Welcome to the Cambridge Mass Real Estate Market Report

Here’s a quick recap of Cambridge Mass real estate market activity in February 2010.

On the Market In Cambridge - February 28, 2010

On February 28, 2010  there were  287 homes on the market in Cambridge MA.  Asking prices ranged from $189,900 to $4,500,000.  The median asking price was $525,000.  Average days on market for these properties was 126. 

Cambridge Mass. Real Estate Market in Feb. 2010

34 home sales closed in Cambridge during February for sale prices between $190,500 and $3,882,000.   Homes were on the market an average of 96 days.

6 single family homes sold in February 2010 for prices ranging from $386,000 to $3,882,000.  Average days on market was 110 and houses sold on average for 93% of asking price.  The median sales price was $2,215,000.

26 condos sold in Cambridge during February for prices from $190,500 to $1,900,000.  The median condo sales price was $399,086.  Condominiums sold for an average of 97% of the list price and were on the market an average of 95 days.

2 multi-families sold last month for $581,000 and $875,000. 

The total value of residential real estate sold in Cambridge during February 2010 was $27,733,072.

Information from MLSpin.

Last month’s numbers:

Cambridge Real Estate Sales in January 2010

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For years, whenever I walked or drove past 37 Lancaster Street on Avon Hill I would think to myself that one of the many reasons I loved being a real estate agent in Cambridge was that someday I would get to see inside that amazing house.

37 Lancaster Street Cambridge Mass

Well, a few weeks ago, someday finally came. John Petrowsky and Christian Jones of Hammond Real Estate listed the Yerxa-Field House for sale and held an open house for brokers.  Cambridge real estate agents turned out en masse to see the house, a number bringing spouses who, like me, had long dreamed of seeing the inside of this landmark house.

The house was every bit as extraordinary as people had imagined, leaving at least one agent in tears, overcome by its beauty (no – it wasn’t me - I’m not the crying type!).

The reading nook off the living room. An exquisite stained glass window is on the left wall

37 Lancaster Street was built in 1888 for Henry Yerxa and is an example of Shingle Style architecture.  When it was sold to the Field family in 1919 many original furnishings remained with the house, giving us a rare glimpse of how people lived 12o years ago.  Walking through the house it seemed that the children’s books of the 1880s and 1890s that I loved as a girl had come to life.

The two families that have owned the house kept extraordinary care of this masterpiece.  Shades were pulled to prevent sun damage and the lavish finishes on walls and ceilings in room after room are in superb condition.  There are nine different types of wood used for the woodwork throughout the house and it is all in impeccable condition.

Everywhere you look there is incredibly rich detail – far too much too describe here. Window seats, built-ins galore, fine paneling, hand carved details - the house is a feast for the eyes.  Here are a few of my favorite things:

37 Lancaster Street, Cambridge – A Few of Many Fine Features

• There are ten fireplaces in the house, each with a different fire back, each with a different set of andirons that match the light fixtures in the room.
• The reading nook off the living room is one of my favorite spaces with a large stained glass window and a window seat to curl up on with a book
• The laundry room has eight soapstone sinks in a row, each with two brass faucets, and at the end of the row of sinks, a brick reservoir that held the hot water is still intact.
• There are two wonderful pantries. A third is now a bathroom though the original icebox with its marble shelves remains, now used as storage for towels.
• Even normally mundane features like door hooks and hinges are over the top – “like fine jewelry” one agent exclaimed when she spotted a particularly fine hook that held the pantry door ajar.
• My heart almost stopped when I first saw the second reading nook off an upstairs bedroom. This sweet space has a built-in bench opposite a lovely bookcase-flanked fireplace. This is happiness.
• Best yet – the small square stained glass window in the reading nook that opens up and looks out over the fireplace in the landing downstairs.  What fun it must have been for a child to poke her head out the small window to wave at the adults below!
• A second floor bath has a painted mural of a river above the vintage fixtures.
• The carriage house has a row of horse stalls, complete with original raffia fringe trim above the stalls. The tack room has racks for saddles and tack, bearing 1880s patents from a Boston company.

At once grand and charming, the house has beautifully proportioned rooms and an elegant flow.  To walk or drive up to this house and call it home – to wake up and walk out to the beautiful golden oak hall – to sit on a bench and gaze out at the neighboring houses on Avon Hill – the new owners of 37 Lancaster Street will be very fortunate.  It’s truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Click on the small photo below for more information and additional photographs.

Check  back as I have lots more photographs to share in another post or two.

