Archive for the ‘Boston Condos’ Category

Boston Real Estate Trends – Summer 2012

Friday, May 4th, 2012

Boston real estate in 2012Itching to get out of your small apartment this summer? Looking for a Boston apartment or other form of Boston real estate? If your answer was “yes,” it’s important to know what to look for come summer 2012. No matter what type of market we’re in, there will always be trends that dictate real estate. Here are a few to look out for as you pursue your new home this summer.

Downtown: If you want downtown Boston to be your next home, you better act fast. Downtown property is a hot commodity, and although prices have stayed stable in the past, they appear to be rising. Bottom line: Everyone wants the best location, it’s what real estate is all about. And downtown Boston offers this quality location. The only drawback is that vacancies don’t last long.

Condo increase: Looking for a Boston condo? You may not be alone. In fact, according to a report, there was a double-digit increase in condos sold in the downtown Boston neighborhoods in the latter half of 2011. So if you’re looking for a condo, be prepared to fend off the competition in search of your next home. For better rates/availability, consider the suburbs.

Don’t Haggle: In big, vibrant cities such as Boston, it seems that everyone wants the best of both worlds: a great place to live at affordable rates. This isn’t a realistic expectation. If you’re lucky enough to find your dream Boston apartment or Boston home, don’t haggle with the seller or landlord, at least not to the extent that could jeopardize you getting it. Remember, if you don’t buy or lease, someone else will in downtown areas.

Attending Music Shows At The Paradise Rock Club In Allston/Brighton

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

Paradise Music Rock Club in Allston MAOne of the best aspects of finding Boston real estate is that it provides you with the ability to get access to some of the best music shows in the country. The Paradise Rock Club in Allston/Brighton is easy to get to regardless of what direction you are headed from. It’s also easily accessible from the MBTA, too.

The advantages to living in the Boston metro area are considerable. However, when you are looking for Allston apartments, you can enjoy shows at the Paradise Rock Club on a regular basis. This medium-sized venue is a great place to see some of the top bands in the world. When U2 came to play in the United States for the first time, they opened their tour at the Paradise Rock Club.

When you are interested in Brookline real estate, you have the pleasure of shopping for stunning homes in gated communities. You are part of the metropolitan area without being in the center of the city. Plus you are just a quick drive away from this club to enjoy all of your favorite rock bands.

The Paradise Rock Club has bars upstairs and downstairs and seating virtually everywhere. Regardless of where you end up inside the club, you will be able to see your band perform and hear it like it’s never been performed before. It’s much like Brighton homes for sale – you can choose anywhere in town and still get to enjoy the best of what the area has to offer.

Whether you are shopping for Allston or Brighton housing, it’s imperative that you take advantage of what this Rock Club has to offer.

Featured Luxury Building – 1440 Beacon in Brookline MA

Friday, April 13th, 2012

Live in luxury at 1440 Beacon in Brookline MABrookline is one of the most unique places to live in the Boston metro area. It is a unique neighborhood home to people from all walks of life.  It boasts a diverse and unique culture that separates itself from the neighboring cities of Boston and Newton.

Now you can become part of this great community at Brookline luxury building 1440 Beacon. Now under new management, this affordable residential location offers nothing but the best of Brookline.  It is modern in design with fine, classic amenities such as an on-site fitness center and an underground parking garage.  The luxury building also features a common patio for residents to get together socialize and enjoy life.

1440 Beacon in Brookline is an exclusive luxury building offered by Metro Realty Corp. For more information about available units, please contact our office and schedule a private showing today!

 

Celebrate the Best Beers in the World at Boston Beer Summit

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012

Beer Tasting in Boston at the Boston Beer Summit 2012The Boston Beer Summit is an exciting event held in Boston every year. The Summit is a craft beer tasting that includes more than 200 beers from over 50 brewers. Attendees can sample all of these beers while enjoying the thrilling atmosphere of the Summit. The Boston Beer Summit first began in 1999 and has grown every year since its initiation. The brewers attending this event represent some of the best international, national, regional, and local brewers in the world. Because there are brewers from so many locations, attendees can experience less common brews, as well as well-known varieties.

If you are interested in the Boston Beer Summit, as well as the other cultural events Boston has to offer, consider renting or buying Boston real estate. There are plenty of Boston apartments, Boston condos, and Boston homes for sale that can provide you with close proximity to all of these events. It doesn’t matter which neighborhood you prefer. Brookline real estate is available, there are Brighton properties for sale, and you can also find a wide variety of apartments, condos, and homes in every other location in the city.

If you enjoy Boston cultural events, why stay in a hotel? When you own real estate in Boston, you can visit as often as you please.

Event Details:
April 13-14
Park Plaza Castle in Boston, MA
http://www.beersummit.com/

Presenting Metro’s Newest Condo Conversion in East Coolidge Corner

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012

If you haven’t yet heard about or seen 1236 Beacon St, the cat is now out of the bag!  This is one sweet condo conversion that Metro is proud to offer exclusively to the public.  The details can be seen on our featured listings page, http://www.metrorealtycorp.com/properties/Brookline/Beacon-St/3083484 OR you can read the article in today’s Boston Metro Newspaper about the project here: http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1105366–in-brookline-leave-no-brownstone-unturned

For more information or to schedule a private viewing, call Adam Umina at 617-921-5866 or email adam@metrorealtycorp.com

More Buyers and Sellers Using an Agent

Thursday, February 9th, 2012

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently released their annual "2011 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, MA Report."  There are many great figures and statistics that can be found in the report of which a few stood out to me:

~ 94% of buyers in MA used an agent to assist in the process of buying a home in 2011.  Nationally, that figure has risen 20% over the last 10 years. 

