Massachusetts Asbestos Prevention & Tips for Homeowners      Located on the Northeastern part of the United States, Massachusetts is known for its rich history, higher education, technology and rural areas.  Purchasing or moving into a new home in the state is a great accomplishment. It will insure you and your family will have a safe and healthy home for the foreseeable future. However, it is a time where additional responsibilities will be brought into your life. Gaining assistance from real estate agents can help in dealing with making that all important decision. Many older homes and buildings may still harbor older, corrosive building materials which can create health concerns. Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that was a prominent building application throughout the 20th ... 04/16/2009

Posted on April 11, 2009 by bostonkayakguy Needham Library Suggests Spring Reading for Kids Spring has sprung... or at least it’s trying to! The Needham Library has put together a list of spring books for children that includes stories about Easter, Passover, and other family oriented reads… Here is a sampling: Schnur, Steven. Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic. Describes spring, with its animals, green smells, and renewed outside activities. When read vertically, the first letters of the lines of text spell related words arranged alphabetically, from “April” to “zenith." Schotter, Roni. Passover! Rhyming text describes a family’s celebration of Passover. Stevenson, James. Mud Flat Spring. The animals of Mud Flat celebrate the coming of spring in their own ways. Stoeke, Janet Morgan. Minerva ... 04/11/2009

Red Sox Opening Day at Fenway 2009  bostonkayakguy.wordpress.com — It wouldn't be Boston or opening day at Fenway Park without the venerable Senator Ted Kennedy throwing out the first pitch...(more) BostonKayakGuy...John Prescott's The MetWest Scene   » Full Story on bostonkayakguy.wordpress.com       It's chilly in Boston. Yeah, but Fenway Park is sizzling!   *photo courtesy Boston.com   JOHN PRESCOTT -BostonKayakGuy     Top Real Estate Agent for more than 14 years, serving the real estate needs of Wellesley, South Natick, Weston, Needham, Wayland, Newton, Framingham and other MetWest communities. www.johnprescott.net JOHN PRESCOTT Vice President Century 21 Commonwealth 508-523-9252   BostonKayakGuy…The MetWest Scene   04/07/2009

      First Interview of Eliot Spitzer on the Today Show bostonkayakguy.wordpress.com — While we may have been waiting for a new spin on Jay Leno’s famous inquiry to Hugh Grant, “What the hell were you thinkin’ …???” … Matt Lauer’s “get” interview of former Governor Eliot Spitzer was a bit of a let down. Lauer asked; Spitzer answered. ..(more) BostonKayakGuy...John Prescott's The MetWest Scene   » Full Story on bostonkayakguy.wordpress.com   JOHN PRESCOTT -BostonKayakGuy     Top Real Estate Agent for more than 14 years, serving the real estate needs of Wellesley, South Natick, Weston, Needham, Wayland, Newton, Framingham and other MetWest communities. www.johnprescott.net JOHN PRESCOTT Vice President Century 21 Commonwealth 508-523-9252   BostonKayakGuy…The MetWest Scene 04/06/2009

A MUST READ! bostonkayakguy.wordpress.com Submitted:2 min ago - Love Story has no happy ending...Holden Oliver, attorney extraordinaire, from one of Boston's oldest families, perishes in kiln explosion in which a much younger Stanford student was uninjured. The case is under investigation...(more) BostonKayakGuy...John Prescott's The MetWest Scene » Full Story on bostonkayakguy.wordpress.com     What...were they trying to recreate the scene from "Ghost?" He comes from a lot of money. Very suspicious...I read that...   JOHN PRESCOTT -BostonKayakGuy     Top Real Estate Agent for more than 14 years, serving the real estate needs of Wellesley, South Natick, Weston, Needham, Wayland, Newton, Framingham and other MetWest communities. www.johnprescott.net JOHN PRESCOTT Vice President Century ... 04/01/2009

As of this moment in time 29 single family homes have gone under agreement in the past month.  The concentration of homes that have accepted offers are in the $600,000 to $699,999 price range.  The next highest price range of homes that have gone under agreement is $500,000 to $599,999. The luxury market is strong in Needham as well with 3 single family homes between $1,000,000 and $1,499,999 have accepted offers. There are 103 single family homes on the market with an Average List Price: $1,061,045 from $299,000 to $3,200,000 There are 22 condo/townhouses on the market with price ranges from $255,000 to $899,00 which is brand new construction. There are some truly fabulous homes on the market right now in Needham and some really great cond/townhouses as well. Needham always has a wonde... 03/26/2009

