A new report has found local option transfer taxes could harm rather than help Massachusetts housing and highlights alternatives to how the state should confront the housing crisis.  The report from the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, BOMA International and Tufts University Center for State Policy Analysis warns new real estate transfer taxes may backfire, reducing tax revenue by 60% and worsening the state’s housing crisis. The research found that a 2% tax on last year’s real estate sales would have produced a loss of nearly 60 cents on every dollar collected in what the report called ..read more

A judge on Thursday gave final approval to settlements for Anywhere Real Estate, Keller Williams and RE/MAX in the Sitzer-Burnett commissions lawsuit in Missouri. RE/MAX ($55 million) and Anywhere ($83 million) reached settlement agreements before the trial took place. Keller Williams reached a $70 million settlement after the verdict last fall.  “Since entering into the settlement last fall, RE/MAX has been committed to obtaining final approval,” RE/MAX Holdings CEO Erik Carlson said in a news release. “We are thrilled to be leading the way in moving forward, maintaining our focus on sup ..read more

  What was your most interesting job before going into real estate? I was a helicopter pilot for 11 years. Prior to that, I served in the United States Navy Where did you grow up? Western Massachusetts Growing up, what did you want to be? A computer programmer What do you do to relax when you’re stressed? Downhill ski in the winter. I also keep saltwater fish. If you could meet any well-known figure (living or not), who would it be and why? Any of the founding fathers. What is Boston’s best-kept secret? Not sure, ask me about secrets in the Berkshires and I’ll know though! What do you lo ..read more

Forty-four percent of adults would buy their childhood home if it was financially feasible, according to a new survey from Zillow — and that number is even higher among millennials and Gen Z adults. Zillow attributes this trend to a growing sense of nostalgia for easier times. “It appears younger generations aren’t just nostalgic for low-rise jeans and Barbie, but for a simpler time in their lives when home was a place of comfort and safety,” Manny Garcia, senior population scientist at Zillow, said in a press release. “They may associate positive memories with their childhood home, having liv ..read more

What’s the best social media platform to market a home or reach potential clients? Take our survey and let us know.  The post Survey: How do Boston agents maximize their social media? appeared first on Boston Agent Magazine ..read more

Teresa Murnane of Auburn has joined ERA Key Realty Services Auburn office as a Realtor. Murnane, an Auburn resident, was previously a Realtor representing both buyers and sellers with Lamacchia Realty Inc. in Worcester. She started her career as a Realtor for eXp Realty in Auburn. “I’m thrilled to put my years of experience to work with ERA Key,” Murnane said. “Driven by my passion for real estate and my unwavering commitment to provide an exceptional client experience, I am eager to turn my clients’ dreams into reality. I believe that communication and a genuine relationship with my clients i ..read more

The Healey-Driscoll administration has kicked off a statewide initiative to raise awareness about the pressing need to reduce housing expenses throughout Massachusetts while emphasizing the impact housing has on everyday life.  Over the coming weeks, numerous events will showcase the different ways housing affects residents’ lives and emphasize the importance of making housing more accessible to everyone. Additionally, Gov. Maura T. Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and cabinet secretaries will promote the administration’s initiatives to boost housing construction and reduce expenses, such as ..read more

Tom Brady’s former Commonwealth Avenue condo is for sale once again. This time with a price tag of $8,495,000.  Located in the historic Burrage Mansion, one of the most prestigious addresses in Boston’s Back Bay, the 314 Commonwealth Ave. property boasts 55 feet of frontage. It’s listed by Boston luxury real estate agent Beth Dickerson of Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty. Photo courtesy Beth Dickerson, senior global real estate advisor, Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty. Brady purchased the second-floor unit in 2004 for $4,125,000. He sold it four years later for $5,285,000.&nb ..read more

Welcome to the 2024 version of the Truth About Agents, where we survey our readers to find out what’s what about the Boston residential real estate industry. Our annual report examines compensation, training priorities, client profiles, new construction, real estate teams and more. We collected the data from hundreds of agents over February and March to create a clearer picture of real estate professionals in the Boston area. This is your opportunity to see where and how you align with your peers. How does your compensation stack up? Is your marketing emphasis the same as most others’, or not ..read more

If you’ve paid any attention to the news cycle this past month, you’ve likely seen inflammatory articles on the NAR settlement and subsequent think pieces on what this means for the industry. And if you’ve seen these articles, you may be wondering what that means for your business and the industry at large. A few examples: “Buying a home? Realtor commissions could shrink after legal settlement.” “One analyst said over 50% of nation’s 1.6M agents could be out of business.” “Thanks to NAR settlement, real estate is in its wild west era.” It’s no surprise that buyers, sellers and agents alike are ..read more