01 THE NUMBER
1 in 3
36% of Metro Atlanta homes for sale had a price cut in September, down slightly from 39% last September.
7.24%
30-year national average
Oct. 29, 2026¹
29,735
Homes for sale
Metro Atlanta · Sept. 2026²
60 days
Median time on market
Metro Atlanta · Sept. 2026²
02 THE STORY
North Georgia · Photo: Tolga Ahmetler / Unsplash
Price cuts eased. Augusta went the other way.
Compared with last September, price cuts eased in three of four metros.
Last month we asked what the Fed's September 16 hike meant for Georgia homes for sale. One month can't show cause. It can show how many homes for sale had a price cut.
In Atlanta, 36% of homes for sale had a price cut, down from 39% last September. Savannah (36%) and Columbus (28%) also eased. Augusta rose, from 33% to 35%.
A price cut is a signal, not a forecast.
For a longer view, below is September 2026 against September 2019.
Source: Realtor.com via FRED.²
Three metros sit well above their 2019 levels. Atlanta is close.
Did the market turn? One month proves little. Price cuts follow the seasons, so we compare the same month across years.
Kinship Fieldnotes tracks price cuts since 2019, across four metros and county by county in Metro Atlanta.
03 YOUR MOVE
What this means for you
Buying
Fewer Metro Atlanta homes have price cuts than a year ago, but about 1 in 3 still do. A cut means a seller has adjusted, not that a home is a bargain. If you haven't locked your rate, it can also move between contract and closing: Fieldnotes No. 2 shows how far.
Selling
Median time on market in Metro Atlanta was 60 days in September. Your agent can show how often similar homes changed price.
Staying
Your fixed mortgage interest rate doesn't change when market rates move. Refinancing or moving depends on your own rate, equity and plans.
Realtors
The share of listings with a price cut ranged from 30% in Spalding to 47% in Paulding. Check your county in Fieldnotes No. 1. Feel free to forward this issue.
04 YOUR QUESTION
“Fewer sellers are cutting prices.
Did I miss my chance to negotiate?”
A question you may be asking.
Not necessarily. No one can promise where prices or mortgage rates go next, including us. Fewer price cuts than last year doesn't mean none.
What you control: your budget, your timeline, and the terms you negotiate. Price is one term. Repairs and closing costs are others. Recent comparable sales and the home's price history show what's reasonable.
Have a question about buying, selling, or rates in Georgia?
Hit reply and ask. Each month we answer one reader question here, without names. We read every reply.
05 WATCHING NEXT
What happened on October 28: the Fed held its short-term rate at 3.75% to 4%.
October jobs report
Strong hiring can push mortgage rates up. Weak hiring can pull them down.
Nov 6
Inflation report (CPI)
An inflation report that can shift expectations for rates.
Nov 10
Fed rate decision
The Fed moves short-term rates directly and mortgage rates only indirectly. New projections come with this one.
Dec 9
The market is broad. Your decision is personal.
Buying, selling, or staying put, we'll walk through your own numbers with you.