Realty Executives of Northern Arizona
Happy New Year! I hope your holidays held many blessings. We are grateful for being voted Best of Flagstaff for the 5th year! Your trust and commitment to me and Realty Executives of Northern Arizona is so appreciated.
Let's start 2026 with a brief analysis of our Flagstaff real estate market. The latest data for single family homes, condos, townhouses, and apartments shows a market that is steadily gaining momentum while remaining relatively balanced.
Market Metrics Snapshot
| Metric | Current Data |
|---|---|
| Months Supply | 5.7 months (MoM -15% · YoY +86%) |
| Median Sold Price | $735,000 (MoM +17%) |
| Sold-to-List Price Ratio | 98.11% (MoM +1%) |
| Median Days on Market | 68 days (MoM -7%) |
| New Listings | 84 |
| Active Listings | 355 |
| Pending Listings | 52 |
Months of supply currently sits at 5.7 months, down 15% from last month but up significantly year-over-year. This reflects a market that is tightening in the short term while still offering buyers more choices than this time last year. Overall, conditions are moving closer to balance, with neither buyers nor sellers holding a decisive advantage.
The median sold price increased to $735,000, representing a notable 17% rise from last month. This level of price movement suggests renewed buyer confidence and stronger demand, especially for well-positioned properties.
Homes are continuing to sell very close to asking price. The sold-to-list ratio of 98.11% indicates that sellers who price appropriately are achieving strong outcomes, and buyers may find less room for negotiation compared to earlier months.
Market pace is also improving. Median days on market declined to 68 days, reflecting more efficient transactions and a buyer pool that is acting with greater clarity and confidence.
Inventory activity shows 84 new listings coming to market, 355 active listings available, and 52 properties currently pending. With pending sales holding steady and new listings more limited, demand appears to be keeping pace with supply.
Overall, our market is entering a more confident phase. Sellers are benefiting from rising prices and quicker sales when homes are priced correctly. Buyers also have opportunities but should be prepared to act strategically. Nationally, Lawrence Yun, the economist for the National Association of Realtors, is forecasting a 14% increase in sales volume with a 4% increase in home prices. You can read the article here.
If you would like to discuss how these trends relate to your goals or your neighborhood, I would be happy to help. I'm only a phone call or email away.
Blessings,
Kim
Here are practical tips for pet-owning sellers to get their home showing-ready.
Pet owners often become “nose blind” to smells that visitors notice immediately. Before showings:
If odors are persistent, professional carpet cleaning or deodorizing treatments can be a worthwhile investment.
Whenever possible, remove pets from the home for showings and open houses. Even friendly animals can distract buyers, cause allergies, or make visitors uncomfortable. Options include:
If removal isn’t possible, confine pets securely to one area and clearly notify your agent.
Pet items can make a home feel less clean and more cluttered. Before each showing:
The goal is not to erase your lifestyle, but to help buyers imagine their own.
Buyers notice scratched floors, chewed trim, stained carpets, and damaged screens. Addressing these issues ahead of time can prevent negative assumptions about overall maintenance. Simple fixes include:
These improvements often pay off in stronger offers and fewer inspection objections.
Outdoor areas matter just as much as interiors. Before showings:
A clean, neutral yard helps buyers focus on space and potential—not upkeep concerns.
Barking, whining, or scratching during showings can quickly turn buyers off. Pets that react to doorbells or strangers can disrupt tours and shorten showing times. If pets must remain in the home:
There’s no need to hide that pets live in the home, but it’s best not to spotlight it. Avoid photos in listings that include pets or pet accessories. Neutral, clean visuals photograph better and appeal to a wider audience.
Selling a home with pets requires extra planning, but it doesn’t have to be stressful. By minimizing odors, clutter, and distractions, you create an environment where buyers can focus on the home—not the animals who live there.
With thoughtful preparation, pet-owning sellers can attract more buyers, stronger offers, and smoother transactions—all while keeping their furry family members comfortable during the process.
In today’s digital-first real estate environment, many clients begin their home search with Zillow. The Zestimate has become a familiar reference point, often shaping seller expectations and buyer perceptions before an agent ever enters the conversation. While Zestimates offer convenience, experienced real estate agents know they frequently miss the mark—and sometimes by a wide margin.
Understanding why Zestimates can be inaccurate helps agents educate clients, set realistic expectations, and reinforce the value of professional expertise.
Zillow’s Zestimate is generated by an automated valuation model (AVM) that analyzes public records, historical sales, and nearby comparables. What it does not do is walk through the home, evaluate workmanship, or understand buyer psychology.
Unlike agents, algorithms cannot assess condition, flow, natural light, curb appeal, or pride of ownership—factors that often determine how buyers perceive value and how aggressively they compete for a property.
