Long Island Real Estate Market Update, September 2026: What Buyers & Sellers in Smithtown, Huntington, Northport, Kings Park & Commack Need to Know
By Valerie LaBianca, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Douglas Elliman Real Estate
The Long Island housing market heading into fall 2026 is sending buyers and sellers two different messages at once: prices keep climbing, but the pace of sales is cooling. If you're trying to time a purchase or sale in Smithtown, Huntington, Northport, Kings Park, or Commack, understanding why that's happening, and what it means street by street, is the difference between a smart move and a costly one.
Here's what the data actually shows right now, and what it means for you.
The Big Picture: Long Island Prices Are Still Rising Despite Higher Rates
Long Island as a whole continues to defy the national slowdown narrative. Over the last three months, the median home sale price across Long Island reached $800,000, up 6.7% from the same period a year earlier, with the median price per square foot climbing to $471, a 6.1% year-over-year increase. redfin
Zoom into Suffolk County specifically, and the appreciation looks even sharper. As of the second quarter of 2026, the median home sale price in Suffolk County hit $749,000, up 11.8% year-over-year, even as the total number of closed deals fell sharply from the prior year. That combination, fewer sales, higher prices, is the clearest sign that Long Island remains a supply-constrained market: there simply aren't enough homes to go around, so the ones that do sell are commanding a premium. propertyshark
Broader appraisal data backs this up. Zillow puts the median home value across Suffolk County at $723,980 as of July 2026, up 3.3% from a year earlier. And on the higher end of the market, luxury brokerage data shows just how far Long Island has run: Douglas Elliman and Miller Samuel's Q1 2026 report placed the Long Island median sale price at $738,444, up 4.7% year-over-year, with the average sale price hitting a record $905,032 and the entry point for the top luxury tier at $1,430,000. On the North Shore in Nassau, inventory is especially tight, active listings there were down roughly 16.8% year-over-year as of early 2026. Suffolk County, NY Housing Market: 2026 Home Prices & Trends +2
Mortgage Rates: The Wild Card Heading into Fall
If there's one thing keeping this market from moving even faster, it's borrowing costs. As of September 17, 2026, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 6.95%, its fourth straight weekly increase and the highest level since January 2025, following the Federal Reserve's recent rate hike. Fifteen-year fixed rates moved in tandem, averaging 6.26%. tradingeconomicstradingeconomics
That's a meaningful jump from earlier in the summer, when rates were sitting around 6.66% to 6.71% in late August and early September. Industry watchers had been hoping for relief; instead, persistent inflation and rising Treasury yields have some experts warning rates could climb past 7% before the year is out. tradingeconomicsnoradarealestate
What this means locally: with rates near a two-decade high, buyers on Long Island have less purchasing power per dollar of income than they did even a year ago, which is exactly why pricing strategy and local market knowledge matter more than ever. This is where working with an agent who tracks these numbers weekly, not seasonally, becomes essential.
Town-by-Town Breakdown: Smithtown, Huntington, Northport, Kings Park & Commack
Smithtown, NY
Smithtown continues to be one of the strongest-performing communities in this part of Suffolk County. As of June 2026, the median sold price in Smithtown was $807,500, with homes selling at 105.2% of list price and moving off the market in a median of just 23 days, clear signs of a seller's market with only about 2.56 months of inventory on hand. Looking at estimated home values rather than just closed sales, Smithtown's median home value stood at $854,000 in early 2026, appreciating 6.7% over the prior 12 months and outpacing Suffolk County, New York State, and the national average. That puts Smithtown roughly 20.6% above the Suffolk County median and more than double the national median home value. Smithtown, NY housing market: prices, trends, days on market +2
Huntington, NY (11743)
Huntington is one of the priciest and most in-demand markets covered here. Zillow's data shows Huntington's median home value at $887,347 as of July 2026, up 2.0% year-over-year and well above the Suffolk County median of $723,980. Other estimate sources put Huntington even higher, one valuation model lists Huntington's median estimated value at $987,771, or about $460 per square foot, among the highest in Suffolk County. With deep-water access, a walkable downtown, and top-rated schools, Huntington continues to attract move-up buyers and relocating professionals from NYC. zillowrealtytrac
Northport, NY (11768)
Northport's waterfront character keeps demand steady even as rates rise. ATTOM's property data puts Northport's median home value at $828,700, with 427 residential properties sold there over the trailing year. Home prices here have shown real month-to-month volatility, which is typical of a smaller, tightly held village market, all the more reason sellers benefit from an agent who prices against true recent comps rather than a broad zip-code average. attomdata
Kings Park, NY (11754)
Kings Park remains one of the more accessible entry points into this school district cluster, though it's appreciating quickly. Recent comparative data shows Kings Park's median sold price rising roughly 7.1% year-over-year, keeping pace with several of its Smithtown-area neighbors. Buyer competition here has been notably intense in the lower price bands, with multiple-offer situations still common on well-priced listings. rockethomes
Commack, NY (11725)
Commack has emerged as one of the stronger price-per-square-foot performers in the area. Estimated values put Commack's median home price at roughly $830,994, or about $472 per square foot , among the highest price-per-square-foot figures in Suffolk County. Rental data in the area tells a similar story of strong demand: average asking rents in Commack have been tracked at around $3,472 per month, well above many surrounding Suffolk communities. Commack's strong school district and central location continue to be major draws for families relocating within Long Island. realtytracrentcafe
Frequently Asked Questions About Buying & Selling on Long Island
Is now a good time to buy a house in Smithtown, Huntington, or Commack, NY?
