Opinion
Columnists, guest columns, op-eds and editorials published in Banker & Tradesman and its special sections.
Guest Columns and Op-Eds
From high officials to lone operators, read a diverse cross section of perspectives on the issues facing the Massachusetts real estate and banking industries today.
Pitches for op-eds and special section guest columns should be directed to managing editor James Sanna at jsanna@thewarrengroup.com.
The Fixed-Rate Mortgage Myth Agents Need to Stop Spreading
Soaring insurance rates and property tax increases due to appreciating prices not only stretch a borrower’s budget, but could even lead to foreclosure for more people than you’d think.
Addressing Elevator Issues
America has a serious elevator shortage, and it’s an impediment to developing the amount and types of housing we need to meet demand and improve affordability.
Federal Court Rules Against Luxury Homebuilder
What do you get when you combine a 100-year-old former oceanside inn, an inexperienced luxury home developer and a wealthy out-of-state buyer? You get a lawsuit.
A Tale of Three Church Conversion Projects
Boston has a housing shortage, and the answer does not always have to begin with a vacant lot or a full demolition.
How Window-Mounted Heat Pumps Can Give Tenants Efficient Heating and Cooling
People who rent their homes have for many years been left out of a major shift in HVAC tech. Not any more.
Preserving the Past While Making the Present Legible
Much of our future housing already exists in the form of Colonials, Capes and historic homes. If we want these homes to remain relevant, we need to allow them to evolve.
Your New Condos Aren’t ‘Luxury.’ Calling Them That Causes Bigger Problems
If every new development is advertised as “luxury housing,” is it any wonder many people believe that new development is only catering to the wealthy?
Flood Insurance’s Moral Hazards Depend on How Wealthy You Are
Subsidized insurance makes waterfront property seem safer than it is for wealthier buyers, while many low-income homeowners face repeat disasters with no help.
The Real Anxiety: When Credit Unions’ Cooperative Model Works
The criticism is predictable: Credit unions that acquire community banks are abusing tax policy. But that framing dodges the real question.
Play to Our Strengths for Economic Growth
Rather than chasing every new trend, Massachusetts state government should continue investing in the foundations that drive our prosperity.
Accessory Dwelling Units Can Help Solve Our Housing Shortage – If We Support the Homeowners
Homeowners considering an ADU quickly encounter a thicket of questions. Overwhelmed and without clear answers, many walk away. MHP is going to fix that.
Mass. Realtors Advocating for Real Housing Fixes, Pushing Back on Rent Control
More than 400 Realtors traveled from every corner of Massachusetts to meet with their legislators last month. Here’s what we shared with them.
Scott Van Voorhis
Commercial Interests
Columnist Scott Van Voorhis analyzes the commercial real estate market, state politics, housing and more with the perspective of a journalist with 40 years’ experience covering businesses in Massachusetts.
Is Boston Headed for Stagnation? Or Is This Slowdown Just Temporary?
Boston was a boomtown in the 2010s, with tower cranes dotting the skyline. That era is definitely over, and a new report makes you wonder about where we’re headed.
Housing Is the Ultimate Numbers Game
That we have a housing shortage in Massachusetts, and that it is getting ever more dire by the year, is not some arcane economics debate.
Focusing on Income Inequality Misses the Forest for the Trees
It’s a cost-of-everything crisis, and it has put large swaths of the middle class under financial siege, especially here in Massachusetts.
Rent Control ‘Deal’ Is Just a Negotiated Surrender
The much-touted agreement between rent control advocates and a handful of developers is no compromise. And it will do nothing to lower housing costs.
Lew Sichelman
The Housing Scene
Syndicated residential real estate columnist Lew Sichelman has been covering real estate for more than 50 years. He is a regular contributor to numerous shelter magazines and housing and housing-finance industry publications.
Price Gap Between New, Existing Homes Narrows
The price gap between new and existing houses has been falling in recent years, but buyers are still likely to pay 15 percent more for new construction.
These Amenities May Find a Home
Concierge-like services that ease the demands of everyday life will allow homeowners to tend to other priorities.
Don’t Pass on Government Loans
Misguided buyers and sellers too often turn their noses up at these loans thanks to unfair myths that linger. Let’s bust some of those misconceptions.
‘Family Feud’ Is Not Just a Game Show
There’s nothing enjoyable when family members are at odds off-screen – especially when it comes to real estate.