News / Features

Freddie Mac Research: Rising Rents Do Not Increase Homeownership

New Freddie Mac research casts doubts on notion that rising rents push consumers toward homeownership It has been a common narrative in the post-boom housing market that rising rents would eventually push more consumers toward homeownership, but new research

RealtyTrac: Massachusetts Sees Huge Rise in Foreclosure Auctions

RealtyTrac foreclosure report showed  increased activity In a market still reeling from an onslaught of foreclosures dating back early a half-decade, any news of foreclosures that approaches negative is likely to put the industry on edge, which is why RealtyTrac’s

Hope Emerges for Boston’s Inventory-Sick Housing Market

After rough series of months for Boston housing market, things may be improving Help may finally be on the way for Boston’s housing inventory ills, which have driven median prices to record highs and affordability to record lows. According

NAR: Strong March Leads to a Weak April

NAR documents 6 percent jump in existing-home sales Market indicators have detailed a continual progression towards normalcy since early 2014, but a hiccup in April’s existing-home sales could mark yet another slow down in the pace of progress, according

Is the Weak Economic Recovery Hampering Homebuilding?

After a strong series of months, builder confidence has been a bit bumpy thus far in 2015 Builder confidence has been one of the unqualified success stories of the housing recovery, but weak economic fundamentals could hamper its progress.

5 Critical Details about New Construction in 2015

April new construction numbers excellent, but stats could be misleading On the surface, April was a fabulously positive month for new construction. Not only did housing starts jump 20.2 percent from March (the second largest jump ever recorded), but their

Real Estrange; Tax Collection Sabotage, Harassing Phone Calls, Pranking Neighbor

Making tax collection More of a Pain He must have had a lot of time on his hands: on Jan. 28, 2015, Timothy Andrew Norris, a 27-year-old Wichita Falls resident, decided to take his frustration out on the tax

Healthy Living: Minorities and Millennials Want More

A study from ULI found that while most people are happy with their living arrangements, many are lacking in some fundamental amenities, like healthy food Real estate supports a wide spectrum of standards, encompassing a plethora of lifestyles and preferences

The 10 Biggest Challenges Facing Homebuilding in 2015

Significant challenges remain on the homebuilding front, according to new NAHB research “Booming” is a word that has not been associated with Boston’s housing market, but no other adjective is more appropriate for the market’s new construction sector, where spending

Will Looser Lending Standards Increase Homebuying? Not Necessarily

Looser lending standards may not be the panacea for housing’s sideways growth For years, housing professionals have been holding their breath for looser lending standards to ride in and boost the market into a new era of prosperity, but

Real Estrange; Vanilla Ice, iPhone 6 Home Trade, Uber-Good Incentive

STOP: GET OUT OF THE FORECLOSURE AND LISTEN Robert Van Winkle, formerly the rapper known as “Vanilla Ice,” who now renovates homes for “The Vanilla Ice Project” on DIY Network, faces charges of burglary and grand theft of a

CoreLogic: Boston Stays Below Pre-Crisis Cash Levels

Despite an influx of investors to the market, cash sales continue to dwindle throughout the nation. It is a new market for traditional buyers, despite a recent report of surging investor activity, as once again cash sales fell in

The 10 Most Unaffordable Neighborhoods in Boston

Where in Boston are housing costs the highest? Boston has the nation’s third most expensive rental market, according to a new study by Zumper, a new tech firm that studies housing trends in the rental sphere. With an average

CoreLogic: Bay State May Face Serious Foreclosure Problem

A new report from CoreLogic shows foreclosures are falling across the nation, mostly The nation’s foreclosure inventory is in decline, falling 25.7 percent year-over-year in March, which represents a continued effort to regain the market normalcy enjoyed in pre-crisis

Chief of State, Not Chief of Housing

A new study uses homeownership rate to rank the best and worst presidents for housing…but it’s a bit more complicated than that. In early May, economist Roger Thomas of ValueWalk.com released an analysis (of sorts) on homeownership rates from

Real Estrange: Sleeping with Your Realtor, Sex Sells, Homemade Explosive Device

Home Buying 101: Don’t Sleep with Your Realtor We’ve all been advised not to “mix business and pleasure,” and Houston-born rapper Slim Thug can attest to the value in that advice. In a New York Times article the rapper

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