08/19/2026
The housing market is local. Really local.
You’ve probably seen plenty of headlines about a slowing housing market.
And nationally, there’s some truth to that.
According to the National Association of REALTORS®, existing-home sales fell 1.7% in July from June. But the Midwest continues to look different from much of the country.
Midwest home sales are actually up 2.1% from a year ago, while the median sale price increased 2.8% to $342,900. NAR specifically pointed to the Midwest’s relative affordability as one reason it continues to outperform many other parts of the country.
Then look at Greater Lansing.
The local numbers tell an even more interesting story:
Greater Lansing — July 2026
Median sale price: $274,900, up 10.6% from July 2025
Average sale price: $301,227, up 9.4%
Homes sold at about 100.5% of list price
Absorption rate: 2.23 months
Average days on market: 27 days, down from 31 last July
And there’s another piece of the data I find interesting: activity isn't concentrated only at the bottom of the market.
Sales from $300,000–$399,999 increased 13% year-over-year in July, while $400,000–$499,999 increased 20.5%.
So when somebody asks me, “How's the housing market?” my answer is usually:
Which housing market?
The national market, the Midwest, Michigan, Greater Lansing — and even different price ranges within Greater Lansing — can all be doing different things at the same time.
For Lansing right now, the data still looks like a relatively strong seller's market. Affordability compared with much of the country continues to matter, inventory remains fairly tight, and well-positioned homes are still selling.
That doesn't mean every house sells quickly or every seller can name their price.
It means local data matters more than the headline.
