http://bostonrealestateblog.com Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:30:23 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Out of the current financial debacle comes a little nugget of good news for our local landlords. As reported in todays Boston Globe by Peter Schworm Northeastern University is delaying its plans to build a 600 bed dormitory on St. Botolph Street. Shelved for the foreseeable future the project was ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/credit-crunch-ends-college-expansions/ Every time someone calls me about an ad I have this question always come up. If you have found your way to this blog because you are trying to learn about Boston and her metro area's let me help you out: MBTA.com/Ridertools or Thrall.net Whether new to town or a student looking for a ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/how-close-to-the-t-is-this-place/ I've written about this subject before but want to revisit it for the sake of our Landlords. If you are trying to rent an apartment in the off peak season (September - January 15th) then you must drop your keys of with a real estate office that you trust. I ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/apartment-rentals-are-key/ Last month while I was on vacation a block of truly luxurious apartments came on-line in Charlestown's Navy Yard. Managed by Roseland Properties and called the HarborView at the Navy Yard this building is truly top of the line. Originally slated to be a condominium building it offers much larger ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/new-rentals-in-the-navy-yard/ So I finished my Move-Ins yesterday for all of Boston, go home, and turn on the TV to see Hizzoner standing in a 7 Bedroom apartment over on Chestnut Hill talking about the deplorable conditions of this apartment and the absentee landlord. Which, after watching the segment, was all true ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/local-media-follows-college-move-ins/ The Case-Shiller Report (CSR), which provides a glimpse into the housing market, is closely reported by all the major media outlets but there are some things about this report that aren't revealed in a 45 second sound bite. First off, their index for home sales in Boston is down 3.4% which ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/case-shiller-report-breaking-it-down/ CNBC landed an exclusive interview with the worlds best golfer Tiger Woods. The beginning of this interview talks about his current investments which included a billion dollar real estate development in the Bahamas. Check out it out for yourself. Tiger Woods Interview http://bostonrealestateblog.com/real-estate-investing-you-need-the-eye-of-a-tiger/ We had a landlord call the office today asking why his apartments haven’t rented yet. That sparked me to look at the rental deals we had closed over the last 3 months to try and find any trends as to why some apartments rent and why some don’t. I wanted ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/why-some-apartments-rent-and-why-some-dont/ Great article today on MSN Real Estate about the limits we as Realtors can go to when discussing the safety of a Neighborhood. In Massachusetts the standard response of most Sale Agents will be "Under MA law we are not allowed to discuss the safety of a neighborhood. If you'd like, ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/how-safe-is-this-neighborhood/ I don't normally ready the Auto section of the Globe but the headline TomTom appears to have met its match caught my eye. I don't want to rehash the article you can read it by clicking on the link above. The only thing I would like to point out is that ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/boston-journalist-vs-tomtom/ Is your goal is to wake up every morning to the aroma of wind swept salt air and panoramic ocean views? Maybe in retirement? A second home perhaps? Why not now? Our good friends at the Boston Globe chose to highlight an auction of condominiums going on March 9th by ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/ocean-front-condos-for-less-than-250k-really/ The Warren Group has released its year end data for 2007 this week. What strikes me most is not the decline in residential sales or prices (down 5% from '06). Instead it's the huge (and I mean huge) pull back in mortgage originations. Down 60% (60%!!!!) from the highs of ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/housing-ok-motgages-in-free-fall/ Graph made possible by the Warren Group http://bostonrealestateblog.com/sales-data-made-easy/ Today is a Great Day to be a member of NextGen Realty, Boardwalk Properties, and Jacob Realty. Our Companies just crossed the 10,000 Landlords mark in our data base with the official count at 10,008 and growing! Also we now have over 75,000 listings in the New England Region. Lets ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/congratulations-team/ Boston’s City Council has quietly endorsed a proposal, spearheaded by Councilman Michael Ross, to cap the amount of students that can rent an apartment in our city. If passed, what has been marketed as a bill to curb “Animal House Antics” by the Boston Herald, no more than 4 students ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/will-no-more-than-4-students-living-together-solve-anything/ The Greater Boston Real Estate Board has successfully blocked a movement to repeal Massachusetts Affordable Housing Law on Beacon Hill. Thought this might be of interest to some of my readers. GBREB Legislative Update - December 2007 ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/gbreb-protects-40b-law/ The latest four letter word in real estate is something that is everywhere… literally. I am not kidding. Some down right scary studies have come out about mold; citing brain damage, links to cancer, and reproductive problems, though nothing is definitive yet. Read: it’s still early. I thought it would be ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/is-that-mold/ These two men are the John Stewart and Steven Colbert of Britain. This Video is about the sub-prime markets. It's about 8 min's long and extremely funny! http://bostonrealestateblog.com/vote-second-best-business-video-on-youtube-by-the-economist/ I know this YouTube spot has been going around the net for a while now but thought since I write so much about investment properties and landlord/tenant relations this would bring a smile to your faces. I still laugh every time I watch this... