Peak Season: Summer 2026 Residential Market Update
Navigating the Local Real Estate Market in North Idaho
School is out and summer has finally arrived!
The rivers are running and the snow is off the mountains. The flowers are in full bloom and birds are flitting around everywhere, fighting their way to the feeders. Our corner of the world feels wide awake again. There is nothing quite like a day on the Moyie River. The air is warm, the water is cold, and the current carries you away until a rock jars you back to reality. It is always fun and invigorating, the kind of afternoon that leaves you feeling completely alive and utterly exhausted. But the high country is my special place. A drive up any of our high mountain roads opens up to top-of-the-world views, meadows scattered with wildflowers, and clear alpine lakes like at Roman Nose. The higher you climb, the more the trees change, growing tall and thin, then bending and twisting into shapes only the wind, snow and thirst for sun creates. From up there, the whole valley spreads out below you.
Between mountain biking, kayaking, swimming, and fishing, there is no shortage of ways to fill a summer day here. This year the season feels even bigger. Bonners Ferry is getting ready to celebrate the Fourth of July and America’s 250th birthday with a parade, food and vendors, games, live music, finishing off of course with a humongous fireworks display. We hope you and your family come out and enjoy it with us.
Summer is a busy season in real estate too. Sellers are hard at work getting their properties ready and on the market, and this is the time of year when out-of-town buyers start visiting to see what North Idaho living is all about. If you are thinking about a move, or simply curious what your home might be worth, we are here to answer any questions and to help however we can. Thank you for staying connected with us. It is an honor to serve this community we call home.
Summer is when North Idaho comes alive, and Boundary County is no exception. This year the market looks different than it did at its peak. There are more homes to choose from, a bit more time to decide, and prices have leveled off after several years of steep climbs.
A Market Rebalancing
The frenzy is behind us. Residential sales peaked back in 2021 at 283 closings; over the past twelve months we have seen about 150. At the same time, inventory has built back up. There are currently 98 active residential listings in the county, which works out to roughly 7.8 months of supply. That is a real shift toward buyers, who finally have room to compare, negotiate, and make thoughtful decisions instead of rushed ones.
Prices & Time on Market
Prices have cooled gently from their high, not collapsed. The county median sold price reached $484,048 in 2025 and is running near $432,500 so far in 2026, still well above pre-2020 levels but a clear cooling from the post-COVID peak. Homes are taking a little longer to sell, a median of 82 days this year versus 70 last year. Well-priced homes that show beautifully still move; overpriced ones tend to sit.
Interest Rates: Steadier Than the Headlines
Much of this balance comes down to rates. After climbing past 7% back in 2023, 30-year fixed rates have settled into the mid-6% range this summer, a bit lower than a year ago, when they were closer to 6.8%, unfortunately they are up a bit from the dip near 6% earlier this year. For buyers who have waited on the sidelines, today’s rates are more workable than the headlines suggest.
Boundary County Snapshot: Residential
• Median Sold Price: $484,048 (2025) - $432,500 (2026 YTD, 68 sales)
• Closed Sales (2025): 144 (past 12 months: ~150)
• Active Listings: 98 (19 under contract)
• Months of Supply: ~7.8
• Median Days on Market: 82 (up from 70 in 2025)
• 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate: ~6.5% national average (down from ~6.8% a year ago)
What It Means Right Now
This market rewards preparation on both sides. Buyers have more choices and leverage than they have had in years, and sellers who price right from day one and present well still do very well. As always, we are happy to talk it through, no pressure, just honest guidance.
