Appraisal & Consulting

Hindsight for 2023 - Starting over - by David Kirk

Hindsight is good for following patterns forward! Dust off the rates. Open the gates. Let’s get going. Get the shovels and the paint and pave the drives with care. We are shovel ready and not too soon for a new coat. We deal with certainties and build for the future, hedging the known uncertainties, and taking risks.

A year in housing to remember, reviewed - by William Pastuszek

The year past in housing has been tumultuous and thought-provoking. In fact, the last few have not exactly been steady as it goes. And contrasting now with last December is attention-getting, showing some interesting and fundamental changes. 2021 seems a long time ago now, doesn’t it, a different time?

A year-end lookback and look-forward at real estate and equity markets - by Marc Nadeau

What a whirlwind 2022 has been for both real estate and equity markets. On the side of residential real estate, we have seen not only the highest prices paid for homes, but perhaps the highest rate of price appreciation seen in decades. (at least for the first few months of the year).

Housing crisis: Not entirely, and not without solution - by Daniel Calano

Headlines abound regarding rising mortgage rates and the housing crisis: “Fed pursues house demand destruction by increasing mortgage rates”; NPR headlines “massive housing shortage;” “Housing crisis and homelessness

Determining the highest and best use - by David Kirk

The dramatic changes in a vibrant labor force are impacting just as dramatically the built environment. For any development, investment or speculation, determining the highest and best use (H&B) is first and the ongoing analysis. The appraisal process describes a 3 or 4 step process.

The annual fall checkup - by Bill Pastuszek

Some items worth thinking about. There are a lot of questions asked here. Many of the answers may not be yes or no response but may have a lot of “it depends….” Housing. The housing markets seem to be in some disarray. It’s a bit amazing to see how the price of debt drives

Residential market: Times are a changing! - by Marc Nadeau

The residential market in New England, and much of the country for that matter has seen the highest level of both activity and increases in prices in decades. The past two years have been somewhat blinding in terms of both pace and market appreciation.

Lower housing costs? Yes, but hard to take advantage - by Daniel Calano

Not again! What? Another inflation story? Fed raising interest rates? This saga is slowly evolving, perhaps to a close, but not at all over. It’s worth keeping up with, since the Fed is dead serious about crushing inflation and is having some real success.

Climate change and compliance - David Kirk

Net Zero Emissions zoning and building codes are proposed in (several) major metropolitan jurisdictions. The implications for infrastructure, the grid and power production, are calculable if not complete. The public private partnership (PPP) for climate change is being expanded

Things that appraisers do right - by Bill Pastuszek

Appraisers have been under some heat in the recent past. And, the heat, if this summer is any predictor, is not likely over. But today we’re going to focus on something more useful – things that appraisers do well.