One month has already passed in 2026 and as the weather begins to warm up in many areas so does the activity of buying and selling a home.  With home prices higher than where buyers prefer and mortgage interest rates higher than past few years many buyers are sitting on the sideline waiting.  These buyers either want lower prices or lower interest rates for mortgages before they decide to take the plunge.  Whether you plan on buying or selling this year check out the great real estate reads from January to keep up to date on your real estate knowledge.

Property Taxes, Insurance, HOA fee impact on Home Affordability in 2026

Property taxes, homeowners insurance and HOA fees have been going up recently due to inflation which has been having a direct impact on home affordability as Paul Sian explores.  Many home buyers are stepping back from buying a home due to unaffordability in 2026.  Due to the cost of many things increasing things like taxes and insurance also must go up.  With insurance the replacement cost of the home needs to be considered as part of the premiums, hence the higher rates.

Pros and Cons of Buying A Condo

Condominiums or Condos for short are a different option home buyers can consider when looking for a home.  Condos have their own set of features that some may love and others may wonder why would they want anything like that.  In this article by Luke Skar he explores the various pros and cons one can expect when buying a condo.  Condominiums do have a Homeowners Association (HOA) that governs common areas of the land where the condo is located.  Some condos have additional amenities that can more than make up for the HOA monthly fee that one will pay for.

Questions to Answer When Considering a Mortgage Refinance

Refinancing a mortgage can end up saving a homeowner a lot of money over the time of owning the home depending on how it is done.  Doing it wrong though means any savings might be eaten up in fees and more resulting in a negative return on investment.  In this article homeowners can learn what they need to be looking at when figuring out whether a mortgage refinance makes financial sense. Just because the mortgage interest rate is lower does not mean a refinance makes sense as this article expertly explores.

Staging a Bathroom to Sell

When getting a home ready to sell staging various parts of the home can make the difference between a home buyer not really being interested in a home to being wowed and considering making an offer.  In this article by Kevin Vitali he provides some tips for the home seller to elevate the presentation of their bathrooms.  The standout tip is to make your bathrooms more spa like and spotless in order to wow the buyers.  Check out the article to learn more about bathroom preparation tips when selling your home.

Why Home Sales Fall Apart

Selling a home can be a challenge and even worse when a home buyer makes an offer that is accepted and later cancels or is unable to complete the transaction. In this article by Michelle Gibson, she covers some of the common reason a home sale will fall apart and how to avoid those issues.  Things like the mortgage not getting approved, bad inspection, buyer cold feet, HOA issues and more can cause issues with a home purchase and both home sellers and buyers need to be aware of these to help prevent them.

When is the Best Time to Sell a Home?

In many markets selling a home in the busiest time of the year is a smart idea since more buyers will be out and about looking for a home.  Selling during the off season is possible, but the challenges grow as a result of having few buyers ready to move and the weather not being ideal for moving.  In this article by Joe Boylan he explores the ideal time to sell a home and why particular times are more ideal than others.

What other articles did you find to be insightful?  Feel free to share in the comments below.

Check out some additional article collection here: Mass Real Estate News January 2026 Roundup