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.
Cambridge MA Real Estate Market – January – October 2011
Cambridge MA Real Estate Market
How’s the real estate market in Cambridge? People are always asking. Let’s pause a moment, before we head into the holidays, and look back to see what kind of year we’ve had so far. Here’s a review of Cambridge MA real estate market activity for January through October 2011.
For comparison, the numbers for the same period in 2010 are in parentheses.
2011 looks a lot like 2010 in the Cambridge real estate market. The number of properties sold is up by 3% despite the low inventory. The median price has barely budged for the market as a whole and the average time it takes to sell is unchanged. Median price changes by property type may be due to the mix of what’s been available for sale.
On October 31, 2011, 221 properties were listed for sale in Cambridge. That’s a huge drop in inventory levels from last year at this time when 373 residential properties were on the market. Cambridge real estate agents have been grumbling about low inventory and with numbers like these it’s no wonder that buyers are having a challenging time finding what they want.
Residential real estate sold in Cambridge – Jan-Oct 2011 (2010)
- 743 properties sold (720)
- Average days on market = 79 (78)
- Properties sold for an average of 97% of asking price (97%)
- Median price of $465,000 ($462,000)
Cambridge Single Family Sales – Jan-Oct 2011 (2010)
- Total sold: 94 (95 )
- Sale prices ranged from $280,000 – $3,750,000 ($275,000 – $4,250,000)
- Median price: $844,250 ($862,500)
- Average days on market: 74 (70)
- On average, houses sold for 97% of asking price (97% )
Cambridge Condo Sales – Jan-Oct 2011 (2010)
- Total sold: 600 (569)
- Sale prices ranged from $164,000 – $3,450,000 ($175,500 – $4,250,000)
- Median price: $423,875 ($430,000)
- Average days on market: 81 (81)
- On average, condos sold for 97% of asking price (98%)
Cambridge Multi-Family Sales – Jan-Oct 2011 (2010)
- Total sold: 49 (56)
- Sale prices ranged from $282,000 – $1,900,000 ($200,000 – $6,651,100)
- Median price: $775,000 ($707,500)
- Average days on market: 69 (71)
- On average, multi-unit houses sold for 97% of asking price (96% )
SEARCH FOR CONDOS FOR SALE IN CAMBRIDGE MASS
SEARCH FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FOR SALE IN CAMBRIDGE MA
Info about Cambridge MA real estate market in 2011 (2010) from MLSpin
Should We Take Our Home Off the Market for the Holidays?
Homes do sell over the holidays
The Fall real estate market goes by quickly. In no time it seems we’re bumping up against the holidays. Many home sellers wonder – should we take our home off the market for the holidays?
There isn’t a quick and easy answer to this question. There are definite advantages to keeping your house on the market over the holidays but there are some benefits to taking it off the market too. Everyone’s situation is different. While it’s very possible that your home will sell over the holidays you may instead choose to give yourself the gift of minimized stress and uninterrupted holidays. Here are some of the things to think about.
Benefits of Keeping Your House on the Market Over the Holidays
Less competition. Since many sellers takes their homes off the market and others wait until after the holidays to list their house for sale, there are fewer homes for sale between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That increases the odds that you’ll sell – a lot of inventory gets soaked up over the winter. Even now, in early November, fewer sellers are listing their homes for sale and properties that have been on the market for months – in some cases over a year – are finally selling.
There are buyers out there. Buyers are always coming into the market. People relocate for work or a myriad of other reasons. Sellers get an offer on their own house for sale and immediately become much more motivated. Whatever the reason, there are always homebuyers looking.
Holiday home buyers are serious. If buyers are going to the trouble of seeing properties with the holidays drawing close it’s likely that they’re motivated. Better to have a motivated buyer with a reason to buy than larger numbers of buyers just getting their feet wet.
You can’t win if you don’t play. That’s a slogan for buying lottery tickets but it applies to selling your home too. The perfect buyer for your home may be in town this weekend. If you’re not on the market they won’t be buying your property. Relocating buyers or employees being transferred to the Cambridge area aren’t browsing – they’re buying.
Reasons to Take Your Home Off the Market Over the Holidays
If you’re getting fewer buyers through your home, if the numbers of requests to show your property are dwindling, it may be time to give your home a break. Take it off the market for a few weeks, or even a few months, and bring it on fresh in the spring.
If you’re sick and tired of keeping your house picked up and show ready, give yourself a break. Enjoy the holidays without interruptions and without the inconvenience of getting ready for showings.
Reset the clock. If your property is off the market long enough you’ll be able to reset the days on market tally. There’s something to be said for resetting the days on market. Even though homes are not perishable items it sometimes seems that buyers think they are given their sensitivity to the DOM (days on market) number. Let those days pile up and buyers and agents start questioning what’s wrong with your property. Get a fresh start by resetting the clock. Make sure you ask your current agent what’s needed to ensure that you come back on the market with “zero” days on market.
