[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f3hepeb6m80zgn":3,"$ffeh0925h8cuz":43,"$fbwk2pqjjqsc7":47},{"item":4,"previous":31,"next":37},{"id":5,"slug":6,"title":7,"description":8,"excerpt":9,"contentType":10,"featuredImage":11,"bannerImage":9,"body":12,"agentsBottomLine":13,"bodyImage":14,"isInfographic":15,"categories":16,"isVideo":15,"videoThumbnail":9,"videoSource":9,"publishedAt":29,"updatedAt":30},103353,"inventory-is-making-a-comeback-in-2026","Inventory Is Making a Comeback in 2026","\u003Cp>After a long stretch where buyers were competing for too few homes, inventory has made a comeback over the past year.\u003C\u002Fp>","","blog","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260210\u002F20260211-Blog-Header-Image-original.png","\u003Cp>After a long stretch where buyers were competing for too few homes, inventory has made a comeback over the past year. And depending on where you live, that’s opening up your options in a meaningful way.\u003Cstrong> \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>According to \u003Cem>Realtor.com\u003C\u002Fem>, the number of homes available for sale in January was the \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.realtor.com\u002Fresearch\u002FJanuary-2026-data\u002F\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cstrong>highest\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cstrong> it’s been since 2020.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Here’s why that’s such a big deal. Getting back to pre-pandemic levels signals a slow and steady return to what’s typical:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260210\u002F20260211-Inventory-Is-Making-a-Comeback-original.png\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260210\u002F20260211-Inventory-Is-Making-a-Comeback-original.png\" alt=\"a graph with numbers and a blue background\">\u003C\u002Fa>Now, it’s worth noting, nationally we’re not there yet – and having more inventory improving won’t suddenly “fix” the market. But the growth we’ve seen lately still changes how competitive the market feels.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>When there are more homes for sale,\u003C\u002Fstrong> buyers gain time, options, and leverage.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>When there aren’t\u003C\u002Fstrong>, the pressure ramps up quickly.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Cp>In the years since 2020, there weren’t enough homes for sale, and that made the market feel different. Rushed. Stressful. Intimidating.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>But now it’s finally getting better.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>A Growing Portion of the Country Is Getting Back to Normal\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh4>\u003Cp>Depending on where you live, inventory growth is going to vary. Some places are bouncing back faster than others. According to Lance Lambert, Co-Founder of \u003Cem>ResiClub\u003C\u002Fem>, in January 2025, just a little over one year ago, only \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.resiclubanalytics.com\u002Fp\u002F90-housing-markets-at-key-inventory-threshold-giving-homebuyers-some-relief\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">41\u003C\u002Fa> of the 200 largest metros were back to normal inventory-wise. \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>But around the end of year, \u003Cstrong>almost half (90) of the largest 200 metro areas\u003C\u002Fstrong> were back at or above typical levels. That’s a big improvement in roughly a year. And it’s not done yet. \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>Inventory Is Expected To Keep Growing \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh4>\u003Cp>Looking ahead, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.resiclubanalytics.com\u002Fp\u002Fhousing-market-inventory-forecast-2026-roundup\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">forecasts\u003C\u002Fa> suggest the number of homes for sale could rise \u003Cstrong>another 10% this year\u003C\u002Fstrong>, which means even more markets should join the list of places where supply has rebounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Here’s a graph that shows what an extra 10% would do for the market this year. You can see that projected growth (\u003Cem>shown in the dotted line\u003C\u002Fem>) hits inventory levels seen in 2017-2019 by roughly this fall (\u003Cem>the gray lines\u003C\u002Fem>). That means we may reach normal by end of year, nationally:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260210\u002F20260211-If-the-Number-of-Homes-for-Sale-original.png\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260210\u002F20260211-If-the-Number-of-Homes-for-Sale-original.png\" alt=\"a graph of different colored lines\">\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>And that changes your home search in a good way. As Hannah Jones, Senior Economic Research Analyst at \u003Cem>Realtor.com\u003C\u002Fem>, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.realtor.com\u002Fresearch\u002Fdecember-2025-hottest-housing-markets\u002F\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">puts it\u003C\u002Fa>:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cblockquote>\u003Cem>“. . . housing market conditions are gradually rebalancing after several years of extreme seller advantage. \u003C\u002Fem>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>Buyers are beginning to see more options and modest negotiating power as inventory improves . . .