Commercial Interests
A Banker & Tradesman Blog
Builders Put the Brakes on New Housing
As building costs soar, developers in Greater Boston are putting the brakes on new housing projects. And given the record high home prices and rents in the Boston area, this is the last thing we need.
Convention Center Expansion No Boon to Back Bay Hotels
The proposed $400 million expansion of the Boston’s gigantic Seaport convention hall could turn out to be one very sweet deal for a Texas tycoon and GOP mega-donor.
Our Legislators Are Off in La-La Land
Beacon Hill is sitting on a mountain of federal cash. And House and Senate leaders are inexplicably giving the brush-off to calls to devote much of it to affordable housing production even as prices and rents are skyrocketing.
Suit Against Mass. MLS Would Damage Many for Little Benefit
Massachusetts’ main multiple listings service is the target of a class action lawsuit claiming the longstanding buyer-broker commission rule is driving up home prices.
Whether Slow or Fast, Mass. Home Prices Poised to Fall
Have we reached peak home price craziness yet? For the last decade, the answer from the market has been a resounding “no.” This time could be different.
Students, Councilors Miss Big Picture in Hotel-Dorm Battle
Northeastern’s attempt to rent hundreds of rooms in the Sheraton Boston can make a difference reducing pressure on working families’ rents by taking students out of the market. Then why aren’t NEU students supporting it?
What Does Healey Really Support?
The front-runner in the race for governor wants to have her cake and eat it too when it comes to rent control – an idea with the potential to shut down housing production in Greater Boston.
Meet the New Boston, Same as the Old Boston
The old Boston, where the most important thing is who you know and what political strings you can pull, is still alive and well, if a legal battle playing out in state court is any indication.
Boston Rent Control Debate Needs a Dose of Reality
It’s hard to say who is more grating to listen to: the angry landlords bristling with resentment, or the self-righteous activists who highhandedly dismiss opponents as plants for cynical corporate interests.
If She Wins, Healey Can’t Coast on Housing Choice
The jury’s still out on Gov. Charlie Baker’s signature housing initiative, but the signs aren’t good it’s up to meeting the sheer scale of Massachusetts’ homes shortage.
A Second Try for Starter Homes
The modest capes and ranches that marked the post-war building boom have long since given away to McMansions with seven-figure price tags in Boston’s suburbs.
Virtue-Signaling Gas Bans Could Kill Biotech Boom
Massachusetts has a long history of birthing new technologies and new industries, only to see them pack up and leave for sunnier climes, from textiles to computers.
Why Is Wu Excluding Vocal Opponents from Key Real Estate Panels?
In what looks to be an emerging trend, Boston’s mayor is leaning heavily on housing advocates for advice on highly-charged real estate issues, while excluding outspoken critics.
Moving on from Ink Block
National Development opened the doors to 7INK, the last piece of the firm’s landmark Ink Block project that has transformed an industrial stretch of the South End into one of the city’s hottest new neighborhoods.
Housing Around Transit Nodes Threatened by Local Concerns
Local communities may choose to forgo state grants to avoid multifamily development requirements and retain control over their towns’ so-called “character.”
New Round of Zoning Reforms Surfaces on Beacon Hill
Home prices and rents are hitting astronomical heights in Greater Boston, but legislative leaders are pushing back on an effort to make a even more significant dent in the state’s housing shortage.
War, Rate Hikes Will Heap Costs on Prospective Buyers
As we head into the spring market, predictions that 2022 would see home prices continue on their record tear, posting another year of double-digit increases, no longer looks like a sure bet.
Wu Plays the Long Game
Sworn in barely four months ago, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is already sending shock waves through the city’s development scene, though maybe not quite in the way many expected.
Time to Reassess Real Estate’s Political Strategy?
As rents soar and evictions loom, it may be time for the real estate industry to radically reassess its lobbying and public relations strategy. For unless something changes drastically in the housing market, rent control is headed for a comeback.
Wampanoag Casino Makes a Comeback
After nearly two decades of hopes raised and dashed, the tribe that greeted the Pilgrims is once again pursuing the ultimate jackpot, a casino on reservation land.
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