M ARC H 2026
minutes to Miraval spa/golf, Shakespeare, Tanglewood and more $1,250,000 C3241
ROLLING HILLS - LENOX - Just in time for Spring! This spacious end unit brings in natural light and offers beautiful mountain views off the back deck Open living/dining kitchen, 2 bedrooms/2 baths on the main level Finished lower level - family room/ office with additional full bath Windows and the custom slider have been replaced Central a/c, natural gas for heating and cooking Community offers clubhouse with wi-fi, fitness area, hot tub, saunas, outdoor pool, tennis/pick leball, fenced dog area, kayak storage and option for community garden $337,500 C3314
Wel l-maintained, 1 bdrm/1 bat h unit includes liv ing rm/ dining rm,
bat h and ga l ley k itchen Enjoy stone patio w
h peacef u l surroundings, t he pond, and beautif u l ly kept grounds Perfect for f u l l-time liv ing, weekend retreat, or investment proper t y Low-maintenance liv ing w it h plent y of time to enjoy t he nearby cu ltura l attractions Access to hi king, nature trai ls, sw imming and kaya k ing on Stockbridge Bowl $278, 80 0 C3317
Stockbridge - Light-fi l led contemporar y ranch on Prospect Hi l l Ready for quick occupanc y! Lovingly cared for 3 bdrm/2ba home w it h liv ing rm, dining w it h hardwood flrs, shelv ing and storage Qua lit y updates in t he primar y bat h A lmost t wo acres of land w it h garden shed, many perennia ls and raised vegetable garden beds Spacious attached 2-car garage, back-up generator, first floor laundr y for tru ly one-level liv ing The t hree-season sunroom and outdoor deck add to t he charm of t his Stockbridge home. $599,90 0 R 3315
Dear Lynn
Real Estate in Massachusetts
by Lynn Arseneau
It really seems that the rising housing prices are squeezing out young buyers looking for affordable housing. My son and his wife have been tr ying so hard to save and buy a house only to be so discouraged with the low inventor y and the high prices. Can you shine some light on what’s happening please?
Concerned B erkshire County Mom
Dear Mom, Realtor.com has some information that may shine that light for you. Massachusetts is seeing shrinking inventor y, coupled with climbing prices— pushing affordability further out of reach.
In July 2019, nearly half of all homes for sale in the state—about 8,600 listings—were priced below $500,000, according to Realtor com® data. By July 2025, that share had dropped to just 22%, or roughly 2,400 homes.
Meanwhile, the luxur y segment has grown. Only 18% of homes for sale in 2019 were listed for more than $1 million (about 3,300). This July, the share doubled to 36%, or 4,000 listings.
The overall number of homes for sale has also fallen. Massachusetts had around 18,000 active listings in mid-2019. Six years later, that number is down to just 11,300.
The result has been a market where younger buyers, already struggling to get a foothold, are finding the odds stacked against them. In Massachusetts, tight inventor y and steep
prices make that milestone even harder to reach.
It has been a ver y challenging time for millennials to purchase a home. Home prices have skyrocketed due to persistently low inventor y, creating an extended seller’s market. Qualification for a mortgage is not the biggest obstacle for first-time homebuyers. There is always the saving for a down payment, but also for the potential bidding war that often drives prices beyond the asking price
It has become an emotional toll to repeatedly bid on homes, only to lose out to higher offers.
That stress is only heightened by rising costs outside the housing market.
To add to the problem there has been little new construction of single-family homes happening in Massachusetts and across the Northeast
As prices keep going up and inventor y shrinks, affordability for new buyers becomes more of a challenge.
In Massachusetts, without a meaningful boost in inventor y, many first-time buyers could find themselves locked out of the market for the foreseeable future.
Dear Lynn,
I went to an open house yesterday when I started to shop for my first house. The real-estate agent met me and had me sign in then asked me if I had a buyer’s agent. I said no As I looked around the house, I knew that I’d like to put
an offer on it and told the agent. He told me he could write the offer for me and present it to his client, the seller. I asked him about the “buyer’s agent’ question he had asked me earlier and asked I needed one He said no, he could represent both the buyer and the seller. This confused me so I left without committing to anything. Would you please enlighten as to whether I need a buyer’s agent?
First Timer Freddie
Dear Freddie,
Buying a house is a big deal and you certainly need all the information about how representation for buyers and sellers works. In my opinion, yes, you need a buyer’s agent, here is why When you have decided to work with buyer’s agent you will enter into an agreement with the brokerage. That agreement obligates the buyer’s agent to represent YOU in the transaction. A buyer’s agent will advise you on all aspects of your purchase, including assisting you while searching for a home, advising you on how to determine an offer, negotiating the offer amount and the terms for the offer. Your buyer’s agent will also guide you through inspection process including renegotiating due to results of the home inspection. Keeping track of contingency (deadline) dates, communicating with your inspector, lender and attorney are also duties your buyer agent will have Remember, the buyer’s agent represents YOU, and ever ything your agent does is in your best interest.
-Shane
- Anne-Maarit
E N DS 03/07/26
