Published October 18, 2026 in Market Update

Staten Island inventory is down, but buyers are not chasing every listing

By Chris DiToro

Real estate, Staten Island

The three months ending August 31, 2026 told a story worth reading carefully. Inventory fell sharply, but buyers did not panic. That changes what pricing your home well actually means.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 203 homes sold in ZIP 10314 in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up 4.6% from the same months of 2025. Sales are moving. But only 26.1% of those homes sold above list price, down 10.5 points from a year before. That is the number that matters most right now.

Nationally, Realtor.com reported that 20.8% of listings had price cuts in September 2026, the highest share since October 2022. Mortgage rates climbed above 7% for the first time since January 2025, according to Realtor.com. Buyers everywhere are being more careful. Staten Island is showing the same pattern.

Inventory dropped, but buyer pressure dropped too

The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows only 167 homes were for sale, down 27.1% from a year ago. You would expect that tighter supply to push buyers into bidding wars. It mostly did not. The share of homes going under contract within two weeks of listing fell 28.6 points, to just 6%, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Buyers have fewer choices, but they are taking their time.

Prices held, but the edge shifted toward buyers

The Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median sale price in ZIP 10314 at $741,250, up 1.1% from a year before. Prices did not fall. But the average home sold at 98.9% of its list price, down 0.3 points from last year. Small move, but it points the same direction as the above-list-price story.

Pending sales tell a quieter story too. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 199 pending sales, down 15% from the same period in 2025. Fewer buyers are locking in. That is worth knowing before you set a price.

What this means if you are selling

A year ago, pricing a little high and waiting for a bidding war was a real strategy. It worked for more sellers. Today, with only about 1 in 4 homes selling above list, that approach carries more risk. The median home still sold in 34 days, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Homes priced well are still moving.

Fannie Mae, as reported by CNBC on October 14, 2026, forecasts the 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 7.4% in the fourth quarter of 2026 and 7.5% through 2027. Rates at that level keep some buyers on the sideline. That is a real part of the picture.

What this means if you are buying

Supply is still tight at 2.5 months, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. You will not find a flood of options. But the drop in above-list sales and the slower pace of contracts suggest there is more room to talk than there was a year ago. Not on every home, but on more of them.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices rose 2.6% from July 2025 to July 2026. Nationally, values are still climbing, just more slowly.

These are ZIP code numbers. One block, one street, one home type can read very differently from the whole ZIP. A condo near the SIR station in Mid-Island is a different conversation from a semi-attached on the South Shore. If you want to know what the numbers say about your street, reach out.