Here's how much the 'Starbucks effect' adds to home prices
Thursday, June 07
Since Starbucks first expanded out of Seattle to march across America, the appearance of a new Starbucks store has been widely understood to indicate that a neighborhood was gentrifying.Now, a Harvard Business School study puts a real number on that impact: a half a percent spike in nearby home p...
First Quarter Sees Return Of First-Time Buyers
Wednesday, June 06
First-time home buyers are an important demographic when it comes to the health of the housing market. Because they've historically accounted for about 40 percent of home sales, they garner a lot of attention from experts, economists, and analysts hoping to gauge how the market is doing and where...
Pending Home Sales Slow Slightly In April
Monday, June 04
Between the time an offer is accepted and the deal is closed, a home's sale is typically referred to as pending. That's because, there's a chance, during this period, that the sale won't go through, as there are a number of hurdles yet to clear. The buyer's loan and financing have to be finalized...
They definitely don’t make houses like they used to
Saturday, June 02
If you’ve ever bent a nail just trying to hang a picture frame in old horsehair plaster, yet later left an elbow-sized divot in flimsy new drywall like you’re the Incredible Hulk, you know that houses aren’t built like they were 100 years ago. But is that cause for concern or celebration?Most co...
How Much Does Your Neighborhood Matter?
Friday, June 01
When you buy a house, you're also buying the surrounding neighborhood. And, depending on your lifestyle and wishlist, the neighborhood may be even more important to you than the actual home you're buying. After all, most of your life happens outside your home. So your proximity to schools, shoppi...
Boston median sales price reached a record high this April
Thursday, May 31
Ever-tightening inventory has caused home prices to reach a new, as last month’s median sales price of $612,000 was the highest ever recorded for the Month of April, according to the Greater Boston Association of Realtors.The record-setting median sales price is a 3.7 percent increase over April ...