Spring in New England does what it always does: shows up three weeks late and somehow still catches you off guard. This issue has a town worth adding to your weekend list, a piece of house trivia that will change how you look at every old colonial, and a market check for anyone trying to figure out whether now is the moment to move. Rates aren't where anyone hoped by now. But the market is moving.
Widow's Walks Were Not for Watching Ships. They Were Chimney Fire Stations.
The romantic story of sea captains' wives scanning the horizon from rooftop platforms is a myth invented well after the structures were built. The real purpose was fire prevention, and the original name had nothing to do with grief.
Read more on the TDS blog →What Is It Like to Live in Portsmouth, NH? An Honest Guide for Buyers
Portsmouth is a seacoast city of 22,000 with a genuinely walkable downtown, a well-developed food and coffee scene, no state income or sales tax, and home prices that reflect all of it. Here's what life there actually looks like.
Read more on the TDS blog →North Shore MA and NH Seacoast Housing Market: Spring 2026 Data and What It Means
Essex County inventory remains tight with a $719,000 February median and 22-day average days on market. NH Seacoast listings are up nearly 20% year-over-year, but prices in Rockingham County are still climbing. Rates are sitting in the mid-to-upper 6s.
Read more on the TDS blog →