Boise Housing Market Update: July 2026 Home Prices, Inventory & What’s Changing
- Sarah Breck
- 2 days ago
- 9 min read
The Boise housing market entered the second half of 2026 with an interesting combination: higher home prices, stronger year-over-year sales activity, fewer homes for sale than last summer, and continued strength in new construction.
Meanwhile, the larger economic picture has become less predictable. Mortgage rates have moved higher, inflation is again influencing Federal Reserve policy, and foreclosure activity is increasing nationally.
So, is the Treasure Valley housing market shifting toward buyers or sellers?
The answer isn't quite that simple.
July's numbers show a market that is still moving—but increasingly rewards buyers and sellers who understand the differences between price points, locations, property types, and new versus existing homes.
Here's what happened in the Boise and Ada County real estate market in July 2026, and what I'm watching as we head toward fall.
Ada County Home Prices Reached $602,000
The median sales price for a single-family home in Ada County reached $602,000 in July 2026, according to Boise Regional REALTORS®.
That's an increase of 9.5% year over year and 3.4% from June.
Breaking the market down further:
All single-family homes: $602,000 median sales price
Resale homes: $600,000
New construction: $609,900
Resale prices increased 9.1% year over year, while new-construction prices increased 9.4%.
The countywide median also increased approximately $20,000 in July alone, continuing an upward trend we've seen since January.
Homes between six and 20 years old experienced some of the largest increases. Homes aged six to 10 years increased approximately 9%, while homes aged 11 to 20 years increased about 8%.
Does This Mean Boise Home Values Increased 9.5%?
Not necessarily.
This is an important distinction when looking at housing-market statistics.
A 9.5% increase in median sales price does not mean every Ada County home appreciated by 9.5%.
Median price is influenced by the types, locations, sizes, and price points of homes that sold during a particular period.
But the larger trend is still significant: despite affordability pressures and higher mortgage rates, increased housing inventory has not translated into falling median prices in Ada County.
Boise-Area Home Sales Increased From Last Year
Ada County recorded 947 single-family home sales in July, an increase of 4.8% compared with July 2025.
Resale activity increased 7.5% year over year, while new-home sales declined slightly by 1%.
However, compared with June, total sales decreased 8.4%.
That gives us two important pieces of information.
The market was stronger than it was during the same period last year, but activity slowed from the previous month.
There were also noticeable differences between individual Treasure Valley communities.
Star was the only Ada County city to record an increase in homes sold during July, with nine additional sales. Kuna experienced the largest proportional decrease, with sales falling 19%.
Homes more than 30 years old experienced the largest decline in sales, while Boise accounted for most of the older homes that sold.
Pending Home Sales Jumped 17.3%
One of the strongest indicators in July wasn't closed sales. It was pending sales.
Ada County ended July with 1,383 homes pending sale, up 17.3% from the previous year.
Resale pending sales increased 13.3%, while new-construction pendings increased an even stronger 20.7%.
And there's another number buyers should pay attention to:
56% of Ada County Pending Sales Were New Construction
More than half of the homes pending sale at the end of July were new homes.
In Kuna, that percentage reached an extraordinary 82%.
This continues to demonstrate how important new construction has become to the
Treasure Valley real estate market.
For buyers, it also means comparing a new home with a resale property requires more than looking at list prices.
Builders may offer:
Mortgage-rate buydowns
Closing-cost incentives
Design or upgrade credits
Move-in-ready inventory discounts
Preferred-lender incentives
Those incentives can sometimes make a more expensive new home surprisingly competitive on a monthly-payment basis.
That doesn't automatically make new construction the better purchase. It means buyers should compare the entire financial package, rather than simply comparing asking prices.
Ada County Housing Inventory Is Down 10.1% From Last Year
Here's one of July's more surprising statistics.
Ada County ended the month with 1,976 single-family homes for sale.
Inventory increased slightly—just 0.4%—from June.
But compared with July 2025, housing inventory was actually down 10.1%.
Resale inventory declined 11.7% year over year, while new-construction inventory declined 8.3%.
And new homes continue to represent a significant portion of the homes buyers see when searching the Boise area.
