Published October 25, 2026 in Market Update

Price cuts are up, and that makes pricing strategy more important

By Elizabeth Sachero-Perez

Real estate, McLean

One number from September 2026 stands out. Realtor.com reported that 20.8% of listings nationally had a price cut, the highest share since October 2022. That is roughly 1 in 5 homes listed for sale. It tells you that a lot of sellers started too high and had to adjust. In McLean, where buyers are careful and well-informed, that kind of correction costs time and attention.

Part of the reason buyers are watching closely is the rate environment. Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates climbed above 7% for the first time since January 2025. At that level, buyers do the math carefully before every offer. A home priced a little too high sits longer, and a price cut later draws less attention than a right price from day one.

Sales did move. The National Association of Realtors reported that existing-home sales rose 1.5% in September 2026, reaching 3.99 million units. Inventory nationally rose to 1.60 million homes. So buyers have more to choose from, and they are using that choice to compare carefully. Homes that are priced and presented well are still selling. Homes that are not are showing up in that 20.8% figure.

Prices nationally are still moving up, just slowly. The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices rose 2.6% from July 2025 to July 2026, and 0.3% from the previous month in July, seasonally adjusted. Redfin reported a 3.8% year-over-year gain in September 2026, the fastest annual growth rate since June 2025, and a 0.25% month-over-month gain on a seasonally adjusted basis. Steady, not sharp. That means presentation and pricing still do the heavy lifting in a market like McLean.

What this means if you are thinking about selling in McLean

The Real Estate Data Aggregator had no local numbers for McLean this period. The story here comes from the national websites above. That said, the pattern is clear. When nearly 1 in 5 listings nationally takes a price cut, the sellers who avoided that outcome almost always did two things: they priced carefully from the start, and they prepared the home well before photos were taken. First impressions matter, and in a market with more inventory and rates above 7%, buyers have time to be selective.