Consistency When I look at 2009 versus 2008, I see a lot of things that remained constant while there were a lot of changes as well.  Surprisingly, my total income was only about $86 more in 2009 than it was in 2008.  While the number of homes remained the same (20 both years!), the roads I took to each tally were quite different. Different Types of Sales While the amount of total of homes sold were the same, what I noticed was the type of sales differed in almost ever other way.  The most obvious was the amount of listings vs. buyer sales.  Last year, three quarters of my sales were from listings. This year, it dropped to half as it became more of a buyer's market and it was easier to find ready, able and willing buyers than it was to find reasonable sellers ready to list at a reasonab... 01/31/2010

The median price for single family homes in Massachusetts rose 10.4 percent in December.  The price rose from $267,250 in December 2008 and $295,000 in December 2009 according to the Warren Group, a Boston company that tracks real estate activity. The December home sales volumne jumped 16.8 percent to 3,350 from 2,868 in December 2008. Condominiums sales surged  almost 29% and the median condo price rose almost 6%. Still, when the entire year was taken into account the Warren Group still saw the Massachusetts residential sales activity to reflect a sluggish market and a struggling economy.  Over the course of the entire year compared to 2008 the home prices dropped 6.6 percent and were almost 20 percent lower than the 2005 market peak.     01/26/2010

While I was on a 7-mile run in the pouring rain yesterday, I thought of a humorous blog topic (as well as some examples!).  Real Estate Limericks! For those unsure of the typical limerick rules, they are roughly:  A limerick is a five-line poem written with one couplet and one triplet. If a couplet is a two-line rhymed poem, then a triplet would be a three-line rhymed poem. The rhyme pattern is a a b b a with lines 1, 2 and 5 containing 3 beats and rhyming, and lines 3 and 4 having two beats and rhyming.  It may be tough tough to keep with the beats, but I'll try to keep it close.  Remember, I'm a real estate agent, not a poet!   That carpet was horribly rankThe fridge just totally stankThere was trash all aboutAnd the power was outThis home must be owned by a bank Can't believe what I ... 01/26/2010

 SPEECHLESS SUNDAY - TOP OF THE HUB!   If you are ever looking for a Buyer's Agent or Seller's Agent in Worcester County,  Hampden County, or anywhere in Central Mass, please don't hesitate to contact me, Kathleen Cooper at kathleencooper@jckcrealty.com .  Please make sure to visit my website at http://www.MassachusettsHomeLocator.com and find everything you need from market snapshots, Buyer and Seller information, property searches, my blog and more!  kathleencooper@jckcrealty.com , cooperagents@charter.net , 508-523-8632 www.activerain.com/jckcrealty, www.JCKCRealty.com,  www.CentralMAListings.com, http://www.realtor.com,  www.MassachusettsHomeLocator.com, http://www.facebook.com, www.trulia.com, www.myspace.com/kfcooper,  http://jckcrealty.postlets.com/ , www.loopnet.com,  http://twi... 01/24/2010

"Put DOWN the keys and step AWAY from the mailbox!", is what I felt like saying to my friend last month when he called me on a Friday night in a sudden panic.  He was selling his home short sale-style and after waiting many months for an answer from the bank, the buyer that he had under contract up and left, leaving him with what he thought were very few choices.  He told me that he was literally going to mail the keys to the bank.  I couldn't believe it!  First of all, this is a friend of mine, not even a client.  I've known him for longer than I've been in real estate.  While I've given him some casual advice in the past about certain real estate matters, he really seemed to be needing me here.  My first question was obviously, "What does your agent think about this and what does she ... 01/20/2010

  In 1773 The Boston Tea Party marked the beginning of our American Revolution.   Samuel Adams said:"If men, through fear, fraud, or mistake, should in terms renounce or give up any natural right, the eternal law of reason and the grand end of society would absolutely vacate such renunciation. The right to freedom being the gift of Almighty God, it is not in the power of man to alienate this gift and voluntarily become a slave." Friends, Brethren and Countrymen.  Once again the destiny of our country is on your shoulders. Today we look to you once again, to publicize to the entire nation our revolt and discontent!  The revolution of 2010 begins in Massachusetts. Make every effort to get out and vote.  Round up all you know and get them to the polls.  This election is critical to the sur... 01/18/2010

                                        The Kennedy seat is under siege. The coveted Senatorial seat from Massachusetts, long held by the Kennedy family, and thought to be impervious from challenge.  Most recently occupied for 46 years by the "revered" Lion of the Senate, Ted Kennedy. No person or family owns or is entitled to a seat in the United States Senate.  Did I say entitlement?  What an affront to even whisper that a seat in the Senate was someone's due.  That the people may OWE it to a person or party. Massachusetts has been liberal and a Democrat stronghold for generations.  Everyone thought this race would be a shoe in.  A walk in the park.  A done deal. Along comes a challenger who appears any easy defeat for the big political machine.  Almost without notice he began gaining... 01/17/2010

