Residential Real Estate
How Mass. Brokerages Are Adapting to NAR Settlement
Many real estate agents across the state are already altering how they interact with home buyers and sellers in the wake of the surprise decision by the National Association of Realtors to settle pending lawsuits over agent commissions.
Put Your Listings to the Nose Test
Nothing turns up buyers’ noses faster than a smelly house. They walk in, stop, take a whiff and are ready to turn around and leave. Some won’t even go beyond the front door.
Mass. Single-Family Sales Flat, Median Price Spikes
The report comes after economists at listing portals Redfin and Zillow reported last week that Greater Boston saw an uptick in new listings in February.
Personnel File – No. 364
Who’s on the move? From new VPs to fresh project managers, see who’s been hired, promoted and honored: It’s The Personnel File.
Which Comes First? A Buyer’s Dilemma
Young people have many options when it comes to homeownership – perhaps too many. Should they get married first or buy their first home? Buy a dream car or a house? Find a dream house or a dream mortgage rate?
What’s Next for the Spring Market?
Whether you’re a brand-new agent or a 40-year veteran, I sat down with market intelligence expert Rick Sharga to get the answers you need to cope with what’s ahead.
NAR Settles Commission Lawsuits
The National Association of Realtors abruptly reversed course Friday morning, announcing it was settling all lawsuits against it over real estate commissions for a substantially smaller sum than it would have paid under a preliminary verdict announced last year.
Why Are So Many Voters Frustrated by the Economy? It’s Home Prices
At the root of this problem: America failed to build enough homes for its growing population. The shortage strikes at the heart of the American dream of homeownership – dampening President Joe Biden’s assurances that the U.S. economy is strong.
Boston-Area Home Listings Up Year-Over Year as March Opened
A little uptick in a graph of new residential listings in Greater Boston could represent a flicker of hope for buyers and sellers alike.
Foreign Firms Make Inroads on U.S. Homebuilding
As federal and state authorities continue to clamp down on foreign investments in American businesses and real estate that could pose a risk to national security, some foreign entities are expanding into American homebuilding.
Boston Fed Analysis Sees Glimmer of Hope in New England Housing Markets
The latest report that the Federal Reserve compiled from banking and business contacts across New England revealed little movement in macroeconomic conditions, but it did indicate that “home sales appeared to turn a corner in recent data.”
Personnel File – No. 362
Who’s on the move? From new VPs to fresh project managers, see who’s been hired, promoted and honored: It’s The Personnel File.
Pandemic Boosted Boston Homebuyer Income by $87K
A new analysis by economists at Zillow say the income a Greater Boston homebuyer needs to afford the median home in the region rose by nearly $90,000 over the last four years.
Driving the Best Bargain Now Isn’t the Best Long-Term Strategy
Conventional wisdom says that you should never leave money on the table when negotiating. But research in the field of game theory suggests this could be exactly the wrong approach.
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.
With Compass Agents’ Switch, Corcoran Group Gets First Mass. Outpost
New York City luxury brokerage Corcoran Group now has a Massachusetts market presence, thanks to a pair of Compass agents.
Personnel File – No. 361
Who’s on the move? From new VPs to fresh project managers, see who’s been hired, promoted and honored: It’s The Personnel File.
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.
Jan. Home Sales Showed Little Sign of Improvement
With home sales effectively flat across the state last month, January offered few signs of encouragement that the 2024 housing market will be a significant improvement over last year’s.
DOJ Seeks to Block Settlement in MLS PIN Commission Case
Federal antitrust prosecutors have asked the judge overseeing a lawsuit against Massachusetts’ main multiple-listings service to reject a proposed settlement in the case, arguing instead that buyers should be the only ones to pay their agents’ commissions.
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