September closed out a strong stretch for home sales across the St. Cloud metro. Prices are up from a year ago, more homes are on the market, and buyers still need to move with purpose when the right listing shows up.
Here is what the latest St. Cloud Area Association of REALTORS® (SCAAR) monthly report shows for St. Cloud, St. Joseph, Sartell, Sauk Rapids and Waite Park, plus how Stearns County looks on Realtor.com as of October 2026.
September 2026 at a glance (St. Cloud metro)
SCAAR’s September 2026 report, based on NorthstarMLS data and current as of October 7, 2026, covers single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums in those five cities:
- Median sales price: $299,750, up 7.1% from $280,000 in September 2025.
- Average sales price: $329,844, up 11.4% from a year ago.
- Closed sales: 142, up 3.6% from September 2025.
- Homes for sale: 418 at month-end, up 19.8% from 349 a year earlier.
- Months of supply: 3.5, up from 3.1 in September 2025.
- Days on market: 35 on average, down 14.6% from 41 days a year ago.
- Percent of original list price received: 96.8%.
Year to date through September, the metro logged 1,089 closed sales (up 8.7% from the same stretch in 2025) and a year-to-date median sales price of $298,900 (up 6.7%).
What that means for buyers and sellers
Inventory is healthier than it was a year ago. Nearly 20% more homes for sale and a slightly higher months-of-supply figure give buyers more options than in the ultra-tight years. That said, homes that are priced right are still finding buyers: September’s average time to pending was about five weeks, shorter than last September.
Sellers who list clean, price to recent comps and are ready for showings still have a solid audience. Buyers who are pre-approved and responsive can compete without needing every offer to be all-cash, but waiting too long on a well-priced home still risks losing it.
Stearns County snapshot (Realtor.com, October 2026)
Looking at the wider county on Realtor.com’s October 2026 market summary:
- Median sold price: $307,500, up about 6.3% year over year.
- Median listing price: $333,425.
- Active listings: 928.
- Median days on market: 48.
City-level listing medians on that same Realtor.com summary put St. Cloud near $312,425, St. Joseph near $304,900, Sartell near $415,000 and Waite Park near $255,000. Those are listing medians, not sold prices, so treat them as a guide for what is asking, not what every sale closes at.
Mortgage rates still shape the budget
Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey for the week of October 15, 2026, put the national average 30-year fixed rate at 7.40% (unchanged from the prior week) and the 15-year fixed at 6.71%. Bankrate’s Minnesota averages for October 16, 2026, showed about 7.38% for a 30-year fixed and 6.92% for a 15-year fixed. Your quoted rate will depend on credit, down payment, loan type and lender, so shop more than one Loan Estimate.
Practical next steps this fall
- Buyers: Get a fresh pre-approval, tour inventory while fall listings are still active, and compare at least two lenders before you write an offer.
- Sellers: Pull recent comps in your city, stage for shorter daylight hours, and price for today’s buyer pool rather than last summer’s peak list.
- Curious what your home is worth? Use a real local valuation, not only an online estimate.
Sources: SCAAR Monthly Indicators, September 2026 (NorthstarMLS / Minnesota Association of REALTORS®, current as of Oct. 7, 2026); Realtor.com Stearns County market summary (October 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (Oct. 15, 2026); Bankrate Minnesota mortgage rates (Oct. 16, 2026). Checked Oct. 16, 2026.
Thinking about buying or selling in Stearns, Benton or Morrison County?
I’m Dan DeMark, REALTOR® with LPT Realty, serving St. Cloud, St. Joseph, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Little Falls and the surrounding area. Call or text (320) 428-3124, or request a real home valuation from me, not an automated estimate.
Market figures and rates change often and are for general information only. Contact a licensed professional for advice on your situation.
Equal Housing Opportunity.
Originally published on Golden Rule Real Estate Services.
