Buying a home in Boston
Buying in Boston means competing on a new listing and negotiating on one that has sat. Homes that sold within 30 days sold at a median 100% of the asking price. Homes on the market over 60 days sold at a median 92.7% of their original asking price. Juan Murray helps buyers tell the two apart before they write an offer.
What Boston buyers paid against asking
4,351 Boston sales, November 2025 through October 2026. Time on market made the difference.
Among the 1,108 Boston homes that sold above asking, the median sale was 3% over the asking price.
| Neighborhood | Sold within 30 days: median vs asking | Sold within 30 days: above asking | Over 60 days: median vs original asking | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamaica Plain | 101.3% | 59% | 92% | 362 |
| Roslindale | 102.2% | 68% | 94.1% | 232 |
| Hyde Park | 101.7% | 67% | 95% | 162 |
| Dorchester | 100% | 49% | 93% | 586 |
| Roxbury | 100% | 31% | 94.8% | 85 |
| Mattapan | 101.9% | 76% | 89.8% | 76 |
Residential sales (condominiums, single-family and two- to four-family homes) that closed November 2025 through October 2026. Days on market as reported in MLS PIN. Sales entered within three days of their list date are left out, since they are usually homes sold before reaching the market. Dorchester combines ZIP codes 02121, 02122, 02124 and 02125. A figure based on fewer than 20 sales is not shown. Past sales do not predict the price of any particular home. Source: MLS Property Information Network (MLS PIN), via Repliers, retrieved 2026-11-11.
How buying a home works in Massachusetts
Book a buyer consult- 01
A buyer consult and a written agreement
Buyer and agent meet in person or by video to set the budget, the must-haves and the timeline. Before the first tour, they sign a written buyer agreement that states the services, the length of the agreement and how the agent is paid. Juan Murray also gives the Massachusetts Mandatory Licensee-Consumer Relationship Disclosure, which explains who the agent represents.
- 02
Mortgage pre-approval
A lender reviews income, assets and credit and states how much it is prepared to lend. Comparing more than one lender is worthwhile. First-time buyers can also ask about MassHousing down payment assistance, the ONE+ mortgage and the City of Boston's First-Time Homebuyer Program, each of which requires a homebuyer education class.
- 03
The search
Juan Murray sets up MLS alerts matched to the buyer's criteria, so new listings, price changes and status changes arrive as they happen. If nothing fits the budget, the criteria or the price range gets a second look.
- 04
Showings and open houses
Sellers usually need notice to book a showing, so the earlier a buyer asks, the better. At an open house, a represented buyer should tell the listing agent so. No agent can require a buyer to let them write an offer.
- 05
The offer to purchase
Before an offer, Juan Murray pulls the comparable sales for that home and reviews how long it has been on the market. The written offer sets the price, a small initial deposit, the contingencies (inspection, mortgage and, where it applies, appraisal) and the dates. The seller can accept, reject or counter. Every decision is the buyer's.
- 06
The home inspection
A Massachusetts-licensed home inspector, paid by the buyer, examines the structure and systems, usually within days of an accepted offer. Juan Murray attends. After the report, the buyer can go ahead, ask for repairs or a credit, or withdraw within the inspection contingency. For homes built before 1978, buyers receive the Massachusetts lead paint notification and federal lead disclosures, and usually have 10 days to arrange a lead inspection.
- 07
The Purchase and Sale Agreement
The Purchase and Sale Agreement is the full contract, usually signed within a couple of weeks of the accepted offer. The seller's attorney typically drafts it and the buyer's attorney reviews it. The buyer pays the rest of the deposit when it is signed, and the deposit is held in escrow, usually by the listing broker or the seller's attorney.
- 08
Mortgage commitment and appraisal
The lender orders an appraisal and issues a written mortgage commitment by the date set in the agreement. If the appraisal comes in below the price, or the commitment needs more time, the buyer's options depend on the contingency language in the offer and the Purchase and Sale Agreement, reviewed with the buyer's attorney.
- 09
Final walk-through and closing
Just before closing, the buyer walks through the home to confirm its condition and any agreed repairs. At closing, which in Massachusetts requires an attorney for the mortgage lender to take part, the buyer signs the loan and transfer documents and receives the keys.
The buyer agreement and how the agent is paid
Since August 17, 2024, an agent who belongs to an MLS must have a written agreement with a buyer before touring a home with them, in person or by live video. The agreement covers:
Services
What the agent does, from the search and the market analysis to the negotiation.
Compensation
A specific amount or rate, not an open-ended one. The agent cannot be paid more than that amount from any source.
Length and ending it
How long the agreement lasts and how either side can end it.
Compensation is negotiable. MLS listings no longer show offers of pay to buyer agents, but a buyer can still ask the seller to pay some or all of it as part of the offer.
Massachusetts also requires the Mandatory Licensee-Consumer Relationship Disclosure at the first personal meeting about a specific property. It states whether the agent is acting as the buyer's agent, the seller's agent or a facilitator. If a buyer becomes interested in a home listed by Juan Murray or his brokerage, he explains the options first, and dual or designated agency proceeds only with the buyer's written consent.
