West Newbury July Sales Show Wide Price Split Between $425,000 And $1.8 Million

WEST NEWBURY -- Fifteen properties changed hands in West Newbury between July 3 and Aug. 1, with disclosed sale prices ranging from $425,000 to $1,800,000 and a median of $701,000, according to deeds recorded at the Essex County (Southern District) Registry of Deeds.

MARKET OVERVIEW The registry recorded 15 transfers during the four-week period, though only 10 of those deeds disclosed a sale price; the remaining five were recorded without a stated consideration amount, which is common for deed records and does not necessarily indicate a non-arm's-length transaction. Among the 10 priced sales, prices ranged from $425,000 to $1,800,000, with a median of $701,000. Fifteen recorded transfers in a single month is a notable volume for a town the size of West Newbury, though the data available does not indicate whether that pace is higher or lower than a typical month, since no prior-period figures were provided for comparison.

TOP SALES The month's highest-priced transaction was 15 River Meadow Drive, Lot 60D, which sold for $1,800,000 on July 31. Joseph F. Wojdak was the seller and Caitlin D. Van Berkel the buyer. The second-highest sale was 15 Parsons Road, Lot 16B, which sold for $1,305,000 on July 14; Cathy J. Swanson, as trustee, sold to Peter Perez. Close behind, 19 Crane Neck Drive, Lot 2, sold for $1,300,000 on July 13, with the Asim Zaheer Revocable Trust selling to Joseph Frew. At 165 Main Street, Jonathan E. Casey, as trustee, sold to Gretchen Pfeiffer for $975,000 on July 13. Rounding out the top five, 350 Middle Street sold for $800,000 on July 31, with Maureen L. Knowles selling to Samuel Knowles.

NEIGHBORHOOD BREAKDOWN Middle Street saw the most sales activity of any street in the dataset, with four recorded transfers: 350 Middle Street ($800,000), 213 Middle Street Lot 3 ($500,000), 211 Middle Street Lot 2 ($425,000) and 209 Middle Street Lot 1 ($425,000). The three lot-numbered Middle Street units sold within a two-day span, July 15-16, suggesting a multi-unit property or small subdivision changing hands in stages. River Road also recorded two sales -- 215 River Road Unit 4 and 25 River Road -- neither with a disclosed price, and Main Street recorded two sales at $460,000 (55 Main Street) and $975,000 (165 Main Street). By price tier among the 10 disclosed sales: three sold under $500,000 (55 Main Street, 211 Middle Street and 209 Middle Street, all between $425,000 and $460,000); four sold between $500,000 and $1 million (213 Middle Street, 21 Prospect Street, 350 Middle Street and 165 Main Street); and three sold above $1 million (19 Crane Neck Drive, 15 Parsons Road and 15 River Meadow Drive).

MARKET NOTES Five of the 15 recorded deeds -- at 10 Ridgeway Circle, 215 River Road, 13 Steed Avenue, 25 River Road and 8 Newell Farm Drive -- list the same or a closely related name as both grantor and grantee, typically an individual transferring property into a trust bearing their own name. None of those five deeds disclosed a sale price. Deed records show most of the month's transactions involved condominium or subdivided-lot properties, identified in the registry by "Lot," "Unit" or "Parcel" designations, rather than standalone single-family parcels -- nine of the 15 recorded deeds carried such a designation. Beds, baths and square footage were not available from the deed records, so no price-per-square-foot comparisons could be made.

Recorded Deeds

Source: Registry of Deeds. Sale amounts shown as recorded; transfers without a disclosed consideration are noted as such.

Jul 13 - Jul 19

Jul 20 - Jul 26

Jul 27 - Aug 2

Compiled from official town feeds, community organizations, and local press. Outside reporting is attributed inline.