Mayor Marty Walsh said Monday that after months of working with the City Council, he signed a home rule petition that would give Boston the ability to implement a transfer fee of up to two percent on the purchase price of any private real estate sale over $2 million. Read the US News Report here.

If approved, the cost of the fee would be split between the purchaser and seller. The funding generated would go to the Neighborhood Housing Trust Fund or would be appropriated through the annual budget process to support the creation and preservation of affordable housing in the city.

Currently Sellers pay for a mandatory real estate tax stamps at the rate of $4.56 per thousand for all Massachusetts sales with a few counties charging more.

My estimations show that in 2019 with 80,000+ sales in MA this year (not including auction or non-mls) with a volume of $41,581,812,351…Wouldn’t that be $189 million paid in tax stamps in 2019? Where does that money go?

NPR ran a great article recently about mortgage secrets that will save you money. All 7 tips are definitely noteworthy and although number 4 is accurate, it's not for everyone. There's another way to acheive similar results without the commitment to a 15-year. Work with a trusted lender and definitely speak with as many as you need to until you feel comfortable. We have a network of preferred lenders who have proven themselves over the years. 

This just may be one of the best quotes I've read in my 33 years of being in real estate... “Just because you know a realtor doesn’t mean they’ll do the right job for you,’’ Presti said. “They may not be working full time in the business or have the right experience for selling the type of property you want to sell or they may not be [...]

Ipswich, Massachusetts is home to 59 houses that were constructed in the First Period, or 1625-1725, of English settlement. Essex County is home to more First Period homes than any where else in the country. That kind of history means your chances of coming across a "haunted house" in your home search are higher. Would you buy a home that was suspect of a poltergeist or that cabin in the woods? Fall in love with a house that looks like the one from Amityville or Beetlejuice? Interestingly, whether or not the property has been the site of an alleged para psychological or supernatural phenomenon shall not be deemed a material fact required to be disclosed in a real estate transaction. SO ASK! Sellers are required to answer truthfully IF ASKED! Buyers BEWARE!!!

Ask any active home buyer what today's north-of-Boston real estate market is like and I guarantee you will hear some tales of woe; open houses akin to Grand Central Station, bidding wars and rejected offers (depsite the most romantic real estate love letter). It looks like Fairway Mortgage has created something new to give you a leg up. Check out Fairway's 3-2-1 Go Program; it might give you the green light you've been waiting for.

  Shopping for a home in this tight real estate market with low inventory can be oh so unromantic. Multiple offers and bidding wars on most listings are a source of frustration and disappointment among ready, willing and able buyers due to simple low supply and high demand. What can you do to get your foot in the door? First: commit to a real estate professional who is committed to you, someone you trust. There are at least 10 ways to get your offer accepted in a seller's market and a seasoned real estate advisor knows how to put this into action. Then: take your agent's advice, put your creative writing cap on and profess your love. Real estate love letters work! Here are some tips on how to write an offer (love) letter that will win the house. There are no guarantees but our goal is to give you the best possible shot at your forever home.