Approximately 46% of Ada County's available inventory was new construction, with another 10% consisting of homes five years old or newer.
Much of that new-construction inventory is concentrated in Eagle and Meridian.
Is Boise Currently a Buyer's or Seller's Market?
Ada County currently has approximately 2.4 months of housing supply.
A traditionally balanced real estate market is generally considered to have around four to six months of supply.
By that measure, Ada County remains below balanced-market territory.
But I wouldn't translate that into "it's a seller's market, so sellers can do whatever they want."
Today's buyers are highly payment-conscious and much more selective about condition, location, updates, and price.
Homes that are well positioned can still sell relatively quickly.
Homes that aren't? Buyers have become increasingly comfortable passing them by.
That's why pricing strategy and presentation still matter, even with relatively limited inventory.
How Long Does It Take to Sell a Home in Boise?
The average days on market for Ada County homes that sold in July was 34 days.
That's 10.5% faster than a year ago, although 6.3% longer than the previous month.
The difference between resale and new construction was significant:
Resale homes: 27 average days on market
New construction: 48 average days on market
Older homes also performed surprisingly well.
Homes more than 81 years old averaged only 15 days on market, compared with 39 days for homes between six and 10 years old.
Homes in Eagle generally remained on the market longer than homes in other Ada County cities.
This is why asking, "How long does it take to sell a house in Boise?" doesn't have a particularly useful one-number answer.
Your neighborhood, price point, condition, home age, competition, and proximity to new construction can dramatically change the answer.
Mortgage Rates Are Complicating the 2026 Housing Market
While the local Boise market remained resilient in July, the national interest-rate environment became less comfortable.
Renewed inflation pressure has shifted the Federal Reserve conversation away from potential rate cuts and toward the possibility that additional rate increases could be necessary.
Mortgage rates recently reached approximately 6.58%, their highest levels in nearly a year.
It's important to remember that the Federal Reserve does not directly set mortgage rates.
Mortgage rates are influenced by the bond market, inflation expectations, economic conditions, and expectations surrounding Federal Reserve policy.
For Boise homebuyers, the bigger lesson is that waiting for the "perfect" interest rate can be a difficult strategy.
If you're planning to buy, I recommend understanding what comfortably works within your budget at today's rate.
If rates eventually decline, refinancing may become an option. But I wouldn't structure a home purchase around the assumption that substantially lower rates are guaranteed.
Interestingly, even with elevated mortgage rates, Ada County pending sales were still up more than 17% year over year in July.
People are moving.
They're simply having to be more strategic about how they do it.
Foreclosures Are Increasing—and Idaho Stands Out
Foreclosure activity is another housing indicator worth watching.
More than 227,000 U.S. properties received foreclosure filings during the first half of 2026, an increase of 21% compared with the same period in 2025.
That represents the highest foreclosure activity since 2019.
However, context matters here.
Current foreclosure levels remain well below those experienced during the 2008 housing crisis.
Part of the increase appears to reflect a return toward more typical foreclosure patterns following pandemic-era protections, which temporarily pushed foreclosure activity unusually low.
At the same time, increasing foreclosures may indicate growing financial pressure among some homeowners.
The average foreclosure timeline has also decreased to 563 days, the shortest since 2013.
Idaho had a particularly notable statistic.
Among states recording at least 500 foreclosure filings during the first half of the year, Idaho experienced the largest year-over-year increase at 59%.
A large percentage increase doesn't automatically mean Idaho has a foreclosure crisis, particularly when increases begin from comparatively low levels.
But it's a trend worth monitoring alongside mortgage rates, inflation, household finances, and local housing affordability.
Could Idaho Get a Major Nuclear Energy Innovation Campus?
Housing isn't the only Idaho story I'm watching.
The U.S. Department of Energy selected Idaho, Utah, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Louisiana as finalists for potential nuclear-energy innovation campuses.
The proposed campuses could support research and development across the nuclear fuel cycle, including fuel production, enrichment, recycling, waste disposal, and advanced reactor technologies.
The larger federal goal is to increase U.S. nuclear generating capacity from approximately 97 gigawatts in 2025 to 400 gigawatts by 2050.
