Centers And Squares
Cambridge Bookstores
Cambridge Bookstores After a particularly unsatisfying trip to Barnes & Noble I’m recommitting to shop at the wonderful independent bookstores that remain in Cambridge.
I’m a frequent book buyer – never leaving the store without a big bag. While I do spend plenty at bookstores in Cambridge sometimes when a book buying urge struck I would head out to Burlington. Typically the Barnes & Noble there would have a good selection in that day’s targeted subject plus plenty of other enticing books. More than once I’ve left an armful of books on the counter the better to free my arms to find more books.
But B&N seems to have made a distinct shift in emphasis – the store seemed markedly different than just a couple of months before. Much book space has been given over to toys and to promoting their electronic reader, the Nook. The books that were on display were a disappointment – lowest common denominator sort of books – the “masses” in mass market seem to be the target.
So I’m resolved – next time the book buying urge strikes I’m heading to a Cambridge bookstore. Sadly there are fewer independent bookstores in Cambridge nowadays – I still miss Reading International, Wordsworth and Paperback Booksmith. All the more reason to frequent the bookstores in Cambridge that we still can.
Bookstore hours and phone numbers are included below. Before planning a visit a call to confirm store hours would be a good idea.
Cambridge Bookstores – New Books
Porter Square Books – Years ago there was a bookstore in the Porter Square mall that I used to pop into to find something to read on the train back to Concord. After it closed Cambridge was without a bookstore north of Harvard Square for many years. Happily some folks from the Concord Bookstore – another wonderful independent bookstore – opened Porter Square Books several years ago. It’s become very popular – at Christmas the cash register line stretched to the back of the store – a sight that warmed book lovers’ hearts. There are frequent author appearances, a buyer reward program, and a cafe that’s become a popular neighborhood destination.
Porter Square Books is in the Porter Square Mall by the T station. 617-491-2220
Open M-F 7am – 9pm, Sat 8am – 9pm and Sunday 9am – 7pm
Harvard Book Store – Located in Harvard Square on Mass Avenue, the Harvard Book Store has been a favorite of Cambridge book lovers for over 75 years. It’s difficult to walk past their windows without spotting a must-have book. The Harvard Book Store has one of the best lecture series in Cambridge and when admission is charged you get a coupon for a discount at the store. A super destination for new books, there is also has a strong selection of used books downstairs.
The Harvard Book Store is located at 1256 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA.
Open Mon – Sat 9am – 11 am and Sun 10am – 10pm. 617-661-1515
Globe Corner Bookstore – the Globe Corner Bookstore in Harvard Square specializes in travel books and maps. I shop here when looking for guidebooks about various regions and countries and always make it a point to stop in when shopping for my Dad who appreciates the hiking books, maps, atlases, etc. I’ve bought here over the years. The owners have announced plans to sell the store so Cambridge book lovers have fingers crossed that they will find a buyer to keep this local treasure going.
The Globe Corner Bookstore is located at 90 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge
Open Mon – Sat 9:30am – 9pm and Sun 11am – 7pm. 617-497-6277
Cambridge Bookstores – Used Books
Bryn Mawr Book Store – This used book store has an excellent selection of fiction and non-fiction. You can find recent bestsellers at used book prices as well as rare books here. The store regularly holds sales of books by subject matter – one week (or is it month? I’m not sure) gardening books will be on sale, the next week sociology books will be discounted, etc. Proceeds from book sales fund scholarships to Bryn Mawr College.
Bryn Mawr Book Store is in Huron Village at 373 Huron Ave, Cambridge. 617-661-1770
Open Mon – Sat 10am – 5:30pm. May to December on Thursdays open until 7 pm.
McIntyre and Moore Booksellers– McIntyre and Moore has long been one of my favorite used bookstores in Cambridge and I’ve followed them around from their first(?) location in Harvard Square, to Davis Square and now to their current spot in Porter Square near Bob Slate Stationery. McIntyre and Moore specializes in scholarly books in wide range of subjects. You can also find fiction, children’s books, cookbooks, and books on sports, games, gardening, health, finance and much more.
McIntyre and Moore bookstore is in Porter Square at 1971 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge
Open Mon – Thurs 10am – 6pm, Fri & Sat 10am – 8pm and Sun noon – 6pm 617-229-5641
Rodney’s Bookstore – Rodney’s, in Central Square, is a big store for a used bookstore with a very good selection in all sorts of popular subjects. They’ve recently added a second floor for remainder books and also offer pine bookshelves if you’re looking for some new bookcases to hold all those books you just bought.
Rodney’s Bookstore is in Central Square at 698 Mass Ave, Cambridge.
Open Mon – Sat 9:30am – 9pm, Sun noon – 8pm. 617-876-6467
These are my favorites but there are more used bookstores and specialty bookstores in Cambridge. Feel free to put in a plug for your favorites in the comments below.
Cambridge MA Real Estate Market-2010-Year In Review
It’s good to see, when we tally the end of year numbers, that there was improvement in the Cambridge real estate market in 2010. The total number of properties sold rose modestly while the total dollar volume rose by over 10%.
