Market Watch Newsletter - January 2026

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Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty provides this monthly analysis of the real estate market in Sussex County, Delaware.  Whether you are buying, selling or just have an interest in the market, we hope you will find this analysis useful.

As a Buyer, this can be a valuable tool for making an offer on a property. Having up-to-date information on selling prices of comparable properties will allow you to make the smartest offer.

As a Seller, having the knowledge to determine the listing price for your property can help you to obtain the best possible sale price in the shortest amount of time.

Contact one of our agents for reliable information on the real estate market.  To download the full Market Watch newsletter, click here.

The statistics referenced here and in the attached newsletter are based on detached single-family home sales comparing the current year to the previous YTD, and the current month compared to the same month in the previous year.  The sales statistics do NOT include the sales of new construction homes.  They are derived from the Bright Multiple Listing Service.

Active Listings/Current Inventory (all homes on the market)
As of the end of January, there were a total of 1,272 homes on the market, an increase of 3.25% from the previous month's end inventory of 1,232; and an increase of 9.66% compared to the inventory at the end of January 2025.  Of the 1,272 homes on the market at the month’s end, 40% of them are new construction homes.

Closed Sales (new construction excluded)
For the 12-month period ending January 2026 compared to the previous 12-month period, sales of single-family homes are up 5.44%, with 2,906 homes sold for the current 12-month period compared to 2,756 sold during the previous 12-month period.

Comparing January of 2026 to January of 2025, sales were down by 12.90%, with 162 homes sold in January 2026 compared to 186 homes sold in January 2025.

Home Prices (new construction excluded)
For the 12-month period ending January 2026 compared to the previous 12-month period, the average sales price is up by 2.96%, $648,480 compared to $629,845.  The median sales price is up by 6.33%, $478,500 compared to $450,000 for the previous period.

Pending Sales (new construction excluded)
Pending sales (homes that have gone under contract) for the 12-month period ending January 2026 compared to the previous 12-month period were up by 9.04%, with 2,774 homes under contract compared to 2,544.

Comparing January 2026 to January 2025, pending sales were up by 11.11%, 190 compared to 171.

Days on Market (new construction excluded)
The median days on market for homes to go under contract has increased by 17.6% for homes that have closed during the last 12-months (40 days) compared to the previous 12-month period (34 days).