Juan Murray's duties to a buyer client
- ObedienceFollowing the buyer's lawful instructions.
- LoyaltyPutting the buyer's interests ahead of his own.
- DisclosureSharing material facts he knows about the home.
- ConfidentialityKeeping the buyer's budget, motivation and timing private, including from listing agents who ask for showing feedback.
- AccountingTracking the buyer's deposits, documents and deadlines.
- Reasonable careWorking with the skill the license law requires.
What Juan Murray will not do
- Make decisions for the buyer.
- Promise a price below market value.
- Hide or misstate any material fact or defect, even as the listing agent.
- Steer a buyer toward or away from any neighborhood, or describe areas or schools by who lives there. Buyers can review public data and visit for themselves.
- Accept a referral fee or rebate from a service provider in the transaction without the buyer's written agreement.
Before the search starts
Get pre-approved first
Sellers comparing offers look at financing as closely as price.
Budget beyond the mortgage
Property taxes, insurance, condo fees and repairs belong in the monthly number.
Choose three or four neighborhoods
Based on the buyer's own priorities, such as commute, home type and price.
Be ready to move
In Boston, 44% of homes that sold within 30 days sold above asking.
From our buyer clients
I was a first-time home buyer, and that’s not easy in this market, but Juan ensured I always had relevant information and brought his expertise to all showings. I was really nervous since buying a house is such a large investment, but Juan made me feel confident when we put an offer in. This is because he gives his honest opinion at showings - if he thought the house was meh, he would say so, and if he thought the house looked in good shape, he indicated that as well. Even though it took many months to find the right property, he never pressured me into an offer I didn’t feel comfortable with. I would highly recommend Juan if you’re looking for a buying agent, particularly for first-time home buyers.
As a first-time homebuyer during the insane 2021 market, Juan made my experience smooth and came up with a strategic way for my offer to get accepted. I found Juan online and saw the reviews, and I had to give him a chance. I have to say the reviews were 100% accurate. He's professional, knowledgeable, knows how to get the deal done. Juan is a highly qualified agent and someone I will be referring to all my family, friends, and someone that I would hire again when I buy/sell a property.
Juan was great at assisting us throughout our homebuying journey. As first-time homebuyers, we had a lot of questions, and Juan was always attentive and great at answering our questions and explaining each step of the homebuying process. He was great at communicating with us and the seller's agent with prompt replies making sure everything happened in a timely manner. We were on a very tight timeline with a cumbersome mortgage process so having an efficient real estate agent was a must. Therefore, we are very glad we chose Juan. We would definitely recommend him to anyone looking to buy or sell a house.
Common questions
Do Massachusetts home buyers have to sign an agreement with an agent?
Since August 17, 2024, agents who are members of an MLS must have a written agreement with a buyer before touring a home with them. The agreement states the services, how long it lasts and the agent's compensation in a specific amount or rate. Visiting an open house on one's own does not require one.
Who pays the buyer's agent?
The buyer agreement sets the amount. Compensation is negotiable. A buyer can ask the seller to pay some or all of it as part of the offer, and any amount the seller pays counts toward what the agreement allows, never on top of it.
How much over asking should a buyer offer in Boston?
There is no single answer. From November 2025 through October 2026, Boston homes that sold within 30 days on market sold at a median 100% of the asking price, and 44% sold above it. Homes on the market over 60 days sold at a median 92.7% of their original asking price. Juan Murray reviews the comparable sales for a specific home before every offer.
Buyer guides
Plan the search before the first tour
A buyer consult with Juan Murray covers the budget, the neighborhoods, the buyer agreement and how offers are working in the homes on the buyer's list.
Book a buyer consultNeed to sell first? A net proceeds estimate shows what a sale would leave for the next down payment.
Sources
- 254 CMR 3.00: Massachusetts real estate broker regulations, including the licensee-consumer relationship disclosure (Cornell LII)
- M.G.L. c.112 §87AAA¾: dual and designated agency
- National Association of REALTORS: consumer guide to written buyer agreements
- National Association of REALTORS: compensation, commission and concessions
- M.G.L. c.112 §87YY½: home inspections and real estate agents
- M.G.L. c.111 §197A: lead paint notification at sale
- U.S. EPA: real estate disclosures about lead paint
- Massachusetts real estate law: Purchase and Sale Agreement basics (Richard Vetstein, Esq.)
- Supreme Judicial Court, REBA v. NREIS (2011): lender attorney at closing (Harvard Law School summary)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: when the appraisal is less than the sale price
- MassHousing: down payment assistance
- City of Boston: First-Time Homebuyer Program
- City of Boston: ONE+Boston homebuyer program
- MLS Property Information Network (MLS PIN), via Repliers, residential sales November 2025 through October 2026
This page is general information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Buyers should confirm details with their attorney and lender.