The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that home sales increased 4.3% over December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.57 million. That’s the highest since May 2010.

To read the full article follow this link: http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/story/2012-02-22/existing-home-sales-january/53203816/1

Spectacular custom built home in sought after cul-de-sac setting. The open floorplan is perfect for entertaining & features a grand two story foyer, magnificent two story family room & beautiful hardwood floors & custom woodwork throughout. The home boasts a gourmet chef’s kitchen, game room & full wet bar. The master suite features a gas fireplace & marble master bath with separate his & hers vanities. Other features include surround sound, four fireplaces, heated pool, cabana & so much more.

Stores, restaurants, 475 apartments envisioned on key South End block

By Casey Ross|  Globe Staff

February 02, 2012

The Boston Herald’s newly vacated South End headquarters, its reporters gone and its printing presses shuttered, is slated to be transformed into the “Ink Block,’’ a six-acre complex of apartments, stores, and restaurants.

The property’s new owner, National Development, yesterday outlined a plan to replace the Herald’s squat brick building with four new structures containing 475 apartments, a grocery store, and a mix of smaller shops and restaurants.

The proposal came days after the tabloid moved its offices to the Seaport District and began paying The Boston Globe to print and distribute its newspapers circulated in the Boston area.

Read the full article here: http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2012/02/02/former-herald-site-host-apartments-grocery-store/IftYTOUE0WvKwHDIv2NFuN/story.html

The American dream of homeownership is a very feasible aspiration for 2012.

There are many benefits of owning a home. Yet some first-time buyers are skeptical of purchasing with the uncertainty surrounding the housing market.

The uncertainty many reference when speaking about the housing market involves a specific date when home values will increase. Since no one can pinpoint this date, the word uncertainty (when paired with the housing market) often reveals a negative connotation.

There are some factors we can be certain about in this housing market such as home values rebounding. This is true; the housing market often moves in cycles.

It’s safe to assume that many Americans harbored the same uncertainty during the George H. W. Bush administration in the early 1990s when the national homeownership rate fell from its previous historic high of 64.4 percent in 1980 to a low of 64.1 percent in 1991.

In the 1960s Lyndon Johnson illustrated a correlation between homeownership and accountability by stating “owning a home can increase responsibility and stake out a man’s place in his community…The man who owns a home has something to be proud of and reason to protect and preserve it.”

This statement is still true more than 50 years later. There are many reasons to take pride in homeownership such as:

• Appreciation – Buying a home now (at the current rates) can almost ensure your home’s appreciation in the future. Mortgage rates are near historic lows and home prices in many parts of the country are down. This is the perfect recipe for home appreciation. Additionally, many foreclosed homes are available for a fraction of the original cost. This      can translate to a higher profit if you decide to sell once the market rebounds.

• Property Tax Deductions – For income tax purposes, real estate property taxes for a vacation home and first home are fully deductible. The IRS (Publication 530) provides detailed tax information for first-time buyers that may answer many questions about what deductions homeowners are eligible for.

• Preferential Tax Treatment – If you own your home for more than a year and receive more profit than the allowable exclusion after the sale of your home, the profit will be considered a capital asset. Capital assets are given preferential tax treatment.

• Equity Building – Many factors such as credit qualification, loan flexibility, and annual percentage rate (APR) contribute to the final decision of what type of mortgage loan best fits your goals. Yet, a new trend being used by some homeowners is to actually add money to their monthly payment to decrease the principal balance of their loans at a much faster pace. This trend is called equity building. Equity builders usually select a home loan with a lower interest rate (and a shorter term loan such as a 15-year fixed) to help build equity faster. This rapid payment process allows borrowers to:

• Pay off the principal balance faster
• Lock in near-record-low interest rates
• Shorten the length of their home loan
• Own their home faster
• Pay substantially less mortgage interest

Equity building is a beneficial trend that’s becoming more and more popular with fiscally responsible homeowners. Also, home equity is the largest single source of household wealth for most Americans.

• Pride – Homeownership offers many benefits to many different types of people. For some homeowners, playing your music as loud as you want and painting the walls the color of your choice is a perk. For me, homeownership will permit me to build an NBA regulation size basketball court on my own property. For my coworker Joel Jarvi, home ownership may allow him to build the indoor slide of his dreams. No matter who you are, homeownership is a purchase, commitment, and journey that’s sure to bring you pride.

