Published October 18, 2026 in Market Update

Prices split sharply across Primary buy box (3)

By LORI DONNELLY

Real estate, Primary buy box (3)

Two ZIPs. Same market. Very different stories. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 56 homes sold across Primary buy box (3) in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That number looks fine on its own. But underneath it, the two ZIPs moved in opposite directions on price.

ZIP 07722: prices up, but fewer homes beating list

The Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median sale price in ZIP 07722 at $1,825,000. That is up 25.9% from the same three months in 2025. Sales rose too, up 3.7% to 28 homes. So demand held. The honest part: the share of homes that sold above list price fell 9.4 points to 53.6%. Buyers are still paying over ask more than half the time, but not as often as they were.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator also counted 27 pending sales in 07722. That is up 3.8% from a year ago. And nearly 44.4% of homes went under contract within two weeks of listing, up 2.1 points. Homes are moving quickly when priced right.

ZIP 07727: price fell, but the market got busier

The Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median sale price in ZIP 07727 at $770,000. That is down 17.2% from the same three months in 2025. A drop that size deserves a closer look. Homes sold jumped 86.7%, also from the Real Estate Data Aggregator. More sales at a lower median price can mean the mix shifted, not that every home lost value. Still, a 17.2% drop is real and worth knowing.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 30 pending sales in 07727, up 30.4% from a year ago. Homes for sale dropped 32% to just 17. Supply is tight. Sellers who did list got 100.7% of their asking price on average. That is actually better than last year by 0.7 points.

What the national picture adds

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices rose 2.6% year over year through July 2026. That national number sits between the 25.9% gain in 07722 and the 17.2% drop in 07727. Neither ZIP followed the national trend. That is exactly why ZIP-level data matters.

Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 7.40% as of October 15, 2026. That is real cost pressure for buyers in both ZIPs. Nationally, Realtor.com reported price cuts on 20.8% of listings in September, the highest share since October 2022. That pressure is not showing up the same way in every part of this market.

The combined market is active

Together, ZIPs 07722 and 07727 had 56 homes sold, up 33.3% from a year ago, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Pending sales reached 57, up 16.3%. New listings fell 5.6% to 67. Homes for sale dropped 11.6% to 38. More buyers, fewer choices.

One street can read very differently from the whole ZIP code. The numbers above cover broad areas. Your specific block, home type or price range may tell a different story. I am happy to pull the details for your address.