WALTHAM, Mass. - May 25, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that median home prices for single-family homes and condominiums showed slight signs of improvement in April. While median prices were down 12.5 percent for single-family homes and 14.2 percent for condos, it is the smallest annual price decrease since October 2008 and November 2008 respectively. On a month-to-month basis single-family median prices were up 7.8 percent from March, the largest month-to-month increase since MAR has been tracking monthly median prices. Single-family home sales were down 13 percent in April compared to the same time last year, while condominium sales were down 28.8 percent.

“On a year-over-year basis, median prices are still feeling the weight of the market correction that has been taking place over the past 20 months,” said MAR President Gary Rogers, a broker at RE/MAX First Realty in Waltham. “However, it is encouraging to see month-to-month median prices going up, as it is reflective of the increased activity REALTORS® are seeing today as buyers are looking to get back into the market.”

Bank of Canton recognized as top producing lender and top minority lender. BOSTON, MA - May 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — MassHousing recently honored seven of the agency’s top-producing lending partners for 2008 during its annual Home Ownership Awards Ceremony.

BOSTON, MA - May 20, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — MassHousing has approved $390,000 in funding for the creation or preservation of affordable sober housing for men and women in Roxbury, Westfield, Holyoke, Gloucester and Lowell. The MassHousing grants, ranging from $23,672 to $90,000, will come from the Center for Community Recovery Innovations, Inc. (CCRI), a nonprofit subsidiary corporation of MassHousing that creates and preserves affordable sober housing in Massachusetts for recovering substance abusers. CCRI to date has awarded more than $4 million in grants for sober housing for more than 1,000 units of substance-free housing in more than two dozen communities for men, women, families, veterans, the homeless and ex-offenders.

BOSTON, MA - May 12, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — MassHousing announced today that it will loan up to $28.6 million to the Framingham Housing Authority for the renovation of The Musterfield at Concord Place, a 110-unit public housing development for low-income residents.

First quarter sales down for single-family and condos while multi-family sales increase over 50%. WALTHAM, MA - April 29, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that single-family home sales were down 4.7 percent in March compared to the same time last year, while condominium sales were down 19.8 percent. Median prices were up from February for both single-family homes and condos. However, the year-over-year median price for a single-family home was down 19 percent and condominiums prices were down 14.9 percent compared to March 2008.

BOSTON, MA - April 29, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — MassHousing announced today that East Cambridge Savings Bank is now an approved lender of MassHousing’s MassAdvantage™ family of affordable home loan products to low- and moderate-income homebuyers.

BOSTON, MA - April 27, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — As part of his Massachusetts Recovery Plan to secure the state’s economic future, Governor Deval Patrick today announced today that the latest series of free “Opportunity Knocks’’ regional homebuyer fairs and open houses to promote affordable homeownership opportunities in Massachusetts will held on Saturday, May 2, and Saturday, May 9, at 10 shopping malls across Massachusetts.

April 07, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Thomas M. Menino, together with the Boston Home Center, today hosted hundreds of residents at the City's second Homeowner Foreclosure Prevention Workshop in an effort to connect some of Boston's most vulnerable homeowners with their mortgage servicer to see if they can avoid foreclosure. Today's event, held at Madison Park High School in Roxbury, drew seven servicers, eight non-profit housing organizations, and more than 200 homeowners.

WALTHAM, MA - April 01, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) announced today that it has named Congressman Barney Frank, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, its first “Distinguished Champion of Housing Opportunities.” Chairman Frank received the proclamation from the Association for his tireless work and support for legislation and regulations to ensure a robust and sustainable housing market. MAR made the presentation to the Chairman at the New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Congressional Luncheon on Friday, March 27, 2009 in Acushnet, Mass

March 31, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Thomas M. Menino, joined by Former Vice President Al Gore, this afternoon named the Boston Climate Action Leadership Committee, a 21 member group representing a broad spectrum of the community charged with charting Boston’s collective response to climate change. The Mayor also announced that $6.5 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be awarded to implement Renew Boston, an innovative public-private partnership that will boost energy efficiency and alternative energy services for Boston residents and businesses.

Boston, MA - March 30, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — A large, Boston-based real estate corporation, The Community Builders, Inc. (TCB), and nearly two dozen associated property owners have agreed to pay a $200,000 penalty and spend more than $2 million in lead paint abatement work at residential properties to settle an enforcement action brought by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

WALTHAM, MA, - March 26, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that single-family home sales were down 11.4 percent in February compared to the same time last year, while condominium sales were down 16.4 percent. The median price for a single-family home was $252,500 and the median price for a condominium in February was $213,250.

Mayor Says Neighborhood Stabilization Program Resources Designed to Expedite the Restoration of Valuable Housing Stock March 23, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced the availability of more than $4 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds for the acquisition and rehabilitation of foreclosed and abandoned properties by non-profit and for profit developers, the latest milestone in Boston’s efforts to stabilize those neighborhoods that have been disproportionately affected by foreclosures.

PSAs to run on Boston-area radio stations 105.7 WROR-FM and 102.5 WKLB-FM over 40 weeks in 2009

March 12, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — If you have not taken a Massachusetts specific Fair Housing course then you do not understand how fair housing laws apply in the Commonwealth. While federal fair housing laws establish minimum standards, states are empowered to expand upon those standards.