Article Content:

Some good news from the Warren Group: Single-family home sales in Massachusetts increased again last month by 3 percent, or to 2,425, the highest January level since January 2007. But median home prices still declined by about 4 percent compared to a year ago.

The news wasn’t so good for condos: Sales of condos were down 4.3 percent last month compared to the year prior, though prices did increase by about 1 percent.

All in all, not bad numbers for January, as the Warren Group’s Tim Warren notes in the press release.

We’ll take it.

———————

Article Content:
Announcing The Real Estate Class new web site. Your one stop destination for real estate education.

We offer:

And now you can sign up for al classes ONLINE!

Check it out at www.TheRealEstateClass.com

———————

Article Content:

The Globe is reporting that Walgreens is taking over the old Borders store in Downtown Crossing, turning it into a high-end ‘emporium’ (which is a fancy way of saying a full-service retail store) selling hand-rolled sushi, smoothies, sandwiches, some fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as its standard drug-store items.

Well, if Walmart can venture into the prescription-drug business, why can’t Walgreens do a variation of the reverse?

This could be a big shot in the arm for Downtown Crossing, giving the area a little bit more after-work life and grocery-like options for tenants in nearby or future residential units. The owner of 45 Province must be psyched, needless to say.

Fyi: Globe story is subscription only as of posting.

———————

Article Content:

Go for a business that any idiot can run – because sooner or later, any idiot probably is going to run it.-Peter Lynch

———————

Article Content:

Click on real estate photo to enhance.

Are you dissatisfied with your new Boston condo? If so chances are you’re young.

That’s the takeaway from real estate search site HomeGain’s latest survey, which asked Americans whether they were happy with homeownership.

Homeowners in the 18-to-25 crowd were very dissastified. That’s the only age group where more than half (55 percent) said they’re not satisfied with homeownership. The share of satisfied homeowners goes up from there almost in lockstep with age.

Those most likely to be satisfied are 55-plus, people who are also the most likely to have lived in their homes the longest and — assuming they didn’t pull a lot of equity out during the bubble years — to owe little or nothing on a mortgage. So it makes sense, just as it’s understandable that young homeowners who have seen nothing but depreciation aren’t wild about the idea.

More results from the survey:

Eighty-four percent of people who bought in the last one to two years say they’re satisfied with homeownership. That easily beats the No. 2 group — people who bought 12 or more years ago, 79 percent of whom are satisfied.

Not at all surprising is that people who bought five to eight years ago, between 2004 and 2007, are the least likely to be satisfied as they bought at or near the height of the bubble.

The HomeGain’s link above includes comments of the homeowners surveyed about what they liked or disliked about homeownership.

Boston condo owners what are your thoughts? How about Boston renters? With rents increasing each year wouldn’t be better for you to purchase a Boston condo with the present historic low interest rates. Your thoughts?

———————

Article Content:

Only one bidder has stepped forward to operate a planned year-round food market in the Haymarket area of downtown Boston.

State officials are expressing surprise no one else bid on the planned project abutting the Rose Kennedy Greenway. But guess what? The non-profit group that did bid is politically wired, according to the Herald, and it was always considered the front-runner to win the project. So why would other non-profits even bother to bid? It’s classic Massachusetts.

Well, the permanent market, to be located in a state building near the Faneuil Hall area, is still a good idea. Similar markets in places like Seattle are hugely popular. The Boston market will specialize in locally grown foods. So it will be welcome, even if the way it was cooked up was a little odd.

———————

It used to be that king size bedding was hard to find and in some cases it still can be, but not when you shop online. Take a look at the websites of the bed and bath stores you know and trust to get the best possible selection of bedding for king and California king size beds. It’s much easier than fighting traffic to get to the mall, circling for a parking space and then heading in to the department stores only to find a limited selection and salespeople who have no interest in helping you.

When you really think about it there are many benefits to shopping online for home décor items. Say you want a new bathroom scale but you’d like some additional features and you need a scale that’s easy to read even when you’re not wearing glasses. That can be a tall order and you could spend weeks going from store to store in search of just the right scale. The alternative is easy – browse online and compare features and benefits of literally hundreds of bathroom and kitchen scales until you find the one you want. Take the time to read reviews and shop for the best deals without ever leaving the comfort of home.

Living large is easy when you shop smart and take advantage of all the internet has to offer; you not only save time and money by not using your car, you free up time to do the things you really enjoy.

What is it about moving that is such a burden, could it be the hundreds of boxes packed too full that could bust at any moment? For some it is the heavy lifting and tugging around on furniture and the possibility of knicks and scratches on precious heirlooms that sends tensions soaring. For those who are living in Florida, it may be advisable to call Removalists Melbourne area. Having someone handle all of the big items can easily save ones back and ease stress levels. Wouldn’t it be nice just to arrive at the new house and begin unpacking?

Whether buying a new home or renting, moving has several challenges. All the utilities must be transferred to the new home. Try being at the new home with kids running around and no cable or worse yet water. For at least a week after moving, things seem to be in total chaos. Cooking meals seems to be an even more impossible task, who can find the pots and pans let alone have time to go shopping for food? By having a Removalist Melbourne area, one can let someone else handle all the back breaking work, while they focus on more important things.

After the first official moving day is over, one is usually left with an enormous mess and trying to figure out where to begin. Setting up the beds can be an enormous task, because one thing the entire family will need is a good night’s sleep. By hiring a Removalists Melbourne area, one can have a company do all the heavy lifting and allow a family to concentrate on setting up the house.

A great deal of people are left sore and stiff after a few days of moving. A professional company can come in and quickly remove the items and relocate them to the new home in a flash. Because Removalist Melbourne areas are highly trained, they have one job and that is to make the move easier. Stop dreading moving day and focus on enjoying the new home, have a professional handle the scary details leaves a family free to enjoy the excitement of a new dwelling.