The Answer: Schools, crime, and the high cost of housing.
In that order.
The Question: Why don’t middle-class families stay in Boston?
Why do I ask?
The Globe had a long article in last this week’s magazine, regarding the “flight” of middle-class families out of Boston into the suburbs.
In some ways, it’s nothing new, right? I […]

Popularity of this post: 18%

Surprising no one but its supporters, cities across the United States are finding that bringing free- or low-cost wi-fi networks to its residents is either cost-prohibitive or too complex a process, and are scaling back or canceling plans.
According to the Associated Press:
The second thoughts about municipal Wi-Fi revolve around questions about whether the networks will […]

Popularity of this post: 7%

Mention Jane Jacobs’ name, and a lot of people will clap their hands in glee.
But discuss Jane Jacobs’ legacy, critically, and expect to be met with scorn, derided, … or attacked, physically.
Regardless of what she “stood” for, I think the reality is, her ideas aren’t worth the paper they are printed on.
Very impractical.
Everyone always […]

Popularity of this post: 9%

Good news. The Massachusetts economy is growing. Fast.
From the Jones Lang LaSalle monthly “Market Intelligence” report:
Massachusetts continued to grow in the second quarter at an annualized rate of 3.6% according to MassBenchmark’s Current Economic Index, down from an impressive 4.1% showing in the first quarter.
The [C]ommonwealth’s growth has outpaced the U.S. […]

Popularity of this post: 5%

So, apparently “predatory lenders preying on little old ladies” aren’t the source of all the subprime lending problems.
According to the Journal:

Mortgages for investment properties constitute a major chunk of defaults in four states with the fastest-rising rates of seriously delinquent loans, according to data released Thursday by the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Mortgages on non-owner occupied properties […]

Popularity of this post: 5%

I do NOT have a column appearing in today’s real estate section of the BostonNOW newspaper.
They totally stiffed me.
Still, you should check out the paper, either online or in print.
As you know, I have a second real estate blog hosted on the BostonNOW website, at http://www.bostonNOW.com/go/bre. It includes the best of the stories appearing on […]

Popularity of this post: 6%

Whoa!!!!
A couple days ago, I noticed that someone had been searching on my site for stories involving “HarborView condo problems”. I was curious about it, and put a call out to my contacts to see if they knew any gossip. They told me there was none.
They lied.
Blaming the shifting tide in the housing […]

Popularity of this post: 5%

Good question from a commenter: Why are people buying condos in Boston, today, when the market has slowed, when prices, at best, have stagnated, and, more importantly, when the economy seems at risk of a recession?
So, I took a look at my list of current clients, and here’s what I found out.
Here are […]

Popularity of this post: 5%

According to a keen observer, Kensington Place is dead.
Kensington Place was a multi-use building planned for Washington Street, in the Combat Zone Chinatown.
From the Boston Redevelopment Authority website: 299 rental apartments (20% affordable), 334 parking spaces, 4,200 square feet of retail in a 30 story, 290′ building. Boylston Square improvements, access to lower level of […]

Popularity of this post: 4%

There are twelve properties for sale within the city of Boston listed for over $5,000,000. Five are condominiums, the other seven are single-family homes. All twelve are on Beacon Hill or in the Back Bay.

Sally Brewster of Brewster & Berkowitz, R.E. has a home for sale, listed at $5,450,000. The property is […]

Popularity of this post: 6%