Published October 11, 2026 in Market Update

Lower Cape inventory is down even with more new listings

By Liza Elmstrom

Real estate, Lower Cape

More sellers are listing. But overall supply is still shrinking. That is the story on the Lower Cape right now, and it matters for how you price and prep.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 88 homes for sale across ZIPs 02653, 02633 and 02650 in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is down 22.8% from the same stretch last year. At the same time, 103 new listings came to market, up 14.4%. Fresh competition is arriving. But homes are selling faster than they stack up.

Nationally, Redfin reported that 21.1% of U.S. sellers with active listings cut their asking price in the four weeks ending September 20, 2026. The Lower Cape is not immune to that pressure. Two of the three ZIP codes here saw median prices dip year over year. Pricing right from day one still matters.

How each ZIP code stacked up

Orleans area (02653): faster sales, more competition

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 30 homes sold in ZIP 02653 in the three months ending August 31, 2026, up 7.1% from a year ago. The median sale price was $876,250, down 2.6%. So more homes sold, but at slightly lower prices. Worth knowing if you are setting a number.

The speed story here is real. Median days on market fell to 25, which is 27 days shorter than the same period last year, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Nearly 37% of homes went under contract within two weeks of listing, up 27.1 points year over year. New listings in 02653 jumped 39.4%, the biggest rise of any ZIP here. More sellers, faster buyers.

Chatham area (02633): strong pace, prices softened a little

ZIP 02633 saw 37 homes sold in the three months ending August 31, 2026, up 12.1% from a year ago, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. The median sale price was $1,250,000, down 4.5%. Homes sold in a median of 20 days, nine days faster than last year.

Nearly 44% of homes here went under contract within two weeks of listing. That is the highest two-week rate of the three ZIPs. Homes for sale dropped 14.9% year over year, and months of supply fell to 3.3. Buyers are moving. But the price dip is a reminder that condition and pricing still drive outcomes.

Orleans/Eastham area (02650): tightest supply, highest prices

ZIP 02650 had just 10 homes for sale in the three months ending August 31, 2026, down 23.1% from a year ago, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Only 12 homes sold, but that was up 20%. The median sale price was $2,375,000, up 13.1% year over year. At 2.6 months of supply, this is the tightest ZIP of the three.

One thing to note: only 11.1% of homes here went under contract within two weeks, down 22.2 points from last year. Fewer homes, higher prices, and buyers taking a little longer to decide. That is a different rhythm than the other two ZIPs.

The bigger picture: rates and national price cuts

CNBC reported the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate hit 7.49% as of October 7, 2026. That is up 1.5 percentage points already this year, according to Redfin. Higher rates slow some buyers. That is part of why Redfin found 21.1% of U.S. sellers cut asking prices in the four weeks ending September 20, 2026.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices rose 0.3% from June to July 2026, seasonally adjusted. Slow and steady nationally. The Lower Cape is its own story, but national rate pressure does reach buyers here too.