2026 Housing Market Forecast Report
The East Tennessee housing market reset continues in 2026. Positive sales growth and slowing price gains in 2025 showed a path to stability, building on 2024 improvements.
Locally, consumer attitudes reflect the national story: concerns about inflation, sluggish jobs reports and volatile economic policy have kept buyers cautious. December 2025 was the first month of real momentum for the housing market, with East Tennessee single family home sales shooting up 16% month-over-month and 15% year-over-year.
- Home prices are forecasted to grow 3.1% in 2026.
- Total home sales in 2026 are forecasted to increase 6.8% year-over-year.
- Apartment rent growth in 2026 is forecasted to drop slightly at – 1.63%.
Published annually by East Tennessee REALTORS®, the Forecast Report offers a high-level analysis of the latest housing and economic data to and forecasts trends for the region’s housing market to help REALTORS®, industry stakeholders, and policymakers better understand what to expect in the year ahead.