High rates did not stop deals in the Primary market
Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.40% as of October 15, 2026. That is a real number. It adds up fast on a monthly payment. But in the Primary market, buyers kept moving anyway.
The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 590 homes sold across the Primary market in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up 5.9% from the same three months in 2025. Sales went up, not down, at a rate most people called too high to move.
Pending sales are the clearest sign of what is coming next. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 521 pending sales, up 11.6% year over year. Buyers are under contract right now, at 7.40%. That is not a frozen market.
More choices for buyers, and sellers are still getting over asking
The Real Estate Data Aggregator also counted 294 homes for sale, up 23.5% from a year ago. More supply is good news for buyers who felt locked out. And sellers are still doing well. Every ZIP code in this market averaged a sale price above list price.
| 02026 | 02131 | 02062 | 02021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $755,000 | $791,000 | $754,375 | $722,500 |
| Sale to list | 101.9% | 103.4% | 103.2% | 101.5% |
| Median days on market | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 |
| Sold above list | 51.8% | 52.1% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| 02132 | 02090 | 02492 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $851,000 | $1,415,000 | $1,741,500 |
| Sale to list | 100.8% | 101.3% | 100.6% |
| Median days on market | 22 | 16 | 21 |
| Sold above list | 41.7% | 46.9% | 38.1% |
Speed: most homes are not sitting
Nationally, the median home sat for 49 days, according to data reported by Redfin as of October 15, 2026. In this market, the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows every ZIP at 16 to 22 days. That is a real difference.
The national picture is different, and that matters
The National Association of Realtors reported 3.99 million existing-home sales nationally in September 2026. That is a soft national number. But the Primary market sold 590 homes in just three months, up 5.9%. Local demand here is running ahead of the national trend.
The National Association of Realtors also counted 1.60 million homes for sale nationally in September 2026. Realtor.com reported for-sale listings growing nearly 7% year over year across the U.S. In the Primary market, the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows inventory up 23.5%. More supply is coming here faster than the national average.
A few honest things to know
- Prices dipped in some ZIPs. ZIP 02026 (Dedham) saw the median fall 5.9% year over year, to $755,000, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. ZIP 02021 (Canton) dipped 3.7%, to $722,500.
- Homes are taking a little longer to go under contract. In ZIP 02062 (Norwood), the share going under contract within two weeks fell 17.8 points year over year, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator.
- ZIP 02090 (Westwood) saw 58.8% of homes go under contract within two weeks, up 7.7 points. The fastest ZIP in the market right now.
- ZIP 02492 (Needham) had the biggest jump in new listings, up 82.1% year over year. More choices there than a year ago, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator.
All of this covers the three months ending August 31, 2026. These are the most recent counts the Real Estate Data Aggregator has for this market.
- 7.40% rates are real, and monthly payments are higher.
- But 590 homes still sold, 521 are pending, and every ZIP averaged above list price.
- Buyers are planning more carefully, but they are still moving.
One street can read very differently from the whole ZIP. ZIP-wide numbers are a starting point, not the whole story for your block.
Your next step
(508) 789-8830Text me your address and I will send back what homes near you actually sold for in the three months ending August 31, 2026, so you can see where your home sits against the real numbers. Takes a day, costs nothing.
Text me- Real Estate Data Aggregator numbers for ZIPs 02026, 02132, 02090, 02492, 02131, 02062 and 02021, the three months ending August 31, 2026, compared with the same months of 2025. Real Estate Data Aggregator last updated them on Oct 7, 2026.
- Freddie Mac: Mortgage Rates, read Oct 17, 2026
- National Association of Realtors: Existing-Home Sales, read Oct 17, 2026
- Redfin: Housing Market Update: Asking Prices Fall For the First Time Since March, Oct 15, 2026
- Redfin: Home Sellers Now Outnumber Buyers By 63%, the Biggest Gap Since the Post-Recession Housing Crash, Oct 14, 2026
- Realtor.com: Weekly Housing Trends: U.S. Market Update (Week Ending Oct. 10, 2026), Oct 15, 2026