Pending Home Sales Climb 4.0% in August, Signaling Momentum Ahead

National Context (Quick Recap)

• In August, new contracts on existing homes (pending sales) rose 4.0% compared to July, and were up 3.8% year-over-year.

• The increase suggests renewed buyer activity, helped in part by modestly lower mortgage rates and the fact that pending sales lead closings by 1–2 months.

• But a caveat: pending doesn’t always mean closed — deals can fall through due to inspections, financing, or other hurdles.

Western Washington / State Trends You Should Know

• Western Washington (the NWMLS coverage area) has experienced some softness in pending sales compared to previous years. Pending sales reportedly dipped about 4% year-over-year, pointing to cooling or headwinds in buyer demand. Windermere Real Estate

• On the supply side, Washington has seen rising inventory: active listings in the state are up ~16.6% year-over-year, reaching ~34,319 homes. Redfin

• That increased supply gives buyers more options and a bit more leverage in negotiation, especially in areas where competition had been fierce. Redfin+1

So while the national trend is showing momentum, locally the markets are more patchwork: pockets of strength, pockets of softness, and some markets sliding.

Local Markets: Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, Island

Here’s what the data (and trends) are showing more specifically in your core areas:

Whatcom County

• In August 2025, median sale prices were down ~6.0% from the prior year, landing at ~$630,000. Redfin

• Homes are taking a bit longer to sell: average days on market is ~26 days vs ~15 days a year ago. Redfin

• Volume is lower: 257 homes sold in August vs 281 last year. Redfin

• Bottom line: The market is cooling. Buyer interest is not collapsing, but the stronger competition we saw a year ago is easing.

Snohomish County

• For September, data shows 975 homes pending and 883 closings, with inventory at ~2.1 months (down slightly from August’s 2.2). That’s still well under a balanced 4–6 months. themadronagroup.com

• In earlier months (June 2025), Snohomish had 7,801 pending listings, about a 1.97% increase year-over-year — though month-to-month pendings declined ~5.4% from May. Amy Wagner – Prime Listings Group

• In August 2025, the median home sale price in the city of Snohomish was ~$735,000, down ~3.0% from the prior year. Redfin

• Days on market have extended: homes are staying listed longer. Redfin

• Interpretation: Demand remains, but pricing pressure is creeping in. The pendings-to-closings ratio suggests some contracts are still making it over the finish line.

Skagit & Island Counties

• Skagit in particular has shown strength in prior years: as of March 2025 data, it was one of the counties with among the largest year-over-year increases in pending sales in NWMLS territory. Northwest Multiple Listing Service

• Island County also made the list that month, with pending sales up ~35.4% year-over-year (among the strong-performers) per NWMLS March snapshot. Northwest Multiple Listing Service

• That said, later in the year, trends may have rebalanced (i.e. stronger spring, softer summer). I suggest checking local MLS and sales reports for August/September to see whether those early-year gains are holding.

What This Means 

• Buyers locally: There’s a window opening. In Whatcom and Snohomish, competition is easing just enough that buyers may be able to negotiate more than they have in recent years. But be ready — if mortgage rates move in your favor, some markets (like Skagit or parts of Island) might see renewed heat quickly.

• Sellers locally: Pricing aggressively and staging well will be critical. The days of simply listing and seeing multiple offers are less guaranteed, especially in Whatcom. But in markets like Skagit or parts of Island, you could still see strong results if demand stays steady.

• For your marketing / content: Use comparisons like “Nationwide pending sales up 4.0%, local pendings holding steady / easing slightly” — it shows your audience you’re reading both macro and micro signals. Highlight that in many of your service areas, homes are staying longer on market.

• Watch these moving pieces:

  1. Closing rates — how many pendings actually convert

  2. Mortgage rates — small shifts can swing sentiment

  3. Local supply — if listings keep rising, pressure increases

  4. Seasonality — we’re heading into fall; markets tend to cool anyway
     
     
     Click HERE to read the full article from National Association of Realtors