Time to buy that oceanfront property?
Both the stock market and Boston condos have enjoyed a great run in prices in the last few years, in part due to the policy of keeping interest rates extremely low. One area that has not participated in the recent upturn, however, has been oceanfront property on the North Shore. Maybe Boston condo owners should be asking whether now is time to buy that oceanfront property. (more…)
Sales and Median Prices Town by Town
As promised in my Are home sales really booming? article this weekend I am now publishing a town by town guide to Sales and Median Prices for the year through August. (more…)
Solar panels: are they right for you?
Have you wondered about installing solar panels? Are solar panels right for you? Are you confused about the proclaimed benefits?
I am and so I found this Boston Globe article Are solar panels worth it? very helpful.
The main points I took away from the article were:
– the appearance of solar panels on the roof may not appeal to everybody or be appropriate on all styles of property, although some experts claim solar panels increase a property’s value
– the life span of solar panels is 20-30 years and the roof needs to be in good condition for the installation. It is not clear to me what happens to the panels when a roof ages or needs later replacement
– leased panels can complicate the sale of the property
– much of the projected financial benefit comes from tax credits, which are currently set to expire at the end of 2016, and assumptions about future electricity price increases. (more…)
Today’s Open House list
Mortgage rates are under 4%, unemployment has dropped to 5.1% – it’s a great time to check out these Open Houses. (more…)
New Listings before Labor Day
Here are the week’s new listings, in summary: (more…)
Are Home Sales really booming?
I read a report recently saying that sales of Single Family Homes (SFHs) in Essex County in July jumped sharply compared with a year ago, although prices showed only modest gains.
I am always wary of one-month numbers – which is why I do not usually report them – so I have taken a look at sales for July (and August), the 4 months, May to August, which are the peak sales months of the year, and the year to date.
Here are the results for Essex County and for Massachusetts as a whole. While there was a spike in July, YTD sales in both Essex County and Massachusetts are up 7%. (more…)
Energy guzzling Beer Fridges
I read an article by Chris deMuth Jr. on Seeking Alpha pointing out the unanticipated consequences of some Energy Star programs, in this case leading to the creation of energy guzzling beer fridges.
Here’s how. (more…)
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