Published October 2, 2026 in Market Update

Madison prices are up, but buyers are still negotiating

By shelby-mcleod

Real estate, Madison, GA

Madison prices moved up. But buyers did not stop negotiating. That is the story for the three months ending July 31, 2026.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 50 homes sold in ZIP 30650 during those three months. That is up 31.6% from the same period in 2025. More buyers showed up, and more deals closed.

For context, the Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. home prices rose 2.6% year over year through July 2026. Madison's 7.2% gain ran well ahead of that national number.

Prices are up. Buyers still have room to negotiate.

Here is the part that matters if you are pricing a home. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows the average sale came in at 95.1% of list price. That is down 2 points from a year ago. Buyers are not paying whatever is on the sign.

Only 4% of homes sold above list price, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is down 6.5 points from a year before. Bidding wars are not the story here right now.

Homes are moving faster, but not overnight.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median days on market at 70 days. That is 10 days shorter than the same period last year. Progress, but still not a quick flip.

One bright spot: 23.4% of homes went under contract within two weeks of listing, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is up 11.2 points from a year ago. The right home, priced well, can still move fast.

Fewer homes are coming to market.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 55 new listings in ZIP 30650 during those three months. That is down 19.1% from a year ago. Fewer choices for buyers.

Homes for sale also dropped. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 64 homes available, down 33.3% from the same period last year. Supply is tighter, and that is part of why prices moved up.

Months of supply came in at 3.9, down 3.8 months from a year ago, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is a meaningful shift toward sellers.

What is happening with rates nationally.

Rates are not helping buyers right now. CNBC reported the average 30-year fixed rate rose to 7.30% as of September 30, 2026. Mortgage News Daily put it even higher, at 7.58% that same week.

Realtor.com noted that rates topped 7% for the first time since January 2025. Nationally, Realtor.com also reported that 20.8% of listings took a price cut in September, the highest share since October 2022.

Madison is not the national market. But higher rates do affect what buyers can afford, and that shows up in how they negotiate.

One more thing worth knowing. The Real Estate Data Aggregator covers all of ZIP 30650. One street can read very differently from the ZIP code as a whole. What sold near you may tell a different story than these overall numbers.