The March 2026 numbers from New Jersey REALTORS® are out, and the headline is a split screen: prices are still climbing, but buyer activity is pulling back. If you're trying to read this market — whether you're buying, selling, or sitting on the fence — here's what the data actually says.
Statewide: Prices Up, Volume Down
Across New Jersey, the single-family median sale price hit $570,000 in March — up 2.7% from the same time last year. Prices haven't cracked. But the transaction side is a different picture. Closed sales fell 2.2% year-over-year. Pending sales dropped 9.2%. Inventory ticked down 1.3% to 10,155 active listings.
This isn't a soft market. It's a frozen one. Sellers with 3% mortgages aren't moving. Buyers who can afford to wait are waiting. The result: fewer deals at higher prices, not more deals at lower ones.
Days on market crept up to 47 days for single-family homes — a 9.3% increase from last March. Homes are still selling. They're just taking a few more weeks to find the right buyer.
Essex County: The Tightest Market in the Region
Essex County is the outlier. Single-family median price jumped 13.7% year-over-year to $750,220. Sellers there are getting 109.1% of list price — meaning buyers are routinely bidding $50,000 to $100,000+ above asking on a typical home.
Inventory dropped 8.8% to just 518 single-family listings, and months supply sits at 1.9. Towns like Montclair, Maplewood, Millburn, and West Orange continue to see that compressed, high-competition dynamic where being prepared isn't a nice-to-have — it's the price of entry.
Union County: Fast and Still Competitive
Union County single-family homes sold in 33 days on average — 17.5% faster than last March. That's the quickest pace in this dataset. Sellers are still getting 104.4% of list price, and inventory at 1.8 months supply gives buyers almost no room to maneuver.
The year-to-date median in Union is $649,000, up 4.7%. Towns like Westfield, Summit, and Cranford continue to attract buyers priced out of Essex County, and the urgency shows up in these numbers.
Bergen County: Premium Prices, Longer Waits
Bergen County's single-family median reached $851,000 in March — the highest in this group. But days on market jumped 23.7% to 47 days, and closed sales rose only modestly (+5.7%). More listings are sitting a little longer before going under contract.
That doesn't mean Bergen is softening dramatically. At 102.8% of list price, sellers are still getting above ask. But buyers have slightly more time to make decisions than they did a year ago — which is meaningful in a market where you previously had to decide on a weekend.
Middlesex County: The Most Room for Buyers Right Now
The most interesting story in this data might be Middlesex County. Single-family new listings jumped 72.7% year-over-year — from 407 to 703. Inventory is up 55.6% to 898 active listings. Months supply rose to 2.2.
The median stayed flat at $570,000 (−0.9%), and sellers are getting 101% of list — still over asking, but much closer to a normal negotiation than what you'll find in Essex or Union. If you're a buyer with flexibility on town, Middlesex deserves a closer look.
What This Means If You're Making a Move
Pricing matters more than it did in 2022. You're not getting 15 offers by Thursday anymore unless you're in Essex County. Accurate pricing and presentation will separate a fast close from sitting on the market.
Pre-approval isn't optional. In Essex and Union, the pace still requires you to be ready to move. In Bergen and Middlesex, you have slightly more breathing room — use it for due diligence, not delay.
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Send Maurice a MessageMaurice Snipes II is a licensed New Jersey Real Estate Salesperson with Cairn Properties Group, brokered by Real Broker, LLC. Information in this post reflects market conditions as of March 2026 per New Jersey REALTORS® and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Data sourced from NJ MLS via ShowingTime Plus. Margin of error ±4% at 95% confidence. Equal Housing Opportunity.