Much of the improvement came in the single family sector. The number of single family houses sold increased by 15% over 2009’s sales and the median price rose by more than 10%.
Condo sales dipped ever so slightly. The median price rose about 3%.
Multi-family sales were robust – increasing by more than 15% over the number sold in 2009. The median price increased by 3%.
Cambridge Real Estate Year In Review
Welcome to the Cambridge MA Real Estate Review
Total properties sold in Cambridge:
- In 2010: 851 (+2.41%)
- In 2009: 831 (-8.38%)
- In 2008: 907
Average days on market:
- 2010: 80 days
- 2009: 79 days
- 2008: 91 days
Total value of real estate sales:
- 2010: $528,083,938 (+13.78%)
- 2009: $464,152,012 (-10.12%)
- 2008: $516,395,918
Properties sold for:
- 2010: An average of 97% of the list price. The median price was $465,000 (+5.69%)
- 2009: An average of 97% of the list price. The median price was $440,000 (-0.91%)
- 2008: An average of 97% of the list price. The median price was $444,000
Click here to continue reading about the Cambridge MA real estate market
Cambridge MA Real Estate Market – Nov 2010
Welcome to the Cambridge MA Real Estate Report
Here’s a look back at how the Cambridge MA real estate market did in November 2010.
Cambridge MA Real Estate On the Market – Nov. 30, 2010
On November 30th there were 288 homes listed for sale in Cambridge – 24% fewer than one month ago when 380 properties were listed for sale. Inventory tends to go down quite a bit at this time of year as sellers wait until after the holidays to put their properties on the market.
Cambridge MA Real Estate Sold in Nov 2010
61 homes sold in Cambridge during November – an increase of more than 33% over last month’s sales. Sales prices ranged from $135,000 to $3,300,000.
13 single family homes sold last month for prices ranging from $338,500 to $3,300,000. Average days on market was 60 and these houses sold on average for 97% of the list price. The median sales price was $849,150.
43 condos sold in Cambridge MA in November 2010 for sale prices from $135,000 to $1,610,000. The median price was $391,000. Condominiums sold on average for 97% of the list price and were on the market an average of 94 days.
5 multi-family houses sold in November for $525,000 to $1,010,000. These houses sold for an average of 94% of asking price. Average days on market was 76.
The total value of Cambridge MA real estate sold in November 2010 was $39,333,830.
Also see:
Cambridge MA Home Sales – Oct 2010
SEARCH FOR CONDOS FOR SALE IN CAMBRIDGE MASS
SEARCH FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FOR SALE IN CAMBRIDGE MA
Information about Cambridge MA real estate market in November 2010 from MLSpin.
Cambridge MA Home Sales – October 2010
Welcome to the Cambridge Real Estate Report
Here’s our monthly look at Cambridge MA home sales with the October 2010 home sales numbers for Cambridge.
Cambridge MA Homes On the Market – October 31, 2010
On October 31, 2010 there were 378 homes listed for sale in Cambridge – 6% fewer than one month ago. Asking prices ranged from $189,900 to $4,450,000. The median asking price was $511,750. Properties had been on the market an average of 112 days.
Cambridge MA Homes Sold in October 2010
45 homes sold in Cambridge during October 2010. Sales prices ranged from $175,500 to $6,651,100 for a four-house parcel on a 30,000 sq.ft. lot near Harvard Square.
6 single family homes sold in October 2010 for prices ranging from $460,000 to $2,035,000. Average days on market was 49 and these houses sold on average for 94% of asking price. The median sales price was $849,150.
36 condos sold in Cambridge MA last month for sales prices from $175,500 to $1,250,000. The median condo sales price was $411,500. Condos sold on average for 97% of the asking price and were on the market an average of 81 days.
In addition to the four-house-on-one-lot sale, 2 multi-family houses sold in October for $525,000 and $889,150.
The total value of Cambridge MA homes sold in October 2010 was $32,116,550.
Information about Cambridge MA home sales in October 2010 from MLSpin.
Last month’s numbers:
Cambridge Properties Sold in September 2010
SEARCH FOR CONDOS FOR SALE IN CAMBRIDGE MASS
SEARCH FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FOR SALE IN CAMBRIDGE MA
Cambridge Tap Water
Cambridge Tap Water - Delicious at a Fraction of the Cost
Cambridge Tap Water Today is Blog Action Day 2010 and the topic is WATER. Thousands of bloggers all over the world are posting today about water – water pollution, water scarcity, water issues of all sorts. I’m focusing on one of my pet peeves – bottled water in the land of top notch tap water.
I have to confess – “bottled water” has become my short hand for gullibility, the decline and fall of the US, or for societal stupidity. We are fortunate to live in an area with delicious water available straight from the tap. The idea of paying soda prices for tap water boggles my mind.
Mind boggling it is – while many people around the world don’t have access to clean drinking water, Americans are lining the pockets of corporations, filling landfills with plastic bottles, and abetting companies who mine ground water in rural communities and consume enormous amounts of energy to transport bottled water and manufacture plastic bottles.
It doesn’t have to be this way. And certainly not in Cambridge or nearby towns.
