|
|
-
Looking for a way to discover more of what Boston's South Shore has to offer? There's a new website that has started a compilation of restaurant menus from all over the South Shore (more than 300 at this counting). Can't decide on a town? Try searching by food type as well! It's a great excuse to visit a new town on the South Shore and to try a new restaurant at the same time. Interested? Visit www.BigBigMenu.com. Anita Harmon 617.549.1325 Providing safe navigation through every real estate transaction.
|
-
It's always nice to have good news to share.....................ENC is one of Quincy's best kept secrets located in the heart of Wollaston. You can link to the college webpage through my Neighborhood Page or www.enc.edu Read on....... ENC NEWS : August 30, 2007*
*ENC Named One of “America’s Best Colleges”*
Eastern Nazarene College has been named as one of “America’s Best
Colleges" by /U.S. News & World Report/ in their 2008 “Best
Baccalaureate Colleges” category. ENC represents one of only three CCCU
<http://www.cccu.org/news/newsID.564/news_detail.asp> colleges, and one
of eight liberal arts colleges, listed in the northern region by /U.S.
News/. Key criteria that give ENC an edge in the annual rankings are its
low student to faculty ratio and small class sizes, as well as a high
freshman retention rate. “ENC has a longstanding tradition of providing
a supportive community that values both academic pursuit and spiritual
growth,” said Academic Dean Nancy Ross.
This fall, ENC prepares to welcome an incoming freshman class in which
16% are eligible to participate in the college’s Honors Scholar Program.
The ENC student body is characterized by its diversity, with a 24%
overall diversity rate, the highest among U.S. Nazarene colleges. “Our
diversity rate speaks to ENC’s commitment to multicultural
understanding, one of our defining values,” said Jeff Wells, Vice
President for Enrollment. While sponsored by the Church of the Nazarene,
ENC serves students from many Christian denominations. Its unique
academic and religious atmosphere draws students from all over the
United States and several foreign countries.
ENC students enjoy a park-like campus within the urban setting of
Boston’s South Shore, along with the unparalleled opportunities of one
of the world’s leading academic and cultural centers. Graduates of ENC
boast an amazing admittance rate into top graduate and medical schools
and a 100 percent acceptance rate into law schools.
Many of ENC’s faculty are active scholars within their fields, involved
in research and publishing within peer-reviewed academic and popular
journals, and several have established international reputations in
their fields. Nevertheless, at ENC the faculty emphasis remains on
teaching and mentoring students in a nurturing, spiritually informed,
and academically supportive environment. With a solid reputation for
cultivating redemptive people who seek to live lives of leadership and
service, ENC is poised to embrace its next century of growth and
achievement as an important part of Boston’s educational landscape.
The exclusive rankings of /U.S. News & World Report /are published in
the magazine’s annual ‘America’s Best Colleges’ guidebook and online at
www.usnews.com/colleges <http://www.usnews.com/colleges>. Using a
proprietary methodology, the annual rankings represent the most
comprehensive look at how schools stack up based on a set of 15 widely
accepted indicators of excellence, and help consumers evaluate and
compare data compiled from more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools. Used with permission
Anita Providing safe navigation through every real estate transaction. www.MyBostonSouthShoreHome.com
|
-
Be on the lookout for big trucks carrying unbelievable amounts of sand into Marina Bay. They are building a beach at Waterworks, host to the AVP Crocs Volleyball Tour Boston style. This is a major televised event (NBC) coming August 16-19. Expect much traffic (residents of Marina Bay will need a pass to just get home....) with satellite parking being offered. Get ready for this national event by visiting the website below to view the schedule, buy tickets, sign up to volunteer for the event (even kids!) and get directions if you need them. This is a family event at Quincy's waterfront. You heard it here first!!! http://www.avp.com/events/index.jsp?eventId=1015 Anita Providing safe navigation through every real estate transaction. www.MyBostonSouthShoreHome.com
|
-
Milton placed 7th on a top 10 list! MONEY magazine reports that this year's list contains a Massachusetts town that meets their criteria. The towns selected must have populations between 7,500 and 50,000. Criteria considered in the evaluation includes economic vitality, job availability, safety, resident’s health, ethnic and racial diversity, cultural amenities, green space and other economic and quality-of-life measures. The reveiwers also gave additional weight to home pricing and property taxes. You can read more at http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0707/gallery.BPTL_top_100.moneymag/7.html Milton residents have bragging rights for at least a year................ Want to view more community information? Check out my website at www.mybostonsouthshorehome.com. Anita Providing safe navigation through every real estate transaction.
