Essex County housing inventory: worse than you think
After my article yesterday Marblehead inventory:even worse than you think I have looked at Essex County overall.
There are currently 1352 Single Family Homes (SFH) for sale in Essex County, down nearly 20% compared from 1660 a year ago at this time. But the position for buyers is even worse than it appears.
Marblehead housing inventory: even worse than you think
There are currently just 49 Single Family Homes (SFH) for sale in Marblehead, compared with 90 a year ago at this time. But the position for buyers is even worse than it appears. (more…)
Don’t believe real estate headlines
Information overload. “News” is so freely available online that it is hard to know what to believe and what not to believe.
Take real estate-related headlines. (more…)
Would you like an electric car with that condo?
According to this Condo raises the Bar article in Boston Curbed (www.curbed.boston.com), a Jamaica Plain condo has just raised the ante in amenities: a shared electric car, complete with on-site charging station. (more…)
Buy or rent? It’s NOT just a financial decision
OK, be warned, I am about to get on my soapbox.
Below I post a link to a recent Boston Herald article quoting a Zillow study comparing the costs of buying vs renting in different cities in the US and in different neighborhoods around Boston and Cambridge.
It’s not that I do no think article like this have some value. They do, encouraging people to think about how long they will stay in a house before making a major financial decision.
No, my problem with articles such as this is that they focus only on the financial aspect of buying a home. (more…)
How to avoid dust during remodeling
During remodeling, contractors create the most dust during demolition and drywall and plaster sanding. That dust travels with the airflow of the house and creates a lot more hazardous conditions than your typical dust bunnies.
Trulia vs MLS statistics on Marblehead
I have reported before on my puzzlement as to where Trulia gets its statistics on Marblehead. This is what I received by email today: (more…)
$7 Million Boston Condo sale
The highest priced condo to sell so far this year in Boston closed recently for $7 million, according to the Boston Globe. The highest-priced sale last year was $13 million, but it’s early days. After all, the penthouse at Millennium Tower is still available – for $37.5 million. If you would like a showing, just call. (more…)
What does $4 million buy in and around Boston?
A prospective buyer looked at a $4 million listing in Marblehead recently and commented: “this house would sell for $18 million in the Hamptons.”
Well we’re not in the Hamptons, Dorothy, but it was an interesting comment and led me to look at what a paltry $4 million would buy today in different areas in and around Boston. The table below is in four sections: the North Shore, towns close to Boston, and then Boston SFHS and Boston condos: (more…)
5 mortgage predictions for 2015
The Federal Savings Bank, despite its name, is a private bank. It has just released the following predictions for 2015:
– mortgage rates will remain low in 2015, with the Federal Reserve hesitant to raise rates
– mortgage application volumes will increase, driven by low rates and improvements in the job market
– refinancing activity will increase
– slow international growth will keep US interest rates low
– prospective homebuyers may be more confident about entering the market (more…)
We’re off: more listings, Open Houses
As expected, we have seen a decent number of new listings this week. We even have the promise of 60 degrees and sunshine on Sunday.
So make plans to visit these Open Houses:
(more…)
The Best Streets in Greater Boston – really?
One of real estate’s fascinations is that it is subjective: what I love you may hate and vice versa. So it should come as no surprise that I might differ on the pick for the Best Street in Marblehead. I accept the words of the writer that Atlantic Avenue is three miles long, but the Best Street in Marblehead?
Here we go again: bubble, bubble, toil and trouble
I know it’s really: Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble. (Macbeth).
When I read articles like Is Massachusetts headed toward another housing bubble?, I am reminded of the saying that economists have forecast 10 of the last 3 recessions. (more…)
An island off Puerto Rico sounds tempting today….
Yes it is snowing again. OK it won’t settle, but it is still annoying. Let’s hope the promise of high 50s for the weekend proves true.
Meanwhile we can think of warmer places, like this island off the coast of Puerto Rico.
The price is $2.5 million, but if we all chip in a few bucks…. (more…)
New Windshield Wiper Law does not apply to Hayrides
Effective this coming Tuesday, April 7, a new Law in Massachusetts requires drivers to turn on headlights whenever they need to use their windshield wipers.
The new Law does not apply to vehicles transporting people on a hayride. Phew. (more…)
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