Watertown Real Estate: Business as Usual Since Lockdown?

The national spotlight was shining bright on Watertown on Friday, April 19, as the country, and world, watched the Watertown lockdown and ensuing capture of a Boston Marathon bombing suspect.

Despite the events of that day — which started with a shootout between police and the bombing suspects in a residential neighborhood — Watertown real estate agents say the housing market has seen little to no change. People are still buying homes.

“Watertown really hasn’t skipped a beat,” said Robert Airasian of Realty Executives. 

Airasian said he does not think the events of April 19 will either boost nor dampen home sales, in part because the spring season typically brings lots of home sales. 

“As far as I can see, it is business as usual,” he said. “The market has been really, really strong.”

The events may actually help Watertown’s real estate market, according to Wendy Rocca of Keller Williams Realty. She said the manhunt and shootout increased the town’s exposure as a good and safe place to live. The positive community response also helped promote Watertown to potential future buyers.

“If anything, it was positive,” Rocca said of the events.

As of Wednesday, May 1, 12 homes were scheduled for open houses this coming weekend, according to the Redfin real estate website. Also, the site indicates at least eight homes have sold in Watertown since April 22, which was three days after bombing suspect Dzhokar Tsarnaev was captured in a Franklin Street boat.

More locally, Airasian said, the events that day will likely have little impact on the areas of the shootout and Franklin Street. He said one property had recently gone under agreement nearby, and any negative vibe cast over the neighborhood would quickly vanish.

“Those specific streets may lag in terms of the overall general activity. Again, I think its just a matter of time [before any negative impact disappears],” Airasian said.

Rocca also said residents should be reassured that the events that led to the shootout and manhunt did not start in Watertown, and only ended in town.

“It didn’t start here, but it certainly ended here and for that we are really proud,” Rocca said.