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.
281 Alewife Brook Parkway Somerville MA
Welcome to 281 Alewife Brook Pkwy
We had a 28-property tour of new listings today. Whew! That’s a lot of properties in one outing! We saw some really wonderful places but I have to say that my favorite was 281 Alewife Brook Parkway in Somerville MA. Now granted, I’m biased – it’s my new listing. But it really is a super two-family house so it tops my list of favorites.
Most multi-families on the market are projects – panelling, wallpaper, grungy bathrooms, rental quality kitchens, etc. 281 Alewife Brook Parkway on the other hand is a gem – stylishly renovated kitchens, rooms painted in designer colors, custom blinds, new light fixtures, etc. – you can move right in. All the modern improvements complement the beautiful architectural details – fluted columns, wood floors, exceptionally handsome built-in hutches, etc.
281 Alewife Brook Pkwy is new to the market at $519,000. It’s West Somerville location is close to Tufts University, Teele Square and Davis Square. Dilboy Field and the bike path are across the street.
Check out the 281 Alewife Brook Parkway listing for photographs and more info – and check back tomorrow for more details about the rest of the properties we saw today.
Green Homes Bike Tour
Green House Tour in Cambridge
I love Cambridge. We just wrapped up the week-long Cambridge Science Festival just in time for the start of Cambridge Climate Change Week this Friday.
There’s a variety of events planned for the week but as a house tour aficionado the one that caught my eye is the Green Homes Bike Tour planned for Sunday, May 15, 2011.
Participants will meet at Danahy Park on Sherman Street at 10 am and then bike to four houses in North Cambridge and Somerville that have utilized energy efficiency and eco-friendly practices.
There’s more info about the Green Homes Bike Tour and other events planned for Cambridge Climate Change Week on the Cambridge Climate Emergency Action Group website.
Check out the Massachusetts House Tour page for lots more house tours – no bike tours, just plenty of house tours.
First Impressions
Jellybean Rugs at Tags Hardware in Cambridge
When you’re selling your house or condo in Cambridge the first impression your home makes on real estate agents and buyers is critical.
Often that first impression comes at your doorway. When your house is for sale it’s time to replace that worn and faded old welcome mat. Nowadays, with stylish doormats available at your local hardware store, it’s easier than ever to spruce up your front entrance.
These rugs, displayed near the entrance to Tags Hardware in Porter Square, are just what you need to add a splash of color outside your door. The indoor / outdoor mats are washable – said to wash “better than your jeans” – and come in a variety of bright, colorful designs. Dog lovers take note – several have cheery designs featuring Labs and other dogs. No cats, however, so I bought one of the more traditional patterns – the pineapple welcome mat seen below.
The Jellybean rugs cost $29.99 – a small investment for a big return when you’re selling your home.
Visit Tags Hardware in the Porter Square shopping center, 29 White Street, Cambridge MA 02140.
Cambridge Open Studios
Cambridge Open Studios This Weekend
The first of three open studio weekends in Cambridge takes place this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, May 7th & 8th, artists’ studios will be open in East Cambridge. The East Cambridge Open Studios will include the Lechmere, Inman Square and Kendall Square neighborhoods.
Artists’ studios will be open from noon to 6 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Check out the Community Arts website for more information and a brochure with map.
I’ve updated the Massachusetts Open Studios page as well as the Massachusetts House Tours page, and the Garden Tours in Massachusetts page. There’s a lot to do this Spring!
12-14-16 Ware St Cambridge MA
Ware St Cambridge MA Condos
If you’re looking for a condo in Harvard Square you’ll want to consider condos at 12-16 Ware St in Cambridge MA. Ware Street is one block long and runs from Broadway to Harvard Street, abutting Harvard’s campus.
Built in 1940 as the Bancroft Court Apartments, today there are 52 condos in this four-story brick complex. Almost all of the Bancroft Court condos are one bedrooms, about 660 sq.ft., though there are a couple of larger basement units.
