January’s Tri-Cities home sales were up 7.9% from last year, and the median sales price of $270,000 is down 3.54% from last year.

 The sales momentum was driven almost entirely by stronger activity in homes priced below $300,000. . A total of 534 homes sold, up from 495 sales last year, according to the Northeast Tennessee Association of Realtors (NETAR).

While the market is not accelerating broadly, it remains functional and price-disciplined, with buyer activity clearly centered around attainable price points. Affordability was the primary driver of sales velocity in January.

The year-over-year sales gain was concentrated in the affordable market segment, defined as homes priced between $160,000 and $299,999. Sales in that range climbed to 230 transactions, up from 189 a year earlier, a 21.7% increase.

Affordable homes represented 43.1% of all January sales, up from 38.2% last year.

Sales in the move-up market – homes priced between $300,000 and $499,999 – rose modestly to 164 transactions, up from 154 last year. That segment accounts for roughly 31% of total sales this year and 2025.

Luxury homes priced at $500,000 and above posted a decline. Sales in that category fell to 61 units, down from 68 last year.

Overall demand, as measured by the time a home is on the market before selling, declined last month. Some of that can be attributed to unseasonable weather and seasonality.

January’s new listing were up 18.8% and the active inventory is 16% better than it was this time last year. There’s 3.45 months of inventory on the market. That’s how long it would take to sell everything on the market at January’s sales pace.  

Overall, January’s performance points to a housing market that is expanding at a measured pace, with growth increasingly concentrated in attainable price ranges.

Affordable homes represented 43.1% of all January sales, up from 38.2% last year.

Sales in the move-up market – homes priced between $300,000 and $499,999 – rose modestly to 164 transactions, up from 154 last year. That segment accounts for roughly 31% of total sales this year and 2025.

Luxury homes priced at $500,000 and above posted a decline. Sales in that category fell to 61 units, down from 68 last year.

Overall demand, as measured by the time a home is on the market before selling, declined last month. Some of that can be attributed to unseasonable weather and seasonality.

January’s new listing were up 18.8% and the active inventory is 16% better than it was this time last year. There’s 3.45 months of inventory on the market. That’s how long it would take to sell everything on the market at January’s sales pace.  

Overall, January’s performance points to a housing market that is expanding at a measured pace, with growth increasingly concentrated in attainable price ranges.