Search Massachusetts Real Estate 

Massachusetts From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. For other uses, see Massachusetts (disambiguation). Commonwealth of Massachusetts   Flag of Massachusetts Seal Nickname(s): Bay State Motto(s): Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem (Latin)     Official language(s) English Demonym Bay Stater Capital Boston Largest city Boston Largest metro area Greater Boston Area  Ranked 44th in the US Total 10,555[2] sq mi (27,336 km²) Width 183 miles (295 km) Length 113 miles (182 km) % water 25.7 Latitude 41°?14' N to 42°?53' N Longitude 69°?56' W to 73°?30' W Population  Ranked 15th in the US Total 6,497,967 (2008 est.)[3] Density 809.8/sq mi  (312.7/km²) Ranked 3rd in the US Median income  $56,592 (7th) Elevation   Highest point Mount Greylock 3,492 ft  (1,064 m) Mean 500 ft  (150 m) Lowest point Atlantic Ocean 0 ft  (0 m) Admission to Union  February 6, 1788 (6th) Governor Deval Patrick (D) Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray (D) U.S. Senators Ted Kennedy (D) John Kerry (D) Congressional Delegation 10 Democrats (list) Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4 Abbreviations MA Mass. US-MA Massachusetts State Symbols Animate insignia Bird Black-capped Chickadee, Wild Turkey Fish Cod Flower Mayflower Insect Ladybug Mammal Right whale, Morgan horse, Tabby cat, Boston Terrier Reptile Garter snake Tree American Elm --------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Inanimate insignia Beverage Cranberry Juice Colors Blue, Green, Cranberry Dance Square Dance Food Cranberry, Corn muffin, Navy bean, Boston cream pie, Chocolate chip cookie, Boston cream donut Fossil Mastodon Gemstone Rhodonite Mineral Babingtonite Poem "Blue Hills of Massachusetts" Rock Roxbury Puddingstone Shell Wrinkled Whelk Ship(s) Schooner Ernestina Slogan(s) Make It Yours, The Spirit of America Soil Paxton Song(s) All Hail to Massachusetts, Massachusetts, The Road to Boston, Massachusetts (Because of You Our Land is Free), The Great State of Massachusetts, Say Hello to Someone from Massachusetts, Ode to Massachusetts Sport Basketball --------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Route marker(s)   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------   State Quarter   Released in 2000 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Lists of U.S. state insignia The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( /?mæs?'t?u?s?ts/ (help·info)) is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north. To the east, it borders the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of 6.4 million live in the Boston metropolitan area. The eastern half of this relatively small state is mostly urban and suburban, while Western Massachusetts is mostly rural. Massachusetts is the most populous of the six New England states. It ranks third among U.S. states in overall population density and fourth in GDP per capita. Massachusetts has been significant throughout American history. Plymouth was the second permanent English settlement in North America. Many of Massachusetts' towns were founded by colonists from England in the 1620s and 1630s. During the eighteenth century, Boston became known as the "Cradle of Liberty" for the foment there which led to the American Revolution and the independence of the United States from Great Britain. In the nineteenth century, Massachusetts was the first U.S. state to abolish slavery. Also, it was a center of the temperance movement and abolitionist activity preceding the American Civil War. In 2004, Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legally recognize same-sex marriage. The state has contributed many prominent politicians to national service, including the Adams family and, more recently, the Kennedy family. Originally dependent on agriculture and trade with Europe, Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution. During the first half of the twentieth century, the migration of factories to lower-wage Southern states caused economic stagnation. The economy of Massachusetts revived after World War II, and began thriving during the 1990s. The state is a leader in higher education, health care, and high technology. Contents 1 Name 2 Geography 2.1 Flora and fauna 3 Geology 4 History 4.1 Early 4.2 Colonial period 4.3 Federal period 4.4 19th century 4.5 20th century 4.6 21st century 5 Demographics 5.1 Population 5.2 Race, ancestry, and language 5.3 Religion 5.4 Emigration and Immigration 6 Economy 7 Transportation 7.1 Air service 7.2 Road 7.3 Transit 7.4 Planning 8 Law, government, and politics 8.1 Law 8.2 Government 8.3 Politics 9 Cities and towns 10 Education 11 Media 12 Sports and recreation 12.1 Organized sports 12.2 Outdoor recreation 13 See also 14 References 15 Bibliography 15.1 Overviews and surveys 15.2 Secondary sources 16 External links   Name The Massachusetts Bay Colony was named after the indigenous population, the Massachusett, whose name can be segmented as mass-adchu-s-et, where mass- is "large", -adchu- is "hill", -s- is a diminutive suffix meaning "small", and -et is a locative suffix, identifying a place. It has been translated as "near the great hill," "by the blue hills" "at the little big hill," or "at the range of hills," referring to the Blue Hills, or in particular, Great Blue Hill, located on the boundary of Milton and Canton, to the southwest of Boston. (c.f. the Narragansett name Massachusêuck; Ojibwe misajiwensed, "of the little big hill"). Massachusetts is officially a "commonwealth." Colloquially, it is often referred to simply as "the Commonwealth," although "state" is used interchangeably. While this designation is part of the state's official name, it has no practical implications. Massachusetts has the same position and powers within the United States as other states and a similar form of internal government. Geography Main article: Geography of Massachusetts   Prominent roads and cities in MassachusettsMassachusetts is bordered on the north by New Hampshire and Vermont; on the west by New York; on the south by Connecticut and Rhode Island; and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the state is uplands of resistant metamorphic rock that were scraped by Pleistocene glaciers that deposited moraines and outwash on a large, sandy, arm-shaped peninsula called Cape Cod and the islands Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket to the south of Cape Cod. Upland elevations increase to the north and west and the highest point in the state is Mount Greylock at 3,491 feet (1,064 m) near the state's northwest corner. A portion of the north-central Pioneer Valley near South Deerfield.The uplands are interrupted by the downfaulted Pioneer Valley along the Connecticut River and further west by the Housatonic Valley separating the Berkshire Hills from the Taconic Range along the western border with New York. Boston is located at the innermost point of Massachusetts Bay, at the mouth of the Charles River, the longest river entirely within Massachusetts. Most of the population of the Boston metropolitan area (approximately 4.4 million) does not live in the city proper; eastern Massachusetts on the whole is fairly densely populated and largely suburban as far west as Worcester. Central Massachusetts encompasses Worcester County, and includes the cities of Worcester, Fitchburg, Leominster, Gardner, Southbridge and small upland towns, forests, and small farms. The Quabbin Reservoir borders the western side of the county, and is the main water supply for the eastern part of the state.[9][10] The Pioneer Valley along the Connecticut River in Western Massachusetts is urbanized from the Connecticut border (and greater Hartford) to north as far as Northampton, and includes Springfield, Chicopee, West Springfield, Westfield, and Holyoke. Pioneer Valley economy and population was influenced by agriculturally productive Connecticut River Valley land in the 17th and 18th century, water power for the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century and expansion of higher education in the 20th century. Massachusetts TerrainThe remainder of the state west of Pioneer Valley is mainly uplands, a range of small mountains known as the Berkshires, and also includes parts of the Taconic and Hoosac Ranges. It is the summer home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra (Lenox), Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, the Norman Rockwell Museum (Stockbridge), Mount Everett and Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts. It largely remained in aboriginal hands until the 18th century when Scotch-Irish settlers arrived and found the more productive lands already settled. Availability of better land in western New York and then the Northwest Territory soon put the upland agricultural population into decline. Available water power led to 19th century settlement along upland rivers. Pittsfield and North Adams grew into small cities and there are a number of smaller mill towns along the Westfield River. The geographic center of the state is in the town of Rutland, in Worcester county. The National Park Service administers a number of natural and historical sites in Massachusetts. The fourteen counties, moving roughly from west to east, are Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, Worcester, Middlesex, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket. All but two of the Commonwealth's counties are named for British counties, cities, or nobles. Flora and fauna The primary biome of inland Massachusetts is temperate deciduous forest. However, much of the state has been logged, leaving only traces of old growth forest in isolated pockets. Secondary growth has regenerated in many woodlots and forests, particularly in the western half of Massachusetts. Urbanization, particularly in the eastern half of the state, has affected much of Massachusetts. No longer are there vast expanses of wilderness. Gray Wolf, Elk, Wolverine and Mountain Lion once occurred here but have long since disappeared. Piping Plovers frequent Massachusetts dunes and beachesWildlife species that are doing well are adapting to a changing setting. Coyote, White-tailed Deer, Raccoon, and Wild Turkey are now found in suburbs of major cities and are increasing in population. Black Bear and moose have made comebacks in western and central Massachusetts, and are slowly expanding their range. Peregrine Falcon can be found nesting on artificial platforms on many of the state's tallest buildings in larger cities such as Boston, Worcester and Springfield. The Atlantic Flyway is the primary migration route for North American bird species. Common Loon are a relatively recent addition to the breeding bird list, their nests at the Wachusett Reservoir are considered the most southerly in the world population of this species. A significant portion of the eastern population of Long-tailed Duck winter off Nantucket. Small offshore islands are home to a significant population of breeding Roseate Terns, and some beaches are important breeding areas to the endangered Piping Plover. Massachusetts has an extensive coastline and has a declining commercial fishery out to the continental shelf. Atlantic cod, haddock and American lobster are species harvested here. Gray Seal have a large nursery near Monomoy Island and other islands in Nantucket Sound. Harbor seals are commonly seen feeding and playing just offshore year round. Finally, a significant number of the endangered North Atlantic Right Whales summer on feeding grounds in Cape Cod Bay, so many that the state has recently unveiled a special license plate depicting a right whale with the slogan, "Preserve The Trust". It is an attempt to raise public awareness that these animals are in fact endangered. Whale watching is a popular summer activity off the coast of Massachusetts. Boats regularly sail to Stellwagen Bank to view species such as Humpback Whale, Fin Whale, Minke Whale and Atlantic White-sided Dolphin. Geology A field guide to the geology of NE Massachusetts and SE New Hampshire by Hon, R. , Hepburn, J.C. & Laird, Jo. (Siluro-Devonian igneous rocks of the easternmost three terranes in southeastern New England: examples from NE Massachusetts and SE New Hampshire. Guidbook to field trips in New Hampshire, adjacent Maine and Massachusetts, 42nd Ann Meet. NEGSA, March 11, 2007, p. 23–43) can be accessed at Field GuidePDF (3.60 MB); and a Google Earth .kmz file(Avalon_Nashoba.kmz)showing the