Yes, Mesa and Glendale are now buyer’s markets. Both cities crossed below the CMI threshold of 90 during the week of October 29, 2026. Mesa landed at 86.6 and Glendale at 86.2. That brings the total number of buyer’s markets across the Phoenix Valley to ten, the most since December 2022.
If you are buying or selling in Mesa or Glendale, this week changed your math
A CMI below 90 means conditions favor buyers. Sellers in Mesa and Glendale have less pricing power than they did just one week ago. Buyers can negotiate harder and take more time.
Mesa’s index dropped from 90.6 to 86.6 in a single week — a fall of four points. Glendale went from 90.4 to 86.2, nearly the same. Neither number is catastrophic, but both cities just crossed a line. They were balanced markets last Tuesday. They are buyer’s markets today.
If you are selling in Mesa or Glendale right now, expect longer days on market and more buyer requests for concessions. If you are buying, you have more room to ask — on price, on repairs, on closing costs. That leverage was not there a week ago.
Mesa’s drop of 17% versus last month is steep. For context, Glendale was sitting at CMI 107.3 in September — a comfortable balanced market. Both cities have moved a long way in a short time.
Mesa’s long-term demand story has other signals worth watching. The Mesa Legacy Park development and the Sprouts Eastmark opening speak to fundamentals the CMI does not capture.
The complete Valley scorecard: all 18 cities ranked by CMI
The Cromford Report tracks 18 large Valley cities. Here is where every one stands as of the week of October 29, 2026. A CMI above 110 is a seller’s market. Between 90 and 110 is balanced. Below 90 is a buyer’s market.
| City | CMI | Market State |
|---|---|---|
| Scottsdale | 133.6 | Seller’s market |
| Paradise Valley | 120.4 | Seller’s market |
| Chandler | 110.5 | Seller’s market |
| Fountain Hills | 99.1 | Balanced market |
| Cave Creek | 95.7 | Balanced market |
| Avondale | 95.6 | Balanced market |
| Phoenix | 94.4 | Balanced market |
| Gilbert | 92.5 | Balanced market |
| Mesa | 86.6 | Buyer’s market |
| Glendale | 86.2 | Buyer’s market |
| Peoria | 68.6 | Buyer’s market |
| Tempe | 63.0 | Buyer’s market |
| Goodyear | 60.3 | Buyer’s market |
| Surprise | 57.2 | Buyer’s market |
| San Tan Valley | 47.8 | Buyer’s market |
| Buckeye | 44.8 | Buyer’s market |
| Queen Creek | 43.8 | Buyer’s market |
| Maricopa | 41.1 | Buyer’s market |
Source: Cromford Report, week of October 29, 2026. CMI above 110 = seller’s market; 90–110 = balanced; below 90 = buyer’s market.
The spread from top to bottom is 92.5 points. Scottsdale sits at 133.6 and Maricopa at 41.1. Those two cities are in the same metro area and in entirely different market universes. For more on how the Paradise Valley shift fits into the top of this table, see our earlier coverage.
The biggest weekly movers across the Valley
Two cities had the largest single-week point drops: Cave Creek fell 8.2 points and Fountain Hills fell 8.1 points. Both stayed in balanced territory, but they are close to the 90-point line now.
Measured against last month, Fountain Hills is down 30%. Cave Creek is down 22%. Paradise Valley is down 20% — yet still a seller’s market at 120.4. Mesa’s 17% monthly drop is steep for a city of its size.
For more detail on the Fountain Hills CMI drop this October, we have a dedicated piece.
Why ten buyer’s markets is a milestone worth noting
The Cromford Report’s own commentary puts this in context. Ten buyer’s markets across the 18 tracked cities is the most since December 2022. The current split is 3 seller’s markets, 5 balanced, and 10 buyer’s markets.
All 18 cities moved in a buyer-favorable direction for the fourth week in a row. Every city’s index is lower than it was a week ago. That kind of breadth and consistency is not a blip.
The average CMI across all 18 cities is down 15% from last month. The Cromford Report describes this as a pause — not a recovery. The reading is, apart from last week, the weakest since November 2023.
Our earlier piece on Phoenix CMI 99.5 and all 18 Valley cities shows where conditions stood just weeks ago.
What to watch in the weeks ahead
The Cromford Report did not signal a reversal. It called this a pause at a low level. Buyers in Mesa and Glendale should not expect sellers to suddenly regain leverage next week.
Watch Cave Creek and Fountain Hills. Both fell more than 8 points in a single week. If that pace continues, they could cross below 90. Gilbert sits at 92.5 — also close to the line.
On the seller side, Chandler is barely a seller’s market at 110.5. One more bad week pushes it into balanced. Only Scottsdale (133.6) and Paradise Valley (120.4) have real cushion.
Buyers active in Mesa have plenty of context beyond the CMI. The Palo District MLS stadium project and new rezonings like Park North Mesa townhomes show where long-term demand is heading. A buyer’s market means more negotiating room, but Mesa’s demand story has not changed.