Furthermore, when the uncertainty surrounding the housing market fades and the market rebounds, homeownership may in fact transform that pride to profit through a home sale.

It’s been a mild winter throughout most of the country so far. That means we still have time to run through a foul-weather checklist. Here are 10 “must do’s” to have a warm, cozy and safe winter.

1. Check attic insulation. A foot of blown-in or batt insulation (R-38) in the attic reduces heat transfer from heated interior space to the great outdoors. This is a do-it-yourself job. If your attic is not insulated, blow in or roll out 12 inches of loose or batt insulation. If the amount of insulation is less than 12 inches, simply roll out unfaced fiberglass batts over the existing insulation to create a heavier thermal blanket. This is a case where more is better. Make sure to leave soffit vents unobstructed.

2. Install or replace weatherstripping, if necessary. Check the rubber threshold gasket at the bottom of exterior doors and replace if worn or torn. Next, make sure the top and sides of the door are weatherstripped and fit tightly. If there are gaps, replace the weatherstripping.

3. Check exterior doors and windows for gaps. Modern windows are probably OK, but older windows may need some help. To reduce air leakage, casement windows might need some weatherstripping at the joint where fixed and movable panes meet. Old double-hung wood windows are notorious air leakers. Place pieces of narrow self-adhesive rubber weatherstripping on the bottom sides and at the joint where the top and bottom panes meet.

4. Check the outside of doors and windows for voids, and caulk any gaps you see.

5. Change the filter in the heater. In older furnaces, filters should be changed monthly. Change or service newer, more efficient filters according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

6. Replace your old thermostat with a new programmable model. This allows you to regulate the heater to warm the house when you’re there and to reduce the temperature when you are at work or asleep.

7. Have your heater inspected by a licensed heating and air conditioning contractor. An inspection ensures that the heater is operating safely and efficiently. In many cases an inspection can alert you as to whether the unit is at the end of its life. It’s nice to have the option to replace an old heater before it quits and becomes an emergency on a cold January day.

8. Check the carbon monoxide (CO) detector. If you don’t have one, get one. Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas that kills. An operating CO detector can prevent a tragedy. While you’re at it, check the smoke detectors to ensure they’re operable.

9. Clean gutters and downspouts so fallen leaves won’t clog them. Make sure that downspouts discharge away from the foundation and that soil is graded away from the foundation and at least 6 inches below the siding.

10. Clean the fireplace of ashes; visually check the chimney for loose or missing mortar. Also consider having the chimney professionally inspected and swept by a licensed and bonded chimney sweep.

The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, increased 7.3 percent to 100.1 in November from an upwardly revised 93.3 in October and is 5.9 percent above November 2010 when it stood at 94.5. The October upward revision resulted in a 10.4 percent monthly gain.

The last time the index was higher was in April 2010 when it reached 111.5 as buyers rushed to beat the deadline for the home buyer tax credit.  To read the full article follow this link: http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2011/12/phs_nov

A: No, paying early merely allows the firm servicing your  loan to earn interest on your money until the payment due date. This is not the  case, however, if you have a simple interest mortgage (SIM). Because it accrues  interest daily, the earlier you pay a SIM, the more interest you save.

Q: How do I know if my  mortgage is “simple interest”?

A: Your note will say that interest accrues daily. Also, the  monthly payment on a SIM varies month to month, so if your payment is always  the same, you do not have a SIM.

For the full article from Inman News click here: http://www.inman.com/buyers-sellers/columnists/jackguttentag/11-must-knows-about-early-mortgage-payoff?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+inmannews+%28Inman+News+-+Headlines%29

That was the pitch from casino mogul Steve Wynn and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who made a joint appearance in Foxborough yesterday to argue that the casino would be an economic engine for the town and region.

Unlike his skyscraper-high casinos in Las Vegas, Wynn said, the Foxborough resort would contain low- to midrise buildings no taller than the 200-foot high Gillette Stadium. “What is appropriate for Las Vegas would be completely out of scale and inappropriate in Massachusetts,’’ he said.

Read the full article here:  http://articles.boston.com/2011-12-06/business/30482301_1_casino-proposal-gambling-facilities-macau