National Real Estate Trends

Oct. 26, 2026

Signed Home Contracts Just Fell to the Lowest Level on Record. The Northeast Held Up Best.

Woodblock print of a rowboat held in thin ice on a Vermont pond at dawn, open water leading toward a farmhouse.

Quick Answer

The National Association of Realtors' Pending Home Sales Index fell 7.3% in September 2026 to 66.0, the lowest reading in the index's history, and was down 11.3% from a year earlier. Economists had expected a 0.5% dip. The Northeast fell least, down 4.2%. Prices are holding: …

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Oct. 16, 2026

Mortgage Rates Hit 7.40%, the Highest Since November 2023. Here Is the Vermont Math.

A small white farmhouse rising beneath a hot-air balloon over autumn Vermont hills, illustrating rising mortgage rates

Quick Answer

Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 7.40% on October 8, 2026, up from 7.28% a week earlier and 6.30% a year ago, the highest since November 2023. On a $400,000 loan, principal and interest is about $2,770 a month, $294 more than a …

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Sept. 16, 2026

Central Vermont Real Estate Market Update — September 2026

Central Vermont Real Estate Market Update — September 2026: The Fed Hikes as Mortgages Cross 7%

The Federal Reserve raised rates for the first time in three years on the very afternoon Washington County’s market turned positive year-over-year. Here’s what today’s hike means for buyers and sellers in Central …

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July 2, 2026

Iran Conflict, Inflation Spike, and Your Mortgage Rate Window in Central Vermont

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June 4, 2026

What the Zillow Lawsuit Actually Means (For People Trying to Buy or Sell a Home)

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March 9, 2026

When the World Catches Fire, Vermont Doesn’t Burn the Same Way

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Jan. 16, 2026

Trump’s Ban on Institutional Homebuyers: What It Means for Vermont Real Estate

By Tony Walton

Summary:

Donald Trump wants to kick big investors out of the housing market. On Wednesday, he proposed banning institutional investors from buying single-family homes — a move aimed at cooling prices and reclaiming homeownership for average Americans. Wall Street didn’t take it well. Vermont? …

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Dec. 3, 2025

Vermont’s Housing Crisis Is a Federal Failure in Disguise

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Nov. 30, 2025

Vermont Housing Market Alert: Lower Rates, Higher Prices, Less Time

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June 27, 2025

Vermont Mortgage Rates Hold Steady Despite Global Headlines (June 2025)

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