Market Overview
August 2026This month’s data pull is the cleanest one yet: single-family sold data for all five towns, standardized to the same trailing 12-month window, so every town in this report is being measured the same way. Where past editions had to caveat mixed scopes across towns, this one doesn’t need to.
Mortgage rates have settled. The Massachusetts 30-year fixed sits at 6.68%, within a few basis points of the 6.69% national average and largely unchanged from a year ago. That stability appears to be doing more for the market than any rate relief would have: Norfolk County recorded 1,151 property sales in June, up 14% from a year earlier, with deed recordings up 9%. Buyers are no longer waiting for a number that may not come. They’re transacting at today’s cost of money.
Across the five towns, the trailing 12-month picture shows a market moving at two speeds. Medfield is the tightest of the group: 31 days on market and the only town to clear full list price over the past year, at 102% sale-to-list. At the other end, Dover‘s estate and luxury inventory is taking longer to find buyers, averaging 67 days and settling just under asking at 97%. That’s not softness so much as the natural rhythm of a smaller, higher-end market where the right buyer takes longer to surface.
Wellesley and Needham both closed the year at exactly full list price, with medians of $2.325M and $1.825M respectively, and days on market in the low-to-mid 40s. Both are behaving like markets in equilibrium: enough demand to hold the line on price, not so much that sellers are seeing bidding wars stretch timelines out.
Town by Town
Trailing 12 MonthsMLS PIN sold data, single-family homes only, 8/10/25–8/10/26. Standardized scope across all five towns for direct comparison.
| Town | Sales | Median Price | Avg. Price | Avg. DOM | SP:LP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newton Highest Volume | 512 | $1,849,500 | $2,137,079 | 46 | 100% |
| Wellesley Richest Mix | 246 | $2,325,000 | $2,641,950 | 43 | 100% |
| Needham | 245 | $1,825,000 | $1,964,250 | 46 | 100% |
| Medfield Fastest Market | 106 | $1,150,000 | $1,268,662 | 31 | 102% |
| Dover Thinnest Market | 71 | $2,050,000 | $2,337,590 | 67 | 97% |
Needham Spotlight: 12-Month Sold Data
MLS PINA closer look at Needham single-family sales over the trailing 12 months (8/10/25–8/10/26): 245 single-family homes sold for a combined $481.2 million in volume, at an average sale price of $1,964,250 and a median of $1,825,000. Homes averaged 46 days on market and 29 days to offer, and sellers achieved an average sale-to-list ratio of 100%, meaning the typical Needham home is still closing right around asking.
| Price Range | # Sold | Avg. Sale Price | Avg. DOM | SP:LP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1.5M–$2M | 62 | $1,714,984 | 28 | 104% |
| $1M–$1.5M | 58 | $1,252,962 | 17 | 102% |
| $2.5M–$3M | 45 | $2,709,517 | 79 | 97% |
| $2M–$2.5M | 42 | $2,251,143 | 50 | 100% |
| $3M–$4M | 16 | $3,313,771 | 113 | 97% |
The $1M–$1.5M tier is the fastest-moving segment in town at just 17 days on market, and the only band selling meaningfully over asking. The $1.5M–$2M tier is the most active by volume. Above $2.5M, days on market stretch well past two months, a sign that upper-bracket buyers are taking their time even in a strong-performing town.
Three Signals Shaping the Market
SignalsMedfield Moves Fastest
31 days on market and 102% sale-to-list over the trailing year, the only town in this report clearing full list price. The clearest seller’s market of the five right now.
Wellesley Leads on Price
A $2.325M median over the trailing 12 months, the highest of the five towns, with an average sale price of $2.64M across 246 transactions.
Newton Wins on Volume
512 sales over the trailing year, more than double any other town in this report. Newton’s size and neighborhood variety keep it the most liquid market in the corridor.
Rate & Economic Context
August 202630-Year Fixed · Massachusetts
Freddie Mac’s national average sits at 6.69% for the week ending August 6, essentially matching the Massachusetts rate. Rates have held in a narrow band for months, with little to suggest a sharp move in either direction near-term.
Jumbo Loan Threshold · Norfolk Co.
Norfolk County’s elevated conforming loan limit remains a meaningful advantage for buyers. Many Needham and Medfield purchases still clear the conforming threshold, while Wellesley, Newton, and Dover purchases typically require jumbo financing.
Guidance for Buyers & Sellers
What This Means for YouFor Buyers
- In Medfield, be ready to move quickly and price competitively. A 31-day average means hesitation costs opportunities.
- Dover’s longer market cycle gives buyers more room to negotiate on price and terms without losing the home.
- Rates near 6.7% are likely to persist for now. Waiting for a meaningfully lower rate may cost more in competition than it saves in payment.
- In Needham’s $1M–$1.5M band, homes are moving in 17 days. If you’re shopping that range, be ready to move fast.
For Sellers
- Wellesley and Needham are both closing at full list price. Accurate pricing at listing is rewarded, not punished, in these markets.
- If you’re in Dover or another lower-volume luxury segment, plan for a longer timeline and price with patience in mind from the start.
- Rising county-wide sales volume is a signal of real, sustained buyer demand, not a short-term blip. This is a reasonable window to list.
- Homes priced to Medfield’s fast-moving pace are seeing multiple qualified buyers within weeks.
Nancy Moore · Gibson Sotheby's International Realty
Vice President & Associate Broker — Needham & Boston Suburbs
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