Opinion
Watch Out for ‘Gotcha’ Clauses in Homebuyer Representation Contracts
Would you pay a 9 percent commission to buy a house? The scenario is a long shot, but it’s still conceivable, if you’re not careful, according to a review of buyer-broker contracts reviewed by the Consumer Federation of America.
Goodbye to Downtown Skyscraper-Building
When the South Station tower opens next year, it will be one of the largest office projects ever built in the city. It may very well be one of the last as well.
These Show Homes Take Different Paths
Two model homes being showcased at this week’s International Builders’ Show try to offer solutions to some of today’s biggest challenges: sustainability and the difficulty of “trading up” as your family changes.
Speak Up for Zoning Reform in Boston
Boston has a housing crisis of its own making. We let unelected, vocal minorities block the new homes that would get us out of this mess.
Court Upholds Defective Foreclosure Deed
The vast majority of mortgage loans are repaid without incident, but when they go into default, peculiar twists and turns can ensue. A federal district court decision issued in January, involving a home in Framingham, offers an example.
Milton’s Vote Shows Local Officials Need Help to Make Zoning Reforms
By design, MBTA Communities was supposed to immunize local elected officials from local resistance to new housing. But that’s not happening. Here’s what we need to do next.
Sun Belt Wins, Mass. Loses in Housing Construction
Massachusetts politicians should look at Raleigh, North Carolina with a mixture of anger, envy and fear: Anger and envy that that metro has outpaced us in housing construction by miles, fear that it will help them steal our jobs and prosperity.
How Design Factors into a Swift Residential Sellout
Location may be one of the most common words to describe valuable real estate, but when embarking on a multifamily or single-family project, regardless of location, design arguably reigns supreme.
Discovery by Design at AstraZeneca’s New R&D Facility
This 570,000-square-foot tower will accommodate up to 1,850 employees after it opens in 2026. Teams from AstraZeneca and Alexion Rare Disease will collaborate here to transform the future of healthcare.
Experts’ Voices Must Be Part of Decarbonization Conversation
We are experiencing a sea change in regulations related to sustainability and decarbonization in the built environment. And technical experts like architects need to have central roles in their development.
Banker & Tradesman’s Editorial Cartoon: A Short FAQ Document
Bankers are grappling with complex changes to Community Reinvestment Act regulations.
IBA’s South End Project Maximizes Cultural Impact
A new arts center, which incorporates elements of the historic building it’s replacing, will be a hub for the Boston Latinx community’s cultural empowerment.
Banker & Tradesman’s Editorial Cartoon: New AML Regs
Uncle Sam is keeping an eye on finance fraud and money laundering.
Measuring Affordable Housing Is Key to Building More of It
The unfortunate reality for affordable housing is we haven’t done a great job measuring it, causing questions about our success in managing it. Housing Navigator Massachusetts is changing that.
No Immigrants, No New Housing
For any number of reasons, U.S.-born workers have been reluctant to join the construction workforce, leading to consistent labor shortages and rising wages – meaning the prices of new housing is going up, too.
Housing Tax Credit Bill Should Be on U.S. Senate’s To-Do List
A bill making its way through Congress could spark the largest increase in resources for affordable rental housing in nearly a quarter of a century and reduce project costs.
Why Milton’s Vote Ultimately Doesn’t Matter
Milton cannot lawfully refuse to allow higher density zoning around the Mattapan line.
Fed’s Refusal to Cut Rates Drags Down Housing Market
When it comes to describing what’s happening right now in the real estate market, you can take your pick, but downturn, recession or even depression all seem like good fits right now. You just wouldn’t know it from reading the business press.
CRE Firms Face New Reporting Requirements Under Far-Reaching Federal Law
Real estate investors and developers who use LLCs or LPs to manage ownership of a project should take note. A new anti-money laundering law comes with new rules for telling federal officials who controls these entities.
Appraisals Fail Many Sellers
The real estate community has long complained about appraisals that lagged the market, but the report from the FHFA documents that their gripes are valid: Undervaluations spiked to 15 percent in 2021.
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