Friday, September 29, 2006

REAL ESTATE SCHOOL IN QUINCY MA

One of the exciting things that we have been doing for some years now, is to teach Real Estate. Being able to help others prepare for their Massachusetts Real Estate Saleperson or Brokers license is very satisfying. Right now, the real estate school that I work for, ANNEX REAL ESTATE SCHOOL , has announced a full schedule for the month of October. The second weekend of the month will be devoted to Continuing Education classes for licensed Brokers and Salespersons who need to keep their license active.
On the last weekend of the month there will be an intensive Salespersons Pre-licensing Class

Starting on October 17th, the school is offering its' tradtional four week classes, with daytime or evening options.

Then, on October 23rd, an evening Brokers Pre-licensing class will begin. This class is for licensed Salespersons who wish to advance their career and have met the other qualifications.

I have been asked by some,'Is this a good time to start a real estate career or go to school?' Yes, the market has slowed down, but that means that slower pace allows for more time for learning.

So, you can check out the website: " http://AnnexRealEstateSchool.com" or email them " AnnexRealEstateSchool@Comcast.net "

Thursday, September 28, 2006

RED SOX 0 -- TAMPA BAY 11

OK! I know this may not look like a comment about local real estate, but my wife and I took two of our grandkids to watch the Red Sox / Tampa Bay game last night at Fenway Park. Being a loyal Red Sox fan for many, many years, it was disheartening and embarrassing to see us not even score one run! Tampa Bay even scored nine runs in one inning! Ouch!
For one of the grandkids, it was his first visit to Fenway Park, although he has been to games in Pawtucket and Brockton. We dined on Fenway franks and bought him a #34 Ortiz shirt. Besides having a Fenway frank with lots of relish, our grand daughter, who has been to the park before, wanted a Green Monster doll! But it was obvious that the two of them enjoyed being at the game, the most.
The atmosphere at the game was a thrilling for us grandparents, as before, and the fans didn't seem to hesitate to enjoy the concessions despite the higher prices. The place was packed, even though it was a late in the season game and our home team has not done so well. In fact, the crowd didn't empty out until the top of the 9th with the final score already set!

What is different about Fenway Park, is the real estate. I remember sitting in the bleachers, many years ago. It was so remote. That has changed, as the owners have added more seating in the park. Being constrained by the size of the park, and unable to expand outward, they have expanded inward. This might be a lesson for those people who have the urge to move and cannot, might find that they can remodel or rearrange their living space and get better use out of what they have.

In the meantime: "Wait 'till next year!".
"

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Real Estate Prices Down, Sales Down, Interest Rates Down

They can't make it any clearer. All of the news media tell us that the average residential sale price of in Massachusetts is slipping. Talk to any real estate salesperson and they will tell you that sales are off. Talk to a mortgage lender, and what do you hear? That the rates, at least this week, are down. So, is this a good time to sell or buy? The opportunity for the seller, who may also be a buyer, really hasn't changed much in this market. Why? Because they are selling and buying in the same market.
And what does it mean for a buyer? It might be a good time to buy. Because the market and the economy has a long term upward slope, with cycles, and because it appears that we are near the low end of the current cycle, the long term projection is good. With all the inventory of houses on the market, it shouldn't take long to find the right house.
So why are buyers hesitating? Perhaps for the same reason. It's like the kid in the candy store, who only has small change. Rather than buy a piece of candy and be happy, they stand there, looking at all there is to buy, and worry over their choice. If they wait long enough, the price will go up and they will no longer be able to buy anything! There is a very interesting article posted by Reuters this morning on the current situation with data from the MBA.

Right now, the prices have come down and the mortage interest rates are still quite reasonable. Will the prices get any lower? Look into the crystal ball and what do you see? Will the interest rates go higher? That seems more certain.

For sure, time will tell.

Friday, September 22, 2006

Real Estate News

I hope that this  blog will soon become the place to go to post and read all the good local real estate news.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

New Housing Data Posted by U.S. Census Bureau

Well, you wouldn't know it by driving around Quincy and the South Shore of Boston. H.U.D and the United States Census Bureau released today the lastest data on housing starts for August, 2006. The data shows "Single family housing starts in August were at a rate of 1,360,000; this was 5.9 percent (+/- 8.1%) below the July figure of 1,445,000".

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Mass. Realtors President in On Line Chat

Massachusetts Association of Realtors (c) President David Wluka will take part in an on-line chat on boston.com tomorrow, September 14th, from 11 am to 12 pm. He is expected to address the outlook for the housing market and respond to readers’ questions about the real estate industry and current conditions in the Bay State’s residential real estate market.
The on-line discussion will be hosted in the boston.com Business section and can be accessed at www.boston.com/business

This should be interesting for all those involved in today's real eastate market as buyers, sellers, agents or investors.

A direct link to the login page is http://chats.boston.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?nav=auditorium&webtag=bc-business

Monday, September 11, 2006

Proposed One Year Ban on New Multifamily Projects in Quincy, MA

At the September 5th Quincy city council meeting, a proposed moratorium on new multifamily construction was revealed by Councilor at Large John Keenan. In a city that many had thought had few buildable lots, there has been surge in new construction. Whether by blasting out rock or tearing down old homes on large lots, there has been an increase in the new home stock in Quincy. Has this been benefit to the city? What are the pros and cons of such a ban?

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Quincy, MA Real Estate

Hi, I'm have started this blog as a forum for people that have an interest in real estate, particularly in Quincy, MA as well as the south shore of Boston. So, if you have any interesting comments, questions, or news about local real estate, here's a good place for you to post them.