Harwich Experiencing Hot Real Estate Market

 HARWICH – Local real estate sales have been red hot here and in other Lower Cape towns.

 The Boston Business Journal reported this week that Harwich was Massachusetts’ hottest housing market for the second quarter of 2026 and the 15th hottest housing market in the country, an assessment based on sales in the 02645 zip code. 

 “There is a demand, and it has priced locals out of the market,” said Richard Waystack, chair of the board of assessors and a realtor with Keller Williams Realty. “The market is simple, it’s supply and demand, but there are only 27 single-family homes on the market in Harwich, and there is so much demand out there.”

The 02642 zip code in Eastham was second in the state, and the 02631 zip code in Brewster was third. 

The average sale in the Harwich zip code was $1,112,314. The average price climbed $250,000 over the same period a year ago, according to the report.

In the Eastham zip code the median sale price was $1,310,852, and in Brewster the average price was $567,977. Brewster was ranked 92nd nationally. 

 The Business Journal’s ranking highlights housing markets where activity is surging, not just the most expensive or popular markets, according to the Boston Business Journal story. 

The rankings are determined using a weighted formula that accounts for pricing and sales momentum. The formula places a greater emphasis on sales volume and pricing in more recent periods. Only zip codes with complete data in the categories measured were included in the final rankings.

 Merrimac and Swampscott capped off the top five hottest markets in Massachusetts.

Harwich’s market is differentiated between the $500,000 and $800,000 level and homes over $1 million, said Waystack. The absence of inventory is driven by older people who are staying in their homes longer and do not want to sell because they don’t want to buy another home at the current interest rates, he said. 

Higher priced properties, between $5 million and $6 million, are selling, he said, but there is no low-end housing on the market. 

 “We’re restricted in terms of inventory,” Waystack said. “The high-end builders are picking up any land available, so there is competition for that land, and there is not a lot of land left.”

A quarter acre lot is selling for $200,000 to $300,000, he said. The cost of building fees and construction material is rising, he added; a house can’t be built for $400,000 or $500,000 anymore. The demand has priced locals out of the market, Waystack said. 

The work of Habitat for Humanity Cape Cod and other organizations building apartments is important so the locals can continue to live here, Waystack said. 

 “The second quarter information shows a neutral market as sales prices, days on market, and low inventory levels are similar to last year at this time,” Steve Seaver, president of Cape Cod And Islands Association of Realtors, (CCIAOR), said of activities throughout the region. 

 “However, there is movement in the number of new listings, and depending on the size, price, condition and location of a residential property, there is significant activity and sales over last year,” he said in a press release. “Overall the market is stable, which is a good sign given the economic uncertainty with the cost of living increases felt by so many.”

According to the figures released by CCIAOR, new listings for Barnstable County increased by 12 percent over the same period in 2025. For the second quarter of this year, the number of sales increased by 8 percent over 2025, and the overall median sale price of residential property was $725,000, a 1.4 percent increase from $715,000 in 2025.

The good news for sellers was the 9 percent increase in sellers receiving offers over their asking price, according to CCIAOR. While all regions experienced an increase in the number of sales over 2025, the greatest increase was seen on the Lower Cape, with a 17.4 percent rise. The medium sale price was $855.000, the association reported.