September is here, and the Vermont real estate market is beginning to settle into its fall rhythm.
If you’ve been following the market this summer, you’ve probably noticed an important shift: buyers are getting a little more breathing room.
More properties are coming onto the market compared with last year, homes are taking a little longer to go under contract, and buyers can be more selective than they were during the most competitive parts of the year.
But does that mean Vermont has suddenly become a buyer’s market?
Not quite.
Prices are still holding strong, inventory remains relatively constrained, and well-priced homes—especially single-family homes—are still moving quickly.
Here’s what the September numbers are telling us and, more importantly, what they mean if you’re considering buying or selling a home in Chittenden County and Northwest Vermont this fall.
Are Vermont Home Prices Starting to Fall?
Despite increasing inventory, home prices are not showing signs of a broad decline.
September’s median sales prices came in at:
- All properties: $576,500 — up 5.3% from last year
- Single-family homes: $644,500 — up 7.9%
- Condos: $390,000 — up 3.5%
The overall median sales price was also remarkably close to August, when it was $572,500. Single-family homes showed similar stability, moving from $640,000 to $644,500.
Condos tell a slightly different story.
The condo median dropped from approximately $446,000 in August to $390,000 in September. But that doesn’t necessarily mean individual condo values suddenly fell.
Monthly median prices can move significantly depending on the mix of properties that actually close during a particular month. If more lower-priced condos close one month and more higher-priced properties close the next, the median can change quickly.
The more important takeaway is this:
More inventory has not translated into falling prices across the broader market.
That’s an important distinction for both buyers and sellers heading into fall.
Are Homes Taking Longer to Sell in Vermont?
This is where September starts to look noticeably different from the summer market.
Overall median days on market increased from 7 days in August to 11 days in September.
Breaking it down further:
- Single-family homes: 7 days
- Condos: 18 days
For buyers, those extra days can make a meaningful difference.
Instead of feeling like you need to make a decision almost immediately after a home hits the market, you may have more opportunity to schedule a showing, ask questions, review the property carefully, and put together a thoughtful offer.
That doesn’t mean you can wait indefinitely.
A median of seven days for single-family homes is still an incredibly fast-moving market. The best homes can—and do—attract attention quickly.
But we’re seeing less frenzy and more selectivity.
For sellers, that makes pricing, preparation, staging, photography, and marketing even more important.
As buyers gain more choices, they’re also gaining the ability to compare those choices. An ambitious asking price or a home that doesn’t show well may be easier for buyers to pass over when another option is available.
Is More Inventory Finally Giving Vermont Buyers More Choices?
This continues to be one of the most encouraging parts of the market for buyers.
September brought 207 new listings, 20.3% more than last year.
That included:
- 134 single-family homes, up 24.1% year over year
- 73 condos, up 14.1% year over year
There were fewer new listings than August’s 267, but a month-to-month decline as we move from summer into fall isn’t the number I’m watching most closely.
The bigger story is the year-over-year improvement.
There are significantly more properties coming onto the market than there were a year ago.
For buyers who have spent months—or even years—frustrated by a lack of options, that’s meaningful progress.
More listings can mean a better opportunity to find a home that actually fits your needs instead of feeling pressured to pursue whatever happens to become available.
For sellers, however, it means something different.
You have more competition.
Simply putting a home on the market isn’t enough. As inventory improves, positioning your property correctly from day one becomes increasingly important.
Does More Inventory Mean Vermont Is Becoming a Buyer’s Market?
Not yet.
Months of supply gives us one of the clearest big-picture views of what’s happening.
September had 2.1 months of supply overall, up nearly 32% from last year.
By property type:
- Single-family homes: 2.0 months of supply
- Condos: 2.3 months of supply
Interestingly, overall supply hasn’t changed dramatically from August, when we had 2.2 months.
In other words, inventory isn’t suddenly flooding the market.
It’s gradually improving.
And that’s an important distinction.
More inventory does not automatically equal a buyer’s market. At just over two months of supply, buyers still aren’t choosing from an unlimited pool of homes.
What has changed is the intensity of the market.
