Mayor Domenic J. Sarno announced today his preliminary recommendation for Fiscal Year 2018 property tax rates. This will now be sent to the Springfield City Council for consideration at a meeting scheduled for Monday, December 11, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. The recommended rates are $ 19.69 for residential and $39.25 for commercial, industrial, and personal property (CIP) (per $1,000 valuation).

The Massachusetts Association of Realtors® (MAR) reported today that closed sales for single-family homes saw a hike of almost six percent, while prices rose more than five percent. Year-over-year condominium sales also saw a bump, with prices rising almost four percent. Inventory dropped to a record low for the month of October

The grants come from the Center for Community Recovery Innovations, Inc. (CCRI), a nonprofit subsidiary corporation of MassHousing that helps nonprofits create or preserve affordable sober housing in Massachusetts for individuals in recovery. To date, CCRI has awarded more than $10 million in grants for the creation or preservation of more than 2,100 units of substance-free housing, in 50 communities, serving recovery populations that include men, women, families, veterans, the homeless and ex-offenders.

Congressman Joe Kennedy III released the following statement today after House Republicans rejected his amendment to extend the Earned Income Tax Credit to working childless adults by simply maintaining the estate tax.

At a hearing of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, Congresswoman Niki Tsongas (MA-3) spoke in strong opposition to a Republican bill, the Accessing Strategic Resources Offshore Act orASTRO Act, which wouldoverturn reforms put in place after the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster and dramatically expand offshore drilling.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Congressman Richard E. Neal are pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development have approved a $3,650,000 million loan guarantee to the City of Springfield to finance a $41 million redevelopment of the Historic Paramount Theater and Massasoit Building. This transformative project is intended to provide a focal point for cultural and entertainment activities in western Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Association of Realtors® (MAR) reported today that single-family pending home sales jumped over four percent this month from September of last year, with prices rising close to five percent. Pending condominium sales were also up, rising more than three percent over last year, while prices increased slightly. Realtors® confidence in the market and in home prices were both up again in September. This month’s “Hot Topic” question asks Realtors® how they would describe the appraisal process in the last six months

The president and founder of a Falmouth mortgage company pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with defrauding the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) out of approximately $2.5 million.

The Massachusetts Association of Realtors® (MAR) reported today that closed sales for both single-family homes and condominiums were down over two percent in August compared to last year. The median price for single-family homes rose over five percent, while condo prices stayed flat. Inventory reached the lowest level for the month of August since MAR began recording the data in 2004.

The Massachusetts Association of Realtors® (MAR) announced today that Elizabeth “Ella” Morawiak-Paczuska of Preferred Properties Realty in Norwell and Richard Waystack of Jack Conway & Company, Inc. in Harwich Port were named MAR’s 2017 Good Neighbor Award winners for their work on behalf of Project Health CV Inc. and the Bob Murray Housing with Love Walk respectively.

The Massachusetts Association of Realtors® (MAR) announced today that Barb Davis-Hassan, president of Barb Hassan Realty, Inc. in Pittsfield is the Massachusetts Realtor® of the Year for 2017. Davis-Hassan was presented the award at MAR’s Professional Awards Reception, which was held September 14 at the DoubleTree Hilton in Milford.

The Massachusetts Association of Realtors® (MAR) announced today that Gary Rogers, a Realtor® and broker of RE/MAX on the Charles in Waltham, has been named recipient of the Milton H. Shaw Distinguished Service Award for 2017. The award was presented at MAR’s Professional Awards Reception, which was held September 14 at the DoubleTree Hilton in Milford.

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren today raised concerns that certain companies may be aggressively and misleadingly marketing the refinancing of mortgages backed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), generating fees for themselves at the expense of veterans and American taxpayers.

The Massachusetts Association of Realtors® Charitable Foundation announced today that the group is donating $20,000 to the National Association of Realtors® Realtor® Relief Foundation to fund rescue and recovery efforts underway in the areas of Texas most affected by Hurricane Harvey. All funds go to help Realtors® and others in need with temporary housing, mortgage payments and related expenses

Attorney General Maura Healey joined attorneys general from Maryland, New York and California in issuing the following statement in response to yesterday’s release of the Department of Energy (DOE) study on the U.S. electric grid