PIONEER TITLE COMPANY
January in Context: NCW vs. the Nation and Washington State
January was a tough month for housing nationally and across Washington — but you would not know it from the Chelan and Douglas County numbers. Year-over-year unit sales were down in both the U.S. and Washington state, while Chelan/Douglas posted strong gains:
While U.S. existing-home sales fell 4.4% from January 2025 and Washington state closed sales dropped 7% year-over-year, Chelan and Douglas Counties posted +28.2% in unit sales and +43.3% in dollar volume over the same period.
For context, all of 2025 finished at +7.1% in unit sales and +5.68% in dollar volume — already a strong year. January 2026 is running at roughly four times the unit-growth pace and seven times the dollar-volume pace of the year that just closed. NCW continues to attract second-home and out-of-area buyers in a way that insulates the local market from the broader pullback, particularly at the upper-middle and luxury price points.
Sources: NAR January 2026 Existing-Home Sales Report; NWMLS January 2026 Market Report.
Rolling 12-Month Dollar Volume by Region
Total Chelan/Douglas dollar volume across the trailing 12 months stands at $1.02 billion, closely mirroring the $1B 2025 calendar-year total. The line chart below tracks the four regional markets month-by-month: the Wenatchee market consistently drives the majority of the region's volume, the Chelan and Upper Valley sub-markets see more pronounced seasonal swings, and the steep June peak in the Chelan sub-market reflects the typical summer surge in lake-area transactions.
Chelan/Douglas Counties
January marked a strong start to 2026 for the Chelan and Douglas County market. Unit sales were up 28.2% over January 2025 and dollar volume increased 43.3%, with growth concentrated in the middle and upper-middle price ranges. The $750K to $1MM segment more than doubled in both deal count and dollar volume, and a single sale over $3 million added meaningfully to the topline.
Financed transactions continue to drive the market, increasing 30% in unit count year over year, while cash deals were up 23.8%. Both categories grew in absolute terms, with the financed side capturing the larger share of the growth.
Chelan/Douglas January 2026 vs January 2025
| Jan 2026 | Jan 2025 | Inc/(Dec) | % | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deals | $ Amount | Deals | $ Amount | Deals | $ Amount | Deals | $ Amount | |
| Under $250K - Cash | 0 | 0 | 2 | 237,000 | (2) | (237,000) | -100.0% | -100.0% |
| Under $250K - Financed | 3 | 547,500 | 4 | 850,000 | (1) | (302,500) | -25.0% | -35.6% |
| Under $250K | 3 | 547,500 | 6 | 1,087,000 | (3) | (539,500) | -50.0% | -49.6% |
| $250K to $500K - Cash | 10 | 3,857,875 | 6 | 2,449,121 | 4 | 1,408,754 | +66.7% | +57.5% |
| $250K to $500K - Financed | 28 | 11,826,700 | 22 | 9,494,432 | 6 | 2,332,268 | +27.3% | +24.6% |
| $250K to $500K | 38 | 15,684,575 | 28 | 11,943,553 | 10 | 3,741,022 | +35.7% | +31.3% |
| $500K to $750K - Cash | 10 | 5,937,456 | 9 | 5,693,000 | 1 | 244,456 | +11.1% | +4.3% |
| $500K to $750K - Financed | 20 | 12,034,400 | 18 | 10,543,518 | 2 | 1,490,882 | +11.1% | +14.1% |
| $500K to $750K | 30 | 17,971,856 | 27 | 16,236,518 | 3 | 1,735,338 | +11.1% | +10.7% |
| $750K to $1MM - Cash | 4 | 3,300,000 | 2 | 1,706,500 | 2 | 1,593,500 | +100.0% | +93.4% |
| $750K to $1MM - Financed | 12 | 10,187,852 | 5 | 4,174,596 | 7 | 6,013,256 | +140.0% | +144.0% |
