For this report, we are examining the Massachusetts real estate market, focusing on three property types: single-family homes, condominiums, and multi-family homes. Data is provided by the Warren Group and MLSPIN and compares the first six months of 2026 (January 1 – June 30) to the same period in 2025.
Number of Homes Sold Increased by 2.1%
Home sales grew modestly across Massachusetts, with 31,797 homes sold in the first half of 2026, compared to 31,140 during the same period in 2025:
- Single-family home sales rose 1.9%, condo sales rose 1.6%, and multi-family sales led the way, increasing 5.2% year over year. The rise in Multi Families was mainly due to the fear of Rent Control being on the ballot in November which was recently removed by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
- The chart below shows that 2026 outpaced 2025 in every month except January and February, with the gap widening notably by June, when sales reached their highest June total in the past three years. This is due to the delayed start to the spring season as a result of later than usual winter weather.
- The rise in sales tracks closely with the increase in both new listings and pending contracts this year, pointing to a market with genuinely more transaction activity rather than simply a shift in timing.
Prices Increase 3.8%
Average sales prices climbed to $790,956 in the first half of 2026, up 3.8% from $762,345 during the same period in 2025.
- Single-family home prices rose 2.8%, condo prices increased 6.3%, and multi-family prices rose 2.7%.
- Condos posted the strongest price growth of the three property types, suggesting particularly firm demand at that end of the market, likely from buyers priced out of single-family homes.
- The chart below shows 2026 setting new highs across nearly every month, with March, April, May, and June all representing the highest average price recorded for those months in the 2021–2026 span.
Homes Listed Increased 3.7%
There were 46,433 new listings in the first half of 2026, compared to 44,775 in 2025, a 3.7% increase. Measured against 2024, listings are up 13%, reflecting a sustained, multi-year rebound in seller activity.
- More sellers continue to enter the market as life changes such as relocations, family growth, and job changes make holding onto a low pandemic-era rate less of a priority.
- Listing activity was up most months compared to 2025, with April and June showing particularly strong gains and setting new highs for the period.
- New listings are typically a leading indicator of future pending and closed sales, so the continued growth in inventory bodes well for sustained sales activity into the fall.
Pending Sales Increased 2.6%
The number of homes placed under contract increased 2.6% year over year, with 37,158 pending sales in the first half of 2026 compared to 36,221 in 2025.
- Growth in pending sales, while positive, trailed the growth in new listings, suggesting buyers have more homes to choose from and are not moving quite as fast to lock in contracts.
- Pending sales serve as a preview of closed sales in the following months, so this steady increase points to continued, healthy sales activity heading into the second half of the year.
Predictions for the Rest of 2026
The Massachusetts housing market is expected to remain active through the second half of 2026. With sales, listings, and pending contracts all up year over year, the state is showing genuine growth in transaction volume rather than the flat-to-declining activity seen in some neighboring markets. That said, the first-half sales gains would likely have been even more pronounced had the Iranian conflict not pushed mortgage rates higher earlier in the year, tempering some buyer activity that otherwise appeared ready to close.
Massachusetts has seen this delayed trend before: the last two times the market got off to a notably slow start – 2015, coming out of that winter’s “Snowmageddon,” and 2020, at the start of COVID – July and the second half of the year both turned out to be very strong. We’d expect a similar bounce-back in 2026, provided mortgage rates don’t climb into the 7% range and stay there. If rates hold below that level, look for a genuinely active second half of the year.
Home prices are expected to remain somewhat consistent for the rest of the year, now that we are in the second part of the year which tends to be more favorable to buyers with increasing inventory. The number of price reductions rose 9.3% compared to 2025 (from 9,693 to 10,595), a sign that more sellers are adjusting their asking prices to meet the market – a healthy indicator of price discovery rather than a warning sign of falling values.
Condos are likely to remain a bright spot, with price growth outpacing single-family and multi-family homes, as buyers continue to seek out more affordable entry points into the market. Multi-family properties should also continue to see solid demand from both owner-occupants and investors especially now that Rent Control has been thrown out.
For sellers, the continued rise in new listings means increased competition, making strategic, well-informed pricing more important than ever to attract serious buyers. For buyers, more inventory and a modest uptick in price reductions may translate into slightly more negotiating room, particularly on homes that have been sitting on the market. Considering both factors remains important for those buying and selling simultaneously.
Overall, Massachusetts’ housing market is expected to maintain steady, sustainable growth through year-end – rising sales and inventory and, finally, steadier pricing.
For up-to-date market information, visit our Massachusetts Real Estate Updates page.
Data provided by the Warren Group and MLSPIN, compared to the prior year.
The post 2026 Massachusetts Mid-Year Housing Report first appeared on Lamacchia Realty.