37 Lancaster Street, on Avon Hill in Cambridge, MA 02140 is listed for $4,495,000.

Welcome to the Cambridge Real Estate Sales Report

Before too many days go by let’s take a look at Cambridge real estate sales last month in January 2010. 

On the Market In Cambridge - January 31, 2010

On January 31, 2010  there were  211 homes in Cambridge Mass. on the market. Asking prices ranged from $189,900 to $4,900,000.  The median asking price was $499,900.  Average days on market for these properties was 145. 

One year ago there were  considerably more homes listed for sale in Cambridge – 289.  That’s a drop of 37%.  Thinking about selling your home in Cambridge? It’s a good time to sell – less competition and lots of real estate buyers hoping to find a place before the homebuyer credit expires at the end of April.

Cambridge Real Estate Sales in Jan. 2010

40 home sales closed in Cambridge during January for sale prices between $195,000 and $2,250,000.   Homes were on the market an average of 129 days.

9 single family homes sold in January 2010 for prices ranging from $275,000 to $2,250,000.  These houses had been on the market for an average of 84 days and sold on average for 97% of asking price.  The median sales price was $801,000.

27 condos sold in Cambridge during January for prices from $195,000 to $2,050,000.  The median condo sales price was $463,500.  Condominiums sold for an average of 96% of the list price.  Average days on market was 138.

4 multi-families sold last month for prices between $200,000 and $744,000. These properties sold for an average of 91% of asking price and were on the market an average of 166 days. 

$200,000 for a Cambridge two-family?!  That caught my eye.  Turns out it was a gutted, attached two-family with no heat, no working electricity, no walls – and a short sale to boot. Not your typical multi-family sale in Cambridge and not your typical sales price for a Cambridge multi-family.

The total value of residential real estate sold in Cambridge during January 2010 was $27,759,950.

Information from MLSpin.

Last month’s numbers:

Cambridge Real Estate Sales in 2009 and 2008

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Longfellow House on the new Cambridge parking sticker

Longfellow House On The New Cambridge Parking Sticker  I love the new picture of the Longfellow House on Brattle Street that’s on the 2010 Cambridge parking sticker. 

Jim Landfried took the winning photo in the 2010 Resident Parking Permit Photo Contest.  There’s a slideshow with all of the entrants on the city’s website - more than 80 beautiful photos of Cambridge through the seasons.

Tomorrow is the last day to get your parking sticker – or risk a ticket on Monday. 

To get a Cambridge parking permit you need:

• Your current automobile registration showing your car garaged at your Cambridge address
• $8.00 and money to pay any outstanding parking tickets
• A current utility bill sent to you at your Cambridge address - or -
• Two pieces of current mail sent to you at your Cambridge address (magazines don’t count)

The name on your proof of residence mail or bills must match the name on your vehicle registration. 

The Traffic and Parking Department is at 344 Broadway, Cambridge MA 02139

Don’t forget – tomorrow’s Friday so the office is only open from 8:30 am to noon.  Get there early and get in line.

Welcome to the Arlington Real Estate Year In Review

Here’s a look back at the  Arlington real estate market in 2009 and 2008 followed by the last monthly real estate report for the year.  All data reflects properties listed on the MLS, the Multiple Listing System.

The Arlington real estate market was steady in 2009 with an increase of 3.5% over 2008 sales.  Arlington single family sales were particularly strong with an increase in numbers of homes sold of well over 10%.  That won’t come as a surprise to anyone who attended open houses in Arlington last year – they were typically mobbed and single families often received multiple offers. That phenomenon continues with one house in Arlington recieving ten offers after last weekend’s open house.

On the other hand, condo sales in Arlington were down almost 5% from 2008 sales. The median price paid for a condo in Arlington in 2009 was $340,500, down from the 2008 median price of $353,625.

