What buying in Andover looks like
Buying in Andover is a different exercise from buying in Methuen or Lawrence. The town is spread across roughly 32 square miles and split into villages, so the first decision is usually where, not what. A condo near Main Street and a colonial on an acre off Route 125 sit at very different budgets, and Shawsheen Village and Ballardvale each price differently again.
Liriano Realty starts every Andover search with the commute. If you will take the train, Andover station at 17 Railroad Street and Ballardvale station at 195 Andover Street both run on the Haverhill Line to North Station. If you drive, Interstate 93 and Interstate 495 both cross the town, so the west side and the Dascomb Road exit matter more than the train.
Price and competition in a balanced market
As of May 2026, the median sale price in Andover is $1,000,000, most homes trade between $800,000 and $1,300,000, and homes average 28 days on market. The market is balanced.
In practice, that gives you back what buyers in the tighter towns gave up: time to see a house twice before writing and an inspection contingency a seller will actually accept. When a listing has sat past its first two weeks, there is room to negotiate on price. Overpriced listings sit, and that is where patient buyers find value.
We price the house before you offer, using the comparable sales in that village adjusted for lot and condition, and tell you what it should appraise for. Then you decide how far above or below that number to go.
Financing at Andover prices
Two financing realities come up in almost every Andover purchase.
The first is jumbo lending. The Federal Housing Finance Agency sets a conforming loan limit each year for every county, and for 2026 the national baseline for a one-unit home is $832,750. Any loan above the limit that applies to Essex County is a jumbo loan, which at Andover prices happens quickly. Each jumbo lender sets its own rules, so expect fuller income documentation, more months of reserves after closing, and often a larger down payment. Get pre-approved for the jumbo amount before you shop, because the underwriting takes longer.
The second is the appraisal gap. The lender finances a percentage of the appraised value, not the contract price. When an offer lands above what the appraiser can support with recent sales, the difference comes from the buyer in cash, from a price reduction the seller agrees to, or the deal falls apart. We talk about gap coverage before you write, and we build the financing contingency so you are protected if the appraisal comes in low.
MassHousing offers mortgage and down payment assistance for eligible buyers of a primary residence in Massachusetts, with income limits and other rules. At most Andover prices a conventional or jumbo loan is the fit, but a condo near the town center can work. We will connect you with an approved lender to check.
Inspections and offers on Andover homes
Much of Andover's housing is single-family from the postwar decades or earlier. Inspections here focus on roofs and chimneys, boilers and oil tanks, older wiring and plumbing, and drainage on the larger sloped lots. In Shawsheen Village and the Andover Village Industrial District, homes date to the 1920s or earlier, so the inspector also looks at foundations and original framing.
Outside the sewered areas, ask early whether the home is on a private septic system. Massachusetts Title 5 requires a septic inspection before a property is sold, and a failed system changes the negotiation completely.
When you write, we structure the offer around your financing: a realistic closing date for a jumbo underwrite, a deposit that signals you are serious, and contingencies that protect you without scaring off the seller.
Why Liriano Realty for Andover
Liriano Realty is a Merrimack Valley brokerage with an office at 240 Pleasant St Unit: 10, Methuen, MA 01844, minutes from Andover across the river. Broker and owner Jefri Liriano and our agents work Andover regularly and know the difference between a Ballardvale cape and a West Andover colonial on the ground. We handle the entire purchase in English or Spanish, including the lender and attorney conversations.
Andover's fiscal year 2026 residential tax rate is $12.31 per $1,000 of assessed value, with commercial, industrial and personal property at $24.18, and since the town sets a new rate every year, check the current one with the assessor's office when you write your offer.
Read more on our Andover hub page, see how we sell in Andover, or contact us to start. This Andover buyer guide is here whenever you need it.