I often receive requests to summarize the Hartsdale market as of October, but first, I need to clarify one point. Hartsdale is not a city but a small neighborhood within Greenburgh Town, so monthly statistics have a very small sample size.

According to Redfin data, there were only 8 transactions in Hartsdale last October. This means that the median value can fluctuate significantly based on just one or two properties.

Therefore, this article will use the Westchester County Q3 report from the OneKey MLS as of October 7, along with rental data from sites like RentCafe.

First, let's look at single-family homes. The median sale price for single-family homes in Westchester for Q3 this year was $1,189,000, which is a 10.0% increase from $1,081,000 a year ago.

The number of transactions was 1,625, which is nearly the same as last year. Only the prices have gone up.

One noteworthy figure is the ratio of the actual sale price to the initial listing price, which was 106.2%. In simple terms, homes listed at $1 million sold for an average of over $1.06 million, indicating that competitive bidding is still common.

Inventory remains scarce. The stock of single-family homes is down to 956, a decrease of 6.6%, with a supply of 2.5 months.

If the term "supply months" is unfamiliar, think of it this way: it represents the time it would take to sell all current listings if no new properties came on the market. Typically, a balanced market is around 6 months, so 2.5 months indicates a market leaning toward sellers.

However, discussing Hartsdale while only focusing on single-family homes gives an incomplete picture. This neighborhood has co-op apartment complexes densely located along Central Avenue and East Hartsdale Avenue, making co-ops a significant consideration for first-time homebuyers.

To briefly explain co-ops, instead of buying the home itself, you purchase a share in the cooperative that owns the building, which grants you the right to live in your unit. This means there is an additional hurdle of board approval during the sale process.

The median sale price for co-ops in Westchester for Q3 was $250,000, a 6.4% increase. However, the number of transactions was 439, a decrease of 3.5%.

When compared side by side, the differences are clear. Single-family homes are selling for more than their listing prices, while co-ops sold for 99.1% of their initial prices. This indicates a market where negotiations tend to conclude near the asking price.

The speed of sales also differs. Single-family homes sold in an average of 28 days, while co-ops took 56 days, and the supply months for co-ops increased slightly from 3.5 to 3.7 months.

That said, it would be premature to conclude that demand for co-ops has cooled. In the same quarter, the number of co-op contracts signed was 435, an increase of 11.5%, suggesting that there is a backlog of transactions likely to occur as winter approaches.

Looking at a real example from Hartsdale co-ops provides further insight. A unit on East Hartsdale Avenue was listed for $229,000 on September 22 last year, had its price reduced once, and sold for $215,000 in February this year.

While one case cannot represent the entire market, it aligns with the notion that co-ops remain a market where negotiation is possible if the price is right.

Now, let's examine rentals. According to RentCafe's April data, the average rent for Hartsdale apartments was $2,668, a decrease of 1.75% from a year ago.

However, rental statistics can vary significantly between sites. Zumper reported an average of $3,130 as of June, while Apartments.com estimated the average for one-bedroom units at $2,083.

The reason for these discrepancies lies in the methods of data collection. Depending on whether they aggregate only listing prices or include existing contracts, the numbers can differ, so it's more accurate to compare recent listings within the same complex rather than relying solely on site averages.

When looking at various data sources, Hartsdale apartment rents tend to cluster in the mid-to-high $2,000s to around $3,000, with no significant upward trend. While sale prices are rising, rents are remaining stable, which is a characteristic of this fall's market.

Interest rates are also a variable. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate from Freddie Mac was 7.32% on October 22, up over 1 percentage point from 6.19% a year ago.

The rate, which was 7.03% at the end of September, remained in the 7.3% range in October, meaning that even if you buy the same house, your monthly payments are heavier than last year. Honestly, I was a bit surprised.

Therefore, if you're contemplating whether to buy or rent in Hartsdale right now, I recommend considering both options. Given the stability of rents, it may be less burdensome to remain a tenant while monitoring interest rate trends.

On the other hand, if you must buy a home, the co-op market offers more negotiating power than single-family homes. However, keep in mind that co-ops include monthly maintenance fees that cover property taxes, and each building has different down payment ratios and income requirements, so be sure to review the cooperative's rules before signing a contract.

It's also essential to verify school districts by address. Even within the same Hartsdale zip code, there are divisions like Edgemont School District and Greenburgh Central School District, so relying solely on the neighborhood name when signing a lease could lead to disappointment later.

From my decades of observing this area, I've noticed that Hartsdale is a neighborhood that offers relatively low barriers to entry into Westchester, thanks to the Metro-North Harlem Line station and co-ops.

To summarize my thoughts: the competition for single-family homes remains intense, so there's no urgent need to jump in, while the increasing number of co-op contracts suggests that it's worth taking your time to compare winter listings.

The sales figures in this article are based on the OneKey MLS Q3 Westchester report for 2026, interest rates from Freddie Mac's weekly release, and rental data from RentCafe, Zumper, and Apartments.com. I will revisit this once the confirmed statistics for October are released.