More issues impacting commercial real estate transactions

Although it may be easy to understand the desire to preserve historical structures, disagreements can arise in their classification. In the context of land use and zoning, such efforts may impose a height restriction on skyscrapers or other commercial development projects. 

Yet zoning is but one potential issue facing commercial developers. Some commentators question whether...

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New ways to think about real estate purchases

Have the guidelines for buying residential or commercial real property changed in the wake of the housing and foreclosure crisis? A recent article calls for greater caution. For example, conventional wisdom held that a home is a safe investment option. At a minimum, real estate ownership was considered more financially beneficial in the long term...
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Does cloud-based technology help or hinder real estate deals?

In an age of convenience and technology, it’s perhaps no surprise that real estate professionals are trying a new paperless approach to real estate transactions. The process utilizes new cloud-based storage technology. Around 3,000 real estate offices now use a platform called Dotloop. Agents with accounts can access mortgage documents, deeds, titles, or other transactional...
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Condos are smaller than homes, but not their purchase agreements

Although readers might assume that condo prices would move in tandem with the local residential real estate market, a recent report from the Massachusetts Association of Realtors indicates otherwise.

Whereas the market for single-family homes in Massachusetts appears to be slowing, condo prices continue to rise. In April, median condo prices rose to $319,000, almost...

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Boston Globe considers a commercial real estate sale

The Boston Globe recently announced that it is exploring sale options for its 16.5-acre headquarters on Morrissey Boulevard in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Not surprisingly, the newspaper has wisely enlisted the assistance of a commercial real estate firm.

In this case, the property’s value is estimated by conservative standards to be at least $21 million. More generous...

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Small business owners agree to local commercial property sale

Readers of this real estate law blog may have conflicted feelings about construction in the name of progress. On the one hand, readers probably appreciate efforts to preserve historical buildings. Such efforts may have both financial and historical benefit. Boston’s historic district, for example, is a top destination for tourists to Massachusetts. 

But what about...

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