Bumpy Ride Ahead — Expect Some Delays For Certain Loans I asked my friend David Gaffin, Senior Mortgage Banker and Branch Manager at Fairway Mortgage – Hudson (DGaffin@fairwaymc.com), whether and to what extent the federal government shutdown is affecting real estate closings in Massachusetts. Here’s what he has to say. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Loans — Mixed Bag on Impact/Delays In general, the shutdown doesn’t impact loan processing at these agencies because…

New Occupancy Tax, Statewide Registry, Insurance Requirements, and Inspections At the very end of 2018 without much fanfare, Governor Baker signed into law a bill regulating and taxing short-term rentals. The new law provides for new taxes, a statewide registry, insurance requirements, and inspections varying by town/city. It becomes effective on July 1, 2019. Overview of RequirementsThe new law expands the state’s hotel and motel tax to include the short-term rental of homes (condominiums, single…

Attorney General Healy Announces Indictments Against Allen Seymour and Ex-Wife As I’ve written here before, I have been representing three families victimized by convicted felon, Allen Seymour, in a brazen complex real estate forgery scam. As a result of the courageous testimony from my clients, I’m happy to report that a statewide Grand Jury has just handed down a 22 count indictment against Seymour on charges of forgery, uttering, larceny, and money laundering. Seymour’s…

Court Challenge Puts City of Boston Short Term Rental Ordinance In Legal Limbo Referring to new City of Boston short term rental rules as “Orwellian,” Airbnb has sued the City of Boston in federal court, challenging the legality and constitutionality of recently enacted short term rental rules passed by the City Council. The rules, set to take effect on January 1, are among the most stringent efforts in the nation to regulate the burgeoning industry. The…

Land Court Considers Local Ban On Airbnb Rentals in Lynnfield Over Memorial Day in 2016, a contemporary mansion in Lynnfield was the scene of a raucous Airbnb house party where neighbors described bikini clad college women prancing around to hip-hop music reverberating through the bucolic neighborhood. At 3AM, however, the party turned into a crime scene when 33-year-old Keivan Heath was shot several times and died. The owner of the 6 bedroom, 5,545 square foot …

Convicted Felon, Allen Seymour of Oxford, MA Named Again In Forgery Lawsuit As a Special Attorney General Grand Jury hears evidence of a sophisticated real estate fraud conspiracy orchestrated by convicted felon, Allen Seymour, and his alleged accomplices, my firm has filed the third lawsuit for another victim of this predatory scam. The suit, filed in Middlesex Superior Court on behalf of two Somerville homeowners, alleges that Seymour approached them with a bogus reverse mortgage…

Fall is approaching and that means elections are coming up soon! I am enthusiastically endorsing Nick Carter for Governor’s Council in District 3. The Governor’s Council is a little known political body, but it has a very important job — confirmation of all judicial nominations in the state. Nick, a Democrat, is running against long-time incumbent Marilyn Pettito Devaney (D-Watertown). The primary election is coming up on September 4. Nick is a very experienced and talented litigator at the preeminent…