Published November 1, 2026 in Market Update

Monmouth County inventory rose, but buyers still faced a tight market

By Vin Antonucci Realtor

Real estate, Monmouth County

Hi, I'm Vincent, your trusted real estate agent! Whether you're looking to sell your Monmouth County home, buy your first place here, or figure out what this market means for you, this post breaks down what actually happened in the three months ending August 31, 2026.

The one number that changes what sellers should do right now

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 949 homes for sale across Monmouth County in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up 7.1% from the same period in 2025. More competition on the shelf means pricing and prep matter more than they did a year ago.

At the same time, Realtor.com reported that active listings topped 1.16 million homes nationally in September 2026. The local rise fits a wider pattern. But Monmouth County supply is still far from balanced, as you will see below.

New listings barely budged, and pending sales fell

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,589 new listings across Monmouth County in the period. That is up just 0.4% from a year before. Sellers are trickling in, not flooding in.

Pending sales tell a quieter story on the buyer side. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,360 pending sales countywide, down 2.7% from the same months of 2025. Buyers are still active, but slightly fewer are signing contracts.

Mortgage rates added pressure for buyers

Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates surged above 7% for the first time since January 2025. That raises the monthly cost of any home in this county. It also helps explain why pending sales slipped even as more homes came to market.

Realtor.com also reported that price cuts hit 20.8% of listings nationally in September 2026, the highest share since October 2022. That has not fully shown up in Monmouth County prices yet, but it is worth watching if you are setting a list price.

Prices: most ZIP codes held up, a few dipped

Not every ZIP code moved the same way. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows Marlboro at a median sale price of $927,500, up 9.8% from a year ago. Holmdel came in at $1,115,888, but that was down 5.4%. Neptune slipped 7.7% to $600,000. Matawan fell 6.9% to $560,000. Prices are not all moving in one direction.

Speed to sale: some ZIP codes moved very fast

Middletown and Marlboro both sat at 16 median days on market, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Red Bank and Eatontown were at 17 days. Matawan took the longest at 37 days, up 19 days from a year before. That is a real gap within one county.

Sellers still got over asking in most ZIP codes

Even with more inventory, most homes sold above list price. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows Middletown at 105.2% of list price, the highest in the county. Morganville came in at 103%, Marlboro at 103.5%, and Holmdel at 103.9%. Freehold was the softest at 100.5%, still above list.

In Morganville, 70.7% of homes sold above list price, up 26.3 points from a year ago, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. In Middletown, 69.2% sold above list, up 13.6 points. Those are strong results. Not every ZIP told that story, though.

Supply stayed tight, especially in Middletown and Red Bank

The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows Middletown and Red Bank each at just 1.3 months of supply. Howell and Marlboro were at 1.9 months. Keyport had the most breathing room at 3.1 months. Under 3 months is generally considered a tight market, and most of Monmouth County sits well below that.

A closer look at a few ZIP codes

Freehold (07728) saw 205 homes sold, up 0.5%, with a median price of $622,999, up 8.3%, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Homes for sale rose 21.8%, but months of supply stayed at just 2.2. Pending sales fell 8.3%, a sign buyers pulled back a little.

Howell (07731) had 202 homes sold, up 17.4%, at a median of $675,000, up 4.9%, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Homes for sale there actually fell 13.2%, so more buyers chased fewer listings. Months of supply dropped to 1.9.

Neptune (07753) was one of the softer spots. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows the median price fell 7.7% to $600,000. Pending sales dropped 13.3%. More homes came to market, up 22.2%, which may have given buyers more room to negotiate.

What this means if you own a home here

Inventory rose 7.1% countywide, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That means your home has more competition than it did a year ago. Pricing close to market value and presenting the home well matters more now. Most ZIP codes still sold above list price, so the market is not soft. It is just less forgiving of overpricing.

What this means if you are buying

There is a bit more choice. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 949 homes for sale across the county, up from a year ago. But supply is still under 2 months in places like Middletown, Red Bank, Howell, and Hazlet. In those ZIP codes, you may still face competition. Realtor.com reported rates above 7%, which raises your monthly cost on any price point.

One street can read very differently from the whole ZIP code. If you want to know what is happening on your block, send me a note and I will take a look.

If you are looking for someone who knows Monmouth County street by street and gives you straight answers, look no further than me. Let me show you what your home is worth against what actually sold near you.