Arlington Real Estate Market - Year In Review

Total properties sold in Arlington:

• In 2009: 499 (+3.53%)
• In 2008: 482

Average days on market:

• 2009: 60 (-15%)
• 2008: 69

Total value of real estate sales:

• 2009: $220,552,380 (+1.14%)
• 2008: $218,078,422

Properties sold for:

• 2009: An average of 98% of asking price and a median price of $426,500 (-.82%)
• 2008: An average of 98% of asking price and a median price of $430,000

Arlington Single Family Sales

• 2009: 247 (+13.31%)
• 2008: 218

Price range for single family homes:

• 2009: $252,000 to $1,009,597
• 2008: $210,000 to $1,350,000

Median price of single family houses sold:

• 2009: $488,000 (+2.74%)
• 2008: $475,000

On average, single families:

• In 2009: were on the market 52 days & sold for 98% of asking price
• In 2008: were on the market 49 days & sold for 98% of asking price

Arlington Condo Sales

• 2009: 215 (-4.87%)
• 2008: 226

Price range for condos:

• 2009: $102,000 to $678,000
• 2008: $95,000 to $725,000

Median price of condominiums sold:

• 2009: $340,500 (-3.72%)
• 2008: $353,625

On average, Arlington condos:

• In 2009: were on the market 70 days and sold for 97% of list price
• In 2008: were on the market 79 days and sold for 97% of list price

 Arlington Multi-Family Sales

• 2009: 37 (-2.64%)
• 2008: 38

Price range for multi-family properties:

• 2009: $295,000 to $700,000
• 2008: $385,000 to $1,545,000

Median price of multi-family houses sold:

• 2009: $555,000 (-1.93%)
• 2008: $565,875

On average, Arlington multi-families:

• In 2009: were on the market 56 days and sold for 97% of list price
• In 2008: were on the market 119 days and sold for 97% of list price

Here’s the last monthly sales report for 2009 – Arlington MA home sales in December   

Arlington Homes On The Market

88 homes were listed for sale in Arlington MA on December 31, 2009 for asking prices from $159,000 to $1,499,000. Homes had been on the market an average of 125 days. 

Arlington MA Home Sales – December 2009

41 homes sold  

• Median price – $465,000 
• Homes sold on average for 98% of the asking price 

23 single families sold in December 

• Priced between $305,000 and $815,000 
• Median sales price - $505,000
• Average days on market - 57 days
• On average single family homes sold for 98% of list price

14 condos sold in Arlington MA last month

• Price range - $160,000 to $487,500  
• Median sales price - $355,500
• Condos sold for an average of 97% of the asking price
• Average days on market – 53

4 multi-family houses sold in December 2009

• Priced from $445,000 to $538,000
• Median price – $477,500
• Multi-families sold for 97% of asking price
• Average days on market – 105

 Total value of Arlington MA home sales in December was $18,957,950.

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ARLINGTON MA HOMES SOLD IN NOVEMBER 2009

Information about Arlington MA Home Sales from MLSpin

Cambridge Real Estate Year In Review

Here’s a look back at Cambridge home sales in 2009 and 2008 followed by the monthly numbers for December.  All figures come from properties listed on the MLS, the Multiple Listing System.

The number of properties sold in Cambridge was down more than 8% and the dollar volume down just over 10%.  However, the median price paid for Cambridge real estate barely budged and properties were on the market fewer days on average.

While there were increases in the number of Cambridge single families and multi-families sold, there were significantly fewer condos sold in Cambridge in 2009 than in 2008.

 The decline in numbers of condos sold was not a matter of condos failing to sell – it was a function of fewer condominiums being listed for sale.  In 2008 300 condos failed to sell while listed on the market (though the condos may have subsequently been relisted and sold) versus just 207 condos that “expired” in 2009.

With fewer properties from which to choose there are plenty of Cambridge real estate buyers who were unable to find the perfect place in 2009.  If you’re thinking of selling Spring 2010 looks like a great time to put your home on the market. 

Cambridge Real Estate Year In Review

Total properties sold in Cambridge:

• In 2009: 831 (-8.38%)
• In 2008: 907

Average days on market:

• 2009: 79 (-13.19)
• 2008: 91

Total value of real estate sales:

• 2009: $464,152,012 (-10.12%)
• 2008: $516,395,918

Properties sold for:

• 2009: An average of 97% of asking price and a median price of $440,000 (-.01%)
• 2008: An average of 97% of asking price and a median price of $444,000

Cambridge Single Family Sales

• 2009: 110 (+.92%)
• 2008: 109

Price range for single family homes:

• 2009: $260,000 to $4,850,000
• 2008: $240,000 to $4,921,500

Median price of single family houses sold:

• 2009: $761,250 (+.83%)
• 2008: $755,000

On average, single families:

• In 2009: were on the market 86 days & sold for 97% of asking price
• In 2008: were on the market 85 days & sold for 97% of asking price

Cambridge Condo Sales

• 2009: 666 (-10.97%)
• 2008: 748

Price range for condos:

• 2009: $172,500 to $1,990,000
• 2008: $150,000 to $2,800,000

Median price of condominiums sold:

