The Publick House in Sturbridge MA

On Tuesday, my parents and I celebrated my birthday with a day trip to Sturbridge MA.  It couldn’t have been a better day.

Sturbridge is just an hour from Cambridge and its proximity makes Sturbridge an excellent weekend or day trip destination.  Head out the Mass Pike to Exit 9 and you’re there.

Our day was spent antiquing with lunch at one of our all-time favorite restaurants, the Publick House.

Sturbridge is an antique collector’s dream.  Continue down Route 20 and you’ll come to Brimfield, home three times each year to the famous antique flea market.  But year round you’ll find plenty of places to shop for antiques in the stores that line Route 20. 

You’ll also find a number of home furnishing stores and a variety of gift shops and boutiques.  It’s shopping heaven – primarily of the independent New England variety.  Even the chains, like  Country Curtains and Yankee Candle are New England born.

Our day started at the antiques group shop, The Fairgrounds Antique Center.  It’s one of the first places you come to when you get off the Mass Pike and take the Route 20 exit towards Sturbridge / Brimfield.  Years ago I sold antiques in a booth at The Fairgrounds and it’s still one of my favorite shops.  Fortunately, it’s next to a McDonald’s so my dad was able to have a cup of coffee and read the paper while my mother and I shopped.

We planned to visit the Old Sturbridge Village Gift Shop and Bookstore next.  Old Sturbridge Village is probably the biggest draw in Sturbridge and you can easily spend the entire day there.  The bookstore and gift shop is absolutely worth a stop even if you don’t go through the museum grounds. Sadly, it turned out that at this time of the year, OSV is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Old Sturbridge Village is a magical place.  It’s a recreation of a New England village in the early 1800s with a working farm, a school house, church, mills, and much more – more than 50 period buildings in all – set on over 200 acres.  Interpreters in costume work throughout the village.  My favorite times there have always been when visitor attendance is low – the better to feel transported to a time two hundred years ago.  I’m hoping to head back the next weekday we get unseasonably warm temperatures.

With all that shopping and browsing we had worked up an appetite and headed to the Publick House for lunch.  The Publick House, built in 1771, is an inn and restaurant. The restaurant and tavern serve classic, delicious New England-style food.  Over the years, we’ve visited many times, often for holiday meals at Christmas or Easter.  On Tuesday, we had lunch in the tavern for the first time.  The Publick House’s dining rooms are lovely, but with its golden painted paneled walls, wood burning fireplace, and shelves filled with antique crocks, the pub has more atmosphere than most restaurants you’ll find nowadays.

Thus fortified, we were ready for phase II of our antiquing expedition.  Sturbridge Antique Shops is on the other side of the Pike, heading down Route 20 towards Charlton.  It will be on your left and if you hit Wal-Mart (ugh! – when did that happen?) you’ve gone too far.  This group shop is huge - much larger than it looks from the street.  It has two full floors of booths and cases and we found plenty of treasures.  Happily, there was a sale at the shop - the winter sale runs through February 29th – and most of our finds were bought at a discount of 10 – 30%.

Sturbridge is an excellent day trip destination and worthy of a weekend or more.  There are plenty of motels (and rooms at the inn at the Publick House) if you want to stay overnight.  You could easily fill several days with shopping and Old Sturbridge Village.

If you want to add miles of antique flea market browsing to the mix, the next Brimfield Flea Markets are scheduled for May 6 – 12, July 8 -14, and September 2 – 8, 2012.  See you there!

Green Line Extension Meeting

I’ve heard pessimistic rumblings about the Green Line extension recently so I think the public meeting scheduled for this Wednesday would be good to attend.

 On Wednesday, January 25, 2012, a Green Line extension meeting on Phase I: Early Bridge and Demolition Package will be held at the Somerville High School.

 On the docket are discussion of:

• Reconstruction and widening of the Medford Street bridge in Somerville
• Reconstruction and widening of the Harvard Street bridge in Medford
• Demolition and site preparation at 21 Water Street in Cambridge
• and more.

The Green Line Extension meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 at the Somerville High School, 81 Highland Avenue, Somerville MA.

Green Line photo courtesy of Pylon757

Many Cambridge condos are in converted two- or three-family houses

Are you hoping to buy a condo in the Cambridge area?  Wondering what you get for your money?  Here’s a look at what you can expect to spend for a two-bedroom Cambridge condo in a converted two or three-unit house.

