First-Time Buyer Guide How Much House Can I Afford? What North Shore Buyers Need to Know Before They Start Looking Understanding your real budget before you fall in love with a home — a practical guide for buyers in Beverly, Salem, Danvers, and the rest of the North Shore. Jim Armstrong, REALTOR®Arm

Seller's Guide · North Shore MA Best Home Upgrades Before Selling: Highest ROI, Biggest Wastes, and What to Do Instead Not every dollar you put into your home comes back at closing — and some improvements actually cost you money. Here's how to spend smart before you list.By Jim Armstrong  ·  Armstro

Should You Construct an Addition… or Sell Your Home and Move Up? If you’re feeling squeezed in your current home, you’re not alone. Over the past few years, a lot of homeowners have found themselves asking the same question: “Do we expand… or do we move?” On paper, it sounds simple. In reality, it’s

Home Buy Sell Blog Contact Seller's Guide  ·  North Shore MA What Not to Fix BeforeSelling Your Home By Armstrong Field Group at Aluxety Real Estate  ·  North Shore Massachusetts You've decided to sell. The natural instinct is to fix everything — patch every wall, update every fixture, repaint every

How Long Does It Take to Sell a Home in Massachusetts? If you’ve ever watched a “Just Listed” sign go up on a Friday and a “Sold” sign replace it by Monday, you might think every home in Massachusetts sells in a blink. Sometimes that’s true. But most of the time? The story is a little more nuanced.

 Massachusetts North Shore Housing Market for Sellers: What’s Really Happening Right Now If you’re thinking about selling on the North Shore—whether in Beverly, Salem, Danvers, Peabody, or nearby towns—you’ve probably heard mixed messages: “The market is slowing down” “Prices are still high” “Buyers

North Shore Home & Health — Serving Beverly · Salem · Danvers · Gloucester · Marblehead · Swampscott · Rockport · Ipswich · Hamilton & Beyond Home Safety · North Shore Massachusetts The Invisible ThreatHiding in Your Home Radon gas is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States — an

Why Massachusetts’ Proposed 2026 Rent Control Ballot Initiative Could Harm Both Renters and Housing Providers Understanding Initiative Petition 25-21 The debate over housing affordability in Massachusetts has intensified in recent years, particularly in high-demand cities such as Boston, Cambridge,

Home Seller Preparation Checklist A Step-by-Step Guide for Homeowners Getting Ready to Sell Selling a home on the North Shore of Massachusetts—or anywhere in today’s competitive real estate market—starts long before the first showing. The homes that sell fastest and for the highest prices are usuall

Quick answer: As of March 2, 2026, the primary residence capital gains exclusion has not been increased. The limits remain $250,000 (single) and $500,000 (married filing jointly) under federal law. Proposals supported by groups like NAR have been discussed, but no bill has become law yet, so there i

The North Shore Real Estate Landscape: Where We Stand Today As we approached the 3rd moth of 2026, we find ourselves at a defining moment in the North Shore Massachusetts real estate market. Over the past several years, the region has experienced remarkable price appreciation, constrained housing in

If you’re like many first-time buyers, you may be wondering whether buying a home really makes sense. After all, you might already have a comfortable apartment, reasonable rent, a good landlord, and a great location. So why change anything? The truth is, while renting can be convenient, homeownershi

  Smart Home Features That Actually Increase Your Property Value in 2026 Which Tech Upgrades Deliver Real ROI and What Buyers Are Actively Seeking The smart home revolution has moved far beyond novelty gadgets and voice-activated light bulbs. In 2026, today's homebuyers expect a certain level of tec

🏡 2026 Real Estate Outlook: What Buyers, Sellers & Investors Should Know A practical look at national 2026 housing trends—with a focused lens on Massachusetts, where inventory, affordability, and job-driven demand keep the market behaving like its own micro-economy. As we step into 2026, housing ma

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are small residential living spaces located on the same lot as a principal home — like a finished basement apartment, an attached addition, or a detached backyard cottage. They’re also commonly called granny flats, in-law apartments, or secondary suites. A New Era for

Selling a home in Massachusetts comes with legal responsibilities that many sellers underestimate. One of the most common—and costly—mistakes sellers make is failing to disclose latent defects. In Massachusetts, sellers who knowingly fail to disclose hidden material defects can face serious legal co

  The 3% Mortgage Problem: Why So Many Massachusetts Homeowners Are Still Stuck—And What Their Real Options Are in 2026 By Jim Armstrong • ALUXETY Real Estate & Armstrong Field Group If you’re a homeowner on the North Shore or anywhere in Massachusetts, chances are you’re still holding onto a 2–3% m

What Are Portable Mortgages—and Could They Boost Housing Inventory in the U.S.? In today’s real estate market, millions of American homeowners feel “locked in” by historically low interest rates. With mortgage rates now far higher than the 2–3% loans many secured between 2020 and 2022, even families

Smart Home Features That Will Actually Increase Your Property Value in 2026 The smart home revolution has moved far beyond novelty gadgets and voice-activated light bulbs. In 2026, homebuyers will expect a certain level of technological integration, and the right smart features can significantly boo

Hidden Costs of Homeownership Nobody Tells You About When you're shopping for your first home, everyone focuses on the big number: the purchase price. Your lender pre-approves you for a certain amount, you find a house within that budget, and you feel confident you can afford it. Then you move in, a