field stops and associated geological map overlays can be downloaded from Google Earth. History Main article: History of Massachusetts   Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor by William Halsall (1882) Early Massachusetts was originally inhabited by several Algonquian tribes: the Wampanoag, Nauset, Nipmuc, Pocomtuc, Pennacook, Mahican, Massachuset, and some Narragansett and Pequot. A vast number of the indigenous people were killed by waves of smallpox inadvertently brought to the New World by Sir Herbert Popham and his ship to the Saco, Maine area in 1622. Colonial period The first European settlers in Massachusetts, the Pilgrims, established their settlement at Plymouth in 1620, and developed friendly relations with the native Wampanoag. This was the second successful permanent English colony in North America, after the Jamestown Colony; both were preceded by temporary camps, the unsuccessful Popham Colony, and Spanish settlements in Florida in the 1500s. Most early settlers came from within 60 miles (100 km) of Haverhill, England. The Pilgrims were soon followed by more Puritans who established the Massachusetts Bay Colony at present-day Boston in 1630. The Puritans, whose beliefs included exclusive understanding of the literal truth of the Bible, came to Massachusetts for religious freedom. Dissenters such as Anne Hutchinson, Roger Williams, and Thomas Hooker left Massachusetts because of the Puritan society's lack of religious tolerance. In 1636, Williams founded the colony of Rhode Island, and Hooker founded Connecticut. By 1636, the colonists had also begun to settle the inland Pioneer Valley along the Connecticut River, where the state's best agricultural land is concentrated. Native American-European racial tensions led to King Philip's War of the years 1675–76. Mendon was involved in an early battle in July 1675 and settlers were killed in the Blackstone Valley. There were major campaigns in this war in the Pioneer Valley and Plymouth Colony. In 1690 there was an unsuccessful expedition against French Quebec under William Phips. Massachusetts became a single colony in 1692, the largest in New England, and one where many American institutions and traditions were formed. The colony fought alongside British regulars in a series of French and Indian Wars that were characterized by brutal border raids and successful attacks on British forces in New France (present-day Canada). Percy's Rescue at Lexington by Ralph Earl and Amos Doolittle from 1775.Massachusetts was a center of the movement for independence from Great Britain, earning it the nickname, the "Cradle of Liberty". Colonists here had long had uneasy relations with the English monarchy, including open rebellion under the Dominion of New England in the 1680s. The Boston Tea Party is an example of the protest spirit of the later pre-revolutionary period in the 1770s, and the Boston Massacre is a famous incident which escalated the conflict. Actions by patriots such as Sam Adams and John Hancock followed by counter-actions by the Crown were a main reason for the unity of the Thirteen Colonies and the outbreak of the American Revolution. The Battles of Lexington and Concord initiated the American Revolutionary War and were fought in the Massachusetts towns of Concord and Lexington. Future President George Washington took over what would become the Continental Army after the battle. His first victory was the 11 month Siege of Boston in early 1776, where his successful fortification of Dorchester Heights forced the British to withdraw from Boston on March 17. This day is celebrated in Massachusetts as Evacuation Day. Federal period The Massachusetts Constitution was ratified in 1780. After independence and during the formative years of independent American government, Shays' Rebellion was an armed uprising in the western half of the state from 1786 to 1787. The rebels were mostly small farmers angered by crushing war debt and taxes. 19th century On March 15, 1820, Maine separated from Massachusetts, of which it had been a non-contiguous part, and entered the Union as the 23rd state as a result of the ratification of the Missouri Compromise.[11] During the 19th century, Massachusetts and the New England region became a national and world leader in the Industrial Revolution, with the development of machine tools and textiles. The economy transformed from primarily agricultural to industrial, initially making use of its many rivers, and later the steam engine to power factories for textiles, shoes, furniture, and machinery that drew labor from Yankees on subsistence farms at first, and later drew upon immigrant labor from Canada and Europe. Horace Mann made the state system of schools the national model. Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson made major contributions to American thought. Members of the Transcendentalism movement, they emphasized the importance of the natural world to humanity. In the years leading up to the Civil War, Massachusetts was a center of social progressivism, the temperance movement, and abolitionist activity within the United States. Antagonism to these views resulted in anti-abolitionist riots in Massachusetts between 1835 and 1837. The works of abolitionists contributed to subsequent actions of the state during the Civil War. Massachusetts was the first U.S. state to abolish slavery, in a 1783 judicial interpretation of its 1780 constitution, and was the first state to recruit, train, and arm a Black regiment with White officers, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Massachusetts would establish itself as a leader in education and innovation during this time. Alexander Graham Bell invented his telephone in Boston in 1876. 20th century The industrial economy began a decline in the early twentieth century with the exodus of many manufacturing companies. By the 1920s competition from the South, followed by the Great Depression, led to the collapse of Massachusetts' two main industries, textiles and shoes, although a few companies would survive into the 1950s. In the years following World War II, Massachusetts was transformed from a factory system to a largely service and high-tech based economy. Some manufacturing does exist in the State today, generally in specialized markets. Government contracts, private investment, and research facilities led to a new and improved industrial climate, with reduced unemployment and increased per capita income. Suburbanization flourished, and by the 1970s, the Route 128 corridor was dotted with high-technology companies who recruited graduates of the area's many elite institutions of higher education. The Kennedy family was prominent in Massachusetts politics in the 20th century, especially with President John F. Kennedy in the 1960s. The famous Kennedy Compound is located at Hyannisport on Cape Cod. 21st century   "Big Dig" Tunnel Northbound Entrance, BostonIn recent years tourism has played an ever-important role in the state's economy, with Boston and Cape Cod being the leading destinations. Other popular tourist destinations include Salem, Plymouth and the Berkshires. In 1987, the state received federal funding for the Central Artery/Tunnel Project. Known as the "the Big Dig," it was at the time the biggest federal highway project ever approved. Often controversial, with its estimated $14.6 billion price tag, and claims of mismanagement, the Big Dig has changed the face of Downtown Boston, connecting areas that were once divided by elevated highway, and improving traffic conditions (although traffic problems still exist). In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state in the country to legalize same-sex marriage, and the sixth jurisdiction in the world (after the Netherlands, Belgium, Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec) to do so. On November 4, 2008, citizens of the state voted to decriminalize the possession of marijuana. Effective January 2, 2009[12], a person, 18 years of age or older, caught with an ounce or less of marijuana may be charged with a $100 fine as well as face confiscation of any marijuana on their person. The violation will only be considered a civil violation (rather than criminal). Also on that ballot, the citizens voted to ban greyhound racing in the state. Demographics Population Historical populations Census Pop.   %± 1790 378,787  — 1800 422,845  11.6% 1810 472,040  11.6% 1820 523,287  10.9% 1830 610,408  16.6% 1840 737,699  20.9% 1850 994,514  34.8% 1860 1,231,066  23.8% 1870 1,457,351  18.4% 1880 1,783,085  22.4% 1890 2,238,947  25.6% 1900 2,805,346  25.3% 1910 3,366,416  20% 1920 3,852,356  14.4% 1930 4,249,614  10.3% 1940 4,316,721  1.6% 1950 4,690,514  8.7% 1960 5,148,578  9.8% 1970 5,689,170  10.5% 1980 5,737,037  0.8% 1990 6,016,425  4.9% 2000 6,349,097  5.5% Est. 2008 6,497,967  2.3% Sources:[13][14][3] Massachusetts had an estimated 2006 population of 6,437,193. An estimated increase of 3,826, or 0.1%, from the prior year and an increase of 88,088, or 1.4%, since the year 2000. This includes an increase since the last census of 149,992 people (499,440 births minus 349,448 deaths) and a decrease from net migration of 89,812 people out of the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 200,155 people, and net migration within the country resulted in a loss of 289,967 people. As of 2000, Massachusetts is the third most densely populated U.S. state, with 809.8 per square mile (312.68 per square kilometer), after New Jersey and Rhode Island, and ahead of Connecticut and Maryland. Massachusetts has seen both population increases and decreases in recent years. For example, while some Bay Staters are leaving, others including Asian, Hispanic and African immigrants, arrive to replace them. Massachusetts in 2004 included 881,400 foreign-born residents. Most Bay Staters live within a 60 mile radius of the State House on Beacon Hill, often called Greater Boston: the City of Boston, neighboring cities and towns, the North Shore, South Shore, the northern, western, and southern suburbs, and most of southeastern and central Massachusetts. Eastern Massachusetts is more urban than Western Massachusetts, which is primarily rural, save for the cities of Springfield, Chicopee, and Northampton, which serve as centers of population density in the Pioneer Valley of the Connecticut River. The center of population of Massachusetts is located in Middlesex County, in the town of Natick.[15] Race, ancestry, and language Demographics of Massachusetts (csv) By race White Black AIAN* Asian NHPI* 2000 (total population) 89.23% 6.97% 0.62% 4.22% 0.15% 2000 (Hispanic only) 5.64% 1.09% 0.12% 0.06% 0.05% 2005 (total population) 87.89% 7.58% 0.65% 5.13% 0.17% 2005 (Hispanic only) 6.63% 1.29% 0.14% 0.07% 0.05% Growth 2000–05 (total population) -0.73% 9.65% 4.39% 22.61% 13.10% Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only) -2.03% 7.84% 2.72% 22.74% 14.37% Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only) 18.51% 19.43% 11.24% 13.47% 10.30% * AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander     Massachusetts Population Density MapThe five largest reported ancestries in Massachusetts are: Irish (23.5%), Italian (13.5%), French/French Canadian (or Franco-American) (12.9%), English (11.4%), German (5.9%). Massachusetts is the most Irish state in the country in terms of percentage of total population. Massachusetts also has large communities of people of Finnish and Swedish descent; Armenian, Lebanese (Worcester) descent; and Italian descent. Other influential ethnicities are Greek Americans, Lithuanian Americans and Polish Americans. Massachusetts "Yankees," of colonial English ancestry, still have a strong presence. French Americans are the largest group in parts of western and central Massachusetts. Boston's largest immigrant group consists of Haitians. Fall River and New Bedford on the south coast have large populations of people with Portuguese, Brazilian, and Cape Verdean heritage, which is also very prevalent in the Brockton area. There is a growing Brazilian population in the Boston area (especially in Framingham) and also an abundant population of Brazilians thrive in Cape Cod especially in Barnstable, Falmouth, and Yarmouth. Lowell, in the northeast of the state, is home to the second largest Cambodian (Khmer) community in the country, outside of Long Beach, California. Although most of the Native Americans intermarried or died in King Philip's War (1675), the Wampanoag tribe maintains reservations at Aquinnah, Grafton, on Martha's Vineyard, and Mashpee.