Maine saw more houses change hands this year than last, with the state’s most populated counties seeing the highest number of sales — part of a years-long pattern.
More than 16,000 properties were sold from January through November 2025. Of those, nearly 3,500 were within Cumberland County, which holds the greater Portland area, according to data from Maine Listings, a statewide database of properties for sale overseen by the Maine Association of Realtors.
York and Penobscot counties take the second and third spots in the statewide home sales rankings with 2,661 and 1,698 sales, respectively. Maine’s three most populated counties have had the most real estate sales for at least three consecutive years.
Meanwhile, Maine’s more rural counties, including Piscataquis, Washington and Franklin counties, saw fewer than 500 home sales each in the first 11 months of this year.
When broken down by sales per capita, however, Piscataquis County had the highest number of sales per 1,000 people for at least the third consecutive year despite having the smallest population and the fewest number of real estate transactions.
Statewide, roughly 2,000 more homes have changed hands in Maine so far this year compared with last year, which saw nearly 14,400 sales, Maine Listings data show. However, Jeff Harris, president of the Maine Association of Realtors, noted home sales slowed in October and November during the 43-day government shutdown.
That’s because mortgage loans through the Federal Housing Administration, Veterans Administration and those needing flood insurance were stalled during the shutdown, said Harris, who’s also a broker with Farmington-based Harris Real Estate.
Home prices across Maine largely plateaued this year, as the average cost of a house in Maine has hovered around $400,000 since early 2025, according to Zillow. While asking prices remain high, leveling costs and higher sales inventory come as a welcome relief to buyers who faced limited options and consistently rising prices for the last five years.
“We expect a steady rebound for Maine’s residential real estate market into 2026,” Harris wrote in a statement last week. “For-sale inventory is 9% above last year’s levels and buyers are actively searching and ready to invest in their communities through homeownership.”
