Josh has been an award-winning agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Warren Residential since 2013 and a true innovator in the world of Boston real estate. He recently was named the number one agent in Massachusetts for the entire first quarter of 2020 alongside his team, Moving Greater Boston. This achievement comes after numerous monthly and annual awards over the past years as a result of his hard work with clients and referral network. Josh was also chosen to serve on the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices national REthink Council, a position bestowed by BHHS executives to 15 agents among thousands of applicants. Truly his achievements speak to his incredible work ethic and the passion he brings to the Boston real estate market.

A Few

Nick provides an update on the newest regulations and changes regarding COVID-19 and its impact on the Boston real estate market. He also looks at the trends over the past month to analyze the adjustments the market has made during this time.

What are the current regulations buyers and sellers need to know when it comes to Boston real estate as it relates to COVID-19?

For our buyers and renters looking at property, we are working with landlords and sellers to come up with a plan that prioritizes safety and health above all else. This includes virtual tours, one-on-one showings, digital floor plans, and more. We are working with our clients to understand their protections during this time and helping connect them with legal professionals that can

With stay-at-home orders starting to gradually lift throughout parts of the country, data indicates homebuyers are jumping back into the market. After many families put their plans on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, what we once called the busy spring real estate season is shifting into the summer. In 2020, summer is the new spring for real estate.

Joel Kan, Economist at The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) notes:

“Applications for home purchases continue to recover from April’s sizable drop and have now increased for five consecutive weeks…Government purchase applications, which include FHA, VA, and USDA loans, are now 5 percent higher than a year ago, which is an encouraging turnaround after the weakness seen over the past two months.”

ShowingTime, a market stats technology provider for the real estate industry, recently released its data on showing statistics for the first few weeks of May. As you can see from the graph below, showing activity actually surpassed 2019 levels and continued to climb as the month progressed. Indicators such as this help highlight the strength of the Boston real estate market and suggest that the market activity expected in spring may just occur a bit later this year.

As the country begins to slowly reopen, moving forward in strategic phases, business activity will help bring our nation back to life. Many economists indicate a recovery should begin to happen in the second half of this year. Here’s a look at what some of the experts have to say:

[This is a guest post by Bryce Thompson].

Being stuck within the same set of walls for weeks at a time is enough to give even the most introverted homebody a case of cabin fever. But this particular cloud has a silver lining. When you’re unable to go out, staying in can be a lot more bearable with a good project or two. If you’re stuck at home, there are plenty of easy improvements you can tackle. 

Where There’s a Wall, There’s a Way

Interior painting is the ultimate do-it-yourself project. It doesn’t require a lot of specialized equipment. You can do it in pieces, so you can move at your own pace. And the materials you’ll need are inexpensive — especially when compared to lumber and other DIY project staples. Two tips from the pros:

The coronavirus continues to impact the entire world - causing disruption and changes in all industries and the Boston real estate market is no different. As the situation develops and new aspects are learned, we continue to monitor and evolve with regulations to protect clients and better navigate the changing environment. These unprecedented circumstances impact all aspects of the real estate transaction from showings to closings and everything in between. At Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Warren Residential, we continually read guidance from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), WHO, and CDC as well as local organizations to make sure we are operating in the best interest of our staff and clients' safety. 

As an office, we are following