A correction on August. In the September edition I reported that Jersey City closings fell nearly 28 percent from last August, from 162 down to 117. That count was accurate on August 30, the day I pulled it, but it was incomplete. Closings keep getting entered into the MLS for weeks after a month ends, and the same search run on October 2 shows 148 closed sales. Against last August’s 162, that is a drop of about 9 percent, not 28. The median sale price I called flat is $786,500 on the full count, up about 7 percent, and Journal Square sales were up slightly instead of down. From now on every number I share carries the date it was pulled. Data as of October 2, 2026, Hudson County MLS.
October gives Jersey City three dates worth planning around: a fall festival at Pershing Field on Saturday the 24th, a Hoboken screening of The Nightmare Before Christmas the next evening, and a Halloween party on Newark Avenue on the 31st. Two farmers markets keep running all month for the weeknights. The calendar comes first, then the market, and this month every market number carries the date it was pulled.
The Hyper-Local Pulse
The Hamilton Park Farmers Market runs Wednesdays from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Hamilton Park, 9 McWilliams Place, on October 7, 14, 21, and 28. The Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs listing names farm-fresh produce, Pickles and Olives, seafood from Scale Fish Market, baked goods, candles, and on-site knife sharpening, and says there is live music on the first and second Wednesdays of each month.
The Pershing Field Fall Festival, Saturday October 24, 1:00 to 4:00 PM, at Pershing Field Park, 201 Central Avenue in the Heights. Pershing Field Garden Friends puts it on, and the flyer lists face painting, crafts, a photo booth, games, seeds, a costume parade, and demonstrations. The flyer also says it is a free event.
Movies Under the Stars in Hoboken, Sunday October 25, 6:00 PM, on the Resiliency Park Lawn. The city is screening The Nightmare Before Christmas, and you can pick and decorate a pumpkin at a patch hosted by Alessio’s Cafe. Bring your own low-back chairs and blankets. Hot cider and donuts are on sale, and the page lists no admission price, so check before you go.
The Downtown Halloween Family Bash, Saturday October 31, noon to 8:00 PM, on the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall and Plaza. Historic Downtown Jersey City lists games, a corn maze, face painting, a bouncy house, and candy. The page does not list a price, so check it before you bring a crowd.
The Journal Square Farmers Market runs every Tuesday and Friday from 3:00 to 8:00 PM through November at Magnolia Landing, 136 Magnolia Avenue, at the east entrance of the Journal Square Transportation Center. It is the one on this list that does not need a Saturday.
Market ‘Real Talk’
Start with the corrected August, because it changes the story I reported last month. On the full count, 148 homes closed across the six Jersey City areas, against 162 a year ago, down 8.6 percent. Total sales volume was up 2.2 percent, and the median sale price was $786,500, up 7.3 percent from $733,000. That is a slightly quieter market than last August, not the drop of more than a quarter I reported.
Here is what I took from it. Closings are entered into the MLS for weeks after the month ends, so a count taken right at month end runs low, while last year’s number has had a full year to fill in. September’s first count is 103 closings as of October 1. I am not putting a percentage on that in print, because August went from 117 to 148 after I first counted it. I will give you September’s settled number next month.
The number that moved is the mortgage rate. The 30 year fixed averaged 7.28 percent in Freddie Mac’s national survey released October 1, up from 7.03 percent the week before and 6.34 percent a year ago. On a $600,000 loan, which is a $750,000 purchase with 20 percent down, the gap between 7.28 and 6.34 percent is roughly $350 to $400 a month in principal and interest, or about $4,200 to $4,800 a year. Your own quote will differ. I am describing what rates did. The data does not tell us whether rates are the reason anyone did or did not buy.
The split between houses and condos held up on the full August count. One family homes sold at 100.1 percent of their original asking price in a median of 14 days, and two family homes at 100.6 percent in 17 days. Condos sold at 98.3 percent of original ask and took 28 days. If you own a house, buyers are still competing for it. If you own a condo, they are negotiating with you.
Supply is the part to watch. As of October 1 there were 903 active listings and 341 under contract or in attorney review, compared with 836 and 374 on August 30. New listings in September came to 467 against 465 a year ago, about the same. That is more homes waiting and fewer under contract. I will not turn it into a months-of-supply figure until September’s closings settle, because that figure divides by the closing count.
The Heights is where I would look first. On the full August count it was the second busiest area after Downtown, with 29 sales, and its median of 16 days to close was the second quickest of the six areas. On September’s first count, as of October 1, the Heights median sale price was $850,500 and the median time to close was again 16 days.
The Two-Week Window
For Sellers
If you own a condo, find your original list price and multiply it by 0.983. On average, that is what condos closed at on the full August count, and it took a median of 28 days to get there. If that number makes you flinch, look at your asking price first. A house is a different conversation: on the same count, one and two family homes closed at or just above their original ask.
For Buyers
Condos are where negotiating room shows up. On the full August count they closed about 1.7 percent under original ask on average, which is roughly $12,000 on a $700,000 condo. Get your rate quote in writing before you make an offer, so you are weighing a price against a real monthly payment.
The Featured Spot: Cafe Peanut
586 Newark Avenue, Journal Square, Jersey City
Cafe Peanut calls itself “a funky little place” in the heart of Journal Square, and the menu backs that up: salads, sandwiches, soups, pastries, and artisan coffees and teas. The shop says its coffee is locally hand-roasted in small batches.
The drinks list is the reason to stop in. The syrups are house made, including lavender, rose, cinnamon, and chili, and the specialty list has a Rosewater Latte, a Lavender Latte, a Turmeric Latte, a Ginger Turmeric Chai Latte, and a Sloppy Nutella Latte. The About page calls the House Made Rose or Lavender Latte famous. For food, the menu lists wraps, including a veggie one with house made hummus, plus scones, croissants, and lavender, rose, and Nutella donuts.
The shop’s contact page lists weekday hours of 7 AM to 7 PM and weekend hours of 9 AM to 5 PM.
Quick Question For You
Which Jersey City block does Halloween best?
Drop a comment below or send me a message, I would love to hear it.
Whether you are buying, selling, or just watching from the sidelines this fall, my inbox is open. If you want to know what these numbers mean for your building or your block, that is the conversation I like having most.
Best Regards,
Jeremy Morrieson, MBA
Realtor Associate | New and Modern
(P) 201.918.0037 or 201.786.8546
(E) JeremyM@newandmodern.com
(e) info@cityviewsrealestate.com
Figures marked as of October 2, 2026 are from Hudson County MLS, Jersey City, all six areas, sold listings by closing date, August 1 to 31 in both years (148 against 162). September figures are a first count as of October 1, 2026 and will change as closings are entered. Sales counts, medians, and ratios use Hudson County MLS data only. Active and under contract counts are snapshots as of October 1 and August 30. Mortgage rates are from the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey released October 1, 2026. The monthly payment figures are illustrations of principal and interest only, for a 30 year loan, and are not a quote or advice. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
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