Needham MA Real Estate and Homes for Sale Buying a home is an important investment however your primary focus should be to solve a housing need. The process can be very complicated if you do not work with industry professionals that can provide accurate information and advise you. The professionals include mortgage lenders, Realtors, Attorneys, Home Inspectors and Accountants. If you are a first-time home buyer, you may qualify for a tax credit ($8000 in 2009) and could be eligible for special financing programs. For a map based search of all properties listed in the MA MLS go to NEEDHAM MA MLS Let Needham MA real estate assist you in finding the right property to meet your needs from local area homes for sale, foreclosure listings (bank-owned), country properties, land, condominiums an... 03/26/2009

Crocs Croak?…Say It Ain’t So! « BostonKayakGuy John Prescott’s The MetWest Scene bostonkayakguy.wordpress.com Submitted:2 min ago - Crocs revolutionized footwear and were a high-flyer favorite of both fashionistas and stock market pundits. Today the rubberized sandal is poised on the edge of the abyss...(more) BostonKayakGuy » Full Story on bostonkayakguy.wordpress.com       I love my Crocs! And they're so...affordable!     JOHN PRESCOTT -BostonKayakGuy     Top Real Estate Agent for more than 14 years, serving the real estate needs of Wellesley, South Natick, Weston, Needham, Wayland, Newton, Framingham and other MetWest communities. www.johnprescott.net JOHN PRESCOTT 508-523-9252   BostonKayakGuy…The MetWest Scene 03/21/2009

This is the website for Needham's Green Collaborative - here you will find their mission. http://www.greenneedham.org/March 23, 2009  see below:Join State Senator Scott Brown and State Representative Lida Harkins for a Town Hall Meeting at:First Parish Church28 Dedham Avenue7:00 - 9:00 PMOn what the 2009 Stimulus Package means to Massachusetts.You can take the 10% challenge on the website too.  So now we can take the low carbon diet lifestyle.For me it is low carbon and low carbohydrates diets.  It works for me.I have been at this for a long time so in the past 27 years I have educated myself on green living.  It doens't happen overnight but nothing does.  There are many shades of green and anything we can do makes a difference.So Up with Green. Pat Baker, Realtor(R), ABR (R), GREEN(R)C... 03/21/2009

The market in Needham is defiintely hot. There were 21 single family homes that went under agreement in the last 20 days.  The prices ranged from $350,000 to $1,475,000. It is like this, if you snooze you loose.  I anticipate a very busy weekend with open houses and lots of traffic.  Not only Needham but other surrounding communities are have much more activity.  I would say the last 3 weeks have been strong.  Now the the reduced interest rates that will encourage even more buyers out to the market.   I spoke to agents in Holliston, Natick and all the way to Pembroke in the past few days and it looks like those market are doing well too.  Homes are priced to sell right now and that certainly helps. This could be a very busy year in real estate.  I believe that the real estate market wi... 03/20/2009

- Posted on March 17, 2009 by bostonkayakguy  So it’s the grandest of days, and even though St. Patrick was born in Italy, today is the day to celebrate all things Irish! For a look at  Boston’s Irish pubs and beer catch Lew Bryson’s “I Had a Guiness.” Article By: Lew Bryson Bryson also has an informative piece on the growing popularity of Irish whiskey and its recession resistance. Drinking in bars may be down, but those glistening bottles are on the upswing in homes around the nation! Here’s a flavor of Bryson’s swig: Ah, Irish whiskey. It’s no surprise that so many of my great moments of 2OO8 involved it. If you look at the graph of Irish whiskey consumption in the US over the past ten years, it’s clear that I’m not alone. An increasing number of American drinkers are choosing Irish ... 03/17/2009

I can't really say enough great things about Consolidated Plumbing and Heating. Just for starters they saved 2 closings for me by their rapid response to a need we had we plumbing at the very last minute.  One time it was after the owners were moved out and the closing was the next day.  They came within the hour.  The other time was after a building inspection they were able to come and give my buyer counsel on an issue regarding main sewer pipe.  The best thing in both cases was they came so quickly. Recently a buyer of mine who had purchased her home last summer and during one of those bitter cold days she had a pipe burst.  Her husband was out of town and she called me for a recommendation.  Of course, I immediately recommended Consolidated Plumbing and Heating.  She got a quick res... 03/15/2009

I have been highlighting a local business and this week I am featuring "Beverages to Go."  On Tuesdays there is always a wine tasting and I wanted to get the word out on that.  I have had Tammy Lamenzo do wine and cheese parties for me around at a property or as part of another event.  She is always a delight and everyone, of course, enjoys the event.  I personally can highly recommend Tammy and Beverages to Go."  I have never been anything but delighted with the service whether I personally go there or Tammy comes to me and my event. Here is there website and the upcoming Wine Tasting this Tuesday.     “Tuesday Tastings with Tammy” Learn a little, laugh a little, live a little We are delighted to welcome to Ken Brown to our weekly tasting next Tuesday, March 17th from 5-7pm. Yes, we kn... 03/13/2009

