Published October 25, 2026 in Market Update

More homes are selling in Monmouth County, but buyers have a bit more choice

By Vin Antonucci Realtor

Real estate, Monmouth County

Hi, I'm Vincent, your trusted real estate agent! Whether you're looking to sell your home, buy your first place, or just understand what the market is doing, this post is for you. Here is what the numbers say for the three months ending August 31, 2026.

The one number that matters most right now

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,414 homes sold across Monmouth County in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up 5.2% from the same months of 2025. Buyers are still showing up. That is the clearest thing the data says.

Inventory is up, and that changes things a little

The Real Estate Data Aggregator also counted 949 homes for sale across these ZIP codes. That is up 7.1% from a year before. More choice for buyers does not mean sellers are losing ground. It means the market is a little more balanced than it was.

Nationally, Realtor.com reported active listings topped 1.16 million homes for sale in September 2026. Monmouth County's inventory rise fits that same pattern. More homes coming to market is normal at this stage of the year.

One honest admission: pending sales dipped

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,360 pending sales across Monmouth County, down 2.7% from the same period in 2025. Pending sales are homes under contract but not yet closed. A small dip there is worth watching. It does not cancel the sales gain, but it is a real signal.

Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates surged above 7% for the first time since January 2025. That kind of rate makes some buyers pause. It may explain part of the pending dip.

How each town is reading differently

The county number tells one story. Each ZIP code tells its own. Here is a look at median sale prices and days on market across the towns covered.

Holmdel led on price at $1,115,888, though the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows that figure was down 5.4% from a year before. Marlboro hit $927,500, up 9.8%. Matawan's median dipped 6.9% to $560,000. Not every town moved the same direction.

Middletown and Marlboro tied for the fastest median at 16 days. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows Middletown's pace actually got 1 day shorter than last year. Matawan took the longest at 37 days, which was 19 days longer than the same period in 2025. That is a real shift worth knowing if you own there.

Where sellers are getting the most over asking

The Real Estate Data Aggregator tracked what share of homes sold above list price in each town. Morganville led at 70.7%, up 26.3 points from 2025. Middletown was close at 69.2%, up 13.6 points. Those are the towns where competition among buyers was sharpest.

The national picture adds context

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices rose 2.6% from July 2025 to July 2026. Several Monmouth County towns are running ahead of that pace. Freehold was up 8.3%, Marlboro up 9.8%, Red Bank up 13.2%.

Realtor.com also reported that price cuts hit 20.8% of listings nationally in September 2026, the highest since October 2022. That is a national figure, not a Monmouth County count. But it is a reminder that pricing a home right matters more now than it did a year ago.

If you're looking for someone who knows Monmouth County street by street and can tell you exactly where your home stands, look no further than me. One street can read very differently from the ZIP code around it. Text me your address and let's look at your specific block together.