Centers And Squares
Welcome to Centers and Squares
As a Cambridge real estate agent, the city squares of Cambridge, Somerville and Medford and the town centers of Arlington, Watertown and Belmont, Massachusetts are my home turf. And as a lifelong New Englander who’s lived within twenty miles of Boston most of my life, I can introduce you to other nearby towns as we search for your new home. If you’re planning to sell your home in Cambridge, MA or nearby you’ll find plenty of info about the home selling process here too. Questions? Send me an email or call me at 617-504-1737.
Belmont Library Renovation
Massachusetts does a really great job of supporting city and town library renovations. Locally, Cambridge, Arlington and Watertown have beautifully renovated libraries.
It looks like Belmont will be the next local library to be expanded and renovated.
Belmont made it off the waiting list for state library construction grants and was awarded a grant for $7.5 million.
This weekend the Belmont Public Library will hold a thank you celebration for library supporters on Saturday, October 13, 2012 from 10 a.m. to noon.
The Belmont Public Library is located at 336 Concord Avenue, Belmont MA 02478.
Arlington MA Real Estate Market Review Jan-Sept 2012
Arlington MA Real Estate Review
Here’s the Arlington MA real estate market review for the first three quarters of 2012 with a look at real estate sale from January through September 2012.
The numbers for the same period in 2011 are in parentheses.
Condo sales held steady in Arlington while there was an increase in numbers of single family houses and multi-families sold this year.
Like other nearby towns, the inventory of properties for sale is way down in Arlington. On September 30, 2012 85 residential properties were listed for sale in Arlington. That’s a huge drop in inventory levels from last year at this time when 135 residential properties were on the market.
Residential real estate sold in Arlington – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011)
- 438 properties sold (387)
- Average days on market = 52 (63)
- Properties sold for an average of 99% of asking price (98%)
- Median price of $465,000 ($472,900)
Arlington Single Family Sales – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011)
- Total sold: 236 (198)
- Sale prices ranged from $265,000 – $1,425,000 ($243,000 – $1,075,000)
- Median price: $522,250 ($526,500)
- Average days on market: 42 (62)
- On average, houses sold for 99% of asking price (98% )
Arlington Condo Sales – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011)
- Total sold: 172 (170)
- Sale prices ranged from $100,000 – $795,000 ($84,000 – $759,000)
- Median price: $367,250 ($359,650)
- Average days on market: 62 (66)
- On average, condos sold for 99% of asking price (98%)
Arlington Multi-Family Sales – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011)
- Total sold: 30 (19)
- Sale prices ranged from $395,000 – $1,350,000 ($325,000 – $660,000)
- Median price: $549,500 ($550,000)
- Average days on market: 74 (61)
- On average, multi-unit houses sold for 98% of asking price (97% )
SEARCH FOR ARLINGTON MASS REAL ESTATE
Info about Arlington MA real estate market in 2012 (2011) from MLSpin
Chickens in Somerville
Chickens in Somerville
I love Somerville Massachusetts. More specifically, I love Somerville municipal government. Somerville city government always strikes me as progressive and forward thinking. I can’t help but be impressed in most interactions with the City.
Case in point – chickens. Somerville recently became the first Massachusetts city to pass an Urban Agriculture Ordinance. The ordinance encourages urban food production and specifically allows for beekeeping and the raising of chickens.
Hurrah! Many communities have yet to embrace the renewed popularity of raising chickens. Kudos to Somerville for its chicken-friendly stance. Ditto for bees – more and more people I know are keeping bees at home and it’s great to see the City acknowledge the value of urban food production. Look for Somerville eggs and honey coming to a market near you.
Belmont MA Real Estate Market Review Jan-Sept 2012
Belmont MA Real Estate Review
Wondering how real estate is doing in Belmont MA this year? Let’s take a look at real estate market activity in Belmont with sales figures for the first three quarters of 2012.
The numbers for January – September 2011 are in parentheses for comparison.
On September 30, 2012, 70 properties were listed for sale in Belmont. That’s significantly fewer than were available for sale one year before when 90 properties were on the market.
While in the Belmont real estate market as a whole the median price was down over last year that’s only a reflection of the mix of properties sold. When you look at properties by type you see that the median price was up in each category and was up significantly for single family houses and condominiums.
The condo market in Belmont was much busier in 2012 with 101 condos sold in the first three quarters compared to 69 in the same period last year. The median price was way up and days on market was down.
Residential Real Estate Sold in Belmont – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011)
- 254 properties sold (214)
- Average days on market = 64 (63)
- Properties sold for an average of 99% of asking price (98%)
- Median price of $643,000 ($652,500)
Belmont Single Family Sales – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011)
- Total sold: 127 (118 )
- Sale prices ranged from $450,000 – $2,900,000 ($400,000 – $2,675,000)
- Median price: $749,00 ($700,500)
- Average days on market: 59 (48)
- On average, houses sold for 99% of asking price (98% )
Belmont Condo Sales – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011)
- Total sold: 101 (69)
- Sale prices ranged from $160,000 – $1,215,000 ($145,000 – $1,337,500)
- Median price: $512,000 ($385,000)
- Average days on market: 76 (95)
- On average, condos sold for 99% of asking price (98%)
Belmont Multi-Family Sales – Jan-Oct 2012 (2011)
- Total sold: 26 (27)
- Sale prices ranged from $435,000 – $975,000 ($395,000 – $760,000)
- Median price: $575,750 ($565,000)
- Average days on market: 36 (42)
- On average, multi-unit houses sold for 99% of asking price (98% )
Info about the Belmont MA real estate market in 2012 (2011) from MLSpin
Nest Thermostat
This Nest thermostat caught my eye on tour in Cambridge
I’m a traditionalist when it comes to thermostats – I love my classic round Honeywell thermostat. Designed by Henry Dreyfuss in 1953 it’s non-programmable and works perfectly for my needs.
