Photo: U.S. Navy photo · Public domain1,714 homes sold in Portsmouth in the last year, at a typical $283K
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 Portsmouth homes are listed.
Every place Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth.
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.
7% of Portsmouth’s sales are condos, at $70K less than a house
1466 houses and 118 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Houses sell faster and draw more bidding wars.
typical sale · 1466 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $186VA $222
- Days to sell
- 36
- Sold over asking
- 39%
- Listings with a price cut
- 27%
typical sale · 118 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $167VA $301
- Days to sell
- 50
- Sold over asking
- 24%
- Listings with a price cut
- 18%
Multi-family (2–4 units): 47 sold, typical $290K
Townhouses: 81 sold, typical $234K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at twice the 2016 price
1,714 sales in the last year, against 2,587 in 2021 and a low of 1,235 in 2014. The typical sale went from $137K in 2016 to $283K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; from June 2026 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 $300K buys in Portsmouth
Check a listing against what Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth are more common than before the pandemic, but half fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Portsmouth’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 September 2026, 1,714 sales.
If you’re buying in Portsmouth
- Shop in March. It brings about 211 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (31% over asking).
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 99.3% of the list price on average; 38% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 42% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 34 days.
Spring brings the homes; summer brings the bidding wars
May has the most new listings (about 225 a month), but June is the most competitive: 36% of June sales close over asking. March and April offer nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (31%). December has the least competition (28%) but only about 125 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and hotter than Virginia
| Portsmouth now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | VA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 38% | 20% | 46% | 30% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 42% | 13% | 57% | 42% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 99.3% | 97.8% | 100.3% | 99.2% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 34 | 66 | 26 | 40 |
338 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.3 times the 2023 low (254), 46% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2015’s 824.
Since 2019, houses are up 61%, condos 54%
A house typically sold for $282K in the year to May 2026 (1466 sales), a condo for $212K (118).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
Portsmouth ranks 68th of 204 busy Virginia markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Portsmouth is in the middle of the pack.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city figures, January 2014 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Portsmouth home costs about $1,721 a month
Price: Portsmouth’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Portsmouth’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 Portsmouth is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in May
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 125.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $283K home, about $2,930 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Portsmouth, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in PortsmouthTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Portsmouth.
Work & commuteCheck 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.
No busy market nearby sells for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Portsmouth, 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake | 3,814 | $423K | $220 | 36% | 33 |
| Norfolk | 3,148 | $328K | $210 | 35% | 32 |
| Hampton | 2,015 | $296K | $191 | 34% | 34 |
| Portsmouth | 1,714 | $283K | $185 | 38% | 34 |
| Carrollton | 293 | $416K | $212 | 41% | 75 |
| Smithfield | 143 | $448K | $211 | 32% | 59 |
| Benns Church | 35 | $403K | $188 | 24% | 52 |
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 Portsmouth, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Portsmouth. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Portsmouth with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Portsmouth
What do homes sell for in Portsmouth, VA?
1,714 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $283K, $185 a square foot. Houses sold for about $282K, condos for about $212K in the year to May 2026.
Is Portsmouth a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 340 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 144 sold, about 2.4 months of supply. Buyers paid 99.3% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Portsmouth?
May brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Portsmouth?
About 1% of a home’s value a year. On a $283K home that’s near $2,930.
Where can I see homes for sale in Portsmouth?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Portsmouth’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Portsmouth.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 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).