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/will-ferrel-confronts-his-vicious-landlord/ Right now in the Winter of 08, almost everyone trying to sell a house or condo is starting to get ansy and mostly freak out. Not only are we experiencing a slow real estate cycle but, Nov - March is traditionally one of the slowest periods of the year for ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/cold-and-slow-winter-months-great-buys/ Ok, with the Holidays past us, it’s time to gear up for the Apartment Rental Season. Agents in my office at NextGen Realty are burning up the phones contacting our landlords about their September ’08 availabilities. If you haven’t already you should contact your tenants and see if they wish to ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/landlords-don%e2%80%99t-wait-to-the-last-minute/ I hope everyone has returned refreshed from their Holidays. I wish you all the best of luck achieving any goals that you may have set for 2008. Look for some predictions for '08 sometime later this weekend. Still need to catch up on some '07 numbers first. I do have one goal ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/happy-2008/ Most of Lower Allston groans when Harvard releases details of its latest land acquisition in their neighborhood. Not Today! What's loving referred to as the communist block, in my office, the horrible looking cement fortress known as the CharlesView Apartment Complex has agreed to a land swap, of sorts, with ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/charlesview-apartments-complex-gets-a-new-view/ The Wall Street Journal reported a couple of weeks ago about the opportunities that exist in this current market for small investors of commercial properties. A lot of my clients fit this category and I thought I would pass this information on to the readers of the Boston Real Estate ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/commercial-investing-advantage-small-investors-for-once/ Yesterday I spent the afternoon looking at apartment complexes with one of my original clients. He is an elder gentleman who will remain nameless because he is well known within the real estate community. We were discussing the current market conditions for residential sales. He simply began to shake his ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/buyers-should-copy-investors/ A lot has been written about the Governors Casino plan for the State. I have held back from talking about the subject because I feel the opening of an actual casino is years away... if ever. But, speaking hypothetically, I would like to point out what will mostly likely happen ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/ma-casinos/ While in the office last night I ran into one of my fellow agents who looked like his dog just got run over. Turns out his apartment was broken into and he lost his Laptop, TV, DVD's and a number of other things. I asked him, "Do you have Renters ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/renters-insurance-get-it/ Banker & Tradesman, yesterday, reported that despite the current slowdown in residential sales statewide the rental market is looking at projected increases of 3.9% in 2008 and 3.8% in 2009 due to good/average job growth. Every area of the Boston Metro region experienced growth except the North Shore due to ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/tight-real-estate-market-in-boston-you-bet-for-rentals/ This morning I received a call from my boss, and CEO of NextGen Realty, Demetrious Salpoglou. The cheerful sound coming through my cell phone meant only one thing - our yearly real estate exam was today. Every year Demetrious in all of his impressive/annoying OCD mannerisms administers a 115 multiply choice ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/tis-the-season-for-exams/ This is a great idea! As reported in the Boston Globe this morning Ronald Druker (the man behind Heritage on the Garden & Atelier|505) has submitted plans to the city to redevelop the infamous Shreve, Crump & Low building into a swank luxury office building. The property is being designed ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/luxury-apartments-luxury-condos-and-now-luxury-offices/ Advisory to Landlords in Allston, Brighton, Brookline, Mission Hill, Northeastern, and Mission Hill neighborhoods. Our website traffic is starting to trend up considerably and earlier than last year. Seems like some students are preparing to find an apartment for Sept 08 before they go home for the holiday break. Now is ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/college-housing-hunt-begining-early/ A lot of landlords shy away from the Section 8 program. You might be thinking about all of the generalizations as to why they don't use the program but the main reason is vacancy. In the past, in order for a housing authority to issue a voucher the unit had ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/congress-updates-the-section-8-program/ On the radio this morning I heard an advertisement for the Haunted Hayrides that populate the suburbs this time of year and realized that Halloween is just around the corner. I know, I know how do haunted hayrides and houses relate to real estate, right? You would be surprised. When looking ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/haunted-houses/ I have been doing an awful lot of reading lately about green technologies. I found the design of this hotel on The Spec Book Pro Blog. This is a Hotel