Northeast Tennessee Closed 717 Home Sales in September as Listings Rose 7% and Prices Slipped

Homes in Northeast Tennessee are still selling, but buyers have more to choose from and prices have eased a little. That is the picture in the Northeast Tennessee Association of REALTORS® September 2026 Home Sales Report, which covers Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

NETAR President Amy Mitchell laid out the numbers in an Oct. 18 column. The region closed 717 homes in September, up 0.7% from September 2025. Inventory rose to 2,880 homes, up 7%. The median sales price fell 1.69% to $290,000.

The September numbers

NETAR’s figures are based on TVRMLS data retrieved Oct. 14, 2026.

What changed: more choice, slower pace

Inventory

The biggest shift is supply. With 2,880 homes on the market and 984 new listings in the month, buyers can see more homes before they decide. Mitchell wrote that over the past several years, many buyers found a home they liked only to learn it was under contract or that they faced multiple offers.

Time on market

The median home took 74 days to sell in September, compared to 70 days a year ago. Mitchell wrote that this does not mean something is wrong with the market, only that the pace is changing.

Prices

The average price fell 2.33% to $329,732 and the median fell 1.69% to $290,000. Mitchell pointed out the contrast with the country as a whole, where the median existing-home price rose 1.3% over the same period.

The national picture

Citing the National Association of REALTORS®, Mitchell wrote that existing-home sales across the country rose 1.5% in September from August but stayed 2.2% below September of last year. So local sales ran slightly ahead of a year ago while national sales ran behind, and local prices dipped while national prices rose.

NAR also reported that distressed sales, including foreclosures and short sales, made up only 2% of transactions nationally in September. Mitchell called that a reminder that a slower market does not have to be an unhealthy one.

Mortgage rates

Rates are the main pressure on buyers. According to Freddie Mac, as cited in the column, the average 30-year fixed rate reached 7.4% in the week ending Oct. 8, compared with about 6.3% a year earlier. On a $300,000 mortgage, Mitchell wrote, that gap adds roughly $220 to the monthly principal and interest payment.

That is why buyers are looking harder at the full monthly cost, not just the list price. Mitchell suggested first-time buyers consider a smaller home, a different neighborhood or a community outside the larger cities, from Johnson City, Kingsport and Bristol to Greeneville, Elizabethton and Rogersville.

What it means for Tri-Cities sellers

Mitchell’s advice to sellers was direct: buyers have more options, and they are paying closer attention to price, condition and value. She wrote that pricing a home correctly from the start matters, and that what worked two or three years ago may not work today.

• Price to the market from day one. With 74 median days on market, an overpriced home can sit. Price cuts later often cost more than a sharp price up front.
• Condition counts more. When buyers can compare 2,880 homes, small repairs and a clean, bright home stand out.
• Know your equity. Most owners who bought several years ago have built equity. Find out what yours is before you set a price.
• Help with the payment. With rates near 7.4% in early October, some buyers respond to seller-paid closing costs or a rate buydown more than to a small price cut.

Questions to ask before you list

1. What did similar homes near me sell for in the last 90 days? Closed sales, not asking prices, are the best guide when prices are moving.
2. How long did they take to sell? If nearby homes took longer than the regional 74-day median, plan for that in your timeline.
3. What will buyers find at inspection? A pre-listing inspection lets you fix or price in problems before a buyer uses them to negotiate.
4. Is winter a good time for me? Fewer homes usually list in late fall and winter, and buyers who shop then tend to be serious. Talk through timing with your agent.
5. What do I net? Ask for a net sheet that shows your payoff, closing costs and any concessions, so you know your bottom line before you pick a price.

Mitchell ended her column on a hopeful note. She wrote that there is reason to be cautiously optimistic about the market, with more homes available, more choices for buyers and sales continuing despite higher borrowing costs.

What it means for buyers

More listings and slightly lower prices give buyers room to compare and negotiate. Get preapproved, know the monthly payment you can handle, and look at a few towns before you decide. NETAR’s fall forecast is also worth a read: Tri-Cities Home Prices Set to Hold Flat Through December, NETAR Forecast Says.

Local decisions to watch

Zoning and utility votes shape where new homes go in the region. Kingsport’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen has a work session set for Monday, Nov. 2, and a business meeting for Tuesday, Nov. 3. Agendas had not been posted on the city’s portal as of Oct. 26. Recent items include Kingsport Planners Hear Plainview Street Duplex Rezoning; Staff Flagged Land-Use Plan Mismatch and Johnson City Planning Commission Weighs Keebler Meadows Phase 2 and 48-Lot Saxon Heights Tonight.

Dates to know

• Oct. 14, 2026 — TVRMLS data retrieved for the September report.
• Oct. 18, 2026 — NETAR publishes the September recap.
• Mon., Nov. 2, 3 p.m. — Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen work session.
• Tue., Nov. 3, 7 p.m. — Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen business meeting.

Thinking about selling in Johnson City, Kingsport or Bristol?

Real estate is local, and so is your price. Regional numbers tell you the trend, but your street, your condition and your timing set your number. Get a free home valuation built on recent nearby sales, or request a cash offer if you would rather skip showings and sell on your schedule.

How many homes sold in Northeast Tennessee in September 2026?

NETAR’s September 2026 Home Sales Report counted 717 closed sales in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, up 0.7% from September 2025.

What was the median home price in the Tri-Cities region in September 2026?

The median sales price was $290,000, down 1.69% from a year earlier. The average sales price was $329,732, down 2.33%.

How many homes are for sale in Northeast Tennessee?

The region had 2,880 homes on the market in September, a 7% increase over last year, with 984 new listings during the month.

How long are homes taking to sell?

The median time on the market in September was 74 days, compared to 70 days a year ago.

How do mortgage rates affect Tri-Cities buyers?

NETAR cited Freddie Mac data showing the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.4% for the week ending Oct. 8, versus about 6.3% a year earlier, adding roughly $220 a month on a $300,000 mortgage.

Source links

• Northeast Tennessee Association of REALTORS® — “More Homes, More Choices: What the Fall Housing Market Means for Northeast Tennessee,” Amy Mitchell (Oct. 18, 2026)
• City of Kingsport — Agendas and Minutes (Municode Meetings portal)

More from Kings of Real Estate

Related local news:

• Tri-Cities Home Prices Set to Hold Flat Through December, NETAR Forecast Says
• Kingsport Planners Hear Plainview Street Duplex Rezoning; Staff Flagged Land-Use Plan Mismatch
• Johnson City Planning Commission Weighs Keebler Meadows Phase 2 and 48-Lot Saxon Heights Tonight
• Washington County Lines Up $2.2 Million for Johnson City Water Lines and $500,000 for Baskette and Frank Stanton Roads

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