Published October 25, 2026 in Market Update

Ocean County sales rose even as more homes came on the market

By Vin Antonucci Realtor

Real estate, Ocean County

Hi, I'm Vincent, your trusted real estate agent! Whether you're looking to sell your Ocean County home, buy your first place here, or figure out what the market is doing on your street, this post is for you.

The one fact that changes what a homeowner should do right now: inventory is up. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 680 homes for sale across Ocean County in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up 11.7% from the same months of 2025. More choices for buyers means your home has to earn its price.

The good news: buyers did not disappear. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 751 homes sold across these Ocean County ZIP codes in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up 7.9% from a year before. Sales grew even as inventory grew.

Nationally, Realtor.com reported active listings topped 1.16 million homes for sale in September 2026. That is the same story playing out here: more supply, but demand holding on.

Realtor.com also reported that 20.8% of listings nationally had their price reduced in September 2026, the highest share since October 2022. That is a signal. Homes priced too high are sitting. Homes priced right are still moving.

How each ZIP code read in the three months ending August 31, 2026

Toms River (08753) was the busiest area. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 245 homes sold there, up 10.9% from 2025. The median sale price came in at $560,000, up 6.7%. Homes sold in a median of 24 days, one day faster than a year before. Buyers paid 100.3% of list price on average.

A notable detail: 40% of Toms River (08753) homes sold above list price, up 4.2 points from 2025. That is 2 in 5 homes going over asking. Price right and you could land there too.

Brick (08723) saw 142 homes sold, up 9.2%. The median price dipped a little, down 1% to $520,000. Homes moved in 22 days, three days faster than last year. Still, the share of homes going under contract within two weeks fell 8.7 points to 26.6%. Buyers have a bit more time to decide.

Brick (08724) had 188 homes sold, up 1.6%. The median price also slipped 1% to $499,750. Homes sold in 20 days, the fastest of all six ZIP codes covered here. Buyers paid 100.8% of list price on average, unchanged from 2025.

Toms River (08755) showed a real price dip. The Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median sale price at $432,500, down 8.4% from 2025. But 110 homes sold, up 11.1%. Pending sales jumped 29.6%. Buyers are active here; they are just paying less per home.

Ocean Gate (08740) is a small market. Only 15 homes sold, unchanged from 2025. The median price rose 5.6% to $449,000. Homes sold in 23 days, eight days faster than a year before. Supply stayed tight at 1.8 months.

Seaside Heights (08751) told a different story. The median price jumped 24% to $837,000. But homes sat for a median of 67 days, 20 days longer than 2025. Only 19.6% sold above list price. Buyers are paying up for the right home, but they are taking their time.

What the national picture adds

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices rose 2.6% from July 2025 to July 2026. Month over month in July, prices were up 0.3%, seasonally adjusted. Ocean County's busiest ZIP codes are outpacing that national pace.

Realtor.com reported mortgage rates surged above 7% for the first time since January 2025. That raises the monthly cost for buyers. It is a real headwind. But pending sales across Ocean County still rose 6% from a year ago, so buyers are still moving.

What this means for sellers and buyers

More homes on the market means buyers have options. That is a change from a year ago. If you are selling, pricing to what homes actually closed at matters more now. The data shows homes priced right are still getting full price or better in most ZIP codes.

If you are buying, you have slightly more room to look. But supply is still well under six months in five of the six ZIP codes here. That is still a seller-leaning market overall.

One last thing: these numbers cover whole ZIP codes. One street can read very differently from the ZIP code around it. If you are looking for someone who knows how your block compares with the rest of Ocean County, look no further than me. Let me show you what the data says about your specific address.