Published October 22, 2026 in Market Update

One part of this market is moving faster than the national payment squeeze

By JJ Johannes

Real estate, CR NE / Marion / Hiawatha / Robins

You've been watching rates and wondering if this market has slowed down. It hasn't. At least not in CR NE. Here's what the numbers say as of October 22, 2026.

The national picture first

Redfin reported the weekly average mortgage rate at 7.4% for the four weeks ending October 18. At that rate, Redfin put the typical U.S. monthly mortgage payment at $2,796. That's the squeeze buyers everywhere are feeling. Realtor.com also noted that 20.8% of U.S. listings took a price cut in September, the highest share since October 2022. That's the national backdrop.

CR NE (52402) is in a different gear

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 208 homes sold in ZIP 52402 in the three months ending August 31, 2026. Median days on market was 6 days. That's 3 days shorter than the same period a year ago. Sixty-three percent of homes went under contract within two weeks of listing, up 9.3 points from last year. Supply sits at just 0.6 months, down 1.2 months from a year ago. Homes for sale dropped 68.5% year over year to just 40 active listings. When only 40 homes are available and 208 sold in a quarter, buyers don't get to wait around.

Nearly 44% of homes in 52402 sold above list price. The average sale came in at 100.5% of list. Sellers here are not cutting prices. They're collecting them.

Marion (52302) is active too

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 252 homes sold in ZIP 52302 in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That's up 16.1% from a year ago. Median days on market was 8 days, down 13 days from the same period last year. More than half of homes, 55.6%, went under contract within two weeks. Supply is 1.4 months. Prices are up 1.4% to a median of $299,000. Marion is moving.

Hiawatha (52233) tells a different story

Hiawatha is not the same as CR NE or Marion right now. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 49 homes sold in ZIP 52233 in the three months ending August 31, 2026, down 10.9% from a year ago. Median days on market was 70 days, 2 days longer than last year. Only 28.3% of homes went under contract within two weeks. That said, prices are up 12.5% to a median of $360,000. And 55.1% of homes sold above list price, up 40.5 points from a year ago. So buyers are paying up when they do buy. They're just taking longer to decide.

Robins (52328) is the quietest corner

Robins is a small market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted just 7 homes sold in ZIP 52328 in the three months ending August 31, 2026. With only 10 new listings and 9 homes for sale, small samples move these numbers a lot. Median days on market was 16 days. Half of homes went under contract within two weeks. The median sale price was $377,500. Supply sits at 3.9 months, the most of any ZIP in this market. Sellers here need to price carefully.

How the four ZIPs compare

What this means if you're buying

Redfin put the average U.S. mortgage rate at 7.4% for the four weeks ending October 18. That's real pressure on your budget. But in CR NE, waiting costs you too. With 0.6 months of supply and 63% of homes under contract in two weeks, the window on any given home is short. You need your financing lined up before you find the one you want. We can map out exactly what that looks like for your situation.

What this means if you're selling

In CR NE and Marion, the numbers are working in your favor. Prices are up, days on market are down, and nearly half of CR NE homes sold above list price. In Hiawatha, buyers are paying up when they commit, but they're taking longer to get there. In Robins, pricing matters more. At 3.9 months of supply, you don't have the same cushion. We'd price that one carefully from day one.