Bentley's RE/MAX Collection
Comparative Market Analysis
12 Plum Bush Downs
Plum Island • Newbury, Massachusetts
Prepared for Scott Miller
By Alissa Christie, Esq. • Broker/Owner
MAY 2026 • BENTLEY'S RE/MAX COLLECTION
The Subject Property

A Rare 2.68 Acres
on Plum Island

Set inside Plum Bush Downs — one of the island's most coveted enclaves — this newer-build cottage offers something almost impossible to find on Plum Island: meaningful land, soaring ceilings, and unobstructed 360-degree marsh views.

With a recent neighborhood sale closing at $1.875M and an active market hungry for waterfront opportunity, 12 Plum Bush Downs sits at the intersection of scarcity and lifestyle — a property that doesn't quite fit any single comparable, because there aren't any quite like it.

Property Highlights
12 Plum Bush Downs
Built 2016 • 1 Bedroom + Bonus Loft • 1,018 SF on 2.68 acres • 2026 Assessed Value $859,600
1,018
Square Feet
+ bonus loft
2.68
Acres
Rare on PI
2016
Year Built
Newer construction
1+1
Bed / Loft
2 baths
$1,800
Flood Insurance
Annual, approx.

At a Glance

Bedrooms1 Primary Suite + Bonus Loft
Bathrooms2 (1 full ensuite + 1 add'l)
Living Area1,018 SF
LoftAccessed via pull-down stairs
Lot Size2.68 Acres
Year Built2016 — modern construction
Ceilings20+ ft in main living space
FireplaceGas
OutdoorBack patio + fire pit, kitchen deck
Waterfront PotentialPrivate dock build potential
2026 Assessed Value$859,600
Flood Insurance~$1,800/year

Lifestyle & Setting

Sweeping 360-degree marsh views with rare dock-build potential — a setup virtually unheard of on Plum Island today.

A clean, modern minimalist aesthetic inside: soaring 20+ foot ceilings in the main living space and a cozy gas fireplace create an atmosphere that feels both open and grounded.

Outside, the back patio with fire pit and a deck off the living room and kitchen blur the line between indoor and out — designed for golden-hour entertaining and quiet morning coffee with herons on the marsh.

This is a lifestyle property. Its value is in the land, the views, and the address — not the square footage.

Comparative Market Analysis • 12 Plum Bush DownsBentley's | The RE/MAX Collection
The Plot Plan
2.68 Acres on Plum Island
The single feature most responsible for the recommended price — and the one no other PI comp can match
Plot plan — 12 Plum Bush Downs, Newbury MA
2.68
Acres
Among the largest residential parcels on Plum Island — a category virtually closed to new buyers given the Refuge boundary.
⛵
Waterfront Frontage
Private dock build potential
◉
Neighborhood
Plum Bush Downs — the same address as the $1.875M Oct 2025 sale
↻
Views
360-degree marsh, sunrise + sunset
⌂
Comparable PI Parcels
Most active and sold PI comps sit on 0.22–0.99 acres
Why this matters for pricing
Of the eight comparables in this analysis, the largest lot is 4.81 acres (11 Bayview, mainland). Among Plum Island sales, the largest is 0.99 acres. 12 Plum Bush Downs at 2.68 acres has no direct peer — which is precisely why the $/sqft prediction undershoots reality, and why the recommended launch range sits above the closest size-only comp.
Plum Island Overview

Eleven Miles of Barrier Beach,
Marsh & Migrating Birds

Plum Island is one of New England's most distinctive coastal communities — a narrow barrier island stretching eleven miles from Newburyport south to Ipswich, framed by the Atlantic on one side and the Great Marsh on the other.

Roughly three-quarters of the island is preserved as the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, drawing over a quarter-million visitors a year for birding, beach walks, and saltwater fishing. The remaining quarter holds a tight-knit community of roughly 1,200 homes — a mix of original summer cottages, mid-century classics, and a growing inventory of modern coastal builds.

Plum Island • Newbury Side
The Lay of the Land
Why Plum Island commands its own pricing logic — and where Plum Bush Downs fits within it
11 mi
Barrier Island Length
Newburyport → Ipswich
~1,200
Total Homes
Year-round + seasonal
75%
Protected Refuge
Parker River NWR
300+
Bird Species
Atlantic Flyway
$1.18M
Avg PI Sale (recent)
5-comp avg, 2024–26

A Market Unto Itself

Plum Island doesn't trade like the rest of Newbury, and it doesn't trade like Newburyport. Its inventory is fundamentally finite — the refuge means no new neighborhoods will ever be built — and that scarcity supports premium pricing well beyond what square-foot math would predict.