| $750K to $1MM | 16 | 13,487,852 | 7 | 5,881,096 | 9 | 7,606,756 | +128.6% | +129.3% |
| $1MM to $2MM - Cash | 1 | 1,350,000 | 2 | 2,330,000 | (1) | (980,000) | -50.0% | -42.1% |
| $1MM to $2MM - Financed | 2 | 2,825,000 | 1 | 1,200,000 | 1 | 1,625,000 | +100.0% | +135.4% |
| $1MM to $2MM | 3 | 4,175,000 | 3 | 3,530,000 | 0 | 645,000 | +0.0% | +18.3% |
| $2MM to $3MM - Cash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| $2MM to $3MM - Financed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| $2MM to $3MM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Greater than $3MM - Cash | 1 | 3,553,846 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3,553,846 | new | new |
| Greater than $3MM - Financed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Greater than $3MM | 1 | 3,553,846 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3,553,846 | new | new |
| Total Cash | 26 | 17,999,177 | 21 | 12,415,621 | 5 | 5,583,556 | +23.8% | +45.0% |
| Total Financed | 65 | 37,421,452 | 50 | 26,262,546 | 15 | 11,158,906 | +30.0% | +42.5% |
| Grand Total | 91 | 55,420,629 | 71 | 38,678,167 | 20 | 16,742,462 | +28.2% | +43.3% |
Other Than Single Family Home Sales
In addition to single-family residential, the Chelan/Douglas counties saw the following non-SFR activity in January:
| Category | Transactions | $ Amount | Chelan County | Douglas County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land | 34 | 9,093,550 | 15 / $4,887,513 | 19 / $4,206,037 |
| Commercial | 5 | 4,493,254 | 3 / $2,800,000 | 2 / $1,693,254 |
| Condo | 6 | 2,406,750 | 4 / $1,581,750 | 2 / $825,000 |
| Marina Condo | 1 | 104,500 | 1 / $104,500 | — |
| Rimrock | 3 | 42,603 | — | 3 / $42,603 |
| Time Shares | 3 | 9,500 | 3 / $9,500 | — |
| Non-SFR Total | 52 | 16,150,157 | 26 / $9,383,263 | 26 / $6,766,894 |
Exploring the Dynamic Wenatchee Market: From Entiat to Malaga, Rock Island to Orondo and West to Cashmere
The Wenatchee market led the region in January, with unit sales up 45.8% and dollar volume increasing 67.6% compared to January 2025. The $750K to $1MM range was the standout, jumping from 3 sales last January to 13 this year — more than four times the prior-year activity, with financed deals doing the heavy lifting (11 of the 13).
Cash transactions were up 41.7% in unit count and 91.4% in dollar volume, suggesting continued strength at the higher end of the market.
Wenatchee January 2026 vs January 2025
| Jan 2026 | Jan 2025 | Inc/(Dec) | % | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deals | $ Amount | Deals | $ Amount | Deals | $ Amount | Deals | $ Amount | |
| Under $250K - Cash | 0 | 0 | 1 | 50,000 | (1) | (50,000) | -100.0% | -100.0% |
| Under $250K - Financed | 2 | 300,000 | 1 | 150,000 | 1 | 150,000 | +100.0% | +100.0% |
| Under $250K | 2 | 300,000 | 2 | 200,000 | 0 | 100,000 | +0.0% | +50.0% |
| $250K to $500K - Cash | 6 | 2,191,330 | 4 | 1,634,121 | 2 | 557,209 | +50.0% | +34.1% |
| $250K to $500K - Financed | 24 | 10,111,700 | 19 | 8,383,432 | 5 | 1,728,268 | +26.3% | +20.6% |
| $250K to $500K | 30 | 12,303,030 | 23 | 10,017,553 | 7 | 2,285,477 | +30.4% | +22.8% |
| $500K to $750K - Cash | 7 | 4,237,456 | 5 | 3,242,500 | 2 | 994,956 | +40.0% | +30.7% |
| $500K to $750K - Financed | 15 | 8,945,650 | 13 | 7,466,318 | 2 | 1,479,332 | +15.4% | +19.8% |
| $500K to $750K | 22 | 13,183,106 | 18 | 10,708,818 | 4 | 2,474,288 | +22.2% | +23.1% |
