HOW TO KNOW IF A GOOD AGENT IS A GOOD FIT "I happily referred a couple of agents who came highly recommended and whom I thought would be a good fit for clients moving out-of-state who didn't want a previously bad home-buying experience repeat itself.  In a follow up email they asked me how to know if he or she would be a good fit.  Thus the following excerpt from an email:  "Some traits of a good buyer agent (some I'm sure will dictate a better fit than others): Honesty Respect Listening skills Organized More interested in helping you find the right home than racking up a sale Specific knowledge of the neighborhood (and sale history - e.g., median price over last year) of the area(s) you target Negotiating skills Experience Detail-oriented Follow-up Conscientious Takes your questions se... 01/08/2010

Buying Real Estate in Cambridge, Massachussets Purchasing a home for the first time can be a very stressful and complicated process. Enlisting the services of experienced real estate related professionals will provide you with the information and advice to make sound decisions. Buyers often interview mortgage loan officers, Realtors, attorneys, home inspectors, accountants and financial advisers during the process of purchasing a property. Information regarding the home buying and selling process, demographics, commuting, school and relocation information can be found by visiting CAMBRIDGE MA REAL ESTATE Financing Most home buyers will obtain a mortgage to purchase their home and there are numerous first-time home buyer financing programs offered by state agencies, local banks and natio... 12/20/2009

Cambridge Somerville MA Real Estate For Sale - 2 Bed Condos Walkable to Porter Square MBTA Below are my choices for the top 2 bedroom condos currently for sale that are walking distance to the Porter Square T station on the MBTA's Red Line.  Located on the borders of both Cambridge and Somerville, Porter Sq. is a vibrant area with lots of interesting shopping, dinning, bars and nightlife.  Inhabited by a large student and professional population, Porter Square should be on the radar of every buyer looking to be near Harvard, MIT, Lesley, or Tufts as well as those who prefer an easy commute into Downtown Boston or Cambridge's bio-tech heavy Kendall Square and Technology Square.  Prices in this area will run generally in the $450/sq.ft. area, but some of the best values can be found in th... 11/17/2009

Cambridge MA Condos For Sale - Walkable to Harvard Square MBTA! Below represent my picks for the most affordable, one bed condos that are walking distance form the Harvard Square MBTA station, on the Red Line T. These properties make ideal purchases for students of Harvard, Harvard Law, Harvard Business School, M.I.T., Lesley, Boston University, Boston College, and more! Harvard Square is also great for professionals who require an easy commute on the T, and within vicinity of the fantastic nightlife and restaurants of Harvard Square.  Probably one of the top five most desirable places to live in all of Greater Boston, Harvard Square has been somewhat immune to the difficulties of the national real estate market and has kept its value decently strong.  Every fall there is always a larg... 11/10/2009

Cambridge Massachusetts Condominium Market Report - Year to Date (10/30/2009) Please visit Cambridge MA Market Update (YTD-September 30,2009) to view a report for the activity for thefirst three quarters of 2009.  To view the market update for single family homes sold visit Cambridge MA Homes Sold. There were 560 condos sold YTD in Cambridge, MA with an average sales price of $453,975.  This reflects a decline of -16% 0f units sold and a drop of -4% for the selling prices. The selling range was a low of $172,500 and a high of $1,639,000.  Over 50% of the condos sold were between $300,000 and $500,000.      Virtual Homes Real Estate provides search tools to asist you in learning about the community, listing and market conditions.  Click on the following links for your choice of services.... 11/04/2009

Cambridge,  MA Homes Market Activity - January thru October Please visit Cambridge MA Market Update  to view a report for the activity for third quarter of 2009.  Market Snapshot - Single Family Homes As of October 31, 2009, there were 43 homes for sale with and average list price of $1,418,249.  These homes have been on the market for 95 days.  There were 17 sales pending that had an average list price of $1,243,929 There were 88 homes sold YTD with an average sales price of $1,072,790 and a list price of $1,123,443. This is reflected in a list-to-sell percentage of 97%.  The average days on market for the sold listings was 86. In comparison to 2008, the number of homes sold dropped from 94 to 88 with a decrease in value (average sale price) from $1,131,012 to $1,072,790.  In 2007, the... 11/03/2009

Cambridge, Massachusetts Homes, Condominiums and Multi- family Homes for Sale! Virtual Homes Real Estate provides direct access to the Massachusetts MLS system and offers various tools to assist you in searching properties for sale that meet your criteria. If you are a first-time home buyer you will be able to obtain information that will educate you to the values offered in the Cambridge market. Search other Boston Neighborhoods for real estate information in other Boston locations. Massachusetts Home Search Service - New Listing Alerts! Home search is a web-based real estate software tool that keeps you continually informed of your local real estate market. Daily/real time new listing alerts, advanced search capabilities and addresses with mapping are available. To sign up click on  M... 11/03/2009

