Steve Oates

Fox Run Mall at Newington: The End of an Era — And the Start of Something New

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Fox Run Mall at Newington: The End of an Era & the Start of Something New

Although malls have been declining for more than two decades, seeing one close in your own backyard hits differently. Call me old-fashioned, but the mall of the past still represents something [...]

Top 3 Questions Buyers Ask When Exploring Portsmouth and the NH Seacoast

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Top 3 Questions Buyers Ask When Looking in Portsmouth and the NH Seacoast Area.

Buying a home on the Seacoast is exciting. It’s one of the few places where you can enjoy a true coastal lifestyle, a vibrant downtown, quiet neighborhoods, and easy access to beaches and parks all within a short drive. Each week I speak with buyers who are [...]

“Property Taxes Explained: What Every Seacoast Homebuyer Should Know Before Making an Offer”

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Understanding Property Taxes When Buying a Home

Property taxes are an important factor in determining your total monthly housing costs — and they can vary significantly from one town to another. When searching for homes, always review the property taxes listed to better understand your estimated monthly expenses. 

Are you a homeowner feeling stuck in your 3% interest rate home? This is for you.

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Feeling Stuck With a Low Mortgage Rate? You May Have More Options Than You Think

If you bought your home a few years ago, chances are your mortgage rate is somewhere around 3% — and that’s a tough deal to give up. Many homeowners today feel “stuck” because they don’t want to trade that low rate for something closer to 6.5% on a new home.

But here’s the thing: [...]

New Massachusetts Home Inspection Law 2025 | What Buyers & Sellers Need to Know

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🏠 What You Need to Know About the New Massachusetts Home Inspection Law

Buying or selling a home is a big deal — and now Massachusetts has a new rule that aims to protect buyers and make the process fairer. Let’s break it down in plain English.


What’s new?

As of October 15, 2025, a new regulation called 760 CMR 74.00 goes into effect. It’s sometimes called the

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Buckley's Market & Café Coming to Downtown Portsmouth

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Buckley’s Market & Café Coming to Downtown Portsmouth

Exciting news for downtown Portsmouth! Michael Timothy’s Dining Group—the team behind local favorites like Surf in Portsmouth, Buckley’s Market & Café in Hollis, Buckley’s Great Steaks in Merrimack, and MT’s Local in Nashua—is bringing their popular specialty market concept right into [...]

Mortgage Rate Outlook 2025–2026 | Payment Examples & Equity Benefits

Interest Rates: Outlook for 2025 & 2026

As of September 2025, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is around 6.5%. Most forecasts, including Fannie Mae, expect rates to stay in the mid-6% range through the end of 2025, then gradually ease toward 6.0% or slightly below in 2026.


How Rates Impact Monthly Payments

Here’s what different rates mean for typical 30-year fixed

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“Struggling with Payments? Your Home Equity Could Be the Answer”

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Why We’re Not Seeing a Wave of Foreclosures – and What It Means for You

One of the most common questions I hear is: “When are all the foreclosures coming?” The reality is, despite headlines and speculation, foreclosure activity remains very low. Why? The answer comes down to one major factor: homeowner equity.

Over the last several years, [...]

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