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Stilt cottages line the pebbly shore of East Beach in Westport.

Flood Zone Buying

Massachusetts is the only New England state where sellers do not have to disclose flooding.

HomesAugust 24, 2026

Buying in a Flood Zone on the South Coast: What Flood Insurance Really Costs and What the Seller Does Not Have to Tell You

Massachusetts sellers are not required to disclose past flooding or a FEMA flood zone, so the homework is yours. Here is how to check the zone for free, what NFIP and private flood coverage cost in 2026, and the questions to ask before your inspection window closes.

White clifftop cottage above crashing surf along the Little Compton shoreline.

RI Conveyance Tax

The state transfer tax jumped 63 percent on October 1, 2025, and a second tier now starts at $824,000.

MarketAugust 2026

Rhode Island's Conveyance Tax Went Up. What Selling in Newport County and the East Bay Costs in 2026

Rhode Island's conveyance tax is now $3.75 per $500 of the sale price, up from $2.30, for closings on or after October 1, 2025. Homes selling above $824,000 in 2026 pay a second $3.75 per $500 on the amount over that line. On a $1.2 million sale, the state collects $11,820, and the seller pays it.

Aerial view of shingle-style waterfront homes and a private pier along the shore in Dartmouth.

Insuring Coastal Homes

About 4 in 10 Cape and Islands homes now carry the state's insurer of last resort.

MarketAugust 2026

What Coastal Home Insurance Really Costs on the South Coast and Cape Cod, and How to Line It Up Before You Buy

Homeowners insurance on a coastal South Coast or Cape Cod home now runs into the thousands per year, and about 4 in 10 Cape and Islands homes sit on the state's FAIR Plan. Treat it like a closing cost: get quotes during the inspection window and ask early about an elevation certificate.

Navy-blue home with a white-columned farmer's porch framed by magnolia blossoms in New Bedford

The Down Payment Stack

State and city programs can stack past $40,000 for first-time buyers

HomesAugust 20, 2026

How Much Down Payment Help Can You Get in New Bedford and Fall River?

First-time buyers in New Bedford and Fall River can combine MassHousing down payment assistance of up to $30,000 with city programs worth up to $25,000 in New Bedford or up to $10,000 in Fall River. The state's cheapest option sold out early this summer, so this is what's actually available as of August 2026, and how the stack works on a real purchase.