Banker & Tradesman’s Editorial Cartoon: Looking Worse for Wear
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is fresh from Super Tuesday and rethinking her life choices.
Foreign Firms Make Inroads on U.S. Homebuilding
As federal and state authorities continue to clamp down on foreign investments in American businesses and real estate that could pose a risk to national security, some foreign entities are expanding into American homebuilding.
Pay Attention to Train Electrification
The dream of frequent, electrified suburban trains in Greater Boston has long seemed perennially on the horizon. Could this time be different? Indications are, yes. And housing developers should start keeping an eye on the project.
Pull Together to Fix Downtown Boston
Is Boston headed for a fiscal cliff or a fiscal hiccup thanks to falling office utilization? Two things are for sure: no one should take fears of a calamity lightly, and everyone should use this threat as an occasion to fix what’s long been broken.
Banker & Tradesman’s Editorial Cartoon: Milton, Check Your Mailbox
Attorney General Andrea Campbell is paying a visit to Boston’s southern neighbor with a special delivery.
Be Careful What You Wish For, Madam Mayor
Don’t like the Boston Planning & Development Agency? Think it’s too close to developers and business interests and should be abolished? Just amp up the fractious Boston City Council’s influence on what gets built.
Watch Out for ‘Gotcha’ Clauses in Homebuyer Representation Contracts
Would you pay a 9 percent commission to buy a house? The scenario is a long shot, but it’s still conceivable, if you’re not careful, according to a review of buyer-broker contracts reviewed by the Consumer Federation of America.
Goodbye to Downtown Skyscraper-Building
When the South Station tower opens next year, it will be one of the largest office projects ever built in the city. It may very well be one of the last as well.
These Show Homes Take Different Paths
Two model homes being showcased at this week’s International Builders’ Show try to offer solutions to some of today’s biggest challenges: sustainability and the difficulty of “trading up” as your family changes.
Sun Belt Wins, Mass. Loses in Housing Construction
Massachusetts politicians should look at Raleigh, North Carolina with a mixture of anger, envy and fear: Anger and envy that that metro has outpaced us in housing construction by miles, fear that it will help them steal our jobs and prosperity.
Banker & Tradesman’s Editorial Cartoon: A Short FAQ Document
Bankers are grappling with complex changes to Community Reinvestment Act regulations.
Banker & Tradesman’s Editorial Cartoon: New AML Regs
Uncle Sam is keeping an eye on finance fraud and money laundering.
No Immigrants, No New Housing
For any number of reasons, U.S.-born workers have been reluctant to join the construction workforce, leading to consistent labor shortages and rising wages – meaning the prices of new housing is going up, too.
Why Milton’s Vote Ultimately Doesn’t Matter
Milton cannot lawfully refuse to allow higher density zoning around the Mattapan line.
Fed’s Refusal to Cut Rates Drags Down Housing Market
When it comes to describing what’s happening right now in the real estate market, you can take your pick, but downturn, recession or even depression all seem like good fits right now. You just wouldn’t know it from reading the business press.
Appraisals Fail Many Sellers
The real estate community has long complained about appraisals that lagged the market, but the report from the FHFA documents that their gripes are valid: Undervaluations spiked to 15 percent in 2021.
Flooding Regs Generate Developers’ Concerns
Department of Environmental Protection officials did the right thing last week, bowing to a flurry of concerned letters by allowing significantly more time for stakeholders to review their sweeping update of stormwater, flooding and wetlands regulations.
The Next Banking Panic?
Nearly a year after SVB’s failure, a potentially bigger banking crisis is looming, this time centered on the troubled world of commercial real estate loans made on what are now half-empty downtown office towers across the country.
Banker & Tradesman’s Editorial Cartoon: If at First You Don’t Succeed
WeWork founder Adam Neumann, broadly blamed by commentators for the company’s failure, is reportedly trying to buy the company back as it limps into bankruptcy.
Less Development Made Newton’s Teacher Strike Worse
As Newton’s teacher strike drags on, it’s worth asking: Doesn’t Newton’s historical development skepticism play a role in the city’s current political and financial predicament?
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