Key takeaways — Boston real estate, October 19, 2026

• Boston condos and townhomes: median list price $899,000; 1,191 active listings; Market Action Index 33 (down from 35 last month); 29% of listings have taken a price decrease; median days on market 49.
• Boston single-family homes: median list price $1,225,000 across just 117 active listings; median days on market 91; 34% reduced.
• Boston co-ops: the fastest-moving niche in the city — only 7 active listings, median 14 days on market, and the Market Action Index nearly doubled, from 18 to 31.
• Cambridge (02138): median list price $4,599,500; only 16 active single-family listings; Market Action Index 36.
• Wellesley Hills (02481): the strongest seller’s market in this report — Market Action Index 40, inventory down to 26, median list price $2,922,500.
• Weston (02493): median list price $4,388,000, at all-time highs, with inventory falling to 33 and the index rising to 34.
• The metro-wide pattern: between 24% and 35% of active listings in every market covered have already reduced their price. Sellers still hold a slight advantage — but only the realistically priced are capturing it.

Is Boston a buyer’s market or a seller’s market right now?

As of October 19, 2026, Boston is a slight seller’s market that is cooling. The Altos Market Action Index for Boston condos and townhomes is 33 — above the 30 threshold that separates buyer’s from seller’s territory, but down from 35 last month, with demand low relative to the 1,191 active listings. No Boston condo listing raised its price this week; 29% lowered theirs. The practical answer: sellers retain a narrow edge, buyers have more choice and more negotiating room than at any point this year, and pricing accuracy — not market momentum — is deciding outcomes.

Boston condo and townhome market — October 2026

Boston’s condo market is the city’s center of gravity: 1,191 of the listings a buyer can actually go see this week. New listings are entering at a median of $999,000 — above the $899,000 standing median — which tells you fresh sellers are still testing ambitious numbers against a buyer pool that has learned to wait them out.

Boston condo prices by segment

Each segment represents roughly a quarter of active condo and townhome listings, ordered by price. The middle of the market is moving fastest; the top quarter — a $2,995,000 median ask — is sitting longest, at 70 days.

My coverage area for Boston: Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Chinatown, Charlestown/Navy Yard, Fenway, Financial District, Leather District, Midtown, North End, Seaport, South Boston, South End, West End, & Waterfront.(A)(B)

(A) Bay Village has been grouped into the South End total by LINKboston.com. (B) Mid/Down = Midtown, Chinatown, Financial, Theatre & Leather Districts.

Charts: Boston condos and townhomes

Chart data summary — Boston condos and townhomes (Altos Research, October 19, 2026): median list price $899,000, trending down from 2023–24 highs above $1.25 million; price per square foot $1,026 on new listings; active inventory 1,191 and climbing; Market Action Index 33, down from 35 last month; median days on market 49 (average 92); median asking prices by segment are $2,995,000 for the top quarter (70 days on market), $1,249,000 upper (63 days), $749,900 lower (31 days) and $540,000 bottom (42 days).

Boston single-family homes — thin, slow, and repricing

Boston proper has very few single-family homes — 117 active listings — and they are moving slowly: a 91-day median on market, 34% already reduced. This is a market where the list price is an opening position, not a verdict.

Charts: Boston single-family homes

Chart data summary — Boston single-family homes (Altos Research, October 19, 2026): median list price $1,225,000, with new listings entering at a $2,895,000 median; price per square foot $661; active inventory 117; Market Action Index 32, down from 33 last month; median days on market 91 (average 128); median asking prices by segment are $5,500,000 for the top quarter (112 days on market), $1,495,000 upper (70 days), $849,000 lower (91 days) and $564,500 bottom (98 days).

Boston co-ops — the city’s quiet surprise

The smallest segment in this report is moving the fastest. With only 7 active listings, a median of 14 days on market, zero price decreases, and an index that jumped from 18 to 31 in a month, Boston co-ops are absorbing nearly as fast as they list. Small numbers deserve a caveat — seven listings can swing on a single sale — but the direction is unmistakable: demand is exceeding new supply.

