Published October 5, 2026 in Market Update

Valpo prices split this summer, even as homes moved faster

By Staci L. Pearman

Real estate, Valparaiso

Hi Valpo! I have been watching two very different summers play out across town, and I want to make sure you see both of them clearly.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. home prices rose 2.6% year over year through July 2026. That national number sounds tidy. It does not describe Valparaiso. Here, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted two ZIP codes moving in opposite directions during the three months ending July 31, 2026.

Two ZIP codes, two price stories

In 46383, the Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median sale price at $364,990. That is up 10.6% from the same three months in 2025. In 46385, the median came in at $393,000. That is down 4.1% from a year before. Same city. Same summer. Very different results.

Homes moved faster in both ZIPs

Here is the part that surprised me. Even with that price dip in 46385, homes sold faster across all of Valpo. The Real Estate Data Aggregator showed median days on market dropped 10 days in 46383, down to 21 days. In 46385 it dropped 12 days, down to 28 days. Both ZIPs moved quicker than last summer.

Nearly half of homes in 46383 went under contract within two weeks. That share slipped a little from last year, but it is still a fast market. In 46385, about 2 in 5 homes did the same. Both ZIPs saw more homes sell above list price than a year ago, even as the overall sale-to-list ratio stayed close to 98% to 98.9%.

More listings came to market

Across both Valpo ZIP codes combined, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 437 new listings during the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is up 5% from the same period in 2025. More choices for buyers. A little more competition for sellers.

In 46385, inventory actually fell 13.3% from a year ago, even as new listings rose 8%. That tells me homes in 46385 are moving off the shelf faster than they are piling up. In 46383, inventory grew 15.1%. Buyers there have a few more options than they did last summer.

What about rates and the national picture

Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.28% as of October 1, 2026. The 15-year came in at 6.60%. Realtor.com reported that rates climbed above 7% for the first time since January 2025. That matters for buyers figuring out what they can afford.

Nationally, Realtor.com reported that 20.8% of listings took a price cut in September 2026. That is the highest share since October 2022. Valpo is not immune to that pressure. The 4.1% price dip in 46385 is a real signal worth watching.

What this means for you

If you are selling in 46383, prices rose and homes moved in 21 days on average. That is good news. If you are selling in 46385, the median price dipped 4.1%, but homes still sold in 28 days and more buyers paid above list. Pricing carefully matters more than ever in 46385.

If you are buying, supply is still tight. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted only 2.5 months of supply in both ZIPs. That is a seller's market by most measures, even with more listings coming in.