Every month, our Vital Signs report takes the pulse of the residential market across the two counties we serve. The number behind each market is its absorption rate — how many months it would take to sell every home currently listed if nothing new came on. Under six months means homes are moving quickly and sellers hold the advantage. Over six months means buyers have more room to negotiate. The 6.0–6.9 zone is a balanced market where neither side has a clear edge.

From May to June, one county held its ground, and the other made a move worth talking about. 

The Headline

Mobile County flipped from a buyer's market to a seller's market in a single month — its countywide absorption rate dropped from 7.1 in May to 5.7 in June. That's a meaningful shift: buyers had the upper hand in May, and by June sellers did.

Baldwin County stayed steady as a seller's market, moving only slightly from 4.9 to 5.0 — firmly in seller's territory both months, with a few individual markets inching toward balance.

Two counties, two very different months. 

Baldwin County: Steady and Seller-Friendly

Baldwin remained a seller's market overall, and most of its markets stayed comfortably under six months of supply. A few highlights:

• Bay Minette / Stapleton tightened the most, improving from 3.9 to 2.8 — the fastest-moving market in the county.
• Spanish Fort (3.1 → 3.5) and Foley (3.9 → 3.6) stayed among the quickest markets around.
• Daphne (3.7 → 4.1) and Fairhope (4.1 → 4.7) softened a touch but remain strong seller's markets.
• Lillian / Elberta slipped from a seller's market into balanced territory (5.8 → 6.9).
• Orange Beach tipped from balanced into a buyer's market (6.9 → 7.2).
• Gulf Shores remained the most buyer-friendly market in the county (8.2 → 8.7).

What it means if you're selling in Baldwin

Most of the mainland — Daphne, Fairhope, Spanish Fort, Foley, Bay Minette, Loxley/Robertsdale/Summerdale — continues to favor you. Well-priced homes in these areas are meeting steady demand and selling in a matter of months. If your home is priced right, this is still your market.

What it means if you're buying in Baldwin

Your leverage is strongest along the coast. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach both carry well over six months of supply, giving buyers more inventory to choose from and more room to negotiate — especially in the upper price brackets. Lillian / Elberta has also loosened into balanced territory, opening a window that wasn't quite there in May. 

Mobile County: A Market on the Move

Mobile County is the story of the month. In May, most of the county sat in buyer's-market territory; by June, the majority had swung to favor sellers. Several markets saw dramatic one-month shifts:

• Theodore / Grand Bay made the biggest swing, going from a buyer's market to a seller's market (7.3 → 4.4).
• Saraland followed close behind (7.9 → 4.5), also flipping decisively toward sellers.
• Springhill crossed over from a buyer's to a seller's market (7.3 → 5.6).
• West Mobile, the county's largest market by inventory, moved from balanced to a seller's market (6.3 → 5.7).
• Semmes eased from a buyer's market into balanced territory (8.1 → 6.1).
• Midtown held roughly steady as a buyer's market (7.3 → 7.1).
• Dauphin Island remained the most buyer-friendly market on the coast (13.3 → 10.6).

What it means if you're selling in Mobile

The tide turned in your favor this month. If you're in Theodore/Grand Bay, Saraland, Springhill, or West Mobile, demand caught up with supply in a hurry — these are now seller's markets where the right listing can move quickly. Semmes is right at the balance point and trending your way.

What it means if you're buying in Mobile

You still have strong footholds. Midtown remains a buyer's market, and Dauphin Island offers the deepest inventory and the most negotiating room of anywhere we track — a standout for buyers, particularly in the higher price ranges. Just know that in much of the rest of the county, the window that was open in May has started to close. 

The Bottom Line

Baldwin County stayed the course as a dependable seller's market, with the coast still offering the best opportunities for buyers. Mobile County made a swift move from buyer-friendly to seller-friendly, proving how quickly these numbers can turn.

Whether you're buying, selling, or watching from the sidelines, the absorption rate is one of the clearest signals of where the leverage sits — and this month, it moved. If you're wondering what these trends mean for your specific neighborhood or price range, our agents live in this data every day and are always glad to talk it through.

Vital Signs is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the boards/associations of REALTORS® or their Multiple Listing Service. Bellator does not guarantee and is in no way responsible for its accuracy. Market data may not include listings withheld at the seller's request, listings of non-member brokers, unlisted or rental properties, and similar. Statistics reflect residential sales of houses, condominiums, and town homes.