Treasure Valley Housing Market: Ada & Canyon County Nov 2026 Treasure Valley Market Watch · Week of November 9, 2026 Treasure Valley Housing Market Update: Ada & Canyon County, November 2026 Prices are flat, homes are taking longer to sell, and a large share of sellers have cut their asking price. Here’s what the latest numbers say and what they mean for buyers, sellers and agents. By Gerald Robinson, President and CEO, 1st Choice Mortgage Company, LLC · NMLS #4475 · Published November 9, 2026 Key takeaways Prices have leveled off in both counties. The median list price for a single-family home is $659,990 in Ada County and $495,990 in Canyon County, and both reports describe prices as on a plateau. Price cuts are widespread. 39% of Ada County listings and 47% of Canyon County listings have had a price reduction. Homes are taking longer to sell. Median days on market is 70 in Ada County and 63 in Canyon County. It’s still a slight seller’s market, but only just. The Market Action Index is 36 in Ada County and 35 in Canyon County, each down one point from last month. On the ground, concessions are everywhere. Every one of Gerald Robinson’s recent purchase loans has included seller concessions, with builders such as CBH Homes offering $20,000 to $40,000, mostly used for rate buydowns. Entry-level homes are moving fastest. The lowest-priced quarter of homes sells in 49 days in Ada County and 42 days in Canyon County. In this update What I’m seeing in my own loan files Ada vs. Canyon County side by side Buyer’s market or seller’s market? How each price range is moving What this means for buyers What this means for sellers What this means for real estate agents Frequently asked questions Sources and how to read this data Official resources What I’m Seeing in My Own Loan Files The market data in this update comes from homes listed for sale. Here’s what’s happening on the purchase loans my team and I are closing right now. Seller concessions are on every deal. Every one of my recent purchase loans has included seller concessions, and buyers are getting larger concessions now than they were in the spring and summer. Builders are the most aggressive. CBH Homes, for example, has been offering between $20,000 and $40,000 in concessions, depending on the price of the home. We’re using that money to buy down interest rates. Most of those concessions are going toward rate buydowns, both temporary and permanent. A temporary buydown, such as a 2-1 buydown, lowers the payment for the first year or two. A permanent buydown lowers the rate for the life of the loan. Which one makes more sense depends on how long you plan to keep the home and the loan. One caution: every loan program limits how much a seller or builder can contribute, so on some loans a large incentive can’t be used in full. We’ll work out how much you can actually use before you write the offer. When a home has been sitting, a concession usually beats a price cut. In my experience, a seller concession used to lower the buyer’s rate does more for the buyer’s monthly payment than an equal reduction in price. Appraisals are coming in at value. On my recent files, appraisals have been supporting the contract price. VA buyers are in the driver’s seat. With homes taking longer to sell and sellers willing to offer concessions, there’s a lot of opportunity for veterans right now. Learn more about VA loans in Idaho. Who’s buying. Most of my buyers right now are move-up buyers and people relocating from out of state, many of them moving here to work on the Micron projects. Down payment help is still available. For buyers who need help getting into a home, there are still great Idaho Housing loans with down payment assistance. Canyon County stands out on affordability. What jumps out at me in this week’s numbers is how much more affordable Canyon County is. Its median list price is about $164,000 lower than Ada County’s, and an entry-level home runs about $380,000 in Canyon County compared with about $445,000 in Ada County. A recent example I recently worked with a buyer relocating to Idaho who was choosing between three homes. Because the market gave them options, they were able to negotiate the price down and get seller concessions too. The biggest mistake I see: waiting for rates to drop My advice is always the same. The right time to buy a home is when you’re ready. Don’t try to guess where interest rates are going, and don’t try to guess where home prices are going. Right now, a seller concession can lower your rate today instead of waiting and hoping. - Gerald Robinson, President and CEO, 1st Choice Mortgage Company, LLC, NMLS #4475 Ada County vs. Canyon County: This Week’s Numbers These figures are for single-family homes currently listed for sale, from the First American Title Market Update powered by Altos Research, dated November 9, 2026. Ada median list $659,990 Canyon median list $495,990 Ada price cuts 39% Canyon price cuts 47% Single-family homes Ada County Canyon County Median list price $659,990 $495,990 Median price of new listings $594,945 $470,000 Price per square foot $302 $247 Homes for sale (inventory) 1,905 (down) About 1,125 (steady) Median days on market 70 63 Average days on market 94 90 Listings with a price reduction 39% 47% Listings with a price increase 5% 4% Relisted 10% 6% Market Action Index (last month) 36 (37) 35 (36) What stands out The county price gap is about $164,000. The median list price in Ada County is $164,000 higher than in Canyon County, and Ada costs about $55 more per square foot. That gap is a big reason many first-time buyers and veterans look at Nampa, Caldwell and Middleton. New listings are coming in below the median. In Ada