October saw the Federal Reserve reduce the federal funds rate but mortgage rates still went up.  Mortgage rates generally follow the US ten-year bond rate plus some premium.  Housing prices are starting to soften in some markets as well due to buyer unaffordability.  Condo prices in particular are struggling in many markets.  Generally during the winter months home sales do slow down.  For those looking to buy or sell now or in the future the articles listed below are great resources for helping with that.

Home Buyer Secrets

These really should not be secrets because the steps are pretty easy to follow and many do know about them.  The problem is many buyers also ignore these tips thinking they will be fine when that great house comes along and everything will fall into place.  Everything falling into place rarely happens.  In this article by Paul Sian he covers some of the great steps home buyers can take to ensure success.  Ensure your success when buying a home to make it a low stress transaction.

Tips for Making an Offer on a Home

When one goes to a store to buy a simple tool like a hammer in most cases it is pay and go.  The process for buying a home is much more complicated and doing it right will mean the difference between getting a home with very little stress versus trying to buy and failing multiple times.  Luke Skar provides this terrific guide on the process of putting an offer on a home.  There are multiple steps that need to be taken in order to ensure a successful home buying event.

Should You Decorate Your Home For the Holidays While Listed For Sale?

When listing a home for sale during the holiday season, the question comes up as to whether one should decorate their home during the holidays while it is listed for sale.  The answer is it can depend as Michelle Gibson explores.  There are both pros and cons to decorating for the holidays and some gotchas that home sellers need to be on the lookout for.  The goal of selling a home is making sure enough buyers come into the home and take a look.  More buyers mean a better chance of getting an offer and home sellers need to minimize things that can reduce that.

Selling a Home in the Wintertime

Selling a home in the wintertime comes with its own challenges but also has some benefits as well as Joe Boylan explains.  In order to best sell a home in the winter the home seller needs to meet the needs of buyers who are out and about looking to buy a home in the winter time.  There are fewer home buyers out during the wintertime but those who are shopping for a home are serious buyers as Joe explains.  Things like curb appeal, a heating system that works, and more can help get buyers to submit an offer.

First Time Home Buyer Tips

Ready to buy a home means more than just thinking one is ready to buy a home.  Instead a home buyer needs to take the right steps in the right order to make sure the home buying process is successful.  In this article at MrLendr.com the mortgage, working with a real estate agent, home inspection, home appraisal process and more are discussed.  With the right knowledge home buyers can make sure they understand everything that is going on and allow them to successfully navigate the process.

Things that can Kill a Home’s Value

When it comes to home ownership there are things that can boost the value of a home and there are other things that can ruin the home value.  In this article by Tom Horn he explains some of the things that can drop the value of a home and make a sale potentially difficult.  Deferred maintenance, water damage, mold, structural damage and more all will drop the value of a home.  Owning a home is more than just paying for the mortgage and hoping everything else in the home works.

What are Stablecoins?

In this episode of the Green Chutes podcast Walt and Paul discuss stablecoins and what they are.  A stablecoin is a type of cryptocurrency and with the new regulations stablecoins could become a viable means of transacting for things such as consumer goods and real estate.  This is an entirely new are of regulation coming and this podcast is a great way to learn about it.

What other real estate articles did you find helpful from October 2025?  Feel free to share in the comments below. For another great roundup check out this collection at MassRealEstateNews.com