Published September 24, 2026 in Market Update

Market 1 is tighter than the national market

By Vladimir Babic

Real estate, Market 1

The National Association of Realtors put national months of supply at 4.9 months as of September 24, 2026. That is the highest level in over ten years, nationally. Here in Market 1, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted just 1.1 months of supply in the tightest ZIP code for the three months ending July 31, 2026. That gap is the whole story.

Nationally, sellers are giving ground. A data set reported by Redfin showed that 44.7% of U.S. home sellers gave concessions to buyers in August 2026. Redfin also reported that August was the strongest buyer's market on record, with sellers outnumbering serious buyers in 58% of U.S. markets. Market 1 is reading differently.

Every ZIP code in Market 1 sits under 2 months of supply. That means buyers are competing for a small pool of homes. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 184 homes for sale across all five ZIPs combined for the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is down 14.8% from the same period a year ago.

Buyers are still paying over list price

Even with more buyer choice nationally, sellers in Market 1 are closing above asking. The Real Estate Data Aggregator showed every ZIP code averaging a sale-to-list ratio above 100% for the three months ending July 31, 2026. In ZIP 03032, that figure was 102.4%, up 1.5 points from a year earlier. In ZIP 03109, 74.6% of homes sold above list price.

Speed: most homes go fast

The Real Estate Data Aggregator showed that 77.5% of homes in ZIP 03106 went under contract within two weeks of listing, for the three months ending July 31, 2026. That was up 5.8 points from the same period in 2025. ZIP 03109 was close behind at 73.6%. Even the slowest ZIP, 03032, saw 59.3% go under contract inside two weeks, up 17.2 points year over year.

Prices: mostly up, one ZIP pulled back

The Real Estate Data Aggregator showed median sale prices rising in three of the five ZIPs for the three months ending July 31, 2026. ZIP 03032 led with a 6.7% gain, reaching $855,450. ZIP 03104 was up 10.3% to $520,000. ZIP 03110 edged up 0.8% to $832,000. ZIP 03106 dipped 10.7% to $477,500, and ZIP 03109 slipped 3.2% to $484,000. Not every part of the market moved in the same direction.

For context, the Federal Housing Finance Agency reported that U.S. house prices rose 2.1% year over year between the second quarter of 2025 and the second quarter of 2026. Most of Market 1 beat that pace. Freddie Mac put the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 7.03% as of September 24, 2026. That rate shapes what buyers can afford, and it is part of why fewer new listings are coming in some ZIPs.

One thing to keep in mind: the numbers above cover whole ZIP codes. One street can read very differently from the ZIP around it. A block with fewer listings, a different mix of home sizes, or a recent sale that set a new high can shift what your home is worth and how fast it moves. The ZIP tells you the direction. Your address tells you the number.