Duxbury Beach, on an April afternoon.  The Gurnet Bridge is still under re-construction, so the only approach is from the Marshfield side, on Route 139. Well, unless you want to risk incurring the (friendly) wrath of the Harbormaster if he catches you crossing the construction zone. I took a few minutes, after viewing a lovely beach home on the Gurnet this afternoon, to walk in the sunshine. April has been cold and gray here, and the warmth of the sunshine took the edge off the chill that lingered in the steady onshore breeze. In town, the smell was of new mulch on many a lawn and garden. On the sand, the salty brine left its bracing tartness in my nose.    04/26/2013

Listening for some music this weekend in Duxbury?  Two events with charms to soothe the savage breast. Enjoy a DUXBURY MUSIC FESTIVAL Preview Concert Sunday, April 28, 2013, 4 pm, followed by a reception 322 King Caesar Road, Duxbury$75/person ($40 represents a tax deductible gift to the South Shore Conservatory)Stephen Deitz, pianoJohn Vanderpool, saxophoneZachary West, clarinetRegina Yung, piano   and/or the JIM MAZZY TRIO at the Winsor House Inn Saturday, April 27, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. The last jazz night before the Winsor House Inn is sold!   See you there! 04/25/2013

U.S. News came out with its school rankings and Duxbury High School is ranked #10 in Massachusetts and #196 nationwide. You can see the Duxbury report here, and browse the rest of the report from that link. The U.S. News ranking is based upon several factors, including MCAS scores, the MCAS scores of least advantaged students, and student participation and success in AP or IB courses, denoted as a College Readiness Index.  The report only covers the academic rating. The physical "plant", as they call it, is going to be dramatically better next year when the Co-Located Middle and High School opens. See my blog post about that amazing expansion here. The Duxbury schools are a great reason to live in Duxbury. You should live here.  Here's a picture of the final beam being placed on the new... 04/23/2013

A peninsula ringed by King Caesar Road and Powder Point Road, with homes along the shoreline and the upland interior, Powder Point, Duxbury, presents an exquisite, classic, traditional New England waterfront on which to live the Duxbury lifestyle. Mature trees surround the majestic, genteel homes that inhabit the quiet nooks overlooking the water. Private docks extend into the bay from three sides of the headland. Even in the gray overcast of a rainy early spring day, the point displays its charm with dignity and grace.  At the end lies the Gurnet Bridge, leading from Powder Point to the Duxbury Beach. Joggers, cyclists, walkers and strollers find their own pace down the tree-lined road to the wooden bridge. The 4th of July brings a parade to the beach. Beach stickers give families acce... 04/16/2013

Under sail, the schooner Thomas E. Lannon will open the bay by arriving in Duxbury Bay on Friday, May 24! The 16th Annual Opening of the Bay Celebration takes place over a wonderful evening and the next day, and marks the biggest event and fundraiser of the year for the Duxbury Bay Maritime School. The gala Dockside Reception begins Friday evening at 6:30 with an Island Creek Oysters raw bar, hors d’oeuvres by the "Silent Chef", a Silent Auction and a cash bar. The musical entertainment features the jazz stylings of the Williams Reunion Jazz Band, followed by the dance sounds of Dale and the Duds. A limited number of tickets should be available at the door, but don't count on it. Buy advance tickets online here. Saturday, May 25, is Family Day. From 11:00-3:00 you will be able to tour ... 04/13/2013

Hall's Corner in Duxbury is the epicenter of commercial activity, and a central location that serves as a point of orientation to the delights and pleasures of this wonderful town. Five streets meet at Hall's Corner in Duxbury. They join at a central island with a flag pole. Most drivers use proper rotary etiquette, which is to let cars to your left go first before you enter the roundabout. The other main rule is to be cautious! Here's a short video of Hall's Corner.   Here's the rotary, with the central island, the flag pole, and the view looking south toward Bay Road.  ,  Duxbury Wine & Spirits is on the east side. To the left is Washington Street, which runs up the northern waterfront from Standish Shores to Powder Point, the Gurnet Bridge and Duxbury Beach. To the right is Standish ... 04/10/2013