~ "For sale by owner" (FSBO) home sales made up only 10% of national home sales in 2011 and only 5% of homes sold in MA in 2011.  Of the 10% nationally, 40% of the sellers knew the buyer and in MA 100% of FSBOs knew the buyer. 

~ The average home sale price for FSBOs in MA was $325,500 compared to the average home sale price of $399,900 for homes sold using an agent. 

The moral of this story and what the trends clearly show is that buyers and sellers of real estate understand that the real estate market has become increasingly difficult to comprehend since the housing bubble "transition" in 2005.  One may contribute the increased complexity to the ever changing mortgage market (90% of purchases in 2011 had a mortgage) or possibly the increased scrutiny of appraisals (see my previous blog post titled "Understanding the Role of an Appraisal"). 

No matter what the reason, the fact remains that this is not the rubber stamp days of the late 90s and early 2000s.  If selling a home were like riding in a canoe, todays market would be considered a class 6 rapid vs the relatively calm waters of 10 years ago.  The stumbling blocks that face buyers and sellers today are too numerous to count and now more than ever it is important to have a qualified agent in your corner to help navigate the waterways. 

With a 9% Unemployment Rate and an Economy Slowly Recovering from Recession, Why are there no Apartments Available and Why are the Rents Actually Going Up?

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

It seems counterintuitive that with all of the doom and gloom we hear about regarding the economy in the media, and a high unemployment rate, that vacancy rates would be lower now than any time in over ten years.   You can’t rent an apartment if you do not have a job or the ability to pay for it, right?  The current market conditions in the Boston Area are reminiscent to me of when I started in the rental business in the late 1990’s.  The competition for apartments was fierce; there was little availability, apartments rented very quickly, and the tenants would invariably pay the full broker fee.   These conditions appear to be returning- with rents closing in on all-time highs.

A variety of factors could be behind the tight rental market and rising rents, including a resilient Boston area economy, a reluctance or inability of people to purchase homes, and an unfavorable supply/demand situation for those looking to rent.  Boston is home to world renowned Education and Medical Institutions which are highly resistant to economic downturn.  According to Governor Patrick,  Massachusetts has a lower unemployment rate than 44 of 50 states.  People are renting now in greater numbers by choice and some, out of necessity.  With home values continuing to decrease, people have an incentive to rent and wait for even lower prices still, and despite record low mortgage rates, people are having difficulty coming up with down payments, and/or qualifying for mortgages due to more stringent loan standards.  

These factors, in addition to an insufficient supply of new rental units coming on the market due to the availability and cost of land for building and a large influx of graduate students in the last ten years has resulted in the tight rental market that is showing no signs of letting up.

 

Just the thought of a “Red-Hot Spring” anything is exciting!

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

As you step outside your front door to start your morning- whether it’s the couple steps to your car, your saunter to the nearest T or the all-too-familiar walk with the pooch to your neighborhood Dunkin Donuts for the mandatory first coffee of the day, nothing outdoor related in the Boston area has been synonymous with the term "Red-Hot Spring" as of yet. And with the beautiful snowfall we just got last night, the future ain’t looking so hot either (excuse the pun).

But if you’re looking to buy in Metro Boston, you may be experiencing something quite different.

The Metro newspaper recently interviewed Adam Umina, Metro Realty’s Sales Manager, about his views of the current sales market and his real estate forecast. I won’t waste your time cutting and pasting bits of the article when you can read the whole deal RIGHT ON THEIR WEBSITE.

Welcome to our Brand-Spankin’ New WEBSITE!

Monday, March 21st, 2011

Welcome! We’ve finally renovated!!

Well, we kept the basic color scheme, but besides that, Metro Realty has updated and totally UPGRADED our entire website top to bottom! Our main focal point in this project was to give you, the user, an easy and efficient way to search for your new home. We also added a few bells and whistles such as the "Exclusives" tab which showcases our  featured and totally exclusive landlords and apartments along with properties for sale that you won’t find ANYWHERE else!

Relocating? Only interested in a particular neighborhood? Working in the Longwood Medical Area or enrolled in one of the areas fine institutes of higher learning? Well, check out our multiple "Neighborhood" pages. They’re quite informative and will return sales and rental results for that particular area RIGHT ON THE PAGE!  A really great tool if you’re trying to hone in on your ideal location and don’t have the energy to be sifting thorough a gazillion insignificant listings (*cough, Craigslist, cough*).

Speaking of listings, you can rest assure that our website has virtually REAL-TIME listings meaning that what you see is what you (can) get! No bait-and-switch tactics here- just real info and real apartments.  We’ve also compiled a comprehensive list of luxury apartments in the surrounding areas, all of which your agent at Metro would be happy to talk to you about and personally accompany you to!

We’re excited to launch our new site and hope you enjoy using it as well. Please feel free to leave feedback as it’s always encouraged and will personally be checked and followed up on by me, Adam J. Stay tuned for even MORE exciting things to come!

Thanks for visiting! Stay tuned for future blog posts and don’t forget to visit our Facebook Fan Page and FOLLOW US on Twitter!