Published October 6, 2026 in Market Update

One part of the market is moving fast, even with more listings

By Penny Daniels

Real estate, Primary market

Rates are up. Listings are up. And yet one part of the North Country is still moving. That is the headline from the three months ending July 31, 2026.

Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.28% as of October 1, 2026. That is the first time rates have crossed 7% since January 2025, according to Realtor.com. Higher borrowing costs are real. Buyers feel them every month.

Even so, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 72 homes sold in ZIP 12901, which covers much of the Plattsburgh area, in the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is up 33.3% from the same three months in 2025. Sales went up while rates went up. That is worth noting.

The pipeline looks strong too. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 90 pending sales in ZIP 12901 for the same period, up 21.6% from a year before. Pending sales tell you what is coming next. A pipeline that large says serious buyers are still active.

Supply is up, but 12901 is still tight

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 58 homes for sale in ZIP 12901 and 92 new listings in those three months. More choices for buyers. But 2.5 months of supply is still well below what most markets call balanced. Nationally, the National Association of Realtors reported 4.9 months of supply, the highest in over ten years. Locally, 12901 is nowhere near that loose.

Homes are taking a little longer. The median days on market in ZIP 12901 was 31 days, which is 19 days longer than the same period in 2025. That is a real change. Sellers should plan for it. But 31 days is still a reasonable timeline for a well-prepared home.

About 23.3% of homes in ZIP 12901 went under contract within two weeks of listing, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is down 36.2 points from a year ago. So the fastest sales are less common than they were. But nearly 1 in 4 homes still moved in two weeks. That tells you the right home, priced right, still finds a buyer quickly.

The rest of the market tells a different story

Not every ZIP code in this market looks like 12901. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 184 homes for sale and 235 new listings across the full primary market in the same three months. Supply varies a lot by location.

ZIP 12932, which covers the Keeseville area, had 27.6 months of supply, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is a very different picture from 12901. ZIP 12950 had 15.3 months. ZIP 12993, in the Westport area, had 7.2 months. These are slower markets where buyers have more time and more choices.

ZIP 12962, which covers the Chazy area, had just 3.3 months of supply and a median of 9 days on market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 60% of homes there going under contract within two weeks. That is the tightest pace in the data. ZIP 12944 had 3.6 months of supply and homes selling in a median of 20 days, 16 days faster than a year ago.

What this means if you are buying

Rates at 7.28% (Freddie Mac) change what you can afford. Run your numbers before you start looking. Know your ceiling.

In ZIP 12901 and ZIP 12962, good homes are still moving fast. Being pre-approved and ready to move is not optional in those areas. In the slower ZIPs, you have more time to think. Use it to check things like flood zone status on water-adjacent properties and cell coverage at the property itself. Those details matter here.

If you are looking in or near the City of Plattsburgh, ask about municipal electric. City homes often use electric heat and cooling with no separate fuel bill. That can offset some of the sting from higher rates. City taxes may be higher than Town of Plattsburgh taxes, but the utility picture is different too. It is worth comparing both sides before you decide.

If you are looking at properties in Essex County, especially near the water or in more rural areas, check Adirondack Park Agency rules before assuming what you can do with the land. Building, subdividing or expanding is not always straightforward.

What this means if you are selling

Nationally, Realtor.com reported that 20.8% of listings carried a price cut in September, the highest share since October 2022. That is a national number, not a local one. But it is a reminder that pricing matters more now than it did a year ago.

In ZIP 12901, the average sale price was 96.3% of list price, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That means sellers are getting close to asking, but not over it the way they were. In ZIP 12932, the average was 89.3% of list. The gap between those two numbers is the difference between a well-priced home in a tight market and an overpriced home in a slow one.

Homes in ZIP 12944 are selling in a median of 20 days, and a third of them sold above list price, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is a strong result. It came from homes that were prepared and priced to match what buyers are actually paying right now.

One thing worth knowing: these are ZIP code numbers. Your street can read very differently from the ZIP as a whole. A few sales in a small area can shift the averages. What matters most is what homes like yours, in your specific neighborhood, are actually doing right now.