The DOE estimates the broader project could potentially generate 25,000 jobs, attract $50 billion in private investment, and produce $10 billion in local tax revenue.
The number and final locations of the campuses have not yet been determined.
So this is firmly in the worth watching category rather than something I'd incorporate into a home-value calculation today.
But large employment and infrastructure investments can have meaningful long-term implications for housing demand, which makes Idaho's inclusion notable.
Idaho Ranch Properties Continue to Command a Premium
Another fascinating real estate trend is happening in ranch properties.
Ranches have become one of the fastest-appreciating segments of the U.S. housing market.
The national median ranch listing price reached approximately $769,750 in June 2026, an increase of 112% over the past decade.
For comparison, home prices overall increased approximately 66% during the same period.
And Idaho is heavily represented among America's most expensive ranch markets.
The Jackson, Wyoming-Idaho metro has the country's highest median ranch listing price at nearly $7.9 million.
Idaho Falls and Hailey also rank among the country's five most expensive ranch markets, while Blaine County, Idaho, has a county-level median ranch listing price of approximately $7 million.
Of course, a multimillion-dollar ranch near Hailey doesn't determine the value of a suburban home in Meridian.
What it does illustrate is the continued premium buyers are placing on land, privacy, recreation, and lifestyle-oriented properties throughout Idaho and the Mountain West.
Gem County Approves 393-Acre Gravel Mining Project
Closer to the Treasure Valley, Gem County commissioners approved a 393-acre gravel mining project near Star Lane in Emmett in July.
The project, proposed by Granite Excavation, faced opposition from residents concerned about traffic, dust, wildlife, and potential effects on nearby property values.
Commissioners ultimately approved the project for a planned operating period of approximately 20 years.
After mining operations conclude, the developer plans to build roughly 40 homes on the property.
For buyers considering acreage or more rural communities surrounding Boise, this story provides a useful reminder:
The land around your property matters, too.
A beautiful open field today isn't necessarily guaranteed to remain an open field.
When helping relocation buyers evaluate properties, I encourage them to look beyond the house itself and understand surrounding zoning, planned developments, infrastructure, road projects, and neighboring land uses.
That due diligence can be particularly important in rapidly growing areas of the Treasure Valley.
What Does the July 2026 Boise Housing Market Mean for Buyers and Sellers?
July's numbers point to a Boise housing market that remains surprisingly resilient.
Home prices increased.
Closed sales were higher than last year.
Pending sales increased significantly.
Inventory remained below 2025 levels.
And Ada County still had only about 2.4 months of housing supply.
But that doesn't mean the market is easy.
For Boise Homebuyers
Higher mortgage rates mean affordability and financing strategy matter tremendously.
Buyers should be comparing resale homes against builder incentives, evaluating the true monthly cost of different options, and identifying where negotiating leverage actually exists.
There are opportunities—but they're not identical across Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Star, and Kuna.
For Boise Home Sellers
Limited inventory is helpful, but it isn't a substitute for good positioning.
Buyers are selective, payment-conscious, and paying close attention to condition and value.
Pricing correctly from the beginning, preparing the property thoughtfully, and understanding your immediate competition still matter.
For Buyers Relocating to Boise
The Treasure Valley is becoming increasingly segmented.
Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Star, Kuna, and the surrounding communities offer very different combinations of housing stock, new construction, commute patterns, amenities, lifestyle, and future development.
That's why I recommend choosing the area and lifestyle first, rather than beginning with whichever house happens to look prettiest online.
The countertops are rarely the complicated part.
Planning a Move to Boise, Idaho?
If you're considering moving to Boise or relocating to the Treasure Valley, I have two resources designed to make the research process considerably easier.
Boise Relocation Playbook
If you're coming to Boise for a short visit before deciding where to live, my 48-Hour Boise Scouting Guide is designed to help you compare communities strategically rather than spending two days driving somewhat aimlessly around subdivisions.
If you'd like personalized guidance on buying, selling, or relocating to the Boise area, you can also reach out directly.
Sarah Breck | Real Broker
Boise & Treasure Valley Real Estate
208-918-0265
Market statistics referenced in this article are based on July 2026 Ada County single-family home data from Boise Regional REALTORS® and Intermountain MLS.
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