The five comparable Plum Island sales of the past twenty-four months ranged from $819K to $1.875M, with an average sale price of $1.18M and a median of $1.00M. Days on market have averaged 28 — faster than the broader Newbury or Newburyport averages — and well-priced waterfront or marsh-view listings have repeatedly closed at or over ask.

Within that market, Plum Bush Downs is a notable address. The October 2025 sale of 4 Plum Bush Downs — a 3-bed, 2,200 SF home on virtually no land — at $1.875M sets a clear ceiling for what the neighborhood commands, even without acreage.

12 Plum Bush Downs sells what very little of the rest of the island can offer: 2.68 acres, dock-build potential, and a private 360-degree marsh setting. Those features don't show up on a $/sqft table — but they show up in offers.

★
Neighborhood Ceiling
4 Plum Bush Downs sold $1.875M (Oct 2025)
→
Active Comp on River
58 Riverfront East listed $1.2M, 950 SF
↑
Recent PI Premium
65 Plum Island Tpke sold 23% over ask
⏱
Avg Days on Market
28 days across 5 PI sales
◇
Subject Differentiator
2.68 acres + dock potential = no peer
Comparative Market Analysis • 12 Plum Bush DownsSource: MLSPIN • Newbury 01951
The Competition
Currently For Sale
What buyers are seeing right now in Newbury at the $1.2M mark
2
Active Listings
$1.20M
Avg List Price
$1.20M
Median List
4.5
Avg DOM
58 Riverfront East
58 Riverfront East
Newbury • Parker Riverfront
New • 1 DOM
2
Beds
1.5
Baths
950
Sq Ft
0.27
Acres
$1.20M
List Price
$1,263
$/Sq Ft
1875
Year Built
Riverfront cottage with private dock (rebuilt 2023). Half-century in one family — first time to market. 950 SF, screened porch facing the Parker River. Direct waterfront, but on 0.27 acres and 1875 construction. Tests the $1,263/sqft ceiling for true waterfront cottages.
11 Bayview Lane
11 Bayview Ln
Newbury • Mainland / Marsh-abutting
Contingent • 8 DOM
4
Beds
3.5
Baths
2,726
Sq Ft
4.81
Acres
$1.20M
List Price
$440
$/Sq Ft
1957
Year Built
4.81 acres abutting Parker River NWR & Great Marsh. 4BR/3.5BA colonial, 2,726 SF, marsh views, but mainland Newbury — not Plum Island. Went under agreement in 8 days. Demonstrates how quickly large-acreage marsh properties move at this price.
Comparative Market Analysis • 12 Plum Bush DownsSource: MLSPIN • data as of May 2026
Recently Closed
What's Actually Sold
Six closed sales, last 24 months — the truest signal of buyer behavior
6
Closed Sales
$1.13M
Avg Sale
$1.00M
Median Sale
27
Avg DOM
102%
Avg SP/LP
4 Plum Bush Downs
4 Plum Bush Downs ★ NEIGHBOR
Plum Island • Plum Bush Downs • Oct 2025
Sold $1.875M
3
Beds
2.5
Baths
2,200
Sq Ft
~0
Acres
$2.165M
List Price
$1.875M
Sale Price
$852
$/Sq Ft
The single most important comp. 2021-built waterfront in the exact same neighborhood — private dock, panoramic views, attached garage. Sold $1.875M with virtually no land. This is the neighborhood ceiling and the strongest anchor for our pricing.
65 Plum Island Turnpike
65 Plum Island Tpke
Plum Island • May 2026
Sold $1.225M
3
Beds
3
Baths
1,750
Sq Ft
0.99
Acres
$995K
List Price
$1.225M
Sale Price
$700
$/Sq Ft
Sold 23% over ask. 2017-built modern with 360-degree marsh/river/ocean views — closest stylistic match to subject. Tenanted, listed strategically low, multiple offers. Demonstrates the bidding behavior newer-build Plum Island marsh views attract.
20 Independence Way
20 Independence Way
Plum Island • Jun 2025
Sold $1.000M
2
Beds
2
Baths
1,150
Sq Ft
0.22
Acres
$979K
List Price
$1.000M
Sale Price
$870
$/Sq Ft
Smallest-footprint comp. 1950s cottage on a sand-path-to-ocean lot. Closest in size to subject (1,150 vs 1,018 SF), but no land and 1950 construction. Establishes a clear floor — subject's newer build, acreage, and marsh views push well above this.
44 Old Point Rd
44 Old Point Rd
Plum Island • Sep 2024
Sold $1.000M
2
Beds
1
Bath
725
Sq Ft
0.49
Acres*
$1.099M
List Price
$1.000M
Sale Price
$1,379
$/Sq Ft
Two-lot package, 1935 cottage on steel pilings. 16,000 SF main lot + a 5,000 SF adjoining buildable lot, bay + marsh frontage. The closest precedent for "small cottage + meaningful land" — and a clear nod that PI lot value alone drives well above $1M.
15 Sunset Drive
15 Sunset Dr
Plum Island • May 2024
Sold $819K
1
Bed
1
Bath
504
Sq Ft
0.34
Acres
$819K
List Price
$819K
Sale Price
$1,625
$/Sq Ft
The "tiny cottage" floor. 1890 build, 504 SF, marsh waterfront, walk to ocean. Sold at full ask. Demonstrates how thin the PI "starter" market is: even half-the-size, 130-years-older cottages clear north of $800K.
24 Seaview Lane
24 Seaview Ln
Newbury • Mainland • Jan 2026
Sold $870K
1
Beds
2.5
Baths
2,558
Sq Ft
0.49
Acres
$799K
List Price
$870K
Sale Price
$340
$/Sq Ft
Marsh-view contemporary, mainland. 1982 build with 3-level layout, 1 bed + loft. Beautiful setting but lacks the Plum Island address. Useful as a "marsh setting without the island premium" benchmark.
Comparative Market Analysis • 12 Plum Bush Downs   * 44 Old Point includes adjoining 5,000 SF buildable lotSource: MLSPIN • closed sales, trailing 24 months
Visual Analysis
Where 12 Plum Bush Downs Fits
Sale price across the eight comparables — with the recommended launch range overlaid