Charts: Boston co-ops

Chart data summary — Boston co-ops (Altos Research, October 19, 2026): median list price $710,000; price per square foot $689; active inventory just 7 listings; Market Action Index 31, up sharply from 18 last month; median days on market 14 (average 17) — the fastest-moving segment in Boston; median asking prices by segment are $922,500 for the top quarter (21 days on market), $699,000 upper (21 days), $575,000 lower (14 days) and $435,000 bottom (7 days).

Cambridge MA real estate — 02138, October 2026

Cambridge’s single-family market is defined by scarcity: 16 active listings for one of the most demand-dense zip codes in the country. The median list price of $4,599,500 is being pulled up by an extraordinary top segment (a $13,447,500 median in the top quarter), while new listings are entering at $2,522,500 — the market’s realistic entry point. The index eased from 38 to 36, and 31% of listings have reduced, but sales continue to outstrip supply.

Charts: Cambridge (02138) single-family homes

Chart data summary — Cambridge 02138 single-family homes (Altos Research, October 19, 2026): median list price $4,599,500, with new listings entering at a $2,522,500 median; price per square foot $1,106; active inventory 16 and rising; Market Action Index 36, down from 38 last month; median days on market 81 (average 128); median asking prices by segment are $13,447,500 for the top quarter (179 days on market), $3,772,500 upper (59 days), $2,522,500 lower (81 days) and $1,650,000 bottom (70 days).

Wellesley Hills real estate — 02481, October 2026

Wellesley Hills posts the strongest seller’s reading in this report: a Market Action Index of 40, up from 39, with inventory down to 26 listings and prices at all-time highs. Two cautions sit underneath the strength: 35% of listings have already reduced, and 23% are relisted — evidence that even here, overpricing gets corrected. The segments tell the story: the top quarter moves in 28 days; the bottom quarter is sitting at 185.

Charts: Wellesley Hills (02481) single-family homes

Chart data summary — Wellesley Hills 02481 single-family homes (Altos Research, October 19, 2026): median list price $2,922,500, at all-time highs; price per square foot $641; active inventory 26 and falling; Market Action Index 40, up from 39 last month — the strongest reading in this report; median days on market 102 (average 103); median asking prices by segment are $5,297,000 for the top quarter (28 days on market), $3,597,500 upper (110 days), $2,095,000 lower (102 days) and $1,375,500 bottom (185 days).

Weston MA real estate — 02493, October 2026

Weston is the steadiest luxury market in this report: median list price $4,388,000 at all-time highs, the index rising from 33 to 34, and inventory falling to 33. Altos describes a market that “continues to get hotter,” with more sales demand and fewer homes listed. Even so, 24% of listings have reduced — the lowest share in this report, but not zero. At a $596 price per square foot, Weston also offers the most house per dollar of any market covered here.

Charts: Weston (02493) single-family homes

Chart data summary — Weston 02493 single-family homes (Altos Research, October 19, 2026): median list price $4,388,000, at all-time highs, with new listings entering at a $2,547,000 median; price per square foot $596; active inventory 33 and falling; Market Action Index 34, up from 33 last month; median days on market 91 (average 140); median asking prices by segment are $7,995,000 for the top quarter (145 days on market), $4,424,000 upper (112 days), $2,925,000 lower (91 days) and $2,147,000 bottom (73 days).

Boston vs. the suburbs — the comparison that matters

The divide is directional. Inside Boston, inventory is building and the index is drifting down. In Wellesley Hills and Weston, inventory is shrinking and the index is rising. Pricing a suburban home off city data — or a city condo off suburban steadiness — is the most common and most expensive mistake in this market. Each of these markets has to be priced on its own live evidence.

