The short answer: yes, and yes
It’s the question I get at every barbecue, grocery store and soccer sideline: “Darrin, is now a good time to sell? Is it a good time to buy?”
Right now, heading into the end of 2026, my honest answer is that it’s a good time for both buyers and sellers. That’s not a sales pitch. I’ve been selling homes since 2002, from Seattle, Bellevue and Kirkland to Pierce County, Whidbey Island and communities across Washington State. In 24+ years, I’ve learned the market doesn't hand out perfect timing. It hands out opportunities, and right now there are real ones on both sides of the table.
Here’s what I’m seeing on the ground this week, with real stories from real clients.
What changed in the last week
For several months, this has been a buyer’s market. Homes sat longer, inventory piled up, and sellers had to be patient.
Then, almost overnight, things woke up. Rates ticked up, and talk of more increases has buyers jumping off the fence to lock in before it gets pricier.
Here’s proof. Yesterday I took two different clients out. Each had a list of four homes to see. By the time we got in the car, each client had already lost one of their four to another buyer. Homes that had been sitting for months were suddenly under contract.
My own listing has had a wave of new showings too. For buyers, that means the deals are still out there, but they won’t wait forever. For sellers, it means the thing you need most is back: activity. More activity is the key to selling.
Selling a home in Kirkland and the Eastside: a condo story
Right now I’m representing a seller in Kirkland who is relocating and needs to sell his condo. It’s been on the market about 100 days. That’s unusual for the area, but there are a lot of condos for sale and the competition has been fierce.
This morning, a buyer toured it for 50 minutes. The condo takes about five minutes to see. In the end, she passed. She loved the location, but it wasn’t the right fit for her.
That’s real estate. Every buyer walks in with their own wish list, and not every serious showing becomes an offer. It’s one more reason preparation matters: the better a home shows, the more buyers it fits.
Still, a 50-minute tour after a slow stretch tells me buyers are back and looking hard. The right one is out there, and we keep going.
That condo is a good example of how I approach every listing, because getting a home sold starts long before the sign goes up.
- I walk the property to understand assets and liabilities. Not just how it looks, but what could help or hurt the sale.
- For condos, I dig into the HOA. Is there a special assessment? What are the dues? Is the budget healthy? Lenders now require the association to hold a certain level of reserves, and many look for an owner-occupancy rate around 80%. If those numbers are off, buyers’ financing can fall apart.
- I calculate your real net proceeds. What you owe, plus every cost of selling, so there are no surprises at closing.
- I recommend what to do and what you can afford. If you live there, can we work with your furniture, or should we stage? Appearance is critical.
- I prepare a 100% free market analysis. Then you decide if you want to work with me.
- We plan price and timing together. How soon do you want to be on the market?
- I hire my photographer and videographer. HD photos, a full video tour, reels for each social platform, and a Zillow 3D Showcase tour.
- We go live. Sign up, flyers with a QR code linking to photos and details, booties for buyers, a keybox for access, open houses scheduled.
My advice to sellers right now: the activity is back, so be ready. A well-prepared, well-priced home is the one buyers choose when they finally make their move.
Buying a home in Pierce County and on Whidbey Island: two tours, one long Sunday
Stop one: Sumner, Bonney Lake and Puyallup
My first clients were referred to me after relocating from the East Coast. Smart buyers: they only wanted homes that had been on the market for months, where they might get a deal. They had four homes picked out. Two days before our tour, one went under contract.
We started in Sumner. They liked the home, and I walked them through the pros and cons and answered their questions about potential costs. Next was Bonney Lake, where I pointed out issues that ended their interest. Then Puyallup. “Save the best for last” was invented for days like this.
Before we got there, I read through everything on the home and called the listing broker. He filled in details you’d never find online. That call is a big part of what I do.
I explained what the long time on market meant for an offer, and how I'd approach it. They wanted to think it over. I told them, kindly, that with multiple showings and an open house that day, sooner was better than later. They called me that afternoon: “Please write the offer.”
Here’s a move most buyers don’t know about. Their pre-approval letter was for well more than they planned to offer. If we’d sent that letter, the seller would know exactly how much room they had. So I had the lender issue a letter that matched their offer instead. Never show your whole hand.
Because the home had been on the market for a while, we built an offer that reflected it. With my guidance, they came in below asking, added an escalation clause to stay competitive, and asked the seller to help with closing costs.
Every offer is different, and the right strategy depends on the home, the seller and the market that week. That’s exactly why it pays to have someone who’s been negotiating offers for 24 years.
I worked about 20 hours that day and submitted the offer late that night. Whatever it takes. Now we’re waiting on the seller’s counter.
