The Tri-Cities market is signaling strength.

The clearest signal of where the housing market is headed isn’t found in closed sales – it’s in pending contracts. That number just climbed to 729 homes under contract, up from 620 last year. That’s a 17.6% surge in buyer activity. It’s also the third straight month it has outperformed its pre-pandemic index, and the annualized pending-sales trend.

This isn’t a random spike, according to the Northeast Tennessee Association of Realtors (NETAR). Pending sales are signed contracts, meaning they operate as a 30–60-day preview of future closings. When pending volume rises at this scale, stronger final sales typically follow. In effect, the market is saying that momentum has shifted back in favor of sustained demand.

Slow Start, Then a Breakout

The trend did not happen overnight, according to the Northeast Tennessee Association of Realtors (NETAR). The first two months of 2025 showed modest pullbacks. Buyers were cautious early in the year, still adjusting to rates and pricing. But by March, the direction clearly reversed. By mid-summer, hesitation gave way to momentum.

October’s 729 pending sales didn’t occur in isolation. They represent seven consecutive months of positive year-over-year gains, building a durable upward trajectory in the sales pipeline.

This confirms the Tri-Cities market is not simply “recovering.” It has reset to a higher demand level than before the pandemic.

October’s index of 108.8 means pending activity is running nearly 9% stronger than thehistorical norm.

Where October’s Demand Is Concentrated

Strongest Year-Over-Year Increases:

• $160,000 – $179,999: +57.1%
• $200,000 – $249,999: +6.3%
• $250,000 – $299,999: +16.8%
• $300,000 – $399,999: +43.5%
• $400,000 – $499,999: +49.1%

On the high end, $500,000+ pending sales climbed to 85 units (+7.6%), reinforcing that higher-net-worth buyers remain active and confident in the region’s long-term value.