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Fall 2025 saw inventory gains in the Massachusetts housing market, but a contraction in the number of homes on the market that stared in December seems to have continued into January.
If it continues, into the spring, buyers could face a less optimistic market this year.
A new report from the Massachusetts Association of Realtors shows numbers of new single-family listings in Massachusetts decreased by 7.4 percent on a year-over-year basis and by 10.2 percent for condominiums compared to January 2025.
That follows a December where new single-family listings were up less than 1 percent versus December 2024, while new condo listings were up 7.5 percent.
Total single-family inventory on the market in January was down 14.2 percent and total condo inventory was down 9.1 percent, both compared to January 2025. In December, those figures were down 13.5 percent and 4.2 percent year-on-year.
“It’s common to see a decrease in activity, especially right after the holidays,” 2026 MAR President Kristen Keegan said in a statement. “Inventory continues to be a challenge for Massachusetts buyers, which is consistent with some of the national trends. However, with spring right around the corner, we feel there is optimism for a much more active market in the coming months.”
Many local market-watchers expect 2026 to feature lower mortgage interest rates.
Nationally, pending home sales fell 5.1 percent year over year during the four weeks ending February 8, the biggest decline in over a year, according to a recent analysis by the brokerage Redfin. New listings fell 1.8 percent year over year.
While new listings are also on the decline, the time it takes for a home to sell is also increasing. The median days on market in the Boston metro increased by six days, according to a searate analysis by the listing portal Realtor.com. Nationally, the median days on market increased to 66 days, which is the longest in six years according to Redfin’s in-house economics team.
“The coming months will be a real test for the inventory recovery and the road to affordability,” Realtor.com Senior Economist Jake Krimmel, senior economist said in a statement. “A reacceleration in listings growth alongside easing mortgage rates could bring the market into better balance and move the needle on affordability. If supply continues to drift tighter, however, lower rates may simply reignite competition and limit how much relief buyers actually feel.”
