The folks at Think Big Work Small produced an interesting video on how you should embrace the pain of foreclosures. Another interesting tidbit: Did you know if you sell your home you may be required to pay a health care tax? Please, not another tax!

Bet Against the American Dream from Alexander Hotz on Vimeo.

The last buildable lot on Charles Street is slated for construction.
The Mass Eye and Ear plans to construct 25,000 sq ft annex to the John Jeffries House for additional retail and adminstrative space, estimated to be finished in 2015.

Ford Realty is proud to announce that with the help of the Boston Real Estate Group we were able to put 493-495 Commonwealth Ave under agreement.
From 1921 to 2005, the building housed the J. S. Waterman Funeral Directors. In 2005, J. S. Waterman closed this location and merged operations with the Langone Funeral Home in [...]

Colleen M. Sullivan reports in this week’s Banker & Tradesman that almost 70 percent of Bay State homeowners who purchased a home between 2003 and 2007 with some kind of second loan are now underwater.
That translates to about 71,000 homeowners throughout the state who owe more on their homes than they are currently worth. [...]

Here’s one guy who’s not buying into the economic recovery (Video):

Even a few months ago, news that foreclosures are spiking would have been big news in Massachusetts. Not these days.
The explanation given in the Globe sounds reasonable — maininly that foreclosures are now seen as a lagging market indicator, sort of the way unemployment numbers are seen as a lagging recovery indicator.
The housing market is [...]

As promised, I’ll start reporting previously owned home sales.
My thoughts on the above chart? I guess our vice president, Joe Biden, said it best: “This is a Big F***ing Deal!”

Some claim that the economy is now being driven by individuals not paying their mortgage payments – while others don’t agree:.
“What a relief, Marge, not to have that huge mortgage payment hanging over our head anymore.”
“You can say that again, Harry. Let’s celebrate. Maybe take a nice vacation. Or buy a new car.”
“What if [...]

A word about Exclusive Buyer Agent Agreements:
I know some local real agents are going to be upset with me, but this is what I think about Exclusive Buyers Agreements with long time frames. Please take note first-time homebuyers.
If you go into a real estate office and the real estate agents ask you to sign a [...]