Is New England having a real estate moment? Realtor.com just released its list of the hottest ZIP codes in the country, and seven of the 10 are located along the Eastern seaboard.
Coming in at No. 1 is Beverly, Massachusetts, with a population of around 43,000. Beverly's place at the top points to a few current trends among buyers: It offers the kind of small-town charm, scenic coastline and solid commuter access to Boston that can seduce even the most dedicated big-city dwellers.
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With headlines about the housing market popping up every week, it may seem like the worst possible time to become a homeowner. But savvy buyers are playing it smart. Instead of chasing splashy listings in overpriced cities, they're flocking to ZIP codes where homes are still relatively affordable (or at least affordable in comparison to the local metro median). The result? Dwellings in these sought-after neighborhoods are getting snatched up 30 to 42 days faster than the U.S. average, and the area's listings get more than triple the usual views.
That doesn't mean there's suddenly more inventory. The listings in the hottest ZIP codes are down nearly 59-percent compared to pre-2020 norms. Unsurprisingly, the traffic is coming from metro hubs like New York, Washington, D.C. and Boston proper, and the buyers tend to skew older, richer and with better credit than the national average. (No shade, just facts.)
The Northeast and Midwest continue to carry the hottest housing action, while neither the South nor the West cracks the top 10 for the third year in a row. Maybe next year!
The biggest connection between most of the destinations that did make the list is the major cities nearby. People living in New York City and Boston are out there hustling up more space and lower prices in cities like Wayne, N.J., and Leominster, Mass.
What makes Beverly such a hot property proposition isn’t just the price tag; it’s the lifestyle. It offers a walkable downtown, good schools, quick rail rides into the city and plenty of New England coastal charm to sweeten the deal. In a housing market where affordability is relative and speed is everything, Beverly nails the trifecta of livability, location and long-term value.
For Realtor.com's full list, click here.