Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed the holidays with your loved ones and are heading into 2026 feeling refreshed and excited for the year ahead.
As we kick off the new year, I wanted to share that I’ll be sending out a short weekly email to our friends, past clients, and referral partners with real insight into what we’re seeing in the housing market. From time to time, I may also spotlight local businesses and community spots we support - so you can support them too. My goal is to keep you informed without overwhelming you.
Before we look ahead, here’s a quick recap of how 2025 wrapped up.
We entered 2025 still in a seller’s market, but by April/May we saw a noticeable shift toward a more balanced market - and in some price points, even a buyer’s market (buyer’s market means that buyers are able to negotiate more on price, incentives, etc). This shift especially benefited first-time homebuyers, who gained more negotiating power on price, closing costs, and terms.
For move-up buyers - those selling their first home to purchase something larger due to family or lifestyle changes - the market created a fair trade-off. Homes that they were selling that were priced correctly for their condition and competition sold without issue, while purchasing as buyers, they were able to negotiate more on the purchase side due to the state of the market.
Here’s how 2025 played out locally:
Coweta County
- Homes listed: up 3.4%
- Homes sold: 2,209 total (very stable year-over-year)
- Average sales price: up 3% to $472,300
- Average days on market: increased from 42 to 52 days
Fayette County
- Homes listed: up 17.1%
- Homes sold: up 1.7% (1,448 total)
- Average sales price: up 3.3% to $589,764
- Average days on market: increased from 32 to 39 days
Carroll County
- Homes listed: up 13.9%
- Homes sold: up 4.7% (1,507 total)
- Average sales price: up 0.2% to $331,748
- Average days on market: increased from 43 to 53 days
Troup County
- Homes listed: up 27.9%
- Homes sold: flat at 805 total
- Average sales price: up 0.9% to $284,407
- Average days on market: increased from 45 to 58 days
*If you do not see your county listed here, reach out to us and we would be glad to send those stats over to you!
The reason you saw increases in sales prices was because more homes were listed and more sellers were aggressive on pricing. The days on market (this means that this was the average it took for a home to go under contract once it was listed) increased for two reasons - 1) There were more homes for buyers to choose from since listing inventory increased and 2) Sellers were still not adjusting their pricing based on the market conditions so they overpriced and had to reduce which therefore caused their home to sit on the market longer.
As we look toward 2026, I don’t expect major interest rate cuts in the first half of the year. That said, rates have steadily declined since early 2025 (they started close to 7% and ended in the 5%’s), and depending on credit score, debt-to-income ratio, and lender, many buyers can currently lock in rates in the mid-5% range. I would be cautious about headlines you hear in the news - rates vary greatly by borrower and the lender that they choose - be sure to always choose a local lender that understands your local market and has a great relationship with agents in the area.
I also don’t expect home prices to drop significantly. However, if rates happen to fall further, we’re likely to see a surge of buyers who have been waiting on the sidelines. More buyers means more competition, higher prices, and less room to negotiate.
Right now, buyers typically have more leverage - often negotiating price and closing costs. If rates drop, that leverage shifts. In my opinion, 2026 presents one of the best purchasing opportunities we’ve seen in years.
This is also still a great time to sell, especially if you’ve built up equity. Many sellers are able to sell for strong prices and then negotiate more on the buy side - making it a win-win. If you purchased prior to the end of 2021, you are probably sitting on a gold mine - location and price point dependent.
If you’d like to talk through how this market impacts you specifically or want a deeper look at your home value, feel free to reach out and we can set up a call. 😊
Warmly,
Alexis Anderson
Owner of Anderson Real Estate Group
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