Fears of an economic fallout are causing long-term U.S. mortgage rates to fall as the newest COVID-19 strain reignites worry among Americans. 

Check out the hometown stories which most interested our Boston readers.

The seasonal housing cooldown may end early this year according to Zillow’s latest market report, which found the spring market thaw may be here before winter even begins.

Despite the declines, median prices continued to grow and set records.

Eviction filings are rising as millions of Americans are being forced from their homes months after lawmakers allowed the federally imposed eviction moratorium to expire. 

“The market is roaring along, with only half the seasonal slowdown we typically see from October to November.” — RE/MAX LLC President Nick Bailey

The Boston Planning & Development Agency has approved a South Boston redevelopment project that will develop four mixed-use buildings at an underutilized industrial site on Dorchester Avenue.

The pandemic and work-from-home orders have changed where, when and why people buy homes. As a result, housing prices hit the highest median of all time in 2021, as the number of homes for sale fell to an all-time low and the demand for second homes surged, according to a new Redfin report. 

The National Association of REALTORS®  applauded President Joe Biden’s nomination of acting Federal Housing Finance Agency director Sandra Thompson to serve in a permanent capacity.. “Her talents and experience will benefit the enterprises, homeowners and home buyers and the mortgage-financing ecosystem,” NAR President Leslie Rouda Smith said in a press release.

The median sales price of a home in Massachusetts grew slightly in November, as housing inventory remained tight, according to the Massachusetts Association of Realtors November housing statistics report. 

The 2021 PRISM Awards received an all-time record of 331 entries across 83 companies.

As part of an ongoing relationship with the Food Recovery Network (FRN), the National Association of Realtors provided roughly 3,475 meals to Americans in the past six months, according to a press release. 

The project is expected to bring more than 200 units of affordable housing to the Back Bay.

Millennials are at the greatest risk of becoming house-rich and cash-poor as the generation is spending the highest percentage of their monthly income on homeownership costs compared to other generations, according to a new Hometap report.

More than 90% of the development’s units have been leased.

While the real estate market is finally showing signs of cooling after a year of skyrocketing home prices and bidding wars, desirable metros across the U.S., including in Florida, Washington and Massachusetts, can expect a big year in 2022.