Something abnormal is happening in the Kansas City housing market.

This is not a crash. Prices are not falling off a cliff like you may be seeing in places like Dallas or parts of Florida.

What is happening here is quieter, more subtle, and easier to miss if you are only looking at headlines. But if you are thinking about buying or selling a home in Kansas City right now, this shift matters.

It is creating real opportunities for buyers who understand where to look, and real challenges for sellers who are still playing by the old rules.

I am Kyle. I have helped hundreds of people move to, from, and around the Kansas City metro. Whether you are planning a move in three days or three years, this is what you need to know about the Kansas City housing market right now.

The Inventory Story Everyone Is Talking About

For years, buying a home in Kansas City felt like a sprint.

Homes hit the market and were under contract in days, sometimes hours. Multiple offers. Prices over asking. Inspections waived. Buyers scrambling.

That pace is changing.

Right now, there are nearly 8,000 homes on the market across the Kansas City metro. That is about 10 percent more than this time last year, when inventory sat closer to 7,200 homes.

At first glance, that sounds dramatic. But context matters.

At the peak of the pandemic buying frenzy in October 2021, there were only about 4,000 homes on the market. Inventory has essentially doubled since those historic lows.

Zoom out a little further and the picture changes again. In 2019, before COVID reshaped everything, Kansas City had similar inventory levels to what we are seeing today.

So the abnormal part is not that inventory is high. The abnormal part is when it is happening.

Normally, inventory drops in the fall and winter. Sellers pull listings for the holidays. Showings slow down. The market cools.

This year, that is not happening.

Sellers are staying on the market. New listings are still hitting the MLS. Inventory keeps climbing during months when it usually pulls back.

Right now, Kansas City sits at about 2.7 months of supply. Last year it was 2.4 months. The year before that, 2.2 months. A truly balanced market typically falls between four and six months of supply, so this is still technically a seller’s market.

But here is the twist.

Homes are still selling. Sales are actually up about 3.5 percent compared to this time last year, with roughly 26,000 homes sold so far this year.

What is changing is how much sellers are getting.

This year, homes are selling for about 97.5 percent of list price, compared to 98 percent last year. That may sound small, but across a metro area, it signals a shift.

More inventory means more options. More options give buyers leverage.

And that is where Kansas City stops behaving like one market and starts behaving like dozens of very different ones.

A Tale of Two Very Different Markets

Here is what this looks like in real life.

I recently had a listing in Kansas City, Missouri that we priced too high. The seller wanted to test the market. A neighbor had sold for a certain price the year before, and emotionally, it made sense.

We had nearly two dozen showings in the first two weeks. Strong interest. No offers.

We reduced the price. Almost immediately, we received an FHA offer. The seller passed, concerned about FHA appraisal requirements and possible repair requests.

That decision cost him.

The home sat another 45 days. When we went back to that original buyer, they had already moved on. We eventually sold for about 7 percent less than our first price reduction. Tens of thousands of dollars disappeared because the seller did not listen to what the market was saying.

That same week, a very different story played out.

We wrote an offer for a client in Overland Park on a home listed at $499,000 in the Blue Valley School District. The home was updated, immaculate, and in a highly desirable location.

There were 20 offers.

The home sold for $60,000 over asking price.

Both of those transactions happened in the same Kansas City market.

The difference was location, price point, and condition.

Some sellers still have leverage. Others do not. If you do not understand which side of that line you are on, you can make very expensive mistakes.

What the Market Looks Like by Price Point

Starter Homes and Entry-Level Properties

In the $200,000 to $300,000 range for single-family homes, the market is still moving.

The median list-to-sold price is roughly $250,000 to $252,500. These homes are selling in a median of about 18 days.

Active listings in this range are sitting longer, closer to 36 days.

That tells a clear story. Homes that are well priced and move-in ready sell fast. Homes that are overpriced by even $10,000 to $15,000, or that need work, sit.

Condos and townhomes in this segment are seeing slight discounts, with median list-to-sold prices around $249,000 to $245,000 and a median of 15 days on market.

The Middle Market

The $300,000 to $700,000 range is where most of the action is happening.

The median list-to-sold price sits around $429,000 to $430,000, with homes selling in a median of 21 days.

This range remains strong because it includes the largest pool of buyers who can still qualify with today’s interest rates. It also has the most inventory, with over 3,100 active listings.

Choice is higher, but well-presented homes that are priced correctly are still moving quickly.

The Luxury Market

At the top end, homes over $1 million tell a more complicated story.

So far this year, 814 homes over $1 million have sold. The median list-to-sold price is around $1.35 million to $1.325 million, with a median of 17 days on market.

That sounds strong until you look closer.

Luxury homes in Leawood are still moving fast, often in single-digit days on market if the property is right.

Luxury homes in Kansas City, Missouri, outside of neighborhoods like Brookside or Sunset Hill are sitting much longer.

