<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="0.92">
<channel>
	<title></title>
	<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com</link>
	<description></description>
	<lastBuildDate>Sat, 24 Mar 2012 22:51:32 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<docs>http://backend.userland.com/rss092</docs>
	<language>en</language>
	<!-- generator="WordPress/3.2.1" -->

	<item>
		<title>The Boston Development train keeps on chugging.  Next stop: Charlestown.</title>
		<description><![CDATA[According to the article in boston.com today developer Michael Rauseo is finally moving forward, after a 17 year struggle, with permits to convert the old Terminal Storage Building on Medford Street into 124 loft apartments. If all goes as planned Rauseo anticipates having the apartments renting out by fall of 2013 for about $1800 a [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/the-boston-development-train-keeps-on-chugging-next-stop-charlestown/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>FOR RENT: Stunning contemporary single family home.  Belmont</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;m not one to tout listings through this blog, however, my office has just brought to market an incredible single family rental in the Belmont Hills neighborhood. I just had to share: Situated 24 minutes to downtown Boston and 14 minutes to Harvard Square this bold property has an open floor plan, soaring cathedral ceilings, [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/for-rent-stunning-contemporary-single-family-home-belmont/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Warm weather . . . plenty of buyers . . . time to break out the Champagne.</title>
		<description><![CDATA[It is a time honored tradition of real estate agents to believe that the good weather of spring (especially in Boston &#8211; which historically could have snow into March) brings out buyers in droves. Yes, we all know the spring sales market is far superior than say November thru January. Yet, I just doubt that [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/warm-weather-plenty-of-buyers-time-to-break-out-the-champagne/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>&#8220;streamline refi&#8221; program may leave many in the dark . . . still?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[We all know it&#8217;s impossible to please everyone. With that said, I thought the new &#8220;stream line refi&#8221; program the Obama administration was pushing forward with sounded good. The end game is to help borrowers refinances their high interest rate mortgages, cut monthly costs, and save money. It is likely to even help those who [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/streamline-refi-program-may-leave-many-in-the-dark-still/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>MLS Market snapshot from Anthony Tse</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Below is some information compiled by my colleague Anthony Tse of Jacob Realty (anthony@backbaypads.com &#8211; 617 270 5308). Very interesting to see what has actually sold and in what locations. Great statistics that I felt were worth passing along. Big thanks Anthony: with agents like you compiling these numbers I don&#8217;t have to do any [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/mls-market-snapshot-from-anthony-tse/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Court ruling to let $450 Fenway project move forward</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In a major step forward for developer John Rosenthal a Massachusetts Land Court judge has dismissed a zoning challenge that has stalled for the past 3 years his $450 Million complex that is planned to have apartments, stores, and offices, over the Mass Pike just west of Fenway Park. Yet another good sign for commercial [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/court-ruling-to-let-450-fenway-project-move-forward/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Charlestown open houses . . . . thoughts.</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Today I went and took a look at 5 different condos in Charlestown that were having an open house. No, I&#8217;m not looking to purchase. However, I was looking at what was currently listed to compare for a listing I&#8217;m hoping to bring to the market soon. I have to say that from what I [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/charlestown-open-houses-thoughts/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>On the fence: rent vs buy?  The answer is BUY!!!</title>
		<description><![CDATA[If you are in the market for a rental property in the next few months in and around Boston and are considering spending $1000, $1200, or even more per bedroom (assuming you have a roommate) I would suggest you strongly consider purchasing a property. If you are worried about being tied down realize that depending [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/on-the-fence-rent-vs-buy-the-answer-is-buy/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>In case you missed it . . . .</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Slightly old news but worth getting out there again. This week is was announced that Boston Residential Group has plans to tear down the Home for Little Wanderers in Jamaica Plain and construct a brand new $75,000,000.00 building with about 200 apartments and 175 parking spaces. According to BRG president, Curtis Kemeny, he hopes to [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/in-case-you-missed-it/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>203K Loans . . . FHA should bring them back for investors</title>
