Is Bothell New Construction Slowing Down in 2026?

By Brandice Raybourn

Yes, the July closing data shows a much slower new-construction experience than Bothell had one year ago.

But “slower” does not mean nothing is selling.

It means buyers took more time, fewer new homes reached the closing table, and the middle builder or seller gave up more of the original asking price.

Closed sales fell from 40 to 13

Bothell recorded 13 new-construction closed sales in July 2026, compared with 40 during July 2025.

That is a decline of 67.5%.

Pending sales also declined from 23 to 17, while new listings moved from 34 to 18.

Closings reflect contracts written earlier, so the drop from 40 to 13 does not describe buyer decisions made on one single July weekend. It shows how much less new-construction activity made it through the full transaction process than it did one year earlier.

Pending sales provide the more current signal. Seventeen buyers still selected new construction during the month, but that was below last year’s 23.

The middle closing took 63 days

Median days on market increased from 14 days in July 2025 to 63 days in July 2026.

That is a significant change.

Days on market describes the homes that successfully closed. It does not include every standing inventory home or every home that failed to sell. A few older properties finally closing can also push the median higher.

Still, a move from 14 to 63 days tells us buyers were not making decisions at the same pace.

New-construction buyers often compare more than the home itself. They compare builder reputation, incentives, rate buy-downs, closing-cost contributions, lot premiums, upgrade packages, completion timing, warranties, and the monthly payment.

They also compare a new home against resale alternatives that may offer a larger lot, a finished yard, window coverings, appliances, or an established neighborhood.

When buyers have choices, those comparisons take time.

Original Asking Price Received fell to 95.2%

The median closed new-construction seller received 95.2% of the original asking price, down from 100% one year earlier.

On a $1,200,000 original list price, 95.2% equals approximately $1,142,400. That is about $57,600 below the original asking price.

This does not mean every builder wrote a $57,600 price reduction. Some negotiations may have involved an adjusted price, and buyer incentives are not always visible in the closed-price statistic.

What it does tell us is that the middle closed sale finished farther below its first asking price than it did last year.

The median price also moved, but the mix matters

The median new-construction sales price declined from $1,253,925 to $1,199,950.

That is a decrease of about 4.3%.

It does not prove that every new Bothell home lost 4.3% of its value. Only 13 homes closed, and the mix of communities, home sizes, lots, builders, and upgrade levels can move the median substantially.

The more useful story is that fewer homes closed, the successful homes took longer, and sellers received less of the original asking price.

Those three statistics point in the same direction.

What this means for new-construction buyers

Buyers may have more room to compare communities and ask detailed questions about the full cost of the purchase.

The best negotiation is not always the lowest sale price. A rate buy-down, closing-cost contribution, upgrade credit, appliance package, or lot-premium adjustment may be more valuable depending on the buyer’s financing and priorities.

This is also where representation matters. The builder’s sales representative works for the builder. Buyers still need someone evaluating the contract, incentives, inspection options, timing, and resale alternatives from their side of the table.

What this means for builders and resale sellers

Builders need to make the value easy to understand. Buyers are comparing monthly payment, finished features, completion timing, and incentives across multiple communities.

Resale sellers are competing with those offers too.

A resale home may not offer a builder rate incentive, but it can compete through location, lot, completed improvements, established landscaping, immediate availability, or a price that reflects what the buyer will not need to purchase after closing.

The competition is not simply new versus old. It is total value versus total value.

If I had to sum up July in one sentence: Bothell new construction was still selling, but buyers took longer and expected the numbers to make sense before they committed.

Read the Full Bothell Housing Market Report

Want to see every Bothell housing type and residential resale price range in one place?

Read the complete Bothell Housing Market Update for August 2026.

The August report uses July 2026 NWMLS data. Market statistics describe groups of properties and do not determine the value or likely outcome of any individual home.

Brandice Raybourn
Coldwell Banker Danforth
Snohomish & North King County Real Estate Broker