Buyers have more choices and potentially a little more negotiating room than they had during the most competitive periods.
Meanwhile, sellers continue to benefit from relatively limited supply.
Think of it less as the market suddenly flipping from sellers to buyers and more as the playing field becoming a little more balanced.
Are Vermont Buyers Still Purchasing Homes This Fall?
Yes—but they appear to be becoming more selective.
September had 260 homes under contract, up 2% compared with last year.
The difference between property types is worth watching:
- Single-family pending sales: up 6.8%
- Condo pending sales: down 6.5%
Buyer activity has also cooled from the summer pace.
In August, there were 310 properties under contract, and both single-family and condo pending sales were up more than 13% year over year.
So there’s clearly been a shift.
But 260 properties under contract, with overall pending activity still ahead of last year, doesn’t suggest buyers have disappeared.
They’re still participating. They’re just being more selective.
And that may be the best way to describe Vermont’s fall real estate market:
More choice. A little more time. Continued demand for the right properties.
What Does the September Market Mean for Vermont Home Buyers?
If you stepped away from the market because you were exhausted by bidding wars, limited inventory, or the pressure to make immediate decisions, this fall may be worth another look.
The opportunity isn’t necessarily coming from lower home prices.
Instead, it’s coming from a market that gives you a little more room to make a smart decision.
You may have more opportunities to:
- Compare multiple properties
- Ask questions before writing an offer
- Evaluate a home’s condition more carefully
- Develop a thoughtful offer strategy
- Negotiate when a property has been sitting on the market
- Walk away from a home that simply isn’t the right fit
Competition certainly hasn’t disappeared, especially for desirable single-family homes.
But compared with the frantic pace we’ve experienced at other points in the market, buyers may finally have a little more leverage.
If you’re just starting the process, you can also read What Does the Home Buying Process Actually Look Like in Vermont? for a step-by-step look at preparing for a purchase.
What Does the September Market Mean for Vermont Home Sellers?
There is still plenty of encouraging news for sellers.
Prices remain strong.
Single-family homes are still moving quickly.
Buyer demand remains active.
And overall inventory is still limited.
But there’s an important difference heading into fall:
Buyers have more options.
That means sellers need to be increasingly thoughtful about how their home enters the market.
Pricing too aggressively and assuming buyers will compete simply because inventory is low can be a risky strategy as market times increase.
Preparation matters.
Presentation matters.
Marketing matters.
And pricing correctly from the beginning matters.
At Catalyst Realty Collaborative, our selling strategy focuses on Exposure, Staging, and Pricing to help a property stand out when buyers have multiple homes competing for their attention.
If you’re considering selling, you may also want to read When Is the Best Time to Sell My Home in Vermont? to understand how seasonality can influence your strategy.
So, Who Has the Advantage in Vermont’s Fall 2026 Real Estate Market?
The answer is becoming more nuanced.
Sellers still have an advantage because inventory remains limited—but buyers have more leverage than they did earlier in the year.
For buyers, more listings and slightly longer market times can create opportunities to slow down, evaluate your options, and potentially negotiate.
For sellers, strong prices and continued demand are still very positive signs, but success increasingly depends on presenting and pricing your property correctly.
This isn’t a slow market.
And it isn’t a buyer’s market.
It’s a more selective and gradually more balanced Vermont real estate market.
That’s a healthy change.
Thinking About Buying or Selling a Home in Vermont This Fall?
Market statistics are helpful, but they don’t tell you what your home is worth, how competitive your price range is, or what conditions look like in the specific Vermont community where you’re hoping to buy or sell.
Burlington, South Burlington, Essex, Colchester, Williston, Milton, and the surrounding communities can each behave differently depending on property type, price point, condition, and inventory.
That’s where having a local strategy matters.
If you’re considering buying, selling, downsizing, relocating, or simply wondering whether this fall’s changing market creates an opportunity for you, let’s talk about what these numbers mean for your specific situation.
Contact Catalyst Realty Collaborative to start the conversation and create a strategy built around your goals—not just the headlines.
Market data referenced in this update is based on Northwest Vermont REALTOR® Association market statistics.
