Photo: Andrew Bain · CC BY-SA 3.026 homes sold in Amherst in the last year, at a typical $277K
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 Amherst homes are listed.
Every place Amherst 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 Amherst.
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 88% of Amherst’s sales, at a typical $297K
26 homes sold in the year to May 2026.
typical sale · 23 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $175VA $222
- Days to sell
- 40
- Sold over asking
- 17%
- Listings with a price cut
- 34%
Townhouses: 3 sold, typical $197K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at 1.6 times the 2016 price
26 sales in the last year, against 36 in 2020 and a low of 22 in 2016. The typical sale went from $169K in 2016 to $277K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales.
What $300K buys in Amherst
Check a listing against what Amherst 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 Amherst are more common than before the pandemic, but 56% fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Amherst’s home sales since 2014 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 May 2026, 26 sales.
If you’re buying in Amherst
- Shop in April. It brings about 3 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (6% over asking).
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 98.8% of the list price on average; 15% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 37% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 35 days.
Fall brings both the most homes and the most bidding wars
October has the most new listings (about 4 a month), but November is the most competitive: 30% of November sales close over asking. April offers nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (6%). April has the least competition (6%).
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Calmer than the 2021 frenzy, and calmer than Virginia
| Amherst now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | VA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 15% | 8% | 53% | 31% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 37% | 1% | 3% | 43% |
| Listings with a price cutShare of homes for sale that cut their price | 33% | — | — | 25% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 98.8% | 94.6% | 99.8% | 99.3% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 35 | 188 | 84 | 38 |
5 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.3 times the 2022 low (4), 56% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2014’s 24.
1 in 3 listings has cut its price
33% in the last year, against — in 2017–19 and 25% across Virginia.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city market tracker, January 2014 to May 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Amherst home costs about $1,549 a month
Price: Amherst’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Amherst’s 0.5% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Amherst is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in October
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 1.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $277K home, about $1,240 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Amherst, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in AmherstCheck 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.
Madison Heights, Lynchburg and Appomattox sell for less a square foot; Wintergreen for far more
The busier markets within 25 miles of Amherst, 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynchburg | 1,170 | $273K | $159 | 25% | 28 |
| Forest | 220 | $381K | $175 | 21% | 27 |
| Timberlake | 173 | $299K | $169 | 27% | 29 |
| Wintergreen | 169 | $395K | $287 | 7% | 33 |
| Madison Heights | 110 | $252K | $167 | 25% | 19 |
| Appomattox | 29 | $251K | $167 | 17% | 72 |
| Amherst | 26 | $277K | $173 | 15% | 35 |
Redfin Data Center, June 2025 to May 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Amherst, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Amherst. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Amherst with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Amherst
What do homes sell for in Amherst, VA?
26 homes sold in the year to May 2026 at a typical $277K, $173 a square foot.
Is Amherst a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 10 homes were for sale in May 2026 and 3 sold, about 3.3 months of supply. Buyers paid 98.8% of asking on average, and 33% of listings cut their price.
When is the best time to buy in Amherst?
October brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Amherst?
About 0.5% of a home’s value a year. On a $277K home that’s near $1,240.
Where can I see homes for sale in Amherst?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Amherst’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Amherst.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted). 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).