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Step into the hallway of our Windermere Vashon office entry and you’re flanked by magnetic boards on our left and right walls, showcasing all the Island’s available active homes. Any typical October, these boards would be somewhat bare. But this year is anything BUT typical! We recently counted 42 homes for sale on Vashon, which is a number we’d expect to see in early spring, not as available homes are usually winding down.
We on Vashon are not alone. This abundance of inventory is echoed at the county level, also among our 27-county-member Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS), and nationally. King County’s housing inventory has surged significantly, with active listings up about 31.1% year over year for September 2026 to a total listing count of 9,550. Among the entire NWMLS, that figure is even higher at 36.6% higher, year over year.
Buyers, consider this your advantage. The market has tilted toward a more buyer-friendly environment as the number of pending sales decreases, and active-listing homes spend more time on the market this year. At the current pace of sales, it would take about four months to sell through the current active inventory on the NWMLS. When housing inventory is higher, home buyers gain the upper hand by enjoying a wider selection of properties, less competition, more negotiating leverage, and extra time to make decisions.
So how does that advantage take shape?
- Selection: Buyers have a larger pool of homes to draw comparisons and are less likely to settle for a home that doesn’t fit your ideal criteria.
- Negotiability: With more inventory competition from other homeowners, they may be more willing to flex on price or offer concessions such as a temporary rate buydown on your financing or covering your closing costs.
- Think-on-it time: With lingering active days on the market (CDA), buyers have more time to make decisions without being as concerned about competition (just don’t wait too long!).
- Fewer Bidding Wars: Higher than average active inventory often diminishes multiple-offer situations, which makes the offer process less frenzied.
- Price stability: A generous inventory of homes helps to keep home prices from escalating.
If you’re looking for a home on Vashon Island, our Island experts are here to assist! As the longest running firm on Island backed by the West Coast’s premier real estate brand and globally networked as part of the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, Windermere Vashon is here for you!