Stop two: Whidbey Island
Then I drove 65.8 miles to meet my second client on Whidbey Island. (I know all of these areas, and I love my job.) Same story: four homes on the list, one gone the day before.
At the first home, the seller happened to be there. From experience, I had assumptions about how the huge garage with living space was built and about the land. Before becoming a Realtor in 2002, I worked for a land planning and development company. The seller confirmed my thinking and added things only an owner would know.
The second home was from the 1950s. In my opinion, the 1950s and ’60s were the best two decades of home construction. You get true craftsmanship, like 1½-inch beveled cedar siding and very thick foundations. You rarely see the cracks or “rock pockets” common in older foundations. (Rock pockets are hollow voids where the cement paste didn’t fill the gaps between the gravel. Eventually, they leak.) Unfortunately, it wasn’t the right fit.
The third was an older manufactured home with a big detached garage on 1.2 acres, with views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. My client didn’t love the house and wasn't sure what to do with that much land. But land gives you options, and we talked through them. He loved the garage. We were standing there at sunset, which didn’t hurt. He’s still thinking, and I’ve already found two more homes in a better location at a similar price.
My advice to buyers right now: the deals are still out there, but the window is closing as activity picks up. Don’t show your whole hand. And remember the one absolute in real estate: location, location, location.
The biggest myth: “My uncle says…”
Some common ones: sellers pricing off what a neighbor got two years ago, or buyers waiting on the sidelines for the “perfect” rate.
But the toughest one is this: everyone has an expert. Dad, an uncle, a brother who bought a house in 2009. And now, an AI chatbot.
I love that people do their homework. That advice comes from people who care about you, and it’s a fine place to start. But it can’t walk a property with you. It can’t tell a solid 1950s foundation from one full of rock pockets. It can’t call the listing broker for the details that never make it online. And it can’t read a negotiation in real time and adjust.
That’s what 24 years and over $375 million in sales teach you: how to answer the hard questions on the spot, and how to turn them into solutions. Bring your family's advice. Bring your research. I’ll help you sort the good from the noise.
Who actually pays the agent?
This is the most misunderstood part of buying a home, and the rules changed recently.
Since January 1, 2024, Washington’s agency law (RCW 18.86) requires a written agreement between a buyer and their real estate firm. It’s called a Buyer Brokerage Services Agreement (BBSA), and it’s signed at the start of working together. It spells out the relationship before your agent provides services.
Two facts surprise most people. First, there’s no standard commission. Compensation is fully negotiable and not set by law.
Second, sellers may offer to pay the buyer's agent, but they don’t have to. When they do, that amount reduces what the buyer owes.
My promise to buyers
I keep it simple. Whatever the seller is paying is what I get paid when we close. No surprise bill at the closing table.
My promise to sellers
A listing agreement has real obligations on both sides, and I often invest thousands of dollars marketing a home before it sells. Even so: if I fail to do my job, you can terminate the agreement and owe me nothing. I also waive my share of any forfeited earnest money. If a buyer walks away and forfeits their deposit, you keep 100% of it.
That’s what treating clients like family looks like on paper.
Sources: NWMLS legal bulletin on the 2024 agency law, Washington House bill report, NWMLS Form 41
Frequently asked questions
Is it a good time to sell a house in Washington State? Yes. After a slow stretch, buyer activity has picked up in recent weeks. Homes that sat for months are going under contract, and showings are up. A well-prepared, well-priced home is in a strong position.
Is it a good time to buy a house in the Seattle area or Pierce County? Yes, if you move with a plan. Many homes have been on the market longer than usual, which can create room to negotiate. But as activity rises, the best ones are going fast.
Who pays the buyer’s agent in Washington? It’s spelled out in your Buyer Brokerage Services Agreement. Compensation is negotiable, and sellers may offer to pay some or all of it. In my agreements, I’m paid what the seller offers.
Should I show the seller my full pre-approval amount? Usually not. Ask your lender for a letter that matches your offer, so you don’t reveal how much room you have.
The bottom line
Sellers: the activity you’ve been waiting for is back. Buyers: the deals are still out there, but they’re going faster every week. Either way, the best time to move is when you have a plan and someone experienced in your corner. Whether it’s a 20-hour day or a 65-mile drive to the next showing, I’ll do whatever it takes, anywhere in Washington State.
As for my buyers in Puyallup, the counter comes tonight. Stay tuned for the final result.
Thinking about buying or selling this season? Let’s talk it through. Call or text me at (206) 779-6196 for a free, no-obligation market analysis of your home, or a game plan for your search. No pressure, just straight answers from someone who’s been doing this since 2002.
Darrin Stumpf Real Estate Broker and investment specialist serving the Greater Seattle area and communities across Washington State Where Results and Experience Matter! darrinstumpf.com