The numbers are in for the Baldwin County Real Estate Market April 2026, and I want to give you a straight read on what they mean, not just what they say.
Here’s the short version: the Greater Eastern Shore and Foley Metro area crossed from a Seller’s Market into a Balanced Market this month. That’s a real shift. But “balanced market” doesn’t mean the market fell apart, and it doesn’t mean buyers suddenly have the upper hand. It means things are more even than they’ve been in a while, which is actually pretty healthy.
Let me break down what’s happening city by city, because Fairhope, Daphne, Spanish Fort, and Foley are each telling a slightly different story right now.
The Big Picture: What “Balanced Market” Actually Means
At the end of March, we had 2.8 months of housing supply across the metro. By the end of April, that number moved to 3.4 months. Anything under four months is still considered tight. Six months is the textbook definition of balanced. So yes, we crossed a line, but we didn’t run across it.
Closed sales were down month-over-month and down compared to April of last year. That part sounds concerning until you look at the other side of the ledger: the pipeline of pending and under-contract sales grew by nearly 14% from March to April, jumping from 468 to 533 contracts. That’s future closings. The market isn’t stalling, it’s digesting.
Median sale price metro-wide came in at $374,052, up 2.8% from March and up 3.9% from this time last year. Prices are still rising. That’s the thing worth remembering when you hear headlines about slowing sales volume.
Thinking about buying this year – check out the Buyers Guide.
What’s Happening in Fairhope, Daphne, and Spanish Fort
Fairhope had the headline number of the month: median sale price jumped 12.1%, from $465,000 in March to $521,308 in April. Some of that is real appreciation. Some of it is which homes happened to close this particular month. What I trust more is the year-over-year price-per-square-foot gain of 4.7%, which tells you appreciation is broad-based and not just a couple of high-dollar outliers skewing the average.
The good news for buyers with Fairhope on their list: the list-to-sale ratio slipped to 94.37%, meaning sellers are negotiating. At the median price, that’s roughly $30,000 in wiggle room compared to list price. Sellers who priced accurately are still closing close to ask. Sellers who swung for the fences are working their way back down. Pending contracts jumped 21.8% from March to April, so expect May closings to be active.
Daphne quietly put up the strongest appreciation numbers in the entire metro. Median prices rose 15.3% month-over-month and 16.4% year-over-year. Price per square foot is up 7.2% compared to this time last year. Back in March, buyers were actually paying above list price on average in Daphne. That level of competition cooled a bit in April, which is normal and healthy, but the underlying appreciation is real.
Spanish Fort had the biggest statistical swing of any market, with months of supply jumping from 2.0 to 3.4 in a single month. That’s a 67% move and it sounds dramatic. But here’s the counterintuitive part: the homes that did sell in Spanish Fort sold fast and sold well. The list-to-sale ratio of 98.12% was the highest in the entire metro. Pending contracts grew too. What Spanish Fort has right now is lower volume, not lower demand, and those are different things.
For more on Alabama’s Housing Data – Alabama Center for Real Estate (ACRE)
What’s Happening in Foley
Foley is the market I’m watching most closely right now, and not because of anything alarming, but because one number stood out.
Median days on market in Foley barely moved, from 48 days in March to 46 in April. Normal, steady, unremarkable. But average days on market jumped 35.5% in a single month, from 67.7 to 91.7 days. When median and average pull apart like that, it means a growing number of homes are sitting for a very long time without selling, while the typical home still moves at a reasonable pace.
Foley has more active listings than any other market in the metro right now, at 332. The entry and mid-range homes are still moving. The upper tier is slower. If you’re a Foley seller, knowing where your home fits in that spectrum matters a lot for how you price it.
Median prices in Foley are down modestly, both month-over-month and year-over-year, by about 2% to 3%. That’s not a value collapse. It’s a mix-shift story: fewer higher-priced homes closed this month, which pulls the median down while the average holds steady.
What This Means If You’re Buying or Selling Right Now
If you’re buying: You’re in the most favorable environment in a while. More inventory. More price reductions already baked in. Sellers who are, on average, accepting about four percent below their asking price. That’s not a buyer’s market, so don’t walk in with a lowball offer and expect a warm reception. But it is a market where preparation and patience actually pay off.
If you’ve been watching the Eastern Shore from out of state and wondering whether now is the right time to make a move, the honest answer is that the people who waited for a “perfect” moment usually just paid more later.
If you’re selling: The sellers having the best experience right now are the ones who priced accurately on Day 1. The data shows that 68% of April closings involved a price reduction at some point. That means a lot of sellers started high, watched their home sit, and eventually came back to where they should have been from the start. Right pricing isn’t giving up money. It’s saving time and stress.
If you own in Daphne and have been vaguely thinking about “someday” selling, that someday comes with a pretty attractive price tag on it right now. Sixteen percent year-over-year appreciation in a normalizing regional market is worth taking seriously.
For more information on schools visit the Baldwin County Board of Education
One of the things I love about this market is how much variety there is within one county. You can drive from downtown Fairhope’s tree-lined streets down to the bay at sunset, then be in Foley’s new construction neighborhoods in twenty minutes, or over the Causeway into Spanish Fort for a different school zone and a different price point entirely. That’s Baldwin County. Knowing how each of these markets moves independently is the whole game.
Got questions about what these numbers mean for your specific situation? That’s exactly what I’m here for.
Whether you’re relocating, thinking about listing, or just trying to make sense of what you’re reading, reach out anytime at AskJudd.com. No pressure, no pitch, just a straight answer.
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Common Questions About the Baldwin County Market
Is it still a seller’s market in Baldwin County? As of April 2026, the metro crossed into Balanced Market territory with 3.4 months of supply. That means neither buyers nor sellers have a strong advantage, though individual cities vary. Fairhope and Daphne are closer to seller-leaning; Foley has more inventory.
Are home prices dropping in Baldwin County? No. Metro-wide median prices rose 3.9% year-over-year in April 2026. Fairhope is up 11.5% YOY. Daphne is up 16.4% YOY. Foley’s median is down modestly, around 2%, but that reflects a change in which homes closed, not falling property values.
How long are homes sitting on the market in Baldwin County? The metro median was 41 days in April 2026. Daphne is fastest at around 31 days. Spanish Fort improved to 50 days. Foley’s average is higher due to some longer-sitting listings, but the typical home still moves in about 46 days.
Is now a good time to buy a home in Fairhope or Daphne? Prices are still rising in both cities, but more inventory and some seller flexibility make this a better environment than 2022 or 2023 for buyers. Getting pre-approved and working with someone who knows the local neighborhoods is the most important step. [LINK: start with the Buying Guide → Buying Guide]
Should I reduce my price if my home isn’t selling? Before cutting the price, look at whether the home was positioned correctly to begin with. About 45% of active listings in Baldwin County have already had a price reduction. Chasing the market down is expensive. A local agent who knows your specific area can tell you whether a reduction makes sense or whether there are other factors at play.
What cities in Baldwin County are appreciating the fastest? Based on April 2026 data, Daphne leads the metro with 16.4% year-over-year median price growth. Fairhope follows at 11.5% YOY. Spanish Fort is also showing strong appreciation at 12.2% YOY on the median.
Is Foley a good place to buy right now? Foley has the most active inventory in the metro, which gives buyers more choices. Entry and mid-range homes are still moving well. The upper tier is softer. For buyers with flexibility on price range, Foley offers more negotiating room than Fairhope or Daphne right now.
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