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Real estate can be overwhelming. “Realty Bites” makes sense of the madness, offering the insight behind the headlines and the strategy behind the sale.
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January is not a pause button. It is a positioning month. And, as a top producer for Engel & Völkers By The Sea in December I am excited to share my views to guide your year.
Here in Essex County, winter is already revealing a market that is stable, strategic, and quietly competitive. Local home values remain resilient, with typical prices sitting in the high $600,000s to low $700,000s range and showing modest year over year growth. Inventory is still constrained, but it has loosened just enough to give well prepared buyers more choice than we saw during peak compression.
At the same time, days on market have lengthened into the 30 day range, a subtle but important shift. Homes that are priced correctly and presented well continue to attract attention quickly. Those that miss on preparation or pricing are being left behind. The gap between strategy and assumption is widening.
Buyers who stay engaged through winter, armed with strong pre approvals and neighborhood level data, are finding opportunities to negotiate with clarity rather than urgency. Sellers who use this month to prepare thoughtfully are positioning themselves for stronger spring outcomes before competition returns in force.
This is a market where local data matters more than national headlines. And 2026 will reward those who move deliberately.
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Realty Mini Bite | Rowley and Fireplaces
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Rowley’s earliest homes were taxed not by size, but by the number of fireplaces.
Each hearth carried a cost, so most homes stopped at three or four, forcing families to think carefully about layout, heat, and daily movement.
Efficiency was not a buzzword. It was survival, and it still shows in the way these homes live today.
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Gloucester’s 5th Annual So Salty Festival
January 24–25, 2026
Winter in Gloucester comes alive with ice sculptures, live music, and local culture throughout downtown. This two-day festival celebrates the salty spirit of Cape Ann with fun and flavor for all ages.
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Topsfield Bremen Town Musicians
January 9 & January 10, 2026
A local favorite at Gould Barn in Topsfield, this playful musical performance for all ages brings the classic folktale to life in song and stagecraft. It’s a perfect winter outing for families or friends looking for community theater with heart.
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Boston, New England Boat Show
January 9, 2026
Kick off your 2026 adventure plans at this annual showcase of boats, gear, and ocean lifestyle inspiration in Boston. Whether you dream of offshore days or weekend sails, this show delivers ideas and excitement for all boat lovers.
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Early January activity across Essex County shows a market that is functioning normally again, which is quietly good news. Roughly 60 to 65 percent of listings are going under agreement within the first 30 days, confirming that demand is still present, just more discerning. The spread between list price and sale price has narrowed, with most successful sales landing within 2 to 3 percent of asking when pricing aligns with local comparables.
Another telling signal is behavior, not pricing. Price reductions remain concentrated in a small segment of the market, typically homes that launched with optimistic positioning rather than data driven strategy. Meanwhile, well prepared properties continue to attract multiple showings early, even if they are not seeing the rapid offer timelines of past cycles.
This is no longer a market of speed. It is a market of alignment. Homes that meet buyer expectations are moving. Those that do not are being passed over with clarity.
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The Importance of Strategy
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Working with my buyer clients planning moves in Q1, I am seeing a shift that feels healthy. Fewer rushed decisions. More clarity. Buyers who stayed engaged through winter are better prepared, better financed, and far more focused on fit than frenzy.
In January, the advantage belongs to those who know exactly which streets and neighborhoods they are waiting for. When the right home appears, they move decisively without noise. The buyers having the most success right now are not trying to time the market. They are positioning themselves to recognize the right opportunity when it arrives.
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Spring Starts Now
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Working with sellers preparing for Q1 and early spring launches, the conversations have changed. The focus is no longer on how fast a home might sell, but on how well it should perform.
January gives us the space to slow down and get things right. We are studying recent sales, refining pricing, and shaping presentations with intention rather than pressure. The sellers who are leaning into this process now are the ones who will feel in control when activity accelerates later in the season.
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Stories matter - it's the way memories are preserved and new ones created. And if you're ready for your next real estate chapter, I'd love to stand by your side and help you write it. Call, text or email - let's start the journey.
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Whether you're buying, selling, investing or just browsing - I’m here to help provide you with the insights to make sense of the data - and let’s together write your next real estate story.
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©2006-2024 Engel & Völkers® Americas, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Each Engel & Völkers real estate brokerage is independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All listing information is from sources deemed reliable. However, no representation is made as to the accuracy or completeness thereof and should be independently verified.
