Conway and North Conway Market Update: September 2026
Lisa Brouillette, REALTOR® | The Valley Realty | September 24, 2026
More Homes Came on the Market This Summer. So Why Did Single-Family Homes Sell Faster?
September is a good time to look at what the Conway and North Conway market is actually doing. Summer activity is behind us, fall buyers are starting to arrive, and the numbers begin to show which properties are still getting attention and which ones may need a pricing or presentation adjustment.
For this update, I looked at Conway and North Conway activity from June 1 through August 31, comparing summer 2026 with the same period in 2025. I separated single-family homes and condos because those two parts of the market went in different directions this summer.
Key Takeaways
- Single-family homes showed stronger momentum: More homes were available, more went under contract, more closed, and average days on market dropped sharply compared with the same period last year.
- Well-positioned single-family homes still moved quickly: Buyers had more to compare, but they were still ready to act when a home was priced well, presented clearly, and matched what they were looking for.
- The condo market is more mixed: Condo inventory and pending activity increased, but closed sales were lower, median sale price moved down, and average days on market increased.
- Condo buyers are still active, but selective: Buyers appear to be looking closely at price, fees, rental rules, financing, condition, and overall value.
- This market needs a local read: The numbers are useful, but property type, location, condition, buyer profile, and long-term ownership costs matter just as much.
More Listings, But Still a Fast-Moving Single-Family Market
Buyers had more single-family homes to choose from this summer, and homes still sold in about half the time.
| Single-Family Homes | Summer 2025 | Summer 2026 | What Changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active listings | 45 | 62 | Up 38%. More inventory for buyers to consider. |
| Pending / under contract | 34 | 37 | Up 9%. More homes went under contract than last summer. |
| Closed sales | 37 | 44 | Up 19%. More homes closed compared with last summer. |
| Median sale price | $510,000 | $529,000 | Up 3.7%. Prices remained strong despite more inventory. |
| Average days on market | 47 | 23 | Down 51%. Well-positioned homes continued to move quickly. |
| Median list / sale price | $549,000 / $510,000 | $549,450 / $529,000 | List price flat, sale price up 3.7%. Asking prices held steady while sale prices rose. |
Source: MLS data for Conway and North Conway, June 1 through August 31 of each year. Active listings include every home on the market at any point during that period.
What stands out to me is not the increase in listings. It is that homes sold twice as fast with more choices on the market. More inventory usually buys a buyer some time. This summer it didn't.
My read is that the added listings gave buyers something to compare against, and that comparison made the good homes easier to spot. When a house was priced right and showed well, buyers recognized it quickly and acted. Median asking prices barely moved from last summer, but the median sale price rose, which tells me buyers were still willing to pay for the right property. Buyer demand is still here, but it is focused.
Condos Are Moving More Carefully
Condo buyers are still shopping, with more pending sales than last summer, but fewer condos closed, and the ones that did took longer to sell and sold for less.
| Condos | Summer 2025 | Summer 2026 | What Changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active listings | 17 | 28 | Up 65%. More condo inventory was available for buyers to compare. |
| Pending / under contract | 14 | 18 | Up 29%. Pending activity increased, showing continued buyer interest. |
| Closed sales | 19 | 15 | Down 21%. Fewer condo sales closed compared with last summer. |
| Median sale price | $334,500 | $315,000 | Down 5.8%. Median sale price moved lower year over year. |
| Average days on market | 52 | 60 | Up 15%. Condos took longer to sell. |
| Median list / sale price | $350,000 / $334,500 | $335,000 / $315,000 | List price down 4.3%, sale price down 5.8%. Buyers appeared more selective on price. |
Source: MLS data for Conway and North Conway, June 1 through August 31 of each year. Active listings include every home on the market at any point during that period.
Because the number of condo sales is relatively small, these percentage changes should be read carefully. A few sales at either end of the price range can move the median. The number I'm paying the most attention to is pending sales. More condos went under contract this summer than last, even as closings dropped. Some of those summer contracts will close this fall, so the condo picture may look better by the end of the year than it does right now. That does not mean condos are no longer desirable. It means condo buyers are doing more homework. With 65% more units to compare, they are looking closely at association fees, rental rules, financing and condition, and they are willing to wait for a unit that fits the way they plan to use it.
