The Hollinger Team profile image

By The Hollinger Team

Diana, Kellie, Dane, Drew and I have over 85 years of experience in Montana real estate, specializing in waterfront properties. Let’s see what we can find for you.

Looking to Buy a Home? Search the entire MLS for homes located in the Flathead Valley.
Home Search

Every quarter, I pull the numbers on waterfront activity here in the Flathead Valley, and the second quarter of 2026 gave us a real mix. Some categories are cooling, while others are picking up nicely.

In Flathead Lake, we have three main updates.

Flathead Lake homes have tightened up. There are 33 active listings on the lake right now, down from 48 at this time last year, and we’ve had 13 sales so far this year compared to 19 a year ago. Not much new has come on the market, so buyers have mostly been working through the existing inventory. Three sales are pending, which is a little soft for a second quarter, though I’d chalk some of that up to the nasty, rainy spring we had, slowing things down.

Flathead Lake condos are a bright spot. The numbers are small, so trends are always tricky, but sales have more than doubled in the first half of this year versus last. With 19 active listings, there’s decent inventory to work with, even if it’s thinner than what we used to see. It’ll be interesting to watch how the rest of the year plays out, but it’s been a healthy run.

Flathead Lake and stays quiet. It’s been perpetually low here: three sales this year, against two last year; one pending; and only five vacant lots for sale on Flathead Lake. With so little available, some buyers seem to be waiting to see what else comes to market.

“Averages only tell you so much. On the water, every lake and every property is its own story.”

In other areas, here’s what you need to know.

The other lakes are gaining momentum. Across the valley’s other ten lakes, inventory is actually pretty good at about 31 active properties, and sales have jumped to around a dozen this year from just five in 2025. Only one is pending, so we’ll see whether a wave of summer buyers spurs things on. Even waterfront vacant land, which we didn’t bother reporting last quarter because there was so little of it, has picked up compared to a year ago, though several lakes still have no lots for sale at all, and many have just one.

The two-county picture is strong. Across Flathead and Lake counties combined, there are nearly 1,000 homes for sale and about 740 sales so far this year, a little over six months of supply and good turnover, up by better than 10% from last year. Condos are steady, with 273 on the market and 177 sold versus 153 a year ago, plus a good number pending. Vacant land is the exception: supply is abundant, with only 253 sales so far this year, running about even with last year.

Averages and snapshots only tell you so much, though. Every lake, every price point, and every property is its own story, and a home on Flathead Lake behaves nothing like a lot on one of the smaller lakes.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling waterfront, the number that matters is the one for your specific property. You can always browse what's currently on the market or get a real read on what your own place is worth today.

If you have questions about any of these numbers or want to talk through what they mean for your situation, reach out anytime. Call or text me at 1-406-837-5531, or email me at ScottHollingerMT@gmail.com. You may also visit flatheadrealestate.com and blog.flatheadrealestate.com.

Watch More