Local insights · The Militello Team
Welcome to Local Insights, Kathleen Militello's guide to Boston's Coastal North Shore. Browse by topic below, or jump to the latest stories, for honest, local answers on buying, selling, and living here.
Explore the rich colonial heritage, maritime past, and storied neighborhoods that define Boston's North Shore.
ExploreIn-depth looks at the streets, districts, and hidden corners that make each North Shore community unique.
ExplorePractical guidance for buyers exploring the North Shore market, from timing to negotiations.
ExploreClear, honest answers to the questions first-time buyers ask most — written for the North Shore market.
ExploreThoughtful guidance for homeowners ready to move into a smaller, easier chapter of life.
ExploreDeep dives into North Shore real estate data, market trends, mortgage rates, and economic factors shaping home values.
ExploreCurated guides to festivals, concerts, outdoor activities, and things happening across the North Shore every weekend.
ExploreElevated guidance for buying and selling high-end waterfront estates, historic mansions, and exclusive coastal properties.
ExploreConnecting people with trusted local agents across the country.
Explore
Weekend Events · November 12, 2026 · 11 min read
The Salem Literary Festival, Big Head Todd and the Monsters at The Cabot, the Galapagos at Shalin Liu in Rockport, and two nights of live music at Salisbury Beach, town by town with admission, parking, and MBTA notes. Kathleen Militello's November 13-15, 2026 weekend guide.
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Market Knowledge · November 11, 2026 · 8 min read
Essex County ran at two speeds in October 2026: Salem and Beverly stayed near or under two months of supply, Gloucester, Newburyport, Salisbury, and Nahant gave buyers more listings and more time, and Lawrence and Haverhill saw the fastest turnover. From the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS Local Market Update.
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Homeowner Guide · November 11, 2026 · 9 min read
A November checklist to get your Massachusetts North Shore coastal home ready before nor'easter season: gutters and branches, a New England emergency kit, generator safety and carbon monoxide, storm surge basics for coastal towns, and the flood insurance question to ask before a storm.
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Neighborhood Guides · November 10, 2026 · 7 min read
Salisbury's barrier beach, grass-topped dunes, salt marsh, and the Salisbury Beach State Reservation: how the town's common lands became a beach resort, and what coastal living here is really like, from Kathleen Militello, Realtor®.
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Downsizing on the North Shore · November 10, 2026 · 9 min read
Smaller does not automatically mean cheaper. Kathleen Militello walks through the honest money math of downsizing: monthly carrying costs, the Section 121 exclusion, and the Massachusetts 4% millionaire's surtax, with a checklist you can run on your own home.
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Market Knowledge · November 8, 2026 · 8 min read
A realistic look at December closings on Boston's Coastal North Shore: how long a Massachusetts closing usually takes, what slows down in the holiday stretch, and how to keep a year-end closing on track. From Kathleen Militello, Realtor®.
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Market Knowledge & Education · November 5, 2026 · 9 min read
Boxford appeared on the MassRACF affected-towns map in March 2026. Kathleen Militello explains the Massachusetts crumbling concrete foundation issue, what Boxford's appearance on the map means factually, what the state's live reimbursement program covers, and where the proposed Senate bill S.3091 stands.
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Weekend Events · November 5, 2026 · 10 min read
November has turned the Coastal North Shore toward the holidays, and this weekend kicks off the season in style: the NSAA Holiday Market in Gloucester is the weekend centerpiece, with Roomful of Blues, Marty Stuart at The Cabot, comedy, jazz, and theater up and down the coast. Kathleen Militello, Realtor®, shares her picks for November 6-8.
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Weekend Events · November 4, 2026 · 8 min read
Thanksgiving week on Boston's Coastal North Shore is the calmest stretch of the year: farms finishing their season, pies and takeout turkeys on order, beaches empty and beautiful, and the first tree lightings within days of the holiday. Here is a day-by-day plan, town by town, from Cape Ann to the northern coast, written by Kathleen Militello, Realtor®.
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Homeowner Guide · October 28, 2026 · 9 min read
What to look for when you buy or sell an older North Shore home: older wiring, foundations, moisture, heating systems, and the difference between character and costly repairs, from Kathleen Militello, Realtor®.
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Neighborhood Guides · October 26, 2026 · 7 min read
Newburyport's historic downtown, the Merrimack River waterfront, and its distinct neighborhoods, told by Kathleen Militello, Realtor® on Boston's Coastal North Shore.
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Luxury Coastal Living · October 26, 2026 · 7 min read
An honest look at what affluent buyers on Boston's Coastal North Shore actually value in a modern luxury home: the setting, the light, the quality, and the peace of mind, from Kathleen Militello, Realtor®.
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Downsizing on the North Shore · October 26, 2026 · 7 min read
Kathleen Militello compares Beverly, Ipswich, and Gloucester for downsizing on Boston’s Coastal North Shore: convenience and transit in Beverly, space and quiet in Ipswich, and water and art in Gloucester.
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North Shore History · October 26, 2026 · 8 min read
A 1930 marker in Ipswich links the town to the beginning of the American Revolution. Kathleen Militello tells the story of the 1687 tax revolt led by Reverend John Wise, and what the claim really means.
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Neighborhood Guides · October 25, 2026 · 7 min read
Why the shingle-style home became the defining look of coastal elegance on Boston's North Shore, what defines the style, and what it is like to own one.
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Downsizing on the North Shore · October 25, 2026 · 7 min read
Yes, you can move to something smaller without leaving the coast and communities you love. Kathleen Militello explains where downsizers land on the North Shore, the real demand, and the money side.
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Downsizing on the North Shore · October 25, 2026 · 8 min read
Communities that feel more like a resort than a care facility, all north of Boston: Brooksby Village, Kaplan Estates, Del Webb, and Riverside Woods, with pools, fitness centers, dining, and things to do.
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Downsizing on the North Shore · October 25, 2026 · 8 min read
Selling a home in Massachusetts commonly costs 9 to 11 percent of the sale price, while staying quietly costs 1 to 3 percent of the home's value every year. Kathleen Militello walks through the full math North Shore homeowners need before they decide.
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Trusted Agent Network · October 25, 2026 · 6 min read
Kathleen Militello introduces Sandy Margolin, a trusted Las Vegas Realtor® with Real Broker LLC and more than 35 years combining sales and appraisal, for North Shore clients moving to the Las Vegas Valley.
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Local Community Guides · October 23, 2026 · 8 min read
Beverly Farms, Prides Crossing, Castle Hill, Hammond Castle and Beauport: how America's wealthy once lived on Boston's North Shore, and where you can still see it today.
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Weekend Events · October 22, 2026 · 9 min read
Halloween season is in full swing from Salisbury to Lynn. The 41st Essex ClamFest, Salem's Night Faire at Pioneer Village, Newburyport's Trick or Treat and Witches' Night Out, and Marini Farm's harvest weekend, all in one guide.
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Buying Your Next Home · September 23, 2026 · 9 min read
How the Newburyport/Rockport and Haverhill Lines fit together, with honest general guidance on parking, ride times, fares, and the commute.
Read the guideWhere the guide meets the road
If a weekend out there turns into a conversation about where to live, Kathleen knows the towns from Salisbury to Lynn. Ask her anything.