Agents know that upgrades sell homes, but Zillow often doesn’t see them. A remodeled kitchen, new roof, upgraded HVAC, or high-end finishes may not be reflected in public data. As a result, homes with extensive improvements may be undervalued, while outdated or poorly maintained homes may appear overpriced online.
This disconnect is especially common in markets with older housing stock or where renovations are frequent.
Real estate is local—sometimes block by block. This is especially pertinent to the Flagstaff area. School boundaries, traffic patterns, views, zoning changes, national forests, and neighborhood reputation all influence value. Agents track these nuances daily; algorithms struggle to capture them.
In fast-moving or transitioning markets, Zestimates often lag behind reality. Agents see buyer demand, multiple-offer situations, and price adjustments in real time—long before those trends appear in an AVM.
Zestimates rely heavily on public records, which are often incomplete or inaccurate. Incorrect square footage, missing additions, wrong bedroom counts, or unrecorded improvements can significantly skew values. Even when homeowners claim their property and update details, the Zestimate may not meaningfully adjust.
Agents, on the other hand, verify data, measure homes, and reconcile discrepancies before pricing a property.
Custom homes, luxury properties, rural estates, historic residences, and mixed-use properties are notoriously difficult for automated models to price. With limited comparable sales, Zestimates become educated guesses at best.
Agents fill this gap by expanding comp criteria, adjusting for qualitative differences, and applying professional judgment—something no algorithm can replicate.
One of the biggest challenges agents face is helping clients separate online estimates from market reality. Sellers may anchor to a high Zestimate, while buyers may use a low one to justify unrealistic offers.
By explaining the limitations of Zestimates and presenting a data-backed comparative market analysis (CMA), agents reposition themselves as trusted advisors rather than salespeople.
Instead of dismissing the Zestimate outright, savvy agents use it as a conversation starter:
This approach builds credibility and demonstrates value through education.
Zillow’s Zestimate can provide a broad snapshot, but it cannot replace local expertise, on-the-ground insight, or professional analysis. Real estate agents bring context, accuracy, and strategy—qualities no algorithm can fully replicate.
For agents, the goal isn’t to compete with Zestimates, but to clarify their limitations and show clients why informed human judgment still matters most in determining a home’s true market value.
When you are looking for accurate, local information about the real estate market in Northern Arizona, come on in and see us or give us a call. Our office is proud to have been voted the Best Real Estate Agency/Company in Flagstaff for 5 years in a row. Let us show you what we can do together!
Realty Executives of Northern Arizona is honored to have been voted the Best of Flagstaff by voters through the AZ Daily Sun for 5 years in a row! And our Property Management division, 928 Rentals, has now been voted Best of Flagstaff a whopping 10 times!
Thank you for your confidence in our experience, professionalism, and in doing our very best to make your home sale or purchase a positive experience. We take pride in providing the best service, and look forward to continuing this tradition.
Exploring the Unique Flora and Fauna of Flagstaff, Arizona
Nestled at an elevation of 7,000 feet in the heart of northern Arizona, Flagstaff is a surprising ecological gem. Unlike the stereotypical image of Arizona’s desert landscapes, Flagstaff is surrounded by lush forests, alpine meadows, and volcanic peaks. This diverse environment, shaped by its elevation and proximity to the San Francisco Peaks, supports an array of flora and fauna that are unique to the region.
At higher elevations on the San Francisco Peaks, the landscape transitions to subalpine and alpine zones, where unique plant species like alpine avens and skyrocket gilia thrive in harsh, wind-swept conditions. Some of these species, like the San Francisco Peaks groundsel, are found nowhere else in the world.
Flagstaff’s varied habitats support an equally diverse range of wildlife. Iconic species include elk, mule deer, and black bears, all commonly spotted in the surrounding Coconino National Forest. The area is also home to more elusive creatures such as mountain lions, Mexican wolves (pictured) and gray foxes.
Birdwatchers will find Flagstaff a haven for unique and migratory birds. The Lewis's woodpecker, western bluebird, and peregrine falcon are frequently seen, and the region is a critical part of the flyway for many species.
One of the rarest and most unique inhabitants is the Kaibab squirrel (pictured), 
Flagstaff’s unusual mix of high elevation, volcanic soil, and protected wilderness makes it a biodiversity hotspot in the Southwest. Whether hiking the forested trails or exploring the alpine meadows of the San Francisco Peaks, visitors are sure to encounter an impressive array of plants and animals found nowhere else in Arizona—or even the world.
Ready to put down some roots in Northern Arizona? Come by the office or call to speak with a knowledgeable and friendly Realtor®!
Where the Experts are - Serving Flagstaff and Northern Arizona since 1977
 |
|
 |
