What a week it's been!

Halloween is right around the corner, Thanksgiving isn't far behind, and we're heading into a time of year when real estate activity can get a little unpredictable.

If you've been watching the housing market, you've probably noticed a few things.

More homes are available. Some properties are sitting longer. Mortgage rates have climbed. And buyers seem to be taking a little more time before making decisions.

But here's what's interesting.

Despite all of that, average home sale prices in Attleboro are still higher than last year.

So are we heading into a seasonal slowdown? Is this becoming a buyer's market? And should you buy or sell before the holidays?

Let's break it down.

And if you don't feel like reading the whole thing, scroll down to THE BOTTOM LINE. I'll make it simple.

Attleboro Has 69% More Homes for Sale

This is probably the biggest story in our local housing market.

As of October 18, there are 66 single-family homes for sale in Attleboro.

At this time last year, there were only 39.

That's an increase of approximately 69%.

To put that into perspective, here's how many homes were available on October 18 over the last five years:

Think about that.

Just three years ago, buyers had 17 homes to choose from. Today, they have 66.

That's a pretty significant change.

For buyers, it means more choices, more opportunities to compare properties, and potentially more negotiating power.

For sellers, it means more competition.

And when buyers have more options, the homes that aren't priced or presented correctly can get overlooked.

But Home Prices Are Still Rising

Here's where the numbers get interesting.

Despite the increase in inventory, the average single-family home sale price in Attleboro has climbed to approximately $599,900 this year.

Last year, it was about $571,100.

That's an increase of 5.1%.

And this isn't just a one-year trend.

The average sale price has increased every year since 2022, when it was approximately $497,200.

Now, that doesn't mean every individual home has increased in value by the same amount. The types and sizes of homes selling can affect the average.

But it does tell us that we haven't seen a broad collapse in average selling prices.

We're seeing more competition among sellers without a corresponding drop in average sale prices.

That's an important distinction.

Homes Are Taking Longer to Sell

Another change worth paying attention to is how long homes are staying on the market.

In 2025, the average Attleboro home sold spent approximately 35 days on the market.

This year, that number has increased to 39 days.

The average time to receive an offer has also increased from 21 days to 25 days.

Four days might not sound like much.

But when you combine longer marketing times with a 69% increase in available inventory, you can see how the market is changing.

Buyers don't necessarily feel the same urgency they did when there were only a handful of homes available.

And sellers need to adjust their expectations accordingly.

Are We Heading Into a Halloween Slowdown?

This is something I've noticed over the years selling real estate locally.

As we get closer to Halloween, activity can start to slow down.

Families are busy. Kids have activities. There are school events, Halloween parties, and plenty of other things competing for everyone's attention.

Then, once Halloween passes, we sometimes see a little pickup in activity.

Buyers who still want to move before the end of the year get serious again. Sellers who need to make a move may become more flexible.

But that window can be relatively short.

As Thanksgiving approaches, the market often starts transitioning into its quieter holiday and winter season.

Does that mean the market completely stops? Absolutely not.

People buy and sell homes year-round.

And sometimes the buyers who are out looking during the holidays are among the most motivated.

But I do think it's important for buyers and sellers to understand that the time of year can influence activity.

One important distinction: our current market reports show that inventory is rising and homes are taking longer to sell, but they don't measure the specific Halloween-to-Thanksgiving pattern. That's an observation from my experience, not a guarantee about what will happen over the next few weeks.

Mortgage Rates Aren't Helping

Mortgage rates remain one of the biggest challenges facing today's buyers.

According to Freddie Mac's October 15 survey, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 7.40%, unchanged from the previous week but significantly higher than earlier this summer.

And that matters.

Higher mortgage rates mean higher monthly payments, which can force buyers to reduce their budgets or reconsider their timing.

For some buyers, the monthly payment is simply more important than the purchase price.

And for existing homeowners who locked in mortgage rates of 3% or 4% several years ago, selling can mean giving up a payment they may never be able to replace.

That's one reason I think we're seeing a market that feels slower even while home prices remain relatively strong.

The Economy Matters, Too

It's not just mortgage rates.

According to AAA, the average price of regular gasoline in Massachusetts is approximately $4.27 per gallon, compared with about $3.02 a year ago.

That's a meaningful increase for families who commute, drive their kids to activities, or simply depend on their cars every day.

And when you combine fuel costs with housing expenses, groceries, insurance and other everyday bills, it's easy to understand why some consumers are feeling stretched.

Buying a home isn't just about qualifying for a mortgage.

It's about feeling comfortable taking on the payment.

And consumer confidence can be just as important as the numbers themselves.

So Is Attleboro Becoming a Buyer's Market?

We're moving toward a more balanced market.

But I wouldn't call this a full buyer's market just yet.

Attleboro currently has approximately 2.72 months of housing inventory, compared with 1.59 months last year.

That's a significant increase, but still relatively limited supply by historical standards.

And homes sold this year have averaged approximately 101.8% of their final asking prices.

That tells us buyers are still willing to pay competitive prices for homes they want.

But they're also becoming more selective.

A home that's priced correctly, presented beautifully, and marketed effectively can still attract strong interest.

A home that's overpriced or poorly presented may sit.

The market isn't necessarily bad. It's just becoming less forgiving.

What Am I Watching Between Now and Thanksgiving?

Three things.

First, inventory. Will the number of available homes start declining as sellers take properties off the market for the holidays? Or will buyers continue to have more choices than they're accustomed to?

Second, buyer activity. I'm particularly interested in whether we see a little burst of activity after Halloween from buyers hoping to move before the end of the year.

Third, mortgage rates. If borrowing costs remain elevated, affordability will continue to influence buyer decisions regardless of how much inventory is available.

My expectation is that we'll see some seasonal softness as we move toward Halloween, potentially a short window of renewed activity afterward, and then a quieter market approaching Thanksgiving and winter.

But that's an expectation, not a certainty.

And as always, the right strategy depends on the property, the price range, and the reason someone needs to move.

THE BOTTOM LINE

SELLERS: There are 69% more homes for sale in Attleboro than last year. That means more competition. If you're selling this fall, pricing, preparation, presentation and marketing matter more than ever.

BUYERS: You have significantly more choices than you did a few years ago. And with the holidays approaching, there may be opportunities to negotiate with motivated sellers. Just remember that mortgage rates are still making affordability challenging.

ATTLEBORO: There are 66 single-family homes for sale, compared with 39 last year. Average sale prices are up approximately 5.1%, while homes are taking a little longer to sell.

HALLOWEEN & THE HOLIDAYS: I wouldn't be surprised to see a quieter couple of weeks, a possible pickup after Halloween, and another slowdown as Thanksgiving approaches. But motivated buyers and sellers don't disappear just because the holidays arrive.

MORTGAGE RATES: The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is around 7.4%, keeping pressure on buyers' monthly payments.

My take:

We're not seeing a housing crash. We're seeing a housing market that's changing.

Buyers finally have more options.

Sellers have more competition.

And the time of year is adding another layer to an already complicated market.

If you're thinking about selling, I wouldn't automatically wait until spring. And if you're buying, I wouldn't automatically assume the holidays are a bad time to make a move.

Sometimes the best opportunities happen when everyone else is sitting on the sidelines.

The important thing is understanding the market you're actually in — not the one you remember from three years ago.

That's the market this week. I'll be back next week to see what changed.

Local housing statistics: MLS PIN, single-family homes in Attleboro, Massachusetts, as of October 18, 2026. Mortgage-rate information: Freddie Mac, October 15, 2026. Gasoline prices: AAA, October 18, 2026. Market averages do not represent changes in value for individual properties.