Photo: Novis-M · Public domain43 homes sold in Chester in the last year, at a typical $416K
Redfin reports Chester’s sales by ZIP code, so these figures are for ZIP 12817, which takes in Chester and the area around it. Almost every sale is a house. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Chester homes are listed.
Every place Chester homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Chester.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
Houses are 72% of Chester’s sales, at a typical $402K (year to May 2026)
43 homes sold in the year to September 2026.
typical sale · 35 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $302NY $316
- Days to sell
- 51
- Sold over asking
- 21%
Condos: 7 sold, typical $178K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at 2.2 times the 2016 price
43 sales in the last year, against 62 in 2020 and a low of 24 in 2012. The typical sale went from $187K in 2016 to $416K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; for ZIP 12817, which takes in Chester and the area around it (each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales. Redfin stopped publishing towns’ figures by property type after May 2026, so houses and condos are shown for the year to then.
What $400K buys in Chester
Check a listing against what Chester homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Chester are more common than before the pandemic, but two thirds fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of home sales in ZIP 12817 since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to September 2026, 43 sales.
If you’re buying in Chester
- Shop in May. It brings about 7 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (14% over asking).
- Offer under asking. Buyers paid 96.9% of the list price on average; 19% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 41% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 46 days.
Summer brings both the most homes and the most bidding wars
July has the most new listings (about 9 a month), and the most competition: 22% close over asking. May offers nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (14%). April has the least competition (9%) but only about 4 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and calmer than New York
| Chester now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | NY now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 19% | 9% | 22% | 39% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 41% | 1% | 9% | 25% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 96.9% | 93.4% | 96.4% | 100.5% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 46 | 199 | 102 | 43 |
15 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.6 times the 2022 low (9), 64% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2014’s 67.
Houses and condos, year by year
A house typically sold for $402K in the year to May 2026 (35 sales), a condo for $178K (8).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
Source: Redfin Data Center, ZIP code tracker; for ZIP 12817, which takes in Chester and the area around it (each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3), January 2012 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Chester home costs about $2,501 a month
Price: Chester’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Chester’s 1% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Chester is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in July
The month with the most choice. February has the fewest, about 2.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $416K home, about $3,970 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Chester, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in ChesterCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
Warrensburg, Ticonderoga and Whitehall sell for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Chester, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester (ZIP 12817) | 43 | $416K | $279 | 19% | 46 |
| Schroon | 39 | $427K | $313 | 31% | 50 |
| Ticonderoga | 36 | $194K | $142 | 21% | 81 |
| Whitehall | 28 | $140K | $85 | 21% | 70 |
| Warrensburg | 24 | $240K | $150 | 47% | 24 |
Redfin Data Center, October 2025 to September 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Chester, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Chester. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Chester with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Chester
What do homes sell for in Chester, NY?
43 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $416K, $279 a square foot.
Is Chester a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A buyer’s market: 29 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 3 sold, about 8.8 months of supply. Buyers paid 96.9% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Chester?
July brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Chester?
About 1% of a home’s value a year. On a $416K home that’s near $3,970.
Where can I see homes for sale in Chester?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Chester’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Chester.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; for ZIP 12817, which takes in Chester and the area around it (each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3)). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).