Sales of two- and three-family homes in Massachusetts jumped by double-digit percentages in the first two quarters from a year earlier, according to The Warren Group.
There were 3,404 two- and three-family home sales through June, up about 20 percent from 2,847 last year. A significant number of those properties are being sold by a bank [...]

Bailouts for financial firms and billions in tax revenue lost because of the recession drove the deficit to a record $1.3 trillion in July, according to the independent Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
Tax receipts that have fallen due to the poor economy and increased spending to save car companies, banks and mortgage firms were major contributors [...]

Troubles continue at the Folio. In July one unit sold, Folio unit #909 sold on 7/24/09 for $405,000.00. Purchased on 11/21/06 for $401,000.00 if you deduct closing costs (i.e broker fees) it sold for a loss.

45 Province Street update:
First condo sold on 5/16/09
Last condo sold on 7/22/09
Least expensive condo sold for $508,000.00
Most expensive condo sold for $3,650,250.00
Total units sold as of today’s date – 14
Total condos under agreement – A BIG MYSTERY
Source: LINK
File under: Marketing secrets

The Boston Globe will soon begin charging for its Web site, publisher P. Steven Ainsley told the paper’s union bosses yesterday as the Globe’s parent New York Times [NYT] Co. confirmed in a regulatory filing that the money-losing Hub broadsheet is for sale.
News of the Globe’s intention to charge for Boston.com came a day after [...]

Google map now has a new feature (well, new to me) that not only shows Boston condos for sale, but they now map Boston condos in various stages of foreclosure. From delinquent payments, to condos that will be auctioned off.
The map below is a look at my neighborhood Beacon Hill with a few condos in [...]

Time is ticking for landlords to rent their Boston apartments. The following is a list of Boston neighborhoods with apartments available between now and September 1st 2009:
Back Bay – 147 apartments avail
Beacon Hill – 64 apartments avail
Brighton – 78 apartments avail
Charlestown – 39 apartments avail
Dorchester – 108 apartments avail
Jamaica Plain – 20 apartments avail
Midtown – [...]

Back Bay Condo sales – $500,000 or below.
2009 – 38 sold
2008 – 85 sold
2009 – Avg price per sq ft. – $706.00
2008 – Avg price per sq ft. – $666.00
Number of condos avail $500,000 or less – 54
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Beacon Hill condos sales – $500,000 or below
2009 – 51 sold
2008 – 77 sold
2009 – Avg [...]

Does anyone see the eerie similarities between “cash for clunkers” and “teaser home loans”?
Marguerite Quantaine wrote a letter to the editor of The Wall Street Journal, here is portion of what she wrote:
“With America still reeling from the collapse of the housing market brought on by teaser loans promising people homes they couldn’t afford, the [...]

I know some of the readers of this blog may question this, but the fact is, we now have bidding wars for Boston South End luxury condos. Here are a few examples of 2009 luxury condo sales.
49 Union Park #PH listed for $1,049,000.00
Sold in 2009 for $1,050,000.00
1313 Washington Street #509 listed for $1,050,000.00
Sold in 2009 [...]