• 2009: $415,000 (+.25%)
• 2008: $414,000

On average, Cambridge condos:

• In 2009: were on the market 78 days and sold for 97% of list price
• In 2008: were on the market 92 days and sold for 97% of list price

 Cambridge Multi-Family Sales

• 2009: 55 (+10.0%)
• 2008: 50

Price range for multi-family properties:

• 2009: $352,351 to $1,095,000
• 2008: $340,000 to $1,450,000

Median price of multi-family houses sold:

• 2009: $695,000 (-7.46%)
• 2008: $751,000

On average, Cambridge multi-families:

• In 2009: were on the market 72 days and sold for 96% of list price
• In 2008: were on the market 98 days and sold for 95% of list price

Here are the end of the month numbers for Cambridge at the close of 2009:

Residential Properties On the Market In Cambridge

On December 31, 2009  there were  179 homes in Cambridge Mass. on the market. Asking prices ranged from $189,900 to $4,250,000.  The median asking price was $499,900.  Average days on market was 176. 

Cambridge Home Sales - December 2009

52 home sales closed in Cambridge during December priced between $241,000 and $2,525,000.   Homes were on the market an average of 85 days.

11 single family homes sold last month for prices ranging from $393,500 to $2,525,000.  These houses had been on the market for an average of 110 days and sold on average for 95% of asking price.  The median sales price was $1,015,000.

There were 38 condos sold in Cambridge during December for prices from $241,000 to $1,990,000.  The median condo sales price was $490,000.  Condominiums sold for an average of 97% of the list price and were on the market an average of 80 days.  

3 multi-families sold last month for $357,000, $530,000 and $1,072,500. These properties sold for an average of 90% of asking price and were on the market an average of 58 days. 

The total value of residential real estate sold in Cambridge during December 2009 was $35,676,900.

Information from MLSpin.

Last month’s numbers:

Nov 2009 Residential Real Estate Sales in Cambridge

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William James Hall - Minoru Yamasaki

Robert Campbell, the Boston Globe’s architecture critic, had an excellent article in last Sunday’s paper about concrete buildings in Cambridge and Boston.  Even if it’s not your favorite architectural style the article will give you a new appreciation for these 1950s – 1970s buildings.

Campbell writes:

“No other American city boasts as much noteworthy concrete architecture in as small an area as Boston and Cambridge”

At right is Harvard’s William James Hall, Minoru Yamasaki’s 1963 building which Robert Bell Rettig describes in Guide to Cambridge Architecture as “fourteen stories of pure white concrete”.  Yamasaki also designed the 1962 Engineering Sciences Laboratory included in the slide show below.

Here’s a sampling of concrete buildings in Cambridge. I’ll try to add more the next time the sky is blue!

Click on the “Architecture” link below for more posts about Cambridge architecture.

The school is relocating to 100 Savin Hill Avenue in Dorchester, the former St. William School.  The school’s name will be changed to Cristo Rey Boston. North Cambridge Catholic has been part of a national association of Catholic high schools called the Cristo Rey Network since 2004.

North Cambridge Catholic High School, 40 Norris Street

It seems that the Archdiocese plans to sell the school building after the move.  Will North Cambridge have a new schoolhouse condo building? Let’s hope so.

Renovated schools make super condos and 40 Norris Street is an exceptional building. The Northwest Cambridge: Survey of Architectural History in Cambridge calls it “one of the handsomest schools in the city.”  It’s massive, over 35,000 sq.ft. according to City records, and has large rounded windows on the upper floors.  The satellite view of the school shows twenty or so parking spaces currently sited behind the building.

The school was built in 1898 for the City of Cambridge and served as the Ellis School until the 1950s.  The building was designed by Boston architect A.H. Gould.

Norris Street is a pleasant, residential street lined with multi-families. It’s a one-way street running from Cedar Street to Mass Ave. The bike path is nearby and Davis Square is not far.  At one end of Norris you’ll find the path that leads into a very nice park and playground, the Reverend Williams Park.

Schoolhouse condos would be a great addition to the neighborhood.  The closest renovated school in Cambridge is the former Lincoln School on Mead Street at the corner of Walden and condos turn over infrequently there. 

Watch this space for updates on the North Cambridge Catholic High School closing and plans for the building’s future.

Related posts:

Schoolhouse Condos In Cambridge and Somerville

Condos in Renovated Schools in Medford

The North Cambridge Catholic High School is at 40 Norris Street, Cambridge, MA 02140.