The Detroit area real estate market just shifted. I pulled the February 2026 numbers straight from the MLS for every major suburb across Oakland, Wayne, and Macomb County. Some of the most popular suburbs saw price drops nobody expected, while a handful of under-the-radar cities are heating up fast.
Here's what the data actually shows and what it means if you're thinking about buying or selling.
Across the four-county metro area (Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne), the overall median sales price came in at $260,000 in February, basically flat compared to last year.
But two numbers tell the real story:
- Closed sales dropped nearly 10% year over year (2,387 to 2,184)
- Inventory jumped 16.4% (5,922 to 6,893 homes on the market)
That pushed the months supply of inventory from 1.8 to 2.1. For context, anything under 4 months is still considered a seller's market. So sellers still have the advantage across most of the metro area. But buyers have more options than they've had in years, and that's shifting where the money is going.
The Suburbs That Are Cooling
These are the cities that surprised me the most when I pulled this data. All three are popular, well-known suburbs that most people assume only go up in price.
Novi: Down 13.2%
Novi's year-to-date median price dropped from $565,000 last year to $490,500 this year. That's a 13.2% decline. The good news: inventory is still under one month of supply, so it's not like Novi is falling apart. But if you've been priced out of Novi, this could be your window.
West Bloomfield: Down 10.6%
West Bloomfield's YTD median went from $520,000 to $465,000. Homes are sitting longer too, with 57 days on market versus 49 last year. Interestingly, the average price is actually up 4%, which tells us the higher-end homes are still moving while the mid-range is seeing more buyer hesitation.
Birmingham: Down 8.4%
This one will surprise people. Birmingham's YTD median dropped from $1,000,000 to $915,600. Closed sales are down 28% year to date, and sellers are getting just 96.8% of list price. For a city that routinely gets full ask or above, that's a meaningful shift.
Birmingham is still Birmingham — the average sale is over $1.2 million. But even premium markets feel these shifts.
Year-to-date median price changes across 15 Detroit area suburbs. Green = price increase, red = price decline. Data from Realcomp MLS.
Where the Money Is Going
While those suburbs cooled off, a handful of other cities are seeing serious activity. These are the hidden hot spots in the February data.
Plymouth: The Hottest Market in Metro Detroit
Plymouth is on fire right now. Homes are selling at 103.2% of list price — meaning buyers are paying more than asking. The YTD median jumped over 15% to $468,775, closed sales surged 225% (from 8 to 26), and February's days on market was just 13 days. With only 0.6 months of inventory, this is the most competitive market in the entire dataset.
Bloomfield Hills: 800% Jump in Sales
Bloomfield Hills went from just 4 YTD sales last year to 36 this year. The median price jumped nearly 30% to $626,500, and homes are selling in 21 days versus 61 last year. New listings more than doubled, and buyers responded immediately. This looks like pent-up demand that finally met new supply.
Commerce Township: Flying Under the Radar
Commerce Township's YTD median jumped over 15% to $550,000, with the average up over 30%. Homes sold in just 22 days in February. The combination of lake life, more space, and newer builds is pulling move-up buyers from places like Royal Oak and Livonia.
Year-to-date median sales prices across Detroit area suburbs. Percentage shows year-over-year change. Data from Realcomp MLS.
The Move-Up Markets Worth Watching
These suburbs are driving the most activity for families moving up, relocating, or repositioning.
Troy
Steady as always. YTD median at $450,000, homes selling at 100.2% of list price, 1.2 months of inventory. Buyers are taking longer (41 days vs 33 last year), but they're still showing up.
Rochester Hills
YTD median up nearly 7% to $480,000. New listings doubled in February. Inventory at 1.4 months. Strong schools, newer homes, consistent appreciation.
Livonia
The volume leader with 106 closed sales year to date — more than any other city in this report. Median up 6.6% to $324,000, selling in 25 days, with just 0.7 months of inventory. For buyers looking for value, Livonia delivers.
Shelby Township
Median jumped 11.5% to $412,500 in February, and days on market got cut nearly in half (68 to 39 days). More house for the money compared to Oakland County.
Canton Township
YTD median up to $445,000. Inventory grew from 42 to 65 homes, giving buyers more options. Still a seller's market at 1.2 months of supply.
Months supply of inventory by suburb. Under 2 months = strong seller's market. 2-4 months = shifting. Over 4 months = balanced or buyer's market. Data from Realcomp MLS.
What This Means for Buyers
The suburbs that felt untouchable last year — Novi, West Bloomfield, even Birmingham — have more room to negotiate right now. Prices aren't crashing, but you have more leverage than you've had in years. Meanwhile, the hottest pockets (Plymouth, Bloomfield Hills, Livonia) are still fiercely competitive. Know your target market before you make a move.
What This Means for Sellers
The market is still on your side in most suburbs. Nearly every city in this report is under 2 months of inventory. But the days of listing high and collecting multiple offers in every neighborhood are getting more selective. Pricing precision, home prep, and working with someone who knows your specific market are the difference between selling in a week and sitting for two months.
The Bottom Line
Two cities five miles apart can tell completely different stories. The metro-wide headline is useful context, but your decision should be driven by hyper-local data.
I put together a complete downloadable report with the full data from every city covered here — median prices, days on market, inventory, year-over-year changes, and more. Download the latest Detroit Area Market Report here.
And if you want to talk about what these numbers mean for your specific situation, reach out anytime. I do these updates every month, so subscribe on YouTube to catch the next one.
All data from Realcomp II Ltd. MLS. Current as of March 6, 2026. Residential sales only. Does not account for sale concessions and/or downpayment assistance.