Homes for sale on Washington Street in Duxbury, Massachusetts There are usually a few homes for sale on Washington Street in Duxbury, Massachusetts. It is probably the single most asked-about street in town, and for good reason. Washington Street is a long tree-lined street that hugs the shore line on the eastern edge of Duxbury. It runs from Powder Point on the north end to Standish Shores on the southern end. On both sides of the street lie older, majestic homes that have been well-loved, well-maintained and often updated. The long, history of these warmly adored homes is still in evidence in their wide pine floors, huge brick fireplaces, central flues, and antique door knobs. Other details and special touches that mark the lineage and ancestry of these homes are too numerous to menti... 03/23/2013

Duxbury Public Schools New Co-Located Middle School and High School The Duxbury Public Schools' new co-located middle school and high school project is about 1/3 of the way through its timeline for completion. The field house should be completed this summer. In 2011, Duxbury voters approved the design and construction of a new co-located middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12). The new building will be erected behind the current middle school, and replaces the current high school (built in 1968) and middle school (built in 1960) in one efficient 21st century facility. The town will fund the project through a debt exclusion, with approximately 45% reimbursed through the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Features and Highlights Designed by Mount Vernon Group archit... 03/22/2013

Duxbury Homes Sales through March 15 Duxbury home sales through March 15, from the beginning of 2013, include two homes sold for over $1 million and seven homes sold in the $400-500,000 range.  On average, the homes sold for 93% of the listing price and 96% of the assessed value.  The average time on the market was 198 days, but that number drops to 159 if we exclude the most expensive home, 34 Mayflower Street, which spent two years on the market. The average price per square foot was $236.  Excluding the highest and lowest prices per square foot, the average drops slightly to $226.   # Street Sold Px List Px Orig Px Assess DOM Sq. Ft. Px/SF 34 Mayflower Ln. 4,100,000 4,499,000 4,799,900 4,566,000 710 10,628 386 640 Bay Road 1,450,000 1,650,000 1,950,000 1,623,900 311 6,584 220 187 Tob... 03/18/2013

To give you a sense of Duxbury, here's a brief overview of the history and attractions. Duxbury, Massachusetts, is a quiet coastal community located in Plymouth County, 37 miles southeast of Boston. It was the second town created in the Plymouth Colony. The Duxbury church was gathered in 1632 and the town was incorporated in 1637. A committee comprised of members of both the Plymouth and Duxbury churches studied the possibility of rejoining into one central church and town; two sites were suggested, one in Duxbury and one in the current town of Kingston at the Jones River, but no decision was ever mentioned in the records of either church.  Duxbury, Massachusetts, was a center of shipbuilding until the mid-nineteenth century when ships became too large for the shallow bay. The Pilgrims,... 03/16/2013

Duxbury Town and Utility Phone Numbers Here's a list of Duxbury town and utility phone numbers you can copy, print out and post on the side of your refrigerator. If you are new to town, you'll need these. Even before you buy, you may be talking to the Conservation Commission, Treasurer, the Percy Walker Pool, the electric or phone company. You may only need one of these phone numbers once, or once a year, but when you do . . . you'll be glad it is near to hand.   Accounting 781-934-1107 Public Works 781-934-1112 Animal Control 781-934-6424 Recreation Department:   Assessor 781-934-1109 Administration 781-934-7034 Beach andTransfer Sticker Line 781-934-6582 Girl Scout House 781-934-7034 Board of Selectmen andTown Manager 781-934-1108 Percy Walker Pool 781-934-7034 Building Department 781... 03/16/2013

Here's a short video tour of Duxbury. You can drive this route in less than an hour, stopping several times to enjoy the views and attractions.  If you'd like to download the map, use this link. This video tour of Duxbury takes you on a loop around Duxbury while sitting in your armchair. From the southern end, we'll go around the west side, across Route 14 to the beach, down the coastline, and then back along Route 3A, Tremont Street, to complete the circuit. I can't show all the sights in five minutes, so I'll be going into more detail in future videos and blog posts. Enjoy this brief, introductory video tour of Duxbury!     03/14/2013

Duxbury Home Sales through February 2013 The most recent data on Duxbury home sales through February 2013, show that The number of homes sold is up almost 13%. Prices have risen 3 to 5% over the past 12 months when compared to the preceding 12 months, but the price per square foot has dropped slightly.   There are fewer homes for sale now, and  Those homes are selling faster than they did a year ago. That is, the Duxbury market is showing signs of becoming more active and more of a seller's market. You probably have heard news outlets trumpeting the "hot" housing markets in some areas of the country. While this is undoubtedly true in those areas, some perspective is needed to balance the "incredible" good news that people who stand to gain from loud talk are touting. While I am cautious... 03/13/2013

