A real estate firm who selectively and successfully recruits experienced Realtors I spent the last 6 years positioning the company as a high end well respected independent boutique real estate firm.  The challenge was always in recruiting.  The solution was to associate myself with the best and most sophisticated brand in the industry.  Since our launch 4 months ago I have successfully and very selectively recruited 11 wonderful Realtors, who complement my original team of 5. My goal is to support them in every way possible to make them even better agents. A real estate company at the forefront of online technology and superior marketing One of the things that I have always prided myself on is my marketing skills.  This is probably the main reason why I stepped away from the tradition... 01/29/2009

Sometimes sellers believe it doesn't really matter how many days their property is on the market. Particularly if they have no pressing need to sell, they figure, "We'll just leave it on the market and if a buyer wants it they'll pay what we're asking".  As the Days on Market (DOM) count rises, their chances of selling at their asking price decrease.    Seller Tips: Why DOM is Your Enemy   Although there is not linear correlation (the black line is the trend line), the graph below illustrates how as days on market increase, the ratio of sale price to original asking price decreases. 01/29/2009

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                 CONTACT:                                                                                Erika Paul, President,        Broker-Owner                                                                                                      508-435-9200                                                                                     Erika.Paul@SothebysRealty.com   HALLMARK SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY BRAND WEB SITE OFFERS LANGUAGE TRANSLATION CAPABILITY   Hopkinton, Massachusetts (Jan. 26, 2009)— Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty, a luxury real estate firm based in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, today announced that its brand Web site, www.sothebysrealty.com, soon will be multi-lingual with the addition of seven new languages.   All ... 01/26/2009

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                 CONTACT:                                                                                     Erika Paul-President,Broker-Owner                                                                        508-435-9200                                                       Erika.Paul@SothebysRealty.com   HALLMARK SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY BRAND WEB SITE OFFERS LANGUAGE TRANSLATION CAPABILITY   Hopkinton, Massachusetts (Jan. 26, 2009)— Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty, a luxury real estate firm based in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, today announced that its brand Web site, www.sothebysrealty.com, soon will be multi-lingual with the addition of seven new languages.   All functional and static information on the Web site were translate... 01/26/2009

What makes a Realtor great and worth hiring? Is it the number of homes their office sells per year? The number of homes they sell per year? Does it matter if their office has the number one market share or if they own their own office and have very little market share but lots of personal sales? Realtors can get so caught up in their own self promotion that they can forget what is most important. They begin to twist market data and distort facts. It is a remarkable feat that each agency can stake the claim of being "number" one. Whatever happened to making the client feel as though they were number one? Economists talk about the 80/20 rule. Eighty percent of the work is done by 20 percent of the people. Therefore when a Real Estate firm has one top producer who does 25 sales per year a... 01/23/2009

One of the top five reasons to love being a non-franchise brokerage firm: the ability to sponsor important local events and organizations with funds that may otherwise have gone to pay for franchise fees of some sort.  At STAR REALTY, we have enjoyed the freedom to contribute over $25,000 to the Hopkinton Education Foundation (HEF) since our firm was founded in 2004. HEF hosts the annual Winter Gala event to raise money which it then uses to fund innovative grants requested by Hopkinton public school teachers and staff.  At STAR REALTY, we know that an excellent education is the key to opening doors of opportunity throught life.  We are honored and delighted to sponsor the HEF in its endeavor to open minds and spark imaginations through innovative and enriching programs. Tickets to this... 01/19/2009

   Hopkinton market statistics 2007 vs 2008  Single family activity Sold volume Avg sold price Median sold price Days on mkt    2008 129 594,000 569,000 131 2007 184 617,000 580,000 144 Trend Dn 30% Dn  4% Dn 2% Dn 9% While the number of homes sold was down dramatically, the average sales price was only down 4%. The median sales price held pretty steady showing that homes in all price ranges are still selling in Hopkinton. The average days on market has improved by 10 days which tells me sellers are more realistic about market conditions and pricing more accurately from the start. 01/19/2009

