Market Insights

What the Market
Is Actually Doing

Real data on inventory trends, days on market, and what is moving across Muskegon and surrounding counties. What you need to know before making your next move.

West Michigan by the County

The Numbers, All 15 Counties

Active inventory, new listings, pending and sold counts, average days on market, and average sold price across every county we serve. Pulled weekly from the MLS, no spin.

CountyActiveNewPendingSoldAvg DOMAvg Sold Price
Kent91021419211524$480,566
Ottawa569105706125$510,263
Kalamazoo52698895824$350,035
Muskegon41765533442$258,772
Allegan23337361719$461,885
Barry8422141027$340,130
Montcalm1222415825$573,788
Oceana157185730$371,000
Mason13485737$333,571
Newaygo132106575$338,500
Manistee12462521$363,480
Mecosta13895526$342,380
Lake106122535$132,478
Ionia801516112$325,000
Osceola63711194$374,900

Residential, week ending June 21, 2026. Want the full county-by-county read each month? Get the Reference Letter →

Market Intelligence

What I am watching in this market

Muskegon is in a real moment right now. New construction is up. Investment is coming in. And for buyers and sellers who understand what the data is actually saying, there are real opportunities here.

As someone who serves both as a real estate broker and as Ward 1 City Commissioner here in Muskegon, I see this market from two angles at once. What I share here is the same read I use when advising clients and making decisions for the community, not a curated highlight reel.

What I am watching right now

  • Muskegon is leading the state of Michigan in new construction starts, which reflects real developer confidence in where this community is headed.
  • Neighborhood stability in Muskegon is stronger than the assumptions many buyers arrive with. The data corrects that misconception quickly.
  • Buyers in the $200,000 to $350,000 range have real options and slightly more negotiating room than a year ago. Pre-approval still matters most.
  • Sellers who price correctly on day one are moving homes. Those who test the ceiling are watching listings sit and then having to chase the market down.
  • Commercial and small business real estate activity is picking up for the right properties across West Michigan. If you are thinking about a space for your business, now is worth a conversation.
For Buyers

More room to think and negotiate than there was 18 months ago. Higher rates mean the payment math matters more, so run the numbers before you run toward a property. The best-priced homes in strong school districts are still moving, so a clear strategy beats trying to time the market.

Buyer guidance →
For Sellers

Homes are still selling when they're priced right and show well. But it's not automatic anymore. Preparation and pricing accuracy are everything, and you need a plan built around where the market actually is, not where it was two years ago.

Seller guidance →

Free Guides

Step-by-Step Guidance for Every Situation

Plain-language guides that walk you through each phase of your move, written with no agenda except helping you make a better decision. All free.

Buying

Buyer's Guide

A step-by-step roadmap from first conversation to closing day. Financing, search strategy, offers, and inspections, explained clearly.

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Selling

Seller's Guide

The process from first conversation to closing, including pricing strategy, preparation, marketing, and negotiation. No surprises.

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Buying

First-Time Buyer Guide

What to expect, what it actually costs, how to compete, and how to avoid the mistakes that derail most first purchases.

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Investing

Investment Property Guide

How to evaluate rentals the right way: cap rate, cash flow, financing structure, and what the numbers need to look like for a deal to make sense.

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Relocation

Relocation Guide

What you need to know about moving to West Michigan: communities, schools, market dynamics, and how to navigate a purchase from out of area.

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Protection

Home Protectors Guide

Support for homeowners facing a hard situation: foreclosure, divorce, financial hardship, or an estate. Your options, your rights, your timeline.

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First-Time Buyers

Three Ways to Get Ready to Buy

Buying your first home starts with knowing where you stand. Work through it yourself, talk it out one on one, or come to a free live class. No pressure, no cost.

Workbook

Readiness Workbook

A self-paced workbook with the questions, budgeting, and planning that show you exactly where you stand on the path to your first home.

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1-on-1

Readiness Call

A quick 10 to 15 minute call with a Legacy advisor. No pitch, just an honest look at where you stand and what comes next.

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Live Class

Free First-Time Buyer Class

A free, live class with Legacy and VanDyk Mortgage. Learn the real numbers, the loan programs, and the path to your first home.

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Market & Timing Questions

Straight Answers on Timing and Market Conditions

It depends on your specific situation: your timeline, finances, and what you're trying to accomplish. The market timing question is real, but it's rarely the most important variable. The better question is whether your situation is ready. That's what I help you figure out in the first conversation.

It is genuinely mixed, and that is the honest answer. Certain price points and certain school districts still favor sellers, with homes moving quickly when they show well and are priced right. Other ranges sit closer to neutral, where buyers have real room to think and negotiate. There is no single label that fits the whole region, which is exactly why local context matters more than a national headline.

Trying to time the rate is a hard game to win, because nobody knows where rates are headed and life rarely waits for the perfect chart. What matters more is whether the payment works for your budget and whether your situation is ready. If the numbers make sense now, waiting on a rate you cannot predict can cost you more than it saves. We run the actual math first, then decide.

Days on market, how often homes come back after going under contract, how frequently sellers are cutting price, and the balance between active inventory and real demand. No single number tells you much on its own. The signal is in how they move together, and how they read differently across price points, property types, and locations.

Because real estate does not work as a country, it works block by block. National headlines average together markets that have nothing to do with each other, so they almost never describe what is happening on your street. West Michigan is its own set of micro-markets, and even within it, one county can behave very differently from the next.

The read on the market here is refreshed as conditions change, not on a rigid calendar, because the point is to reflect what is actually happening rather than to fill a schedule. If you want a current take on your specific situation or neighborhood, the fastest path is to start a conversation and ask directly.

The Reference Letter

Get the Market Read Before Everyone Else

Legacy's monthly market intelligence for West Michigan: county-by-county data, the trends that actually matter, and an honest read on where things are heading. Free, and deeper than anything you'll find public.

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Jay Kilgo

“Tell me what you are trying to do. Whether you are buying your first home, ready to sell, or just starting to think about it, my job is to help you understand your options and get you to the right outcome. No pitch. Just honest guidance from start to finish.”

423 W. Norton Ave, Norton Shores, MI 49444

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