"Should I rent or buy a home in Duxbury?" is a bit more specific question than the questions I've discussed in Should I Rent or Buy a Home?, Should I Rent or Buy Calculator: A Free, Comprehensive Tool, and Using the Should I Rent or Buy Calculator. Those previous posts address the cost and pricing components of the overall "equation" involved in whether you rent or buy in Duxbury, or any other town. I will soon post a discussion of pros and cons and other, quality-of-life considerations that play into the decision. Now, let me discuss the Duxbury rental market more specifically. Duxbury has a very small rental pool. Less than 10% of the homes are rentals. Duxbury also has a fairly stable resident population. Even among renters, people tend to stay in Duxbury for a fairly long time. Furt... 03/12/2013

Coldwell Banker is the biggest real estate brokerage in Duxbury by far.  We have more homes for sale, sell more homes, have higher average sale prices, and typically sell homes in a shorter time than our competition.  We may not have the highest numbers in every single sales metric every month, but we typically do about 30-35% of the real estate business in Duxbury every month. We must be doing things right. I think I know what they are. Great service from great people who work hard to serve you and your interests every day. I work with a very friendly, supportive and professional group of realtors. We also work and play well with others. Duxbury has a great real estate community and I have a lot of respect for the people working in it. Most of all, I love working with my team at Coldwe... 03/02/2013

Alden Elementary School is the Duxbury public school for third through fifth grade.  It is located on Alden Street, near the Duxbury Yacht Club and the Duxbury Arts Center in Duxbury, Massachusetts.  It's the second in the progression of four public schools in the Duxbury school system.  The Chandler School educates pre-kindergarten through 2th graders, while the Duxbury Middle School is the public school for 6th through 8th graders, and students go on from there to Duxbury High School. In any given year, about 850 children are enrolled in the Alden Elementary School.  Every student takes classes in Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Art, Music and Physical Education, and are exposed to library skills and computer skills, which are integrated throughout the curriculum. Stud... 02/17/2013

Chandler Elementary School is the Duxbury public school for Pre-Kindergarten through second grade.  It is located on Chandler Street, near exit 11 on the west side of Route 3 in Duxbury, Massachusetts.  It's the first of four public schools in the Duxbury school system.  The Alden School educates 3rd through 5th graders, Duxbury Middle School is the public school for 6th through 8th graders, and then students go on to Duxbury High School. In any given year, about 750 children are enrolled in the Chandler Elementary School, most of them in first and second grade. There are a maximum of 15 children in each class.  Each class has one head teacher and two assistants, as well as speech and language therapists who provide whole group and small group instruction in many classrooms. For prescho... 02/06/2013

This article about the Duxbury, Massachusetts, tax assessment process originally appeared in the Duxbury Clipper on January 2, 2013. 'Tis the season when you find your property tax bill in your mailbox. When you read the number that the tax assessor has determined is the current value of your house, outbuildings and land, a couple of questions may occur to you. How did they decide on that number? Can that be right? Is it fair? What can I do if I think it's too high? When tax assessors determine the value of your real estate, they are judging its full, fair cash market value. That is, they are trying to pinpoint what the sales price would be if you sold your house to someone else in an arm's-length transaction. There are many factors used to arrive at the final figure, including the size... 01/29/2013

A Duxbury MA home buyer should receive a brochure, Home Inspectors Facts for Consumers Sheet, at the time of the signing of the first written contract to purchase.A standard home inspection in Massachusetts is a visual examination of the physical structure and major interior systems of a residential building consisting of one to four dwelling units. It should be understood that there are certain risks inherent in the purchase of property and a home inspection is inherently limited in its scope and depth. The information gained from home inspection conforming to the Massachusetts Home Inspector Standards of Practice may reduce some of those risks, but the home inspection is not intended to provide the client with protection from all of the risks involved. Visit the Duxbury MA Home Inspec... 12/23/2012

On November 28 you can explore the many free events that will take place throughout the town of Duxbury at this year's Holly Days! There will be trolleys, caroling, and even some elves! Bring out the whole family for fun festive activities for all ages. There will be photos with Santa and a puppet show as well as many other fun events. Noon until dusk. www. duxburybusinessassociation.com 11/16/2010