The North Shore Market Is Rebalancing: What the September Numbers Tell Us

Across the twelve towns tracked, the theme is consistent: median home prices are up in most communities, and inventory is climbing. Beverly single-family homes sold at a median of $825,000 in September, up 7.8% from a year ago. Gloucester's median rose 15.7% to $882,500. Ipswich was up 13.7% to $890,000, and Newbury's median climbed 16% to $990,000.

Yet buyers have more to choose from: Beverly's inventory rose 27.6%, Salem's single-family inventory grew 8.3%, and Newburyport's jumped 62.1%. Even where prices are softer, it's often a mix effect (a few high-end sales a year ago distorting the comparison), not a falling market.

The clearest sign of rebalancing shows up in months of supply. A balanced market sits around five to six months; the North Shore is still well below that. Beverly sits at 1.9 months, Salem at 2.0, Ipswich at 2.7, still firmly a seller's market.

But the trend is toward more balance: Newburyport's supply climbed to 4.5 months, Gloucester's to 4.3, and Manchester-by-the-Sea's to 4.7. Days on market are stretching in a few towns too: Salem's single-family homes went from 27 days last September to 40 this year. Homes are still selling, just not quite as fast.

Still a strong market to sell in, but the days of pricing anything and watching it fly off the market are easing. The data rewards sellers who price smart from day one: in Beverly, homes still received 98.8% of their original asking price, and in Newburyport sellers got 103.6%.

Price it right and you still see competition; price it a touch high and the extra days on market start to accumulate.

If you've been waiting for a little more room, September's numbers are encouraging: more inventory, slightly longer days on market, and in several towns, sellers accepting a bit more negotiation. It's not a buyer's market, but it's a more reasonable one than we've seen in years.

Buyers can be more selective, ask for the inspection they want, and negotiate on price rather than just competing in a bidding war.

We're in the early stages of a slow, healthy rebalancing. Prices are unlikely to fall; the North Shore's fundamentals (the coast, the schools, the commuter rail, the sheer desirability) are too strong. But expect inventory to keep creeping up and days on market to keep normalizing through late 2026 and into 2027.

For sellers, pricing and presentation matter more than they have in years. For buyers, the window of opportunity is opening, and it's worth being ready to move when the right home comes up.

The North Shore isn't crashing, and it isn't overheating. It's settling into a healthier, more balanced rhythm, and that's good news for just about everyone.

Whether you're thinking of selling and want to know what your home is worth in this market, or you're ready to buy and want to move while buyers have a little more leverage, Kathleen would love to talk through what the numbers mean for you.