		<description><![CDATA[So a colleague of mine passed along an interesting read from RISmedia this past week about how the FHA should reinstate 203K Loans. A 203K Loan is commonly referred to as a rehabilitation loan and the article discussed how it could greatly help with the REO problem we are still in the middle of across [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/203k-loans-fha-should-bring-them-back-for-investors/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Seaport District keeps chugging along . . .</title>
		<description><![CDATA[So things are getting even hotter over in the seaport. Local developer John Hynes is pushing forward with plans for twin 20 story towers on Seaport Boulevard and Construction giant Skanska USA is teaming up with Twining Properties, developer of the Watermark over in Kendall Square, to build a 300 Unit apartment complex with retail [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/seaport-district-keeps-chugging-along/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Housing Crisis to End in 2012 as Banks Loosen Credit Standards</title>
		<description><![CDATA[01/24/2012 By: Krista Franks 01/24/2012 By: Krista Franks Capital Economics expects the housing crisis to end this year, according to a report released Tuesday. One of the reasons: loosening credit. The analytics firm notes the average credit score required to attain a mortgage loan is 700. While this is higher than scores required prior to [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/housing-crisis-to-end-in-2012-as-banks-loosen-credit-standards/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Old Filene&#8217;s site to be built on!!!!! Hip-Hip Hooray!!!</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Boston.com is reporting that Millennium Partner&#8217;s is teaming with Vorando Realty Trust to push forward with plans to finally develop the old Filene&#8217;s basement site that has sat desolate since the summer of 2008. Let&#8217;s hope this is the beginning of the end for one of the more disastrous blunders in the history of Boston [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/old-filenes-site-to-be-built-on-hip-hip-hooray/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Landlord charged with discrimination for non-deleading compliance</title>
		<description><![CDATA[According to Banker and Tradesman this week an apartment owner of 24 units in Holyoke was charged with discriminating against a potential tenant with children because her property did not have a deluded certificate. All property owners need to be aware that just because your property doesn&#8217;t have a lead free certificate DOES NOT mean [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/landlord-charged-with-discrimination-for-non-deleading-compliance/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Tired of having your apartment shown 5 times a day?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[If you are living in an apartment around the Symphony area, Mission Hill, or Allston and are not renewing your lease chances are your apartment is being shown on a very frequent basis. For some of you it may mean upwards of 5 or more times a day. So what can you do about this? [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/tired-of-having-your-apartment-shown-5-times-a-day/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Boston.com: rents are through the roof.</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Anyone who has been following the musing on this site is no stranger to the fact that for about a year I have been beating the drum of the tightening rental market in Boston. Now, boston.com is joining me in spreading the word. I knew they would come around. The fact is that because the [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/boston-com-rents-are-through-the-roof/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Seaport District to get a massive facelift</title>
		<description><![CDATA[If all goes according to plan 2012 appears to be the year that Boston&#8217;s Seaport District will truly be engaged in some big developments. As boston.com reports developers are purposing to begin construction of more than 1,700 apartments within the coming months. I think that if this goes through (and with the onslaught of BRA [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/seaport-district-to-gets-a-massive-facelift/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Harold Brown fears return to rent control</title>
		<description><![CDATA[According to the BBJ at a recent Boston Multifamily Housing Summit famed real estate developer and CEO of The Hamilton Company, Mr. Harold Brown, fears a potential return to the nightmare of rent control. Brown notes that in his opinion there is a limit on how many &#8220;rich people&#8221; are around and can afford to [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/harold-brown-fears-return-to-rent-control/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Tips for renters . . . . a must read.</title>
