Catskills Real Estate Inventory: Still Tight

I always like to start the year by looking at the statewide numbers from NYSAR to see where the broader market is heading. January 2026 gives us a pretty clear signal: activity is down, prices are up, and inventory is still tight.

Here’s the straight breakdown comparing January 2026 to January 2025.

📉 Sales Activity Slowed

Closed Sales

• January 2026: 7,304

• January 2025: 7,893

• Change: ▼ 7.5%

Pending Sales

• January 2026: 5,972

• January 2025: 6,321

• Change: ▼ 5.5%

New Listings

• January 2026: 8,468

• January 2025: 9,133

• Change: ▼ 7.3%

My take

This is classic higher-rate behavior. Fewer owners are listing, and fewer deals are getting into contract. From what I’m seeing on the ground here in the Hudson Valley, many sellers are still “rate-locked” into their old mortgages and sitting tight.

Less new inventory coming on is the key piece to watch.

💰 Prices Continue to Climb

Median Sales Price

• 2024: $400,000

• 2025: $415,000

• 2026: $445,000

That’s a strong year-over-year jump despite slower sales.

My take

This surprises some people, but it makes sense. When listings drop faster than demand, prices tend to hold or rise. Well-priced homes — especially move-in ready ones — are still moving quickly in many parts of the state.

In the Hudson Valley specifically, I’m still seeing:

• Clean, updated homes → strong interest

• Unique older homes with character → niche but active demand

• Overpriced or heavy-project properties → sitting longer

🏠 Inventory: Catskills Real Estate Inventory: Still Tight

Homes for Sale

• 2024: 23,550

• 2025: 23,626

• 2026: 22,986

Inventory actually ticked down slightly in 2026.

My take

We are not back to a balanced market yet. Even though buyer activity cooled, supply hasn’t meaningfully expanded. Until inventory builds in a sustained way, price pressure will likely remain.

🔍 What This Means Going Forward

From where I sit in the Catskills and Hudson Valley market:

For sellers

• Pricing correctly still matters more than ever

• Turn-key properties have the advantage

• The market is less forgiving of overpricing than in 2021–2022

For buyers

• There is a bit more breathing room than peak frenzy years

• But desirable homes can still move fast

• Doing the homework on value is critical right now

Bottom Line

January 2026 shows a market that is cooler in activity but still firm on pricing.

• Sales: down

• Listings: down

• Prices: up

• Inventory: Catskills Real Estate Inventory: Still Tight

In my view, we’re in a selective market, not a weak one.

If you're watching the Hudson Valley or Catskills specifically and want a hyper-local read, I’m happy to share what I’m seeing street by street.

New Name to Catskills Nomad

Heather and I recently made a name change for our website — from We Know Homes to Catskills Nomad — and the reason is pretty simple.

While the old name worked, it was often mistaken for a home improvement or contractor site. And although I bring a strong construction background to the table, our focus has always been real estate and helping people navigate the Hudson Valley and Catskills market with real local insight.

Catskills Nomad better reflects what we actually do and where we do it — rooted in the local area, lifestyle-focused, and closely connected to this community.

Same people. Same nuts-and-bolts approach. Just a name that fits the mission better.

— Jürgen Beneke Hudson Dwellings Realty