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Massachusetts Has a Huge Waitlist for State-Funded Housing. So Why Are 2,300 Units Vacant?
(www.propublica.org)
this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2023
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politics
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If Massachusetts was serious about housing reform they'd legislate away the broker's fees. But they aren't, so they won't.
they won't. broker industry is in the pockets of beacon Hill and the suits like how they somehow managed to inflate the cost of their house that's located in an arctic tundra of a state
If renters don't pay the fee, what prevents brokers from charging the landlords, who will increase rent to make it back?
Why not offer a central register where every offer has to be registered which could eliminate the need for brokers entirely?
I mean…most of the states here in the west do it just fine.
Landlords won't increase rent just because their costs go up. If they could increase rent now, they absolutely would. It has nothing to do with costs.
If they could increase rent now, but aren't, they're shit at their job.
Landlords can increase as long as renters are able to pay more. If you remove the broker fees then there is room for higher rents.
As long as renters 'are willing' to pay more. It will take time for the market to adjust. While that happens people win out.
If you rent for 20 month, and pay one month as fee, you save 5%.
How much over construction costs do landlords rent out their property?
If rent can go down much more than 5% I wouldn't focus energy on it but on other means to reduce rent.