Mass. Transportation Plans Are Working – and Must Continue
Last year, state leaders set specific priorities and followed through. But as we begin 2026, we should not confuse incremental progress for long-term success.
‘The Nation’s Housing’ Columnist Kenneth Harney Dies at 75
Kenneth R. Harney, the author for four decades of the syndicated real estate column “The Nation’s Housing,” which explored issues faced by homeowners and home buyers, died May 23 at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland. He was 75.
New Lawsuits Raise Question of Who Should Pay Homebuyer’s Agent
The long knives are out again for one of American real estate’s oldest and most controversial traditions: requiring home sellers to pay the agents who represent the buyers of their properties.
Zillow Faces Legal Action Over its Co-Marketing Program
A class-action suit against the online realty giant Zillow is moving forward after insider whistleblowers alleged that the company designed its controversial “co-marketing” program to violate federal anti-kickback laws.
Lenders Open Doors to a Wider Swath of Homebuyers
Do you want to buy a house but worry that your credit profile will disqualify you for a mortgage? Take another look: A new study suggests that you might find lenders a little friendlier and more flexible than you thought.
Is Trump’s Tax Overhaul Impacting Real Estate?
A new report from the New York Federal Reserve sheds a little light on a question that’s been hanging over the American real estate market: Has the massive tax overhaul adopted by Congress in late 2017 had any effect on whether consumers want to buy or sell homes?
More Americans Choosing Not to Tap into Their Home Equity
American homeowners are doing something surprising: Despite record amounts of home equity available to them – an estimated $1.5 trillion – they are tapping into it less via home-equity credit lines and cash-out refinancings.
Strong Spring Real Estate Season Shaping Up – But Who’s Got the Advantage?
Have we arrived at one of those rare Goldilocks moments in real estate, where the market works well for both sellers and buyers, strongly favoring neither?
New Financial Tools Offer a Boost to Credit Ratings
Here’s some good news for anyone whose credit scores aren’t quite as high as they’d like them to be: Three new financial tools have come to market – or soon will be available – that could give your scores a shot of adrenaline when you need it most.
Class Action Suit Could Change Real Estate Commissions
In what could be the most far-reaching antitrust lawsuit for the real estate market in decades, the National Association of Realtors and four of the largest realty companies have been accused of a conspiracy to systematically overcharge home sellers.
Buying a Home Just Got Easier for Many in the Gig Economy
If you’re one of the millions of Americans who are self-employed or earn money on the side through freelance, contract or “gig” work, you may know the drill firsthand: Applying for a mortgage can be an intrusive ordeal.
Who Provides the More Accurate Home Valuation: Zillow or Redfin?
When you type in a home’s street address to obtain an online valuation from the two biggest players in the field – Zillow’s Zestimate or Redfin’s Estimate tools – how good is what you get?
What Happens to Your Mortgage Disclosures After Closing?
About 54,000 mortgage borrowers recently had their financial data exposed to identity thieves trolling around on the Internet. Borrowers had no hint that they were vulnerable, and many may still not know that a breach occurred.
Your FICO Score is Not Your Mortgage Destiny
In actual application situations, lenders who want to increase their loan business to homebuyers may dig deeper into the credit pool and offer relatively more attractive rate deals to people whose scores are not pristine.
National Housing Market Shows Signs of Hope
Combined with other recent trends – growing inventories of homes available for sale, slower price inflation and even modest price reductions – the decline in mortgage rates should be encouraging for anyone seriously in the market for a home.
Your DIY Project Didn’t Turn Out Quite Right? You’ve Got Company
When done right, DIYs are great, saving you money and time. They can even be fun and give you a sense of pride in what you’ve accomplished. But they can also be rolling disasters when they go off the rails.
Rural, Exurban Homebuyers Hit Hardest by Shutdown
When the government shuts its doors because of a funding brouhaha that pits the White House against Capitol Hill, who gets hit hardest among people needing a home mortgage? It all depends on the type of loan you seek and where you’re located.
Is Your Real Estate Agent Looking Out for You, Or Someone Else?
If agents’ disclosures aren’t clear to you, probe further. You need to know who — if anyone — has your best interests paramount.
How Much Can You Afford to Pay for a New Home?
Imagine having to save up your money to purchase your first home for more than a half million bucks, and the place you buy is a two-bedroom, 1,200-square-foot starter home – yikes!
Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Could Hit Delay as Congress Changes Hands
It’s Christmas time for special interests, and Democrats could throw a wrench in the works
