There is a lot to consider when building a home and one of the first questions you might ask is whether to build directly on-site or pre-fab. Of course there are pros and cons to both options and if you are not in the home building business yourself, it might seem like an even more daunting decision. While a bit lengthy, this article does a great job of going through the decision making process and what to do if you ultimately want to buy a pre-fab home.
Read MoreThe thought of rent control often evokes strong emotional reactions regardless of whether you support or oppose it. Anyone who has ever rented a home can relate to the feeling of disappointment (or even frustration and anger) when you receive notification of an impending rent increase. Rent control is often discussed in politics as a social issue. But when you take a step back and look at the bigger picture, there are many economic consequences when rent control is implemented and/or ceased, many of which end up hurting the very people that rent control was intended to help. This Freakonomics episode discusses exactly why rent control does not work and we highly recommend you take a listen.
Read MoreAccording to a recent survey of 23,000 homebuyers, there are a handful of features buyers are really looking for in 2019. Some are not very surprising, such as home technology (smart lights, thermostats, home monitoring, etc.), but others might come as a surprise. Check out this article to find out more.
Read MoreAfter a few down months at the start of 2019, the construction of housing finally saw an uptick in April. Housing starts rose 5.7% across the country and “building in the Northeast increased at the fastest pace in nearly two years.” Take a read through this article for more commentary on these statistics.
Read MoreMany are saying that there already is and will continue to be a wave of first-time homeowners looking to plant some roots in Boston. The economy is diverse and let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to live in the city of champions? But a bustling economy comes with a competitive real estate market and homes are often selling above the asking price. Check out this article to see what neighborhoods in and around Boston first-time homeowners are looking to buy.
Read MoreEvery developer in Boston knows what a hot market Eastie has become in the past five or so years. Every developer in Boston also knows that this development has been met with a lot of pushback from Eastie locals. But is that pushback merited? This article in Boston Magazine provides some great insight into the dynamics between locals, developers, and millennials and explains why a little understanding and appreciation of Eastie’s past might go a long way in bringing everyone together.
Read MoreWith 2019 already well underway, we are taking a moment to get acquainted with some of the design trends we are seeing this year. From paint colors to kitchen design to tile options, there are a lot of decisions to be made when designing a home. Here are what the experts we like to follow are saying about 2019 design trends…
Scout & Nimble: Interior Design Trends of 2019
Emily Henderson: Kitchen Trends for 2019
Decor Aid: 20 Home Design Trends for 2019
Elle Decor: Top Color Trends of 2019
Read MoreFor a long time, Chelsea has always been primed for resurgence. But with rising real estate prices throughout the Boston area, Chelsea is one of the few places where homeowners can still find more moderately priced homes. Check out this great read about the perks of living in Chelsea and why it might just be the next Eastie.
Read MoreAs many people living in and around Boston are aware, there just doesn’t seem to be enough housing to accommodate all the professionals, students, families, and longtime locals that live here. While it’s easy for all of us to get frustrated with increasing costs of housing and the seemingly shortage of it, we should all take a second to read what local officials, zoning boards, developers, activists, and private institutions are already doing to address this issue. This article summarizes a few solutions already underway.
Read MoreWith escalating costs associated with building on-site, we have decided to work with a modular home builder for our project in Chelsea, MA. But before making this decision, we spent a lot of time researching the pros and cons of shifting from on-site construction to this pre-fab option.
The US is far behind other countries in adopting this way of building, partly due to the stigma associated with “pre-fab” homes. However, the time and cost savings far outweigh this drawback. Take a look at this article to get the low-down on the various types of pre-fab homes and the benefits of each.
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