Massachusetts Localities Could Impose Real Estate Transfer Fees

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) on Wednesday unveiled a $4 billion plan, aimed at promoting housing affordability, that would allow municipalities to impose transfer fees on high-value real estate sales.

The spending package, called the Affordable Homes Act, includes capital spending authorizations, policy modifications to address the commonwealth’s housing shortage and tenant protections, and an expansion of a housing tax credit, as well as a new tax break for first-time homebuyers.

The plan would give local governments the option to implement a real estate transaction fee, ranging from 0.5% to 2%, on the portion of a property sale ...