Boston Massachusetts Single Family Homes Sold Activity - 2009 The Boston MA real estate and homes sold activity shows that there were 914 single family homes transacted in 2009 with an average sales price of $436,522 and an average days on market (DOM) of 107. The highest selling price of a home was $7,000,000.  Visit the Virtual Homes Blog for a MA statewide report. Additional resources to evaluate the Boston real estate market include: Boston MA Real Estate - Community, relocation and school information with town demographics. Boston MA Foreclosures - Obtain a list of foreclosed and bank owned real estate and short sales Boston MA MLS Search - View all listings in the statewide MLS. Boston MA Homes for Sale - Map Search - Search by location, neighborhood and commuting. Virtual Homes R... 01/16/2010

Over the past year commercial real estate has been following the steady declines seen in residential real estate. This can be seen by looking no further than the fact that prices are down nearly 40% from 2007 and office vacancies have increased by 5% in 2009 alone. However, residential real estate has slowly began turning around, this has caused many investors and analysts to wonder if commercial real estate will stabilize in 2010.Changing Times, Changing World: According to a survey conducted by Grub and Ellis, commercial real estate is expected to decline by another 10% to 20%. At which point, the markets will go into the stage of flat lining, this is where prices will not decrease or increase rapidly. This is contrary to what some have been prognosticating for commercial real estate,... 01/15/2010

Spacious 2 Bedroom Condo For SaleLocation: DorchesterRecently updated condo! The unit features a spacious open floor plan, hardwood floors and is conveniently located. Minutes to I-93 and a short bus ride to JFK UMass redline T station. Just move right into this warm and cozy place and call it your home.InformationContact InformationRobert L. Nichols Jr6174485112Contact Reply FormForward to a FriendView Other FlyersPricingPrice: $129,000Flexibility: NegotiableAdditional Pricing Information: All Offers Will be ConsideredHomeowner Dues: 230Property Location59 Monadnock StUnit 5Boston, MA 02125View MapFeaturesBedrooms: 2Bathrooms: 1Parking Spaces: 0Year Built: 1990Located on Floor #: 2Floors in Bldg: 3School District: Boston Public SchoolsSquare Footage: 1088Agent Name: Robert NiholsBroker... 12/24/2009

Mayor Menino, Sun Life Financial and National Hockey League partner to sponsor free public skating during Sun Life Frozen Fenway 12/14/2009 - Released by Mayor's Office For more information contact Mayor's Office Thousands of Boston kids and families to skate at Fenway as part of City's Inaugural celebrations Mayor Thomas M. Menino, in partnership with Sun Life Financial, the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Boston Bruins, announced today that thousands of children and families in the City of Boston will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to skate on the ice at Fenway Park. The announcement was made by Bruins legend Ray Bourque on behalf of Mayor Menino, who was unable to attend this afternoon's press conference. City of Boston residents will be able to skate for free at Fenwa... 12/17/2009

 100 DAYS OF CENTRAL MASS FEATURES BOSTON - CITIES TO WORK IN Boston is the capital of Massachusetts and considered the unofficial capital of New England.  Boston is the cultural and economic center of the region.  It is also the largest city in New England.  Boston is a great place to work and an easy commute from anywhere in Central Mass.  Boston is home to many colleges and universities that bring in a lot of money to the city.  These colleges and universities also attract high tech industries to the area.  Boston is the regional headquarters to some of our major banks like Bank of America & Sovereign Bank.  Tourism plays a key role in the city's economy.  Boston definitely has something for everyone.  Contact us today if you are thinking of relocating to Central Mass and comuting to... 12/04/2009

    I get so tired of turning on the news and hearing about all the shenanigans going on lately...useless trips to Asia, the impending doom that is the health "care" bill, Massachusetts sales tax increasing,  our legislature adjouring for the rest of the year even though we have a $125 million deficit... (come on people, seriously?)   When I moved to Boston I decided the quickest way to meet people would be to get involved in some type of political group. Once I started listening to the news I knew I absolutely had to. My friends back home told me I was crazy to move to such a liberal state with my very conservative views... (after seeing the taxes taken out of my paycheck they might not be far off). I decided to help out with the July 4th Tea Party and met Brad Marston, the organizer o... 11/23/2009