What these numbers mean for your property

For buyers

This is the most negotiating room Greater Boston buyers have had in years, and it is visible in live data: 1,191 active Boston condo listings, a 49-day median on market, and roughly three in ten sellers already reduced — in every market in this report. Your edge is selectivity, not leverage: the lower half of the Boston condo market still moves in 31 to 42 days, and Wellesley’s top quarter in 28. Aim your negotiating strength at listings sitting past their market’s median days, and bring comparable evidence, not hope.

For sellers

The forward-looking data removes the guesswork — you can see your competition, all of it, today. Between 24% and 35% of the sellers competing with you have already cut their price, and every week at an aspirational number moves you closer to joining them from a weaker position. My fiduciary duty is to tell you plainly: in a market with this much visible choice, the asking price is the marketing. A small, early, evidence-based price beats a large, late, forced one — every time, in every zip code in this report.

For trustees, executors and family fiduciaries

For estate-held property, active-listing data is the right basis for a defensible decision: it documents what a buyer can choose from today, in this market, at these prices — not what a hotter season produced months ago. Three fiduciary notes from this week’s data. First, markets are diverging — a Wellesley Hills estate and a Boston condo are on different trajectories and must be valued on their own evidence. Second, time is a cost: medians of 81 to 102 days on market in the suburbs mean an overpriced estate listing can consume a full selling season. Third, documentation matters: a current broker price opinion grounded in live listings like these is the record a fiduciary wants in the file. If the trust’s plan involves selling, positioning accurately now is worth more than a reduction later.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median home price in Boston right now?

As of October 19, 2026, the median list price for Boston condos and townhomes is $899,000; for Boston single-family homes it is $1,225,000; for co-ops, $710,000. These are asking prices on currently active listings (Altos Research), not closed-sale prices.

How many homes are for sale in Boston right now?

There are 1,191 condos and townhomes, 117 single-family homes, and 7 co-ops actively listed in Boston proper as of October 19, 2026 — and inventory has been increasing.

Is it a good time to sell a house in Boston?

It is a selective seller’s market. The Market Action Index of 33 still favors sellers, but 29% of condo listings have already reduced their price. Sellers who price to current active-market evidence are selling; sellers pricing to last spring’s closings are reducing.

How long do homes take to sell in Boston in October 2026?

The median days on market for active Boston listings is 49 days for condos and townhomes, 91 for single-family homes, and just 14 for co-ops. In the suburbs: 81 days in Cambridge, 102 in Wellesley Hills, and 91 in Weston.

Why does this report use active listings instead of closed sales?

Closed sales describe the market as it was when those contracts were signed — weeks or months ago. Active listings show the market as it is today: current asking prices, current inventory, current price reductions. For pricing, timing, and fiduciary decisions, the forward-looking read is the more useful one. This report uses Altos Research weekly list-side data.

What is the Market Action Index?

The Market Action Index (Altos Research) compares the rate of sales to available inventory on a 0–100 scale. Readings above 30 indicate a seller’s market; below 30, a buyer’s market. Boston condos read 33 this week, Wellesley Hills 40, Weston 34, and Cambridge 36 — all slight seller’s markets, moving in different directions.

Are Wellesley and Weston still seller’s markets?

Yes — and strengthening. Wellesley Hills has the highest index in this report (40, rising), with inventory down to 26. Weston is at all-time-high median prices ($4,388,000) with inventory down to 33. Both still show elevated price-reduction shares (35% and 24%), so the advantage belongs to realistically priced listings only.

Sources and methodology

• Data: Altos Research weekly market reports, report date October 19, 2026 — Boston, MA (Condos/Townhomes; Single-Family Homes; Co-Ops), Cambridge, MA 02138 (Single-Family), Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 (Single-Family), Weston, MA 02493 (Single-Family). Metrics: median list price, median price of new listings, price per square foot of new listings, Market Action Index, active inventory, average and median days on market, price-decrease / price-increase / relisted shares, and price-segment detail.
• Nature of the data: Altos is weekly, list-side (active listing) data. Figures describe properties currently on the market and are forward-looking; they are not closed-sale statistics and should not be read as MLS/LINK data.
• Boston coverage definition (standing): Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Chinatown, Charlestown/Navy Yard, Fenway, Financial District, Leather District, Midtown, North End, Seaport, South Boston, South End, West End, & Waterfront. Footnotes: (A) Bay Village has been grouped into the South End total by LINKboston.com; (B) Mid/Down = Midtown, Chinatown, Financial, Theatre & Leather Districts.
• Small-sample note: Boston co-ops (7 listings) and Cambridge single-family (16 listings) are small populations; single listings can move their medians. Figures are reported as published by Altos Research.

