Fast vs Slow — The ZIP Codes Defying the Fall Slowdown
Fast vs Slow — The ZIP Codes Defying the Fall Slowdown
(Week of Oct 27 2025)
⚡ What the Data Says
Realtor.com’s ZIP-level data for September 2025 shows an increasingly uneven market across Massachusetts.
While some Boston-area suburbs are still closing in under two weeks, coastal luxury zones are stretching past 100 days.
Even though the overall correlation between speed and price appreciation is weak ( –0.01 ), the outliers reveal a familiar 80/20 pattern: the hottest 20 percent of ZIPs continue to absorb listings instantly, while the slowest 20 percent carry the weight of overpriced or ultra-high-end inventory.
🥇 Fastest-Turning ZIP Codes — Massachusetts (Sept 2025)
📈 Pattern: Close-in commuter suburbs with balanced price points ($600 K–$1 M) continue to fly off-market.
Buyers there face fewer contingencies and limited inventory; sellers still hold leverage if pricing is realistic.
🐢 Slowest-Moving ZIP Codes — Massachusetts (Sept 2025)
🏝 Pattern: Slower luxury and island markets are still feeling post-summer fatigue.
DOM north of 100 days indicates niche buyer pools, second-home seasonality, and tighter jumbo-rate financing.
💬 Agent Takeaways
Pricing Precision Wins: Even a 3–5 % mis-price can add a month to DOM.
Data Makes You the Advisor: “In your ZIP, listings take 42 days — but next door they move in 20.”
Watch for Micro-Cycles: September–November gap between “move-ready” and “aspirational” listings is the widest since 2019.
Leverage Speed for Listings: Use fast-turn ZIP stats in listing appointments to emphasize smart pricing, staging, and timing.
🧮 Fast Math Summary
🗝 How to Use This in Your Business
Copy-paste these stats into CMA narratives, email follow-ups, or open-house conversations.
“Right now, Hanover listings are moving in 15 days — about 1⁄6 the time homes sit on Martha’s Vineyard.”
That single comparison reframes expectations and positions you as the data-driven voice of clarity.