Hopkinton Ridge is a decent size Hopkinton Massachusetts  neighborhood consisting of 31   homes situated on the West side of Hopkinton off of Lumber Street. The Streets in Hopkinton Ridge include Glen Road and Whirty Circle. The homes built in this Hopkinton subdivision were built by well known national home builder, Pulte Corporation. Pulte builds homes all over the US and has a fairly solid reputation for delivering a quality product. Their home designs are well laid out for today's life style. Most of the home plans have dramatic two story entry ways and spacious adjoining kitchen and family rooms. The typical design will usually include a 1st floor study in addition to the standard formal living and dining rooms. This neighborhood was built between 1998 and 1999. The homes range in ... 01/19/2009

Most folks generate market reports at the end of the month. I prefer to generate them mid-month since the end of the month tends to be busy in real estate.  For January, we have the year end data as well. Below is the beta release of the video market report (charts below are easier to read than those in video): Mid-Month Market Report--Hopkinton, MA   Number of SF homes sold in 2008 = 130 which is a 30% drop from the 186 SF homes sold in 2007. Median price of SF homes sold in 2008 = $569,500 which is down just 1.8% from the median price of $580,000 in 2007. Current inventory trend--number of homes on the market is down. Just to put that into perspective, here's the history of inventory since January 2005.     For the raw data of 2008, here's what the year looked like:   01/15/2009

Coming on the heels of being named one of the nations top 500 Public High Schools, the results of the Spring 2008 Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests burnish Hopkinton High School's stellar reputation for high achievement.  Particularly notable,  76% of last year's sophomores performed at the highest "advanced" level in the math test.  In all three subject areas, the Hillers scored over 90% advanced & proficient.  A statewide assessment exam, the test is administered only to the 10th grade. 01/08/2009

It's January 1st, 2009 and I am driving around the beautiful Town of Hopkinton, I am so fortunate to call home. A fresh blanket of snow cover looks so pretty as we drive through town and past the now quiet high school and Cultural Arts Center. As we drive by the Hopkinton country club and its snow covered fairways, quiet now except for the squirrels and birds. The beautiful roads and small farms surrounding lake Whitehall remind me of an earlier time when things weren't so rushed. This town is an oasis of tranquility which right now seems a hundred miles away yet its attractive to so many because of its high community spirit, quality schools & short commute to Boston with commuter rail stations and MA Pike entrance. 01/01/2009

Here's what my buyer clients are saying: “Being new to Massachusetts, Kathleen’s insight into our needs and her knowledge of the area was invaluable. She was always thorough and responsive and was a pleasure to work with.” The Schillingers, 47 Greenwood Road “We were familiar with the area so relied on Kathleen for her insider knowledge of, and experience with the builder. It was reassuring to know we had a local expert in our corner looking out for our interests.” The Galaneks, 5 Overlook Road 12/19/2008

Please join me at Hallmark Sotheby's International Realty's Holiday Open House. . . A Fun Holiday Event for Friends, Family, and Neighbors Hopkinton Holiday Stroll - Hallmark Sotheby's International Realty Saturday December 6th 12-5:00 Please join in the holiday fun at Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty during the annual Hopkinton Holiday Stroll  Get out of the cold and come inside for some hot chocolate, mulled cider and assorted homemade holiday goodies. We will have a craft project for the kids (and adults!) to make and decorate their own gingerbread ornament to take home and hang on the tree or give as a gift.  Hope to see you there!     12/03/2008

The Hopkinton Education Foundation (HEF) will be hosting their annual fundraising Gala on February 7th, 2009 at the Lakeside Pavillion in Foxborough.  This year's theme is Reach for the Stars and proceeds will benefit HEF's endeavor to implement innovative educational programs through grants awarded to Hopkinton Public School teachers and staff.  Tickets go on sale for $85 per person this Saturday, December 6th from 9-11 am at the High School.  STAR REALTY is delighted to sponsor Reach for the Stars to benefit our public schools through the innovative and enriching programs brought to us by the Hopkinton Education Foundation.   12/03/2008

