BROOKLINE, Washington Square Town Home,  OPEN HOUSE: SUN 7/19,1:30-3 PM Posted on July 19, 2009 by bostonkayakguy 64 Regent Circle, Brookline, $695,000 Prime location in Brookline one block form Beacon Street train, shopping, & restaurants! Direct entry garage and additional parking space.  2007  Granite/Cherry/Stainless kitchen.  2007 Lavatory.  2009 Master Bath.  2007 new roof & heating cooling systems.  Oak, Brazilian Cherry, & tile  floors. John Prescott, Vice President CENTURY 21 Commonwealth 508-523-9252     Filed under: Metrowest | Tagged: beacon street, BROOKLINE, condos, coolidge corner, garage, garage parking, new listing, New Listings, Newton, open house, Open Houses, townhouse, Wellesley 07/19/2009

From my blog on 6/18/2009: The most recent Cambridge, MA, single family median sales price data show prices have jumped a healthy 12.7% compared to the same period last year. Arlington, MA and Somerville, MA have each experienced small declines in pricing (-5.2% and -6.3%, respectively). But combining all three locations, we find the median sales price has dipped only -1.4% compared to last year. For more, read my blog at CyberGreenRealty's Blog. --Tim 06/18/2009

This week I am attending Inbound Marketing University that runs until Monday June 22nd. Inbound Marketing University (IMU) is a free marketing retraining program for marketing professionals-as well as marketers between jobs-looking to gain new skills to get ahead in the competitive workforce. The IMU program includes ten webinar classes and one review session. Professors include: Chris Brogan (New Marketing Labs), Brian Carroll (InTouch), Mack Collier (MarketingProfs), Rand Fishkin (SEOmoz), Eric Groves (Constant Contact), Ann Handley (MarketingProfs), Jeanne Hopkins (MarketingExperiments), Lee Odden (TopRank Online Marketing), David Meerman Scott (New Rules of Marketing & PR), Marshall Sponder (Monster.com), Elyse Tager, (Silicon Valley American Marketing Association) and Mike Volpe (... 06/17/2009

After stumbling across info about a woman I had never heard of - Ellen Swallow Richards - twice in two days I decided it was a sign of a blog post in the making.  And since Ellen Swallow Richards spent quite a bit of time in Cambridge Mass I was particularly taken with her story. I never had given much thought about the history of home ec though I did enjoy my classes the couple of years it was offered when I was in junior high. Not that it took - I'm no Martha Stewart and the pastry we made in 7th grade remains one of the fanciest things I've ever cooked. But reading about it - that's another story.  I love vintage cookbooks and books about maintaining the house so couldn't resist the book at right when I found it online.  It's a 1967 textbook for a home ec class. Ellen Swallow Richard... 06/04/2009

My nemesis - black swallowwort - is invading Cambridge.  I've been out and about in the last few days and found big patches of it in many, many  front yards in Cambridge. And no question about it - it's in Somerville, Medford, and Arlington too.  In fact, it's becoming an issue all over Massachusetts.  It could very well be in your area too - black swallowwort has spread across much of the United States. Black swallowwort looks a bit like milkweed.  But instead of the fuzzy, lumpy pods of regular milkweed the swallowwort seed pods are thinner and smooth, shiny green.  It's a rapidly growing vine and if allowed to flourish will produce numerous pods. Last summer I would find large stands of swallow-wort covering chain link fences and dripping with pods.  Unfortunately I think some people... 05/20/2009

No - it wasn't snow - but it sure looked like it yesterday as the spring breezes filled the air with falling petals from the beautiful flowering trees all over Cambridge. It was so nice to have a couple of spring-like days since within a week of shutting off the heat we had temperatures over 90 degrees.  With no leaves on the trees that makes for a lot of unshaded pavement. Ugh!  For the time being temperatures have cooled. I've so enjoyed - vicariously - all your beautiful pictures from warmer parts of the country as we plodded through an endless winter.  So before we immediately segue into summer here's some proof that we do get indeed get spring in Cambridge.       05/01/2009