You and your agent will want to decide if you should take your home off the market for the holidays. Remember – houses and condos do sell over the holidays. If you’re hoping your home is one of them, give me a call and we can make a plan.
Cambridge and Somerville Superlatives
Cambridge and Somerville are often recognized as “best places” by various groups and organizations. Here are some of the accolades Cambridge and Somerville have received recently:
Cambridge and Somerville Win Awards
Cambridge was recognized as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People by America’s Promise Alliance. Cambridge has been recognized every year since the competition began five years ago.
Cambridge received a 2011 Massachusetts ECO Award for Excellence in Commuter Options for providing top notch commuter benefits to its employees including bicycle parking, transit pass programs and emergency rides home.
The Cambridge Public Library received a number of awards for programming and for its newly renovated main branch.
Cambridge took home four awards from the Massachusetts Library Association conference: first prize for the library newsletter, On and Off Broadway, first prize for the Friends of the Library book Cambridge Voices, and third prize for the library website and for its website for teens.
The Boston Society of Architects awarded the new library with the Harleston Parker Medal for the “most beautiful building” in the Greater Boston area.
The new Cambridge Public Library was also honored with an Annual Design Review Award from Architect Magazine.
Those are only the most recent accolades for the CPL main branch. Since the beautiful new library opened in 2009 the renovation project has received nine awards from architectural, design, and preservation groups.
Not exactly an award but certainly something to feel good about – in February Cambridge once again earned Triple A ratings from each of the three major credit rating agencies – a ranking held by just 30 or so municipalities in the US.
Somerville also earned the designation of one of America’s 100 Best Communities for Young People for the 4th time.
The Massachusetts Health Council named Somerville the Healthiest City in Massachusetts for programs and iniatives that included Shape Up Somerville, school food service, and infrastructure upgrades to promote active living such as bike path improvements, sidewalk widening, and upgraded crosswalks.
Somerville was named the 10th Most Walkable City in the US by WalkScore.
HUD presented Somerville with a Door Knocker Award recognizing the city’s work with affordable housing.
There’s lots to like about living and working in Cambridge and Somerville. We’re happy that others recognize the benefits of living here too.
My Favorite Full Serve Gas Stations
Gulf Station at Mount Auburn & Aberdeen. Don't judge the prices by the photo - that's like comparing mortgage lenders with quotes two weeks apart - interest rates and gas prices often change daily
Let me start out by saying that I don’t pump gas if I don’t have to – and I almost never have to. I also don’t bag or ring through my own groceries but that’s a topic for another post.
So, I’m always on the lookout for a good full serve gas station. It’s simply not true that the price is always higher than at self serve gas stations. In fact, you’ll often find full serve gas stations (and truly the definition of that nowadays is that they pump the gas – and in a pinch might check your oil if you ask nicely) within yards – and in full view – of self serve gas stations with comparable or even slightly higher prices. Go figure. American consumers often aren’t on the ball it seems.
But I have strict standards for full serve gas stations. I *did* pump gas at one point – in high school I worked briefly one summer pumping gas. So I know how it’s done. It’s pretty simple – you go to the driver’s window, get the order, pump the gas, and return to the window for payment. And you’re friendly and pleasant while you’re at it.
Somehow many gas stations have lost track of the basics. The new method is to go to the passenger window – if it’s closed, bang on it – and take the order and the cash from afar, making the driver stretch across the seat. To put an end to this ongoing battle I may just choose my next car by virtue of its driver’s side gas tank but in the meantime I’ll go elsewhere.
So here’s my short list of the best full serve gas stations in the area with excellent service and good prices. I haven’t had repairs done at any of the stations but these are my regular places to fill up:
Best Full Serve Gas Stations
Teele Square Auto in Somerville on Broadway at the corner of Victoria Street This busy gas station offers a lower price for cash purchases (pay in cash – it helps keep your local service station in business) and is open 7 days a week. They service and repair cars, do inspection stickers, and have a towing service. Teele Square Auto is at 1284 Broadway.
Gulf Station in Cambridge on Mount Auburn Street at Aberdeen Ave (aka Route 16) Their super friendly service can’t be beat. This gas station is on Mount Auburn Street across from Mount Auburn Cemetery. Getting gas is a pleasure here – they service cars and do inspection stickers too.
Mobil in Arlington on Mass Ave across from Jimmy’s restaurant Friendly, courteous service – unlike the other big chain station nextdoor. Don’t get confused – it’s the Mobil you want. The neighboring gas station would make it on my worsts list if I did one. Why not go to Mobil for service with a smile?! And they do work on cars here as well. Mobil is at 1116 Mass Ave in Arlington Heights
Do you have a favorite full serve gas station? Let us know.