\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cem>”\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>In other words, the market is starting to work \u003Cem>with \u003C\u002Fem>buyers again — not \u003Cem>against \u003C\u002Fem>them\u003C\u002Fstrong>.\u003C\u002Fp>","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Inventory isn’t fully back to normal everywhere. But it’s moving in the right direction. And, in some areas, it’s already there.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>If you’ve been waiting for a moment when you have options and a little breathing room, this is the strongest setup buyers have seen in a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>If you want to know what’s happening in our local market, let’s talk.\u003C\u002Fp>","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260210\u002F20260211-Inventory-Is-Making-a-Comeback-original.png",false,[17,21,25],{"id":18,"name":19,"slug":20},5,"For Buyers","buyers",{"id":22,"name":23,"slug":24},320,"Inventory","inventory",{"id":26,"name":27,"slug":28},327,"Forecasts","forecasts","2026-02-11T11:30:00Z","2026-02-11T11:30:26Z",{"id":32,"slug":33,"title":34,"featuredImage":35,"publishedAt":36,"contentType":10,"isVideo":15},103053,"why-townhomes-are-popular-with-todays-first-time-buyers","Why Townhomes Are Popular with Today’s First-Time Buyers","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260205\u002F20260209-Blog-Header-Image-original.png","2026-02-09T11:30:00Z",{"id":38,"slug":39,"title":40,"featuredImage":41,"publishedAt":42,"contentType":10,"isVideo":15},103360,"four-ways-your-home-equity-can-work-for-you","Four Ways Your Home Equity Can Work for You","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260210\u002F20260212-Blog-Header-Image-original.png","2026-02-12T11:30:00Z",{"cover":44,"open":45,"shareSpread":46},"https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260603\u002F2026-Summer-Buyers-Guide-Cover-original.png","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260603\u002F2026-Summer-Buyers-Guide-Spread-original.png","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260603\u002F2026-Summer-Buyers-Guide-Magazine-original.png",[48,52,53,57,61,65,69,73,77,81,85,89,93,97,101,105,109,113,117,121,122,126,130,134,138,142,146,147,151,155],{"id":49,"name":50,"slug":51},1,"Uncategorized","uncategorized",{"id":18,"name":19,"slug":20},{"id":54,"name":55,"slug":56},6,"For Sellers","sellers",{"id":58,"name":59,"slug":60},7,"Foreclosures","foreclosures",{"id":62,"name":63,"slug":64},8,"Infographics","infographics",{"id":66,"name":67,"slug":68},9,"Home Prices","home-prices",{"id":70,"name":71,"slug":72},11,"First-Time Buyers","first-time-buyers",{"id":74,"name":75,"slug":76},34,"Senior Market","senior-market",{"id":78,"name":79,"slug":80},35,"Mortgage Rates","mortgage-rates",{"id":82,"name":83,"slug":84},38,"Move-Up","move-up",{"id":86,"name":87,"slug":88},41,"For Sale by Owner","for-sale-by-owner",{"id":90,"name":91,"slug":92},42,"Featured","featured",{"id":94,"name":95,"slug":96},45,"New Construction","new-construction",{"id":98,"name":99,"slug":100},52,"Luxury \u002F Vacation","luxury--vacation",{"id":102,"name":103,"slug":104},53,"Rent vs. Buy","rent-vs-buy",{"id":106,"name":107,"slug":108},80,"Time-sensitive","time-sensitive",{"id":110,"name":111,"slug":112},81,"Outdated","outdated",{"id":114,"name":115,"slug":116},147,"Internal","internal",{"id":118,"name":119,"slug":120},148,"Do Not Autopost","do-not-autopost",{"id":22,"name":23,"slug":24},{"id":123,"name":124,"slug":125},321,"Agent Value","agent-value",{"id":127,"name":128,"slug":129},322,"Affordability","affordability",{"id":131,"name":132,"slug":133},323,"Buying Tips","buying-tips",{"id":135,"name":136,"slug":137},324,"Downsize","downsize",{"id":139,"name":140,"slug":141},325,"Economy","economy",{"id":143,"name":144,"slug":145},326,"Equity","equity",{"id":26,"name":27,"slug":28},{"id":148,"name":149,"slug":150},328,"Selling Tips","selling-tips",{"id":152,"name":153,"slug":154},339,"Expired\u002FWithdrawn\u002FCanceled","expiredwithdrawncanceled",{"id":156,"name":157,"slug":158},340,"Price It Right\u002FOverpricing","price-it-rightoverpricing"]