August 2026 Market Action Report: Portland Metro and Yamhill, Polk and Marion Counties
- The McCreith Team
- Aug 11
- 5 min read
From Portland Metro to the Willamette Valley, July began to show signs of a buyer's market, and there is a lot in these numbers worth paying attention to.
August is here and the summer numbers are in. July brought the expected mid-summer moderation, a few metrics softened from June's peak, but the year-over-year story is where the real picture lives. Here is what the latest RMLS data tells us, and what it means for buyers and sellers right now.
PORTLAND METRO
The Numbers At A Glance
• Closed Sales: 2,167 ▲ 8.1% vs July 2025
• Pending Sales: 2,133 ▼ 2.0% vs July 2025
• New Listings: 3,004 ▲ 2.5% vs July 2025
• Average Sale Price: $632,500 ▲ 1.7% vs July 2025
• Median Sale Price: $555,000 — Flat vs July 2025
• Inventory: 3.3 months ▼ 0.4 vs July 2025
• Total Market Time: 54 days — Fastest of 2026
Do not let the month-over-month dip fool you. Yes, pending sales were down 12.5% from June and closed sales slipped 4.2%, but that is July being July. The summer season always softens slightly after June's peak, and this year is no different. The number that matters is the year-over-year comparison: closed sales were up 8.1% over July 2025. The market is outperforming last year, consistently, month after month.
What stands out most in the July data is not any single number, it is the consistency. Closed sales are up 5.0% year-to-date. Pending sales are up 4.4% year-to-date. The market is not sprinting, but it is steady and it is moving in the right direction.
The other number worth a close look: total market time dropped to just 54 days, the fastest pace of 2026 so far. Even with July's natural seasonal softening, homes are selling more quickly than at any other point this year. That is a signal about underlying demand, and it is one sellers should take seriously heading into fall.
Prices are holding their ground. The average sale price of $632,500 is up 1.7% over last year, and the rolling 12-month average is up 0.4%. The median is flat at $555,000, not falling, not racing ahead. This is a stable price environment, which is exactly what you want in a healthy market.
One price band worth noting: the $600K–$700K range posted 326 closings in July, up meaningfully from 287 in July 2025. Move-up buyers are active, and that segment of the market is gaining share. If your home is priced in that range, the buyer pool is deeper than it was a year ago.
Inventory ticked up to 3.3 months, slightly more breathing room than June's 3.1, but still well below last July's 3.7. A note for Yamhill County: 100 homes closed in July with an average sale price of $632,200 and a 54-day market time. The rolling average sale price is up 1.9% year-over-year, and the YTD median sits at $484,500. Yamhill County continues to hold steady, and for buyers who have been priced out of closer-in Portland markets, it deserves a serious look.
POLK & MARION COUNTIES
Note: RMLS serves as a supplementary MLS for Polk and Marion Counties, so these figures reflect meaningful but not complete market activity.
The Numbers At A Glance
• Closed Sales: 187 ▼ 6.0% vs July 2025
• Pending Sales: 216 ▼ 8.5% vs July 2025
• New Listings: 363 ▲ 8.7% vs July 2025
• Average Sale Price: $484,300 ▲ 4.5% vs July 2025
• Median Sale Price: $460,000 ▲ 3.4% vs July 2025
• Inventory: 4.8 months ▲ 1.0 vs July 2025
• Total Market Time: 63 days ▼ 7 days vs June 2026
July in Polk and Marion was a tale of two headlines, and both of them matter. On one side, closings and pending sales softened compared to last year. On the other side, prices are up meaningfully year-over-year, market time improved from last month, and the rolling 12-month average sale price is up 2.4%, the strongest rolling appreciation we have seen in this market all year.
The rolling 12-month average is up 2.4% in Polk and Marion. That is the long-term trend line, and it is pointed up. Monthly figures bounce around, a slow July does not erase a strong spring. The fundamentals here are positive.
More supply came to market in July, new listings climbed 8.7% over last year and 9.3% over June. Inventory reached 4.8 months, which gives buyers more options than they have had in recent months. But it also means sellers are competing with more listings for the same pool of buyers, and pricing strategy matters more than it did six months ago. Market time dropped 7 days from June to July, from 70 days to 63. Buyers who find the right home are still moving decisively.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
For Sellers:
July's 54-day market time in Portland Metro is not an accident. Homes that are priced correctly and prepared well are moving, even in a month when the market traditionally slows. If you have been waiting for the right time to list, the data suggests fall is worth a serious conversation. Polk and Marion sellers: more inventory means your competition is real. Price it right on day one.
For Buyers:
Growing inventory & more motivated sellers is good news for you. You have more options and slightly more time to be thoughtful. In Portland Metro, the window is still tight, 3.3 months of inventory is not a buyer's market, and well-priced homes are still moving quickly. But we have seen more concessions in recent weeks as motivated sellers act decisively to get their properties sold. Have your financing in order and your priorities clear. Be ready to act quickly if the right home comes available, and strategically if you find one that has more days on market.
For Everyone:
This is a rational, normal market. It follows seasonal patterns, responds to pricing, and rewards preparation. It is a market that rewards strategic sellers and prepared buyers. It is a market where skilled negotiations are key to getting a home through to closing.
LET'S TALK
Whatever stage of the process you are in, thinking about listing, actively searching, or just trying to understand what these numbers mean for your home's value, we are happy to have that conversation. No pressure. Just real guidance from people who know this market deeply.
Amy McCormick, Principal Broker
503-310-7803 | amy@thebellacasagroup.com
Catherine Summers, Principal Broker
971-219-9858 | catherine@thebellacasagroup.com
Joni McCreith, Principal Broker
503-310-5613 | joni@thebellacasagroup.com
Molly Barajas, Principal Broker
503-310-4267 | molly@thebellacasagroup.com
Source: RMLS Market Action Report, July 2026 Reporting Period. © RMLS 2026. All Rights Reserved. Statistics are deemed reliable but not guaranteed. RMLS is a supplementary MLS for Polk and Marion Counties; data does not reflect the entire market for those areas.
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