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.
No More Room In Cambridge
No Parking Until Further Notice Signs Posted in Cambridge
No more room in Cambridge… or in Arlington, or Boston, or Medford or any other town or city in the area. No more room for snow that is.
We are buried. The last snow shoveling marathon was prolonged because of the time and energy it took to throw the snow on piles now over our heads.
With piles this high driving is a bear. So is parking. And walking. Forget about biking. Mass Avenue is down to a lane and a half as long as nobody is trying to get in or out of a car along the snowbanks. Two-way streets are one-ways and one-ways – well, you might just be sitting there for a while. We sat on Trowbridge Street during our tour of new listings for over twenty minutes waiting for the recycling truck to finish that one block.
Towns and cities have instituted parking bans to keep the roads clear. Arlington is restricting parking on certain sides of the street. Cambridge has prohibited parking along many well traveled roads like Magazine Street in Cambridgeport or Cedar Street in North Cambridge.
It’s time to take the snow away! Somerville removes snow as a matter or course. On the news tonight they reported that Waltham is removing more than 70,000 tons of snow for the first time since 1995.
If you just moved to Cambridge take heart – this isn’t our typical winter. 1995-1996 in fact was the snowiest winter on record in Boston. We may just beat that this year – it’s still January for cripes sake! but happily we get plenty of winters where the ground is just about bare for many days.
Bare ground. I can’t wait.
Armando’s Corner in Cambridge
Armando's Corner In Cambridge
I don’t know how I missed this – the intersection of Concord Ave and Huron Ave in Cambridge has been named Armando’s Corner – officially Armando Paolo Square.
I thought the sign was new but when I went into Armando’s Pizza to find out the guys told me the sign had been up for a couple of months. Not sure how I missed it – my office is next door to the pizza shop and I’m at this intersection multiple times a day.
There couldn’t be a more appropriate person to honor at this spot. Well known to generations of Cantabridgians and local workers, Armando and Dorothy Paolo have owned the popular pizza shop for almost forty years. The place bustles throughout the day as construction crews, local office workers, Harvard scientists and school kids line up for slices or subs.
Armando’s Pizza is at 163 Huron Ave in Cambridge, MA 02138. Stop by for a slice! The new sign is just outside the shop.
Cambridge Real Estate Agents On Tour
I think this is my favorite kitchen - ever. 23 Bellis Circle
I love my job.
There’s lots to like about being a real estate agent in Cambridge. It’s good to have work that you enjoy – seven days a week!
Cambridge real estate agents have the opportunity to tour properties during broker previews, office caravans and open houses. As a confirmed house enthusiast the chance to see so many interesting houses and condos is one of the best parts of my job – valuable too since I get an early look at properties that might fit my clients’ wish lists.
Our Coldwell Banker office tour is the highlight of the week. We see a long list of houses and condos during a tour that typically runs for three or more fast paced hours.
Last week’s snow canceled our tour so today’s was particularly rich. We saw one fabulous property after another. It was one of the best tours I can remember and that’s saying a lot.
Some of the new listings on tour included:
…A stylishly renovated two-bedroom with a fireplace on Mass Ave near Davis Square for $350,000
…A townhouse at the Brickworks for $399,585. It has three bedrooms, 2.5 baths and direct entry from the garage. Even on a gloomy day I appreciated the neighborhood views from the upper levels.
…An extraordinary jewel box of a renovated single family on Bellis Circle for $735,000. It’s right out of a magazine – simply stunning.
…A huge house-like condo on Trowbridge Street with exceptional oak paneling and woodwork. It has three bedrooms, two baths and garage parking and is listed for $699,000.
…A two-bedroom, two-bath condo on Norfolk Street beautifully decorated by the artist-owner and listed for $499,000.
…A newly renovated two-bedroom condo on Pearl Street near Central Square. This house – the before-version – was my listing and I had eagerly anticipated seeing the transformation. Wow! It is sleek, stylish and thoughtfully renovated. The condo has parking and central air and is listed for $487,000.
…Three corner units at The Regatta – on the 10th floor, 14th floor, and 16th floor. I’m not sure I would ever leave home if I bought one of these condos. It would be too hard to pull myself away from the view. I felt like a cat – mesmerized by the little cars below driving round and round the traffic loop. The Tobin, the Zakim, Boston’s skyscrapers, planes heading towards Logan, the trains pulling into the North Station, the boats heading out to the harbor – a visual feast spread out in front of you. The condos are listed for $499,000 to $550,000.
Here’s a chance to see some of the new listings from our tour. Click on the small photo for more information and additional photographs. And if you have questions about any of these properties or something else that you see give me a call at 617-504-1737. I’d be delighted to help.
