Buyer's vs. Seller's Market Meter: October 2026

How to Read This Meter

This meter tracks five supply-and-demand indicators for each area: active inventory, months of supply, days on market, sale-to-list ratio, and price-reduction trends. Here is what each one tells you:

• Active inventory is the number of homes listed for sale right now. More inventory means more competition for sellers.
• Months of supply estimates how long it would take to sell all active listings at the current sales pace. As a rough rule, under 5 months leans toward sellers, 5 to 6 months is balanced, and more than 6 months leans toward buyers.
• Days on market is how long homes take to sell. Shorter times point to stronger demand.
• Sale-to-list ratio is the share of list price sellers actually receive. A ratio near 100% means homes sell close to asking; a ratio in the low 90s means buyers are negotiating meaningful discounts.
• Price-reduction trends show how many listings have been cut below their original list price, a signal of how much negotiating room buyers have.

These are snapshots from one reporting period, not forecasts. Different sources use different property mixes and time windows, so figures can vary even for the same city; where that happens, this edition says so and labels each number with where it came from.

The October 2026 Snapshot at a Glance

The short version, with full detail and sources below:

• Palm Beach County: balanced overall, split by property type. Single-family houses carried about 4.2 months of supply (balanced, leaning slightly to sellers) and sold at a median 97% of list price. Condos and townhouses carried about 7.6 months of supply (buyer-leaning).
• Broward County: buyer-leaning overall at about 6.5 months of supply. Single-family homes were closer to balanced near 4.2 months, while condos and townhouses were a clear buyer's market near 10 months of supply.
• Delray Beach: balanced for houses at 4.8 months of supply; condos and townhouses at 6.9 months leaned toward buyers.
• Boca Raton: seller-leaning for houses at 3.0 months of supply; condos and townhouses at 6.5 months leaned toward buyers.
• Boynton Beach: seller-leaning for houses at 2.9 months of supply, with a heavier condo segment.

Palm Beach County

The September 2026 Palm Beach County market report (BeachesMLS data, published October 1, 2026) showed 10,029 active listings countywide: 3,812 single-family houses with a median asking price of $899,000, and 6,217 condos and townhouses with a median asking price of $299,000.

• Months of supply: 4.2 months for houses, which is balanced and slightly seller-leaning; 7.6 months for condos and townhouses, which is buyer-leaning.
• Closed sales: 897 houses at a median sold price of $712,500, up 8.8% year over year; 823 condos and townhouses at a median of $315,000, up 1.6%.
• Days on market: a median of 34 days for houses, down from 46 in September 2025; 45 days for condos and townhouses, down from 62.
• Sale-to-list ratio: houses sold at a median 97% of list price, up from 96%; condos and townhouses at 96%, up from 95%.
• Price reductions: as of September 15, 2026, 43.2% of active house listings and 45.1% of active condo and townhouse listings were priced below their original list price.

What this means: single-family supply in the county is tight enough that well-priced houses are selling quickly and close to asking, while the condo segment has enough inventory that buyers can be more selective. Your property type matters as much as your county.

Broward County

Broward County leaned toward buyers in September 2026. A live MLS-based county snapshot refreshed September 24, 2026 (Momentum Realty) counted 14,378 active listings, about 6.5 months of supply countywide, and a median sold price of $518,000, down 0.9% year over year. Homes took about 64 days to go under contract, and sellers collected about 93% of asking price on average.

The countywide number hides a sharp split. MLS-based trackers put single-family inventory near 4.2 months of supply, a balanced market at the edge of a mild seller advantage, while condos and townhouses ran near 10 months of supply, a clear buyer's market. A county-specific price-reduction share for September 2026 was not verifiable for this edition; for national context, Realtor.com's September 2026 housing report put the share of active listings with a price reduction at 20.8%, a yearly high.

For sellers, the practical read is that single-family homes in Broward are near equilibrium, while condo sellers should expect longer timelines, more competition, and more negotiation.

Delray Beach

MLS-based statistics for Delray Beach (BeachesMLS via PBP Real Estate, September 2026 edition, as of September 15, 2026) showed 362 single-family houses and 970 condos and townhouses on the market. Months of supply stood at 4.8 months for houses and 6.9 months for condos and townhouses, so the single-family market is balanced and the condo market leans toward buyers.

For August 2026 closed sales, the median sold price was $930,000 for houses and $224,000 for condos and townhouses. A separate market-trends tracker (mybrokerone.com, updated September 2026) reported an average of about 81 days on market for Delray Beach homes. For context, Redfin's citywide data (three months ending May 2026) showed a median sale price of $545,000 with about 90 days on market; the gap between the two medians is mostly a property-mix difference, since the MLS house-only figure excludes condos.

The takeaway: Delray Beach is not one market. Priced-right single-family homes in popular pockets still move well, while condo sellers need realistic pricing and patience.

Boca Raton

MLS-based statistics for Boca Raton (PBP Real Estate, September 13, 2026) showed 519 houses and 1,058 condos and townhouses listed for sale, with 3.0 months of supply for houses and 6.5 months for condos and townhouses. The August 2026 median sold price was $965,000 for houses and $382,250 for condos and townhouses.

Redfin's citywide data (three months ending August 2026) reported a median sale price of about $854,000, up 20.2% year over year, with about 79 days on market and homes selling about 5% below list price on average. Published medians vary by source because the property mix differs; the single-family median runs well above the all-property figure.

