Median home price highest since 2022

The median price of a single-family home in Kootenai County rose to its highest point in more than three years in January.

According to Coeur d'Alene Regional Realtors, the median price was $562,000, a 6.4% increase from a year ago. That topped the previous median-price high of $560,000 in August 2022.

"I'm not surprised the average price is up," said Jared McFarland, real estate agent with Century 21 Beutler and Associates. "The market has been slowly recovering over the last year."

He said January was busy, with mortgage interest rates holding around 6%. New inventory came on the market and those priced right sold quickly.

"The mild weather and lack of snow are probably part of the reason buyers are so active right now," McFarland said. "My guess is that we will see the average home price continue to rise slowly throughout this year."

Coeur d'Alene Regional Realtors reported that active residential listings in Kootenai County totaled 667 as of Wednesday, down 6.7% from one year ago, while the number of homes sold in January was 143, a 4% decrease from the same time last year.

The housing market saw a hot start for 2026 in Shoshone County, where the median-price of a single-family home rose to $342,500, a 27% increase from a year ago. But that was based on just six sales, a 45% drop from the same time last year. Shoshone County had 88 active residential listings as of Wednesday, according to CDARR.

Jennifer Smock, co-owner and managing broker of Windermere/Coeur d'Alene Realty, said the housing market is waking up a little earlier this year.

"Buyer interest is definitely on the rise — we’re seeing more people out at open houses and more conversations happening with lenders," she said. 

Smock said normally this time of year is on the quiet side for real estate, as the last quarter and the first quarter see slower activity thanks to winter weather and the area's seasonal market.

"But this year feels different. With calmer winter weather and interest rates holding steady, there’s a sense of momentum building … and we’re only getting started," Smock said.

The average 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate was 6.26% on Friday, according to Bankrate. The current average 30-year fixed refinance interest rate was 6.57%, while the average 15-year refinance interest rate was 5.96%. 

Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors, forecast a 14% nationwide increase in home sales for 2026. New-home sales were also projected to rise 5% next year, Yun said in a previous report.