Disclaimer: Data is taken from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors and omissions. ©2020 All rights reserved

Real Estate Decisions That Protect The Estate.

Thinking about what your Boston-area property is worth in this market? Contact Catherine Bassick for a confidential, data-driven valuation — one conversation, no obligation.

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Boston condo dollar volume is up 11.9% on nearly flat sales. The market is trading up rather than trading more: 1,867 closings produced about $306 million more in sales than a year ago, and the median price of $1,065,000 is the highest in the 2019–2026 records.

National data echoes the local picture: Douglas Elliman research shows Boston active listings up 16.1% year over year — more than triple the national gain — while only 16.6% of listings took price cuts, below the national share. More choice is arriving, but sellers are largely holding their prices.

Boston Condo Market: Trading Up, Not Trading More

Through October 2, 1,867 Boston condos have closed — just 0.6% more than the 1,855 at this point last year. The average price is $1,546,167 and the median is $1,065,000, up 11.2% and 11.4% from 2025. Both are the highest of any year in the 2019–2026 reports, and the median remains above $1 million.

In the week since the last update, 42 more closings were added to the year-to-date count, bringing in about $78.8 million in additional sales.

The longer view puts the year in context. Sales are about 36% below the 2021 pace of 2,901, yet the median is up 25.3% from $850,000 and the average is up 27.7% from $1,211,079. Dollar volume is 17.8% below 2021 — the market has shifted to higher price points rather than more transactions. Longer-term appreciation remains measured: 5-year appreciation (2021–2026) is 5.5% on average and 5.1% at the median; 10-year appreciation (2016–2026) is 3.4% on average and 3.3% at the median.

Where the Money Is Going: Boston Condo Neighborhoods

Activity is moving toward the downtown core and away from the outer neighborhoods. Mid/Downtown closings are up 43%, the Waterfront 24%, Beacon Hill 22% and the Seaport 19%. The South End is down 14%, South Boston 10% and the North End 31%.

Back Bay remains the dollar leader at $694.2 million. Mid/Downtown dollar volume rose 45% to $384.4 million, consistent with the wave of new-tower closings at Winthrop Center. The Waterfront (+42%) and Beacon Hill (+39%) also posted strong dollar gains. The South End shows how a quieter market can still grow in dollars: closings fell 14%, yet dollar volume rose 3.9% because the average sale climbed from about $1.20 million to $1.44 million.

(A) Bay Village has been grouped into the South End total by LINKboston.com. (B) Mid/Down = Midtown, Chinatown, Financial, Theatre & Leather Districts.

The Price Tiers Tell the Same Story

Sales at $1 million and above are 53.6% of all closings — the highest share in these reports, up from 47.2% last year. Closings at $1 million or more rose from 876 to 1,001, and $3 million to $9.99 million sales jumped from 118 to 170. Meanwhile, closings under $1 million fell from 979 to 866, and sub-$500,000 sales dropped by nearly a third, from 155 to 107.

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Luxury and New Development

Across all Boston condos, closings at $1,000 per square foot or higher rose from 959 to 1,107 — 59% of all closings, up from 52%. In the selected full-service buildings tracked in the report, 203 of 242 resales (84%) closed at $1,000 per square foot or more, 175 (72%) at $1 million or more, and 97 (40%) at $2 million or more.