[16][17] The Nipmuck maintain two state-recognized reservations in the central part of the state. Other Wampanoags and other Native people live scattered around the state outside of reservations. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 6.21% of the population aged 5 and over speak Spanish at home, while 2.68% speak Portuguese, 1.44% French, and 1.00% Italian.[18] Religion Massachusetts was founded and settled by staunch Puritans in the 17th century. The descendants of the Puritans belong to many different churches; in the direct line of inheritance are the Congregational/United Church of Christ and Unitarian Universalist churches. Both of these denominations are noted for their strong support of social justice, civil rights, and moral issues, including strong and early advocacy of abolition of slavery, women's rights, and (after 2000) legal recognition of same-sex marriage. The world headquarters of the Unitarian-Universalist Church is located on Beacon Hill in Boston. Today Protestants make up less than 1/4 of the state's population. Roman Catholics now predominate because of massive immigration from Ireland, Quebec, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. A large Jewish population came to the Boston area 1880–1920. Mary Baker Eddy made the Boston Mother Church of Christian Science the world headquarters. Buddhists, Pagans, Hindus, Seventh-Day Adventists, Muslims, and Mormons also can be found. Kripalu and the Insight Meditation Center (Barre) are examples of non-western religious centers in Massachusetts. According to the Association of Religion Data Archives the largest single denominations are the Catholic Church with 3,092,296; the United Church of Christ with 121,826; and the Episcopal Church with 98,963 adherents. Jewish congregations had about 275,000 members.[19] The religious affiliations of the people of Massachusetts, according to a 2001 survey, are shown in the table below:[20] Christian – 69% Catholic – 44% Protestant – 22% Baptist – 4% Congregational/United Church of Christ – 3% Episcopal – 3% Methodist – 2% Pentecostal – 2% Other Protestant or general Protestant – 8% Other or General Christian – 3% Jewish – 2% Other Religions – 6% Non-Religious – 16% Refused to answer – 7% Emigration and Immigration The latest (2008) estimated Census population figures show that Massachusetts has grown by slightly over 2 percent, to 6,497,967, since 2000.[3] This slow growth is likely attributable to the fact that Massachusetts continues to attract top scholars and researchers from across the United States as well as large numbers of immigrants, combined with steady emigration away from the state towards New Hampshire and southern and western regions of the U.S. because of high housing costs, weather, and traffic. Recent census data shows that the number of immigrants living in Massachusetts has increased over 15% from 2000–2005. The biggest influxes are Latin Americans. According to the census, the population of Central Americans rose by 67.7 percent between 2000 and 2005, and the number of South Americans rose by 107.5 percent. And among South Americans, the largest group to increase appeared to be Brazilians, whose numbers rose by 131.4 percent, to 84,836. This surge of immigrants tends to offset emigration, and, of course, given the 350,000 increase in population in the Commonwealth between 1990 and 2000, many immigrants to Massachusetts come from elsewhere in the USA. Following the shift to a high-tech economy and the numerous factory closures, few jobs remain for low skilled male workers, who are dropping out of the workforce in large numbers. The percentage of men in the labor force fell from 77.7% in 1989 to 72.8% in 2005. This national trend is most pronounced in Massachusetts. In the case of men without high school diplomas, 10% have left the labor force between 1990 and 2000.[21] Economy   Crane Paper Company in Dalton produces the paper material used for printing U. S. Federal Reserve notesThe United States Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Massachusetts's gross state product in 2006 was US $338 billion. Per capita personal income in 2004 was US$42,102, making it the 2nd highest, just behind that of Connecticut. Gross state product increased 2.6% from 2004 to 2005, below the national average of 3.5%.[22] Sectors vital to the Massachusetts economy include higher education, biotechnology, finance, health care, and tourism. Route 128 was a main center for the development of minicomputers. Massachusetts was the home of many of the largest computer companies such as Digital Equipment Corporation, Data General, and Wang Laboratories situated around Route 128 and Route 495 (another beltway approximately 25 miles (40 km) farther away from Boston). Most of the larger companies fell into decline after the rise of the personal computer, which was based in large part on software such as Visicalc and Lotus 1-2-3 and hardware technology such as memory and operating systems developed by many of these companies. High technology remains an important sector, though few of the largest technology companies are based there. Its agricultural outputs are seafood, nursery stock, dairy products, cranberries, tobacco and vegetables. Its industrial outputs are machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, scientific instruments, printing, and publishing. Thanks largely to the Ocean Spray cooperative, Massachusetts is the second largest cranberry producing state in the union (after Wisconsin). As of 2005, there were 6,100 farms in Massachusetts encompassing a total of 520,000 acres (2,100 km2), averaging 85 acres apiece. Almost 2,300 of Massachusetts' 6,100 farms grossed under $2,500 in 2007. This very low mode income shows that most farms in Massachusetts are not the primary sources of income for their owners.[23] Particular agricultural products of note include tobacco; animals and animal products; and fruits, tree nuts, and berries, for which the state is nationally ranked 11th, 17th, and 16th, respectively.[24] Massachusetts has a flat-rate personal income tax of 5.3%, with an exemption for income below a threshold that varies from year to year. The state imposes a 5% sales tax on retail sales of tangible personal property—except for groceries, clothing, and periodicals—in Massachusetts by any vendor. The 5% sales tax is charged on clothing that costs more than $175.00. Only the amount over $175.00 is taxed. All real and tangible personal property located within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is taxable unless specifically exempted by statute. The administration of the assessment and collection of all real and tangible personal property taxes in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is handled by the city and town assessor and collected in the jurisdiction where the property is located. Massachusetts imposes a tax on any gains from the sale or exchange of capital assets held for more than one year. The state also collects a 12% tax on the sale or exchange of capital assets held for one year or less (short-term capital gains). Interest from non-Massachusetts banks is no longer taxed at 12%, but the first $100 of interest from Massachusetts banks is tax exempt from even the 5.3% tax. There is no inheritance tax and limited Massachusetts estate tax related to federal estate tax collection.[25] A recent review by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found 13 states, including several of the nation's largest, face budget shortfalls for FY2009. Massachusetts faces a deficit that could be as large as $1.2 billion.[26][27] See also: Massachusetts locations by per capita income Transportation See also: Category:Transportation in Massachusetts Air service The major airport in the state is Logan International Airport. The airport serves as a focus city for American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, US Airways, and JetBlue Airways. Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, TF Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island, and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in Manchester, New Hampshire also serve as airports to the state as all three are located near the border. Massachusetts has approximately 42 public-use airfields, and over 200 private landing spots.[28] Some airports receive funding from the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission and the Federal Aviation Administration, which is also the primary regulator. Logan, Worcester Regional Airport and Hanscom Field are operated by Massport, a state transportation agency. Further information: List of airports in Massachusetts Road Interstate highways crossing the state include: I-91, I-291, I-84, I-93, I-95, I-495, I-195, I-395, I-90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike), I-290, and I-190 . Other major thoroughfares are U.S. 1, Route 2, Route 3, U.S. Route 3, U.S. Route 6, U.S. Route 20, Route 24, and Route 128. A massive undertaking to depress I-93 in the Boston downtown area called the Big Dig has brought the city's highway system under public scrutiny over the last decade. Transit The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) operates public transportation in the form of subway, bus and ferry systems in the Metro Boston area. It also operates longer distance commuter rail services throughout the larger Greater Boston area, including service to Worcester and Providence, Rhode Island. Sixteen other regional transit authorities provide public transportation in the form of bus services in their local communities. The regional transit authorities are:[29][30] Berkshire Regional Transit Authority Brockton Area Transit Authority Cape Ann Transportation Authority Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority Franklin Regional Transit Authority Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority Greenfield Montague Transportation Area Lowell Regional Transit Authority Martha's Vineyard Transit Authority Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority MetroWest Regional Transit Authority Montachusett Regional Transit Authority Nantucket Regional Transit Authority Pioneer Valley Transit Authority Southeastern Regional Transit Authority Worcester Regional Transit Authority The regional transit authorities shown in italics above are within MBTA's commuter rail service area, and provide connections to MBTA's trains.[31] Planning Massachusetts has 10 regional metropolitan planning organizations:[32] Berkshire[33] Pioneer Valley[34] Central Massachusetts[35] Monachusett[36] Merrimack Valley[37] Northern Middlesex[38] Boston Region[39] Old Colony[40] Southeastern Massachusetts [41] Cape Cod[42] and 3 non-metropolitan planning organizations covering the remainder of the state:[43] Franklin[44] Martha's Vineyard Commission[45] Nantucket[46] State-wide planning is handled by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation. Law, government, and politics   Massachusetts State House facing Boston Common Law The Massachusetts Constitution was ratified in 1780 while the Revolutionary War was in progress, four years after the Articles of Confederation was drafted, and seven years before the present United States Constitution was ratified in 1787. Following a November 2003 decision of the state's Supreme Court, Massachusetts became the first state to issue same-sex marriage licenses, on May 17, 2004. (See the articles on same-sex marriage in the United States and same-sex marriage in Massachusetts.) Massachusetts is the first state in the union to mandate health insurance for all its citizens. (See Massachusetts 2006 Health Reform Statute for more details.) On Nov. 4th, 2008, Massachusetts voters passed a bill 65-35 to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, becoming the twelfth state to do so. Possession of less than an ounce will be punishable by a $100 fine, but will no longer be considered a criminal offense and have no associated imprisonment.