September's numbers are in, and Lake County's housing market is doing two things at once. Prices are still going up. Buyers are getting pickier about what they pay them for.

Here's the full September picture, what changed from a year ago, and what it means if you're thinking about selling before the holidays or buying this fall.

The median sale price was $409,990, up 5.3% from September 2025. Price per square foot rose a little faster, up 6.2% to $223.

If $409,990 looks low next to what you heard this summer, that's the calendar talking. The median peaked at about $435,000 in August and slid back in September, which is the usual fall pattern. Bigger, pricier homes tend to sell in spring and summer, when families are trying to move before school starts. Fall pulls the mix down.

Lake County had 1.9 months of supply in September. That's how long it would take to sell every home on the market if nothing new got listed. A balanced market is usually around five to six months. We're nowhere close.

Homes that sold spent an average of 31 days on the market, about four days faster than a year ago. They typically went under contract in about three weeks and sold for 99% of their original list price.

Here's the part that doesn't show up in the median. Showings per listing fell 12.9% from last year, and homes going under contract fell 7.6%.

Fewer people are walking through each house, and fewer of them are writing offers. The buyers who are still out there aren't panicking. They're comparing. A home that's priced right and ready to show still goes fast. A home that's overpriced, or one that needs work the photos politely avoided, is the one that sits.

New listings were down 4.6% from a year ago, and the total number of homes for sale was basically flat, up 0.2%. So supply isn't loosening up, and buyers aren't flooding in. Both sides are being a little more careful at the same time.

If you're thinking about selling before the holidays, pricing it right from day one matters more than it has all year. In a market where buyers are comparing more and touring less, the first two weeks are your best shot. Overprice it, and the buyers who would have paid a fair number just move on to the next house.

Want a starting point? Get a quick estimate of your home's value here. It's a starting point, not a price. I'll check it against what's actually selling near you.

You still won't find much on the shelf. But with fewer showings and fewer pending sales, you're likely to see less of a crowd than you would have a year ago. On homes that have been sitting, there may be more room to negotiate. On well-priced homes, expect to move about as fast as before.

The numbers tell you what the county is doing. They don't tell you what your house, or the one you want, is worth on your street this month. I'm happy to run that with you.

I work exclusively with buyers and sellers across Lake County, Illinois.

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And if you buy with me and aren't satisfied within the first year, the Home Buyer Protection Plan means I'll sell your home and waive my listing-side brokerage fee, provided you use me for your next purchase — a real safety net, in writing. And if you're the one selling first, the Easy Exit Guarantee lets you cancel your listing agreement at any time before an offer comes in — no penalties, no obligations.

This report covers communities including Grayslake, Libertyville, Gurnee, Winthrop Harbor, Wadsworth, Round Lake, Vernon Hills, Mundelein, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, North Chicago, Waukegan, Zion, and surrounding Lake County communities. Sources: MRED InfoSparks, Lake County single-family homes (detached and attached), September 2026 vs. September 2025. This is general educational information, not financial advice — talk with a real estate professional about your specific home or purchase.