Ware St Cambridge MA Condos Feature:
- Hardwood floors
- Spacious rooms
- Some condos have parking
- Landscaped courtyard entry
- Elevator building
- Heat and hot water included in the condo fee
- Common laundry and storage in basement
- Bike storage
- No pets
Recent Condo Sales on Ware St Cambridge MA:
We saw a very nice second floor condo at 14 Ware Street on our weekly tour last Wednesday. With a parking space and an asking price of $345,000 it went under agreement almost immediately. A first floor one-bedroom without parking was listed for sale for $320,000 in March and also went under agreement within a few days.
In 2010 a first-floor one-bedroom without parking at 12 Ware Street sold for $320,000.
If any properties are listed for sale on Ware St Cambridge MA, they’ll appear below. Click on the small photo for additional info and more photographs. If you’re looking for a condo in Harvard Square I’d be happy to help. You can email me or call me at 617-504-1737.
Red Carpet Sidewalk
Red Carpet Sidewalk Outside Yayla in Cambridge
The sight of all these rugs on the sidewalk outside Yayla Tribal Rugs on Broadway in Cambridge gave me a chuckle. In fact, everybody who walked by / on the rugs had a smile on their face. Passersby tended to tiptoe around the rugs despite the sign, pinned to the rug in front, that encouraged people to walk on the rugs.
Yayla, at 283 Broadway in Cambridge MA, is popular with real estate agents who sometimes rent rugs from the shop for staging properties for sale.
New Real Estate Listings – And Plenty of Them
Our Wednesday tour was all I expected it to be – long – very long – with plenty of properties new to the market in a wide range of prices. Properties we visited ranged from a small Cambridge studio listed for $189,000 to a grand brick colonial in Belmont listed for $6,250,000.
We visited 25 properties in all and saw new listings in Cambridge, Somerville, Belmont, Medford and Watertown. Here are some of my favorites:
Our first stop was at 100-102 Fayette Street in Watertown. Not your average two-family, this Greek Revival was charming and had a marvelous barn out back. 100-102 Fayette St. is listed for $629,000.
429 Norfolk Street, Somerville is a large, two-level three-bedroom condo in a David Aposhian building near Union and Inman Square listed for $489,000.
6 Cotttage Ave in the heart of Davis Square is bound to be popular. It has two private patios (the one out back is huge) and a can’t-be-beat location. Built just five years ago, it has the upscale kitchen, multiple baths, and open layout that buyers love. It’s listed for $596,000.
80 Winslow Ave is also smack dab in the middle of Davis Square. It’s a co-op, built just a few years ago. Open and dramatic – you can’t help but exclaim when you walk in – it feels like a loft but has a master suite, second bedroom and an office. It also offers a private patio and garage parking. 80 Winslow Ave will be coming on the market for $689,000.
281 Pearl Street, Cambridge offers everything on buyers’ wish lists – parking, a private deck, in-unit laundry – plus vaulted ceilings, skylight, and lots of light. This one-bedroom condo in Cambridgeport is listed for $369,000.
Two new condos at 50 Alpine Street, Somerville abut the future extension of the bike path. The condos are newly renovated and really fabulous. The newly installed wide plank floors made from reclaimed wood were a hit. It was also my first sighting of Martha Stewart kitchen cabinets. The Martha-kitchen wins points with me – Shaker style cabinets in a just-right shade of light green and beautiful marble counters. The condos are coming on in the $350-370,000 range and seem very well priced.
Click on the small photos below to see more photographs and read about some of the new listings. If you’d like to see any of these, or any other properties that catch your eye, give me a call at 617-504-1737 or email me. I’d be happy to help.
A Momentary Pause
Away Goes the Rabbit - and Back to Work We Go
Whether they celebrate the holiday or not, Easter provides an excused absence for Cambridge real estate agents – the last day until Memorial Day to grab a day off in the spring real estate market.
For buyers, it’s a bit frustrating because relatively few new properties are listed for sale the week before the holiday.
Not to worry – this week and next there’s likely to be plenty of new listings coming on the market to make up for the week off.
I’ll be back with my favorites from our Wednesday preview – it should be a long tour!
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