Boston Real Estate Market

Non-compliant MBTA communities given more time to add multi-family zoning. Fifteen Massachusetts communities failed to meet the compliance deadline for the MBTA Communities Act. In response, Attorney General Andrea Campbell issued a legal advisory announcing that the state will postpone any litigation against these non-compliant communities until January 1, 2026. Although legal action has been delayed, communities that missed the July 14 deadline lost eligibility for certain state grant funding opportunities.  The MTA Communities Act mandated that municipalities served by commuter rail stations must have at least one “reasonably sized district where multifamily housing can be built.” In June, a […]

Multifamily Mattapan development under review Kirk Phillips of Bigyard Realty, LLC has proposed a 40-unit residential development for a collection of vacant lots in Mattapan’s Franklin Field North section. Located at the corner of Wales Street and Browning Avenue, the five vacant parcels offer 25,694 square feet of underutilized space.Plans would create four studios, 15 one-bedroom, 13 two-bedroom and eight three-bedroom units over five stories. The development would also feature shared outdoor spaces like fourth-floor roof decks, a ground-floor terrace and play areas, as well as underground parking. “The building is designed to provide appropriate access to daylight and fresh […]

450 acres of government land to become housing in Massachusetts MABA MassachusettsRealEstate FirstTimeHomeBuyers MaBuyerAgent  A collection of state-owned properties totaling 450 acres has been designated for new housing development. Under the direction of the Healey Driscoll administration, these surplus state properties will be awarded or auctioned to developers for reconstruction as housing. According to a press release issued by the governor’s office, the move may create as many as 3,500 new units of housing in the Bay State.  Construction has already begun on several of the properties, including the former Boston State Hospital campus in Mattapan, the former Department of […]

Metro Market Statistics in Massachusetts Understanding the numbers behind one of the country’s most dynamic real estate markets MABA MassachusettsRealEstate FirstTimeHomeBuyers #MaBuyerAgent Massachusetts has long been a hotbed for real estate activity, thanks to its blend of historic charm, top-tier schools, and strong job markets. From the urban intensity of Boston to the scenic suburbs and coastal towns, each metro area brings its own market flavor. Understanding metro-level statistics is essential for both buyers and sellers navigating today’s competitive climate. Whether you’re eyeing a Cambridge condo or a Worcester colonial, local data offers insight into trends, pricing power, and buyer […]

Housing Shortage Tracker: A Forward-Looking Perspective on Housing Supply in Boston – Summer 2025 MABA MassachusettsRealEstate FirstTimeHomeBuyers MaBuyerAgent  As we head into the summer of 2025, Boston’s housing market remains firmly in the grip of a long-standing and increasingly urgent supply shortage. While demand remains strong across many neighborhoods, the pace of new construction continues to lag far behind the city’s growing population and shifting housing needs. Rising interest rates and increased construction costs have slowed development timelines, creating even more strain. This shortage is not just affecting first-time homebuyers it’s impacting renters, downsizers, and investors alike. In this Housing […]

Concessions Near Record Levels as Sellers Attempt to Woo Buyers MABA MassachusettsRealEstate FirstTimeHomeBuyers MaBuyerAgent  A new analysis from Redfin shows that in forty four percent of U.S. home sale transactions in quarter one, home sellers made concessions to purchasers. That is only behind the forty five point one percent record high set at the beginning of 2023, and it is up from thirty nine point three percent a year ago.  Data given by Redfin buyers’ agents nationwide, spanning rolling three-month periods from 2019 to the present, served as the basis for this analysis. When an agent notes that a seller […]

New-home construction drops more than expected in March MABA MassachusettsRealEstate FirstTimeHomeBuyers MaBuyerAgent  Housing starts plunged in March, coming in well below an already low consensus estimate. Overall new-home construction, which includes single-family and multifamily units, fell eleven point four percent from February’s downwardly revised measurement to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of one million three hundred and twenty four thousand units, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said. Year over year, the rate was up one point nine percent. The consensus estimate was for an annual rate of one million four hundred and […]

Taking Tech Innovations to the Next Level MABA MassachusettsRealEstate FirstTimeHomeBuyers MaBuyerAgent This article originally appeared in the April 2025 edition of MortgagePoint magazine, online now. Rick Hill, VP of Industry Technology at the MBA & President of MISMO Rick Hill is VP of Industry Technology at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) and acting President of the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO). He is responsible for managing MBA’s technology initiatives within the real estate finance industry, managing MBA’s Technology Committees, and developing technology content for MBA conferences and events. Before joining MBA, Hill was the Director of Data Strategy at Fannie Mae, […]

Jackson Square revitalization continues with Betty Greene Apartments MABA MassachusettsRealEstate FirstTimeHomeBuyers MaBuyerAgent Community members celebrated progress in Jackson Square at the grand opening of a new affordable housing development in the neighborhood. Mayor Michelle Wu, along with the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, MassHousing, Urban Edge and local elected officials, celebrated the opening of the Betty Greene Apartments earlier this week. The development’s name honors late housing and community advocate Betty Greene. The six-story, sixty five unit development, which offers housing for low- and moderate-income families, was made possible through the Jackson Square Redevelopment Initiative, a joint venture […]

Redfin joins the Clear Cooperation fray; won’t publish listings until they’re on the MLS MABA MassachusettsRealEstate FirstTimeHomeBuyers MaBuyerAgent  Redfin has joined the ranks of other real estate platforms taking a stand against the National Association of REALTORS’® updated Clear Cooperation Policy, which now allows sellers to delay marketing their properties. “Because we believe that all buyers should be able to see all listings, Redfin.com will not publish any listings that have been publicly marketed before being shared with all real estate websites via the MLS,” Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman said in a statement.  He added that to encourage home-sellers to […]