Most towns in our area get their water from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority – the MWRA. MWRA water is piped from the Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs in Central Massachusetts.
Cambridge is the exception locally. Cambridge has its own water supply. That’s why, earlier this year when a boil-water order was issued (and I’m here to tell you even that water, unboiled, was just fine) for several days Cambridge tap water was exempt.
Cambridge tap water comes from reservoirs at Fresh Pond, Stony Brook in Weston and Waltham, and Hobbs Brook which spans parts of Lincoln, Lexington, Waltham and Weston.
Delicious, drinkable water – right from the faucet or the bubbler. Hurrah! Have a drink – or eight – today.
Cambridge Real Estate Sales Over One Million
Brattle Street House Sold for $3,882,000 in 2010
Cambridge Real Estate Sales Over One Million
Lately the buzz around the office has been that the high end of the real estate market in Cambridge has been doing well.
Turns out that Cambridge real estate sales data backs that up.
2010 Cambridge High End Home Sales To date In 2010:
- 42 single family houses have sold for prices of $1,000,000 or more
- These houses sold for $1M to $4,250,000
- 14 houses sold for more than two million
- 7 of these houses sold for more than $2.5 million
There’s definitely been an uptick at the top end of the Cambridge real estate market. At this time last year:
- 26 single family homes had sold for more than $1,000,000
- Sales prices ranged from $1,013,000 to $3,910,000
- 10 houses had sold for more than two million
- 5 of these were for sale prices over $2.5 million
By comparison, in 2005 there were 56 Cambridge real estate sales of single family houses over one million at this point, 13 of them for more than $2 million.
Conventional wisdom is that the upper end of the real estate market recovers first so it’s good to see the energy in the $1M+ range.
Cambridge Properties Sold In September 2010
Welcome to the Cambridge Real Estate Report
Here’s a quick recap of Cambridge properties sold in September 2010.
Cambridge Real Estate On the Market – September 30, 2010
Plenty of sellers waited until September to put their properties on the market in Cambridge. On September 30, 2010 there were 403 residential properties listed for sale in Cambridge – 84 more than a month before. Asking prices ranged from $179,000 to $4,450,000. The median asking price was $689,559. Properties had been on the market an average of 108 days.
Cambridge Properties Sold in September 2010
54 residential properties sold in Cambridge during September 2010 – that’s fewer than half as many sold in August. September sales reflect properties that went under agreement during the long hot summer. Let’s hope that cooler temperatures bring renewed activity to the Cambridge real estate market. Sales prices ranged from $188,000 t0 $2,700,000. These properties had been on the market an average of 82 days.
8 single family houses sold in September 2010 for prices ranging from $438,000 to $2,700,000. Average days on market was just 37 and these houses sold on average for 94% of asking price. The median sales price was $627,000.
42 condos sold in Cambridge last month for sales prices from $188,000 to $805,000. The median condo sales price was $413,750. Condos sold on average for 97% of the asking price and were on the market an average of 86 days.
4 multi-family houses sold in September for sale prices from $605,000 to $930,000. Average days on market was 125. These properties sold for 95% of asking price on average.
The total value of Cambridge properties sold in September 2010 was $28,497,200.
Information about Cambridge properties sold in September 2010 from MLSpin.
Last month’s numbers:
Cambridge Home Sale Report August 2010
SEARCH FOR CONDOS FOR SALE IN CAMBRIDGE MASS
SEARCH FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FOR SALE IN CAMBRIDGE MASS
Cambridge Home Sale Report – August 2010
Welcome to the Cambridge Real Estate Report
Here’s a quick recap of Cambridge home sale activity in August 2010. Sales were up significantly over July’s numbers – showing that one month’s numbers do not make a trend despite the media’s rush to judgement.
Cambridge Real Estate On the Market – August 31, 2010
On August 31, 2010 there were 319 residential properties listed for sale in Cambridge priced from $170,000 to $4,000,000. The median asking price was $499,000. Properties had been on the market an average of 119 days.
Cambridge Home Sale Activity – August 2010
111 homes sold in Cambridge during August 2010 – an increase of more than 10% over July’s sales when 98 properties sold. Sales prices ranged from $213,000 t0 $4,250,000. These properties had been on the market an average of 61 days. August 2010 sales numbers were down significantly from August 2009 when 127 properties sold.
16 single family houses sold in August 2010 for prices ranging from $380,000 to $2,120,000. Average days on market was 85 and these houses sold on average for 98% of asking price. The median sales price was $832,500.
85 condos sold in Cambridge in August for sales prices from $213,000 to $4,250,000. The median condo sales price was $457,500. Condos sold on average for 97% of the asking price and were on the market an average of 80 days.
10 multi-family houses sold in August. Sales prices ranged from $350,000 to $1,250,000. Average days on market was 90.
The total value of Cambridge homes sold in August 2010 was $68,150,670.
Information about the Cambridge home sales in August 2010 from MLSpin.
Last month’s numbers:
Cambridge Homes Sold in July 2010
SEARCH FOR CONDOS FOR SALE IN CAMBRIDGE MASS
SEARCH FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FOR SALE IN CAMBRIDGE MASS
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