Months of inventory measures how long it would take to sell every active listing at the current pace of sales. Under 6 months = seller’s market. Over 6 months = buyer’s market. Both single-family and condos remain firmly in seller’s-market territory.

What This Means If You're Buying

The headline for buyers in Q1 2026 is that the market is still firmly tilted toward sellers, but a few cracks are forming that could work in your favor if you're prepared.

The Reality Check

• Inventory is razor-thin. With both single-family homes and condos under 2 months of supply, well-priced homes in good condition still move quickly, often with multiple offers.
• Prices haven't come down yet on single-family homes. The average sale price is up 5.9% year-over-year. "Waiting it out" has been an expensive strategy in this market.
• Sellers are still in the driver's seat on price. Homes are closing within ~0.6% of asking price on average across the county.

Where You Have Leverage

• Days on market are creeping up, especially for condos. Median days on market for Dane County condos nearly doubled year-over-year (from 10 to 18). Single-family homes are steadier, but listings that linger past 14-20 days are increasingly open to negotiation.
• Condos are the buyer's opportunity. Condo inventory is up 14.8% and average sale price is down 5.3%, the most buyer-friendly shift in the market right now.
• Watch the "Coming Soon" list. There are 243 Dane County properties (198 single-family, and 45 condos) currently in "Delayed" status at the time of this article being posted. Working with an agent who tracks Coming Soon homes gives you a head start before they hit the open market. These listings are not open to showings yet, but an agent can get you all the info you need so that as soon as showings start you're prepared.

Bottom Line for Buyers

Get preapproved before you start going on showings, write competitive offers, and don't fall in love with a list price, fall in love with the right home. The buyers winning in this market aren't the ones with the deepest pockets, they're the ones who can move decisively when the right home shows up.

What This Means If You're Selling

If you've been watching the headlines and worried the market has turned against you, it hasn't. Q1 2026 was still a strong quarter to be a seller in Dane County. But the days of putting a sign in the yard and waiting are over. Pricing strategy matters more than it has in years.

The Good News

• Demand is still outpacing supply. Pending sales (805 single family homes and 231 condos) are running well ahead of active listings, a strong leading indicator that buyers are out there and writing offers.
• Single-family home values are climbing. Average sale price in Dane County is up 5.9% year-over-year to $559,068.
• Closed sales are up countywide. Dane County single-family closings rose 3.9% year-over-year, despite essentially flat new listings. 

The Reality Check

• Mispriced listings sit. Median days on market is up or flat for both single-family homes and condos. The well-priced, well-prepared Dane County single-family home still sells in a median of 10 days, but homes that miss on price or condition are sitting longer, dragging averages up. 
• You're no longer guaranteed over-asking. Sale-to-list price ratio dropped from 100% to 99.4% in single-family homes and from 99.7% for 99.4% in condos. The multiple-offer, over-asking premium has narrowed. Pricing right out of the gate matters.
• Condo sellers face more competition. Condo listings jumped nearly 15% with average prices softening by 5.3%. If you're selling a condo, expect a more strategic conversation about pricing and presentation.

Bottom Line for Sellers

This is still a great market to sell in, but it rewards sellers who price with discipline, prepare the home properly, and lean on real local data instead of a number from a friend or an automated estimate. The first 14 days of a listing are your strongest leverage. Use them.

Looking Ahead

Heading into Q2 2026, we're watching three things: whether the Coming Soon pipeline (243 Dane County homes) translates into a meaningful inventory bump, whether the slight uptick in days on market continues, and whether the lowering of condo prices spreads to the lower end of the single-family market. We'll update this page with fresh numbers after Q2 is over.

How to Read These Numbers

• New Listings = homes whose listing date fell within the quarter.
• Closed Sales = homes that closed within the quarter.
• Active = homes currently listed and available.
• Pending = homes currently under contract, not yet closed.
• Coming Soon = homes in MLS "Delayed" status that will go Active shortly.
• Months of Inventory = current active listings ÷ (homes sold in the trailing 12 months ÷ 12). Under 6 = seller’s market.