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Shows County-Wide Price Growth Despite Inventory Pressures

 

The Zach & Heather Harrison Team Releases Exclusive

‘Bidding War Intensity Chart’ Highlighting the Region’s Hottest Markets

 

HEATHER AND ZACH HARRISON ON “PEOPLE TO BE  HEARD

WPCNR REALTY REALITY. BY ZACH AND HEATHER HARRISON JANUARY 18, 2026:

The residential real estate market across Westchester County remained intensely competitive in Q3 2025, as strong buyer demand pushed prices higher despite limited inventory.  To spotlight the most competitive local markets, The Zach & Heather Harrison Team at Compass — the #1 residential sales team in Westchester — released a new Bidding War Intensity Chart, ranking towns by the sharpest drops in Days on Market (DOM), a leading indicator of bidding war activity.

 

According to the team’s exclusive analysis, year-to-date single-family home sales rose 4.7 percent, with total sales volume climbing 10.4% to nearly $5 billion ($4.347B to $4.799B). 

The county-wide median sale price for single-family homes jumped 6.3 percent to $999,000, while the average price increased 5.4 percent to $1.34 million. 

Condos and co-ops also saw strong appreciation, with median condo prices up 6 percent and co-op prices rising 9.8 percent year-over-year.  Overall, the market continues to tighten — and the new intensity chart confirms where buyer competition is most aggressive.

“It’s an incredibly tight market,” said Zach Harrison, co-leader of The Zach & Heather Harrison Team.  “The level of demand has led to a surge in bidding wars across nearly every price point.  Buyers are coming prepared, and listings priced right are often receiving multiple offers within days.”

 Heather Harrison added, “We’re seeing a noticeable uptick in buyers coming from New York City, especially with the uncertainty around the upcoming mayoral election.  There’s been a sharp increase in families looking to leave the city and settle in the suburbs before year-end.  Westchester’s schools, space and stability are drawing strong interest.”

 

While sales volume and prices have risen, condo sales declined slightly by 3.3 percent, and rental activity dipped by 1.0 percent, suggesting that buyers are aggressively shifting toward ownership amid changing market conditions.

 

County-Wide Highlights:

 

●      Single-Family Homes:

○      Sales: +4.7%

○      Median Price: $999,000 (+6.3%)

○      Average Price: $1,336,031 (+5.4%)

●      Condos:

○      Sales: -3.3%

○      Median Price: $530,000 (+6.0%)

○      Average Price: $667,817 (+7.0%)

●      Co-ops:

○      Sales: +8.5%

○      Median Price: $225,000 (+9.8%)

○      Average Price: $263,899 (+7.7%)

●      Rentals:

○      Rentals: -1.0%

○      Median Price: $3,500 (+4.9%)

 

Town-Level Highlights:

 

Several towns across Westchester stood out for dramatic shifts in pricing and activity:

 

●      Ardsley:

○      Median single-family home price soared 27.2% to $1.1M

○      Sales volume jumped 49.2%

○      Condos saw a 31.6% increase in median price

●      Katonah-Lewisboro:

○      Single-family home sales surged 30.3%

○      Average price rose 26.1%, with a 21% jump in median price

●      Pelham:

○      Sales climbed 30.2%

○      Median price rose 8.0% to $1.64M

○      Average price grew 12.6%

●      Bronxville (decline):

○      Single-family home sales dropped 26.5%

○      Total sales volume fell 24.1%, though prices continued to edge up slightly

●      Greenburgh (steep decline):

○      Single-family home sales plummeted 82.1%

○      Condo sales fell 93%, and co-op activity dropped 80%

○      Average days on market in all categories surged

 

Top Towns with Highest Bidding War Pressure:

●      Bronxville: down 29.1%

●      Chappaqua: down 22.9%

●      Byram Hills: down 17.1%

●      Harrison: down 26.2%

 

The Bidding War Intensity Chart visualizes the towns where buyer demand is strongest—those with the steepest drop in DOM are most likely experiencing multiple-offer scenarios and aggressive competition.

Active listings across Westchester County have dropped dramatically since before the pandemic, underscoring just how tight inventory has become.  