Active inventory over $1 million has a median of 52 days on market, with averages pushing past 100 days.

At this level, pricing precision and location matter more than ever.

What Is Really Happening With New Construction

In markets like Texas and Florida, thousands of new homes from national builders have hit the market all at once. That flood of supply is driving price cuts and massive incentives.

Kansas City is different.

New construction inventory here is actually down about 6.7 percent over the past year. Builders have pulled back due to higher interest rates. Median new construction prices are down about 4.3 percent, and sales are down roughly 9.5 percent year to date.

This market is seeing a slow, controlled release of new inventory, not a flood.

Most new construction activity is concentrated in southern and western Johnson County, areas like Olathe, Overland Park, and Spring Hill, north of the river in Parkville and Riverside, and southeast Jackson County in Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs.

Builders are offering incentives, including $10,000 to $15,000 rate buydowns and seller credits on move-in-ready homes. Those deals can matter, especially for buyers focused on monthly payments.

Permit data tells the longer story. The first seven months of last year saw 2,520 single-family permits issued. This year, that number is slightly higher at 2,576. Still far below the 2021 peak of over 6,500 permits.

That balance is healthy. It supports long-term stability rather than boom-and-bust cycles.

Why Neighborhoods Matter More Than Ever

Johnson County remains one of the strongest areas in the metro.

The median sales price is up about 4.3 percent year over year, days on market are down slightly, and supply remains low at around 2.2 months.

Homes that show well and are priced correctly still attract strong demand.

Brookside continues to operate in its own universe.

Supply sits at just over one month. Median list-to-sold prices are actually above asking, and homes are selling in a median of three days.

If you are buying in Brookside, hesitation is costly.

The urban core of Kansas City, Missouri tells a different story.

Median list-to-sold prices are lower, active inventory is sitting longer, and buyers are negotiating harder. Older housing stock, needed updates, and tighter buyer budgets mean inspections and concessions matter more here.

Condition, pricing, and expectations must align, or listings will linger.

The Economic Backdrop Behind the Shift

Housing does not exist in a vacuum.

Job growth in Kansas City has slowed significantly since 2022. Monthly job gains have dropped, and recent months have even seen job losses. Unemployment is up year over year, though still slightly below the national average.

Some sectors, like healthcare and education, continue to add jobs. Panasonic has already hired more than a thousand workers at its De Soto battery plant.

Other sectors are contracting. Layoffs at the Ford plant are expected to ripple through areas like the Northland and Clay County.

This economic uncertainty is making buyers more cautious. With higher interest rates, fewer people qualify comfortably, and those who do are more selective.

That said, Kansas City remains fundamentally strong. The economy is diversified. Long-term investments in infrastructure, transportation, and global events like the World Cup support continued growth.

This looks less like collapse and more like recalibration.

A Reality Check on Sales Volume

Even with a year-over-year increase, sales volume is still well below the boom years.

About 26,000 homes have sold so far this year. In 2022, that number was closer to 29,000. In 2021, it topped 31,000.

Inventory is higher now than during those years, but buyer demand is lower.

Many sellers are still pricing based on memories of the pandemic market. The market no longer rewards that approach.

Overpricing leads to showings without offers, price reductions, and eventually lower final sale prices.

The market gives feedback quickly. Ignoring it is expensive.

What Buyers and Sellers Should Do Right Now

For buyers, opportunity exists.

Homes that have been sitting for 40 to 60 days often come with motivated sellers. Price drops signal flexibility. Seller concessions of $5,000 to $10,000 are increasingly common.

Builder incentives can significantly reduce monthly payments. Flexibility on location can unlock better deals.

But in competitive neighborhoods, speed still matters. When the right home appears, hesitation can cost you.

For sellers, pricing is everything.

Correct pricing from day one protects momentum. Condition matters more when buyers have choices. Staging and presentation are no longer optional.

Timing matters too. Winter sales can work, but expectations must be realistic. Listening to market feedback and professional advice saves money.

Why Kansas City Is Not Like Other Markets

Kansas City is not Dallas. It is not Denver. It is not Florida.

We were not flooded with speculative construction. Inventory growth has been gradual. The market is normalizing, not collapsing.

That sets the stage for steady, sustainable growth rather than dramatic corrections.

With major investments on the horizon and a balanced approach to development, Kansas City continues to offer stability that many other markets lack.

The Bottom Line

Kansas City is not crashing. It is rebalancing.

Inventory is rising slowly toward pre-pandemic norms. Buyers have more options. Sellers must be more strategic. Homes that are priced right and show well still sell quickly.

The unusual part is the timing. Inventory is climbing during months when it usually falls. That shift is creating opportunity for those who understand it.

If you are thinking about buying or selling in the Kansas City metro, now is the time to make informed decisions.

To connect with our team, visit movingtokc.net/info or email info@movingtokc.net. We would love to help you navigate this market with clarity and confidence.