Residential Real Estate
Top Mass. LOs Busy in Booming Market
Last year was one of the busiest on record for the state’s loan originators. So, who came out ahead in the $127.2 billion market? Banker & Tradesman has analyzed the results and identified the top loan originators in Massachusetts.
A Modest Proposal for Suburbs’ Gas Bans
Many of Greater Boston’s richest suburbs want to cleanse their blocks of fossil fuel pollution by banning natural gas hookups for new buildings. But why should this admirable impulse to fight climate change locally stop there?
Town-Gown Chasm Widens in Allston
It wasn’t supposed to be this difficult to push the first part of Harvard University’s new Enterprise Research Campus across the finish line. But community opposition and personnel changes have put the project into an uncertain holding pattern.
This Month in History: Revere’s Transit-Oriented Amusement Park
In the grand sweep of history, transit-oriented development is nothing new in Boston, as epitomized by Revere’s former Wonderland amusement park.
A Second Try for Starter Homes
The modest capes and ranches that marked the post-war building boom have long since given away to McMansions with seven-figure price tags in Boston’s suburbs.
Mortgage Market Opens for Gig Workers
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shut many self-employed buyers out during the pandemic. But now, those rules are gone and some lenders, perhaps sensing a grand opportunity to boost market share, are targeting gig workers directly.
New Report Highlights Mass. Latinos’ Housing, Economic Struggles
While the diverse Latino population in Massachusetts continues to struggle through the pre-pandemic issues of reduced educational and economic opportunity, and health care disparities, there is a reason for optimism, according to a new report released Wednesday.
Community Good Works
Liz Tavares, a commercial broker with Jay Nuss Realty Group, helped arrange meal deliveries between Newton-area restaurants and local families, senior citizen programs and individual households in need.
Despite Rate Hikes, U.S. Homebuyers Show ‘Resiliency’
Even as mortgage interest rates hit levels not seen since the fall of 2009, early indications show America’s prospective homebuyers appear to be adapting, not quitting the market.
Mass., Conn., NH Among ‘Worst States’ for Property Taxes
Massachusetts ranked among the worst states in the country on property tax competitiveness, according to an assessment released Tuesday by a group that favors tax policies that it says will spur economic growth.
GBAR Warns Econ Dev Bill Could Attract Rent Control Provision
Gov. Charlie Baker’s $3.5 billion economic development bill, traditionally seen as “must-pass” legislation, could potentially become a hot-button topic, a top real estate industry leader warned.
Fenway’s Biggest Changes Are Still to Come
The last wave of changes in Boston’s Fenway replaced beloved nightclubs and quirky retailers with luxury housing towers. The next transformation is being driven by life science developers setting out to “conquer” new territory.
A Plan for Making Change
David Wluka has been in the real estate business longer than many Realtors today have been alive. As a residential and commercial real estate agent for nearly half a century, the Sharon resident has played key roles in real estate development south of Boston.
Agent Fees Are Negotiable? Yeah, Right
The agents that buyers use to visit houses and write up a contract are paid their share of the sales commission by the seller’s agent. They are paid whatever the seller’s agent offers – usually half of whatever the seller’s agent charges.
We Studied 30K Pandemic Eviction Filings. Here’s What We’ve Learned
Analyzing every Massachusetts eviction case since April 2019 suggests we have a pathway to eviction-free housing with a few key reforms to the commonwealth’s Housing Court system.
Banker & Tradesman’s Editorial Cartoon: Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers Have Questions
Big spendings on the shores of the Little Gray Lady of the Sea by the owner of the Boston Red Sox!
What Does the Fed’s Rate Hike Mean for the Housing Market?
In the wake of the Federal Reserve’s decision to move forward with its long-hinted-at half-percent interest rate hike, two leading real estate industry economists said they don’t expect the rocket-like rise in mortgage rates to continue much longer.
As Mortgage Rates Rise, Housing Affordability the Worst in Years
By three different measures, the cost of buying a home in America is going through the roof – so high that one analysis says housing affordability is the worst it’s been since 2006.
Red Sox’ Henry Buys Nantucket Compound for $25M
The Boston Red Sox’s owner dropped $25 million on a Nantucket compound Friday, according to documents filed in the Nantucket Registry of Deeds.
Can ADUs Light the Way to a Better Housing Market?
Banks and homebuilders see business opportunities in zoning changes that will allow significantly more Cape Cod residents to carve rental units out of their houses with a significant reduction in red tape.
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