Why Conway and North Conway Need a Local Read
Conway and North Conway are often talked about together, and buyers frequently search both. North Conway is a village within the town of Conway, but the two do not behave as one simple market. North Conway draws buyers who want to be close to the village, Cranmore, restaurants, shopping and trails, and many of them are second-home or vacation buyers. The rest of Conway covers a wider range of settings and price points, including homes with more land and privacy that may also come with private wells, septic systems, oil tanks, private roads or winter-access considerations. Those details are not negatives, but they change how a buyer evaluates price and long-term ownership. A village-area condo and a rural Conway home can both show up in the same numbers without ever competing for the same buyer. That is why I use these numbers as context, not as a substitute for looking closely at the individual property.
New Housing Is Part of the Conversation
One thing I am watching closely is the ongoing conversation around housing in and around Conway and North Conway. Housing supply has been one of the Valley's long-term challenges, and any new housing discussion matters for the broader community.
At the same time, more housing conversation does not automatically mean more choices for buyers right now. A rental project, a proposed development or a deed-restricted housing effort may help the area over time, but it does not immediately create more single-family homes or condos for sale in the locations buyers are searching today. The type of housing, location, price point and timing all shape what it actually means for the resale market.
What Buyers Should Take From This
More inventory does not automatically mean an easier market. If you are shopping for a single-family home, have your financing in place and know your monthly payment comfort before the right property comes on. The homes that made sense this summer did not wait for buyers who were still getting organized.
Condo buyers have more room right now, especially on units that have been on the market for a while. Ask for the association documents, fee history and rental rules early, so you are comparing the real monthly cost of each unit and not just the asking price.
For any property in the Valley, look at the full ownership picture, including heating systems, wells, septic, radon, road maintenance, winter access and insurance. Two homes with similar asking prices can cost very different amounts to own.
What Sellers Should Take From This
The market is not weak. Buyers are active, but they are comparing carefully.
If you are selling a single-family home, the strength in this segment is real, but it rewards homes that make sense from the first day on the market. I would pay close attention to the first few weeks. When similar homes are selling in about three weeks, a listing that sits longer is usually telling you something about price or presentation.
If you are selling a condo, plan for a longer timeline than last year and price against recent condo sales, not last summer's. Have your association documents, fee details and rental policies ready before you list. The easier the property is to understand, the easier it is for a buyer to feel confident making an offer.
Lisa's Market Take
What I see in these numbers is not a market that has stopped. It is a market that is active, but more discerning, and it is rewarding clarity. The homes that did well this summer were the ones buyers could understand quickly: the right price, good condition and no big unanswered questions.
Rates add a new wrinkle heading into fall. According to Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate climbed from 6.43% in early July to 6.66% by late August and reached 6.95% in mid-September, compared with 6.26% a year ago. That does not change what drove this summer's market, but it does make the monthly payment matter more. I expect buyers to look even harder at total monthly cost this fall, especially on condos, where association fees are already part of that math.
For sellers, this is not the time to assume the market will do all the work. For buyers, this is not the time to assume more inventory means unlimited leverage. Both sides need a clear read on the specific property, not just a general read on the market.
What I'll Be Watching This Fall
Fall buyers tend to be more focused than summer's mix of vacation traffic and early-stage buyers. Over the next few months, I'll be watching:
Whether single-family homes keep selling this quickly as rates rise.
Whether this summer's condo contracts turn into fall closings.
Whether higher rates start to show up in days on market.
For a wider view, you can also read my Mt. Washington Valley market update and my Carroll County market update.
Thinking About Buying or Selling in the Valley?
The best time to ask questions is before you are ready to make a move. If you are thinking about buying or selling in Conway, North Conway or elsewhere in the Mt. Washington Valley, I'm happy to sit down with you in person, by phone or by video chat and talk through what the market looks like right now.
No pressure, no obligation. Just a conversation about the property, the process and what you need to know before moving forward.
Let’s Talk
Data Sources Used
This update compares Conway and North Conway MLS data for June 1 through August 31, 2026 with the same period in 2025. Mortgage rate data comes from Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey, current as of September 17, 2026. Market data may be revised as MLS records are updated. Local interpretation is provided through the lens of Conway and North Conway real estate.