Excellent 2 bed condos walking distance to the Kendall Square T -  Cambridge MA Real Estate For Sale Below are a cross section of some of the best priced 2 bed condos that are walking distance to the Kendall Square T station on the MBTA Red Line in Cambridge.  This list gives you an example of the pricing at some of the area's best known buildings/complexes including Regatta Riverview, The Esplanade, Northpoint Condos, One First, and the Glassworks.  A great area for a variety of reasons, Kendall Square boasts some of the most impressive luxury condos in the Greater Boston area.  Ease of commute, fine dining and shopping, world class hotels and entertainment, and the proximity to the bio-tech industry at Kendall Square and Technology Square.  Also a great location for students of M.I.T.... 11/02/2009

A couple of weeks ago I was on a tour in the suburbs west of the city. The foliage was beautiful, the farm stands picturesque. Turns out we didn't have to go on a foliage drive to catch the color.  It was only a matter of a week or two before we hit peak foliage in Cambridge. This year the display is about as good as it gets. Glorious colors at every turn.  The brilliant foliage competes with the election signs for our attention. Leaf peeping in your own backyard - you can't beat it.   10/30/2009

Best value 2 bed condos for sale walkable to Central Square MBTA - Cambridge MA Real Estate For Sale Below are my choices for the best values in 2 bed condos currently for sale that are walking distance to the Central Square MBTA station in Cambridge, MA.   The areas of Cambridge with proximity to the Central Sq. T include Cambridgeport, Central Square, Riverside, Mid-Cambridge, and even parts of Inman Square.  A popular area for MIT/Harvard students and professionals alike, Central Square is probably the top nightlife destination in Cambridge with a wide variety of restaurants, bars, and live music venues including the classic Middle East and Phoenix Landing.  The big advantage of the area is being able to walk easily to the Central Square T stop on the MBTA's Red Line.  This train has... 10/30/2009

One Bed condos walking distance to Porter Square - Cambridge Somerville Ma Real Estate For Sale Below are the top one bed condos for sale that are within walking distance of the Porter Square T station on the MBTA's Red Line.  Some of these units are in Somerville and some in Cambridge, as Porter Square is situated on the border of the two cities.  A wonderful area for students and professionals alike, Porter Square has awesome restaurants and nightlife and gives you easy access to the neighboring areas of Davis Square and Harvard Square, as well as an easy commute into downtown Boston.   Basically, Porter Square seems to offer two price points - the higher Harvard Square/Mass Ave side of Porter Square, and the more affordable, up-and-coming neighborhood of North Cambridge, which lies o... 10/28/2009

Cambridge Boston MA Foreclosures, Bank Owned and Short Sale Property for Sale Register to receive Cambridge, MA real estate foreclosure (bank-owned) listings and short sale opportunities. One of our Boston, Massachusetts real estate professionals will contact you and provide: A list of existing real estate foreclosure (bank-owned) and short sale listings in Cambridge. Email alerts on NEW foreclosure (bank-owned) and short sale listings in the Massachusetts MLS Address and mapping information For Cambridge community information including school reports, demographic, relocation, home buying and selling information go to Cambridge MA real estate.  To search the MA MLS listings visit Cambridge MA MLS listings.  Visit Boston, MA neighborhoods for other communities in Boston. Go to Cambridge ... 10/06/2009

In all my years in real estate, I have seen many changes in the way realtors conduct business and process transactions. I have written the article below to help buyers understand "what comes next" when buying a home. Steps to Buying a Home - The Buying Process Buying a home can be one of the most exciting and rewarding things you ever do, or it can be one of the biggest nightmares you will ever go through. How you experience the home buying process depends entirely on how well prepared you are and how knowledgeable the people helping you are. The following step-by-step explanation of The Buying Process , should clear up a lot of confusion you might have. 1. Get a pre-approvalPre-approved home buyers get preferential treatment when negotiating home purchases. Why? Because pre-approved bu... 10/01/2009

Tags Hardware in Porter Squareis the place to go when you're moving to Cambridge or Somerville.  It's one-stop shopping when you've just moved into your new place. Opened in 1957 and still run by the Shapiro family, Tags is a combination hardware store - home store.  Over the years the store has expanded into more and more home accessories and has many stylish choices - while still maintaining a full service hardware store. Upstairs you'll find home decor and accessoriesincluding everything you'll need to outfit your bath, a wide variety of kitchen implements, dishware and small appliances, placemats and napkins, candles, laundry needs, storage items, even small furniture.  The seasonal items are up front - everything from barbecue tools to Christmas decorations depending on the time of... 08/12/2009