Get your Massachusetts real estate license here.  We welcome you to the Finest Fully Accredited Online MA Real Estate School with the best prices available. Check out our website www.RowlettCareerSchool.com. Our passing rate meets or exceeds any other online course provider.  Get your Real Estate License here.  Captain Wayne Rowlett and the Rowlett Career School offer the finest online Real Estate School in the Industry. Please take a few moments to explore our site where you will find detailed information on our full service Massachusetts online real estate school and live Florida classroom course schedule.                                               Home        FAQs       Career Info      Bookstore      General Info      About Us     Contact Us           Select a state below for app... 11/09/2009

Charlestown MA Foreclosures, Bank Owned and Short Sale Property for Sale Register to receive Charlestown MA real estate foreclosure (bank-owned) listings and short sale opportunities. One of our Charlestown real estate professionals will contact you and provide: A list of existing real estate foreclosure (bank-owned) and short sale listings in Charlestown. Email alerts on NEW foreclosure (bank-owned) and short sale listings in the Massachusetts MLS. Address and mapping information. For Charlestown community information including school reports, demographic, relocation, home buying and selling information go to Charlestown MA real estate.  To search the MA MLS listings visit Charlestown MA MLS listings.  Go to  Charlestown MA Foreclosures for a map based search result of bank owned prope... 11/03/2009

Condos for sale walkable to Longwood MBTA Station - Boston, MA Real Estate For Sale Below are my picks for the top condos for sale that are walking distance to the Longwood MBTA station on the Green Line.  The Longwood area is a a highly desirable area to live, primarily for how convenient it is for employees and resident students of the various hospitals and research facilities including Beth Israel, New England Deaconess, Brigham and Women's, Harvard Medical School and Mass College of Pharmacy.  Living in this area has you in the heart of the city of Boston but if you need to venture outside and leave your car at home the proximity to the MBTA's Green Line and both the Longwood and Brigham Circle T stops will have you where you need to be with ease.  Take advantage of the recent exten... 11/02/2009

Most Affordable Two Bed Condos For Sale Walking Distance to Charles/MGH MBTA Station - Beacon Hill West End Real Estate For Sale Below are my selections for the top two bedroom condos that are an easy walk to the Charles/MGH subway station located in Beacon Hill/West End of Boston.  There's not much to be added about this incredible, historic area, but, in addition to some of the world's top real estate for sale, Beacon Hill and the West End are close to everything: from shopping and fine dining to the best in the city's arts, entertainment, and museums.  As parking comes at a huge premium, being near an MBTA stop is a huge advantage when living in Beacon Hill and/or the West End.  Residents of this area can take advantage of some of the city's best mingling and dining at the Liberty Ho... 10/30/2009

Yesterday we had early snow - preceded by pouring rain.  But what a difference a day makes! It was a  beautiful blue sky autumn day.   Good thing too - I had a tour scheduled for the Back Bay in Boston this afternoon. It's a park-and-walk kind of place so bad weather would have nixed our tour.  Instead, it was a glorious day - no need for a jacket - and the perfect weather to soak in this beautiful neighborhood.    "One of the brightest gems in the New England weather is the dazzling uncertainty of it. There is only one thing certain about it, you are certain there is going to be plenty of weather."   -- Mark Twain 10/19/2009

http://www.bainmortgage.com/MortgageMarketWeekInReview Provided by Dana Bain Dana Bain Premiere Mortgage Services 11 Malvern Hill Road Sterling, MA 01564 Phone: (978) 422-2311 Fax: (978) 422-2313 E-Mail: dana@bainmortgage.com Market Comment Mortgage bond prices fell sharply last week driving mortgage rates higher. Rates were under pressure from better than expected economic news and rising stocks. Retail sales, weekly jobless claims, and industrial production data were all better than expected. The improved economic outlook had investors flocking to buy stocks, which helped the Dow Jones index to close over 10,000. For the week, interest rates rose nearly 7/8 of a discount point. The producer price index data to be released Tuesday will be the most important data this week. Any signs o... 10/16/2009

FIRST TIME HOME BUYER SEMINAR NEXT TUESDAY We will be hosting a first time homebuyer seminar in Milton on October 20,2009 at 7:00 PM at the Milton Public L:ibrary. Seating is limited to 16. Please sign up here Wondering if now is the time to make a move? If you are a seller, you can Get the Value of Your Home Instantly If you are a buyer, you can get the estimated value of a home you might be interested in buying, simply click here and the computerized valuation system will go to work for you! Considering a move to the Greater Boston area - @ http://www.BostonBuyer.com Michael Mahoeny Your Greater Boston Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams 617-980-9025 www.MMahoney.com My coverage area includes: West Roxbury Jamaica Plain Roslindale Hyde Park Dedham Canton Milton Braintree Quincy We... 10/16/2009