Published October 1, 2026 in Market Update

Market 1 is tighter than the national market

By Vladimir Babic

Real estate, Market 1

The National Association of Realtors says the U.S. now has 4.9 months of homes for sale. That is the highest level in over ten years. But in Market 1, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted only 184 homes for sale in the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is down 14.8% from a year before. Supply here is a fraction of what buyers see in most of the country.

Every ZIP code in Market 1 came in well below that 4.9-month national figure. The Real Estate Data Aggregator measured supply between 1.1 and 1.8 months across the five ZIPs. That gap tells you negotiating room here is still much smaller than the national average.

More homes sold, fewer homes to choose from

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 379 homes sold across Market 1 in the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is up 7.7% from the same period in 2025. At the same time, the homes-for-sale count fell 14.8%. More buyers closed deals while the shelf got shorter. That combination keeps pressure on prices.

Homes are selling above asking price

When supply is this low, list prices become a floor, not a ceiling. Every ZIP in Market 1 averaged a sale-to-list ratio above 100%, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. In 03109, nearly 3 in 4 homes sold above list price. In 03110, nearly 3 in 5 did. That is not a soft market.

Homes are going fast, too

Speed confirms the story. The Real Estate Data Aggregator found that in ZIP 03106, 77.5% of homes went under contract within two weeks of listing. In 03109, that figure was 73.6%. Even in 03032, the slowest of the five, nearly 3 in 5 homes were under contract within two weeks. Nationally, the picture is different. The National Association of Realtors reported existing-home sales fell 2.0% month over month in August 2026, and Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.03% as of September 24, 2026. Higher rates are slowing buyers elsewhere. Here, there just are not enough homes to slow things down much.

Prices are mostly holding, with one dip to note

Three of the five ZIPs saw median prices rise. The Real Estate Data Aggregator put 03104 up 10.3% year over year to $520,000, and 03032 up 6.7% to $855,450. ZIP 03106 dipped 10.7% to $477,500, and 03109 slipped 3.2% to $484,000. Not every corner of this market moved the same way. That matters when you are setting a price or making an offer.

What the national picture adds

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices rose 2.1% year over year between the second quarter of 2025 and the second quarter of 2026. That is modest growth. Market 1 is outpacing that in several ZIPs. Rates are a real factor. Freddie Mac's 30-year average of 7.03% as of September 24, 2026 is the first reading above 7% since January 2025, according to Realtor.com. That cost is real for buyers everywhere. But in a market with 1.1 to 1.8 months of supply, it has not stopped homes from selling fast and above asking.