The spring market has sprung.  The inventory has reached 85 single family homes on the market as of this date.  There are some great homes on the market and with the First Time Buyer Tax Credit, low interest rates it makes for some great incentives in the home market right now.There were 17 single family homes that went under agreement in the past month wit h the average days on market 100 days.There have been 5 properties that went under agreement in the past 3 day as follows:Ranch 4 room, 2 bed, 1 bath listed at $499,900             - days on market 49Contemporary 8 room, 3 bed, 2 bath listed at $559,000  - days on market 26Colonial 9 room, 3 bed, 1.5  bath listed at $579,900       - days on market 8Colonial 9 room, 4 bed, 2 bath listed at $699,000           - days on market 201Energy... 03/10/2009

- MetWest Scene -  Market Momentum Posted on March 8, 2009 by bostonkayakguy  Well the real estate pundits have been pontificating on what the market’s been doing. And it seems that anyone and everyone announces their opinion as fact. Some of the major media outlets have decreed certain towns to be “recession proof,” and others have taken attendee numbers at an open house to be the indicator of how well a town’s market is faring these days. But rather than relying on anecdotal evidence, let’s take a look at the facts. What are the  relevant numbers and what do they tell us? Signaling the arrival of the ides of March, market momentum is varying significantly by town.     NEEDHAM   Needham has burst out of the 2009 gate with a strong showing for the first two months of this year. Sales in... 03/09/2009

    Help Habitat Build This House For Your Family I picked up the local paper and saw this ad.  I am passing it on because someone may need this information . Your 300 hours of work on the house is your down payment - NOW THAT IS IT NEAT! Buy the house for $150,000 and pay 0% interest on your mortgage - That is also neat because it is not a free home but you are working for it. Family size - 3-6 Annual Income $35,000 to $50,000 *Must have good credit and work history-   It is just great to work for something and feel good about it.  It is not bailing someone out but assisting them in their own hard work and rewarding them for good credit practices. Three bedroom single-family home - Screened in porch Wooded lot All new construction and appliances. Beautiful neighborhood woalking distanc... 03/07/2009

- Get Your Irish On! bostonkayakguy.wordpress.com — U2...special performance...Boston...secret location...March 11...(continued) BostonKayakGuy...John Prescott's The MetWest Scene   » Full Story on bostonkayakguy.wordpress.com   U2 Takes Boston by Storm !!!   -BostonKayakGuy     Top Real Estate Agent for more than 14 years, serving the real estate needs of Wellesley, South Natick, Weston, Needham, Wayland, Newton, Framingham and other MetWest communities. www.johnprescott.net JOHN PRESCOTT Vice President Century 21 Commonwealth 508-523-9252   BostonKayakGuy…The MetWest Scene 03/04/2009

     As of February 28, 2009, there were 81 single family listings in Needham on the Multiple Listing Service (MLSPin).  As the winter draws to an end and buyers begin to thaw out, Needham is well positioned to continue its upward trend in home sales this year.  However, one must note that there continues to be downward price pressure from consumers and current market absorption rates indicate a buyers' market for the springtime inventory.   During February, 25 new single family listings were added to our MLSPin and an additional 3 single family homes were relisted for sale on the MLS, with an average list price of $972,754.    Based on the number of active single family listings versus the number of sales during the month, there is a market absorption rate of 307 days.   That is to say... 03/03/2009

The Devil’s in the De-Val(s)… Posted on February 27, 2009 by bostonkayakguy  Well folks, Deval Patrick played sock it to metrowest commuters this week. It’s a game he excels in, and he takes no prisoners. So rather than try and explain where and when the tolls have risen, or how they will rise again in July… Or explain how the proposal for the highest gas tax in the country is on the table for all Massachusetts drivers able to put the pedal to the metal… I’ll simply suggest you read Boston Herald columnist Howie Carr’s take on the details (de-vals)… For who better to clarify how those who commute by car from the state’s western suburbs into Boston are being clobbered by the Turnpike Board... then a guy named Carr ???   Pin the Stickup at the Tolls on Deval Patrick/BostonHerald.com JOHN ... 02/27/2009

Needham Community Council is such a wonderful organization.  I know this first hand.  My sister was in need and moved in with me about 11 years ago.  She also ended up taking her grandchildren and raising them.  She was with me for a while with the children.  Community Council gave these kids a Christmas that year.  They were so great to her. Then my mother moved in with me about 2.5 years ago.  She was able to get rides to appointments when I could take her by the volunteers. They loaned my mother a wonderful walker.  They even had volunteers who would help in shopping if someone needed it. My son was recovering from a spinal injury and was able to walk but not long distances.  I was able to borrow a lightweight wheelchair when he went to various Patriot football games back in the 2005... 02/24/2009