Metro Atlanta Housing Market Shows Signs of Cooling as Inventory Rises

Metro Atlanta’s once-red-hot housing market is finally showing signs of cooling, with new data pointing to shifting ground across the region’s 12-county footprint. Prices have ticked down, listings are up, and buyers are starting to regain leverage not seen since before the pandemic.

The median home price across Metro Atlanta sat at about $390,000 in October, a 2.4 percent drop compared to the same month last year. While modest, it marks one of the clearest year-over-year declines since the market’s peak surge.

Inventory is helping drive the shift. The region logged more than 21,600 active listings in October, a 17 percent jump over 2024. That translates to roughly 4.7 months of supply, a level much closer to a balanced market. For the first time in years, buyers in Metro Atlanta are seeing more options and fewer bidding-war pressures.

Inside the city limits, the cooling trend is even more visible. Atlanta’s median sale price fell to around $400,000, down 3.6 percent year-over-year. Homes also linger longer, averaging 82 days on the market, up sharply from the 58-day average seen last fall.

The broader metro, however, is far from uniform. DeKalb and Douglas counties posted some of the steepest annual drops—around 8 percent and 7 percent, respectively. Other counties, including Fulton, Cobb, and Cherokee, continued to see price gains, underscoring how neighborhood-level demand remains uneven.

Rising rates and inflation continue to weigh on affordability, even as prices soften.

For many families across Metro Atlanta, the cost of buying a home remains out of reach. Still, analysts note that the shift toward a more balanced market could open a window for first-time buyers who spent the past several years priced out.

Despite the cooling, Metro Atlanta remains a magnet for corporate investment and new residents. Properties in the $1 million to $2 million range still command attention, averaging more than 4,500 square feet—well above what buyers typically find in comparable metros nationwide.

Market watchers say the coming months will determine whether the slowdown stabilizes or deepens. For sellers, competitive pricing and strong presentation matter more than at any time since 2019. For buyers, the combination of rising inventory and longer market times is creating the most favorable conditions in several years.

Metro Atlanta’s housing market may be cooling, but it is still far from cold—shaped by a region that continues to grow, evolve, and attract newcomers even as economic pressures reshape expectations.