My Rhododendron Thermometer – Update
It's cold out tonight in Massachusetts
My rhododendron thermometer is back in business – and it is C-O-L-D out.
The leaves on my rhododendron are curled tight as pencils. It almost looked like the bush had died or like some of its branches were broken – the leaves are curled so tightly I really didn’t think it looked right.
But it’s just the effects of the super chilly temperatures today. It’s supposed to be below zero in Cambridge tonight. My rhododendron thermometer isn’t sophisticated enough to give the exact temperature – simply a pretty good idea of just how frigid it is.
I think the bush looks amazingly good considering all the snow that was piled on it. Clearly rhododendrons are a hearty and resilient lot. Mine has really bounced back and lived to give more weather reports.
Antique Appraisal Night In Medford
Antique Appraisals In Medford
An Antique Appraisal Night will be held at Medford City Hall to benefit the Medford Historical Society on Thursday, January 20, 2011.
Wondering what that special piece you inherited is worth? Stop by City Hall where Kaminski Auctions will appraise items.
The cost is $10 for one item or $25 for a limit of three.
If your antique or collectible is large you can bring a photo instead.
No jewelry, coins, stamps or books will be appraised.
Admission is free and appraisals will be done on a first come, first served basis.
The Antique Appraisal Night will benefit projects of the Medford Historical Society.
7 – 9 pm. Thursday, January 20, 2011. Medford City Hall
Kendall Square Condos
Kendall Square Cambridge MA
Kendall Square in Cambridge MA is a popular neighborhood for Cambridge condo buyers. In 2010 Kendall Square condos sold for prices ranging from $250,000 to more than $1,000,000.
Kendall Square offers excellent public transportation access with bus connections and a Red Line subway stop. You can ride the T over the Charles River – it’s a beautiful view – and into Boston in just a few minutes. The crosstown bus – the CT2 – stops in Kendall on its way to the Longwood medical area in Boston.
Kendall Square condos are popular with real estate buyers looking for easy access to MIT or to the many high tech and biotech companies with offices in the neighborhood. Boston’s Financial District is a quick commute and getting to Logan Airport is easier from this end of Cambridge.
Below are condos for sale in Kendall Square – click on the small photo for more photographs and additional information. And if you would like some help with your Cambridge real estate search I would be delighted to work with you.
Elizabeth Bolton is a Cambridge real estate agent at ReMax Destiny at 907 Massachusetts Ave. For help with your condo search give Liz a call at 617-504-1737 or click here to send her an email.
My Rhododendron Thermometer
Rhododendron bush buried beneath the snow
In front of my house there’s a large rhododendron bush. A lovely part of the landscape, it also functions as an unofficial “thermometer”.
When I go out in the morning or when I look out the window, I get a sense of the day’s temperature by scoping out the bush.
When it’s cold the rhododendron’s leaves curl tightly. The more leaves that are curled and the tighter the curl – the colder the temperature.
It wasn’t until I looked over for a read on the day’s temperature that I realized my poor bush was bowed beneath this mound of heavy snow. It’s difficult to tell by the photo but my rhododendron bush is about a third of it’s usual height.
So without benefit of my rhododendron thermometer – it’s really chilly today.
Somerville MA Real Estate Review – 2010
Here’s the last (phew!) of the end of the year real estate wrap-ups with a review of the Somerville MA real estate market in 2010. We’ve also included the numbers from 2009 and 2008 for comparison. Following the annual numbers we’ve got the report for December’s real estate sales in Somerville.
The number of real estate sales in Somerville rose by 3% in 2010.
Single family sales rose dramatically – by more than 20%. The median price of single family houses sold in Somerville rose by 6%.
Condo sales in Somerville rose by a more modest 3.6%. The median price of condos sold in 2010 dipped slightly.
The number of multi-families sold fell by 7%. The median price, however, rose by 8.5%. It’s always difficult to get a real guage on actual increases or decreases in real estate values. Much depends on the mix of inventory. When we look at what sold in 2010 we find that twice as many multi family houses in Somerville sold for more than $700,000. There were more multi-families sold in popular – and expensive – neighborhoods like Davis Square and a number of three-deckers in good locations.
Somerville MA Real Estate Review – 2010
Welcome to the Somerville Real Estate Report
Total properties sold in Somerville:
- In 2010: 595 (+2.95%)
- In 2009: 578 (+4.53%)
- In 2008: 553
Average days on market:
- 2010: 78 (-10.35%)
- 2009: 87 (-20.19%)
- 2008: 109
Total value of real estate sales:
- 2010: 251,500,915 (+7.69%)
- 2009: $233,547,999 (+4.43%)
- 2008: $223,646,177
Click here to continue reading about the Somerville MA real estate market
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