Welcome to the July issue of The Sedona Real Estate Report.
First, the fire. The Pocket Fire has burned more than 25,000 acres in the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness west of Oak Creek Canyon over the past two weeks. As I write this it sits at 38% containment, crews from across the country are on it, and officials say full containment could take a few more weeks. Parts of Oak Creek Canyon and the Seven Canyons area remain in SET status.
If you own a rental here and the smoke has cancellations piling up, or you're out of state wondering how close this actually is to your property, call me. I'll swing by your porperty and give you the straight local answer.
And to every firefighter working that line in July heat: thank you. 🙏 🧑🚒
Now the market. The June headline number looks dramatic. The story underneath it is the most interesting one I've seen all year.
June 2026 numbers (Sedona)
Pulling from the most recent ARMLS data:
Median sale price: $785,000 ↓ -32.5% vs May
Days on market (median): 59 ↑ +7.3% vs May
Active inventory: 209 ↑ +9.4% vs May
Price per sq.ft. (median): $424 ↓ -12.9% vs May
Closed sales: 45 ↓ -27.4% vs May
What I'm seeing
That -32% median is a mix story, not a crash.
Here's what actually happened in June: the luxury end paused while the smoke was thickest, and the entry level kept right on moving.
Eleven townhouses closed in June versus five in May, with a cluster of sales between $293K and $449K. When the bottom of the market does the volume and the top sits out a month, the median falls off a cliff even though no individual home lost a third of its value.
The proof: June still closed 45 sales, exactly the same count as June 2025. A 25,000-acre fire did not slow this market's volume by a single sale year over year.
Priced-right homes are going under contract quickly. Meanwhile, 40% of active listings have taken a price cut and exactly zero have raised. That's the most split I've seen this market: Well-priced homes are under contract in days. Sellers holding out are only collecting days on market and deep price cuts instead of offers.
This is the best buyer selection in months, and the smart money knows it. Active inventory hit 209 in June, up from 186 in April and 191 in May. More choices, motivated sellers cutting prices, and less buyer competition while the smoke keeps the casual crowd away. Same pattern as last summer: the buyers who transact in June, July, and August get the selection and the negotiating room, then watch the fall crowd fight over what's left. If you've been waiting for your window, you're standing in it.
🏆 One listing worth knowing about (not mine)
710 Sunshine Lane, West Sedona. 3BR / 2BA, 1,280 sqft on 0.43 acres, $775,000
Full transparency: this is not my listing. But I know an undervalued property when I see one, and this is it. Move-in-ready ranch on an oversized corner lot in West Sedona with red rock views from the back deck, no HOA, STR possible, and a hiking trailhead at the end of the street. It listed Friday and racked up over 500 views online in its first 24 hours.
At $775K in this zip code, I expect it to be under contract within days. If you want a shot at it, call or text me today: 928-300-8277. Here’s a video walkthrough I did of the property yesterday.
One thing on my mind: what 35 years of fire seasons teach you about owning in Sedona.
I grew up here, which means I grew up with fire season. The Brins Fire in 2006 was scary. The Slide Fire in 2014 was intense. Now the Pocket Fire. Each one felt enormous while it burned. None of them changed what Sedona is and none burned any homes in Sedona. We are blessed to be surrounded by red rocks that protect the city and create a buffer between our forests and homes.
Here's what experienced Sedona owners actually do. They maintain defensible space around the house. They ask about ember-resistant vents and roof materials before they buy. They review their wildfire coverage every year instead of assuming it rolled over. When I walk buyers through a property, fire exposure is part of the conversation, the same way monsoon drainage and view corridors are. It's not scary. It's just part of knowing what you own.
And here's what the market history shows: demand for Sedona didn't flinch after Brins, and it didn't flinch after Slide. June's sales volume matching last year's, mid-fire, says it won't flinch this time either. The same protected forest that carries fire risk is the reason there will never be another subdivision between you and the red rocks. Buyers understand that trade. They've priced it in for decades.
That's it for July. Stay safe, breathe easy, and thank a firefighter. 🧑🚒
Will Hamburg
Associate Broker
Realty One Group Mountain Desert
928.300.8277
https://owninsedona.com