| $750K to $1MM - Cash | 2 | 1,630,000 | 1 | 816,500 | 1 | 813,500 | +100.0% | +99.6% |
| $750K to $1MM - Financed | 11 | 9,237,852 | 2 | 1,584,950 | 9 | 7,652,902 | +450.0% | +482.8% |
| $750K to $1MM | 13 | 10,867,852 | 3 | 2,401,450 | 10 | 8,466,402 | +333.3% | +352.6% |
| $1MM to $2MM - Cash | 1 | 1,350,000 | 1 | 1,030,000 | 0 | 320,000 | +0.0% | +31.1% |
| $1MM to $2MM - Financed | 1 | 1,275,000 | 1 | 1,200,000 | 0 | 75,000 | +0.0% | +6.3% |
| $1MM to $2MM | 2 | 2,625,000 | 2 | 2,230,000 | 0 | 395,000 | +0.0% | +17.7% |
| $2MM to $3MM - Cash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| $2MM to $3MM - Financed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| $2MM to $3MM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Greater than $3MM - Cash | 1 | 3,553,846 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3,553,846 | new | new |
| Greater than $3MM - Financed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Greater than $3MM | 1 | 3,553,846 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3,553,846 | new | new |
| Total Cash | 17 | 12,962,632 | 12 | 6,773,121 | 5 | 6,189,511 | +41.7% | +91.4% |
| Total Financed | 53 | 29,870,202 | 36 | 18,784,700 | 17 | 11,085,502 | +47.2% | +59.0% |
| Grand Total | 70 | 42,832,834 | 48 | 25,557,821 | 22 | 17,275,013 | +45.8% | +67.6% |
The Chelan Market: Encompassing Manson and Stehekin
Chelan, including Manson and Stehekin, posted another strong month with 4 additional sales compared to January 2025 — a 50% increase in unit volume and a 66.8% increase in dollar volume. Growth was driven by the middle of the market: the $250K to $500K range doubled to 6 sales (split evenly between cash and financed), the $500K to $750K range added 2 more sales, and the $1MM to $2MM segment opened the year with a financed transaction that was absent in January 2025.
Chelan January 2026 vs January 2025
| Jan 2026 | Jan 2025 | Inc/(Dec) | % | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deals | $ Amount | Deals | $ Amount | Deals | $ Amount | Deals | $ Amount | |
| Under $250K - Cash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Under $250K - Financed | 0 | 0 | 1 | 220,000 | (1) | (220,000) | -100.0% | -100.0% |
| Under $250K | 0 | 0 | 1 | 220,000 | (1) | (220,000) | -100.0% | -100.0% |
| $250K to $500K - Cash | 3 | 1,181,545 | 1 | 350,000 | 2 | 831,545 | +200.0% | +237.6% |
| $250K to $500K - Financed | 3 | 1,230,000 | 2 | 612,000 | 1 | 618,000 | +50.0% | +101.0% |
| $250K to $500K | 6 | 2,411,545 | 3 | 962,000 | 3 | 1,449,545 | +100.0% | +150.7% |
| $500K to $750K - Cash | 2 | 1,000,000 | 1 | 596,500 | 1 | 403,500 | +100.0% | +67.6% |
| $500K to $750K - Financed | 3 | 1,873,750 | 2 | 1,390,000 | 1 | 483,750 | +50.0% | +34.8% |
| $500K to $750K | 5 | 2,873,750 | 3 | 1,986,500 | 2 | 887,250 | +66.7% | +44.7% |
| $750K to $1MM - Cash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| $750K to $1MM - Financed | 0 | 0 | 1 | 930,000 | (1) | (930,000) | -100.0% | -100.0% |
| $750K to $1MM | 0 | 0 | 1 | 930,000 | (1) | (930,000) | -100.0% | -100.0% |
| $1MM to $2MM - Cash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| $1MM to $2MM - Financed | 1 | 1,550,000 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1,550,000 | new | new |
| $1MM to $2MM | 1 | 1,550,000 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1,550,000 | new | new |
