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.
I Have to Sign a Buyer Representation Agreement to See a Property? No Way!
The proposed settlement in the National Association of Realtors’ commission lawsuits has created problems for seller’s agents as well as the more obvious questions buyer’s agents face.
High Interest Rates Aren’t Going Away Any Time Soon
And if inflation starts to heat back up, it’s plausible – though at the moment unlikely – that the Fed will consider ratcheting up rates another 25 basis points.
How Buyer’s Agents Can Cut Through the Confusion on Commission Rules
Are you struggling with exactly how to answer your homebuyer clients’ commission questions? The trick is: Keep it simple and explain your value.
CRE Enters the Digital Transformation Age
On the whole, the real estate industry has not kept pace with the advances made in other industries. That’s quickly going to change. Are you prepared?
After Leading Back-to-the-City Movement, Many Millennials Moved to Suburbs
Our research suggests recent suburbanization may have been motivated by the lack of affordable and right-sized housing in urban areas, factors that outweighed cities’ desirable amenities.
Empowering Women in Construction Through Pre-Apprenticeship Programs
Investing more in pre-apprenticeship programs and working with builders and contractors to hire more tradeswomen can help us meet the state’s requirements for workforce participation diversity.
What Type of Transportation System Do We Want?
Transportation is one of the cornerstones of our economy and without safe, reliable and affordable public transit service, our economic growth will be threatened.
Participatory Budgeting Puts the Money Where People’s Mouths Are
Participatory budgeting is putting money where the community’s mouths are. It is an investment, particularly in working-class communities of color across our city, which too often see a lack of investment and deterioration of neighborhoods.
Small Developers Are Key to Building More Homes, But They Need Help
Empowering more small, local developers can create the multifamily housing we need, build local wealth and close equity gaps in the process.
Open Permits Open the Door for Legal Complications in a Sale
What many project developers consider a minor component of the transaction can significantly alter the dynamics of buying or selling commercial properties.
Ruling Could Threaten Linkage Fees in Massachusetts
This month’s unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision in favor of a California homeowner may have implications for inclusionary development and linkage regulations here in Massachusetts. California’s El Dorado County is nestled between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. Much of...
Why Developers Should Think About Retail Early
The economic implications of a thriving ground floor experience extend well beyond the first lease year. Here’s how to create neighborhood magnets with major gravitational pull.
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.
Poll Shows It’s Up to Healey to Guide State’s Housing Fixes
When it comes to tackling the housing crisis, Massachusetts voters want an all-of-the-above approach. That’s one message to take away from a recent poll.
An Office Titan Faces a Philosophical Question
Boston Properties, our hometown real estate giant, recently found itself confronted with a question that would have been unthinkable before the watershed year of 2020.
MBTA Communities Zoning Is Making Strange Bedfellows
Your die-hard progressive and your friendly neighborhood Trump supporter might not seem to have much in common. But each is playing their part in stopping fixes for the state’s housing crisis.
Housing Production Plans Leave Out a Critical Type of Home
The Bay State’s plans to rein in skyrocketing housing costs can be summed up as: build more multifamily housing. But that puts them at odds with the dreams of today’s buyers.
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.
Rejected for a Home Loan? Don’t Give Up Yet
Nothing is more devastating to homebuyers than to search for months and finally find the place they want, only to be rejected by their chosen lender. But it happens to 1 in 10 applicants.
Insurance Is the Wild Card for Some Buyers
When it comes to buying a house, the elephant in the room is not the price. It’s not the mortgage rates. It’s not even the property tax. It’s the insurance.
How to Get a One-of-a-Kind Home, The Easy Way
Even though I live in a custom-designed house, I don’t recommend designing your own place from scratch. It’s not for everyone.
Door Opens to Flip a House for Yourself, Not Profit
High mortgage rates, soaring house prices and rising construction costs have driven many flippers out of the market. And with their exit comes a great opportunity for people eager to buy a fixer-upper of their own.