|
-
Milton MA continues to show stability in its real estate market. Here's a snapshot of the property statistics for sold Milton single family properties through the MLS. Total properties in this report 28 Lowest price $310,000 Highest price $1,250,000 Median Price $435,750 Average List Price $554,825 Average Sale Price $542,750 Sales Price to Original Price Ratio: 97% Sales Price to List Price at time of Sale: 98% Average Days on Market 95 For more information on Milton home-buying or selling market conditions, just email me at Anita@MyBostonSouthShoreHome.com. Curious about other communities as well? Just ASK ANITA!! Anita Providing safe navigation through every real estate transaction.
|
-
Weymouth MA continues to show stability in its real estate market but with much longer days on market than Quincy or Braintree. Here's a snapshot of the property statistics for sold Weymouth MA single family properties through the MLS. Total properties in this report 37 Lowest price $200,000 Highest price $620,000 Median Price $310,000 Average List Price $348,186 Average Sale Price $336,116 Sales Price to Original Price Ratio: 94% Sales Price to List Price at time of Sale: 97% Average Days on Market-128 For more information on Weymouth home-buying or selling market conditions, just email me at Anita@MyBostonSouthShoreHome.com. Curious about other communities as well? Just ASK ANITA!! Anita Providing safe navigation through every real estate transaction.
|
-
Braintree MA continues to show stability in its real estate market. Here's a snapshot of the property statistics for sold Braintree MA single family properties through the MLS. Total properties in this report 20 Lowest price $313,500 Highest price $600,00 Median Price $392,250 Average List Price $436,281 Average Sale Price $420,497 Sales Price to Original Price Ratio: 93% Sales Price to List Price at time of Sale: 96% Average Days on Market 73 For more information on Braintree home-buying or selling market conditions, just email me at Anita@MyBostonSouthShoreHome.com. Curious about other communities as well? Just ASK ANITA!! Anita Providing safe navigation through every real estate transaction.
|
-
Quincy MA continues to show stability in its real estate market. Here's a snapshot of the property statistics for sold Quincy MA single family properties through the MLS. Total properties in this report 50 Lowest price $208,000 Highest price $665,500 Median Price $352,500 Average List Price $379,928 Average Sale Price $366,722 Sales Price to Original Price Ratio: 92% Sales Price to List Price at time of Sale: 97% Average Days on Market-87 For more information on Quincy MA home-buying or selling market conditions, just email me at Anita@MyBostonSouthShoreHome.com. Curious about other communities as well? Just ASK ANITA!! Anita Providing safe navigation through every real estate transaction.
|
-
The home-buying process can be such a roller-coaster of emotions. The thrill of the chase, the offer of a contract and then............the seller's accept your offer. What??? We were just kidding! I've had customers respond to my "Congratulations!! They've accepted your offer!"" with "Is it normal to want to throw up???" After all my hard fought negotiations, that's hardly the response you want ....but, you know what? It's perfectly normal!! An accepted offer IS a legal, binding offer w/a deposit. Contingencies are potential exits from an accepted contract based on a failed home inspection, failed septic inspection (where applicable), inability to finance the property, or inspection of condo docs that aren't satisfactory. Asking many, many questions of your buyer's agent eliminates most cases of buyer's remorse, however. And even if it happens........it usually passes pretty quickly. The satisfaction of owning your own home is a GREAT feeling as well as a smart decision. This usually over-rides those niggling "Are we doing the right thing?" thoughts. Is buyer remorse fatal??? Not in my experience! Anita Providing safe navigation through every real estate transaction.