For sellers, Boca Raton's single-family segment is the tightest of the three focus cities in this edition, which favors sellers who price against real comparable sales. The condo segment is a different story, with enough supply that buyers can negotiate.

Boynton Beach

MLS-based statistics for Boynton Beach (PBP Real Estate, September 15, 2026) showed 426 single-family houses and 700 condos and townhouses on the market, with 2.9 months of supply for houses, the tightest single-family reading of the three focus cities. The August 2026 median sold price was $567,500 for houses, up 11.3% year over year, and $285,000 for condos and townhouses.

City-specific days on market and sale-to-list figures for September 2026 were not published in the sources reviewed for this edition. As county context, Palm Beach County houses had a median 34 days on market and sold at 97% of list price in September 2026.

For sellers, Boynton Beach remains one of the more affordable single-family entry points in the coastal corridor, and single-family supply is relatively tight. The condo segment carries more inventory, so condo sellers should expect a longer timeline and more negotiation.

What Each Balance Means for Pricing and Negotiating

A market balance is not a verdict on your home; it is a description of how much leverage buyers and sellers have. Here is what each reading means in practice:

• Seller-leaning (low supply, short days on market, high sale-to-list): buyers have fewer choices, so well-priced homes tend to sell quickly and close to asking. That is not a license to overprice; a price above the comparable sales still stalls, and the listing then carries the stigma of a reduction. Sellers can often hold firmer on price and terms, but condition and presentation still decide how fast a home moves.
• Balanced (roughly 5 to 6 months of supply): neither side dominates. Homes priced at market sell in a reasonable window, buyers negotiate on terms, and minor concessions are common. The details of the deal, inspection items, closing dates, and financing contingencies, carry more weight than in a hot market.
• Buyer-leaning (high supply, longer days on market, lower sale-to-list): buyers can compare many listings, so expect below-list offers, price reductions in the neighborhood, and requests for concessions such as closing cost credits or rate buydowns. Pricing correctly from day one and marketing aggressively matter most here; a home that starts too high simply feeds the reduction cycle.

In every balance, the same discipline applies: price against recent comparable sales in your immediate area, present the home well, and negotiate with current data rather than a memory of what the market did a year ago.

What This Means for Sellers

A few honest observations based on the September 2026 data, with no promises attached:

• Single-family and condo markets are moving in different directions. In both counties, houses are balanced or seller-leaning while condos carry noticeably more supply. Know which segment you are in before you set expectations.
• High sale-to-list ratios do not guarantee full asking price. They describe what well-priced homes are doing. Overpriced listings still sit and then get reduced, which is exactly what the price-reduction figures in this edition reflect.
• Rates matter. The 30-year fixed mortgage averaged 7.28% in the Freddie Mac survey released October 1, 2026, up from 7.03% the prior week and 6.34% a year earlier. Financed buyers are payment-sensitive, so condition, concessions, and professional presentation can be the difference between a quick sale and a slow one.
• Every neighborhood is different. Citywide and countywide figures are a useful starting point, not a price for your home. Only a comparison of recent, similar sales in your immediate area tells you where your listing should start.

For more context on timelines, our days on market guide for South Florida breaks down sell times by city and price range, and our guide to selling in a buyer's market covers strategy when buyers have more choices.

Sources and Method

Figures in this edition were verified from public market reports and published sources on October 3, 2026:

• PBP Real Estate, Palm Beach County Housing Market Report: September 2026 (BeachesMLS data, published October 1, 2026): countywide active listings, months of supply, closed sales, median sold prices, days on market, and sale-to-list ratios.
• PBP Real Estate, Delray Beach, Boca Raton, and Boynton Beach real estate statistics (September 2026 editions, data as of September 13-15, 2026): city-level active inventory, months of supply, and median sold prices.
• Momentum Realty, Broward County Housing Market live data (refreshed September 24, 2026): active inventory, months of supply, median sold price, days to contract, and sale-to-list ratio.
• SoFlo Home Listings, South Florida Housing Market 2026: The Broward Forecast: single-family vs. condo months of supply for Broward County.
• Redfin, Delray Beach and Boca Raton housing market data (three months ending May and August 2026 respectively): citywide median sale prices, days on market, and sale-to-list context.
• mybrokerone.com, Delray Beach real estate market trends (updated September 2026): average days on market.
• Realtor.com, September 2026 Housing Report (national): share of active listings with a price reduction.
• Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, released October 1, 2026: 30-year fixed mortgage rate.

These are snapshot figures from one reporting period. Sources sometimes revise or report different figures, and every neighborhood and price range behaves differently. Price-reduction shares for Broward County and city-specific days on market for Boynton Beach could not be verified for this edition and are therefore not stated as county or city figures. Use this meter as context, and get current data for your specific home before making a pricing decision.

A Note on Earlier Figures

This meter is the current reference for South Florida market statistics and supersedes earlier market figures published on this site, including the September 2026 market update. Older articles were published at different times and may contain figures that have since changed. When you see numbers elsewhere on the site, check the date stamp on that page and compare it with this edition.

Call or Text Ryan for Your Numbers

The cleanest way to know what your home is worth in this market is to look at the specific sales around you. Call or text Ryan Parker at 561-915-8590 for a free conversation. He will pull the recent comparable sales, current competition, and buyer activity for your neighborhood and give you an honest read on where to price and how to market your home. No obligation, no pressure, just the data.