Fairfield County Fall Market: Why Some Homes Sell Above Asking While Others Sit

The Fairfield County, Connecticut housing market heading into fall 2026 is sending mixed signals, and according to Kristin Egmont, a Coldwell Banker Realty agent based in Trumbull who has been licensed and active since 2003, understanding that split is the most important thing a seller can do before listing this fall. Some homes are drawing multiple offers above asking while others, sometimes in the same town, are sitting. Egmont describes the market as softening, with conditions varying widely by town, price point, and property type. In Westport, competition remains strong and homes are still going over asking, while in Trumbull she recently worked with buyers who paused on a $1.3 million home because of where interest rates had moved. Meanwhile, a well-positioned home she listed in the $700,000 range received multiple offers.

Egmont draws a clear line between sellers getting strong results and those who find the process frustrating. The sellers who do well understand where their home fits in the market, prepare it, price it against the right competition, and make it easier for buyers to see. Those who struggle often price based on what they need to net, what they spent on renovations, or the highest sale they heard about in the neighborhood, none of which necessarily establish market value. She notes that the Fairfield County August report showed single-family homes selling at an average of 103 percent of asking price, but cautions that this does not mean every seller receives an above-asking offer. Buyers are also negotiating more than they did a few years ago, with inspections and inspection negotiations still very real, and they are looking past the kitchen to the age of the roof, the condition of the mechanicals, and any deferred maintenance.

For Egmont, the most valuable moment in any sale is the one before a buyer ever walks through the door. She works with sellers on repairs, staging, lighting, and photography, focusing on the items most likely to make a buyer hesitate, and recently staged a vacant Trumbull listing with an unusual layout so buyers could see how each room could be used. More on how Egmont prepares and launches a listing is available on her seller process page. She emphasizes that people buy based on emotion, and while a beautiful presentation gets them interested, the condition and the value help them move forward.