		<description><![CDATA[If you are one of the many college students throughout the greater Boston area and are looking to move off campus NOW is the rush for next September 1st. I tell this to almost every client I work with but here are a few tips to keep in mind. These are directly from the trenches [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/tips-for-renters-a-must-read/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Happy New Year &#8211; the rental season begins!!</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Happy New Year!!! The long silence of the Holidays is over and we are facing down the belly of the beast for another rental rush throughout the city that begins NOW and will end by mid-September. Many of Boston&#8217;s finest higher education establishments have classes that begin tomorrow and my office is already swimming in [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/happy-new-year-the-rental-season-begins/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Neighbors and Rushing have opposition to planned Back Bay tower</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Many of you know that Simon Property Group is trying to build a 47 story residential condo building on the last parcel of land that can be developed down by Copley Place. The tower would consist of 318 condos, 10 of which they say will now be affordable units, a new space for an expanded [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/neighbors-and-rushing-have-opposition-to-planed-back-bay-tower/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>A view of the next year in Boston residential real estate</title>
		<description><![CDATA[It is almost near mid-November and many renters just moved into their current apartment two and a half months ago. However, it is already time for many landlords in the city to begin probing about renewals &#8211; especially in the markets directly adjacent to some of the major high learning institutions such as Mission Hill, [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/a-view-of-the-next-year-in-boston-residential-real-estate/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Sellers: this is a business.  No time to cry over low ball offers</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I was browsing some of the other blogs throughout our cyber world today. The one and only Mr. Van Voorhis hit a home run in my opinion today when he pined about not crying over low ball offers. This was taken from his post on the boston.com real estate blog. Sorry, but if you get [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/sellers-this-is-a-business-no-time-to-cry-over-low-ball-offers/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>It is official: Globe says apartment boom is occuring in the Hub</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Now that the stalwarts over at the Globe have reported an apartment boom it must be official. All kidding aside, this should be good news in the long(er) term for renters facing a super competitive market throughout Boston and sky rocketing apartment prices. If all pans out it appears over 1000 new apartment units should [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/it-is-official-globe-says-apartment-boom-is-occurign-in-the-hub/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>I thought we bailed these guys out . . . .</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Interesting blurb in B&#038;T yesterday about the feds asking Bank of America about what their plan B is if things go further south: The Federal Reserve has asked Bank of America Corp. to show what measures it could take if business conditions worsen, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the situation. BofA [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/i-thought-we-bailed-these-guys-out/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Bye Bye September First</title>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s over . . . . the college kids have moved in (and a good deal of professionals as well), the traffic is starting to calm down, the overflowing dumpsters are beginning to recede, most couches have been removed from the sidewalks of Allston, and I don&#8217;t see orange tickets from housing inspectors flailing in [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/bye-bye-september-first/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>New FHA rules set to tighten condo lending</title>
		<description><![CDATA[As if the residential sales market needed another swift kick to the gut the FHA has issued tighter restrictions on condominium lending that are stricter than it&#8217;s 2009 standards. Banker and Tradesman has a nice run down of the new points: What You Need To Know Here&#8217;s a rundown of the essential points of new [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/new-fha-rules-set-to-tighten-condo-lending/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Maxwell&#8217;s Green moving forward</title>
		<description><![CDATA[According to the Boston Business Journal the major Somerville development project known as Maxwell&#8217;s Green has just secured financing. Woo Hoo!! The developers behind the 184-unit Maxwell&#8217;s Green residential development in Somerville, Mass., said Wednesday that they had lined up financing for the $52.5 million project and hired a contractor. Davis Square Partners, which is [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/maxwells-green-moving-forward/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Concerning rents</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I fear that the article referenced in my post below from this past Monday&#8217;s Boston Globe is not fully accurate when accounting various sub-markets within Boston. For example: in Brighton my database has a total of 248 apartments available for rent between now and 9/1/11. That figure includes 76 two bedroom apartments, 50 three bedroom [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/concerning-rents/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Boston rents reach all time high . . . . $$$</title>
