📊 Mid-Year Market Check: How Long Island Real Estate Is Trending Heading Into Summer 🏡
A mid-year look at the Long Island real estate market — home prices, mortgage rates, and inventory trends across Nassau and Suffolk County. See where the market stands heading into summer 2026.
Thomas Brady
6/23/20262 min read
We're officially past the halfway point of 2026, and if you're thinking about buying or selling on Long Island, now's a great time to take stock of where things actually stand. No hype, no scare tactics — just the numbers, straight from OneKey MLS and Freddie Mac. 📈
💰 Home Prices: Record Highs on Both Sides of the Island
Nassau County: Median single-family sale price hit $890,000 in May 2026 — a new all-time record, up 9.9% year-over-year from $810,000. Prices also climbed $38,000 just from the prior month.
Suffolk County: Median single-family sale price reached $718,500 in May 2026 — up 4.1% year-over-year from $690,000, landing just $1,500 shy of Suffolk's own all-time record.
Bottom line: both counties are still appreciating, and appreciation has actually stayed stronger than many expected heading into summer. 🏠
🏦 Mortgage Rates: Holding Relatively Steady
As of Freddie Mac's most recent weekly report (week ending June 18, 2026):
30-year fixed rate: 6.47% — down from 6.52% the week before
15-year fixed rate: 5.81% — also down slightly from the prior week
Rates have been easing modestly in recent weeks, with Freddie Mac's chief economist pointing to improving retail sales and strengthening pending home sales as signs of steady, if unspectacular, purchase demand. Compared to a year ago, when the 30-year averaged 6.81%, today's rates are meaningfully lower — a real difference if you've been sitting on the sidelines waiting for relief. 💭
📦 Inventory: Still Tight, Homes Moving Fast
Across Nassau and Suffolk combined, there were 5,987 active listings at the end of May 2026 — essentially flat month-over-month, but 8% below May 2025.
2,465 homes went under contract in May 2026, up 12.6% year-over-year — a clear sign buyers are still active despite limited choices.
Suffolk homes are selling in an average of 28 days — down 30% from April — while Nassau homes are moving even faster, averaging just 30 days.
Both counties are selling above asking price on average (Nassau at 100.8%, Suffolk at 102.1% sale-to-list ratio).
Translation: this remains a strongly seller-favorable market, with well-priced homes moving quickly and often fielding multiple offers. 🔥
🔑 What This Means for You
If you're selling: Tight inventory and record pricing are working strongly in your favor right now, especially for move-in-ready homes. Homes are selling in under a month on both sides of the island — pricing correctly from day one matters more than ever when the market is moving this fast.
If you're buying: Rates have eased a bit from where they've been — worth checking in with a lender to see how that shifts your numbers. Getting fully pre-approved (not just pre-qualified) and being ready to move quickly on well-priced homes is still the winning strategy in this market.
📍 The Long Island Difference
One thing worth remembering: Long Island doesn't always follow national trends. We're a land-constrained, supply-constrained market with steady commuter and lifestyle demand — which is part of why our prices have kept setting records even as some other parts of the country have softened. 🌊
Have questions about what this means for your specific situation — whether you're thinking about listing your home or starting a search? I'm happy to walk through the numbers for your neighborhood specifically. 📞
Thomas Brady 🎖️
SFR, e-PRO, SRES, BPOR, C-REPS
Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker / Director of Operations
Notary Public | Retired N.Y.P.D. Lt. | U.S. Air Force Veteran
📍 Vintage American Realty LLC
1551 Montauk Hwy, Suite E
Oakdale, NY 11769
📞 631-682-8660
📧 TomBradyHomes@Gmail.com
🌐 VintageAmericanRealty.com
Data sourced from OneKey MLS and Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey, current as of mid-to-late June 2026.
Vintage American Realty, LLC
Vintage American Realty, LLC is licensed in the State of New York
office: 631.319.4564
broker: 631.816.0719
info@vintageamericanrealty.com
1551 Montauk Hwy, Ste E
Oakdale, NY 11769
Long Island, NY
