09/02/2026
𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲. 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞. August shows a market transitioning from the intensity of spring into a more measured fall environment, with Wellesley and Needham maintaining strong activity and Falmouth posting impressive price gains since January.
The late-summer market is showing a clear shift from the urgency of spring and early summer. Inventory has generally increased from January, while days to offer have lengthened in most markets. At the same time, pricing remains strong in Wellesley and Dover, and Falmouth is showing particularly notable price growth from the beginning of the year.
𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲 remains a strong market, but buyers are becoming more deliberate as we move toward fall. Despite the longer timeline, sales volume remains healthy and pricing is still substantially higher than at the beginning of the year.
𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐦 continues to have strong transaction volume and relatively quick buyer activity. The lower August median sale price appears to reflect the mix of properties that sold rather than a simple indication of declining demand. Inventory remains substantially higher than January, giving buyers more choice.
𝐃𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 continues to be the most selective market of the four. Limited sales make monthly pricing particularly sensitive to the individual properties that close. Inventory, however, remains considerably higher than at the beginning of the year, giving buyers more opportunity in this luxury market.
𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 is showing one of the clearest pricing gains of the year. The median sale price is now approximately 48% higher than January's $775,000 and well above the 2025 median of $849,000. At the same time, inventory has expanded substantially, giving buyers more choices as the summer season winds down.
Compared with January, all four markets have considerably more inventory, but the buyer experience differs by town. Wellesley and Needham continue to demonstrate strong transaction volume and relatively quick offers. Dover remains a slower, more selective luxury market, while Falmouth has experienced the most notable price appreciation since the beginning of the year.
The late-summer message for sellers is particularly important: more inventory means pricing and presentation matter.For buyers, the increased selection provides more opportunities than were available in January—but the best properties are still attracting attention quickly.
𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭? 𝐖𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞—𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐭.