If you’ve been in residential long enough, you’ve heard this sentence: “We just need a small warehouse.” Translation: “I want a place to store my boat, my side-by-side, my dad’s tools, and possibly launch a thriving empire of custom Yeti-cup engraving.”

Heading into 2026, the Greater Nashville housing market was beginning to show renewed momentum following an uptick in mortgage applications during the fourth quarter of 2025. That increase signaled growing interest from buyers who had been waiting on the sidelines, encouraged by improving affordability conditions and the potential for lower interest rates.

Late last month, unprecedented ice, snow, and prolonged below-zero temperatures from Winter Storm Fern left hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans without power. As temperatures plunged and conditions worsened, homes and properties across the state sustained widespread damage, creating significant challenges for families and communities alike.