Published October 11, 2026 in Market Update

Back Bay prices held up, even with fewer sales

By Eric Rollo

Real estate, Back Bay

Here is the one thing that matters most for Back Bay homeowners right now. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 88 homes sold in ZIP 02116 in the three months ending August 31, 2026, down 16.2% from the same period a year before. Fewer sales, yes. But the median sale price still climbed to $1,450,000, up 5.1%. Prices held, even with less activity.

For context, the Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices rose 2.6% year over year through July 2026. Back Bay's 5.1% gain nearly doubled that national pace. That is a real gap, and it matters if you own here.

Fewer closings, but sellers still got close to asking

The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows the average sale price came in at 99.2% of list price, up 1.8 points from a year before. That means sellers gave up very little. About 21.6% of homes sold above list price, a small tick up from last year. Homes that moved did so in a median of 26 days, exactly the same as the year before.

More homes came to market, and buyers are still moving

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 113 new listings in Back Bay over those three months, up 15.3% from a year before. There were 116 homes for sale in total, up 6.4%. Supply is a little looser than it was. Still, pending sales came in at 81, up 3.8% year over year. Buyers are still showing up.

One thing working against buyers right now: rates

CNBC reported the average 30-year fixed rate for conforming loans hit 7.49% as of October 7, 2026. Realtor.com noted rates topped 7% for the first time since January 2025, rising nearly 40 basis points over four weeks. That adds real cost to any purchase. It likely explains some of the drop in closings, here and nationally.

Realtor.com also reported homes under contract nationally were down 4.1% year over year in September 2026. Back Bay's pending sales actually rose 3.8% over the same stretch, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is a meaningful difference from the national trend.

The quick-contract number is worth watching

The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows 28.4% of Back Bay homes went under contract within two weeks of listing, up 0.2 points from a year ago. Nearly 3 in 10 homes found a buyer fast. That is not every home, but it tells you well-priced properties still move quickly.

One more thing: the ZIP code numbers tell the broad story. One block, or one building, can read very differently. If you want to know what the data says about your specific address, just reach out.