It depends on your goals. Rates are elevated, but Long Island's chronic inventory shortage means prices in this corridor have kept rising even through rate hikes. Buyers who wait for both rates and prices to drop may be waiting a long time , many buyers today are purchasing now and planning to refinance later if rates ease.
Is it a buyer's market or a seller's market on Long Island right now?
Most of the towns covered above, Smithtown, Huntington, Kings Park, and Commack in particular, remain seller's markets, with low months-of-inventory and homes routinely selling at or near asking price. Suffolk County overall has thin active inventory relative to buyer demand.
How much is my home worth in Smithtown, Huntington, Northport, Kings Park, or Commack?
Online estimators (Zillow, Redfin, etc.) are a starting point, but they can be off by tens of thousands of dollars because they don't account for renovations, lot specifics, or hyper-local comps. A CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) from a local agent who actively sells in your exact neighborhood is far more accurate.
How long does it typically take to sell a house in this part of Suffolk County?
It varies significantly by town and price point, well-priced homes in Smithtown have recently sold in a median of about 23 days, while other towns and price tiers can take longer. Pricing strategy at listing is the single biggest factor in how fast a home moves.
Should I sell my house now or wait for rates to drop?
Waiting for lower rates could mean facing more competition from other sellers who had the same idea, potentially softening prices. Selling into today's tight-inventory market, while buyer demand is still strong relative to supply, can work in a seller's favor.
What's the best way to find a top real estate agent near Smithtown, Huntington, Kings Park, Commack, or Northport, NY?
Look for an agent who works these towns daily, not occasionally, someone who can speak to specific streets, school zones, and recent closings, not just county-wide averages.
Work With a Local Expert Who Knows These Streets
Numbers tell part of the story, but knowing which Smithtown block is zoned for which elementary school, which Huntington co-op has flexible board approval, or which Commack listing is about to get a price cut is local knowledge you can't get from a website. That's were having a dedicated, full-time local agent on your side makes the difference between guessing and knowing.
Whether you're buying your first home in Kings Park, upsizing in Huntington, or getting ready to list in Northport, Smithtown, or Commack, I'd be glad to walk you through exactly what your home is worth in today's market, or help you find the right one.
The Donofrio Team
Valerie LaBianca
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Douglas Elliman Real Estate
📞 Office: 631.499.9191
📱 Mobile: 631.793.2255
✉️ [email protected]
📍 1772 E. Jericho Turnpike, Huntington, NY 11743
🌐 alllongislandhomes.com
"Oh, by the way , we are never too busy for your referrals!" If you know anyone looking to buy or sell near or far, we can help.
Sources: Redfin Long Island Housing Market Report (2026); PropertyShark Suffolk County Market Trends (Q2 2026); Zillow Home Value Index for Suffolk County and Huntington, NY (July 2026); Homix Long Island Housing Market Data, sourced from Douglas Elliman/Miller Samuel Q1 2026 and OneKey MLS; HelloMuds Smithtown, NY Market Report (2026); RealtyTrac Suffolk County, NY Market Trends; ATTOM Data Solutions, Northport, NY Real Estate Data; RentCafe Northport, NY Rental Market Trends (2026); Trading Economics, U.S. 30-Year Mortgage Rate reports (September 2026); NoradaRealEstate.com Mortgage Rate Updates (September 2026).
