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 Patient Capital Behind Many Affordable Housing Projects
CEDAC’s financing and technical assistance programs have contributed to the production or preservation of over 455,000 homes statewide
Lessons from the Transformative Development Initiative in Massachusetts
Building resilient commercial corridors means changing the way communities engage, access resources and build long-term networks.
Historic Harvard Square Apartments Get 21st Century Makeover
The transformation of 1200 Massachusetts Ave. in Harvard Square blends architectural preservation, modern innovation and a reinvestment in the cultural and residential fabric of Cambridge.
BSA Symposium Highlights Housing Innovation
Massachusetts must center design throughout the entire life cycle of housing: how we regulate, finance, build and live together.
Single-Stair Can Unlock New Housing Without Compromising Safety
State legislators are considering a commission to study an idea that could create 130,000 new homes in Greater Boston. Towns and cities could be moving even faster.
Real Estate’s Wins and Challenges in 2025 – and What’s to Come
This year did not bring half the success we wanted, but the successes we did see brought hope to build upon at the state and local level.
The 2025 NAR Profile Reveals a Market Nobody Recognizes
The people buying homes in America these days show real estate agents need to rethink where they focus their lead-generating energy next year.
Legalizing ‘Missing Middle’ Housing Needs More Than Zoning Reform
Unlocking housing supply in Massachusetts will also require serious reforms in building code, development oversight and dimensional regulation.
Mass. Is Creating Homeownership Deserts in Our Gateway Cities
There’s a rising fascination with helping homebuyers access their first homes. But it won’t fix the core issue: We don’t create many new affordable homes for sale.
Why 2026 Could Be the Turning Point for Housing in Massachusetts
The conversation on Beacon Hill has become sharper and more candid, new polling shows voters want deeper, faster action and pro-housing candidates are winning office.
How to Win the Listing in Today’s Highly Competitive Real Estate Environment
You walk into a listing appointment, really connect with the sellers and nail your listing presentation. Then they say they’ll get back to you. What do you do next?
Massachusetts’ ADU Revolution Won’t Be Complete Without More Reforms
Nine months into the statewide legalization of accessory dwelling units, construction activity has certainly risen. The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) documented 550 ADU approvals in the first half of 2025 as state preemptions were...
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.
Mayor Wu Missing Her Chance to Put Tax Issue to Bed
She has a chance to look magnanimous in an increasingly heated tax dispute between City Hall and office tower owners. Instead, she’s digging in.
What This Month’s Boston Tax Fight Is Really About
Is this truly a serious effort by the Wu administration to overcome stiff opposition and get its controversial plan over a big legislative hurdle?
Industry’s $30M Anti-Rent Control Campaign Won’t Be Enough
Ads and harsh warnings won’t be enough to convince voters to turn away from rent control. Industry and sympathetic politicians will need to show voters a better world, first.
Five Real Estate Turkeys for 2025
It’s that time of year again, when we recognize the dumb ideas, political cowardice and dodo development plans that add a little extra spice to life in Massachusetts.
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.
Credit Scores Help Insurance Premiums, Not Just Mortgage Rates
The key to obtaining a lower mortgage rate is a good credit score. But new research has also found a direct link between credit scores and insurance premiums.
Many Homebuilders Are Overextended
Signs suggest many large homebuilders, and even their smaller brethren, have gotten too far out over their skis.
Real Estate Agents Balk at Negotiating Fees
Homebuyers looking to pay their agents directly have found little success, according to a new consumer group study. That’s not what was supposed to happen.
Few Changes in Real Estate Agent Fees
The supposedly “earthshaking” legal settlement that was supposed to drive down real estate commissions wasn’t so tumultuous after all.