Brad Thelin - RE/MAX Vantage

10/22/2026

Winter gas rates start November 1, so this is the weekend I'd knock these out.

1. Book a Mass Save home energy assessment. It's no cost, and eligible homes get free air sealing and big insulation rebates.
2. Get the boiler or furnace serviced and change the filter.
3. Test your smoke and CO alarms. You need working CO alarms in Massachusetts, and you'll need compliant ones to sell.
4. Shut off the outside spigots and drain the hoses.
5. Clean the gutters once the leaves are mostly down. Clogged gutters are how ice dams start.

Worth saving for later or sending to a friend who just bought.

Brad Thelin, RE/MAX Vantage
508-817-1665

10/22/2026

Thinking about downsizing but not sure where to start?

Most of my downsizing clients on the South Coast are moving out of a home they've owned for decades. A few things I walk everyone through first:
• What you'll actually net after the payoff, commission and the $4.56 per $1,000 deed tax
• Whether to buy first, sell first, or sell with a rent-back so you only move once
• Senior tax breaks like the Massachusetts Circuit Breaker credit, worth up to $2,820 for tax year 2025

Full breakdown on my website, link in comments.

Thinking about a smaller place in Dartmouth, Fairhaven or nearby? Call or text me at 508.817.1665.

Brad Thelin, REALTOR®, SRES® | RE/MAX Vantage

10/21/2026

Something different for tomorrow night in Fall River. The Fall River Public Library is turning the building into a haunted library.

Thursday, October 22, 6 to 7 p.m. at 104 North Main Street. Everyone gets a "Spirit Light" on the way in to keep the creatures away. The library recommends the walk-through for ages 6 and up, and kids who'd rather skip the scares can make a Halloween craft in the Meeting Room instead.

Two things to know before you go. Regular library service ends at 3 p.m. that day, so get your books and printing done early. And everyone enters on North Main Street, with the accessible entrance on Elm Street.

All of this is from the library's own event calendar.

Brad Thelin, RE/MAX Vantage
508-817-1665

10/21/2026

The South Coast Rail line has been running a little over a year and a half now, and people are using it.

Weekday ridership on the line is up about 36% since the New Bedford and Fall River stations opened, and it's averaging around 9,500 riders a weekday. That's from MBTA figures the Boston Globe reported this year.

For a lot of buyers I talk to, a straight ride to South Station puts Fall River, Freetown, New Bedford, East Taunton and Middleborough on the list when they weren't before.

If you want to see what's for sale near one of the stations, send me a message.

Brad Thelin, RE/MAX Vantage
508-817-1665

10/20/2026

Single-family homes and condos in Massachusetts went in different directions in September.

Single-family median was $670,000, up 2.4% from last year. Sales up 4.8%.

Condo median was $525,000, flat. Condo sales down 6.4%.

Those are statewide numbers from the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®, and every town is a little different. If you own a condo and you're thinking about selling, it's worth getting the pricing right before you list. Drop your town in the comments and I'll tell you what I'm seeing there.

Brad Thelin, RE/MAX Vantage
508-817-1665

10/20/2026

New Bedford artists: today, Oct. 20, is the last day to apply for New Bedford Creative's new microgrants, $500 to $2,500 for individual artists with a project for the city.

This is the first year individuals can apply for the smaller grants, and the application is short and available in English and Spanish. Nonprofits and small businesses apply for the larger $3,000 to $10,000 awards. Applications close at 11:59 PM tonight. Search "New Bedford Creative grant programs" to apply.

Who do you know with an idea? Tag them or share this.

Brad Thelin, RE/MAX Vantage
508-817-1665

10/19/2026

10/19/2026

Redfin says 41 of the 50 biggest metros in the country are now buyer's markets. Sellers outnumber buyers by 62.6% nationally, the widest gap they've ever tracked.

We're not there. In the Boston metro, which includes Plymouth County, it's 7.4% more sellers than buyers. In the Providence metro, which includes Bristol County, it's 2.4%.

So pretty close to even, but both moved toward buyers in September. If you're buying, you have more room to negotiate than you did in May. If you're selling, the first couple of weeks on the market matter more than they used to, and the price you start at matters most.

Curious what it looks like on your street? Send me a message.

10/19/2026

Just sold in Fall River. 1033 Rodman St is officially closed.

This one was a deed-restricted home, and those sales work differently than a regular listing. The resale price is capped by a formula written into the deed restriction, the buyer has to income-qualify, and the city has to sign off on both the buyer and the final price before closing.

More paperwork and more patience, but it keeps the home affordable for the next owner. Congratulations to my seller, and welcome home to the buyer.

If you own a deed-restricted home in Fall River or anywhere on the South Coast and want to know how a sale would work, send me a message or give me a call.

Brad Thelin, RE/MAX Vantage
508-817-1665

10/19/2026

Redfin says 41 of the 50 biggest metros in the country are now buyer's markets. Sellers outnumber buyers by 62.6% nationally, the widest gap they've ever tracked.

We're not there. In the Boston metro, which includes Plymouth County, it's 7.4% more sellers than buyers. In the Providence metro, which includes Bristol County, it's 2.4%.

So pretty close to even, but both moved toward buyers in September. If you're buying, you have more room to negotiate than you did in May. If you're selling, the first couple of weeks on the market matter more than they used to, and the price you start at matters most.

Curious what it looks like on your street? Send me a message.

Brad Thelin, RE/MAX Vantage
508-817-1665