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Back Bay Office Conversion: A Foreclosure, Not a Policy Win
A lender foreclosed on Back Bay's Park Square Building, and 31 St. James Ave is now pitched for 490 apartments. Why distress, not policy, drives it.
Steve Novak Real Estate editorial
Greater Boston real estate insights
Clear local analysis for the decisions behind a move—from pricing and policy to neighborhoods, ownership, and investment.
- 01 Local market data
- 02 Policy explained
- 03 Practical next steps
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Reporting and guidance shaped around Greater Boston—not a national feed with the city name swapped in.
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NFIP Flood Insurance Expires Sept. 30. Protect Your Closing.
The NFIP expires September 30, 2026. A lapse freezes new flood policies, renewals, and increases, stalling coastal closings around Greater Boston.
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Boston Mortgage Rates Hit 6.78%: Don’t Wait on the Fed
The new Fed chair held rates as three officials pushed to hike, and Boston mortgage rates hit 6.78%. Why Greater Boston buyers…
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Massachusetts Foreclosures 2026: What the Rise Really Means
Massachusetts foreclosures hit 2,719 filings in the first half of 2026, up 3.23%. Why this is not 2008, and what it means…
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Why Airbnb Income No Longer Pencils in Cambridge or Boston
Cambridge counts most of its Airbnbs as unregistered and is moving to fine the platforms. Why short-term rental income belongs in the…
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Watertown Apartments From a Vacant Office: 285 Units
A developer wants to turn a vacant Watertown office into 285 apartments. With lab vacancy near 36%, the market is converting commercial…
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When to Sell in Greater Boston, Even at a Sub-4% Rate
Mortgage rates didn't fall, they hit an 11-month high. So why are more sub-4% Greater Boston owners finally listing? The real math,…
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Boston Building Permits Fall as 2026 Home Listings Rise
Boston permitted just 432 homes in Q1 2026, the slowest pace since 2010. Here is why rising listings don't mean the housing…
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Massachusetts Zoning Variances Got Easier, But Not in Boston
Massachusetts eased its zoning variance rules on July 9, trading 'substantial hardship' for a looser 'practical difficulty' test. Boston is carved out.
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Massachusetts Duplex Zoning Would Reach Every Suburb
The Massachusetts Senate passed a duplex-by-right bill that would legalize a two-family on nearly every residential lot statewide. What it means for…
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Condo Reserve Study Red Flags Before You Buy in Boston
Boston's biggest condo assessment hit $75.6M. A reserve study saw it coming. Read the percent-funded line and the association books before you…
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Boston Rental Market 2026: One Correction, Three Directions
Boston 3-bedroom rents fell 11.1% to $4,000 in 2026 while Newton's rose 6.1%. The Boston rental market split by town, and how…
