Massachusetts Home Buyer Guide

This current Massachusetts real estate market has seen a significant increase in demand in home buyers looking to purchase over the past year. At the same time the number of homeowners willing to sell has plummeted, causing a dramatic decrease in inventory.

Many factors play a role in the condition of any real estate market, including, but not limited to, the economy, interest rates and employment; however, the most important factor is supply vs. demand. 

A recent Boston Real Estate Now blog post on the competitiveness of the real estate market in the Greater Boston Area indicated that "roughly 15 percent" of Greater Boston home buyers "waived the inspection contingency" in their offer to purchase.

A home inspection is serious business. 

As much as some sellers and real estate agents want to play down the home inspection, it is one of the most important steps of buying a home. Aside from the obvious reasons of wanting to know about major defects, a home inspection is a time to learn. A good home inspector will thoroughly answer home buyers' questions and educate home buyers, especially first-time home buyers, about maintaining a home in general and specifically their soon-to-be home.

With the above in mind, it is important that Massachusetts home buyers understand what a home inspector will check and what the limitations are for a home inspection.

Eighteen months ago Massachusetts home buyers did not need be too concerned with whether a home for sale they visited would be available to make an offer on the next day or even the next week. How times have changed. 

A new home listing in Holliston, MA that a Buyers Brokers Only, LLC client wanted to see yesterday went under agreement in about three hours on Thursday. Not three days, but it went under agreement in about three hours. Stories like the one above have frustrated home buyers in Massachusetts over the past few months.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) publishing arm recently released a study of what home buyers want in a home. 

"The housing downturn of the last few years affected not only the number of new homes that are built each year, but also the characteristics, features and size of the ones that do get built.  Builders and other industry professionals now have an opportunity to find out what home buyers really want and will not give up in  today’s market, as well as which features they are ready to leave behind in light of current economic realities," according to the NAHB study released February 19, 2013. 

Greater Boston home buyers may start to rejoice in the sweet sounds of the commuter rail or subway. 

According to a study released March 20, 2013 by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), Boston real estate values during the last recession performed 129 percent better on average if they were located near public transportation with high-frequency service.

Massachusetts home buyers calculating the total cost of homeownership may need to remove the potential for tax breaks to repair or replace a septic system and/or for removal of lead paint. 

As part of a package of tax increases and the elimination of a variety of tax breaks, Massachusetts Governor, Deval Patrick, hopes to raise $1.9 billion annually in revenue. Two of his proposals are to eliminate the lead paint tax credit and the septic system repair / replacement credit. 

For those Massachusetts home buyers that have benefited or will benefit from purchasing a home at prices at or near the bottom of the real estate market, they may have to share their good fortune with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, if a proposal by Governor Deval Patrick is enacted by the legislature.    

As part of a package of tax increases and the elimination of a variety of tax breaks, Governor Patrick hopes to raise $1.9 billion annually in revenue. One proposal is to eliminate the capital gains tax exemption on home sales.

Presently, Massachusetts follows federal tax law in exempting up to $500,000 in capital gains on the sale of homeowners primary residence. Governor Patrick's proposal to the eliminate capital gains exemption is in conjunction with raising the income tax from 5.25 percent to 6.25 percent, effectively raising the capital gains rate to 6.25 percent.  

For example, if a homeowner sells a home after livng in it for a number of years for a gain of $200,000, that homeowner will have $12,500 in tax liability. 

In real estate, there are dozens of industry terms that can be confusing or overwhelming.  Condex, LTV, ARM, Assessed vs. Appraise valued, FSBO, REO, Short Sale, BOM, etc.  It’s endless.

There are even many different ways to refer to real estate agents: agent, broker, realtor.  Are these terms all the same thing; can they be used interchangeably?  Here is some clarification on what each title means and what exactly is a Massachusetts Realtor.

Homeowners aren't the only people to benefit from a tax break for forgiven mortgage debt that was set to expire December 31, 2012, but was extended by Congress and President Obama when they narrowly averted the “fiscal cliff” crisis.

There are many arguments for and against renting a home as opposed to owning one, but above all else the numbers have to work for a potential home buyer. 

There have been many consequences discussed if the politicians in Washington don't come to an agreement on the so-called "fiscal cliff" budget and tax crisis by December 31, 2012.