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Down Payment Assistance? MassHousing Has It!
May 28, 2019
In a higher-cost state like Massachusetts, coming up with a down payment is one of the biggest hurdles for first-time homebuyers. Until recently, down payment assistance programs were few and far between. But today, MassHousing – known to many as the state’s affordable housing bank – offers down payment assistance… -
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From the Editor: Small Plates
May 1, 2019
One thing I remember from Spanish class back in high school had nothing to do with learning to speak Spanish. It had to do with tapas. It wasn’t something I’d ever heard of before. Specifically, what I remember wasn’t the type of food tapas was as much as how it… -
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Trending Topics: Buyer’s Remorse and its Impact on Millennial Homeowners
May 1, 2019
Imagine this scenario, your millennial client has come to you after saving up enough money after years of living in their parents’ house. You help them find a home and they make an accepted offer. The time comes when they move in and everything seems perfect. A few months later,… -
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From the President: The People
May 1, 2019
From what I’ve seen, the 25,000 REALTORS® in Massachusetts have so much in common, yet they are so significantly diverse. In my role as president, I’ve spent a lot of time traveling from one end of the Turnpike to the other and everywhere in-between. During this time, I get to… -
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5QW: George Demopulos: Working with Appraisers
May 1, 2019
Q1: Does an appraiser have a typical day? A: An appraiser’s workday is anything but typical. On any given day, an appraiser will be inspecting properties, conducting field research at town halls, taking comparable sale pictures, and then returning to their office to prepare and complete the written report. An… -
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Five Tips for Staging the Outdoor Living Room
May 1, 2019
1. Spruce Up the Landscaping Do some basic landscaping “clean up” to create a neat space. Things like fixing bare patches in the grass, keeping the grass cut to a healthy height (between 2-3 inches for most varieties), using a leaf blower to clean out flower beds, pruning bushes and… -
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Zillow Talk
May 1, 2019
The Algorithm: The lifeblood of Zillow’s business is its proprietary algorithm for valuing residential properties. Because they are based largely on public information such as assessments, prior sales, and square footage, these valuations may fail to reflect individual features of a home. When they are off, they can be upsetting… -
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Notes from the MAR Legal Hotline
May 1, 2019
Q: Can I put surveillance cameras on my property to make sure the tenants in my vacation rental are following the rules? A: No, while it is certainly understandable that you would want to make sure the provisions of the lease agreement are being followed, placing surveillance cameras in your… -
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From the Bench: Trio of Housing Discrimination Settlements
May 1, 2019
The office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey recently announced settlements in three housing discrimination cases requiring the defendants to pay a total of $40,000, undergo staff training, update fair housing policies, and clarify in property advertisements that Section 8 tenants are welcome. In each of the cases, individuals receiving… -
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Service Animals: Be Careful So You Don’t Get Bitten
May 1, 2019
You are showing an apartment to a prospective tenant who informs you that she has an emotional support animal, a large golden retriever. You know that the building doesn’t allow pets. What should you do? Over the last 10 years or so, there have been many more requests from applicants…
