Every Monday this site refreshes a page of numbers for Massachusetts, New Hampshire and the sixteen towns I work most. Numbers are only useful if you know what each one is telling you — and what it isn't. Here is how I read them, and what they mean depending on which side of the table you are on.
Typical home value (Zillow)
This is Zillow's estimate of the value of the middle home in the town — not the average sale, and not any particular house. It is smoothed, so it moves slowly and it is best used for the direction of travel: the year-over-year change tells you whether a town is appreciating, flat or softening. For a seller, it anchors expectations before we look at your specific comparables. For a buyer, it shows which towns are still gaining value and which have paused — useful when you are choosing between Dracut and Tewksbury, or Salem and Derry.
The 12-month forecast
Zillow publishes a forecast per ZIP code for one month, three months and twelve months ahead; the town figure on this site averages the town's ZIPs. Treat it as a weather forecast, not a promise. It is most useful as a comparison between places — when one side of the border is projected at +3% and the other at +1%, that difference is worth noticing — and least useful as a reason to wait or to rush.
Median sale price and sale-to-list (Redfin)
The median sale price is the middle of what actually closed in the period. It jumps around in small towns where only 20 or 30 homes close in a month, so read it with the year-over-year change and the sale count in mind. Sale-to-list is the one I watch most closely: at 101–104% of asking, homes are selling above list and buyers must come in strong; at 98–99%, there is room to negotiate. Note the date on this figure — Redfin's public data is published with a lag of a few months.
Days on market
How long the typical listing takes to go under agreement. Under 21 days means well-priced homes are moving in the first weekend. When this number rises while inventory rises — as it has through 2026 in both states — buyers get a little more time and a little more leverage, and sellers need sharper pricing and better presentation to stay in the "first weekend" group.
Active listings and months of supply
Active listings (Realtor.com) is how many homes are for sale right now; the year-over-year change tells you whether choice is expanding. Months of supply asks how long it would take to sell everything on the market at the current pace. Under three months is a seller's market; three to six is balanced; above six favors buyers. Most of our towns still sit well under three — which is why a well-priced home still draws multiple offers even as the headlines talk about a cooling market.
Mortgage rates
The 30- and 15-year figures are the Freddie Mac weekly national averages. Your rate will differ with credit score, down payment and points — but the direction and the year-over-year change matter for timing. A full percentage point on a $500,000 loan changes the payment by roughly $300 a month; the buying-power tool shows exactly what it does to your budget.
How to use all of it
- Selling: typical value and sale-to-list set the strategy; days on market tells us how aggressively to price; months of supply tells us how much competition you face. Then we go hyper-local with the comparables on your street.
- Buying: compare towns on value trend and forecast; use sale-to-list to decide how strong an offer needs to be; watch rates and run the payment, not the price.
- Investing: rent growth isn't on this page yet — but value trend, forecast and days on market tell you where demand is durable, and the toolkit does the rest.
Headlines describe a national market. Your decision happens on one street in one town — these numbers are the bridge between the two.
Have a question about your situation?
Reply is personal, usually the same day. Or run the numbers yourself in the toolkit.
This note is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice, and not an appraisal or loan approval. Every situation is different — let's talk about yours.
