Mortgages are still getting cheaper In December, when the Federal Reserve raised rates for the first time in nearly a decade, many would-be homebuyers assumed it meant the beginning of the end for record-low mortgage rates. “This is evidence that the Federal Reserve isn't the sole determinant of U.S. mortgage rates,” said Mark Hamrick, senior…

YOUR CREDIT SCORES EXPLAINED Lenders want to give you a mortgage, but they also want to minimize their own risk. The easiest way to retard risk is by using your credit scores to make lending decisions. Credit scores are compiled separately by three consumer reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union. These credit reporting…

HOME RENOVATION PROJECTS THAT PROVIDE THE BEST RETURN ON INVESTMENT It's not hard to daydream about shiny new countertops and fancy new appliances and one of those spa baths with a dozen sprayers and a chic soaker tub, but when it comes to home renovations, the sleek and sexy often take a back seat to…

Are home prices finally peaking in these perpetually hot Boston suburbs? Home prices in some of the Boston area’s most expensive suburbs may finally be starting to peak after years of relentless increases, stats show. Weston, Lincoln, Lexington, Concord, Sudbury, and Sherborn in the western suburbs and Cohasset on the South Shore all saw median…

IS 2016 THE YEAR MILLENNIALS WILL START BUYING? Millennials. They're the ever-frustrating group that's been making the real estate industry quiver for years. Where are they? Why aren't they buying homes? What's going to happen to the market if they don't step up? What is going on here?! Every blip, bump, and bounce has been…

6 TIPS FOR SELLING YOUR HOME IN WINTER 2016 Winter can be a harsh, unappealing time of year to sell your home. With 2016 about to rev up, it's especially important to make your home stand out if you want to sell in the New Year. Here are some essential tips for making your house…

DON'T RUIN YOUR CHANCE TO BUY A HOME WITH HOLIDAY SPENDING! If a new home purchase is in your future, or you're currently under contract to purchase a new home soon, please read this! 'Tis the season to spend, spend, spend. It's hard sometimes not to get overwhelmed with the Holiday gift giving spirit. Shoppers…

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO WINTERIZE YOUR HOME Winterizing your home is one of the best ways to get comfortable this year, and it's not too late to get a few projects done before the holidays. If you live in one of the states that got soaked over Thanksgiving, you might find a lot of…

Maynard wants to restore luster to its downtown MAYNARD — After renting in Somerville for a year, Dan Cirillo and his fiancé, John Pilosi, were ready to buy, but soon found that prices in the red-hot real estate markets in Somerville and surrounding communities were beyond their reach. Then, about 20 miles from their apartment,…