Last week we looked at Cambridge condo sales prices in larger buildings.  Today we’ll look at sales of condominiums in converted multi-unit houses.  Many Cambridge condos can be found in converted two-family houses or triple deckers.

What Does a Two-Bedroom Cambridge Condo In a House Cost?

In 2011 127 two-bedroom condominiums in two- or three-unit associations sold in Cambridge for prices ranging from $180,000 to $1,300,000.

The two-bedroom condo that sold for $180,000 was a foreclosure.  It was the third-floor unit of a triple-decker in the Riverside neighborhood. 

For $1,300,000 the most expensive condo was anything but typical.  It was a one-of-a-kind,dramatic, architect-designed addition to an older Avon Hill house. It measured over 2,500 sq.ft. with two bedrooms, 3.5 baths and one parking space.

But what’s the average two-bedroom Cambridge condo in a house cost?  For this let’s look at the median sales price in 2011. 

The median sales price in 2011 for a two-bedroom condo in a two- or three-unit building was $420,000. 

For $420,000 you got an 1100 sq.ft.  two-bedroom, one-bath condo on the second floor of a triple-decker midway between Harvard and Central Squares.  The condo had a back porch and did not have air conditioning. The laundry was in the basement and there was one tandem parking space.  The house was built in 1920.  Most two and three-unit houses in Cambridge were built in the late 1800s or early 1900s.

Prices for two-bedroom condos will vary by neighborhood, by level of renovation,  by what amenities are included such as parking or in-unit laundry, etc.

SEARCH FOR CAMBRIDGE CONDOS FOR SALE

Kelly's Diner - an imported classic diner in Ball Square Somerville

I’m a big fan of diners – I like classic roadside architecture and the menu offerings.  Happily, Massachusetts still has a good selection of classic diners with several in Centers and Squares territory.

Tomorrow night, Monday, January 23, 2012, Larry Cultrera will give a presentation at the Medford Public Library on Classic Diners of Massachusetts.  Cultrera is a diner historian and his new book, Classic Diners of Massachusetts, has just been published by the History Press. 

The Classic Diners of Massachusetts lecture is scheduled for 7 pm on Jan. 23, 2012 at the Medford Public Library, 111 High Street, Medford MA.  Free and open to the public.

Teens Available for Shoveling in Cambridge

With so little snow this year it’s quite possible that you haven’t lined up a snow shoveling crew yet.  Years ago, it seemed easy to find a neighborhood teen to shovel, mow the lawn, babysit, etc.  But nowadays willing teens are sometimes difficult to find.

The Cambridge Council on Aging compiles a list every winter of teenagers who are looking for snow shoveling jobs.  The COA matches elderly or disabled residents with teens looking for work.  The resident and the teenager negotiate the rate and the teen is paid directly by the resident.

Interested teens can pick up an application at the Youth Employment Center at the high school (459 Broadway, Room 2101), the Senior Center (806 Mass Ave Cambridge), or the Office of Workforce Development (51 Inman Street).  The application is available online but must be returned to one of the three offices.

If you’re unable to shovel and need a referral you can contact the Cambridge Council on Aging at 617-349-6220.

There's pent up demand in the Cambridge real estate market

Contrary to what many people might expect, given pessimistic newspaper headlines and doomsday forecasting, there’s a lot of pent up demand in the Cambridge real estate market.

We’ve been working with low inventory for a while, as sellers hold back from listing their properties for sale in what they perceive to be a down market.  January is always a challenge – buyers are ready but new listings are slow to come on the market.

But if recent sales activity is any indication, the buyers are out there, ready to make an offer if they can find what they want.

Here are some recent examples from the Cambridge real estate market:

A Cambridgeport house that could be used as multi-family or a single family came on last week for $900,000 and received 16 offers.

A triple-decker in the Riverside neighborhood priced at over $1,000,000 received multiple offers.

An unrenovated (unspoiled is a better word – it still had lots of original charm) North Cambridge triple-decker recieved a dozen or so offers and sold for more than $100,000 over asking.

If you’ve been thinking of selling now may be a better time than you think.  If you want to find out what’s possible, you can reach me at 617-504-1737 or email me here.

Liz Bolton, Coldwell Banker

If you’re thinking of buying real estate in Cambridge you’ll want to get an idea of what you get for the money.  You’ll also want to think about housing styles – condo or house; condo in a house or condo in a building; townhouse or flat, etc.

