News / Features

Fannie Mae makes getting a 3%-down mortgage easier

Fannie Mae introduced its HomeReady mortgage last year as an inexpensive lending option that allows borrowers to come in with as little as 3 percent down. Now it’s making “enhancements” to that option, and that could mean more affordable financing

President Obama quietly signs important housing bill into law

President Obama recently signed into law the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016, a bipartisan bill loaded with fixes to existing HUD programs. In February, the bill, which amended the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (among other HUD-modifying

Brexit: one expert speculates on what’s in store for real estate

On June 23, 2016, citizens of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. In the wake of the decision, the British pound fell to a 31-year low against the U.S. dollar, the euro dropped one percent, and U.S.

7 signs that housing still has a long way to go

Americans are deeply pessimistic about economic mobility. By an overwhelming margin, they believe it is harder today to secure a middle-class lifestyle than it was for past generations. And a large majority continue to see the housing market in

CFPB proposes important TRID updates

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today proposed new updates to TRID intended to formalize guidance in the rule, and provide clarity and certainty. The point is to help facilitate compliance within the mortgage industry. “The Bureau’s rules are designed

Boston home sellers see outstanding returns in 2016

Home sellers in the Greater Boston housing market have seen some of the most modest returns in the nation, according to the Q2 2016 U.S. Home Sales Report from RealtyTrac. Basing its analysis on publicly recorded sales deeds from more than 900 counties

Appraising solar: a new approach

By the end of 2016, the Department of Energy estimates 1 million homes will be equipped with a solar energy system. And still there is no definitive way to value those systems in appraisals. A new report from the

7 Baby Boomer housing needs you should know

At 75 million strong, the Baby Boomer generation comprises just over a quarter of the U.S. population, and as such, it wields considerable sway on the direction of the country’s economy – particularly in the area of housing. Indeed,

FinCEN expands luxury real estate money laundering investigation

In January, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a division of the Treasury Department, announced two Geographic Targeting Orders, or GTOs, to monitor all cash luxury transactions in both Manhattan and Miami. The purpose was to help authorities identify possible

How fast can a new home be built in Massachusetts?

There are a number of circumstances under which a home can be built, but in 2015, homes built for sale went up faster than any other, according to a new report from the National Association of Homebuilders. In a

5 apps helping agents stay safe on the job

Real estate is a people business, and unfortunately, dealing with people can be dangerous. Agents need to make their safety a priority, because not every brokerage will do it for them. According to a report from the National Association

Boston home price growth beats national averages in new Case-Shiller

Home price growth in Greater Boston was stronger than the national average, according to the new Case-Shiller Home Price Indices from Standard & Poor’s. The leading home price metric in housing, the Case-Shiller, found that Boston home prices rose 5.6 percent year-over-year in May,

This Week in Boston Real Estate: Massachusetts’ strong job market, the saga of Millennium Tower, and more

Lots of exciting things happened this week in the world of real estate. Notable news this week included reports on Massachusetts’ strong job market, the saga of Millennium Tower, and more. If you missed any news this week, be

3 trends defining Greater Boston’s market this year

In its latest report on the state of the local housing market, the Greater Boston Association of Realtors stated that Boston’s 2016 housing market has, thus far, performed “as predicated at the beginning of the year,” with sales, prices,

Future labor shortage may be imminent – Blame it on the Boomers?

Today, builders are facing a serious labor shortage. A few years from now, that shortage could get even worse. In a new report from John Burns Real Estate Consulting, the research group’s vice president and chief demographer, Chris Porter,

How have Trump condo values done over the past year?

After a roll call vote on Tuesday in Cleveland, Donald Trump was officially nominated as the GOP’s presidential candidate. Unfortunately, his domination in Republican polls has done little to stymie the falling value of his once-coveted branded condos. In

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