		<description><![CDATA[According to boston.com rents within the greater Boston market have reached an all time high with a median price of $1,665 a month. This ranks us as the 5th most expensive rental market in the Country behind the New York and Southern Connecticut markets as well as San Francisco. If you&#8217;re a renter this news [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/boston-rents-reach-all-time-high/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Ultra Luxury market hitting an upward stride</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Boston.com today reports that the $13.2 million paid for the Penthouse at the posh Mandarin Oriental is the most expensive condo sold in Boston. Recession? What Recession? The Ultra Luxury (no not luxury $1Mil condos. We are talking ULTRA LUXURY multi million dollar condos) market is doing swell. Condos that are priced $10 Million or [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/ultra-luxury-market-hitting-an-upward-stride/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>June 30th &#8211; Quick check on the rental market.</title>
		<description><![CDATA[According to the largest leasing database in New England: South Boston has 26 apartments available for September 1st. Charlestown has 8 apartments available for September 1st. Back Bay has 43 apartments available for September 1st. Beacon Hill has 15 apartments available for September 1st. Looks like the summer of me hanging out on the beach [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/june-30th-quick-check-on-the-rental-market/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Home ownership: the American Dream lives on</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Here is a feel good, moral boosting, piece from the New York Times that sites nearly 9 out of 10 Americans feel home ownership is an important part of the American Dream. That is great. The scary part of the poll is that 45% think the government should be &#8220;doing more to improve the housing [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/home-ownership-the-american-dream-lives-on/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Developers: get in now.  Don&#8217;t be the last to the apartment party.</title>
		<description><![CDATA[From the pages of Banker and Tradesmen comes an interesting piece urging developers to think twice about throwing caution to the wind and going all in on the rise of the apartment building boom. It is actually good food for thought. I think the tougher issue is trying to pin point when the right time [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/developers-get-in-now-dont-be-the-last-to-the-apartment-party/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Quick rental market check: 6/21/11</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Ok renters here ya go: In Charlestown I have a total of 27 apartments for rent from now until September 1st. That includes studios, 1 beds, 2 beds, and 3 bed apartments. In South Boston I have a total of 9 three bedroom apartments in my office&#8217;s database. Not to brag but it is the [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/quick-rental-market-check-62111/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Update on the Filene&#8217;s site: Vorando reluctant to sell.</title>
		<description><![CDATA[It appears, according to boston.com that the owner of the depleted lot on which the former Filene&#8217;s basement site, Vorando Realty Trust, is unwilling to accept it&#8217;s demise on the project and sell at a hefty loss. Reportedly bids came in around $50 Million or about a quarter of what Vorando paid for the site. [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/update-on-the-filenes-site-vorando-reluctant-to-sell/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Harvard: &#8220;The state of the nation&#8217;s housing is sobering&#8221;</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Well if it wasn&#8217;t official already Harvard has put its stamp of failure on the national housing market. It almost feels as if the report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies is a kick in the stomach while the market is already on the group and hurt. There are more than a few [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/harvard-the-state-of-the-nations-housing-is-sobering/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Rising rents push fears of inflation</title>
		<description><![CDATA[No surprise in this earth shattering report that rents are on the rise across the country. I&#8217;ve been beating that drum since I started writing on this blog. What does have the ability to be earth shattering is that, according to Bloomberg News, the rising cost of renting house stocks are helping to increase the [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/rising-rents-push-fears-of-inflation/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Police, Problem tenants, and fines . . .</title>
		<description><![CDATA[According to this article on boston.com which discusses some particular problem properties throughout the city, police have been called to various locations of 22-36 times the past year for various disturbances. The article highlights some interesting aspects of the problems that are faced by the police in responding to these properties and the goal of [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/police-problem-tenants-and-fines/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Boston Property owners must read: GREEN TICKET LAW</title>