County, newly listed homes have a median price of $594,945, about $65,000 under the overall median. In Canyon County the gap is about $26,000. Sellers listing now appear to be pricing closer to what buyers are paying. Price cuts are more common in Canyon County. Nearly half of Canyon County listings have been reduced, compared with about four in ten in Ada County. Ada County inventory is shrinking. The number of Ada County homes for sale fell this week to 1,905, while Canyon County held steady at about 1,125. Inventory usually tightens as the market heads into the holidays. Is It a Buyer’s Market or a Seller’s Market? Altos Research measures this with the Market Action Index (MAI), which compares the pace of sales with the number of homes for sale. A higher number means homes are selling faster relative to supply, which favors sellers. A lower number favors buyers. On Altos’s scale, a reading around 30 is the dividing line between the two. Both counties are rated “Slight Seller’s Advantage” this week. Ada County is at 36 and Canyon County is at 35, and each has dropped one point since last month. That’s just above the line, so sellers have a small edge, but buyers have more room to negotiate than they’ve had in a while. Market Action Index for Ada and Canyon County, week of November 9, 2026. The dashed mark shows last month’s reading. What to watch: Both reports say prices tend to follow the MAI. If the index starts climbing again, prices would likely firm up. If it keeps sliding toward buyer’s-market territory, that could put downward pressure on prices. For now, both reports describe prices as holding near current levels. How Each Price Range Is Moving Altos splits each county’s listings into four equal groups by price. The pattern is the same in both counties: lower-priced homes sell faster, and higher-priced homes take longer. Ada County Price range Median price Size Beds / baths Median days on market Top 25% $1,249,500 3,349 sq ft 4 / 4 98 Upper middle $769,840 2,508 sq ft 4 / 3 77 Lower middle $574,990 2,100 sq ft 4 / 3 56 Bottom 25% $444,997 1,576 sq ft 3 / 2 49 Canyon County Price range Median price Size Beds / baths Median days on market Top 25% $977,500 2,981 sq ft 4 / 3 84 Upper middle $558,995 2,539 sq ft 4 / 3 77 Lower middle $449,995 2,025 sq ft 4 / 2 63 Bottom 25% $379,990 1,447 sq ft 3 / 2 42 New construction is a big part of the middle of the market. In the two middle price ranges, the median home age is zero or one year in both counties, so a large share of those listings are new builds. Builders often offer their own incentives, such as rate buydowns or closing-cost credits, and those can be compared against what a resale seller is willing to offer. Homes on acreage are a Canyon County feature. Canyon County’s top tier typically sits on 1 to 2.5 acres. Ada County’s top tier is a larger home on a quarter to half acre. What This Means for Homebuyers A market where four or five out of ten sellers have already lowered their price gives buyers more room to negotiate. Here’s how to use it. Negotiate on terms, not just price. A seller credit toward your closing costs or an interest-rate buydown can lower your monthly payment more than an equal price cut. Every loan program limits how much a seller can contribute, so the right request depends on your loan. See who pays closing costs in Idaho. Know your program’s seller-contribution limit. Under current agency guidelines, FHA and USDA allow seller contributions of up to 6% of the price. VA caps seller concessions at 4% of the home’s reasonable value, and normal closing costs paid by the seller don’t count toward that cap. On a conventional loan for a primary home, the limit is 3%, 6% or 9% depending on your down payment. Lenders can set tighter limits. Look at homes that have been on the market a while. With median days on market at 63 to 70, a home sitting past that point may have a seller ready to talk. Be ready for entry-level homes. Homes in the lowest price range still sell in about six to seven weeks. If that’s your range, get pre-approved before you start touring so you can make an offer the same day. Compare builder incentives with resale credits. If you’re looking at new construction, ask for the builder’s incentive in writing and have it compared with what a resale seller would offer. For Idaho veterans VA loans let sellers pay normal closing costs on top of up to 4% in concessions, which can cover items like the VA funding fee or a temporary rate buydown. In a market with this many price reductions, that can make a real difference. Learn more about VA loans in Idaho. Other programs worth a look in the Treasure Valley include FHA loans, Idaho Housing down payment assistance, and USDA loans for eligible areas outside the cities. What This Means for Home Sellers Price it right the first time. With 39% to 47% of listings already reduced, buyers are watching for price drops. Homes priced in line with recent sales from the start tend to avoid the long wait and the reductions that follow. Consider a credit instead of a price cut. Offering a credit toward the buyer’s closing costs or rate buydown can attract more buyers than an equal price reduction, because it helps their monthly payment and cash to close. Plan for a longer timeline. Expect two months or more on the market in the middle and upper price ranges, especially heading into the holidays. What This Means for Real Estate Agents Use the data in your listing conversations. These numbers help explain to sellers why pricing and concessions matter right now. Know the concession limits before you write the offer. A credit that goes over the buyer’s loan program limit can’t be used, and the excess