ARMSTRONG FIELD REAL ESTATE BLOG

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Selling a Home in Massachusetts? Your Smoke & CO Certificate Guide North Shore, MA · Massachusetts Law Explainer · October 2026 Quick Answer Every Massachusetts home sale requires a Certificate of Compliance from the local fire department confirming the home has approved smoke and carbon monoxide al

Selling a Home in Beverly, MA This Fall or Winter: A Practical Seller's Guide Beverly, MA · Seller Guide · October 2026 Quick Answer Yes, you can sell well in Beverly this fall or winter. Redfin's August 2026 data shows Beverly homes selling in a median of 21 days at about 104% of list price. With 3

North Shore Condo Guide · October 2026 The 2026 Condo Lending Changes: What North Shore Condo Owners and Buyers Need to Know Selling a condo in 2026? Your association's budget may matter as much as your kitchen. By Jim Armstrong, Broker · Armstrong Field Group at Aluxety Real Estate · Beverly, MA A

Seller & Buyer Guide · Massachusetts Law Do Massachusetts Sellers Have to Disclose Problems? Massachusetts doesn't require a seller disclosure form. That doesn't mean sellers can stay quiet. By Jim Armstrong · Armstrong Field Group · Aluxety Real Estate · Beverly, MA NoneState-mandated seller condit

North Shore Seller Guide · Taxes & Home Sales · Updated October 2026 Is the Capital Gains Tax on Home Sales Going Away? Short answer: not yet. Here's what's actually law, what's only a proposal, and why long-time North Shore homeowners should pay closer attention than almost anyone. 1997Year the cur

Selling a Home in Beverly, MA This Fall: Pricing, Prep & What the Numbers Say Beverly, MA · Seller Guide · October 2026 Quick Answer Fall can still be a good time to sell in Beverly, but the ground has shifted. The 30-year mortgage rate averaged 7.28% on October 1, 2026, and Essex County had about 2

Market Insights · National Housing Data · By Jim Armstrong, Broker 50 Years of U.S. Home Sales and Mortgage Rates: Why Today's Slow Market Isn't a Crash Every year from 1976 to 2025, how mortgage rates shaped each cycle, and what the long view means for buyers and sellers on Boston's North Shore. If

North Shore Equestrian Properties · Buyer & Seller Guide Buying or Selling a Horse Property on Massachusetts' North Shore Zoning, Chapter 61A, barns, pasture, and pricing: what's different when the property comes with a paddock 5 acresMinimum for Chapter 61A agricultural tax classification 120 daysT

North Shore Seller Strategy · October 2026 Selling Your North Shore Home When Mortgage Rates Are Above 7% What actually changes for sellers in Beverly, Salem, Danvers and across Essex County, and what to do about it 7.28%30-yr fixed average, Freddie Mac, Oct 1, 2026 6.34%Same average one year ago +$

Salem, Massachusetts · 1626–2026 The History of Salem, MA: 400 Years on the North Shore From a fishing outpost at Naumkeag to the richest port in America, the story behind the city many of us are lucky to call home. Derby Wharf Light Station, at the end of the half-mile wharf that once served Salem'

Salem, MA · Buyer & Seller Guide · October 2026 Buying or Selling a Home in Salem During Haunted Happenings A million visitors, weekend road closures, and a Saturday Halloween. Here's how to keep a Salem real estate deal on track in October, and why this month isn't all bad news.   by Jim Armstrong

Buyer & Seller Guide · Massachusetts · North Shore Deeds and Title in Massachusetts: What You're Really Getting at Closing Quitclaim deeds, title searches, tax stamps, and title insurance, explained the way they actually work here on the North Shore. By Jim Armstrong · Armstrong Field Group at Aluxe

Seller Guide · Home Value · North Shore, Massachusetts Your Home Doesn't Have Just One Value Market value, appraised value, assessed value, replacement cost, and that online estimate (AVM, or Automated Valuation Model) all answer different questions. Here's what each one means for Massachusetts home

Mortgage & Credit VantageScore 4.0 Is Reshaping Mortgage Credit Scores — What North Shore Buyers and Sellers Should Know A federal regulator just opened the door for lenders to score your mortgage application differently. Here's what actually changed, who it helps, and what it means if you're buying

North Shore Seller Guide · 2026 What It Really Costs to Sell a Home on the North Shore in 2026 Commissions after the rule changes, the Massachusetts costs nobody warns you about, and an honest look at what actually lands in your pocket. $4.56 MA deed excise tax, per $1,000 of sale price $50 Smoke &

North Shore Massachusetts Real Estate · 2026 The $1 Million Home Isn’t a Mansion Anymore What buyers actually get for seven figures in Beverly, Salem, Danvers, Marblehead, Gloucester, and other North Shore communities—and why the answer can change within a few miles. By Jim Armstrong, REALTOR® · Arm

Massachusetts Estate & Probate Real Estate Guide Selling an Inherited House in Massachusetts: What Heirs Need to Know Probate, taxes, mortgages, siblings, cleanouts and as-is sales—explained in plain English so your family can make informed decisions. By Jim Armstrong, REALTOR® • Armstrong Field Gro

North Shore Market Update · Fall 2026 North Shore Fall Housing Market 2026: More Balanced, but Not the Same in Every Town A town-by-town look at Beverly, Salem, Danvers, Peabody, and Gloucester — with single-family homes and condominiums kept where they belong: in separate columns. By Jim Armstrong,

North Shore Seller Resources How to Prepare Your Home for Sale: A Step-by-Step Checklist for North Shore Sellers A practical, room-by-room guide to getting your Massachusetts home ready for the market — without the guesswork. Every home I walk into before it's listed has its own story — a kitchen so