It’s July. What can we expect from the Seattle-area housing market this month?
I’ve always assumed the real estate market slowed down in July as people headed out to enjoy the Pacific Northwest summer. It turns out the data tells a different story.
Based on analyzing when homes go pending—the point at which an offer is accepted and therefore a better reflection of real-time market activity—July is actually the fifth busiest month of the year for homes going under contract over the past five years. In fact, about 9% of all homes that go under contract during the average year do so in July.August and September are nearly as active, suggesting that the Seattle-area housing market remains surprisingly busy throughout the summer.
Chart 1: Total homes going pending by month over the past five years.
Chart 2: The same data, ranked from busiest month to slowest.
I was also curious about when homes go pending during July. Is activity stronger at the beginning of the month or the end? Surely almost no homes go under contract on the Fourth of July, right?
Actually, activity increases after the Fourth of July. Even more surprising, an average of about 13 Seattle-area homes have gone pending on Independence Day itself over the past five years before the pace picks up noticeably following the holiday. Apparently, plenty of buyers and sellers are still making real estate decisions while everyone else is celebrating.
Chart 3: Average homes going pending by day during the month of July (past five years).
Summary
If you’re planning to buy or sell this summer, don’t assume the market is taking a vacation. While spring receives most of the attention, the data suggests July, August, and September remain active months for Seattle-area buyers and sellers. In other words, there are still plenty of opportunities for both buyers and sellers well after the traditional spring market has passed.
Methodology
- Includes all homes listed for sale in the NWMLS that went pending in Seattle between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2025.
- Duplicate listings (approximately 10% of listings) were consolidated into a single listing to improve data accuracy.
- Off-market sales were not included.
About RobInSeattle.com
I am a licensed Realtor® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Northwest Real Estate and work alongside Larissa Wilson, a top-producing Realtor® with nearly 20 years of experience serving Seattle, Bellevue, and Burien. Through RobInSeattle.com, I publish independent, data-driven analysis of the local housing market to help buyers and sellers better understand what’s happening in our region. Contact me at RobMathison@bhhsnw.com.
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