[47] Government Main article: Massachusetts government The governor of Massachusetts is head of the executive branch and serves as chief administrative officer of the state and as commander-in-chief of the Massachusetts National Guard. The current governor is Deval Patrick a Democrat. All governors of Massachusetts are given the official style His/Her Excellency, a carry-over from the Commonwealth's British past, despite such styles being uncommon in American political traditions. The title is actually used only on the most formal occasions, such as when the governor addresses the two houses of the General Court sitting in joint convention. Responsibilities of the governor include preparation of the annual budget, nomination of all judicial officers, the granting of pardons (with the approval of the Governor's Council), appointments of the heads of most major state departments, and the acceptance or veto of each bill passed by the Legislature. Several executive offices have also been established, each headed by a secretary appointed by the governor, much like the President's cabinet. The Governor's Council (also called the Executive Council) is composed of the Lieutenant Governor and eight councilors elected from councilor districts for a two-year term. It has the constitutional power to approve judicial appointments and pardons, to authorize expenditures from the Treasury, to approve the appointment of constitutional officers if a vacancy occurs when the legislature is not in session, and to compile and certify the results of statewide elections. It also approves the appointments of notaries public and justices of the peace. The Massachusetts state legislature is formally styled the "General Court." (See Massachusetts General Court) Elected every two years, the General Court is made up of a Senate of 40 members and a House of Representatives of 160 members. The Massachusetts Senate is said to be the second oldest democratic deliberative body in the world.[48] Each branch elects its own leader from its membership. The Senate elects its president; the House its speaker. These officers exercise power through their appointments of majority floor leaders and whips (the minority party elects its leaders in a party caucus), their selection of chairs and all members of joint committees, and in their rulings as presiding officers. Joint committees of the General Court are made up of 6 senators and 15 representatives, with a Senate and House chair for each committee. These committees must hold hearings on all bills filed. Their report usually determines whether or not a bill will pass. Each chamber has its own Rules Committee and Ways and Means Committee and these are among the most important committee assignments. Judicial appointments are held to the age of seventy. The Supreme Judicial Court, consisting of a chief justice and six associate justices, is the highest court in the Commonwealth; it is empowered to give advisory opinions to the governor and the legislature on questions of law. All trials are held in departments and divisions of a unified Trial Court, headed by a Chief Justice for Administrative and Management, assisted by an administrator of courts. It hears civil and criminal cases. Cases may be appealed to the Supreme Judicial Court or the Appeals Court for review of law, but findings of fact made by the Trial Court are final. The Superior Court, consisting of a chief justice and 66 associate justices, is the highest department of the Trial Court. Other departments are the Boston Municipal, District, Housing, Juvenile, Land, and Probate Courts. Massachusetts's Congressional delegation is entirely Democratic. U.S. senators are Ted Kennedy and John Kerry. The ten members of the state's delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives are John Olver, Richard Neal, Jim McGovern, Barney Frank, Niki Tsongas, John F. Tierney, Ed Markey, Mike Capuano, Stephen Lynch, and Bill Delahunt. Federal court cases are heard in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Appeals are heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Politics Presidential elections results Year Republican Democratic 2008 36.20% 1,105,908 62.01% 1,894,067 2004 36.83% 1,070,109 61.92% 1,803,801 2000 32.51% 878,502 59.93% 1,616,487 1996 28.11% 718,107 61.52% 1,571,763 1992 29.04% 805,049 47.51% 1,318,662 1988 45.42% 1,194,635 53.23% 1,401,416 During the first half of the 1900s, Boston was socially conservative and strongly under the influence of Methodist minister J. Frank Chase and his New England Watch and Ward Society, founded in 1878. In 1903, the Old Corner Bookstore was raided and fined for selling Boccaccio's Decameron. Howard Johnson's got its start when Eugene O'Neill's Strange Interlude was banned in Boston, and the production had to be moved to Quincy. In 1927, works by Sinclair Lewis, Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos, and Sherwood Anderson were removed from bookstore shelves. "Banned in Boston" on a book's cover could actually boost sales. Burlesque artists such as Sally Rand needed to modify their act when performing at Boston's Old Howard Casino. The clean version of a performance used to be known as the "Boston version." By 1929, the Watch and Ward society was perceived to be in decline when it failed in its attempt to ban Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, but as late as 1935 it succeeded in banning Lillian Hellman's play The Children's Hour. Censorship was enforced by city officials, notably the "city censor" within the Boston Licensing Division. That position was held by Richard J. Sinnott from 1959 until the office was abolished on March 2, 1982. In modern times, few such puritanical social mores persist. Massachusetts has since gained a reputation as being a politically liberal state and is often used as an archetype of liberalism, hence the usage of the phrase "Massachusetts liberal." Massachusetts is the home of the Kennedy family, and routinely votes for the Democratic Party in federal elections: it is the most populous state to have an all-Democratic Congressional delegation (ten representatives and two senators); this also makes Massachusetts the largest state to have a solid delegation of either party. As of the 2006 election, the Republican party holds less than 13% of the seats in both legislative houses of the General Court: in the House, the balance is 141 Democratic to 19 Republican, and in the Senate, 35–5.[49] Although Republicans held the governor's office continuously from 1991 to 2007, they have mostly been among the most liberal Republican leaders in the nation, especially William Weld (the first of four recent Republican governors). Two of these governors, Paul Cellucci and Jane Swift, took office when their predecessors resigned to take other positions. In presidential elections, Massachusetts supported Republicans through 1924, and was considered a swing state until the 1980's. More recently, it has gradually shifted to the Democratic Party since 1988. In the 2004 election giving native son John Kerry 61.9% of the vote and his largest margin of victory in any state. (It should be noted, however, John Kerry's margin of victory in the District of Columbia was much higher.) During the 1972 presidential election, Massachusetts was the only state to give its electoral votes to George McGovern, the Democratic nominee (the District of Columbia also voted for McGovern). Following the resignation of President Richard Nixon in 1974, two famous bumper stickers were sold in Boston, one saying "Don't blame me, I'm from Massachusetts," and the other read "Nixon 49, America 1". See also: Political party strength in Massachusetts Cities and towns   BostonMain article: Local Government There are 53 cities and 298 towns in Massachusetts, grouped into 14 counties.[50] Eleven communities which call themselves "towns" are, by law, cities since they have traded the town meeting form of government for a mayor-council or manager-council form.[51] Boston is the state capital and largest city. It is the center of the nation's 11th largest metropolitan area. Cities over 100,000 in population (2004 estimates) include Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Lowell, and Cambridge. Massachusetts shares the governmental structure known as the New England town with the five other New England states, as well as New York and New Jersey. Education   The Widener Library at Harvard University. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and has the largest academic library in the world.[52]Massachusetts has historically had a strong commitment to education. It was the first state to require municipalities to appoint a teacher or establish a grammar school (albeit paid by the parents of the pupils) with the passage of the Massachusetts Education Law of 1647; this mandate was later made a part of the state constitution in 1789. The town of Franklin has been noted to be the birthplace of public education in North America, due to the fact that education pioneer Horace Mann was born in the town, and The Public Library is the first public library in America.[citation needed] Massachusetts is home to the country's oldest high school, Boston Latin School (founded 1635), America's first publicly funded high school, Dedham, (founded 1643), oldest college, now called Harvard University (founded 1636), oldest incorporated preparatory school, Phillips Academy (founded 1778), first racially integrated high school Lowell, and oldest municipally supported free library, Boston Public Library (founded 1848). In 1852, Massachusetts became the first state to pass compulsory school attendance laws.[53] The per-student public expenditure for elementary and secondary schools (kindergarten through grade 12) was fifth in the nation in 2004, at $11,681.[54] Massachusetts has scored highest of all the states in math on the National Assessments of Educational Progress.[citation needed] Massachusetts is home to many well-known preparatory schools, colleges, and universities. There are more than 40 colleges located in the greater Boston area alone. Ten colleges and universities are located in the greater Worcester area. The University of Massachusetts (nicknamed UMass) is the five-campus public university system of the Commonwealth. The population of metropolitan Boston and Worcester, and of the Five Colleges area in Western Massachusetts, in particular, surges during the school year. Further information: List of colleges and universities in Massachusetts and List of colleges and universities in metropolitan Boston Media See also: List of television stations in Massachusetts, List of newspapers in Massachusetts, and List of radio stations in Massachusetts There are two major television media markets located in Massachusetts. The Boston/Worcester market is the 7th largest in the United States. All major networks are represented. The other market surrounds the Springfield area. Some communities in Berkshire county are serviced by the Albany, New York market, and some southeastern Massachusetts communities are serviced by the Providence, Rhode Island market. The Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Worcester Telegram & Gazette and the Springfield Republican are the Commonwealth's largest daily newspapers. In addition, there are many community dailies and weeklies found throughout the state. There are a number of major radio stations (AM 50,000 watts, FM over 20,000 watts) which service Massachusetts, along with many more regional and community based stations. Some colleges and universities also operate campus television and radio stations, and print their own newspaper. Sports and recreation Organized sports   The 100th running of the Boston Marathon, 1996Main article: Sports in Massachusetts Massachusetts has a long history with amateur athletics and professional teams. Most of the major professional teams have won multiple championships in their respective leagues. Massachusetts teams have won 5 Stanley Cups (Boston Bruins), 17 NBA Championships (Boston Celtics), 3 Super Bowls (New England Patriots), and 8 World Series (7 Boston Red Sox, 1 Boston Braves). The state is also the home to the Basketball Hall of Fame (Springfield) and the Volleyball Hall of Fame (Holyoke), because those sports were invented within the Commonwealth, as well as the Cape Cod Baseball League. It is also home to prestigious sports events such as the Boston Marathon, the Eastern Sprints on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, and the Head of the Charles Regatta. The Falmouth Road Race in running and the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic in bicycle racing are also very popular events with long histories. The PGA Deutsche Bank Championship and the Champions Tour Bank of America Championship are regular professional golf tour stops in the state. Massachusetts has played host to 9 US Opens, 4 US