that spectrum. Setting up real-time listing alerts with your agent so you see new listings the moment they go live is one of the most practical steps you can take.

Inventory Is Still Limited, So Flexibility Helps

With just over 5,300 active single-family listings across all of Long Island, the pool of available homes is not large relative to the buyer demand this market has been generating. Buyers who are highly specific about a narrow set of criteria may find themselves waiting longer and facing more frustration than buyers who approach the search with a degree of flexibility. That does not mean settling for a home that does not meet your core needs, but it does mean being thoughtful about which criteria are truly non-negotiable and which ones might be preferences rather than requirements. Having that conversation early with your agent can save you a lot of time and stress.

Above-List-Price Offers Are Common, But Not Universal

The sale-to-list ratios in this month's data reflect averages across a large number of transactions. That means some homes are selling well above asking price, and others are selling at or slightly below it. Buyers should not assume that every home requires a significant premium over list price to secure. Working with an experienced local agent who can assess the specific competitive situation for each property you are interested in is how you avoid both overpaying and losing a home you wanted because you underestimated the competition. Every transaction is different, and the data gives you context, but it does not replace the judgment that comes from understanding the specific circumstances of a particular listing.

Is Long Island Still a Seller's Market?

Yes, and the data makes that case clearly. A sale-to-list price ratio above 100 percent in both counties, median days on market under 40, year-over-year price increases in the 4.7 to 7 percent range, and an active inventory that is still declining on a combined basis are all markers of a seller's market by any conventional measure. The pace of the market has moderated compared to the most intense period of pandemic-era buying, but moderation and cooling are not the same thing. This is still a market where well-priced homes attract serious interest and where sellers generally hold the stronger negotiating position.

That said, market conditions are not uniform across every community, every price range, or every property type. There are pockets of Long Island where inventory is more available, where homes are sitting longer, and where the dynamic is more balanced. The county-level data gives us the broad strokes, but the specifics matter enormously when you are making a real decision about a real property. If you want to understand what conditions look like in a specific town, neighborhood, or price range, that is a conversation I am always happy to have.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are home prices still rising on Long Island if interest rates have been elevated?

Higher interest rates do tend to reduce purchasing power and can cool demand in some markets, but Long Island has a structural inventory shortage that has continued to put upward pressure on prices even in the face of elevated borrowing costs. When the number of available homes is significantly lower than the number of buyers who want to purchase, prices tend to hold or rise even when financing costs increase. The September 2026 data, with inventory down across both counties and sale-to-list ratios above 100 percent, reflects exactly that dynamic.

What does a sale-to-list ratio above 100 percent actually mean for buyers and sellers?

A sale-to-list ratio above 100 percent means that, on average, homes are selling for more than their asking price. For sellers, it signals that well-priced and well-presented homes are likely to attract competitive offers. For buyers, it is a reminder that having your financing fully in order and being ready to make a strong offer quickly is critical. It does not mean every home will receive multiple offers or sell above asking, but it does mean that competitive situations are common enough that buyers need to be prepared for them.

Is now a good time to sell a home on Long Island?

Based on the current data, the conditions for sellers are quite favorable. Prices are up year-over-year in both Nassau and Suffolk County, homes are selling at or above list price on average, and inventory remains constrained. If you have been considering selling and your circumstances support making a move, the market conditions as of September 2026 are working in your favor. Every individual situation is different, though, so I would encourage you to connect with me directly to talk through the specifics of your property and timeline.

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

The August 2026 data shows an average of 38 days on market in Nassau County and 39 days in Suffolk County for single-family homes. That means the typical home that sells is going under contract in just over five weeks from the day it is listed. However, that is an average across a wide range of properties. Homes that are priced accurately and presented well tend to move faster, while overpriced or poorly prepared homes can sit considerably longer and often end up selling for less as a result.

What is the difference in market conditions between Nassau and Suffolk County right now?

Both counties are in seller's market territory, but there are some meaningful differences in the data. Suffolk County's median sale price of $760,000 reflects stronger year-over-year price growth at 7 percent compared to Nassau's 4.7 percent, and Suffolk's sale-to-list ratio of 102.2 percent is higher than Nassau's 100.5 percent. On the other hand, Nassau County's median sale price of $911,000 is higher in absolute terms, reflecting the price structure of the communities within that county. Inventory declines were also steeper in Suffolk County at 3.9 percent compared to 0.4 percent in Nassau. Both markets are competitive, but the intensity of competition as measured by these specific metrics is currently running slightly hotter in Suffolk County.

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