		<description><![CDATA[New procedures for code enforcement will be affecting your taxes!! GREEN TICKET LAW The Green Ticket Law is now in effect – As of May 14th, 2010 any code violation tickets (including improper trash removal, snow removal, yard issues, etc) will be added to the owner of the properties Quarterly Tax Bills starting this DEC [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/boston-property-owners-must-read-green-ticket-law/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>April Sales figures: the sky continues to fall</title>
		<description><![CDATA[According to a piece in today&#8217;s Boston Herald home sales figures in Massachusetts dropped 23% this April when compared to a year ago. Condo sales dropped a staggering 28%. The only silver lining in the figures that are compiled from MLS is a 6.6% rise in the Median Condo sale price. Looks like the home [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/april-sales-figures-the-sky-continues-to-fall/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Update from the development front</title>
		<description><![CDATA[While many are still reeling from the sagging economy some major Boston development plans are moving ahead as posted earlier on this blog. This author thinks it is a positive sign for the future. Here is a development that is set to change the skyline and feel of Mass Ave and Boylston street. The area [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/update-from-the-development-front/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Mass Gas Prices: $4+ a gallon</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Jeez this is totally non-real estate related here: With the onslaught of close to, and, at some stations in the Boston area ABOVE $4 a gallon for gasoline is it rude if I put a tip jar in my car when I meet clients for showings? What if real estate agents started to run meters [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/mass-gas-prices-4-a-gallon/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>The Boston Student rental market: 5/7/11</title>
		<description><![CDATA[We&#8217;ve officially passed from the days of finals to the days of graduation and the academic calendar has summer break written all over it. If you&#8217;ve got a rental property in and around one of the major universities or colleges in Boston the majority of the potential renters have either found places to live for [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/the-boston-student-rental-market-5711/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Downtown Boston highrise to hit the sales market</title>
		<description><![CDATA[So I was browsing through Banker and Tradesman and noticed that 33 Arch Street in downtown is rumored to be going up for sale. While the asking price looks to be steep at potential upwards of $600 a square foot ($360 Million) the property is one of the few properties in the downtown market to [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/downtown-boston-highrise-to-hit-the-sales-market/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Trulia: Home ownership in Boston is more expensive than renting</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Supporting the upward spike in rental demand and the rush for seemingly every developer and investor in the city to gobble up rental property, Trulia, is claiming that the cost of owning property in Boston is more expensive than renting. The cost of homeownership in Boston, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Portland and Oakland continues [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/trulia-home-ownership-in-boston-is-more-expensive-than-renting/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Real Estate battle: Cambridge vs. Somerville</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Dig &#8211; a weekly publication in and around Boston &#8211; has an interesting piece on Somerville Vs. Cambridge Real estate. The article has some great statistic on sales numbers, difference in property taxes, cost of living, and other aspects that should factor into any potentials buyers decision of where to live. It also went [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/real-estate-battle-cambridge-vs-somerville/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Weston home sells for $15.6 Million, sets record</title>
		<description><![CDATA[A single family house just sold for $15.6 Million in the western suburb of Weston, a town that continutes to defy the housing slump. Granted it sold for roughly $4 Million under the original asking price, however, it&#8217;s still a phenomenal sale. This is the most ever paid for a single family in the town [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/weston-home-sells-for-15-6-million-sets-record/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Former Sox Star sells Ritz condo</title>
		<description><![CDATA[According to Banker and Tradesman Mike Lowell, former Red Sox World Series MVP, just sold his luxury condo at the Ritz Towers for $1.75 Million. It has been on the market for 461. Yes that is 461 days. For those of you that don&#8217;t have over a year to let your Boston condo sit on [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/former-sox-star-sells-ritz-condo/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Banks = some of the biggest delinquent property owners</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Great article from boston.com about how both Wells Fargo and Bank of America are 2 of the top delinquent property owners in the city of Boston with fines of more than $80K owed to inspectional services for letting many of the forecolsed properties they own to fall into disrepair and become a &#8220;blight&#8221; to the [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://bostonrealestateblog.com/banks-some-of-the-biggest-delinquent-property-owners/</link>
			</item>
</channel>
</rss>

