Massachusetts and Rhode Island Among Slowest States to Sell Your Home

If you're trying to sell your home in 2025, you don’t need me to tell you what a difficult chore it can be. While some homes seem to sell quickly, others sit on the market, struggling to attract buyers in the SouthCoast real estate market.

In fact, according to new data from ViewHomes, the two slowest real estate markets in America are Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Nowhere is it slower to sell a home than in Rhode Island. The Ocean State ranks dead last in speed of sale. Massachusetts didn’t fare much better – nearly 40 percent of homes for sale in the Bay State remain unsold for more than 30 days. That number climbs to a staggering 49 percent in Rhode Island.

We spoke with Andrew Romano from BOLD Real Estate in Mattapoisett.

“We are definitely seeing what I like to call the ‘COVID Relax Period,’” he said. “Buyers were previously making extremely high offers, which caused stress that they’re no longer willing to replicate."

"Gone are the days when homes sold for $100,000 over asking," Romano said. "At one point, we were having a hard time justifying those prices from the buyers’ side.”

Jen Couto from Team ROSO, based on the SouthCoast, agreed.

“We are definitely seeing homes sitting on the market longer,” she said. “This is a traditional market, but compared to the way things were during COVID, houses are staying on the market much longer. Massachusetts is a little more stagnant than other states because the cost of living is higher.”

What Can Homeowners Do to Speed Up the Process?

“We’re seeing now more than ever how important it is to price your home properly,” Romano said. “During COVID, people were making sight-unseen offers from all over the country because they were so desperate. That’s no longer the case. Now, buyers are coming back for second, third and even fourth showings. They’re much more patient.”

Fairhaven Real Estate: By the Numbers

According to Romano, “You used to be able to buy a house in Fairhaven for $350,000 to $375,000, but now, out of Fairhaven’s 28 current listings, only three are under $400,000. The average price point in Fairhaven is now $560,000, and the average time on the market is 44 days.”

SouthCoast Property Still More Affordable

“On the SouthCoast, we’re seeing buyers from out of town purchasing multi-family homes because prices are so high on the North Shore, South Shore, and in and around Boston,” Couto said.

The bottom line? While selling a home feels harder now than it did a few years ago, the current conditions reflect a more traditional market. This is what a "normal" real estate market looks like.