Recently, as part of a series on local architecture on my blog, I wrote a post about Greek Revival houses, an architectural style popular in Cambridge and nearby towns and cities. Of course I had to take some photographs to illustrate the post.  Well now I can't stop.  I see wonderful examples of Greek Revivals everywhere. Not to mention the bungalows, Victorians, and triple deckers that are subjects of other posts.  So far my colleagues are bearing with me as I slam on the brakes and leap out of the car to take yet another photograph.  But their good will may be tested as I hold up our tour, retrace my steps, ever in search of yet another photo of a great house.  I guess this obsession shouldn't be a surprise. Years ago when I lived in New Haven Connecticut my daily walk took me past a... 04/20/2009

Nowadays many people talk about houses as investments and advise buyers not to get emotional about the home buying process.  While I'm happy to work with buyers seeking to aquire real estate solely for its investment value, the truth is, buying a home to live in often is about emotions.  After all, when you buy a house to make it your home, you're charting the course for you and your family and friends.  This house will be the place where you celebrate holidays, where your memories are formed, the place you come home to.  The good and the bad - this will be where it happens for however long you live in your home.  Your home will be your haven. You'll care for your house.  You'll put your own stamp on it.  Inside and out you'll make it your own.  And the house will make its mark on you. ... 04/18/2009

Since I was an archivist before I became a real estate agent in Cambridge I couldn't help but be intrigued by an article in today's Cambridge Chronicle.  The Chronicle reported that the archival records from the 1994 campaign that successfully led to the end of rent control in Massachusetts have been donated to the Cambridge Historical Society. At the time Boston, Brookline and Cambridge had rent control in place.  Cambridge's rent control regulations were particularly stringent and feelings were strong on both sides of the issue. The Cambridge Archives Project, an organization formed to improve information about and access to the various archival collections in Cambridge, is interested in acquiring other documentary evidence about rent control in Cambridge. The Chronicle reports that t... 04/02/2009

My google alert pulled up a story that caught my eye today. It was an article from a Montana newsaper about musician Martin Sexton.  I'm not familiar with his music but the article notes that John Mayer called Sexton the "greatest live performer he'd ever seen". Turns out Sexton turned to music after "failing a real estate exam in 1986."  The paths we take through our work life often have twists and turns. Mine certainly did before I found my calling in real estate.  And I've met more than one former musician now making a living in real estate. Sexton's journey took him in the opposite direction. His path to a career in real estate stymied, Sexton turned to music. A stint as a sidewalk performer or "busker" in Harvard Square led to a successful career as a musician.  The sidewalk perfor... 03/28/2009

More than once when showing real estate in Cambridge Mass. I've come across chickens - and a rooster or two - in nearby backyards. It's a surprising and delightful sight in the city. Luckily Cambridge does not prohibit raising chickens. With the increasing emphasis on eating locally produced food, a backyard chicken coop may be just the ticket.  Raising your own chickens means you're going to get the freshest eggs possible.  You can't get more local than your own yard. Raising chickens is an opportunity to introduce a bit of nature to your city kids and to increase their awareness about how food gets to their table. And far better that the eggs come from your backyard than from a factory farm. Turns out city chickens are part of a trend.  A blog post by Karen Klinger alerted me to an am... 03/27/2009

Cambridge real estate agents often remark that we don't have any cookie cutter real estate in our area.  We don't have large developments, and there aren't any tract homes in our neck of the woods.  It's part of what makes selling real estate so interesting here - all the houses are different and you never know what to expect. It's also one of the challenges since good comps can more difficult to come by than would be the case if we had neighborhoods filled with similar homes.   But are all the houses unique?    My first eye opener ocurred when I bought my own house in Cambridge. It was weeks before I realized that my house was one of about eight on my block that were probably identical when first built.  It wasn't immediately obvious because over the years a dormer had been added here,... 03/21/2009

An article in today's paper about several boutiques and shops in nearby towns going out of business got me thinking.  It's the fun and funky small shops that make a neighborhood shopping district appealing.  Local shops, cafes, bookstores, independent businesses of all types - all add up to make a shopping district a destination spot.  Every local store that closes threatens to erode the unique character of the neighborhood.  Every time another bank or cell phone store moves into the space vacated by a failed independent business, something is lost.     And this should matter to all of us in the neighborhoods where we live and work.  Given the choice would you rather live near a strip mall or a bustling Main Street where pedestrians stroll, customers sit at cafe tables outside restauran... 02/22/2009