|
-
Foreclosures are in the news lately. Many fingers are being pointed at the sub-prime lenders who had loosened their guidelines in the rush of the hot market allowing many people to buy, often more than they could afford. Now that the adjustable or interest only rate loans are hitting their spike in rates, many people find themselves unable to afford their homes. With the drop in the market prices, some are "upside down" in their loans or owing more than the current market value making it extremely difficult to sell. This means more homes will be coming on the market from desperate to sell owners potentially flooding an already loaded market. It also makes Wall Street nervous because sub-prime lenders are going under because they cannot fund their new loans because of the default rate of current loan holders. This in turn can affect the business forecast creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of a potential recession or spike in interest rates further slowing the ability of buyers to enter the market. If you are thinking of buying, now is the time. Interest rates are still low, the inventory is quite extensive and there are still plenty of reputable lenders able to fund your loan. Be SURE you are using a reputable lender...many a horror story can be shared with buyers sitting at the closing table without the funds to close due to the failure of their lender. Ask me for reputable lender recommendations if you aren't sure where to start. Anita Providing safe navigation through every real estate transaction.
|
-
-
If you are thinking about updating your current home or are thinking about buying this year, keep in mind that you can get a tax credit (better than a deduction!) when you use the approved materials to improve energy efficiency in your home. Examples of the approved improvements including adding insulation, replacement windows, and selected high efficiency heating and cooling equipment. Not all materials qualify, so check out the websites below to make sure you are using the approved materials for maximum credit.The maximum amount of homeowner credit for all improvements combined is $500 during the two year period of the tax credit. This tax credit applies to improvements made to your primary residence from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2007. Keep your receipts and take them with you to your tax advisor when filing your 2006 or 2007 tax return.For more detailed information, check out the sources below:You can link to the IRS .pdf file for more information at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-06-26.pdf EnergyStar has a page that explains more fully all the options for a credit including cars, solar systems, etc. http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits Anita Providing safe navigation through every real estate transaction.
|
-
Congress passed a law allowing homeowners who close a loan in 2007 and purchase private mortgage insurance to deduct the cost of the PMI premiums. These homeowners would have a $100K income limit and would need to meet the specific IRS requirements. PMI or private mortgage insurance is required for loans that have less than a 20% downpayment and aren't carrying a second "piggyback" loan to cover the difference. This may provide a more economic alternative to the second "piggyback" loans that carry a higher interest rate. Your tax advisor should ALWAYS be consulted in these matters, but it's a great alternative to explore if you are buying a property in 2007. Anita Providing safe navigation through every real estate transaction.
|
-
A new website listing hundreds of eateries in Quincy allows hungry patrons to search online for the perfect solution to the "where should be go for dinner" question. The website is a collaborative effort to make dining in Quincy an even more popular alternative to driving into Boston and facing the traffic/parking hassles. Quincy offers an unbelievably diverse array of restaurants featuring cuisine from around the world. It's a very attractive alternative to the "big city" and is in easy reach of any South Shore town. Check out the site at www.tastequincy.com Anita Providing safe navigation through every real estate transaction.
|
-
Today's Boston Globe and last week's Patriot Ledger both featured articles indicating that the housing market continues to slide downward and the bottom has yet to be reached. Conflicting reports indicate that there are hopeful signs of increased buyer activity among some agents, while the housing inventory continues to increase. The Globe says to expect continued decreases in pricing through 2007. Here's a Realtor Online Magazine article that lists Top 10 Cities at Risk for Further Declines. Daily Real Estate News | January 25, 2007 10 Markets at Highest Risk for Declining Prices
PMI Mortgage Insurance Co. reports that its Market Risk Index scores have increased for 34 of the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan statistical areas.
The scores measure the risk that home prices will decline in the next two years. Nineteen MSAs face a greater than 50 percent chance that home prices will fall, up from 18 last quarter.
The risk of price declines continue to be concentrated in California and along the Eastern Seaboard. In fact, eight of the riskiest markets are located in California, eight are in the Northeast, and two are in Florida.
The 10 markets with the highest risk of declining prices are:
1. Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville, Calif.
2. San Diego-Carlsbad- San Marcos, Calif.
3. Oakland-Fremont-San Marcos, Calif.
4. Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, Calif.
5. Nassau-Suffolk, N.Y.
6. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif.
7. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif.
8. Boston-Quincy, Mass.
9. Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, R.I.-Mass.
10. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif.
— REALTOR® Magazine Online (http://www.realtor.org/realtormag) What does this mean for Boston's South Shore buying public? Interest rates are still historically low. It's always tough to time the market perfectly but.......................if you found the right house at the right price, I say, Go Buyers Go!! Anita Providing safe navigation through every real estate transaction. Reprinted from REALTOR® Magazine Online January 25, 2007 with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright 2007 All rights reserved.
|
|
|
|