At a Glance:

• From January 30 to February 6, weekly active housing inventory declined by 1.2%.
• New listings during the week ending January 31 were down 13.3% year over year.
• The average 30-year conforming mortgage rate was 6.093% on February 9, 2026, essentially flat versus prior weeks.
• Year-over-year inventory increased across all four major U.S. regions, including a 10.1% increase in the South. 

A late-January winter storm coincided with a pullback in new listings and a short-term dip in weekly active inventory. Severe weather often interrupts normal listing and showing activity, and what we saw looks more like a seasonal pause than a change in the market’s direction.

Mortgage rates have remained essentially flat through early February, which has kept financing conditions predictable as the market moves toward spring.

Looking across several Southeast and Mid-Atlantic markets, the details vary but the pattern is consistent: more available inventory than a year ago, alongside quieter winter activity.

For example, in Georgia, local market data showed higher active listings than a year earlier even as new listings lagged their 2025 pace, pointing to more choice for buyers but a slower winter rhythm.¹ 

In North Carolina, statewide January data showed active inventory up 8.6%, while closed sales fell 12.7% and months of supply expanded to roughly 4.6 months. That combination suggests a market with more options for buyers, even as transactions cooled in the winter months.²

Similarly, in Jacksonville, Florida, local listing data showed active inventory rising to 9,477 in January, while new listings were down 13.1% year over year and closed sales were down 8.3% versus January 2025; median days on market increased to 55 even as prices held near $345,000.³ 

In the Mid-Atlantic, January data indicated that active listings were up 14.7% year over year and months of supply stood at 1.93, even as closed sales declined.⁴

“We’re hearing from both buyers and real estate partners that interest remains steady even when weather slows listing activity,” said Patrick Maloney, Mid-Atlantic Regional Manager at Ameris Bank. “Stable rates are giving people confidence to stay engaged with the market as we head into spring.”

The regional picture isn’t uniform, but the common thread is clear — buyers generally have more options than last year, while winter timing and weather have kept activity subdued.

Active Inventory Holds Despite Weather-Driven Dip

From January 30 to February 6, weekly active inventory fell 1.2% from the prior week, consistent with the timing of widespread winter storms.⁵ Despite that short-term pullback, active inventory remains 8.9% higher than a year ago, indicating that the weekly dip was more likely weather-related than a structural tightening of supply.⁶

On a regional basis, January year-over-year inventory rose across all four major U.S. regions⁷:
 

• West: +12.2%
• Midwest: +10.3%
• South: +10.1%
• Northeast: +6.6% 

“Although inventory dipped for a short period, many markets we serve still have more options for buyers than a year ago,” Maloney said. “That broader supply is showing up in active choices and buyer feedback.”

Sellers Pull Back as Storms Delay Listings

Unfavorable weather can contribute to market hesitancy, leading to fewer homes being put up for sale. For the week ending January 31, new listings were down 13.3% compared with the same week in 2025.⁸

Winter weather commonly delays seller decisions, and the late-January storm likely contributed to this slowdown.

Historically, listing activity tends to rebound as temperatures rise and the spring selling season gets underway, when longer days and milder conditions encourage more homeowners to bring properties to market.

Rates Steady as Buyers Prepare for Spring

As the snow and ice blanketed many parts of the country in late January, mortgage rates held steady at just above 6%, and as of February 9, the average 30-year conforming mortgage rate sat at 6.093%.⁹

Rate stability reduces uncertainty for both buyers and sellers planning transactions in the months ahead, which should help sustain engagement as listing activity accelerates.

“In conversations with loan officers and partners, rate stability continues to support decision-making, especially for buyers planning spring moves,” Maloney added. “We expect that sentiment to help fuel activity if rates hold and listings grow.”


Sources:
¹ https://www.gamls.com/statistics/marketsnapshot/area/all 
² https://www.ncrealtors.org/wp-content/uploads/January-2026-Housing-Report.pdf
³ https://www.realmls.com/jan-2026-market-data/
⁴ https://image.m.brightmls.com/lib/fe2b11747364047b741278/m/1/b0c0cab4-caee-42cb-8c28-1149e61e1368.pdf
^{5, 8} https://www.realtor.com/research/weekly-housing-trends-view-data-week-january-31-2026/
^{6, 7} https://www.realtor.com/research/January-2026-data
⁹ https://www2.optimalblue.com/obmmi


The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Ameris Bank does not endorse nor is affiliated with the companies listed in this article.