| $2MM to $3MM - Cash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| $2MM to $3MM - Financed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| $2MM to $3MM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Greater than $3MM - Cash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Greater than $3MM - Financed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Greater than $3MM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Total Cash | 5 | 2,181,545 | 2 | 946,500 | 3 | 1,235,045 | +150.0% | +130.5% |
| Total Financed | 7 | 4,653,750 | 6 | 3,152,000 | 1 | 1,501,750 | +16.7% | +47.6% |
| Grand Total | 12 | 6,835,295 | 8 | 4,098,500 | 4 | 2,736,795 | +50.0% | +66.8% |
Exploring the Upper Valley Market: Insights from Dryden to Stevens Pass, Including Leavenworth, Lake Wenatchee and Plain
The Upper Valley was the one part of the region that did not share in January's gains. Unit sales declined 33.3% and dollar volume was down 40.9% compared to January 2025. The slowdown was concentrated in the $500K to $750K range, which dropped from 5 sales to 2 with the financed side disappearing entirely, and the $1MM to $2MM segment, which had no activity this January.
Upper Valley January 2026 vs January 2025
| Jan 2026 | Jan 2025 | Inc/(Dec) | % | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deals | $ Amount | Deals | $ Amount | Deals | $ Amount | Deals | $ Amount | |
| Under $250K - Cash | 0 | 0 | 1 | 187,000 | (1) | (187,000) | -100.0% | -100.0% |
| Under $250K - Financed | 1 | 247,500 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 247,500 | new | new |
| Under $250K | 1 | 247,500 | 1 | 187,000 | 0 | 60,500 | +0.0% | +32.4% |
| $250K to $500K - Cash | 1 | 485,000 | 1 | 465,000 | 0 | 20,000 | +0.0% | +4.3% |
| $250K to $500K - Financed | 1 | 485,000 | 1 | 499,000 | 0 | (14,000) | +0.0% | -2.8% |
| $250K to $500K | 2 | 970,000 | 2 | 964,000 | 0 | 6,000 | +0.0% | +0.6% |
| $500K to $750K - Cash | 2 | 1,215,000 | 2 | 1,854,000 | 0 | (639,000) | +0.0% | -34.5% |
| $500K to $750K - Financed | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1,687,200 | (3) | (1,687,200) | -100.0% | -100.0% |
| $500K to $750K | 2 | 1,215,000 | 5 | 3,541,200 | (3) | (2,326,200) | -60.0% | -65.7% |
| $750K to $1MM - Cash | 2 | 1,670,000 | 1 | 890,000 | 1 | 780,000 | +100.0% | +87.6% |
| $750K to $1MM - Financed | 1 | 950,000 | 2 | 1,659,646 | (1) | (709,646) | -50.0% | -42.8% |
| $750K to $1MM | 3 | 2,620,000 | 3 | 2,549,646 | 0 | 70,354 | +0.0% | +2.8% |
| $1MM to $2MM - Cash | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1,300,000 | (1) | (1,300,000) | -100.0% | -100.0% |
| $1MM to $2MM - Financed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| $1MM to $2MM | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1,300,000 | (1) | (1,300,000) | -100.0% | -100.0% |
| $2MM to $3MM - Cash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| $2MM to $3MM - Financed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| $2MM to $3MM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Greater than $3MM - Cash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Greater than $3MM - Financed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Greater than $3MM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Total Cash | 5 | 3,370,000 | 6 | 4,696,000 | (1) | (1,326,000) | -16.7% | -28.2% |
| Total Financed | 3 | 1,682,500 | 6 | 3,845,846 | (3) | (2,163,346) | -50.0% | -56.3% |
| Grand Total | 8 | 5,052,500 | 12 | 8,541,846 | (4) | (3,489,346) | -33.3% | -40.9% |