June 8, 2026

This piece is sponsored by Amy Stockberger Real Estate.

By Amy Stockberger

Summer is my favorite season for real estate. Moving trucks roll, families settle in before the school year, and our VIP Club equipment runs nonstop. June also brings a market full of mixed signals. Let me cut through the noise and show you what is real, both nationally and right here in Sioux Falls.

The national picture: Demand is holding

Here is the headline most people miss. Mortgage rates sit near their highest point of the year, 6.7 percent, and buyers keep showing up.

My friend Logan Mohtashami at HousingWire tracks this every week. His latest read shows housing demand positive year over year. Weekly pending home sales hit 75,935 this year, up from 69,636 a year ago. Mortgage purchase applications rose 7 percent year over year. New listings climbed to 76,766, ahead of last year. Price cuts came in at 37.5 percent, lower than last year’s 39 percent.

Read those numbers again. Rates went up. Demand went up too. The signal is clear. People are done waiting for the perfect rate. They want a home, and they are moving on with their lives.

What it means for you

I shared a midyear update June 3, and the message holds. Several national forecasts got revised this spring. Inflation stayed stubborn. Global tension pushed rates into the mid-6 percent range instead of the upper 5s many hoped for. Existing and new home sales got marked down.

Here is the part the doom headlines skip. Home prices are still expected to rise in 2026. Inventory remains tight. When fewer homes meet steady demand, prices hold and climb.

Mortgage rates: South Dakota has the edge

Now here’s the local rate story because it looks better than the national one. The national average on a 30-year fixed sits near 6.7 percent. Here in South Dakota, the average 30-year fixed ran closer to 6.3 percent in early June, according to Bankrate. On a $345,000 home, that gap saves you real money every single month.

It gets better. South Dakota Housing programs and our local lending partners help qualified buyers reach even lower rates, with down payment help and first-time buyer options most people never hear about. Ask us before you assume you are priced out. The right loan changes everything.

Sioux Falls: Still one of the strongest markets in the country

Real estate is local, and our numbers prove it. Per the Realtor Association of the Sioux Empire, the median sale price for residential properties reached $350,300 in May, up 6.2 percent year over year. The market closed 478 residential sales for the month. Prices keep climbing here, and homeowners keep building equity.

Supply is the story behind the price. The Multiple Listing Service ended May with 855 new listings, down 7.6 percent from the 925 new listings a year ago. Active inventory across the MLS stands at 3,920, down from 4,191 a year ago. Fewer homes hit the market, yet buyers stayed active, and closed sales ticked upward. Tight supply plus steady demand keeps prices firm and good homes moving fast.

Nearby communities each move at their own pace. Brandon runs very competitive. Harrisburg, Tea, Lennox, Hartford and McCook Lake each have their own rhythm and price points. A revised national forecast does not mean a bad time to buy or sell here. It means strategy wins. Waiting for a lower rate often leads to more competition and a higher price later.

The smartest move you’ll make all year is free

Owning a home feels like a full-time job. Most have a love-hate relationship with their home. Documents pile up. Warranties disappear. Maintenance sneaks up on you. Two questions follow every homeowner: What is my home worth, and what do I do next.

We built the answer. It is called Lifetime Home Hub, and it is free for life.

Claim your hub at lifetimehomehub.com and you get one login for everything home:

• Store every closing file, warranty, manual and receipt, searchable and yours for life.
• Build a photo-documented, insurance-ready home inventory.
• Get seasonal maintenance reminders tuned to Sioux Falls weather.
• Run instant improvement estimates, so you can see what a project pays back before you spend a dollar.
• Track your home value and equity in real time with up-to-date market data.
• Ask Home Assist AI any home question, and get an answer in seconds, free and 24/7.
• Reach 120-plus vetted Local Best vendors.

Three jobs done in one place. Manage your home. Save money. Build wealth. This is Lifetime Home Support on demand, and it does not end at closing day. Go to lifetimehomehub.com, enter your address, and claim your hub today.

Local service businesses, this one is for you

Our Home Support Team is the backbone of the Hub. These are the vetted local companies our clients reach for plumbing, heating and cooling, lawn care, cleaning, electrical and every other homeownership need. When homeowners open their hub, your business is the trusted name we put in front of them.

We are growing the team. If you run a home service business and deliver legendary care, you belong here. You get a steady stream of warm referrals from thousands of homeowners who already trust our recommendation. You grow your reputation alongside the No. 1 real estate team in South Dakota. Apply today to see if your company is a fit.

Let us build something big together

Whether you are buying, selling or settling in for the long haul, our team serves you before, during and forever through Lifetime Home Support. We do more than open doors. We open a lifetime of support and savings.

Visit Amy Stockberger Real Estate, or call us at 605-376-6780 to get started.

Claim your free hub at lifetimehomehub.com.

Home service business owners, reach out to apply for our Home Support Team at HST@AmyStockberger.com. 

Connect with us at Amy@AmyStockberger.com or 605-376-6780.

Check out my guide to selling a home this summer.

Looking to buy or sell a home? Visit Amy Stockberger Real Estate here.

View our featured Houses To Call Home.

Considering a career in real estate, or thinking about making a move?

Click here to see if your company is a fit for our Home Support Team.

Click here for info on Amy Stockberger Real Estate’s free VIP Club.