A Fun Holiday Event for Friends and Family. Stop in at our Holiday Open House this Saturday! We would love to see you : ) Hopkinton Holiday Stroll - Hallmark Sotheby's International Realty Saturday December 6th 12-5:00 Please join in the holiday fun at Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty during the annual Hopkinton Holiday Stroll  Get out of the cold and come inside for some hot chocolate, mulled cider and assorted homemade holiday goodies. We will have a craft project for the kids (and adults!) to make and decorate their own gingerbread ornament to take home and hang on the tree or give as a gift.  Hope to see you there!     12/03/2008

Hopkinton Holiday Stroll - Hallmark Sotheby's International Realty Saturday December 6th 12-5:00   Please join in the holiday fun at Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty during the annual Hopkinton Holiday Stroll  Get out of the cold and come inside for some hot chocolate, mulled cider and assorted homemade holiday goodies. We will have a craft project for the kids (and adults!) to make and decorate their own gingerbread ornament to take home and hang on the tree or give as a gift.  Hope to see you there!     12/03/2008

For the second year, the Hopkinton Parent Teacher’s Association (HPTA) and the Hopkinton Education Foundation (HEF) teamed up to raise money for the Hopkinton Public Schools. All pencils were at the ready on November 14th as 24 teams competed for bragging rights as the Second Annual Community Spelling Bee Champions (not to mention the promise of being able to take home those great boggle head trophies). Brian Herr, a STAR REALTY client and Hopkinton’s current Chairman of the Board of Selectman, volunteered (with some coaxing) to MC the event. Judges were Dr. Jack Phelan, Superintendant of Schools; Ruth Ann Cote, former HEF President, and Patty Doshier, Co-President of the HPTA. Thanks to the diligent efforts of the organizing committee and the generosity of local businesses and organiza... 11/28/2008

Canterbury is a small Hopkinton Massachusetts cul-de-sac neighborhood consisting of nine homes nestled on a nice piece of land overlooking part of Lake Maspenock. Canterbury is located off of West Elm Street just past the Circa 1700 Country Village neighborhood. All of the homes in Canterbury were built between 1996 and 2000 with the exception of one home which was completed in 2002. These custom homes were built by Dick Pockwinse a local Hopkinton builder. Each home Dick constructed was unique and highly customized. The attention to detail was excellent. What you will find with all of the exteriors at Canterbury is a fine blending of clapboard, stone, and brick. Multiple roof lines add character and overall appeal to home buyers looking for an executive style home.                    ... 11/25/2008

20th Annual Chamber Golf Tournament from Mike Lefebvre on Vimeo. Erika Paul, owner/broker of Hallmark Sotheby's International Realty in Hopkinton, MA and two office Realtors, Suzanne Hart and Mary Ellen Wasielewsi teed off in the Chamber of Commerce's charity golf tournament at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton, MA. Luckily they all make their living in real estate, not golf! FORE! All for a good cause... For more on this awesome day on the links, check out Erika's Active Rain blog as well.... 11/11/2008

It had to be one of the most beautiful fall days in New England... two of my bravest Realtors, Suzanne Hart and Mary Ellen Wasielewski agreed to play in the annual Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament with me.  As a Chamber Board Member this was the first year I had the privilege to play with other women!  I was not able to recruit a fourth so Rob Phipps had the honor of playing in our group (what a lucky guy!)  We truly could not have asked for a better foursome.  Not only is Rob a member of the club but he plays golf 4 times a week! He was very patient with us and we laughed more than we actually hit the ball! We all agreed that this was an amazing way to spend a beautiful fall day.  Video to come soon.... 20th Annual Chamber Golf Tournament from Mike Lefebvre on Vimeo.      ... 11/06/2008