Author name: Boston REIA

MassLandlords Trade Group Files Record Number Of Legislative Bills Rent Escrow, Security Deposit Reform, and Elderly Housing Legislation Filed By Trade Group Historically, Massachusetts rental property owners have struggled to overcome the coordinated and organized political lobbying of tenant rights and rent control groups at the State House. I remember just a few years ago […]

WANTED: Cathedral builders to transform intergenerational housing gridlock into community   “When I’m 64…” the first time I heard those lyrics from the Beatles‘s classic song that destination seemed two centuries away, now it’s only two days.   The head of MIT’s AgeLab says that some aging babyboomers will live two decades longer than parents who

Housing Court More Receptive To Rent Escrow Orders, As Lawmakers Consider Bills Landlord Attorneys Active In Court and In Legislature On Rent Escrow Issue Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Reporter Patrick Murphy just did a great write up of the current state of Rent Escrow in the Legislature and at the Housing Court. As reported by Mr.

Governor Baker Nominates Five For New Housing Court Judgeships New Judges to Serve Expanded Statewide Jurisdiction In the 2018 Fiscal Year budget, the jurisdiction of the Housing Court expanded to full state-wide coverage, and with it, the Legislature created five new judgeships. Earlier this week, Governor Charlie Baker nominated five attorneys as new Associate Justices

The Curious Case of the Mother and Son, and the Nantucket Cottage A Poem by Richard D. Vetstein, Esq. About a Real Case In Nantucket District Court This is the true tale of a son, a mother, and a cottage. Located in the village of Siasconset, Nantucket For all ye interlopahs, it’s pronounced skon-set, but don’t

Homebuying 101: What is the highest form of agency? To my surprise, one of real estate’s thought leaders posted photos on Facebook today from an event 25 years ago in Boston we hosted called the Consumer Revolution in Real Estate. Last November, the National Association of Realtors hosted their 1st national convention in Boston, literally

Jim Brooks Act (Just Cause Eviction) Fails To Pass Legislative Session Bill Sent to Study Committee, Effectively Killing It After intense lobbying on both sides by property owner groups and tenant rights activities, lawmakers sent the Jim Brooks Community Stabilization Act to study effectively killing it for this legislative session. The Act, a Home Rule

The Federal Government Shutdown’s Effect On Real Estate Closings Bumpy Ride Ahead — Expect Some Delays For Certain Loans I asked my friend David Gaffin, Senior Mortgage Banker and Branch Manager at Fairway Mortgage – Hudson ([email protected]), whether and to what extent the federal government shutdown is affecting real estate closings in Massachusetts. Here’s what

Want an EFFECTIVE Buyer Agent (or Listing Agent)? Better Shop Around Eating lunch at the Cambridge Common near the Harvard Law School, and the overhead speakers are playing a 1960’s classic from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles with the prudent advice above, “you better shop around.” The same words could apply to homebuyers and sellers according

Governor Baker Approves New Short Term Rental (Airbnb) Law and Taxes New Occupancy Tax, Statewide Registry, Insurance Requirements, and Inspections At the very end of 2018 without much fanfare, Governor Baker signed into law a bill regulating and taxing short-term rentals. The new law provides for new taxes, a statewide registry, insurance requirements, and inspections