 

According to MLS data, the number of single-family homes on the market in September 2025 totaled roughly 1,700 countywide—down from more than 5,100 in September 2019, representing a stunning 67 percent decline in active listings countywide.  Every community has felt the squeeze: on average, towns recorded a 72 percent drop in active listings over that six-year period, illustrating the severe supply constraints driving today’s competitive market conditions. 

 

As the year closes out, The Zach & Heather Harrison Team anticipates continued upward pressure on prices, fueled by limited inventory and a growing exodus of city dwellers looking north.

 

“As we head into the end of the year, we expect prices to keep climbing,” said Zach Harrison. “There’s simply not enough inventory to meet the demand, and the flow of buyers moving up from the city has only intensified.  Every well-priced home is getting multiple offers—it’s an incredibly competitive environment.”

 

Legislation follows record Buy Now, Pay Later spending during this year’s Black Friday–to–Cyber Monday shopping period, which surpassed $1 billion

 

Washington, D.C. – 

Today, Senators Gillibrand, Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced commonsense legislation that would make key updates to the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and extend many key consumer protections for traditional credit cards to “pay-in-four” BNPL loans. Representative Deborah Ross (D-NC-02) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

As shopping gets more convenient for consumers online and on their phones, BNPL loans have continued on a path of explosive growth.

While BNPL allows consumers wary of credit cards to split up their purchases over time, it is crucial to ensure that the rulebook for BNPL products keeps pace with how they have become embedded in the shopping experience for many consumers—especially younger borrowers.

The Buy Now, Pay Later Protection Act would update TILA so that when BNPL functions like a credit card, it carries the same core protections: commonsense parity for consumers and a level playing field for responsible providers.

BNPL products have surged in popularity as an easy, convenient way to split purchases into interest-free installments at the click of a button. If they are well-designed, transparent, accountable, and supervised, BNPL products can legitimately serve an important role in meeting the needs of consumers who may be wary of credit cards.

As costs rise and usage of BPNL products increases across the nation, basic protections are needed to prevent predatory practices like hidden fees, failure to provide timely refunds, and pushing consumers to rack up unsustainable debt. These protections—which currently exist for credit cards—include standardized periodic statements, clear dispute and refund rights, and consistent billing-error procedures. Existing laws were not drafted with BNPL products in mind, resulting in gaps and uncertainty for BNPL users.

 

“As prices continue to skyrocket, Buy Now, Pay Later options can be a helpful tool for families, especially during the holiday season. But as these loans have become more popular, we’ve seen predatory companies exploit a lack of regulation by charging hidden fees and trapping families into paying more than they bargained for,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Our legislation will protect consumers, establish clear rules of the road, shine a light on the true cost of these products, and strengthen the rights of New Yorkers and families across the country.”

 

“Responsible Buy Now, Pay Later options can be helpful to consumers. As they grow in popularity, we must take proactive steps to prevent unsuspecting risks to consumers,” said Senator Reed. “The Buy Now, Pay Later Protection Act will set up real guardrails to better protect consumers and ensure that fees and terms are transparent and easy to understand.”

“At a time when prices are rising, Buy Now, Pay Later is a useful tool for many households, especially around the holidays. Unfortunately, these services are increasingly engaging in predatory practices, charging hidden fees and locking working Americans into inescapable cycles of debt,” said Congresswoman Deborah Ross. “Congress needs to put consumers first. That’s why we’re introducing the Buy Now, Pay Later Protection Act, which will ensure consumers have the options and information they need to make informed decisions.”

Key provisions of the bill include:

• Disclosures: Clear information on due dates, fees, and information on how consumers can dispute charges.
• Right to Periodic Statements: BNPL providers must issue periodic billing statements, similar to credit cards, so consumers can track their spending and balances.
• Chargeback Rights: When customers are the victims of payment fraud or deceptive practices, they have the right to seek a chargeback.
• Billing Error Resolution: Provides timelines and procedures for investigating billing disputes and restricts adverse credit reporting or collection on transactions under active dispute.
• No Surprise Fees: Providers can’t jack up interest, fees, or other charges on an existing BNPL balance midway through repayment and can only apply fees that were disclosed up front.
• Supervision: Provides the CFPB with authority to supervise BNPL lenders to spot violations before they spiral out of control.

This legislation is endorsed by the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), Americans for Financial Reform, and the Consumer Federation of America.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.