What is Happening with Those Lawsuits? I am getting asked about this from clients, want-to-be clients, and friends at social occasions. For those who don’t know about these lawsuits, there was a verdict in October in a Missouri court that went against the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) and some big real estate companies. Then,
The Boston Globe wanted to write about housing discrimination, again. But it is not news: “The data from Zillow, which were first reported by Axios, show Black-owned homes are valued at 18 percent less than white homes in Boston, and Latino-owned homes at 14 percent less. The data for Black homes in Boston mirror nationwide disparities,
It is not typical for our agents to be out showing properties all day during January. But this year, most of them are! In the normal seasonal flow of New England real estate, the period between Thanksgiving and the middle of February is the slowest time of year. The "January thaw" this year bodes well
Last week, the Joint Committee on Housing met to hear testimony about Governor Healey’s Affordable Homes Act. Speakers were held to 2-minute talks, and the talking went on from 11 AM to 10 PM. Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, and Housing Secretary Edward Augustus spoke (in person). As did Mayor Michelle Wu of Boston (by
Happy New Year! In the future, passive housing will need to be part of, if not all the housing we live in, more and more of it. As we look towards 2024, I would like to celebrate the growth in know-how for building houses that are energy independent, or nearly so. Maine is doing it.
December is full of holidays. People from cultures throughout the northern hemisphere developed customs to celebrate the point where days are the shortest and then begin to lengthen. That’s when the coldest part of the winter months still lies ahead, but the light is returning. Some cultures call solstice “midwinter” since light is returning. This
Anyone following real estate in the past three years or so has run into people who think that home inspection is (or should be) optional. Waiving home inspection has become a negotiation tool. This thinking plays into the interests of professional investors and hurts people who plan to owner-occupy their homes. It particularly harms first-time
Good information helps buyers make informed decisions. Widely available information levels the playing field, so that all buyers have access to the vast majority of properties for sale. Recent lawsuits against Multiple Listing Systems and large real estate companies threaten to harm potential home buyers by expecting them to pay for their representation as well
I’ve gotten some messages from former clients who follow business news. There are some big-deal lawsuits flying around regarding the Multiple Listing Service and buyer agent compensation. The outcome of recent lawsuits is likely to increase seller awareness of the part of the commission that is paid to the buyer’s agent who brings an informed
The Boston Globe article about the transfer fee, last week, was pretty confusing. I think the R--®s like it that way. I wrote about similar transfer fee proposals just three weeks ago. Since then, I gave testimony to a committee at the State House in support of a transfer fee. Last week, a transfer fee