The Massachusetts Association of Realtors has released a survey showing that real estate brokers are more optimistic than they were a year ago. But Scott notices the part of the survey that indicates Realtors aren’t exactly optimistic about the market after the federal home tax credits expire this spring. Scott: Well guess what bears? More [...]

A Suffolk County jury has rejected a Boston woman’s claim that her real estate broker misled her by concealing that a resident in the condominium below the one she bought for $405,000 smoked cigarettes. After deliberating for less than an hour, the 14-member jury sided with the broker, Joseph DeAngelo, and his employer, Gibson Sotheby’s [...]

“If a big non-bank institution gets in trouble and threatens the whole system, there ought to be some authority that can step in, take over that organization and liquidate it or merge it — not save it. It’s called euthanasia, not a rescue.” -Paul Volcker said on CNN. Paul Volcker said in an interview with [...]

Diana Olick at CNBC on what mortgage modifications say about the housing market: Treasury officials today said they are still concerned about a coming wave of foreclosures, many from pay option ARMs and many from the prime jumbo basket, particularly hard hit by unemployment.

Recently, I’ve been approached by several residential real estate franchise brands to have Ford Realty (aka Bostonreb.com) to join their company. It seems that they all claim to have the largest market share and the best real estate “brand.” I was told that If I join their franchise my profits will soar. So I did [...]

Lenders, brokers and consumers are not ALLOWED to contact and hire their own qualified appraiser. Everyone who wants an appraisal for their property (or property they like to purchase) must use an Appraisal Management Company who charges a fee for sending out the appraisal order/bid – hoping to find the cheapest appraiser in the area. [...]

Here’s an excerpt from yesterday’s NY Times editorial entitled ‘The year of the foreclosure’: There is an emerging consensus among financial experts and policy makers that the key to successful modifications is to reduce the amount of the borrower’s loan balance, rather than merely reducing the monthly payment. The goal is to lower the payment [...]

From Carolyn Said at the San Francisco Chronicle: Mortgage rates poised to jump as Fed cuts funds. The following predictions are excerpts from the article: • Guy Cecala, publisher of Inside Mortgage Finance. “My opinion is that rates will go up a full percentage point initially,” meaning that 30-year fixed conforming loans, now hovering around [...]

Much has been made in recent months of the so-called “shadow inventory,” a huge pool of bank-owned properties yet to reach market, which some claim will create havoc on local real estate prices. But a new look at recent numbers by B&T and the MAR reveals that some of those shadows may not be as [...]

This is the latest update I have for the Clarendon from 1/1/10 – 2/15/10: #15K – Listed for $910,000 sold for $780,000 #19C – Presently under agreement, list price $1,050,000 #23C – Presently under agreement, list price $1,120,000 #18D – Listed for $1,230,000 sold for $1,060,000 #17C – Listed for $1,375,000 sold for $1,225,000 #20B [...]