Armando's Pizza - 163 Huron Ave - Cambridge MA  When I give directions to my Cambridge real estate office it's all about food - we're around the corner from Hi Rise, across the street from Sarah's, and next door to Armando's Pizza.  If you're at all familiar with Cambridge you'll know right where we are. Armando's Pizza has been a Cambridge institution for decades.  It's not a big storefront so it might be possible to overlook the restaurant - if you weren't brought up in Cambridge, if you don't work in the neighborhood, if you haven't been introduced by your foodie friends, or if you haven't come across all the online rave reviews. Armando's does a booming business and once you taste the pizza you'll understand why.  You can get regular - "New York style" pizza some call it (thin crust... 08/04/2009

Sarah's Market and Cafe - Concord Ave - Cambridge MA   Since owner Raj Patel bought Sarah's in 2003 this corner store and cafe has become a neighborhood favorite.  Located in Huron Village, about a mile from Harvard Square, Sarah's is directly across the street from my office and a favorite with Coldwell Banker agents, Harvard employees, Cambridge police, local students, and neighborhood residents who fill its tables on a daily basis. Sarah's is a combination convenience store and restaurant.  Walk through the convenience store - well stocked with groceries, gourmet items, cards, newspapers, and the ever popular lottery tickets - to the cafe. Orders are taken at the counter and cooked to order in front of you.  Kudos to the cooks - I worked in restaurants for years and most cooks were p... 08/02/2009

The Pemberton Place Condos at 177 Pemberton Street in Cambridge were built in 1999.  These modern, spacious townhouses are popular with Cambridge real estate buyers in a city where the average single family sales price is over $1,000,000 and most of the single family homes are more than one hundred years old. The twenty townhouses are over 2000 sq.ft. in size with rooms on four levels.  The condos have three to four bedrooms and three to five full and half baths.  Features include: Fireplace in some units Master bath Lower level family room Private patio or deck Vaulted ceilings and skylights Central air conditioning In-unit laundry Central vac Garage parking space 177 Pemberton Street is located in North Cambridge within easy walking distance of three Red Line T stations - Alewife, Dav... 07/29/2009

Newport Road Condos in Cambridge.  While walking down Mass Avenue in Porter Square chances are you've noticed the handsome brick buildings by Newport Road.  The Newport Road condominiums line the entire block of Newport Road with buildings at 1775 and 1783 Massachusetts Avenue flanking the street's entrance. Ten buildings, 83 units in all, make up the condo association. The buildings date from 1916 and were designed by architect John A. Hasty.  Hasty had a prolific career in Cambridge, designing more than 40 Cambridge homes and similar apartment buildings between 1886 and 1916 including 18 Centre Street, 88 Hancock Street, and 27 - 31 Linnaean Street. Cambridge condo buyers who appreciate classic construction and charming details will find much to love on Newport Road. Most of the units... 07/23/2009

One Bed Condos for sale near Kendall Square T - Cambridge MA Real Estate For Sale - Cambridge MA condos Below are the top 12 most affordable one bed condos that are walking distance to the Kendall Square T station on the MBTA Red Line in Cambridge.  A great area for a variety of reasons, Kendall Square boasts some of the most impressive luxury condos in the Boston area.  Ease of commute, fine dining and shopping, world class hotels and entertainment, and the proximity to the bio-tech industry at Kendall Square and Technology Square.  Also a great location for students of M.I.T., Harvard, Boston University, Boston College, Tufts University, and many more!  To take a look at any of these fine Cambridge condos call Mike at 508-410-3993 or email teamlaven@gmail.com Check out our new blog de... 07/22/2009

One Bed Condos For Sale near Central Square T - Condos in Cambridge MA - Cambridge MA real estate for sale I've hand-selected these 12 one bed condos for their combination of value, features, and most importantly, their proximity to the Central Square MBTA train station.  If you're not familiar with the MBTA's Red Line, hopping on at the Central Square T stop gets you where you need to go very quickly, whether it's Boston, or Harvard, Porter and Davis Square.  Central Square has quickly become one of the most desired locations within the city of Cambridge due to it's large M.I.T. and Harvard student atmosphere combined with the amazing dining, shopping and housing that Central Sq. has to offer.  From fine Indian, Ethiopian, Irish-Fusion, New-American and Middle Eastern restaurants to di... 07/22/2009