Womens Opens, 2 Ryder Cups, 1 PGA Championship, and 1 Senior Open. The New England Revolution is the Major League Soccer (MLS) team in Massachusetts. The Boston Cannons are the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) team in Massachusetts. Many colleges and universities in Massachusetts are active in college athletics. There are a number of NCAA Division I members in the state for multiple sports: Harvard University, Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University, College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Outdoor recreation   Hingham harbor, Hingham, MassachusettsBoating activities such as sailing and yachting are popular all along the Massachusetts coast and its offshore islands. Hiking and cross-country skiing are also popular activities in many of the state's undeveloped lands. The Appalachian Trail, the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail, the Midstate Trail, and the Bay Circuit Trail are all long distance hiking trails that run the length of the state. The Tully Trail, a 22-mile (35 km) loop in the North Quabbin Region (through the towns of Athol, Orange, Warwick and Royalston) incorporates waterfalls and vistas. A handful of downhill skiing operators still maintain slopes in Massachusetts, although many skiers drive to major resorts in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine for the weekend. Sport fishing still remains a strong outdoor activity. Spincasting during the warmer months and ice fishing during winter on inland lakes and ponds, Fly fishing inland rivers for trout, surf casting for striped bass and bluefish and deep sea fishing for cod and haddock all remain popular. Hunting, primarily for whitetail deer and waterfowl continues to attract a number of residents. See also  Massachusetts portal List of Massachusetts-related topics References  "Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 2, Section 35: Designation of citizens of commonwealth". The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  on 2008-02-29. : "Bay Staters shall be the official designation of citizens of the commonwealth."  (formerly 43,969 sq mi (113,880 km2). before Maine became a separate state)  a b c "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008". United States Census Bureau.  Retrieved on 2009-01-26.   a b "Elevations and Distances in the United States". U.S Geological Survey. 29 April 2005.  Retrieved on November 6.   This derivation is located in C. Lawrence Bond, Native Names of New England Towns and Villages, privately published, Topsfield, Massachusetts, 1991. The pamphlet was never mass produced but it is probably obtainable through the library or bookstores in Topsfield.  a b Salwen, Bert, 1978. Indians of Southern New England and Long Island: Early Period. In "Northeast", ed. Bruce G. Trigger. Vol. 15 of "Handbook of North American Indians", ed. William C. Sturtevant, pp. 160–176. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution. Quoted in: Campbell, Lyle. 1997. American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pg. 401  Bright, William (2004). Native American Place Names of the United States. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, pg. 270  "Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary". Freelang.net.    The North Quabbin Woods:   Massachusetts Cities and TownsPDF (390 KB) (map; see text on map). Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved January 14, 2007.  "Maine History (Statehood)".  Retrieved on April 11.    "Emily J. LaGrassa, spokeswoman for the attorney general, said the ballot question takes effect 30 days after the officials results are presented to the Governor's Council. In an e-mail on Wednesday, she said Jan. 2 is the date the law takes effect. "  Population: 1790 to 1990PDF (35.4 KB) census.gov  Resident Population of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico: Census 2000 census.gov  Population and Population Centers by State: 2000. United States Census Bureau, United States Deparatment of Commerce. Retrieved January 14, 2007.  Associated Press. Wampanoag Tribe Receives Federal Recognition WBZ-TV, Boston Massachusetts. Retrieved February 20, 2007.  Weber, David. Mashpee Wampanoag Indians receive federal recognition The Boston Globe February 15, 2007. Retrieved February 20, 2007.  Most spoken languages in Massachusetts MLA Language Map Data Center. Modern Language Association. Retrieved February 23, 2007.     "American Religious Identification Survey". Exhibit 15. The Graduate Center, City University of New York. Retrieved on 2007-09-21.   Article Boston Globe December 10, 2006, "Bay State's labor force diminishing"  accessed 18 September 2006  [1]PDF (34.5 KB)  [2]PDF (34.5 KB)   Massachusetts Tax Rates  Budget Monitor: House 2: Governor's FY 2009 Budget Proposal, Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center  13 States Face Total Budget Shortfall of at Least $23 Billion in 2009; 11 Others Expect Budget Problems, 12/18/07, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities   "Massachusetts Association of Regional Transit Authorities". Massachusetts Association of Regional Transit Authorities. Retrieved on 2008-05-11.   "Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, Regional Transit Authorities Coordination and Efficiencies Report" (PDF). Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.   Map of MPOs in Massachusetts   Retrieved on 2008-10-06.   Massachusetts Facts, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth  "State Vote 2006: Election Profile, Massachusetts" State Legislatures Magazine, National Conference of State Legislatures; retrieved November 17, 2007  Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth: A Listing of Counties and the Cities and Towns Within  See Administrative divisions of Massachusetts#The city/town distinction.  "Speaking Volumes: Professor Sidney Verba Champions the University Library". Harvard Gazette (The President and Fellows of Harvard College). 1998-02-26.  Retrieved on 19 February 2007.   Compulsory Education National Conference of State Legislatures. Retrieved December 28, 2006.  Table 5. Current Expenditures ($) per Student in Public K-12 Schools, 2004-05 Source footnote: "Rankings & Estimates 2005-2006, Rankings, Table H-11." ( NEA Research, Estimates Database (2006). K–12 = "Elementary and Secondary".) National Education Association Retrieved January 12, 2007. Bibliography Overviews and surveys Brown, Richard D. and Jack Tager. Massachusetts: A Concise History (2002) Hall, Donald. ed. The Encyclopedia of New England (2005) Works Progress Administration. Guide to Massachusetts (1939) Secondary sources Abrams, Richard M. Conservatism in a Progressive Era: Massachusetts Politics, 1900-1912 (1964) Adams, James Truslow. Revolutionary New England, 1691-1776 (1923) Adams, James Truslow. New England in the Republic, 1776-1850 (1926) Andrews, Charles M. The Fathers of New England: A Chronicle of the Puritan Commonwealths (1919), short survey Conforti, Joseph A. Imagining New England: Explorations of Regional Identity from the Pilgrims to the Mid-Twentieth Century (2001) Cumbler, John T. Reasonable Use: The People, the Environment, and the State, New England, 1790-1930 (1930), environmental history Fischer, David Hackett. Paul Revere's Ride (1994), 1775 in depth Green, James R., William F. Hartford, and Tom Juravich. Commonwealth of Toil: Chapters in the History of Massachusetts Workers and Their Unions (1996) Huthmacher, J. Joseph. Massachusetts People and Politics, 1919-1933 (1958) Labaree, Benjamin Woods. Colonial Massachusetts: A History (1979) Morison, Samuel Eliot. The Maritime History of Massachusetts, 1783-1860 (1921) Peirce, Neal R. The New England States: People, Politics, and Power in the Six New England States (1976), 1960-75 era Porter, Susan L. Women of the Commonwealth: Work, Family, and Social Change in Nineteenth-Century Massachusetts (1996) Sletcher, Michael. New England (2004). Starkey, Marion L. The Devil in Massachusetts (1949), Salem witches Tager, Jack, and John W. Ifkovic, eds. Massachusetts in the Gilded Age: Selected Essays (1985), ethnic groups Zimmerman, Joseph F. The New England Town Meeting: Democracy in Action (1999) External links Find more about Massachusetts on Wikipedia's sister projects:  Definitions from Wiktionary  Textbooks from Wikibooks  Quotations from Wikiquote  Source texts from Wikisource  Images and media from Commons  News stories from Wikinews  Learning resources from WikiversityThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts Massachusetts Historical Society Energy Profile for Massachusetts- Economic, environmental, and energy data USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Massachusetts Maps of Massachusetts 1837 descriptions of Massachusetts cities, towns, mountains, lakes, and rivers, from Hayward's New England Gazetteer. Massachusetts State Symbols Miscellaneous Massachusetts Facts Massachusetts State Facts from USDA Massachusetts 351 Project Massachusetts Constitution and Laws Massachusetts Tourism Board Maritime History of Massachusetts, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary Atlases of Massachusetts. 1871-Walling&Gray, 1891-Walker, 1892-Mass., 1904-Walker. Large Images at Salemdeeds. Free images of 300+ Maps of Massachusetts    v • d • e  Commonwealth of Massachusetts Boston (capital)     Topics Congressional district maps · Culture · Geography · Government · History · Images · People · Villages  · Visitor Attractions     Regions The Berkshires · Blackstone Valley · Cape Ann · Cape Cod · Central Massachusetts · Greater Boston · The Islands · Merrimack Valley · MetroWest · Montachusett-North County · North Shore · Pioneer Valley · Quabbin Valley · Southeastern Massachusetts · South Coast · South County · South Shore · Western Massachusetts     Counties Barnstable · Berkshire · Bristol · Dukes · Essex · Franklin · Hampden · Hampshire · Middlesex · Nantucket · Norfolk · Plymouth · Suffolk · Worcester     Cities (See All Municipalities) Agawam · Amesbury · Attleboro · Barnstable · Beverly · Boston · Braintree · Brockton · Cambridge · Chelsea · Chicopee · Easthampton · Everett · Fall River · Fitchburg · Franklin · Gardner · Gloucester · Greenfield · Haverhill · Holyoke · Lawrence · Leominster · Lowell · Lynn · Malden · Marlborough · Medford · Melrose · Methuen · New Bedford · Newburyport · Newton · North Adams · Northampton · Palmer · Peabody · Pittsfield · Quincy · Revere · Salem · Somerville · Southbridge · Springfield · Taunton · Waltham · Watertown · Westfield · West Springfield · Weymouth · Winthrop · Woburn · Worcester      v • d • e  Region of New England       Topics Culture | Geography | Government | History | Population     States Connecticut | Maine | Massachusetts | New Hampshire | Rhode Island | Vermont     Major cities Boston | Bridgeport | Burlington | Cambridge | Hartford | Lowell | Manchester | New Haven | Portland | Providence | Springfield | Stamford | Waterbury | Worcester     State capitals Augusta | Boston | Concord | Hartford | Montpelier | Providence     v • d • eU.S. Northeast (as defined by the United States Census Bureau)   Middle Atlantic New Jersey · New York · Pennsylvania   New England Connecticut · Maine · Massachusetts · New Hampshire · Rhode Island  · Vermont   v • d • ePolitical divisions of the United States   States Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming   Federal district Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia)   Insular areas American Samoa · Guam · Northern Mariana Islands · Puerto Rico · U.S. Virgin Islands   Outlying islands Bajo Nuevo Bank · Baker Island · Howland Island · Jarvis Island · Johnston Atoll · Kingman Reef · Midway Atoll · Navassa Island · Palmyra Atoll · Serranilla Bank · Wake Island   Preceded by Connecticut List of U.S. states by constitutional ratification date Ratified Constitution on February 6, 1788 (6th) Succeeded by Maryland Coordinates: 42°18'N 71°48'W? / ?42.3°N 71.8°W? / 42.3; 71.8 Retrieved from Categories: Massachusetts | States of the United States | 1629 establishments | New England | Northeastern United States | Former British colonies | Algonquian toponyms Hidden categories: Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism | Wikipedia protected pages without expiry | Articles including recorded pronunciations | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since April 2007 | Articles with unsourced statements since April 2008ViewsArticle Discussion View source History Personal toolsLog in / create account Routes The WRTA currently provides fixed-route bus service to Auburn, Boylston, Brookfield, Clinton, East Brookfield, Holden, Leicester, Millbury, Oxford, Shrewsbury, Spencer, Webster, West Boylston and Worcester. The WRTA also provides paratransit service to a total of 37 communities in Central Massachusetts. Detailed schedules are available on the WRTA website. 