The July numbers are in, and the Longview area real estate market continues to show signs of cooling from the fast-paced market we experienced a few years ago—but that doesn't mean homes aren't selling. In fact, 85 homes closed in July, up 21.4% from July 2025, and the median sales price increased 5.4% year over year to $281,500. There were 340 active listings during July, with 5.1 months of inventory, down slightly from June's 5.3 months. Taken together, these numbers point to a market that is still active but increasingly requires both buyers and sellers to be strategic.

The number I'm watching especially closely is days on market. Homes averaged 74 days on the market before going under contract, followed by another 36 days to close. That's a total of 110 days from listing to closing—30 days longer than July 2025. That trend matters. We're seeing overpriced homes sit, price reductions occur, and some contracts fall apart before reaching the closing table. For sellers, the lesson is pretty straightforward: pricing a home correctly from the beginning matters. A property that spends months accumulating days on market can become harder to sell as buyers begin wondering why it hasn't sold.

Price point continues to make a major difference. The $200,000–$299,999 range accounted for 42.7% of July sales, while another 25.6% occurred between $300,000 and $399,999. Combined, that's 68.3% of all activity between $200,000 and $399,999. Sellers in this range are sitting in the most active portion of our market, but that shouldn't create a false sense of security. Buyers still have choices, and an overpriced home can sit even in a strong price range. Above $400,000, activity drops considerably: 11% of sales were between $400,000 and $499,999, 6.1% between $500,000 and $749,999, and there were no reported sales at $750,000 or above during July.

At the other end of the market, buyers looking below $200,000 face a very different challenge. Only 14.7% of July's sales activity occurred below that price point—4.9% below $100,000 and 9.8% between $100,000 and $199,999. If you're shopping in this range, being prepared matters. There simply aren't as many homes changing hands, so when a well-maintained, appropriately priced property comes available, buyers should be ready to act. Depending on the property, multiple offers can still happen even in a market where homes overall are taking longer to sell.

My overall view is that the Longview market has certainly cooled from the frenzied pace we saw a few years ago. Properties are sitting longer, we're seeing price reductions, and buyers have regained some negotiating power. But it's certainly not all doom and gloom. Homes are still selling. Sellers simply don't get to ask buyers for a blank check anymore. Price appropriately—I'd even say competitively—and be willing to negotiate. A buyer may ask for assistance with closing costs or other concessions. Those requests are negotiable, but sometimes a reasonable concession is exactly what gets a home sold.

Whether you're buying or selling, the best advice I can give is to sit down with a knowledgeable local Realtor before making decisions based solely on headlines or national real estate news. Talk about what's actually happening in your price range, what you should realistically expect, and develop a strategy for accomplishing your goals. There are still opportunities in this market for both buyers and sellers—the strategy just looks different than it did a few years ago. If you're considering making a move in the Longview area, I'm always happy to sit down, look at the numbers with you, and talk through your options.