Published October 18, 2026 in Market Update

Greater Lowell added listings, and buyers used them

By Patrick & Alana Scanlon

Real estate, Greater Lowell

The one fact that changes what you should do: buyers did not slow down when more homes appeared. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 883 new listings across Greater Lowell in the three months ending August 31, 2026, up 14.7% from the same months of 2025. Pending sales came in at 825, up 14% over the same stretch. More supply, more demand, nearly in lockstep.

That matters for homeowners because it means more competition did not stop buyers from moving. It matters for buyers because, while there was more choice than last year, supply is still thin. Realtor.com reported that Northeast median list prices fell 3.8% year over year. Greater Lowell's own numbers are more mixed, as you will see below.

What rates are doing to the picture

Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates topped 7% for the first time since January 2025. Fannie Mae, as reported by CNBC, forecasts the 30-year fixed rate at 7.5% for all of 2027. CNBC also reported that pending home sales nationally fell 8.5% in September year over year, per Zillow. Greater Lowell's pending sales went the other direction, up 14%. That gap is worth keeping in mind. This area is not moving with the national current.

Prices by ZIP: a wide range

Not every part of Greater Lowell moved the same way. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows median sale prices ranging from $417,500 to $863,064 across the twelve ZIP codes in the three months ending August 31, 2026. Some ZIPs saw prices rise. Others fell. Neither direction dominated.

ZIP 01862, which covers part of North Billerica, posted the biggest price gain: up 25.8% to $729,750, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Homes for sale there fell 55%, so fewer choices pushed prices up. ZIP 01886 (Westford) had the highest median at $863,064, but that was down 8.3% from a year ago. More listings came in, and buyers had a little more room.

The Lowell ZIPs tell a different story

Lowell's neighborhoods are not one market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted four Lowell ZIP codes in this data, and each one moved differently.

ZIP 01850 saw the median price fall 16.5% to $417,500, and it took 29 days to sell, the longest of any ZIP in this data. ZIP 01851 went the other way: up 7.2% to $566,000. ZIP 01852 sold the most homes, 90, up 34.3%. These are different pockets of the same city.

Speed: buyers are still moving fast, but not as fast

Across most of Greater Lowell, days on market ticked up from a year ago. That is not a warning sign on its own. It is a small correction from a very fast pace. Homes are still selling. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows that in ZIP 01824 (Chelmsford), 67.9% of homes went under contract within two weeks of listing. In ZIP 01876 (Tewksbury), that share was 66.4%.

Sellers are still getting over asking, almost everywhere

Every ZIP in this data averaged a sale price above the list price. That is worth saying plainly. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows sale-to-list ratios ranging from 100.8% in ZIP 01863 to 102.7% in ZIPs 01876 and 01862. Most ZIPs saw that ratio slip a little from 2025, but none fell below 100%. Sellers are not leaving money on the table. They are just leaving a little less on the table than last year.

Supply is rising, but it is still low

The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows months of supply ranging from 1 month in ZIPs 01886 and 01862 to 3.1 months in ZIP 01850. Realtor.com reported that price cuts nationally hit their highest September readings since 2018. Greater Lowell's supply numbers suggest sellers here have more cushion than most. But ZIP 01850 and ZIP 01863 are worth watching: both have more supply than the rest of the area, and both saw prices fall.

These are the three months ending August 31, 2026. One street can read very differently from the whole ZIP code. If you want to know what the numbers look like for your specific address, text us.