Marilyn Messenger is a broker with Andrew Mitchell & Company.

Boston Agent (BA): How is business in Boston’s suburban markets, from your perspective?

Marilyn Messenger (MM): Busy! Houses that are priced correctly are selling quickly, with some receiving multiple offers; however, they are not the number of offers and amounts over asking that sellers are getting in the city or the suburbs closest to the city. Many buyers who have been priced out of the city and the suburbs within the 128 are finding their way out to the suburbs. Even so, correct pricing is important, and there are price reductions happening and some houses are still sitting.

BA: We report on Boston’s low inventory numbers constantly – how big of a problem is inventory in your markets?

MM: It is a bigger problem for houses under $1 million. Over $1 million, there are many more choices. Although there is more inventory in Wayland, Sudbury, Concord and most of the towns west of Boston than there was last year at this time, these are small towns, so there have never been an abundant supply of properties for sale, even when the market was down. People who buy here are looking for places to settle down, so the population is pretty stable. Buyers have very specific criteria for what they want in a home, lot and location within a town, so they are lucky to find one or two to look at. And, they can be sure that if they find one they like, there will be other buyers who like it too!

BA: What about affordability? Are any of your buyers (particularly younger, first-time buyers) finding it difficult to locate affordable homes?

MM: Affordability is tough! These are pricey towns. Schools and preserving open space are priorities, and they have costs. It is especially difficult for first-time buyers, and it always has been. It’s all about expectation, and the willingness to make some trade-offs. Buyers who understand the market they are in – and adjust their expectations accordingly – are finding houses, but maybe not like the ones they see on HGTV!

BA: Finally, what of new construction? Are any in-fill developments in the suburbs helping, or is construction activity mainly for rentals in the city?

MM: New construction is limited. Most of the new construction is age-restricted/over 55 condominiums. There are more rental developments being built to address the increased demand and also help fulfill the state’s affordable percentage requirements, which most towns have not done yet. Zoning is very restrictive, so there is not much raw land available for building single-family houses. Mostly older homes are being torn-down and  replaced with the largest house allowed, and those are in the higher price ranges. As much as buyers would love it, builders cannot afford to build starter homes.