Sale Price • Eight Comps vs. Recommended Range

The Pricing Argument

PI cottage floor: 15 Sunset (504 SF, 1890) cleared $819K. 44 Old Point (725 SF + extra lot) cleared $1.0M.

Style peer (65 PI Tpke): $1.225M on 0.99 acres — sold 23% over ask.

Neighborhood peer (4 PBD): $1.875M — bigger, but virtually no land.

$/sqft math says $757K. Every actual PI cottage cleared materially more. 12 PBD is newer, larger, and on 2.68 acres — the recommended range reflects that, conservatively.

Pricing Strategy
Three Paths to Market
Each scenario reflects a different balance of speed, certainty, and ceiling-testing
Conservative
Quick Sale
$1.24M – $1.29M
Generate urgency and maximize activity. Prices in line with the two existing active listings and the recent style-peer sale — useful when speed and certainty outweigh upside.
Recommended
Launch Strategy
$1.30M – $1.35M
Best balance of value + marketability. Sits above every comparable PI cottage sale, well below the neighborhood ceiling, and squarely in the active-buyer band for Plum Island waterfront — the sweet spot of land scarcity priced to draw real offers.
Aspirational
Test the Ceiling
$1.36M – $1.41M
Test the upper market for a unique buyer. Works when the setting truly wows and marketing is exceptional — professional video, drone, dock-build narrative, full-reach broker open. Higher risk of longer DOM, but real upside on the right buyer.
Tell me what you need to make this work
Every owner's situation is different — timeline, target net, comfort with marketing intensity, plans for what's next. Let's talk through which path serves your goals, and we'll build the launch around that.
Comparative Market Analysis • 12 Plum Bush DownsBentley's | The RE/MAX Collection
Your Local Expert
Alissa Christie, Esq.
Alissa Christie
Broker / Owner • Bentley's RE/MAX Collection

A licensed attorney and Broker/Owner of Bentley's RE/MAX Collection — Greater Newburyport's #1 brokerage since 2019 — Alissa brings legal precision, contract fluency, and a deep understanding of the Massachusetts coastal market to every transaction.

Her work is grounded in two principles: price the property where the buyers are, and negotiate as if the deal still has to clear inspection, appraisal, and closing — because it does.

(978) 494-3807 • Alissa@bentleysrealestate.com
2A Winter Street • Newburyport, MA
Discuss Next Steps
Esq.
Licensed Attorney
Contracts • Title • Negotiation
#1
Gr. Newburyport Brokerage
Since 2019
Plum Island
Local Expertise
Newbury • Newburyport • PI
RE/MAX
Collection Reach
National • Global
Bentley's
Thank you, Scott.
Let's find the right number, together.
Alissa Christie, Esq. • Broker/Owner
Bentley's RE/MAX Collection
2A Winter Street, Newburyport, MA
(978) 494-3807 • Alissa@bentleysrealestate.com
Data sourced from MLSPIN • Single Family Residential
Comparative Market Analysis • May 2026 • For informational purposes only.
Sale prices and statistics derived from closed transactions in Newbury 01951.
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