Swampscott Mid-Year 2018 Housing Market Report

(Click here to download a PDF of this report.)

The recent strong growth in the median price of the Single Family Homes (SFH) sold in Swampscott continued in the first half, with the median price increasing by 7% from a year ago to $577,750.

While quarterly prices can and do fluctuate, the median price has now exceeded $500,000 for seven consecutive quarters.

SFH Sales

After a sharp drop in 2017, sales recovered in 2018 to the levels of 2014-2016.

Sales by Price

The increase in the median price can also be demonstrated by the fact that the percentage of houses that sold for less than $500,000 dropped from 51% in 2016 to 32% in 2017 and to just 27% in 2018.

Of the 73 sales, 11 took place at list price and 28 above list price.

SFH for sale

As of July 1, there were just 7 houses for sale in Swampscott under $600,000. At the other end of the scale there were 9 for sale over $1.5 million, while there were only 2 sales at that level in the first half of the year. Notably, one of those sales occurred at $7.7. million, one of only 10 sales over $7.5 million in Essex County in MLS records, and almost double the previous highest price recorded in Swampscott.

Condos

As we saw in Beverly with Elliot Landing, a large new development can have a major impact on the reported median price since new developments are usually of higher-priced units. The 42 units at Avery will have a similar impact on the median price in Swampscott. In the first half of 2018 there were 9 sales recorded at Avery at prices from$370,00 to $500,000. Without the Avery sales, the median price for the first half would have been $299,900.

Sales by Price

Without the Avery sales the percentage of sale under $250,000 would have been 20%, down from 43% in 2016.

Condo for Sale

The MLS numbers for July 1 include only 2 units at Avery, although there are 21 currently available.

Summary

It took 12 years for the median SFH price to beat the $517,300 achieved in 2005, but that figure has now been put firmly in the rear view mirror. With only 13 of 30 pending SFH sales at list prices under $600,000, and just 7 of the 30 SFHs for sale listed under $600,000, there is every chance that the median price will top $600,000 in the second half of 2018. Meanwhile, Avery continues to transform the condo market in Swampscott.

Sagan Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty