One year and 147 posts later…..

This weekend marks the anniversary of my first blog. I remember being concerned about making a commitment to writing every week and publishing at 8 a.m. on Saturdays. Perhaps I remembered what a journalist told me that it is easier writing to a deadline. I may have had a few late Friday nights and many early Saturday mornings but I have not missed a post all year. I have learned the joy – and angst – of hitting the Publish button. And yes I have unintentionally deleted a few blogs.

I wondered if I would find something of interest every week. Well I guess 147 posts in 52 weeks suggests that I did, at least to me. I have tried to include commentary on all major issues that might affect a decision by a buyer or seller of real estate.

I have written quite a lot about mortgages and mortgage rates; about national and State data on sales and median prices; and about supply at different price points.

I have published an interview with Marblehead’s Assessor talking about property taxes (watch for the latest news in a few weeks) and have started a series about flood insurance.

Specifically in Marblehead and other North Shore cities and towns I have posted detailed breakdowns of sales and prices for both SFHs and Condos, and on more than one occasion the data has demonstrated a change in trend.

As we move towards the end of the year, the market seems to be recovering from the sharp slowdown in activity as a consequence of the nonsense in Washington coupled with increased mortgage rates. I know of two houses which came to the market recently – one in the $400s the other in the $800s – which both saw swamped open houses and multiple offers. And another, listed a $1,275,000, went Under Agreement in 3 days.

There are some people, I know, who do not care about what is happening elsewhere and rely upon their Realtor for information when they are in the market. This blog is probably not for them.

But there is an ever increasing number of people who believe, as I do, that the Internet has empowered them by providing access to detailed information. Those people expect information to be available to them online. They want to do their own research and make their own decisions. At some point they will probably use a Realtor, but they will want to do a lot of the basic information gathering themselves first.

If this is you, you are the target readership of this blog. Anybody else is, of course, welcome to read my articles and I know some people who dip in whenever they see something that catches their interest. I try to make my titles informative – and occasionally witty – so if you sign up for email alerts on the top right hand side of the home page at www.OliverReports.com you can check your inbox on Saturday mornings and decide if you want to read that week’s article or articles.

The website stores all old articles by category, and on the home page bottom right under Latest News I publish links to regular news reports such as the Case-Shiler Index and monthly reports on sales and median prices.

You can also like my Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/OliverReports and follow me on Twitter @OliverReports and LinkedIn.

And I will end by doing what I am told a blogger should never do – brag: I have never had a report of people being unable to log onto my website.I bet the Federal Government wishes it could make the same claim.

If you are considering buying or selling a home and have questions about the market and/or current home prices, feel free to contact me on 781.631.1223 or [email protected].

Andrew Oliver is a Realtor with Harborside Realty in Marblehead.