The year’s largest reported resale is a two-unit combination at Heritage (1005/1006) that closed August 28 for $21.5 million, about $4,323 per square foot. A 50 Liberty Wharf penthouse sold for $14.5 million in January, and two One Dalton units closed at $14 million each. Among new construction, a Raffles Boston penthouse sold for $14.25 million in August and a Ritz-Carlton Residences South Station unit for $14.1 million in March.

This week’s report added 14 closings dated September 28 through October 2 in the tracked buildings, totaling about $38.7 million — including a $6.1 million sale at Heritage (about $2,514 per square foot), $4.65 million at The Archer and $4.6 million at Rowes Wharf.

Inventory and Supply

Supply remains tight: Boston condos carry about 3.1 months of inventory on an MLS basis, well under the 5 to 6 months generally considered a seller’s-market threshold, and down from 3.3 months a year earlier.

On the full-service side, 149 resales are on the market across the tracked luxury buildings (about 4% of their 3,668 units), with an average asking price of $3,613,421 and a median of $2,395,000. Echelon (29 listings), Millennium Tower (16) and Rowes Wharf (12) have the most units for sale. The largest listing is the Grand Penthouse at the St. Regis, offered at $44.5 million.

Asking prices are what sellers hope for; closings are what buyers pay. At One Dalton, the ten resales currently listed ask between $2,594 and $5,081 per square foot, against a year-to-date closed average of $2,921.

What These Numbers Mean for Your Property

For buyers

Boston condos under $1 million are the tightest segment: closings below that line fell from 979 to 866 this year, so expect competition for well-priced units. In luxury buildings, the gap between asking and closed price per square foot is your negotiating guide — at One Dalton, asks run from $2,594 to $5,081 against a $2,921 closed average, so ask for the building’s year-to-date closings before making an offer.

For sellers

With Boston condo supply near 3 months, correctly priced homes are being absorbed — pricing above the recent closed range is the main way to lose time. Top-tier sellers have the best year-over-year tailwind: Boston sales between $3 million and $10 million are up 44%. Building matters more than neighborhood at the high end: use closings from your own building, not a citywide figure.

For trustees, executors and family fiduciaries

Use medians, price per square foot and same-building closings when documenting value. New-development closings can push averages up, and the spread between Boston buildings runs from about $900 to about $2,900 per square foot — a single average obscures more than it reveals. Valuation dates matter: Boston’s average condo price moved 11.2% in a single year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Boston’s median condo price in October 2026?

$1,065,000 — up 11.4% from 2025 and the highest in the 2019–2026 records. The average price was $1,546,167, up 11.2%.

Is Boston a buyer’s or seller’s market right now?

Still a seller’s market by the supply yardstick: Boston condos carry about 3.1 months of inventory — below the roughly 6 months considered balanced. But buyers have more breathing room than last year: Boston active listings were up 16.1% year over year in September (Douglas Elliman research).

How did Boston’s luxury condo market perform in 2026?

101 closings hit $2,000 per square foot or more, up from 76 in 2025. The top resale was a $21.5 million two-unit combination at Heritage ($4,323 per square foot). New-development closings were led by the Ritz-Carlton Residences South Station ($110.4M) and Winthrop Center ($90.2M).

Where are Boston condo sales growing fastest?

Mid/Downtown closings are up 43%, the Waterfront 24%, Beacon Hill 22% and the Seaport 19% — the downtown core is leading while the South End, South Boston and North End cool.

Sources and Methodology

Boston condominium figures are MLS closed sales reported through October 2, 2026, covering Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Chinatown, Charlestown/Navy Yard, Fenway, Financial District, Leather District, Midtown, North End, Seaport, South Boston, South End, West End, & Waterfront. Source: LINK. LINK data is used. Will be revised when cross referenced with Registry for sales not in LINK system. Only includes closed sales. Percentage changes are calculated from the reported figures. Inventory and price-cut figures from Douglas Elliman research. Chart notes — Source: LINK “Citywide” Quarterly Reports. Q1 monthly inventory count based on the previous years total transactions. Disclaimer: Data is taken from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors and omissions. ©2020 All rights reserved

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