Affordability continues to be a challenge in housing, and a new report from the National Association of Home Builders shows how that’s influencing both buyers and builders in 2026. 

After five years of worsening, housing affordability has finally started to improve, according to a new Redfin study. 

Activity in Massachusetts’ home market slowed in January, but optimism for a hotter spring market remains high, according to the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS.

Increasingly, retirees value safety — both physical and financial. With one of the highest life expectancies in the nation at 80.5 years, Boston offers this and more to the over-65 crowd.

With mortgage rates approaching 6%, 5.5 million additional buyers that could not qualify for a mortgage one year ago would qualify at today’s lower rates, the National Association of REALTORS® said. 

In a rare housing market shift, newly built homes saw price reductions more frequently than existing homes in late 2025 for the first time in recent history, according to a new report from Realtor.com.  

As the housing market continues to adjust, design and community strategy have become drivers of buyer preference, according to Jenni Nichols, vice president of design at John Burns Research and Consulting.

A blizzard-ridden January brought more than just snow to Boston.

“All parties need to shake the ‘Facebook Marketplace’ mentality when it comes to real estate,” said CCIAOR CEO Betsy Hanson.

Zillow’s Home Value Index shows that in 13 of the past 20 years, home values in the metro area of the Super Bowl champion grew faster than the national average.

Housing starts climbed in Boston. Meanwhile, homes spent more time on the market, according to the latest Housing Scorecard.

Boston will experience the slowest multifamily inventory growth since 2013 this year, according to Marcus & Millichap’s 2026 Boston Multifamily Investment Forecast.

Despite declining pending home sales in all four regions of the country, certain metros saw steady annual gains, including Boston.

Worcester, Boston and Springfield top RentCafe’s list of Massachusetts’ most livable metros.

Middle-income seniors stand to be affected most by projected shortages — those who don’t qualify for subsidized housing but can’t afford new construction.

Affordability challenges continue to bedevil homebuyers, despite mortgage rates falling to a three-year low, the National Association of Home Builders reported.