Home prices across the U.S. are still rising modestly, but Maricopa County is behaving very differently depending on the city, price range, and inventory conditions. That is why many buyers and sellers in Chandler, Arizona are asking the same question: is the market stuck, or is it simply shifting into a more balanced phase?

In this market update, the bigger story is not a crash and not a spike. Instead, the market appears to be stabilizing. National appreciation has slowed sharply from the double-digit gains of 2021 and 2022, and Maricopa County is showing a similar pattern with flatter price movement and more evenly matched buyers and sellers.

This matters because a flatter market creates a very different strategy for both sides. Buyers may have more time and some room to negotiate, while sellers need to focus more on pricing, presentation, and positioning to get the best result in 2026.

Key Market Highlights

• National Home Price Growth Has Slowed, But Prices Are Still Rising: Nationally, home prices have continued to grow since 2024, but at a much slower pace than the 10% to 20% annual growth seen in 2021 and 2022. Current appreciation is closer to 1% to 2%, which shows the market is not crashing, but instead stabilizing.

• Maricopa County Is Acting More Like a Balanced Market: Maricopa County’s recent price trend has hovered close to 0% year-over-year change, with some months slightly positive and others slightly negative. That pattern suggests buyers and sellers are more evenly matched, which is a major shift from the extreme seller conditions of recent years.

• The 2026 Cromford Market Index Is Tracking Very Closely to 2025: The Index is currently very close to 2025 and even following a similar seasonal shape. If that trend continues, 2026 may end up looking a lot like 2025, with softer summer conditions, a slight fall rebound, and stronger momentum toward year-end.

• Maricopa County Is Not One Market: Price behavior varies dramatically across Maricopa County. Higher-priced areas like Fountain Hills and Scottsdale are very different from more inventory-heavy markets like Buckeye, Surprise, Mesa, and parts of Glendale, which is why broad headlines can be misleading.

• Chandler Has Stayed Surprisingly Consistent: In Chandler, many homes are still trading in roughly the $400,000 to $500,000 range, depending on neighborhood, size, and upgrades. That range has remained relatively consistent, which suggests demand has not disappeared—it has simply become more selective.

• Chandler’s Stability Comes from Five Key Strengths: Chandler continues to stand out because of its combination of jobs, strong schools, development activity, local amenities, and relatively controlled inventory levels. These factors help keep prices more stable even when other cities soften.

• Buyers and Sellers Need Strategy, Not Emotion: In a flatter market, buyers should not rush or overpay, and sellers cannot rely on aggressive pricing like they could in a fast-moving seller’s market. Success in 2026 will depend on careful negotiation, smart pricing, and strong local market knowledge.

Buyer & Seller Insights

1. National Appreciation Has Flattened Out

The national market has shifted from rapid appreciation to much slower, steadier growth. That means homeowners are still seeing gains, but nothing close to the dramatic jumps of 2021 and 2022.

For buyers, this creates a window where prices are not running away as quickly. For sellers, it means realistic pricing matters much more than it did during the hottest phases of the market.

2. Maricopa County Price Movement Is Much Flatter

Local price changes in Maricopa County have mostly hovered near zero, which reflects a market where neither side has overwhelming leverage.

That is good news for both sides. Buyers still have room to negotiate in some cases, and sellers can still achieve strong results if they price and present the home correctly.

3. Chandler Remains More Stable Than Many Other Cities

Chandler continues to show a more stable pattern than many other parts of Maricopa County because of its local fundamentals.

For buyers, Chandler may still offer opportunity, but not the kind of deep discounting some people expect from negative national headlines. For sellers, Chandler still has strength, but strategy matters more than ever in a selective market.