Strafford had 41 homes for sale at the end of October 2026, up 127.8% from a year ago, and 4.69 months of supply, the most buyer choice in this report and the only city above four months. Contracts rose too: 10 new contracts were written, double the 5 of a year ago. Only 6 homes closed, at a median of $345,000.
Here is what the growing supply means, and why the October median jumped.
Absorption rate: 4.69 months. Strafford has 4.69 months of supply at the current sales pace. Under 6 months is generally a seller’s market; 3 to 6 months still favors sellers, but buyers have more room.
The one town where buyers have real choice
Strafford’s 4.69 months of supply was the highest in this report. Active listings rose from 18 to 41, and 15 new listings came on in October against 6 a year ago. Homes are taking longer to sell: the median time to contract was 42.5 days, the slowest in this report, against 17 last October. Sellers got 96.3% of final list price and 90.7% of original list, the lowest ratios in this report on both counts. The good news for sellers is the pipeline: 10 new contracts against 6 closings, the highest ratio in this report, which points to a busier November.
| Price band | October 2025 sold | October 2026 sold | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| $140K – $160K | 1 | 1 | 0% |
| $180K – $200K | 1 | 0 | −100% |
| $200K – $250K | 5 | 0 | −100% |
| $250K – $300K | 1 | 2 | +100% |
| $300K – $400K | 1 | 0 | −100% |
| $400K – $500K | 1 | 2 | +100% |
| $600K – $700K | 0 | 1 | N/A |
Source: Southern Missouri Regional MLS via Flexmls, October 2026 vs. October 2025, residential closed sales with a reported sale price, Strafford (Greene County), MO.
Why the October median jumped
The median was $345,000, up 42.1%, and the average was $360,750, up 38.5%. That is a change in which homes sold, not in values. Last October, 5 of the 10 sales were between $200,000 and $250,000. This October none did, and 3 of the 6 sales closed at $400,000 or more. Year to date, Strafford’s median is $285,000, down 1.1% from $288,250, while sales are up 48.4%, the largest increase in this report. More homes are selling at about the same prices as last year.
What buyers should know right now
- Strafford has more supply relative to sales than any other city in this report: 4.69 months, with 35 active listings as of November 1.
- Most of the inventory is priced high. The median active listing was $475,000, and only 5 were under $300,000.
- Homes are taking longer to sell, a median of 42.5 days in October, and sellers got 90.7% of original list price overall. You have time to compare and room to negotiate.
- Strafford sits on I-44 just east of Springfield, in the Strafford R-VI district. Year-to-date prices are essentially flat, and buyers have more leverage here than anywhere else in our report.
What sellers should know right now
- You are competing with 41 other listings, more than double a year ago. Price and condition decide who sells.
- Buyers are active: 10 new contracts in October, against 5 last year. But they are negotiating, with sales at 96.3% of final list price.
- Price against recent Strafford closings. The median active listing ($475,000) is far above the year-to-date median sale ($285,000).
- Plan for a longer listing period than last year: 42.5 days to contract in October against 17 a year ago.
Year-to-date trends (Jan–Oct 2026 vs. 2025)
Strafford sellers face more competition, relative to sales, than anywhere else in our report. Find out how to price yours with a real, agent-reviewed valuation.
Or call Zac directly at 417-413-4305 for a 10-minute market conversation.
What this means for the rest of 2026
Strafford’s year to date shows 92 closings and 106 new contracts, both well above 2025’s 62 and 63. Inventory is growing faster than sales, though. With 4.69 months of supply, expect more negotiation and longer selling times this winter, especially for homes priced above recent sales.
The bigger picture
Strafford is the growth story of 2026 in our report: more listings, more contracts and more sales than last year. That growth has shifted the balance toward buyers more than in any other town we track. October’s 6 closings are a small sample, but the inventory trend has been building for months.
Strafford real estate: frequently asked questions
Is now a good time to buy a home in Strafford, MO?
Strafford had 41 active listings in October 2026, up 127.8% from a year ago, with 4.69 months of supply, the most of the eight cities in our report. Buyers have more choice and more room to negotiate in Strafford than anywhere else in our report right now.
Are home prices going up or down in Strafford, MO?
Strafford’s October 2026 median was $345,000, up 42.1% from a year ago, on just 6 sales, because more higher-priced homes closed. The year-to-date median is $285,000, down 1.1% from 2025, so values are essentially flat.
How fast do homes sell in Strafford, MO?
The median Strafford home that sold in October 2026 went under contract in 42.5 days of cumulative market time, compared with 17 a year earlier, the slowest of the eight cities in our report.
How much does a home cost in Strafford, MO?
Strafford homes sold at a median of $345,000 in October 2026, with a year-to-date median of $285,000. The median active listing was priced at $475,000 as of November 1.
Figures reflect residential sales in Strafford (Greene County), MO for October 2026 compared with October 2025, pulled from the Southern Missouri Regional MLS via Flexmls on November 1, 2026. Sold counts, prices and price bands use closed sales with a reported sale price. Days on market is the median CDOM (cumulative days on market). Active inventory, pending sales, new listings, sale-to-list ratios and absorption are the MLS monthly statistics. Year-to-date figures cover January through October. Prior-month figures can shift slightly as late sales are recorded. Market data is provided for general information and is not a guarantee of future results or a substitute for professional or financial advice.