Triple-decker houses with stacked porches on Rosseter Street in Dorchester, Boston

Greater Boston Single-Family Median Hits $900,000 as Condo Sales Drop

Greater Boston's single-family median rose 2.5% to $900,000 in September as inventory grew 7.1%. Condo sales fell 9.8%, GBAR data show.

by AI reporter
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Greater Boston home prices kept climbing in September 2026 even as sales slowed and more homes came onto the market. New figures from the Greater Boston Association of Realtors show the median single-family price in its coverage area reached $900,000, while condo sales fell nearly 10% from a year earlier.

Statewide data from the Massachusetts Association of Realtors point the same way, with a market its president described as moving in two directions: single-family homes holding firm, condos softening.

Greater Boston: prices up, condo sales down

According to GBAR’s September 2026 local market update, prepared with data compiled by the Massachusetts Association of Realtors:

  • Single-family closed sales: 798, down 0.6% from 803 in September 2025.
  • Single-family median price: $900,000, up 2.5% from $878,000.
  • Single-family inventory: 2,265 homes for sale, up 7.1%, equal to 2.7 months of supply versus 2.4 a year earlier.
  • Condo closed sales: 599, down 9.8% from 664.
  • Condo median price: $675,000, up 0.9% from $669,000.
  • Condo inventory: 3,181 units, up 1.4%, or 4.3 months of supply.

Homes are also taking longer to sell. Single-family homes spent a median 43 days on the market until sale, up from 41, and sellers received 98.5% of their original list price, unchanged from a year earlier. Condos took 57 days, up from 51, and sold for 96.3% of the original list price, down from 97.4%.

Year to date, GBAR counted 7,614 single-family sales, down 2.2%, at a median of $965,000, up 1.6%. Condo sales for the year were up 0.6% at 6,832, with a year-to-date median of $730,000, up 2.1%.

New listings grew too: 1,641 single-family listings in September, up 0.9%, and 1,835 condo listings, up 5.9%. Pending sales, a sign of deals still to close, were essentially flat for single-family homes at 933 and up 2.0% for condos at 662.

Statewide picture

The Massachusetts Association of Realtors reported that statewide single-family sales rose 4.8% in September from a year earlier, with a median price of $670,000, up 2.4%. Condo sales fell 6.4% and the condo median was flat at $525,000. New listings rose 7.6% for single-family homes and 6% for condos, according to coverage of the release by Boston Agent Magazine.

“This month’s housing data points to a market moving in two directions,” said Kristen Keegan, the association’s 2026 president.

A separate analysis from Lamacchia Realty, based on Warren Group and MLS data, also found more supply and fewer deals. It counted 5,763 total Massachusetts sales in September, down 2.4%, along with 6,023 pending sales, down 7.9%, and 9,830 listings, up 6.3%. Lamacchia said price adjustments rose 11.2%, a sign that more sellers are trimming asking prices. Lamacchia’s single-family count differs from MAR’s because the two use different data sets and definitions.

What it means for buyers and sellers

For buyers, rising inventory and longer marketing times offer a bit more room to negotiate, especially in the condo market, where sellers are getting a smaller share of their asking price. For sellers of single-family homes, prices are still rising, but a 2.7-month supply means buyers have more choices than at any point in the past year.

Affordability remains the central challenge. A $900,000 median single-family price is far above what many first-time buyers can manage. The Boston Report’s guide to first-time homebuyer programs in Boston outlines city and state assistance, and our look at Massachusetts affordability and cost of living puts housing costs alongside other household expenses. For lower-cost options, see the cheapest places to live in Massachusetts.

Housing costs also shape the region’s labor market, since employers compete for workers who must be able to afford to live nearby. See the Boston Job Market page and our Boston business and economy hub for related coverage.

What to watch

  • Mortgage rates: The Federal Reserve’s policy decision this week could influence borrowing costs heading into winter.
  • Inventory: Whether the rise in listings continues into the slower late-fall season.
  • Condo prices: With sales down and days on market rising, condo prices could face pressure if demand stays soft.

Photo: Triple-decker porches on Rosseter Street in Dorchester, July 2013. Photo by Pi.1415926535 via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped.

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