The story has remained consistent as concerns residential real estate. In year-over-year comparisons, the number of homes for sale has been fewer in most communities. Meanwhile, homes are selling in fewer days and for higher prices.

Every taxpayer who owns residential property in the Greater Metro Boston area and has occupied the property as their primary residence may be eligible for a residential tax exemption for the current fiscal year.

As the cold winter weather approaches and your furnace is working in full force, it might be a good time to have a home energy assessment. Mass Save is helping residents save on heating fuel source costs by offering a free professional home energy usage audit.

As we enter the final quarter of 2016, not much has changed since the year began. Market predictions have been, in a word, predictable. A relatively comfortable pace of activity has been maintained thanks to continuing low unemployment and mortgage rates.

As anticipated at the outset of the year, demand has remained high through the first three quarters of 2016, propping up sales and prices despite heavy reductions in inventory and months of supply across the country.

I had the pleasure of previewing the recently gut renovated, historic Hooper Mansion and WOW! This three exposure building located on Beacon Street accommodates three parlor and garden level duplexes, two floor through condominiums, and a penthouse duplex that is sure to impress even the most modern critic.

There are some industry pundits claiming that Boston area residential home values have risen too quickly and that current levels are on the verge of another housing bubble

In recent weeks I've noticed increased media mentions like this one of a possible shift in the housing market and new questions about whether we're headed for a nationwide housing downturn.

Even as prices rise in many communities, homes are selling faster now than they have in the past several years. This creates a situation where buyers need to move fast in order to secure homes, and they may have to pay more for them.

Here's the latest update of Real Estate Rewind Q2 2016, an online quarterly report produced by the Greater Boston Real Estate Board (GBAR) which summarizes residential real estate market activity in the GBAR jurisdictional area.