Perhaps it was the similar size and shape of the Nest thermostat that clicked with me when we were touring a house in Cambridge. The very cool display that came on when we walked by certainly caught my eye. I liked it enough to snap the photo at right.
The New York Times had an article about the Nest thermostat today – in the Business section, not the Home section. Turns out the thermostat is even cooler than it looks.
It’s the ultimate in smart programming – the thermostat can determine when nobody is home and turn itself down. It also “learns” your patterns over the course of a week and adjusts accordingly.
Best of all, for people like me with very unpredictable schedules that don’t jibe with regular programmable thermostats, there are apps to allow for remote control of the Nest thermostat. Aaah – to come home to a warm house this winter – that’s living!
The Nest thermostat sells for $250 and can be purchased online at nest.com.
Nest thermostats
Medford MA Real Estate Market Update Jan – Sept 2012
Medford MA Real Estate Review
Here’s the Medford MA real estate market update for the period January to September 2012.
Last year’s numbers for the same period are in parentheses.
By every measure 2012 has been a better year than 2011 for Medford real estate. Median prices were up, average days on market were down. Properties sold more quickly and for closer to their asking prices.
On September 30, 2012 115 properties were listed for sale in Medford. That’s a huge drop from a year before when 204 properties were on the market.
If you’re considering selling it’s a superb time to be on the market – buyer demand is up and supply is way down. That’s great for sellers – and challenging for buyers.
Residential real estate sold in Medford – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011):
- 452 properties (358)
- Average days on market = 75 (92)
- Properties sold for an average of 98% of asking price (97%)
- Median price of $349,950 ($336,000)
Medford Single Family Sales – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011)
- Total sold: 226 (183 )
- Sale prices ranged from $70,000 – $645,000 ($135,000 – $768,500)
- Median price: $357,000 ($348,800)
- Average days on market: 72 (90)
- On average, houses sold for 98% of asking price (97% )
Medford Condo Sales – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011)
- Total sold: 145 (116)
- Sale prices ranged from $98,750 – $635,000 ($136,000 – $600,000)
- Median price: $284,900 ($284,000)
- Average days on market: 83 (97)
- On average, condos sold for 98% of asking price (97%)
Medford Multi-Family Sales – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011)
- Total sold: 81 (59)
- Sale prices ranged from $191,000 – $650,000 ($225,000 – $660,000)
- Median price: $427,500 ($415,000)
- Average days on market: 69 (92)
- On average, multi-unit houses sold for 99% of asking price (96% )
SEARCH FOR REAL ESTATE FOR SALE IN MEDFORD MASS
Voter Registration Deadline
Voter Registration Deadline is October 17th
The deadline to register to vote in Massachusetts in November’s election is October 17, 2012.
Here are links to local towns’ and cities’ voter registration info:
The big day, Election Day, is Tuesday, November 6, 2012. See you at the polls!
Watertown MA Real Estate Market Update – Jan – Sept 2012
Watertown Real Estate Market Review
Now that we’re 3/4 of the way through 2012 (where did those months go?!) let’s pause to see how the Watertown MA real estate market fared.
The figures for the first three quarters of 2011 are in parentheses for comparison.
On September 30, 2012, 81 residential properties were listed for sale in Watertown. That’s significantly fewer than were on the market one year before when 105 properties were available for sale.
For the market as a whole the median price was down by more than 5%. That’s probably due to a change in mix of properties sold rather than a true reflection of real estate values. Quite a few more condos sold this year than in 2011 which brought down the median price overall. The median price for single families was down slightly, the median barely budged for condos, and actually increased by 5% for multi-families. Properties sold for closer to the asking price in 2012.
Demand outpaced supply for multi-family properties which sold on average in just 42 days versus 91 days in 2011.
Residential Real Estate Sold in Watertown – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011)
- 275 properties sold (240)
- Average days on market = 70 (94)
- Properties sold for an average of 98% of asking price (96%)
- Median price of $360,000 ($380,000)
Watertown Single Family Sales – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011)
- Total sold: 66 (65 )
- Sale prices ranged from $203,000 – $1,063,000 ($240,000 – $1,250,000)
- Median price: $420,500 ($430,000)
- Average days on market: 59 (68)
- On average, houses sold for 97% of asking price (97% )
Watertown Condo Sales – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011)
- Total sold: 168 (120)
- Sale prices ranged from $116,000 – $850,000 ($163,100 – $1,435,000)
- Median price: $326,500 ($326,875)
- Average days on market: 81 (110)
- On average, condos sold for 97% of asking price (96%)
Watertown Multi-Family Sales – Jan-Sept 2012 (2011)
- Total sold: 41 (55)
- Sale prices ranged from $245,000 – $710,000 ($296,000 – $667,500)
- Median price: $528,000 ($497,000)
- Average days on market: 42 (91)
- On average, multi-unit houses sold for 99% of asking price (96% )
Info about the Watertown MA real estate market in 2012 (2011) from MLSpin
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