1: Mount St. Ann via Providence St. 2: Tatnuck Square via Pleasant St. 3: Worcester State College via Highland St. 4: Millbury Line via Millbury & Greenwood St. 5: Southwest Commons / Wheelock Ave. via Grafton St. 6: West Tatnuck via Chandler St. 7: Washington Heights Apts. 8: Seabury Heights - Green Hill Towers via Belmont St. 11: Millbury Park & Ride via Vernon Hill and Greenwood St. 14: Showcase Cinemas/Holden via Burncoat St. 15: Shrewsbury Center via Hamilton St. & Route 9 16: Lincoln Plaza via Shrewsbury St. & Plantation St. 19: Worcester Airport / Leicester Wal-Mart via Main St. 22: Millbury Center via Massasoit Rd. & Rt. 122A 23: Mountain Village via Lincoln St. 24/34: UMass Medical Center via Belmont St. 25: Auburn Mall via Canterbury St. & Southbridge St. 26: Great Brook Valley via Lincoln St. 27: Auburn Mall via Main St. 30: West Boylston Wal-Mart via Grove St. & West Boylston St. 31: Lincoln Plaza via Grove St. & West Boylston St. 33: Downtown Worcester - Spencer - Brookfield via Main St. & Rt. 9 42: Downtown Worcester - Oxford - Webster via Southbridge St. & Rt. 12 FLEX Park Ave: West Side   Property law Part of the common law series Acquisition Gift · Adverse possession · Deed Lost, mislaid, and abandoned property Treasure trove Alienation · Bailment · License Estates in land Allodial title · Fee simple · Fee tail Life estate · Defeasible estate Future interest · Concurrent estate Leasehold estate · Condominiums Conveyancing Bona fide purchaser Torrens title · Strata title Estoppel by deed · Quitclaim deed Mortgage · Equitable conversion Action to quiet title Future use control Restraint on alienation Rule against perpetuities Rule in Shelley's Case Doctrine of worthier title Nonpossessory interest Easement · Profit Covenant running with the land Equitable servitude Related topics Fixtures · Waste · Partition Riparian water rights Lateral and subjacent support Assignment · Nemo dat Property and conflict of laws Other common law areas Contract law · Tort law Wills, trusts and estates Criminal law · Evidence v • d • e  # 72-hour clause  A Abstract of title Acknowledgment Acre - A measure of land Ad valorem tax Adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) Administrator/Administratrix Adverse possession Agency, Real estate, Agent, Real estate Allodial, Allodium American Land Title Association (ALTA) Amortization Amortization schedule Amortization calculator Apartment Appraisal, Real estate Appraised value - An estimate of the present worth of a property Appreciation Argus (Software) Arrears Assessment Assessed value - The value set upon a property for taxation purposes Assignment Assignment of contract Assumable loan Assumption of mortgage  B Basis (in property) - see cost basis Binder Blockbusting Buyer's agent in real estate Bundle of Rights Burlington Company  C Canadian Real Estate Association Capital gain Capitalization rate Cell Tower Lease Factoring Chain of title Cheonse Cloud on title Closing costs Closing, Real estate Commercial property Community property Community land trust Comparables Comparative market analysis Condominium Conservation land trust Contingency Contract of sale of real estate Contract for deed Conventional mortgage Conveyancing or conveying [real estate title] Cooperative apartment Copyhold Council housing  D Deed Deed of trust Deficiency Depreciation Documentary stamp Domania Dominion Land Survey Double closing Due-on-sale clause  E Earnest money Easement Eminent domain Encroachment Encumbrance Equitable title Equity Escrow Escrow payment Estate (law) and Estate (house) Estate agent Estate agent (United Kingdom) Estate for years Exclusive Agency Agreement Exclusive Right to Sell Agreement  F Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC or Freddie Mac) Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA or Fannie Mae) Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Fee simple Fixer-Upper Flat-fee MLS Freehold Foreclosure For Sale By Owner  G Gentrification Good faith estimate Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA or Ginnie Mae) Gramdan Grant deed Green belt Ground lease  H Hard money loan Hard money lenders Heirs and assigns Home Equity Line of Credit Home inspection Homeowners association Housing association Housing bubble Housing tenure  I Inspections Immovable property Impound account Index Installment land contract Installment sale Institute for Community Economics Insured mortgage Interest rate Internet Data Exchange (IDX)  J Joint and several liability Joint tenancy Judgment  K Key money  L Land bank Land banking Land lease Land registration Land trust Land Trust Alliance Landlord Law of Agency Lease-option Leasehold Leaseback Lien Life estate Liquidated damages Lis pendens Listing contract Loan-to-value ratio Lot Lot and Block survey system  M Masters of Real Estate Development Market analysis Market value Marketable title Mechanic's lien Mortgage Mortgage Account Error Correction, see RESPA Mortgage broker Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) Mortgage insurance Multiple Listing Service (MLS) MLS (Flat fee)  N National Association of Realtors (NAR) Notary Public Note Niche real estate  O Open listing - or Open Agency Option Origination fee Other Real Estate Owned (OREO) Owner-built home Owner-occupancy  P Performance mortgage Periodic tenancy Plat Pocket listing Points Pricing Pre-Delivery Inspection Private equity real estate Public housing Public Land Survey System Purchase money mortgage  Q Quiet title proceeding Quit claim deed  R Real estate Real estate agent, Real estate agency Real estate broker, Real estate brokerage Real estate developer Real estate economics Real estate investment trust (REIT) Real estate lawyer Real estate owned Real estate salesperson Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) Real Estate Trading Real estate trends Real property Realtor Recording Recourse note Redemption Redlining Refinancing Release Rent Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Risk  S Second mortgage Secondary mortgage market Securitization Security instrument Seller agency Settlement statement SOIR Specific performance Speculation Squatter's rights Starter home Stigmatized property Strata title Sub-agent Sublet Subject-to Subordination (finance) Sweat equity  T Tenancy in common Tenancy by the entirety Tenant Theory of Value Title Title insurance Torrens title Truth in Lending Act  U United States housing bubble Urban sprawl Urban Land Institute  V  W Warranty deed  X  Y Yield spread premium  Z Zoning Real estate is a legal term (in some jurisdictions, notably in the USA, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia) that encompasses land along with anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings, specifically property that is stationary, or fixed in location.[1] Real estate law is the body of regulations and legal codes which pertain to such matters under a particular jurisdiction. Real estate is often considered synonymous with real property (also sometimes called realty), in contrast with personal property (also sometimes called chattel or personalty under chattel law or personal property law). However, in some situations the term "real estate" refers to the land and fixtures together, as distinguished from "real property," referring to ownership rights of the land itself.[clarification needed] The terms real estate and real property are used primarily in common law, while civil law jurisdictions refer instead to immovable property. Contents [hide] 1 Etymology 2 Real estate terminology and practice outside the United States (around the world) 2.1 Real estate as "real property" in the U.K. 2.2 Real estate in Mexico and Central America 3 Business sector 4 Residential real estate 5 Market sector value 6 Mortgages in real estate 7 See also 8 References    Etymology In law, the word real means relating to a thing (res/rei, thing, from O.Fr. reel, from L.L. realis "actual," from Latin. res, "matter, thing"[2]), as distinguished from a person. Thus the law broadly distinguishes between "real" property (land and anything affixed to it) and "personal" property (everything else, e.g., clothing, furniture, money). The conceptual difference was between immovable property, which would transfer title along with the land, and movable property, which a person would retain title to. The oldest use of the term "Real Estate" that has been preserved in historical records was in 1666.[2] The use of "real" to refer to land also reflects the ancient preference for land, and the ownership thereof (and the owners thereof). This, in turn reflects the values of the medieval feudal system, which is the ultimate root of the common law. Some have claimed that the word Real is derived from "royal" (The word royal—and its Spanish cognate real—come from the related Latin word rex-regis, meaning king. For hundreds of years the Royal family / King owned the land, and the peasants paid rent or property taxes to be on the Royal's land. Today, just like hundreds of years in the past, we pay property taxes, or rent to be on the government's land or the Royal Estate). However, the "real" in "real property" is derived from the Latin for "thing".[3] In realestate there is real property and personal property. Real property contains items such as fire place, build in shelves, permanent build in art and anything that is permanently attached to the property. Personal property is something different, it is not permanently attached to the property and it can be easily removed without damaging the property. For example, a couch is a personal property because it can be moved in and out of the property without any trouble.  Real estate terminology and practice outside the United States (around the world)  Real estate as "real property" in the U.K. In British usage, “real property”, often shortened to just “property”, generally refers to land and fixtures as such while the term “real estate” is used mostly in the context of probate law, and means all interests in land held by a deceased person at death excluding interests in money arising under a trust for sale of or charged on land.[4] See Real property for a definition and Estate agent for a description of the practice in the UK.  Real estate in Mexico and Central America The real estate business in Mexico and Central America is different from the way that it is conducted in the United States. Some similarities include a variety of legal formalities (with professionals such as real estate agents generally employed to assist the buyer); taxes need to be paid (but typically less than those in U.S.); legal paperwork will ensure title; and a neutral party such as a title company will handle documentation and monies in order to smoothly make the exchange between the parties. Increasingly, U.S. title companies are doing work for U.S. buyers in Mexico and Central America. Prices are often much cheaper than most areas of the U.S., but in many locations prices of houses and lots are as expensive as the U.S., one example being Mexico City. U.S. banks have begun to give home loans for properties in Mexico, but, so far, not for other Latin American countries. One important difference from the United States is that each country has rules regarding where foreigners can buy. For example, in Mexico, foreigners cannot buy land or homes within 50 km of the coast or 100 km from a border unless they hold title in a Mexican Corporation or a Fideicomiso (a Mexican trust). In Honduras, however, they may buy beach front property directly in their name. There are also different special rules regarding certain types of property: ejidal land – communally held farm property – can only be sold after a lengthy entitlement process, but that does not prevent them from being offered for sale. Many websites advertising and selling Mexican and Central American real estate exist, but they may need to be researched. In Costa Rica, real estate agents do not need a license to operate, but the transfer of property requires a lawyer.  