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Dear #lead_first_name#,
Real estate can be overwhelming. “Realty Bites” makes sense of the madness, offering the insight behind the headlines and the strategy behind the sale.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
January is not a pause button. It is a positioning month. And, as a top producer for Engel & Völkers By The Sea in December I am excited to share my views to guide your year.
Here in Essex County, winter is already revealing a market that is stable, strategic, and quietly competitive. Local home values remain resilient, with typical prices sitting in the high $600,000s to low $700,000s range and showing modest year over year growth. Inventory is still constrained, but it has loosened just enough to give well prepared buyers more choice than we saw during peak compression.
At the same time, days on market have lengthened into the 30 day range, a subtle but important shift. Homes that are priced correctly and presented well continue to attract attention quickly. Those that miss on preparation or pricing are being left behind. The gap between strategy and assumption is widening.
Buyers who stay engaged through winter, armed with strong pre approvals and neighborhood level data, are finding opportunities to negotiate with clarity rather than urgency. Sellers who use this month to prepare thoughtfully are positioning themselves for stronger spring outcomes before competition returns in force.
This is a market where local data matters more than national headlines. And 2026 will reward those who move deliberately.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Realty Mini Bite | Rowley and Fireplaces
|
|
|
|
Rowley’s earliest homes were taxed not by size, but by the number of fireplaces.
Each hearth carried a cost, so most homes stopped at three or four, forcing families to think carefully about layout, heat, and daily movement.
Efficiency was not a buzzword. It was survival, and it still shows in the way these homes live today.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gloucester’s 5th Annual
So Salty Festival
January 24–25, 2026
Winter in Gloucester comes alive with ice sculptures, live music, and local culture throughout downtown. This two-day festival celebrates the salty spirit of Cape Ann with fun and flavor for all ages.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
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|
|
Topsfield Bremen Town Musicians
January 9 & January 10, 2026
A local favorite at Gould Barn in Topsfield, this playful musical performance for all ages brings the classic folktale to life in song and stagecraft. It’s a perfect winter outing for families or friends looking for community theater with heart.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
Boston, New England Boat Show
January 9, 2026
Kick off your 2026 adventure plans at this annual showcase of boats, gear, and ocean lifestyle inspiration in Boston. Whether you dream of offshore days or weekend sails, this show delivers ideas and excitement for all boat lovers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Early January activity across Essex County shows a market that is functioning normally again, which is quietly good news. Roughly 60 to 65 percent of listings are going under agreement within the first 30 days, confirming that demand is still present, just more discerning. The spread between list price and sale price has narrowed, with most successful sales landing within 2 to 3 percent of asking when pricing aligns with local comparables.
Another telling signal is behavior, not pricing. Price reductions remain concentrated in a small segment of the market, typically homes that launched with optimistic positioning rather than data driven strategy. Meanwhile, well prepared properties continue to attract multiple showings early, even if they are not seeing the rapid offer timelines of past cycles.
This is no longer a market of speed. It is a market of alignment. Homes that meet buyer expectations are moving. Those that do not are being passed over with clarity.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Importance of Strategy
|
|
|
|
Working with my buyer clients planning moves in Q1, I am seeing a shift that feels healthy. Fewer rushed decisions. More clarity. Buyers who stayed engaged through winter are better prepared, better financed, and far more focused on fit than frenzy.
In January, the advantage belongs to those who know exactly which streets and neighborhoods they are waiting for. When the right home appears, they move decisively without noise. The buyers having the most success right now are not trying to time the market. They are positioning themselves to recognize the right opportunity when it arrives.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spring Starts Now
|
|
|
|
Working with sellers preparing for Q1 and early spring launches, the conversations have changed. The focus is no longer on how fast a home might sell, but on how well it should perform.
January gives us the space to slow down and get things right. We are studying recent sales, refining pricing, and shaping presentations with intention rather than pressure. The sellers who are leaning into this process now are the ones who will feel in control when activity accelerates later in the season.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stories matter - it's the way memories are preserved and new ones created. And if you're ready for your next real estate chapter, I'd love to stand by your side and help you write it. Call, text or email - let's start the journey.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Whether you're buying, selling, investing or just browsing - I’m here to help provide you with the insights to make sense of the data - and let’s together write your next real estate story.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
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|
|
©2006-2024 Engel & Völkers® Americas, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Each Engel & Völkers real estate brokerage is independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All listing information is from sources deemed reliable. However, no representation is made as to the accuracy or completeness thereof and should be independently verified.
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