Waltham MA Housing Market — 2025 Trends

This Waltham market snapshot summarizes pricing, sales activity, inventory, and value trends through late 2025 so you can gauge whether to buy a home in Waltham, sell, or wait. Read the quick signals first, then dive into listing and sales behavior, mortgage conditions, and whether local data favor buyers or sellers.

Neighborhood performance varies block by block—riverfront pockets, Moody Street, and Brandeis-adjacent areas often move differently than interior single-family streets, so micro-market nuance matters. Before you act, run payment scenarios at several mortgage-rate assumptions, review recent comps in your target ZIP code, and talk to a local agent who watches block-level trends.

Year-to-date through September 2025 Waltham shows clear price gains with steady—but not frenzied—sales activity. The market is patchy by neighborhood: downtown and riverfront pockets often move faster than interior single-family blocks.

Quick YTD signals:

Inventory is higher than the 2021–2022 peaks but still tight in popular ZIP codes, creating a mix of rapid sales in some micro-markets and bargaining room in others.

Listing activity concentrates in the mid- to upper-range price brackets, reflecting a mix of mill-conversion condos, townhomes, and single-family homes. Sellers in high-demand pockets are listing toward the top of the range when condition and location align with buyer expectations.

Typical list-price notes:

Sales prices have tracked list pricing closely across much of 2025, meaning well-prepared listings frequently sell near their asking price. Busy corridors and turnkey properties still see offers above list, but the citywide sale-to-list gap has narrowed from the hottest seller-market months.

What that looks like today: average sale prices sit near the reported medians and confirm a market priced above many surrounding suburbs, while still offering predictable comps for appraisals.

Active listing totals vary dramatically by street and product type. Downtown condos and riverfront units often show smaller active counts and turn over quickly, while larger single-family homes outside the core can sit longer.

Listing-volume signals to watch:

Waltham’s sales cadence is functional and liquid but not overheated. Volumes show that there is  consistent buyer interest balanced by a somewhat more selective buying behavior than in the 2021–2022 frenzy.

Sales structure: most transactions involve mid-sized single-family homes and multifamily units that attract both investors and owner-occupants.

Days on market have lengthened modestly compared with the prior year, reflecting greater buyer selectivity. A citywide average of 26 days does not preclude immediate contracts on well-priced, staged homes in popular ZIPs.

Expect variation by segment: updated, competitively priced homes in core neighborhoods can still go under contract within days; properties needing renovation or priced above comps will generally sit longer.

Price adjustments have become more common than during the most competitive years. Higher-priced cohorts and homes needing deferred maintenance show the largest share of reductions.

Practical seller guidance: plan a modest pricing buffer and be prepared for one adjustment if the listing window extends beyond the opening weeks. Buyers: watch listings that linger—these often offer the best negotiating leverage.

Waltham has risen steadily in value, but not uniformly. Properties near the Charles River and close to transit have generally outperformed interior blocks. Use the one-, three-, five-, and ten-year signals here as context when setting realistic price expectations.

Median sale price rose 16.2% year over year into late 2025, showing a clear short-term rebound for buyer demand.

Three-year movement shows more moderate cumulative appreciation as the market absorbed higher-rate periods in 2023–2024 before regaining momentum.

From 2020 baselines many riverfront and proximity-to-Boston pockets registered substantial gains, with single-family lots generally outpacing some inner-city condos.

Over a decade, locations near transit and the Charles River outperformed some interior blocks, underlining the value of micro-location when forecasting long-term appreciation.

Mortgage costs drive purchasing power. In early October 2025 the 30-year fixed average sat near 6.3 percent—the lowest in about a year after a modest slide from summer highs.

What to expect next: if rates drift lower and hold in the mid-6s, more buyers typically re-enter the market and payment pressure eases; if rates climb, buyer demand softens and days on market lengthen. Run payment scenarios at multiple rate assumptions before finalizing budgets.

Late 2025 looks balanced with local tilts. Downtown and riverfront properties more closely resemble a seller’s market, while interior single-family and fixer listings offer buyer opportunity.

Indicators to watch: neighborhood-level inventory, the sale-to-list price ratio, and short-term mortgage-rate moves. A tightening inventory combined with falling rates will favor sellers; rising rates and increased listings shift leverage toward buyers.

Citywide median sales sat near $772,500 in September 2025; for a three-bedroom single-family in a desirable ZIP code expect to pay above that median if the property includes yard space or extensive updates.

Condominiums and townhomes provide additional entry points and typically carry lower medians than detached homes; condo-heavy areas often move faster, making them a practical choice for budget-conscious buyers.

Stress-test your budget at the current average, then add half a point and a full point to see payment shifts. That range helps you plan for rate moves between offer and close.

Well-conditioned, properly priced homes with professional photos and a focused marketing plan still attract buyers quickly in many neighborhoods. Consult a local agent who tracks comps on your block before selecting timing.

Factor the FY2025 residential tax rate of $9.82 per $1,000 of assessed value into annual carrying-cost estimates; combined with utility and insurance costs, taxes materially affect monthly affordability.