TL;DR
Statewide: Freddie Mac’s national 30-year fixed average fell from 7.40% to 7.32% on Oct. 22.
Massachusetts: September brought more new listings but fewer homes going under contract than a year earlier.
MetroWest / Central MA: A ten-town report shows Q3 single-family listings up 12%, while accepted offers barely changed.
Coming up: The Federal Reserve meets Oct. 27–28. Its decision is still ahead as of this edition.
Statewide
30-year mortgage rate edges down: 7.40% → 7.32%
What changed: Freddie Mac’s Oct. 22 survey put the national 30-year fixed mortgage average at 7.32%, down from 7.40% the previous week. The 15-year average fell from 6.71% to 6.68%. The survey covers conventional, conforming purchase loans for borrowers with excellent credit and 20% down. It is not a Massachusetts lender quote.
Why it matters to a buyer: The decline offers a little breathing room, but financing remains expensive. If you are comparing homes this week, request updated written quotes. Compare points, lender fees and lock periods alongside the rate—especially if you need a jumbo loan.
Related Links: Freddie Mac release, Oct. 22, 2026
September report: more listings, fewer contracts
What changed: Lamacchia Realty’s Oct. 22 Massachusetts report, drawing on Warren Group and MLS PIN data, shows September new listings up 6.3% year over year, while homes placed under contract fell 7.9%. Completed sales across single-family homes, condos and multifamily properties declined 2.4%. The combined average sale price increased 8.7% to $806,055.
Why it matters to a buyer: My read: more listings alongside fewer contracts may create negotiating room on some properties. That does not mean every town is softening. The price figure is an average across property types, not a median or a measure of how much an individual home appreciated. Check comparable sales, days on market and price reductions around the property you want.
Related Links: Lamacchia Realty September housing report, Oct. 22, 2026
MetroWest / Central Massachusetts
Ten-town Q3 snapshot: listings grow faster than accepted offers
What changed: An Oct. 20 report from Mathieu Newton Sotheby’s International Realty covers single-family homes in Westborough, Southborough, Northborough, Shrewsbury, Hopkinton, Grafton, Upton, Marlborough, Hudson and Ashland.
Compared with Q3 2025, new listings rose from 457 to 512, while accepted offers moved from 362 to 364. Median sale price fell 1.3% to $755,000. Median days to offer increased from 14 to 15.
Why it matters to a buyer: My read: more properties entered the market, but homes that attracted buyers still moved relatively quickly. This is a ten-town quarterly snapshot. Before assuming you have extra time to decide, ask how comparable homes in your particular town and price range are performing.
Coming up
Federal Reserve meeting: Oct. 27–28
What changed: The Federal Reserve’s published calendar schedules its next policy meeting for Oct. 27–28. As of this edition, the meeting has not taken place and no decision from it has been announced.
Why it matters to a buyer: If you are approaching a financing deadline, discuss lock options with your lender before the meeting. Build your purchase budget around a quote you can actually obtain, rather than an expected improvement.
Related Links: Federal Reserve meeting calendar