If you're a seasoned homeowner thinking about selling your current home and buying your next one, this October 2026 update covers a month where rates did the heavy lifting. Tony Meier with Windermere Real Estate in Kirkland has spent 37 years in the field and closed 805 successful transactions across Seattle's Eastside. Since 2020 alone, Tony Meier & Team has closed 205 transactions totaling more than $256 million in volume, experience that shows up in the pricing, prep, negotiation, and plan that keeps you protected from surprises.
The story this month starts with mortgage rates. After months of steady increases, the 30 year fixed jumped to 7.59%, up 0.73% in a single month and 1.24% above a year ago. That jump pushed the Eastside back into buyer territory at 4.1 Months of Inventory, after August's brief return to balanced. All three markets posted their highest September MOI readings since 2011. Buyers have leverage and choice again, but the cost of financing it just went up sharply.
📊 The Big Three This Month
💰 Interest Rates
At 7.59% today, rates are up 0.73% from last month's 6.86% and up 1.24% from September 2025's 6.35%. This is the largest single-month move we have reported this year, and the first time this year rates have crossed 7%. Every quarter point now changes what buyers can comfortably afford.
🏘️ Months of Inventory (MOI)
September MOI is the highest September reading since 2011 in all three markets, and the Eastside is back above the 4.0 buyer-favored line.
• Eastside: 4.1 MOI (10-year avg 1.8 | Sep 2025 2.3), buyer favored
• Seattle: 3.0 MOI (10-year avg 1.8 | Sep 2025 2.1), balanced
• Snohomish County: 3.4 MOI (10-year avg 1.5 | Sep 2025 1.9), deep balanced
📉 Median Sales Price, Year over Year
• Eastside: −9.52% (deepened from August's −5.97%)
• Seattle: −1.54% (moderated from August's −8.00%)
• Snohomish County: 0.00% (flat at $750K, moderated from −2.66%)
The Eastside carries the deepest correction this month, while Seattle and Snohomish held much closer to last year's prices.
🧭 What this means on the ground
For sellers, MOI is leverage, and at 4.1 months the leverage has moved back to buyers. With rates above 7%, buyers are price sensitive and will compare your home against more September choice than any year since 2011. Homes priced to current comps and shown in top condition still sell and command strong terms. Homes priced to last year's peak sit, and the Eastside median being down 9.5% tells you how quickly that gap shows up.
For buyers, this is a real opening with a real cost. Eastside prices are down about 9.5% from a year ago and inventory gives you room to negotiate on price, credits, and terms. But rates moved 0.73% in one month, which can offset a meaningful part of that price softness. Confirm your approval, decide on a lock strategy before you write an offer, and ask about seller-paid rate buydowns, which carry more weight now than they have all year.
Historically, MOI peaks in September and eases into winter as listings come off the market. The bigger variable this fall is rates, not seasonality.
🛠️ What Tony covers beyond the data
✅ Home preparation that wins in a buyer-favored market: targeted updates, staging, inspection planning, and disciplined pricing to separate your home from competing listings.
✅ Negotiation strategy that protects net: credits, rate buydowns, inspection strategy, and terms that reduce risk while keeping buyers engaged.
✅ Sell-and-buy coordination: rent-backs, extended closings, bridge planning, and sequencing so you are not caught between homes.
🎥 More market updates and home tours: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyMeier
This Month's Recommendations
Sellers: At 4.1 months of inventory, the Eastside is back in buyer territory, with the most September choice since 2011. With rates above 7 percent, buyers are price sensitive. Homes priced to current comps and shown in top condition still sell and command strong terms.
Buyers: Eastside selection is the widest for any September since 2011, and the Eastside median price is down about 9.5 percent from a year ago. With rates moving higher, confirm your approval and lock strategy, then negotiate with confidence on price, credits, and terms.
Have questions while navigating your real estate journey? Tony Meier & Team - Windermere 🏡 Call us at 425-466-1000 📞
Connect with us online:
Web: 🌐 http://www.eastsidehomes.com
Facebook: 👍 https://www.facebook.com/tmeier
Instagram: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/tonymeier.windermere
LinkedIn: 🌟 https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonymeier/
Our mission: With 37 years of real estate expertise, we empower you to make confident decisions. We handle every detail as if you were family, offering personalized guidance, skilled negotiation, and unwavering support.
Source: NWMLS listing data, compiled and analyzed by Tony Meier & Team through Eastside Market Watch. Statistics not compiled or published by Northwest Multiple Listing Service.
