Summer’s over. The latest closed numbers are in. Here’s what they actually say about Long Island — and, separately, what’s happening in the Hamptons.
The July snapshot (Nassau & Suffolk)
According to OneKey MLS reporting covered by Long Island Business News, July closed single-family medians were:
- Nassau County: $880,000 — up 2.9% from July 2025
- Suffolk County: $750,000 — matching the all-time high set in June, and up 7.1% from July 2025
Inventory stayed tight. At the end of July, there were 6,207 homes listed for sale across Nassau and Suffolk (single-family, condos, and co-ops) — down 8.4% from a year earlier. Suffolk inventory alone fell from 3,897 listings last July to 3,497.
Activity didn’t freeze. Contracts for single-family homes, condos, and co-ops on Long Island rose 5.8% year over year in July (2,378 vs. 2,247). Closed sales were up 4.9% year over year (2,334 vs. 2,226).
Mortgage rates are still part of the conversation. Freddie Mac’s 30-year fixed averaged 6.76% for the week ending September 10, 2026 — higher than the midsummer stretch, but buyers are still showing up where the home and the price make sense.
(Note: As of mid-September, August’s full OneKey county report wasn’t out yet. This check-in uses the latest published monthly data — July.)
The Hamptons / East End (its own story)
Long Island’s county medians don’t tell the East End story. The Hamptons move on a different timeline and a different price band.
Corcoran’s East End report for the second quarter of 2026 put it plainly: fewer closings, higher prices where the right homes sold, and inventory still tight.
South Fork
- Single-family closings: 354 — down 16% year over year, and the lowest second-quarter total in more than a decade
- Median price: $2.4 million — up 26% year over year
- Average price: $3.857 million — up 15%
- Sales volume: $1.365 billion — down only 3%, even with fewer deals
North Fork
- Single-family closings: 89 — down 9% year over year
- Median price: $927,000 — down 7%
- Average price: $1.465 million — up 10%
Across the East End, listings totaled 1,866 at the end of June — down 8% year over year.
What that means in practice: the Hamptons aren’t “cooling” into a buyer’s market just because transaction counts dipped. The homes that are well positioned — priced correctly, presented properly, and matching how people actually live and entertain out east — still command serious money. The ones that aren’t are sitting longer.
If you’re returning from summer and thinking about a fall or winter renovation, that timing still matters. Permitting, trades, and design don’t move on Hamptons weekend schedules. Planning now is how you protect next season.
If you’re thinking about selling
You’re not imagining it: equity is real, and choice for buyers is still limited — on the Island and out east.
That doesn’t mean every listing wins.
Buyers are more selective than they were a few years ago. Homes that are priced to the current market, presented well, and marketed like a real campaign — not just dropped on the MLS — are the ones that still draw competition.
Pricing like it’s 2021 is how listings sit. Pricing and presenting for this market is how they move.
I’m a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson with Long Island Home Properties — and my background also spans marketing and construction/renovation through Paramount Hamptons. When I look at a home before it goes live, I’m asking the same questions a serious buyer will ask: what needs work, what’s cosmetic, and what actually changes value. That matters as much as the comparable sales.
If you’re looking to buy
Competition is still there. Inventory is still thin. Waiting for a flood of new listings has not been a reliable strategy on Long Island — or in the Hamptons — this year.
What does work: knowing what you’re willing to live with, what you’re willing to renovate, and where the real upside sits — before you write the offer.
A house that looks imperfect on paper can be the better buy if the bones, layout, and location are right. That’s where a construction-informed eye helps. You’re not just competing on price. You’re deciding what you’re actually purchasing: a finished product, or a property with clear potential.
Get pre-approved. Move when the right one shows up. Don’t confuse “no inventory” with “no opportunity.”
The bottom line
On Long Island, prices remain elevated and supply remains constrained — with sales still happening for sellers who price and present correctly, and buyers who are prepared and decisive.
In the Hamptons, fewer closings met higher medians on the South Fork. Same rule applies: the market rewards the right property and the right plan.
If you want a clear read on what these numbers mean for your home or your search — Nassau, Suffolk, or the East End — I’m happy to walk through it.
No pressure. No obligation.
Thomas J. Morganelli
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson with Long Island Home Properties
Partner, Paramount Hamptons
212-470-8247
TomMorganelli.com
Thomas J. Morganelli is a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson with Long Island Home Properties. Real estate brokerage services are offered through Long Island Home Properties. Paramount Hamptons is a separate design-build firm. Market statistics cited above are from third-party sources (OneKey MLS via Long Island Business News; Corcoran East End; Freddie Mac) and are for general information only — they are not a guarantee of value for any specific property.