currently in the planning phase in China. Think the Hoover Dam meets the Hilton. Here is a description taken directly from ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/coolest-green-hotel-i-have-seen-so-far/ Ever wonder why people dread winter so much?? It's articles like this one out by Reuters about how energy costs continue to rise and rise and rise. Ugh!! Oil on average will increase 40 cents per gallon from $2.48 to $2.88 per gallon this year. Natural Gas, which is in ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/surprise-surprise-oil-is-expensive/ So the Guy in 3 C likes his cigars, then there's the over-achieving single woman in 8 E who is alway puffing on a cigarette, while the Newly Weds from Key West in 5 D well... its a distinctive smell that comes from their apartment. Sound like your apartment ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/smoke-free-aparment-building-that-means-in-the-unit-as-well/ Great article in The Wall Journal yesterday about Solar Power and the cost benefits it provides to the homeowner. This article is rather large and unfortunately I cannot link to it via the Boston Real Estate Blog due to a subscription needed to view it by the Wall Street Journal. ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/i-love-solar-power/ From the Developer who brought you Trilogy and the South Bay Plaza presents Michael Clayton... (was channeling my best movie trailer voice when I wrote that) This low key developer has branched out into producing movies. After tackling the Fenway Neighborhood Association's and developing a huge commercial center in an ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/steven-samuels-goes-hollywood-well-not-really/ After Decades of deal deals, constant renegotiating, and increasing construction costs Winn Development can finally see the light at the end of the Mass Pike, err tunnel. Columbus Center is set to begin construction soon and with a little help from the State. The big stink that has loomed over ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/columbus-center-finally-set-to-break-bround/ When going to buy or sell a home, your first step should be finding a honest and hard-working realtor.     When going to buy or sell a home, your first step should be finding an honest and hard-working realtor. You can find a real estate agent by keeping an eye out for ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/the-role-of-a-realtor/ In the past few years I've been researching who are the successful agents, tried to figure out why top agents are top agents. Do they have a common educational background? No. Good ones have high school diplomas, masters and doctorates. No correlation. Similar previous careers? No. One of the best agents I ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/successful-agents/ A very close friend of mine is moving to Miami at the beginning of November. Coincidentally one of the many newsletters I get (see spam) had an article about Sunny Miami today. Suddenly I didn't feel so bad for sellers in Boston. Here's why. according to Zip Realty, 43% of ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/sunny-miami-not-so-sunny-these-days/ In the past few years I've been researching who are the successful agents, tried to figure out why top agents are top agents. Do they have a common educational background? No. Good ones have high school diplomas, masters and doctorates. No correlation. Similar previous careers? No. One of the best agents I ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/successful-real-estate-agent/ I am starting to see a lot of top "10 Ways too.." articles in the blogoshpere and the traditional media. Makes sense, Fall is right around the corner and sellers start to wonder if they missed the summer rush. I'd like to point out the quickest way to sell your house ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/the-quickest-way-to-sell-you-house/ Real Estate Billionaire Leona Helmsley died August 20th at the age of 87. I doubt anyone wept. This woman was infamously known as the Queen of Mean... and was quoted right before going to jail for Tax Evasion that " Only the Little People Pay Taxes". What a roll ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/queen-of-mean-makes-trouble-wealthy/ Are you a college student new to Boston? Well Well Well... Do I have an experience for you! Every September 1st not only marks the unofficial arrival of Fall but also the tens of thousands of students to our quaint little Hub. For those of you who are living off ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/top-priorites-to-ensure-a-less-stressful-sept-1st-move-in/ Man O Man... Every Year you think it is going to be dead in August and then...the Procrastinators start calling. Freaking out of course screaming, "I need an apartment." Most rental brokers are preparing for their Sept. 1st move ins (One Agent in my Office has 50 of them). Suffice ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/no-rest-for-the-weary/ I have been working behind the scenes for the past couple of weeks coming up with some cool stuff for the blog. Hopefully by the end of the week I will be back to regular posts with all sorts of cool maps, widgets, and plugins that make your life much easier ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/new-blog-coming-soon/ I just walked back into the office after a meeting and I see Amine (one of our top rental brokers) sitting at his desk, dumbfounded. He looks at me and says, "James you wouldn't believe me if I told you". Naturally I pressed him - not exactly hard.  Amine had a ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/shoeless-and-happy/ Ok, Craigslisters. In my previous post I wrote how I am trying to find a place for a client in South Boston. There are a couple of ways I look for new listings when it comes to apartments - one obvious way is Craigslist.com. Now I understand why people don't put their ... http://bostonrealestateblog.com/craigslist-etiquette/