Del/Mar Coastal Housing Market Update — January 2026
Data Source: Bright MLS Weekly Market Report
Report Prepared by Square Feet Appraisals in Collaboration with Delaware Beaches Online
January opened with a slower, more balanced feel across the Del/Mar Coastal region. Sellers brought more inventory to market than buyers took off, and the “rush” pace of the last few years continued to ease. Negotiation is back on the table—and timing matters more than it used to.
The market in one table (Del/Mar Coastal)
| Metric | Jan 2026 | Jan 2025 | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed Sales | 514 | 555 | -7.4% |
| Median Sold Price | $410,000 | $421,900 | -2.8% |
| Median Days on Market | 61 days | 41 days | +20 days |
| New Pending Sales | 651 | 676 | -3.7% |
| New Listings | 775 | 839 | -7.6% |
| Active Listings | 2,898 | 2,594 | +11.7% |
| Months of Supply | 3.76 | 3.31 | +0.45 |
| Showings | 8,726 | 7,556 | +15.5% |
What stands out: the bigger story isn’t just fewer sales—it’s that homes took about three weeks longer to sell than last January, a pace that feels noticeably calmer than the post-boom sprint.
December to January: the seasonal swing (but still useful)
| Metric | Jan 2026 vs Dec 2025 |
|---|---|
| Closed Sales | -29.6% |
| Median Sold Price | -2.4% |
| Median Days on Market | +14 days |
| New Pending Sales | +35.3% |
| New Listings | +78.2% |
| Active Listings | +2.5% |
This is the typical January reset: fewer closings, a surge of new listings, and a bounce in pendings as buyers start re-engaging.
County-by-county snapshot
Sales, price, and speed
| County | Closed Sales (YoY) | Median Sold Price (YoY) | Median Days on Market (YoY) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset County, MD | 17 (-15.0%) | $249,900 (+31.5%) | 85 (+56) |
| Sussex County, DE | 312 (-7.7%) | $480,000 (+2.2%) | 72 (+29) |
| Wicomico County, MD | 76 (+7.0%) | $264,500 (-6.3%) | 48 (+14) |
| Worcester County, MD | 109 (-13.5%) | $407,500 (-8.7%) | 47 (+8) |
Buyer activity and new supply
| County | New Pending Sales (YoY) | New Listings (YoY) | Showings (YoY) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset County, MD | 23 (+35.3%) | 25 (+66.7%) | 233 (+12.0%) |
| Sussex County, DE | 402 (-6.7%) | 500 (-5.5%) | 5,255 (+16.9%) |
| Wicomico County, MD | 92 (+24.3%) | 92 (+8.2%) | 1,255 (+14.4%) |
| Worcester County, MD | 134 (-13.0%) | 158 (-24.8%) | 1,983 (+12.9%) |
Inventory and leverage (months of supply)
| County | Active Listings (YoY) | Months of Supply (YoY) |
|---|---|---|
| Somerset County, MD | 98 (-4.9%) | 4.90 (-0.25) |
| Sussex County, DE | 1,863 (+10.9%) | 3.73 (+0.37) |
| Wicomico County, MD | 291 (+34.7%) | 3.31 (+0.96) |
| Worcester County, MD | 646 (+8.6%) | 3.96 (+0.46) |
Notable note: Wicomico showed the strongest January “momentum” among the counties—higher closed sales, higher pendings, and more new listings than last year.
Property types: who’s holding up, and who’s slowing down?
One table summary
| Segment | Closed Sales (YoY) | Median Price (YoY) | Median DOM (YoY) | Active Listings (YoY) | Months Supply (YoY) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detached | 367 (-6.1%) | $391,000 (-1.9%) | 59 (+19) | 2,045 (+15.9%) | 3.72 (+0.55) |
| Attached/Townhomes | 78 (+1.3%) | $450,000 (+2.3%) | 63 (+8) | 402 (+8.6%) | 3.79 (-0.23) |
| Condos | 69 (-20.7%) | $472,500 (-2.4%) | 68 (+36) | 451 (-1.7%) | 3.92 (+0.47) |
What it means in plain language
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Detached homes: slightly fewer sales and slightly softer pricing, paired with more inventory—buyers can be choosier.
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Townhomes: the steadiest segment this month—sales and pricing improved year-over-year, even with longer marketing time.
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Condos: the softest segment—sales fell sharply and days on market jumped the most.
What this means right now
If you’re buying
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You’re shopping in a market that’s less frantic and more negotiable than the past few years.
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With days on market up, you’re more likely to have room for inspections, credits, and realistic price conversations.
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If you’re condo-shopping, you’re seeing the most visible slowdown compared to last January.
If you’re selling
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Pricing and presentation matter more, because buyers have more options (active listings are up).
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Expect a more measured timeline—this isn’t a “list Friday, accept Sunday” environment in many pockets.
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Be ready to negotiate cleanly: repairs, credits, and terms may be part of the deal again.
Outlook heading into spring
The Del/Mar Coastal market is trending toward balance. Marketing times should improve seasonally as spring approaches, but the overall pace is still likely to feel more measured than recent years—meaning leverage is more evenly shared, and negotiation will matter on both sides.