Published October 4, 2026 in Market Update

More listings are giving buyers a little more room

By Cynthia Nina-Soto | Nina-Soto Realty

Real estate, Primary market

The biggest shift in this market right now is inventory. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 460 homes for sale across the primary market in the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is up 30.3% from the same period a year before. More choices for buyers means sellers can no longer count on a bidding war just because they listed.

Nationally, the National Association of Realtors put U.S. supply at 4.9 months, the highest level in over ten years. Our market is still well below that. But the direction here matches what is happening everywhere: more listings, a little more breathing room for buyers.

Supply is up, and so is demand

Here is what makes this market different from the national picture. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 815 pending sales across the primary market in those same three months, up 10.3% from a year before. Buyers are still moving. Supply is growing, but it is not running ahead of demand.

Rates crossed 7% again

Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.28% as of October 1, 2026. Realtor.com reported that rates crossed 7% in late September for the first time since January 2025, rising nearly 40 basis points over four weeks. That is a real headwind for buyers. It also means sellers need to price carefully, because buyers are doing the math.

What the ZIP codes are showing

Supply grew in almost every ZIP code, but the numbers tell different stories. Beverly (01915) saw a 63.2% jump in homes for sale, yet 72.2% of homes there still sold above list price. Lynn's 01902 ZIP had a 42.9% rise in inventory and the slowest pace in the market, with a median of 29 days to sell. Salem (01970) held steady at 21 days.

Where homes still move fast

Even with more supply, most ZIP codes here are not slow. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows Saugus (01906) at a median of 17 days on market. Peabody (01960) and Beverly (01915) each came in at 20 days. In Peabody, 72.8% of homes went under contract within two weeks of listing. That is still a seller's pace, even as inventory grows.

Sale prices: some up, some down

Not every ZIP moved in the same direction. Beverly (01915) saw its median sale price rise 9.3% to $801,350, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Lynn's 01905 ZIP jumped 21.4% to $680,000, though sales there fell 17%. On the other side, Danvers (01923) dipped 5.9% to $680,000, and Lynn's 01902 ZIP slipped 3.7% to $546,500. More supply does not always mean lower prices, but it does mean buyers have more leverage to negotiate.

What this means for sellers

A year ago, many homes here got offers above list with little effort. That is still happening in parts of this market. Beverly (01915) saw 72.2% of homes sell above list. Peabody (01960) came in at 62.9%. But in Salem (01970), that share dropped 8.7 points to 51.7%. In Danvers (01923), it fell 12.3 points to 59.1%. More listings mean buyers compare. Price and condition matter more now.

What this means for buyers

More listings give you real options for the first time in a while. The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported that U.S. house prices rose 2.1% year over year through the second quarter of 2026, a much slower climb than recent years. Prices here are not falling off a cliff, but the frenzy has cooled in several ZIP codes. The tradeoff is that rates are at 7.28%. You have more homes to choose from and less competition, but the monthly payment is higher.