Published October 2, 2026 in Market Update

Southern York is still moving fast, even with rates above 7%

By Erin Kelly

Real estate, Greater York, Hanover & Southern York County

Here's the one thing that matters most right now: rates are up, but Southern York hasn't slowed down. Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates topped 7% for the first time since January 2025, and CNBC put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.30% as of September 30, 2026. That's real pressure on buyers' monthly payments. And yet the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,148 homes sold across this market in the three months ending July 31, 2026, with 1,177 pending sales right behind them. Demand isn't sitting on the sidelines.

These numbers cover the three months ending July 31, 2026. That's the period we're talking about throughout this post. One more note before we dig in: Southern York County, Hanover and the York area are not one market. The towns near the Maryland line along I-83, the Hanover area, and York itself each move differently. The numbers below show that clearly.

Speed: how fast are homes going under contract?

This is where Southern York stands out. The Real Estate Data Aggregator found that in the Stewartstown area, 77.3% of homes went under contract within two weeks of listing, up 22.7 points from a year before. The New Freedom area came in at 75.8%, and the Shrewsbury area at 77.5%. That's not a fluke. Even in the Hanover area, more than half of homes were under contract within two weeks.

Supply: there's almost nothing to buy

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted just 587 homes for sale across the whole market in that same period. Against 1,148 sold, that's a very thin bench. In the Shrewsbury and Stewartstown areas, supply sat at just 1 month each. The Felton area came in at 0.9 months. Six months is considered a balanced market. Everything here is well below that.

Prices: mostly up, with one honest catch

Most areas saw prices rise year over year. The Spring Grove area was the biggest mover, with the Real Estate Data Aggregator putting the median sale price at $400,000, up 41.6% from a year before. The New Freedom area came in at $440,500, up 10.1%. The Hanover area reached $317,000, up 5.7%. The honest catch: the Red Lion and Shrewsbury areas each saw median prices dip. Red Lion came in at $255,000, down 7.3%, and Shrewsbury at $330,000, down 15.4%. More homes sold in both places, which can pull the median down when smaller homes make up more of the mix. Speed and volume stayed strong there even so.

Are buyers still paying over list?

Yes, in most of this market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator found that in the New Freedom area, 56.7% of homes sold above list price, at an average of 101.7% of list. In East York, 53.5% sold above list at 102.3%. The Felton and Stewartstown areas each had half of homes sell above list. Even in the Hanover area, 42.4% of homes sold above list. That said, the share going above list has slipped a little in several areas compared with a year ago. Buyers are still competing, but they're more careful about payment.

The catch: payment sensitivity is real

Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates topped 7% in September 2026. CNBC put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.30% as of September 30, 2026. That adds real dollars to a monthly payment compared with even a year ago. The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported that U.S. home prices rose 2.6% year over year through July 2026. So buyers are paying more for the home and more to borrow. That's why pricing and condition matter more now than they did when money was cheaper. A well-priced, well-prepared home still moves fast here. One that needs work or starts too high is more likely to sit.

There's also a national signal worth noting. Redfin reported that 21% of U.S. home sellers dropped their asking price in the four weeks ending September 20, 2026, up from 19.8% a year earlier. That's a national number, not a Southern York number. But it tells you buyers elsewhere are pushing back on price. Southern York's supply is tight enough that sellers here have more room. Still, it's a reminder that the days of any price working are behind us.

How the areas compare, side by side

What this means if you own in Southern York

Speed is still on your side. Supply is thin, buyers are active, and most of this market is still seeing offers at or above list. The towns nearest the Maryland line along I-83, including Shrewsbury, New Freedom and Stewartstown, are moving the fastest. That's a commuter dynamic: buyers who work in Baltimore or northern Maryland are willing to pay for a short drive and a lower price point than they'd find closer to the city.

The practical upside: if you're thinking about selling, you're not fighting a slow market. The thing to get right is price and prep. Buyers at 7.30% are doing payment math on every offer. A home that looks move-in ready and is priced to match what actually sold nearby will still move fast. One that asks buyers to stretch on both price and repairs is a harder sell than it was two years ago.

One more thing worth saying: these numbers cover whole areas, not individual streets. A single block, a school district line or a road can read very differently from the area average. If you want to know what the data says about your specific address, that's a different and more useful conversation.