If you’ve been house hunting over the past few years, you probably felt it, too many buyers, not enough homes, and constant pressure to move fast.

That dynamic is starting to shift.

Across the country, and increasingly in Glendale CA, Burbank, La Crescenta, Montrose, Tujunga, Sunland, Granada Hills, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, and surrounding Los Angeles County communities, housing inventory is rising.

And that matters more than headlines suggest.

What Does "Inventory Is Making a Comeback" Actually Mean?

The short answer: there are more homes available for sale than we’ve seen in years.

According to Realtor.com, the number of active listings in January was the highest it’s been since 2020.

While we’re not fully back to pre-pandemic norms nationally, the upward trend signals something important: the market is gradually moving toward balance.

For buyers, balance changes everything.

When inventory is tight:

• Homes sell quickly
• Multiple offers are common
• Negotiation power is limited

When inventory improves:

• You gain time
• You gain options
• You regain leverage

And after several years of intense seller advantage, that shift is meaningful.

A Growing Portion of the Country Is Returning to Typical Levels

Not every market rebounds at the same speed.

Some metro areas are recovering faster than others. Over the past year alone, the number of major metros returning to typical inventory levels has more than doubled.

That trend is also visible locally.

What we’re seeing across parts of Glendale, Burbank, North Hollywood, and Van Nuys is more listings compared to the ultra-tight conditions of 2021–2023. In communities like La Crescenta, Montrose, Sunland, and Tujunga, inventory remains selective, but even there, supply is improving compared to peak shortages.

This doesn’t mean it’s suddenly a buyer’s market everywhere. It means conditions are normalizing.

And normal feels very different from extreme.

Inventory Is Expected To Keep Growing in 2026

Forecasts suggest active listings could rise another 10% this year.

If that happens, inventory levels may approach what we saw in 2017–2019 by later this year.

That dotted projection line shows how close supply could come to what many consider a "typical" market.

For buyers, that could mean:

• Fewer bidding wars
• More negotiation opportunities
• More thoughtful decision-making

In simple terms, the market begins working with you, not against you.

What This Means for Buyers in Los Angeles County

If you’ve been waiting for:

• More choices in your price range
• Less urgency when touring homes
• A little more room to negotiate

This is the strongest setup buyers have seen in several years.

In areas like Granada Hills, Van Nuys, and North Hollywood, rising inventory creates flexibility. In Glendale and Burbank, it means you may have more breathing room than you did two years ago.

That doesn’t eliminate competition. But it does reduce the pressure.

And for many buyers, especially first-time buyers or move-up families, that emotional shift matters as much as the financial one.

Bottom Line

Inventory isn’t fully back to normal everywhere. But it’s moving steadily in that direction.

For buyers across Glendale CA, La Crescenta, Montrose, Burbank, Tujunga, Sunland, Granada Hills, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, and surrounding Los Angeles County neighborhoods, this improvement changes the experience of buying.

More options. More time. More clarity.

If you’d like to understand what inventory looks like specifically in your target neighborhood, and how much leverage you realistically have, that conversation is worth having.

Call 818-860-7386 for a calm, no-pressure discussion about what’s happening locally.