Key takeaways — Stillwater, MN 55082, week of October 11, 2026
- Still a seller's market, barely.The Market Action Index is 43, down a point from 44 last month and well off the 50s we saw in May and June.
- Supply arrived.16 new listings and 5 Coming Soon properties came to market this week, while active inventory held steady near 63.
- Median list price: $750,000. Prices are beginning to ease as demand softens.
- MEA break plus peak color(Thursday and Friday, October 15–16) makes this a short window, and the right week to photograph your home's exterior if you're thinking about spring.
What a week: 16 new listings and 5 Coming Soon
What a week we have had. The Stillwater market is shifting again. Sixteen new single-family listings hit the 55082 market this week, and five more properties went up as Coming Soon. For a mid-October week, that's a meaningful wave of supply, and it tells me a lot of sellers decided to get in before the holidays rather than wait for spring.
Here's the interesting part: even with that wave, total inventory held steady at or around 63 homes. New listings are coming on about as fast as homes are going under contract or being withdrawn. The market is absorbing them, but it isn't getting tighter.
The median list price for Stillwater, MN 55082 sits at$750,000 this week.
The Market Action Index: 43 and drifting
The Market Action Index, from Altos Research, answers the simplest question anyone asks me at the coffee shop: "How's the market?" It compares the rate of sales against available inventory. Above 30, sellers have the advantage. Below 30, buyers do.
This week's reading is 43, down from 44 last month. That's a small move on its own, but it continues a steady slide that started from the 50s back in May and June. Altos describes the current conditions as a Slight Seller's Advantage, and their market narrative is straightforward: the market has been cooling, more homes are available, demand is lighter, and prices are already starting to move lower.
What I'm watching: if the index keeps sliding toward the buyer's zone below 30, expect that softening on price to continue. The signal that turns it around is a persistent upturn in the Market Action Index, not a single good week.
What this means if you're selling
After 33 years selling homes in this valley, I can tell you that a 43 market rewards sellers who price to today, not to last spring. Buyers have choices again. With 16 new listings competing for attention this week, the homes that move are priced correctly from day one, show beautifully, and are marketed with photography that makes someone stop scrolling. Overpricing in a cooling market usually means chasing it down later with reductions.
What this means if you're buying
You have more room to breathe than you did this summer. More inventory, softer demand, and easing prices mean better odds of negotiating on terms, inspections, and timing. It's still a seller-leaning market overall, so the best homes in the best settings, the river views, the walkable historic blocks, the quiet acreage, will still draw competition. Be prepared, but don't feel rushed.
MEA break: a short week with a long weekend
This week will be an interesting one to watch. Minnesota's MEA break closes schools on Thursday and Friday, October 15–16, and a lot of families leave town for the long weekend. Historically, that thins out casual showing traffic. The buyers who are touring that weekend tend to be serious, so if your home is on the market, keep it show-ready.
Peak fall color in the St. Croix Valley
Even with families heading out of town, the fall colors around here should be peaking right now. The bluffs along the St. Croix, the drive north on Highway 95 toward Marine on St. Croix, and the hillsides around Afton are at their best. Before you head out, check the Minnesota DNR's live map of conditions:
Minnesota DNR Fall Color Finder: see current fall color conditions across Minnesota →
Book your fall color exterior photo shoot, while there's still time
It's still not too late to schedule a fall color exterior photo shoot for your home. I have a couple already set up this week and room for a few more.
Here's why it matters. If you're thinking about selling next spring, your home will hit the market before the trees leaf out. Capturing your property now, with the maples and oaks in full color, gives us a library of images that shows buyers what it truly feels like to live there through the seasons. It's one of the things I build into my Luxury Plus Listing Program, because in this valley a home's setting is half the story. The window is days, not weeks. One windy rain and the color is on the ground.
Reserve a fall color shoot, or request an Equity & Strategy Review
Call or text (612) 819-3518 or email [email protected]. Thinking about what your home is worth in a 43 market? Ask for a no-obligation, private Equity & Strategy Review.
Frequently asked questions: Stillwater, MN housing market, October 2026
Is Stillwater, MN 55082 a buyer's or seller's market in October 2026?
As of October 11, 2026, Stillwater, MN 55082 is still a seller's market, but only slightly. The Altos Research Market Action Index for 55082 is 43, down from 44 a month earlier and from the 50s in May and June 2026. Readings above 30 favor sellers; readings below 30 favor buyers. The trend is gradually toward balance.
What is the median list price for homes in Stillwater, MN 55082 in October 2026?
The median list price for single-family homes in Stillwater, MN 55082 is $750,000 for the week of October 11, 2026, according to Altos Research data analyzed by Richard McDonough of Lakes Sotheby's International Realty.
How many homes are for sale in Stillwater, MN right now?
Active single-family inventory in Stillwater, MN 55082 is holding steady at or around 63 homes as of October 11, 2026. This week added 16 new listings, with 5 more properties marked Coming Soon.
What is the Market Action Index?
The Market Action Index, published by Altos Research, answers "How's the market?" by comparing the rate of sales to the amount of inventory. A reading above 30 indicates a seller's advantage and below 30 indicates a buyer's advantage. Stillwater, MN 55082 reads 43 for the week of October 11, 2026.
Are home prices dropping in Stillwater, MN?
In October 2026, the Altos Research market narrative for Stillwater, MN 55082 reports that the market has been cooling, with more homes available, softer demand, and prices beginning to move lower. That trend is expected to continue if the Market Action Index drifts toward the buyer's zone below 30. A sustained upturn in the index would be the early signal of prices firming again.
When is peak fall color in Stillwater and the St. Croix Valley in 2026?
Fall color in Stillwater and the St. Croix Valley is at or near peak around the weekend of October 15–18, 2026, which coincides with Minnesota's MEA break. For current conditions, check the Minnesota DNR Fall Color Finder at dnr.state.mn.us/fall_colors.
Should I take fall photos of my home if I plan to sell in the spring?
Yes. Homeowners in Stillwater, Afton, Marine on St. Croix, and the wider St. Croix Valley who plan to list in spring 2027 benefit from capturing exterior photography at peak fall color in October 2026. Richard McDonough schedules these fall color shoots each year as part of his Luxury Plus Listing Program.
Sources & methodology:Market data for Stillwater, MN 55082 single-family homes from Altos Research , week of October 11, 2026. Fall color conditions from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Fall Color Finder . Commentary and analysis by Richard McDonough. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