Business sector With the development of private property ownership, real estate has become a major area of business. Purchasing real estate requires a significant investment, and each parcel of land has unique characteristics, so the real estate industry has evolved into several distinct fields. Specialists are often called on to valuate real estate and facilitate transactions. Some kinds of real estate businesses include: Appraisal: Professional valuation services Brokerages: A fee charged by the mediator who facilitates a real estate transaction between the two parties. Development: Improving land for use by adding or replacing buildings Property management: Managing a property for its owner(s) Real estate marketing: Managing the sales side of the property business Real estate investing: Managing the investment of real estate Relocation services: Relocating people or business to a different country Corporate Real Estate: Managing the real estate held by a corporation to support its core business—unlike managing the real estate held by an investor to generate income Within each field, a business may specialize in a particular type of real estate, such as residential, commercial, or industrial property. In addition, almost all construction business effectively has a connection to real estate. "Internet Real Estate" is a term coined by the internet investment community relating to ownership of domain names and the similarities between high quality internet domain names and real-world, prime real estate.  Residential real estate The legal arrangement for the right to occupy a dwelling is known as the housing tenure. Types of housing tenure include owner occupancy, Tenancy, housing cooperative, condominiums (individually parceled properties in a single building), public housing, squatting, and cohousing. Residences can be classified by if and how they are connected to neighboring residences and land. Different types of housing tenure can be used for the same physical type. For example, connected residents might be owned by a single entity and leased out, or owned separately with an agreement covering the relationship between units and common areas and concerns. Major physical categories in North America and Europe include: Attached / multi-unit dwellings Apartment ("flat" outside North America) - An individual unit in a multi-unit building. The boundaries of the apartment are generally defined by a perimeter of locked or lockable doors. Often seen in multi-story apartment buildings. Multi-family house - Often seen in multi-story detached buildings, where each floor is a separate apartment or unit. Terraced house (a.k.a. townhouse or rowhouse) - A number of single or multi-unit buildings in a continuous row with shared walls and no intervening space. Condominium - Building or complex, similar to apartments, owned by individuals. Common grounds are owned and shared jointly. There are townhouse or rowhouse style condominiums as well. Semi-detached dwellings Duplex - Two units with one shared wall. Single-family detached home Portable dwellings Mobile homes - Potentially a full-time residence which can be (might not in practice be) movable on wheels. Houseboats - A floating home Tents - Usually very temporary, with roof and walls consisting only of fabric-like material. The size of an apartment or house can be described in square feet or meters. In the United States this includes the area of "living space", excluding the garage and other non-living spaces. The "square meters" figure of a house in Europe reports the area of the walls enclosing the home, and thus includes any attached garage and non-living spaces. It can also be described more roughly by the number of rooms. A studio apartment has a single bedroom with no living room (possibly a separate kitchen). A one-bedroom apartment has a living or dining room, separate from the bedroom. Two bedroom, three bedroom, and larger units are also common. (A bedroom is defined as a room with a closet for clothes storage.) See List of house types for a complete listing of housing types and layouts, real estate trends for shifts in the market and house or home for more general information.  Market sector value According to The Economist, "developed economies" assets at the end of 2002 were the following: Residential property: $48 trillion; Commercial property: $14 trillion; Equities: $20 trillion; Government bonds: $20 trillion; Corporate bonds: $13 trillion; Total: $115 trillion. That makes real estate assets 54% and financial assets 46% of total stocks, bonds, and real estate assets. Assets not counted here are bank deposits, insurance "reserve" assets, and human assets; also it is not clear if all debt and equity investments are counted in the categories equities and bonds. For U.S. asset levels see FRB: Z.1 Release- Flow of Funds Accounts of the United States.  Mortgages in real estate In recent years, many economists have recognized that the lack of effective real estate laws can be a significant barrier to investment in many developing countries. In most societies, rich or poor, a significant fraction of the total wealth is in the form of land and buildings. In most advanced economies, the main source of capital used by individuals and small companies to purchase and improve land and buildings is mortgage loans (or other instruments). These are loans for which the real property itself constitutes collateral. Banks are willing to make such loans at favorable rates in large part because, if the borrower does not make payments, the lender can foreclose by filing a court action which allows them take back the property and sell it to get their money back. For investors, profitability can be enhanced by using an off plan or pre-construction strategy to purchase at a lower price which is often the case in the pre-construction phase of development. But in many developing countries there is no effective means by which a lender could foreclose, so the mortgage loan industry, as such, either does not exist at all or is only available to members of privileged social classes.  See also 1031 exchange Buyer brokerage (in the USA) Buying agent (in the UK) Estate (house) Estate agent (in the UK) and Real estate broker (in the USA) Housing bubble Immovable property International real estate List of real estate topics Master of Real Estate Development  Medical real estate Mortgage Mortgage loan Neighborhood Watch Private Equity Real Estate Property rights Real estate broker (in the USA) and Estate agent (in the UK) Real estate appraisal Real estate economics Real estate developer  Real estate investment trust Real estate pricing Real estate transaction Real estate transfer tax Real estate trends Real property Realtor Short sale (real estate) Subprime mortgage crisis    References  Look up real estate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ^ "Real estate" The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. Dictionary.com Retrieved July 12, 2008 ^ a b "Real" – Online Etymological Dictionary Retrieved July 12, 2008 ^ "Real" – The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. Dictionary.com Retrieved July 12, 2008 ^ Oxford Dictionary of Law (4th edition), New York: Oxford University Press, 1997; See also Estate in land Buyer brokerage From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For a general article of the scope of real estate brokerage, see Real estate broker. Buyer brokerage (or Buyer agency as it is also known) is the practice of real estate brokers (and their agents) representing a buyer in a real estate transaction rather than, by default, representing the seller either directly or as a sub-agent. In the United Kingdom and Australia the most common term is Buying agent. In most US states and Canadian provinces, until the 1990s, buyers who worked with an agent of a real estate broker in finding a house were customers of the brokerage, since, by most common law of most states at the time, the broker represented only sellers. It is only since the early 1990s that states passed statute law to create buyers' agency. Buyer agency can exist exclusively (where a brokerage firm chooses to only represent buyers and never sellers, as an Exclusive Buyer Agent) or, in a full service company, by offering buyer agency to buyers who become clients. Buyers would have to agree to some form of dual agency in the event that they wished to buy a home which that company has listed for sale and for which it represents the seller. Today, if the buyer is working with a broker other than the brokerage which "lists" the property, he may choose to enter into a buyer-brokerage agreement to be represented. (In some cases where dual agency is permitted by law, even the listing broker may represent the buyer). If the buyer does not enter into this agreement, he/she remains as a customer of the broker who is then the sub-agent of seller's broker. Contents [hide] 1 Buyers as clients 2 Buyer Agency Agreements 3 See also 4 Notes 5 External links    Buyers as clients With the increase in the practice of Buyer Agency in the US, especially since the late 1990s in most states, agents (acting under their brokers) have been able to represent buyers in the transaction with a written "Buyer Agency Agreement" not unlike the "Listing Agreement" between brokers and sellers (often referred to as seller agency). The real estate licensee, upon entering into a written agreement with a Buyer, agrees to work solely for the buyer, and, in return, the buyer agrees to exclusive representation. At this point, a real estate brokerage owes the buyer the duties of: Loyalty to the buyer by acting in the buyer's best interest. Confidentiality by not disclosing facts that could influence the buyers ability to negotiate the best terms. Disclosure to other parties in the transaction that the licensee has been engaged as a buyer's agent. The broker negotiates price and terms on behalf of the buyers and prepares standard real estate purchase contract by filling in the blanks in the contract form. The buyer's agent acts as a fiduciary for the buyer  Buyer Agency Agreements Like the listing agreement with sellers, the Agreements with buyers must have a starting and ending date as well as specifying how the buyer's broker is to be paid (by the seller or by the buyer himself). In addition, it should spell out the duties and obligations of all parties. National Association of Realtors From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia   (Redirected from Realtor) Jump to: navigation, search This article is about a real estate trade association. For general information about real-estate brokers in the United States, see Real estate broker.  Look up realtor in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.   National Association of Realtors building on New Jersey Ave, NW, Washington DC The building is triangular in shape, due to the configuration of the streets which border it. The NAR building and the U.S. Capitol in the background.The National Association of Realtors (NAR), whose members are known as Realtors (re(?)lt?r; -?tôr), is North America's largest trade association.[1] representing over 1.2 million members[2] (as reported November 2008), including NAR's institutes, societies, and councils, involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. NAR also functions as a Self Regulatory Organization for real estate brokerage. The President of NAR for 2009 is Charles McMillan.[3] Contents [hide] 1 Overview 2 Trademark status 3 NAR and Multiple Listing Service (MLS) systems 3.1 NAR educational requirements and recognized designations 4 Contributions to political campaigns 5 Other national real estate associations 6 See also 7 References 8 External links    Overview The National Association of Realtors was founded on May 12, 1908 as the National Association of Real Estate Exchanges, the founding group being located in Chicago, Illinois. In 1916, the National Association of Real Estate Exchanges changed its name to The National Association of Real Estate Boards. The current name was adopted in 1974. NAR celebrates its centennial in 2008. NAR's membership is composed of residential and commercial real estate brokers, real estate salespeople, immovable property managers, appraisers, counselors, and others engaged in all aspects of the real estate (immovable property) industry, where a state license to practice is required. Members belong to one or more of some 1,600 local Realtor boards or associations. They are pledged to a code of ethics and standards of practice,[4] which includes duties to clients and customers, the public, and other Realtors. Local associations are required to enforce the code of ethics through a Professional Standards Council or Committee. Trained members of the association form hearing panels charged with the responsibility of hearing testimony and evaluating evidence from complaints filed by the public or other members against association members for alleged violations of the code of ethics. If the panel finds the member in violation, disciplines recommended may be one or more of the following: a letter of warning or reprimand, educational courses, suspension or expulsion of membership, fines up to $5,000 and probation. All recommended disciplines by professional standards hearing panels are subject to the ratification by the association's board of directors before the discipline takes effect.