September's numbers are in for Greene, Webster and Christian counties, and they tell a clear story: prices are inching up, homes are selling slightly faster, and inventory is holding near balanced territory. Here's what the data means whether you're buying, selling, or staying put.

• Median sold price: $285,000 - up 3.6% from September 2025
• Average days to contract: 38 - about a day and a half faster than a year ago
• Homes sold: 551 - up 6.8% year over year
• Homes for sale: 2,386 - down 2.7%
• Months of inventory: 3.3 months - close to a balanced market
• Sale-to-list price (no price cuts): 98.9%
• 30-year fixed mortgage rate: 7.40% (Freddie Mac, week ending Oct 15)

The takeaway

The most important number in September's report isn't the median price, it's the gap between homes priced right and homes that weren't. Homes priced correctly from day one went under contract in about 18 days at nearly full asking price. Homes that needed a price cut sat for roughly 81 days and sold for 90.7% of their original price, an 8% cut and two extra months on the market.

For sellers: The pricing conversation happens before the sign goes in the yard, not after your third quiet week. In this market, wishful pricing doesn't get tested, it gets punished.

For buyers: At 3.3 months of inventory, buyers have the most breathing room they've seen in years: more homes to choose from, fewer bidding wars. But well-priced homes still move in under three weeks, so patience is a strategy, not an excuse to sleepwalk. Know your must-haves, get pre-approved, and be ready to move when the right one lists.

Staying put? If you're not going anywhere, September was still good news: the median sold price is up 3.6% year over year, which means your home equity kept growing while you did nothing. That's the quiet wealth-building most homeowners forget they're doing. 🤝

The bottom line

This is a market that rewards preparation and punishes guesswork, on both sides of the transaction. Sellers who price to the data move in weeks, buyers who prepare first move with confidence, and owners who simply hold are building wealth in the background.

Thinking about a move in 2027? Know your number before the spring rush does. Get a free, no-pressure home evaluation or call/text 417-501-5091.

Sources: BrokerMetrics (SOMOMLS), Greene/Webster/Christian counties residential, September 2025–September 2026. Data deemed reliable but not guaranteed.