"This house smells!" Houses collect and hold odor in the heat of the summer (and in the dead of the winter). Most summers, in the cities and college towns, rental property was shown while the tenants were still there in hopes of selling before the end of the lease. This led to lots of smelly
The landlord’s point of view: 2020 was a hard year for landlords. Vacancy was higher than normal. It was difficult to keep apartments full. Tenants had legitimate problems being unable to pay the rent. It was difficult to get repairs done, since workers were heavily booked and tenants were reluctant (legitimately) to let them in…
Where are all the sellers? The big issue in Boston area real estate is inventory. There are not enough houses for sale. We have a stalemate about inventory here. These are the factors: Empty-nesters are staying longer in their houses. This is a demographic and cultural shift. They are holding on to their houses, partly
Q: How often do people buy the first house they see? I had someone who did just that this year. It is rare. Generally, I hate it. Why? You would think that I’d love this. Quick work! But, people who buy the first house they see (because it is "magic") are often not as happy
Summertime, and you can fry an egg on the street! Last week’s heat wave led to this most-asked question: “Do you have air conditioning?” In the house, with no air conditioner I ‘fessed up to people, this year, that I did not grow up with air conditioning. I did not get one until years after
I believe in real estate karma. Even in 2021, I am seeing good things happen for our clients. This year, sellers have the upper hand in negotiations, big time. This is the worst seller-favoring market I have ever seen. Even so, our clients are getting the right house for them. Many seller’s agents are acting
Summertime is when Massachusetts heads outdoors. Sometimes, this leads to tragedy. A fire in Arlington reminded me that smoking on the porch is not a foolproof way to keep your house safe from fire. Smoking can set a house on fire Smoking is a major cause of fire in residences in Massachusetts. It’s not so
What should a house cost? When we see properties in the Metro Boston area, it is impossible to judge their value without considering the cost of repairing and maintaining them. That’s why electronic valuation programs are so wildly wrong; they can’t tell the difference between a not-renovated house, a badly maintained house, or a maintained-but-not-updated
Improvements. Which ones pay off at resale? As a buyer's agent, I get asked that all the time. Surprised? Once our clients become homeowners, they start thinking like sellers. Some improvements pay back at a high rate at resale. Some only pay back in your enjoyment of the place (although they may help you sell
Location matters so much. How do you choose to house hunt in a town or city where you don’t live now? It is no simple matter. I generally advise would-be house hunters to test drive the town. By doing what you normally do in an evening or on a weekend, you will find out if