Just when I thought I could I knew how to read the market, things change. Although Cambridge has been one of those fortunate areas that have seen property prices holding somewhat steady. I had been telling my buyers, that they surely have an advantage in this market. After doing some research on home sales in comparison to last year, I realize that it isn't the case. Yes the media has been saying, there is so much demand and foreclosures that have hit the market have for many areas of Massachusetts have taken their toll on prices. But when you look at how much inventory is active on the market at this point in time. You can clearly see that the market is really changing in Cambridge.  What may have sold in the past 12 months is far from what is selling now. We may have had 4 - 5 months ... 02/13/2009

I'm writting in the Rain, just writting in the Rain, what a glorious feeling I'm selling again..... My apologies to Gene Kelley but ........ It's not everyday you get the tip of a lifetime!  Thanks to Liz Bolton, a premier real estate agent in our office here in Cambridge, I'm up and running.  Look for me to comment on real estate & all things real about the state of this industry.  I look forward to reading your blogs and comments too!  See you in the RAIN Nike     02/11/2009

Given the unrelenting doom and gloom in the media, it's no wonder you feel like you've got the upper hand when you're looking for a new home.  Visions of lowball offers, grateful sellers, and bargain basement prices dance in your head.   But real estate is local and even today you may find yourself in a competive market where houses sell quickly and still get multiple offers.   There have been a number of multiple offers in my market recently and it can take newcomers by surprise.  Some houses, clearly well priced, get half a dozen or more offers the first weekend on the market. So here's a game plan to take you through the crazy, stress-producing process of buying a home when you've got competition.   What's a savvy buyer to do when there are multiple offers?   For starters, don't be d... 02/09/2009

I ordered re-usable shopping bags for my favorite real estate agents, consumers and co-workers.  They were a huge hit!  Most people have a few of them already, but like myself seem to always leave them at home and they never make it back to the car after unloading their groceries. The best part of all is I have people all over the city advertising for me!  Our front desk agent stopped some gentleman in Harvard Square because he was carrying one of my bags.  They had a laugh and turned out to know each other under six degrees of separation.  They are becoming fast friends!     02/07/2009

1.) Take Your Pick. The days when there were more buyers in the market than homes for sale are over for now. Then, options were few and many buyers felt they had to take what they could get whether or not it was the ideal home for them. Now, the reverse is true: There are many homes to choose from. Also buyers are no longer competing with property "flippers" and other investors in the marketplace. 2.) Make An Offer.  In the sizzling seller's market, buyers were outbidding one another, sometimes offering amounts thousands of dollars above the list price of the home they wanted. Today, buyers don't have to engage in bidding wars and they're finding sellers more willing to entertain their offer. 3.)  A Balanced Market. In the past, many buyers, striving to gain the upper hand in bidding ba... 02/07/2009

provided by www.ratekink.com Market CommentMortgage bond prices fell last week pushing interest rates slightly higher. Governments across the globe continued to battle the credit crisis and economic instability. Billions of dollars of debt offerings by the US Treasury continued to be announced. Unfortunately, the additional supply caused bond prices in general to fall and rates to rise the middle of the week. Record weekly jobless claims, weak factory orders, and strong productivity data released Thursday provided much-needed boost for mortgage bonds. For the week, interest rates on government and conventional loans rose by about 1/8 of a discount point. The retail sales data Thursday will be the most important event this week. The Treasury will auction 3-year, 10-year and 30-year notes... 02/07/2009

One of the pundits this morning said there is a "palpable sense of joy" in Washington today. That's true of my home town too. Barack Obama and Joe Biden carried Massachusetts in November with 62% of the vote.    In Cambridge, 88% of voters cast their ballot for Obama-Biden, second only to the small town of Aquinnah where 90% of the 311 voters cast votes for Obama.   There are a lot of very happy people in Cambridge today - though I don't think happy is a strong enough word.  Jubilant, delighted, ecstatic, overwhelmed....   It's a beautiful day.   Cantabrigians often broadcast their thoughts, obsessions, affiliations and more on their bumpers.  Here's a sampling of the amazing variety of Obama bumperstickers found on cars in Cambridge this week - some a bit the worse for wear. Nary a McC... 01/20/2009