News / Features

NAR survey adds to bullish case for home sales

Optimism struck in the second quarter of 2019 with 73 percent of Americans saying they believe now is a good time to sell a home, an increase from 65 percent in the first quarter based on a consumer survey

Fed leaves interest rates unchanged, but is no longer ‘patient’

The Federal Reserve announced June 19 that it would not make changes to targets for its key interest rate, the federal funds rate, which influences what banks charge for consumer loans including mortgages. However, in line with some projections,

Housing starts tick down while building permits increase

Numbers released June 18 by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development show that housing starts fell during the month of May, although building permit issues increased. Privately-owned housing starts dropped by 0.9

FHFA may act alone to overhaul Fannie and Freddie

Newly appointed mortgage finance regulator Mark Calabria has made no secret of his goal to overhaul Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government-controlled corporations with enormous sway over the U.S. mortgage market. However, it remains unclear exactly what the

5 unexpected ways real estate agents can use chatbots

Back when chatbots first gained traction in 2016, most people thought they’d never engage with a virtual assistant to get the information they needed, let alone try to use one in their own business. But now it’s 2019 and

Lender sentiment turns positive as low rates spur demand

The trend toward lower mortgage rates doesn’t appear to be a short-lived phenomenon, and has already boosted loan application activity to historically high levels. As a result, lending industry executives are responding with their most optimistic outlook on the

What buyers with kids are searching for

In every decision they make, parents tend to make their children their top priority. And according to new research from Zillow, the same goes for the considerations they make when shopping for a new home More than the life

This week in Boston real estate: Rising rents, developing neighborhoods and more

Boston rent growth approaches 9 percent A report from real estate listings site Zumper found the median rent for one-bedroom apartments in Boston was up 8.7 percent as of April (to $2,500 per month) compared to the same month

Real estate in brief: Dreamers, blockchain and more

HUD confirms ‘Dreamers’ are ineligible for FHA loans The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development confirmed for the first time that undocumented immigrants given temporary residence under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy (known as Dreamers) are

Pending home sales post 12th consecutive month of gains statewide

The number of single-family home listings put under agreement in May grew once again compared to the same time one year earlier, according to a statewide report from the Massachusetts Association of Realtors. That marks 12 consecutive months of

Here’s where homebuilders were most active last year

A new report by home remodeling website Fixr lists the top 20 metropolitan areas in the country for the number of construction permits filed in 2018. The list includes many “usual suspects” like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago

Confidence in the US housing market grows

Two recent measures of Americans’ confidence in the national housing market improved in the last month, showing that more homeowners as well as consumers are generally feeling more optimistic about this key segment of the U.S. economy. One of

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Home flipping is down, but still profitable in some cities

The practice of home flipping in the U.S. declining in strict numbers, even as it grows as a share of all home sales, according to a new report on the subject by ATTOM Data Solutions. The report looked at

Boston suburbs grapple with housing affordability

Like many other large U.S. cities, Boston is facing a housing shortage, particularly a dearth of homes and apartments considered affordable. In a report published last week, a consortium of local real estate advocates called the Massachusetts Smart Growth

Real estate’s contribution to the Massachusetts economy

The housing market is a major driver of the U.S. economy, but its contribution is different on a state-by-state basis. According to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors, Massachusetts’ real estate industry contributed $102 billion to the

How much Boston homeowners saved on taxes last year

A new report by John Burns Real Estate Consulting attempts to quantify and forecast the real estate impact of 2017’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and takes stock of some measurable aspects of the law’s effects about a year