Cambridge and surrounding towns have many condos in converted two- or three-family houses – the “2/3 family“  style in the MLS that often mystifies buyers.  Many condo buyers like this style – the condos are often charming, you may get a yard or shared outdoor space, and you’ll get to know your neighbors well.

Ofter Cambridge condo buyers prefer to look for condos in buildings.  Sometimes it’s because of the amenities – an elevator, garage parking, or exercise facilities for example. Others prefer a larger building because there’s a management company and sometimes even building staff.  Condo buildings in Cambridge span the decades – from charming turn-of-the-century  buildings to modern high-rises.

Today we’ll look at Cambridge condos in buildings with ten or more units.

How Much Does a Two-Bedroom Cambridge Condo In a Building Cost?

In 2011, 144 two-bedroom condos sold in Cambridge in complexes with ten or more units.  Sale prices ranged from $205,000 to $3,150,000. 

At the low end of the price range, $205,000 bought a 683 sq.ft. two-bedroom condo  in a 1965 brick building near the Alewife T.  It’s the sort of building commonly built in the 1960s and 1970s – a brick box with a dozen units in what I think of as a split-level configuration. When you walk in the front door there are half a dozen stairs going up to the second floor and half a flight down to the first floor.  The condo that sold for $205,000 was on the first level, partially below grade, and came with one parking space.

At the other end of the spectrum, for $3M+ you could have bought an expansive 2700 sq.ft. two-bedroom condo with 2.5 baths in a luxury condo building in Harvard Square.  The condo. part of the Residences at Charles Square, had private gardens, two garage spaces, and acess to the amenities of the adjacent Charles Hotel, including the pool and room service.

But what’s the average Cambridge two-bedroom condo cost?  For that, we’ll look at the median price in 2011.  The median price for a two-bedroom Cambridge condo in a building with 10+ units was $$452,500 in 2011.  Here are some examples of two-bedroom units that sold at that price point:

Two-bedroom condo at 205 Richdale Ave

A two-bedroom condo with 1.5 baths and one garage space sold at 205 Richdale Ave in Cambridge near Porter Square for $450,000.  The condo, a two-level walk-up, was on the 3rd and 4th floors. The 40-unit complex was built in the late 1980s.  The kitchen had its original white cabinets and counters with a new range and microwave.  There was a deck off the dining area and central air conditioning in this 1290 sq.ft. condo.

Kitchen in a two-bedroom Cambridge condo

At 369 Franklin Street, near Central Square in Cambridge, a two-bedroom, two-bath condo sold for $450,000.  The 18-unit building was constructed in 2003 and has an elevator, small exercise room, and garage parking.  The 884 sq.ft. condo had central air conditioning, in-unit washer/dryer, and stainless steel appliances and granite counters in the kitchen.

Two bedroom Cambridge condos on Newport Road

A two-bedroom condo with one bath sold on Newport Road in Cambridge for $455,000.  The Newport Road Condos in Porter Square were built in the early 1900s. This unit was a third floor walk-up and had rental parking and in-unit laundry.  Like the other condos in this complex, the 1142. sq.ft. condo was very charming with a fireplace, high ceilings, hardwood floors, and good closets for a building of this period.  The kitchen had been redone at some point with modern cabinetry and counters.

You can see all available 2+ bedroom Cambridge condos for sale by clicking the link below.  If you see something you like or have questions about buying real estate in Cambridge or nearby – give me a call at 617-504-1737 or contact me by email. 

Liz Bolton, Coldwell Banker, Cambridge

SEARCH FOR TWO-BEDROOM+ CAMBRIDGE CONDOS FOR SALE

8 George Street Cambridge Living Room

The light-filled condo has two skylights, high ceilings, wood floors, in-unit laundry and a back deck that has lovely views of trees and neighboring gardens.  The eat-in kitchen has lots of counter space and cabinets, a gas stove and a dishwasher.  You can display your favorite dishes in the built-in cabinet in the adjacent dining room.

The dining room has been opened to the eat-in kitchen

There’s extra storage in the basement, common space outside, and yes – a deeded parking space.

8 George Street, Cambridge MA is new to the market and listed for $379,000.  Email or call Liz Bolton of Coldwell Banker at 617-504-1737  to schedule a visit or for more information.