By Luis Tejada, Greater Boston Real Estate Broker
Welcome to our Market Minute. Each month we gather the newest numbers and explain them in plain words. The latest full month of sales data is September 2026. October numbers come out later in November.
Prices: still rising, but slowly
In September 2026, the median price of a single-family home in Massachusetts was $670,000. That is up 2.4% from September 2025, according to the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR). The median condo price was $525,000, flat compared with a year ago.
The S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Index shows the same slow climb for metro Boston. Prices were up 2.59% year over year in August 2026. The national index was up 2.09%.
Sales: houses up, condos down
Single-family closed sales rose 4.8% compared with September 2025. Condo sales fell 6.4%. MAR’s president called it a market “moving in two directions.”
More choices, more patience
New listings grew 7.6% for single-family homes and 6% for condos in September (MAR). Warren Group and MLS PIN data, reported by Lamacchia Realty, point the same way for September 2026:
- 9,830 homes listed for sale statewide, up 6.3%
- 6,023 pending sales, down 7.9%
- 1,126 price changes on listings, up 11.2%
Homes are also taking longer to sell. The median Massachusetts listing spent 45 days on the market in September 2026, up from 40 days a year earlier, based on Realtor.com data.
Mortgage rates
Freddie Mac’s weekly survey put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.24% for the week of October 29, 2026. That is down from 7.32% the week before, but up from 6.17% a year ago. The 15-year fixed averaged 6.60%.
What does that mean in dollars? Take a $525,000 condo with 5% down, a loan of $498,750. At 7.24%, principal and interest is about $3,399 a month. At last year’s 6.17%, it would be about $3,045. That is roughly $354 more each month. (This is our own math. Taxes, insurance and condo fees are extra.)
One more thing: these are statewide and metro numbers. Chelsea, Everett, Revere, East Boston, Lynn and Malden each move a little differently. Condos, single-families and multi-families do too. Ask us for the numbers on your street.
What it means for you
Buyers
You have more homes to look at and more time to decide than a year ago. More sellers are cutting prices, so there may be room to negotiate. Get pre-approved first, because today’s rates change what you can afford. Our affordability guide can help.
Sellers
Prices are holding, but buyers are careful and homes are sitting longer. The right price on day one matters more than ever. A home that looks ready, with paperwork in order, stands out. Read our guide on how to price your home.
Investors
Higher rates squeeze cash flow, so run every deal at today’s rate, not last year’s. Fewer pending sales can mean less competition and more room to negotiate on multi-families. See the numbers that matter.
Sources: Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® September 2026 data, via Boston Agent Magazine (Oct. 14, 2026); Warren Group and MLS PIN September 2026 data, via Lamacchia Realty (Oct. 26, 2026); Realtor.com via FRED, median days on market in Massachusetts (September 2026); S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Index (August 2026, released Oct. 27, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (Oct. 29, 2026).
Have a question? Call or text Luis at (617) 982-0194, or sign up for free home alerts.
