As the national housing market continues to inch toward more buyer-friendly conditions this summer, three southern metros are surprisingly bucking the trend.
Augusta, GA, Greenville, SC and Jacksonville, FL – all previously ranked as buyers’ markets in the Realtor.com® 2026 Q2 Market Clock report – have since moved into balanced territory, according to an August data release.
“That means they have tightened ever so slightly, moving counterclockwise and are a little less buyer-friendly than before,” explains Realtor.com’s senior economist Jake Krimmel.
First launched in April, the Market Clock diagnostic tool tracks market conditions in 100 of the country’s largest metropolitan areas based on key metrics such as months on offer, time on market, price fluctuations and list-to-sale ratio.
The 100 metros are arranged on a 12-hour dial from a peak sellers’ market at 12 p.m. to a peak buyers’ market at 6 a.m. to show where each market currently stands and where it is likely to go – easing or tightening.
The watch and accompanying quarterly reports provide consumers with an overview of how their local housing market is performing compared to regional and national trends.
A balanced national market
The national market clock remains at 3 o’clock, signaling a balanced environment in which buyers and sellers operate on roughly equal terms. However, a look at the regional data reveals significant underlying fragmentation.
According to the latest Market Clock data, 16 out of 100 metros are currently in the buyer’s market column, up from 19 in April after Augusta, Greenville and Jacksonville moved into balanced territory.
The number of true sellers’ markets increased from 25 to 26, while the number of balanced markets increased from 55 to 57.
“The general trend is still a market that is shifting from the position of strong sellers a few years ago to a more buyer-friendly position,” says Krimmel. “By and large, the housing market and the vast majority of metros and each region still exhibits buyer-friendly dynamics rather than seller-friendly dynamics.”
The markets are moving in the other direction
This broader backdrop is why the trio of southern markets suddenly moving counterclockwise, from 5 a.m. (early buyer’s market) to 4 a.m. (later balanced market), raises questions about the local tug-of-war between buyers and sellers.
Krimmel points out that while both Augusta and Greenville saw year-over-year increases in active listings this spring and summer, they also saw solid sales and signing activity, leading to balance.
“The markets were buyers’ markets, so a few more buyers came, and now the situation is a little more balanced than in previous months,” explains the economist.
Brian Hurryan agent with the Hurry Home team at Coldwell Banker Caine, argues that Greenville’s transformation toward a balanced market is being driven by robust buyer demand and strategic supply control. Increased buyer activity provided more balance, while homebuilders seeking to prevent oversupply slowed new construction, which accounts for about 40% of all active listings.
“They have become more conscious about what they build, how much they build and what they release,” Hurry tells Realtor.com. “You don’t want to overbuild the inventory.”
Hurry says Greenville continues to attract a healthy mix of out-of-market buyers seeking quality of life and a low cost of living, workers, retirees and grandparents relocating to be near family.
But buyer leverage varies widely depending on what they want: Buyers looking for typical suburban homes will find plenty of options, but those eyeing walkable areas near downtown or specific school districts will face a much more limited supply.
For sellers who thrive in this balanced climate, results often depend on their motivation and realistic pricing.
“We see some people who are trying to make a lot of money and they come and go into the market and they just don’t do well,” the agent notes.
Looking forward, Hurry does not expect any drastic fluctuations in the local market.
“What I see and predict is that it stays more in the middle and balanced,” he adds. “I really don’t expect salespeople to assume the position of power that they have had in the past.”
Shrinking inventories, stagnating sales
In Jacksonville, a different mechanism is at play. Since December 2025, the number of active listings at the Sun Belt coastal hub has declined each month. Additionally, new listings in the metro area were down year over year in the spring as sellers pulled back.
“The Jacksonville story is more about a buyer-friendly market that causes sellers to pull out,” Krimmel says. “The result is slightly more balanced leverage, but still a market that has more buyer-friendly dynamics when we look at overall trends.”
Kurt Bogarta real estate agent with Endless Summer Realty, agrees with this assessment of the Jacksonville real estate market, describing it as “neutral, light on the buyer side.”
“Our prices here have been pretty flat since November 2024,” Bogart tells Realtor.com. “Exactly what I tell my clients now: It’s a good time to buy. If you want to sell, wait a year.”
Bogart points out that there was a significant boost in sales in January 2026 when mortgage rates briefly fell below 6%, but transactions stalled when financing costs began to rise again in February.
“We’re seeing a lot of people take their homes off the market because they’re not selling,” he says.
According to the agent, this applies to all types of inventory, but the sales of luxury properties are hit hardest.
What awaits us in autumn?
As the real estate market approaches decline and buyers typically show renewed interest in purchasing a home after the distractions of summer, Krimmel highlights two key metrics to keep in mind:
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Will buyers continue to show up or have macroeconomic headwinds like inflation and peak mortgage rates finally taken their toll on demand in 2026? When demand drops, it means remaining buyers gain influence.
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Will delistings increase like last year? So far, delistings in June and July have been below the previous year’s level. However, if more sellers abandon, it takes away buyers’ leverage and represents a balancing force.
