Today's Market News:
Do Data Centers Make Good Neighbors?
The appearance and construction of new data centers — buildings that provide homes for data storage and servers — often causes concerns for their potential neighbors, and the agents who assist them with buying and selling homes.
Some homeowners don't want them nearby, with concerns about noise, pollution, and stress on the area's electricity grid. However, data centers also provide employment for IT technicians, skilled mechanical and electrical tradespeople, and facility managers.
Recent research has produced some mixed findings. A May 2026 working paper released by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that data center growth increased house prices and employment opportunities, but also increased electricity rates. However, another study found that data centers reduced property prices by 6.8% for homes closer than 14 kilometers (just over 8 1/2 miles) to the facility.
If you have listings near an existing or planned data center, the following may affect the data required to prepare an accurate CMA.
Will their new home be subject to nonstop noise, bright lights or traffic? In a worst-case scenario, there may be a planned or actual lawsuit filed by homeowners against the data center's owners.
Plans for new data centers. Confirm whether the site is proposed, approved, or under construction.
Comps should compare distances. Compare similar nearby homes with properties farther from the data center facility, including price changes and seller concessions.
Review recent MLS activity. Be ready to share data with your buyers that include days on market and price reductions.1
Here's Your Property Pricing Regional Update
Data from First American Data & Analytics found that home price growth slowed for the third consecutive month in July. While home prices increased 1% from July 2025, they declined 0.5% from June 2026 on a non-seasonally adjusted basis. The annual increase was slightly below the 1.2% pace recorded a year earlier.
Something to keep in mind: these numbers may not translate to a broad price correction. A closer look at the data finds that weak demand is colliding with sharply different levels of available inventory. In addition, price corrections are occurring in markets where buyers have more inventory and leverage, with sellers in some markets seeing rising prices.
Chicago, IL recorded the strongest annual appreciation among the 30 metropolitan areas tracked by First American, with prices rising 6.4%. Pittsburgh followed with a 5.1% increase. At the other end of the market, Austin, TX recorded the largest annual decline at 2.9%, while prices fell 2.5% in Dallas, TX.2
Housing Market Continues Shift to Buyers
The trend towards a buyer's market continues this summer. Sellers outnumbered buyers by 51% in July, while the number of buyers in the market fell to a record low of about 967,000. This means that there are around half a million fewer buyers than sellers (currently 1,463,000).
Nearly 80% of major metropolitan areas are now buyer's markets. Miami comes in first, with 154% more sellers than buyers. Nashville, Tennessee and some of Texas' largest metro areas — including Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston — are also buyer's markets.
Most buyer's markets got even friendlier in July, with 34 of 39 metros seeing bigger seller surpluses, led by Miami, FL, Seattle, WA and Fort Worth, TX.
Currently, only six metro areas are considered seller's markets led by New York City suburbs. Nassau County, NY was the strongest seller's market, with 36% fewer sellers than buyers. The other seller's markets were Newark, NJ (-21%), Providence, RI (-17%), Milwaukee, WI (-15%), New Brunswick, NJ (-13%) and Montgomery County, PA (-13%).3
Landmaxxing Gaining Ground with Luxury Homeowners
You may have already spotted a new word within the luxury homebuying scene: landmaxxing.
Words using -maxxing began popping up last year to describe important goals that are being prioritized. For example, people who pursue an oceanfront lifestyle are beachmaxxing, while bears prepare for hibernation by salmonmaxxing. Some buyers of luxury homes have begun landmaxxing — buying adjacent lots or neighboring homes so they can create a single compound.
Landmaxxing is becoming more popular as it gives the homeowner more control over what's next to their own homes. It preserves scenic views while providing more privacy and security. It also can provide additional acreage for expanding a current home for multigenerational purposes or building a guest home.
Want to learn more about financing for prospective landmaxxing buyers? Contact me to learn more.4
NAR Announces This Year's NAR NXT Venue
Guest speakers include Ryan Serhant, Reba McEntire and Cotality's John Rogers. You'll also be able to check out over 200 specialized vendors at this top networking opportunity.
If you or your team have a tech product or service that can improve the industry, you can apply to compete in the NAR NXT Pitch Battle November 7th.
Attendees may choose from over 20 hotels near the Convention Center when registering for the event.5
Sources: 1theclose.com, 2nationalmortgageprofessional.com, 3redfin.com, 4thestreet.com, 5narnxt.realtor.
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