may have to be renegotiated before closing. Check the limit for your buyer’s program before you write terms. Make sure your buyers are pre-approved, not just prequalified. When sellers have options, an offer backed by a verified pre-approval is more competitive. Keep up with appraisal changes. Read our guide to the new appraisal rules in Idaho, and see the continuing education classes Gerald Robinson teaches for Idaho real estate licensees. Want to see what this market means for your budget? We’ll review your numbers and show you how seller credits, rate buydowns and loan programs compare for the homes you’re looking at. Get Pre-Approved Talk to Gerald A pre-approval is not a commitment to lend. Final approval is subject to acceptable property, appraisal, title, verification and underwriting review. Frequently Asked Questions Is the Treasure Valley housing market cooling? Yes. As of November 9, 2026, both Ada and Canyon County reports describe a market that has cooled with prices on a plateau. Median days on market is 70 in Ada County and 63 in Canyon County, and the Market Action Index dropped one point in each county from last month. Are home prices dropping in Ada County and Canyon County? Prices are flat rather than falling. The median list price is $659,990 in Ada County and $495,990 in Canyon County, and both reports describe prices as holding near current levels. However, 39% of Ada County listings and 47% of Canyon County listings have had a price reduction. Is it a buyer’s market or a seller’s market in the Boise area? It is a slight seller’s market. The Altos Research Market Action Index is 36 in Ada County and 35 in Canyon County, both rated “Slight Seller’s Advantage.” Readings around 30 mark the line between a seller’s and a buyer’s market, so buyers currently have more negotiating room than in a strong seller’s market. How long are homes taking to sell in Ada and Canyon County? The median single-family home has been on the market 70 days in Ada County and 63 days in Canyon County. Lower-priced homes sell fastest, at a median of 49 days in Ada County and 42 days in Canyon County. Can the seller pay my closing costs or buy down my interest rate? Yes, within your loan program’s limits. Under current agency guidelines, FHA and USDA allow seller contributions of up to 6% of the price, VA allows up to 4% in concessions plus normal closing costs, and conventional loans for a primary home allow 3%, 6% or 9% depending on the down payment. Individual lenders may set lower limits. Why is Canyon County cheaper than Ada County? Canyon County’s median list price is about $164,000 lower than Ada County’s, and its price per square foot is $247 compared with $302 in Ada County. Home sizes in the middle price ranges are similar, so buyers generally get more home for the money in Canyon County. Should I wait for interest rates to drop before buying a home? Gerald Robinson’s advice is to buy when you are ready rather than trying to guess where interest rates or home prices are going. In the current Treasure Valley market, every one of his recent purchase loans has included seller concessions, which buyers have used for temporary and permanent rate buydowns. Sources and How to Read This Data All market figures come from the First American Title Market Update powered by Altos Research for single-family homes, dated November 9, 2026: Ada County report and Canyon County report. These are listing prices, not sale prices. Altos tracks homes currently for sale, so the figures reflect asking prices. Final sale prices can be higher or lower. The data is a weekly snapshot. Numbers can shift from week to week. We publish this update regularly so you can follow the trend over time. Loan program limits are summarized. Seller-contribution limits come from current FHA, VA, USDA and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac guidelines. Your exact limit depends on your loan, and lenders may apply tighter rules. This article is for general information and is not a forecast of future home prices or a commitment to lend. Official Resources Seller-contribution limits and loan program rules come from the agencies below. Check them, or ask us, for the rules that apply to your loan. HUD Single Family Housing Policy Handbook (FHA) U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Home Loans USDA Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program Fannie Mae Selling Guide and Freddie Mac Seller/Servicer Guide (conventional loans) Idaho Housing and Finance Association NMLS Consumer Access: verify Gerald Robinson (NMLS #4475) and 1st Choice Mortgage Company, LLC (NMLS #380736) About the author Gerald Robinson President and CEO / Mortgage Broker, 1st Choice Mortgage Company, LLC · NMLS #4475 · Company NMLS #380736 Gerald Robinson has been helping Idaho families finance homes since 2002, more than two decades, and leads 1st Choice Mortgage, which has served Idaho borrowers since 1992. He specializes in VA loans for Idaho veterans and is an Idaho Real Estate Commission certified continuing education instructor who teaches VA loan classes for real estate agents. Licensed in Idaho and Oregon. Learn more: VA Loans · FHA Loans · Idaho Housing 3023 E. Copper Point Dr., Suite 101, Meridian, ID 83642 · (208) 375-5626 1st Choice Mortgage Company, LLC is an Equal Housing Opportunity Lender. 1st Choice Mortgage Company, LLC | Equal Housing Opportunity · NMLS #380736 Ada County Boise real estate Canyon County CBH Homes Idaho Housing rate buydowns Seller Concessions Treasure Valley Treasure Valley Housing Market VA loans 1st Choice Mortgage Company, LLC Click to Call or Text: (208) 375-5626 This entry has 0 replies Comments are closed.