Arlington MA Real Estate Market – January-October 2011
Arlington MA Real Estate Market Report
Before we pause for the holidays let’s take a look back and see how the Arlington MA real estate market is doing. Here’s a review of Arlington MA real estate market activity for January through October 2011.
The numbers for the same period in 2010 are in parentheses.
Arlington real estate activity in 2o11 looks a lot like the market in 2010: houses and condos took longer to sell but the median price for Arlington real estate barely budged and the number of properties sold declined by less than 2%.
On October 31, 2011 121 properties were listed for sale in Arlington. That’s a big drop in inventory levels from last year at this time when 165 residential properties were on the market.
Residential real estate sold in Arlington – Jan-Oct 2011 (2010)
- 419 properties sold (427)
- Average days on market = 64 (53)
- Properties sold for an average of 98% of asking price (98%)
- Median price of $470,000 ($470,500)
Arlington Single Family Sales – Jan-Oct 2011 (2010)
- Total sold: 217 (224 )
- Sale prices ranged from $243,000 – $1,250,000 ($244,899 – $1,220,000)
- Median price: $520,000 ($507,100)
- Average days on market: 63 (48)
- On average, houses sold for 98% of asking price (99% )
Arlington Condo Sales – Jan-Oct 2011 (2010)
- Total sold: 179 (172)
- Sale prices ranged from $84,000 – $759,000 ($120,000 – $807,000)
- Median price: $357,000 ($375,500)
- Average days on market: 65 (58)
- On average, condos sold for 98% of asking price (98%)
Arlington Multi-Family Sales – Jan-Oct 2011 (2010)
- Total sold: 23 (31)
- Sale prices ranged from $325,000 – $660,000 ($338,000 – $855,000)
- Median price: $552,000 ($585,000)
- Average days on market: 58 (57)
- On average, multi-unit houses sold for 97% of asking price (98% )
SEARCH FOR ARLINGTON MASS REAL ESTATE
Info about Arlington MA real estate market in 2011 (2010) from MLSpin
Civil War Encampment in Cambridge on Saturday
Civil War Re-enactment in Cambridge
Tomorrow, on Saturday, November 5, 2011, the Cambridge Public Library will host a Civil War encampmenton the library lawn. Civil War re-enactors will turn the lawn into Camp Cameron – a recreation of the Civil War barracks at the Cambridge – Somerville line.
The living history event begins at 10 am on Saturday. Events include:
- 10:30: A presentation on Cambridge in the Civil War
- Noon: A Civil War-era ladies’ fashion show
- 12:30: Guided tour of the camp – learn about the life of a soldier
- 1:30: A vintage baseball game played by pre-1861 rules
There is much to do and see all day. There will be Civil War poetry readings, music played on period instruments, a chance to watch the soldiers muster and drill and even a chance to march with the soldiers. There will be programming for children of all ages.
A Living History of the Civil War will be held at the Main Library Lawn, 449 Broadway, Cambridge from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday, November, 5, 2011. Free and open to the public.
Bus Service Only Past Harvard Square
Bus Service Only for Weekend Red Line Commuters
Starting tomorrow, weekend T commuters will have only bus service on the Red Line past Harvard Square.
The MBTA is doing maintenance work on the Red Line T line for the next 17 weekends. From November 5, 2011 through March 4, 2012, T riders will be bused between Harvard Station and Alewife Station on the weekends.
For North Cambridge residents and visitors, “taking the T” will mean taking the bus on Saturdays and Sundays. Porter Square, Davis Square and Alewife will be bus-only on the weekends.
Tercentenary Signs In Massachusetts
The Boston Globe had a wonderful article on Sunday about the Tercentenary Signs you bump into around Massachusetts. The signs were erected in 1930 as part of the celebration of the tercentennial – Massachusetts’ 300th birthday by the Massachusetts Bay Colony Tercentary Commission.
The article is fascinating – I love the signs but hadn’t known a great deal about their history. (I’ll soon fix that – an article like this one puts me on a quest for more info – and a 1930 copy of Samuel Eliot Morison’s Historical Markers of Massachusetts is now heading my way courtesy of ABEbooks.com and a bookseller in Vermont).
Turns out that the research and text used on the signs was done by Harvard historian Samuel Eliot Morison and the Globe‘s article touches on how the signs are a reflection of what was considered important by Eliot and others from the vantage point of 1930.
Me? I’m just happy that we have any semi-permanent reminders of what happened here since our memory seems to get shorter and shorter.
While many of the signs have remained almost half are no longer in place. Happily there are efforts underway to restore the missing markers, according to the Globe, including a proposed bill to provide funds for restoration and replacement.
Next time you come across a tercentenary sign take a minute to read it and think about what once was not that long ago. Here are a few of the tercentenary markers from Arlington, Cambridge, Medford and Watertown.
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