This episode delivers a weekly breakdown of Connecticut’s single-family housing market across five key counties, touching on buyer demand, sales activity, pricing, and inventory trends. It also covers new local developments, state-level housing tools, national market shifts, and factors like interest rates, inventory growth, and rising escrow costs.
This edition of “Connecticut Real Estate Market Weekly Insights” opens with a statewide overview of single-family sales and buyer behavior. September saw 1,906 sales — a 4.6% increase from last year — with long-term pricing trends still climbing across Fairfield, Hartford, New Haven, Middlesex, and Litchfield Counties. Homes are still selling faster than pre-2020 norms, even though days on market have risen from pandemic-era lows. Over-asking offers remain common, though less intense than 2021–22.
A county-level breakdown for September 1–30, 2025 shows Fairfield leading in price at a $800K median and posting nearly 12% more closings. Hartford had 587 sales and continues to outperform year over year, with a $400K median and low days on market. New Haven saw nearly 8% more closings and remains competitive despite a slight dip in over-ask activity. Middlesex posted double-digit growth in sales with an 18-day median market time. The only county to trend down was Litchfield, with an 18% drop in volume but a higher over-ask percentage.
City-level data shows decade-long appreciation: Waterbury jumped from the mid-$100Ks to nearly $290K, Stamford passed $1M, and Norwalk is approaching the high $900Ks. Median days on market spiked after 2022 but remain faster than the pre-pandemic stretch. Buyer competition continues to center around move-in-ready homes and midrange pricing.
The top towns by closed sales in September include Bristol, Stamford, Enfield, Norwalk, Waterbury, Fairfield, and West Hartford. Mid-priced towns like Enfield and Bristol posted strong gains, while luxury markets like Stamford still see high pricing and healthy over-ask behavior. Cities such as New Haven are showing renewed demand where updated inventory is available.
Price-band analysis shows the bulk of sales in the $300K–$499K segment, followed by $500K–$699K. Sales under $300K now make up a much smaller share compared to 2015, reflecting price appreciation and buyer shifts into larger homes. At the high end, activity thins and bidding is less common due to smaller buyer pools.
Inventory remains extremely tight, with only 1.8 months of supply statewide — well below a balanced 5–6 month level. Several towns, such as Windsor Locks, Simsbury, Newington, Trumbull, and New Britain, are under one month of supply. The leanest price segments are $300K–$499K and under $300K. Luxury inventory climbs to nearly five months at prices above $1.8M.
Interest rates as of last week average 6.32% for 30-year fixed loans, 5.84% for 15-year loans, and just over 6% for FHA and VA products.
Local development updates highlight a 23-unit townhouse proposal in Waterbury called Boyden Ridge, with a wetlands permit secured and public hearings scheduled. In Woodbridge, a 96-unit project near the New Haven line has sparked controversy over environmental impacts and limited affordability. Public hearings were extended to allow more feedback before a zoning commission review.
Nationally, home price growth has slowed dramatically — only 1.3% year over year — with some markets seeing monthly declines. Rising mortgage rates and low supply push the market into a slow rebalancing. Escrow costs, including taxes and insurance, are up 45% in five years and now exceed principal and interest for about 10% of homeowners. Investor purchases make up nearly a third of home sales, and regional trends diverge: the Northeast remains stable, while much of the South and West sees price drops. Median list prices hold at $425K nationally, while inventory is up 17% year over year and spending more time on market, though active listings are still below pre-pandemic norms.
The episode closes by reminding sellers and buyers to stay tuned for next week’s market update and directing listeners to call or visit the website for guidance on timing and strategy.