David Olson Real Estate Report

Prices are still rising, gently

• September median: $342,000, up 1.5% year over year.
• Year-to-date median: $346,500, up 6%.
• In the Northeast region the median rose 3.1% to $330,000.

Price growth has cooled from the pace of recent years, but Wisconsin prices are still moving up, not down.

Fewer sales, more listings

• Existing-home sales fell 2.4% from September 2025; year to date, sales are up 2.8%.
• Total listings rose 3.8% while new listings fell 5.1%.
• Rising rates may keep some would-be sellers from listing, according to the Wisconsin REALTORS Association.

Supply: city tight, country balanced

• Statewide: 4.4 months of supply, up 2.3% from a year ago. Six months is considered balanced.
• Large metropolitan counties: 4 months, the tightest in the state.
• Micropolitan counties: 4.5 months. Rural counties: 6.1 months.

In western Wisconsin, within a few hours of the Minnesota border, the gap between small-town and lake-country supply is where buyers find room to negotiate.

Cost to own

• The average 30-year fixed rate was 6.86% in September, up 51 basis points over 12 months and the highest since January 2025.
• Housing affordability fell 5.5% over the past year.

Before you buy, price the whole picture: rate, taxes, insurance and the condition of the house. As a builder, I can help you see the repair and update costs behind the listing price.