[citation needed] The National Association of Realtors is also a member of The Real Estate Roundtable, a lobbying group in Washington, D.C.[5]  Trademark status Realtor is a frequently-used word in many countries to describe any person or company involved in the real estate trade, regardless of their NAR status or American residence. However, in the United States the National Association of Realtors in 1949 obtained preregistrations for the words Realtor[6] and Realtors [7] as collective trade marks. In 2003, Jacob Joseph Zimmerman, a real estate agent who was not a member of NAR, petitioned the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to cancel the trademarks, on the ground that "Realtor" and "Realtors" were generic terms rather than a trademark. On March 31, 2004, the USPTO's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board denied the petition.[8]  NAR and Multiple Listing Service (MLS) systems The NAR governs the hundreds of local Multiple Listing Services (MLSs) which are the information exchanges used across the nation by real estate brokers. (However, there are many MLSs that are independent of NAR, although membership is typically limited to licensed brokers and their agents; MLSPIN[9] is an example of one of the larger independent MLSs in North America). Through a complicated arrangement, NAR sets the policies for most of the Multiple Listings Services and, in the late 1990s with the growth of the Internet, NAR evolved regulations allowing Information Data Exchanges (IDX) whereby brokers would allow a portion of their data to be seen on the Internet via brokers' or agents' websites and Virtual Office Websites (VOW) which required potential buyers to register to obtain information. These policies allowed "participants" (whether they were individual one-person brokers or large regional companies) to limit access to some or all of the MLS data by individual brokers (whether they were brokers operating solely on the Internet or local competitors). In 2005, this prompted the Department of Justice to file an antitrust lawsuit against NAR alleging its MLS rules in regard to these types of limitations on the display of data were the product of a conspiracy to restrain trade by excluding brokers who used the Internet to operate differently from traditional bricks-and-mortar brokers. (For a description of the DOJ action, see Antitrust Case filings for US v. National Association of Realtors.[10]) Meanwhile various real estate trends such as expanded consumer access and the Internet are consolidating existing local MLS organizations into larger and more statewide or regional MLS systems, such as in California and Virginia/Maryland/Washington DC's Metropolitan Regional Information Systems. In response to the case, NAR had proposed setting up a single Internet Listing Display system which will not allow Participants to exclude individual brokers (whether of a bricks-and-mortar type or solely internet-based) but require a blanket opting out of display on all other brokers' sites.[citation needed] This system is the IDX system. Although it allows the public to view MLS listings, it still requires the listing brokerage information to be placed on the listing (brokers legally "own" the listings of their brokerage), every place it appears, in order to prevent misrepresentation of the listing information, and to place accountability for the information on the broker, also as the law dictates. The antitrust lawsuit was settled in May 2008.[11] The agreement mandates that all Multiple Listing Service systems allow access to Internet-based competitors.[11][12] The NAR will be required to treat online brokers the same as traditional brokers and cannot exclude them from membership because they do not have a traditional business model.[13] The NAR admitted no wrongdoing, and it paid neither fines nor damages as part of the deal.[13] The settlement will not be official until a federal judge formally approves it, most likely in the summer of 2008.[13] While the general counsel of the NAR believes that the settlement will have no effect on the commission paid by the general public, a business professor at Western Michigan University predicted that the increased competition would cause a 25 to 50 percent decrease in commissions.[13]  NAR educational requirements and recognized designations As adherents to NAR's Code of Ethics, Realtors are required to update their acquaintance with the Code every four years by taking a course, available online or "live". However, Realtors, as members of NAR, also have the option of studying for additional certifications in a variety of specialties, several of which are backed by NAR with offerings of certification and update courses available nationwide.[14] The most well known NAR sponsored designations are the following: Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR). The Real Estate Buyers Agent Council has over 40,000 members and is the largest association of real estate professionals focusing on all aspects of buyer representation. Of the REBAC members, over 30,000 have completed REBAC’s two-day course and provided documentation of buyer agency experience. Linked to the ABR is the ABRM, Accredited Buyer Representative Manager (ABRM) for managers. Accredited Land Consultant (ALC). ALC’s are the recognized experts in land brokerage transactions of all kinds of specialized land services including farms and ranches, raw land sales and development. Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM). CCIMs are recognized experts in commercial real estate brokerage, leasing, valuation and investment analysis. There are more than 7,500 designees and an equal number of candidates principally in North America, but also in Asia and Europe. Certified Property Manager (CPM). Geared to real estate property management specialists, designees handle all forms of management from residential to commercial to industrial. Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB). The designation is awarded to Realtors who have completed the Council's advanced educational and professional requirements. CRB designees consistently increase their level of industry knowledge, advance their earning and career potential, increase their firm’s profitability and benefit from active involvement in our network of real estate professionals. Certified Residential Specialist (CRS). Designees, with 44,000 members - 4% of NAR members - who average 43 transactions per year and earn four times as much as the average Realtor, belong to the Council of Residential Specialists which is the largest affiliate of NAR. They are involved in over 27% of all transactions because the consumer prefers to work with a more knowledgeable and seasoned brokers or agents. Requirements for this designation include a total of at least 25 transactions (or specific $$ volume of sales) over a specific time period, significant experience, as well as complete rigorous educational requirements. Certification for Internet Professionalism (e-PRO). An e-PRO is a Realtor who has undergone a new training program presented entirely online in order to be certified as Internet Professionals. NAR is the first major trade group to offer certification for online professionalism which involves all aspects of doing business on the internet. Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS). Realtors with the CIPS designation have both hands-on experience in international real estate transactions, Whether traveling abroad to put transactions together, assisting foreign investors, helping local buyers invest abroad, or serving an immigrant niche in local markets. CIPS designees have also successfully completed an intensive program of study focusing on critical aspects of transnational transactions, including currency and exchange rate issues and cross-cultural relationships, regional market conditions, investment performance, tax issues and more. The CIPS network consists of 1,500 real estate professionals from 50 countries who deal in all types of real estate. Counselor of Real Estate (CRE). A CRE designee is one of only 1,100 by-invitation-only members of an international group of professionals who provide seasoned, objective advice on real property and land-related matters. Graduate of the Realtor's Institute (GRI). The GRI designation is held by 19% of Realtors and courses are offered through state Realtor associations with 90 hours of coursework on marketing and servicing listed properties to real estate law. In a 2003 survey, NAR has determined that GRIs earned over $33,200 more annually than non-designees. Real Estate Professional Assistant (REPA). Designed for administrative assistants or employees of Realtors (who may or may not hold a real estate license), a two-day certificate course provides an intensive introduction to the real estate business and to the specific ways support staff can become valuable assets to their employers.  Contributions to political campaigns The NAR wields substantial power as a lobbying organization on behalf of agents and brokers; in 2005, NAR had the largest Political Action Committee in the United States. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the association is the United States' third-largest donor to political campaigns, having given since 1990 more than US$30 million. Of this sum, an average of 47% has gone to Democrats and 53% to Republicans.[15] Key political issues for the group revolve around federal regulation of the financial services industry.  Other national real estate associations Canadian Real Estate Association National Association of Estate Agents  See also Real estate broker Real estate trends Estate agent (United Kingdom) List of real estate topics United States housing bubble Lawrence Yun  References ^ National Trade and Professional Associations (2008), 43rd ed., ISBN 978 1-880873-56-4 ^ NAR's current membership report ^ NAR's 2007 code of ethics and standards of practice ^ "Lobbying Spending Database : National Assn of Realtors : 2007". Retrieved on 2008-10-25.  ^ United States Patent and Trademark Office, reg. no. 519,789, "Realtor" ^ United States Patent and Trademark Office, reg. no. 515,200, "Realtors" ^ Jacob Zimmerman v. Nat'l Ass'n of Realtors, Cancellation Nos. 92032360, 92040141, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (March 31, 2004) ^ MLSpin website ^ United States v. National Association of Realtors. United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division. 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-05-27. ^ a b Bartz, Diane. Realtors to open listings to settle lawsuit. Reuters. 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-05-27. ^ Jordan, Lara Jakes. Settlement opens listings to online real estate agents. Associated Press. The Mercury News, Silicon Valley. 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-05-27. ^ a b c d Lichtblau, Eric. Realtors Agree to Stop Blocking Web Listings. The New York Times. 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2008-05-27. ^ NAR Accredited Designations & Courses. National Association of Realtors. ^ Center for Responsive Politics's report on NAR's support of Democratic and Republican parties, 1990 to 2006, retrieved 21 June 2007  External links Realtor.com: Official website of the National Association of Realtors; homes for sale Realtor.org: NAR member website Kirstin Downey, "Realtors Back Away From Plan To Restrict Access to Listings" The Washington Post, September 8, 2005 NAR Grassroots Site National Association of Realtors Political Action Group (PAC) . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .