Published October 2, 2026 in Market Update

One part of Primary market is moving faster despite higher mortgage rates

By Dee Grubbs

Real estate, Primary market

Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.28% on October 1, 2026. That is the highest it has been since January 2025, according to Realtor.com. Higher borrowing costs are slowing things in some ZIP codes. But not everywhere in Primary market.

These numbers cover the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is the period you need to keep in mind as you read.

ZIP 30269 is the fastest-moving part of the market

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 199 homes sold in ZIP 30269 in the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is up 17.1% from the same months of 2025. Pending sales rose 19.1% in the same period. Buyers are still moving.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator found that 25.7% of homes in ZIP 30269 went under contract within two weeks of listing. That is the highest share of any ZIP code in this market. The median sale price there was $600,000, up 0.4% from a year before. Prices held steady even as rates climbed.

The median days on market in ZIP 30269 was 39 days, the lowest of any ZIP code tracked here. Homes are not sitting long. Supply stayed at 2.8 months, unchanged from a year ago.

How the ZIP codes compare on speed

ZIP 30215 was close behind, with 25.4% of homes going under contract within two weeks. ZIP 30277 was third at 24.5%. Those three ZIP codes are where well-priced homes are finding buyers quickly.

ZIP 30277 is gaining momentum

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 93 homes sold in ZIP 30277 in the three months ending July 31, 2026, up 8.1% from a year before. The median sale price rose 8.6% to $469,900. The share of homes that sold above list price jumped 7.8 points to 18.3%. Homes for sale fell 18.1%, so buyers have fewer choices. The median days on market was 41 days, two days shorter than a year ago. That is the only ZIP code where days on market got shorter.

Not every ZIP code is moving at the same pace

ZIP 30214 tells a different story. The Real Estate Data Aggregator found that only 10.2% of homes there went under contract within two weeks, down 14.2 points from a year before. Homes for sale rose 39.7%. New listings climbed 28%. Months of supply reached 5.9 months, up 1 month from last year. Days on market stretched 15 days longer. Buyers there have more time and more choices.

ZIP 30220 had the longest median days on market at 85 days, which is 50 days longer than a year before. The median sale price fell 12.3% to $286,372. That ZIP code has fewer homes for sale, down 50%, but the ones listed are taking much longer to sell.

The wider picture: rates and national trends

Freddie Mac also put the 15-year fixed rate at 6.60% on October 1, 2026. Realtor.com reported that rates crossed 7% in late September for the first time since January 2025, rising nearly 40 basis points over four weeks. That kind of move affects what buyers can afford.

Nationally, the National Association of Realtors reported that existing-home sales fell 2.0% month over month in August 2026. The national months of supply reached 4.9 months, the highest level in over ten years, according to the National Association of Realtors. Realtor.com reported active listings up 6.3% from a year ago, the fastest pace in at least six months.

Primary market's tighter ZIP codes are holding up better than those national numbers suggest. ZIP 30269, 30277 and 30215 all sit at or below 3.9 months of supply. That is well below the national figure.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported that U.S. house prices rose 2.1% year over year between the second quarter of 2025 and the second quarter of 2026. They rose 0.3% quarter over quarter from the first to the second quarter of 2026. Price growth is slow nationally, and some ZIP codes here reflect that.

What this means if you own or are buying here

Pricing still matters more than ever with rates at 7.28%. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows homes in ZIP 30269 sold at 98.3% of list price on average. ZIP 30277 came in at 98.9%. Homes priced right are still getting close to what sellers ask.

ZIP 30263 saw new listings jump 17.7%, giving buyers more to choose from. Pending sales there fell 12.3%, so not every new listing found a buyer quickly. Price and condition are doing more work than they did a year ago.

ZIP 30276 had fewer homes for sale, down 12.6%, and fewer new listings, down 6.1%. Yet 135 homes still sold, up 15.4%. Supply is tight there, but buyers are committing.