BostonREcast

Sweet Home Alabama beats out Massachusetts…

bostonrecast — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 05:23:50 +0000

to hold the dubious distinction of being the state with the highest rise in properties entering forclosure. And, since we don’t live in Alabama I’m going to focus on the Bay State. For the past year I have focused on helping homeowners avoid foreclosure. I have been successful with certain situations and not as successful with others. I’ve also handled a number of short sales with the bank agreeing to the plan that I put together on behalf of the homeowner thus avoiding a Foreclosure. Year to date I’ve only had one client have their house forclosed on and that was because they came to me to late to do anything. I am encouraging anyone that feels they may be falling behind on their mortgage or have already received a foreclosure notice in the mail to not stick their head in the sand but deal with the problem head on. This article in the Globe highlights where things are in our housing market. 299% increase in foreclosure activity in our state is nothing to be proud of.

Foreclosure activity surges in Mass. – The Boston Globe

Negotiation is key in this market as it gets harder and harder to sell homes…

bostonrecast — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 01:05:07 +0000

The Boston Globe recently published a great article on the real estate market from the perspective of both buyers and sellers. Whether you play a great game of chess or you have a fabulous Poker Face if you are in the market to buy or sell you really have to think about things strategically and as I always tell my clients be willing to walk away from a deal because if you get emotionally involved in a transaction your judgement will be clouded.

Who’ll blink first? – The Boston Globe

It’s almost the end of the year and many of you are certainly thinking about the tax implications of your real estate holdings…

bostonrecast — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 13:54:53 +0000

This article from BankRate.com goes a long way at demistifying the tax process when you own a home or investment property. There is also a sidebar on several myths that exist about our homes and taxes.

Homeowner tax perks (Page 1 of 4)

Mass home sales are falling….

bostonrecast — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 15:27:20 +0000

Sales for the average single family home in Massachusetts has dropped 24% since September 2005. Condo sales for the month of September fell 28% but the median sales priced remained $270K… The market is changing for Realtors, Sellers, and Buyers alike. Realtors are going to have to continue to think outside the box, market differently and really take care of the clients needs. Sellers are going to have to price properties realistically or their home will sit on the market. For Buyers this market presents a two edged sword because on the one hand there is a lot of inventory to choose from in the market and prices are lower but the flip side of that is whether or not you are getting a great deal on a house or you are purchasing a property while the value of that home is still declining. This is a critical issue for a Buyer because as I like to tell people,” You make your money on home at the time of purchase not when you sell it,”

Business Ticker – The Boston Globe

Great article on calculating real estate depreciation tax, crafting a strong P&S…

bostonrecast — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 00:30:29 +0000

as well as reducing your liability as a landlord.

How can I calculate real estate depreciation tax? – Boston.com

As always, if you find BostonReCast.com helpful please pass on to a friend…

Good primer for pricing a home for sale…

bostonrecast — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 00:17:34 +0000

Best ways to determine home’s market value – Boston.com

Helpful City of Boston Information for Rehab Work

bostonrecast — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 17:53:11 +0000

I found this information to be very helpful on some local projects that I’ve worked on. These sites will guide you through the maze of the Inspectional Services Department as well as Zoning, Building Codes, Assessing, and the Suffolk Registry of Deeds. Check them out as you do your due diligence on any project that you are working on.

City of Boston ISD Online Permit Applications

ISD Document Search

Boston Zoning Code

Massachusetts State Building Code

City of Boston Assessing Depart ment

Massachusetts Architectural Access Board

Suffolk Registry of Deeds

Lead Paint Blues…

bostonrecast — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 20:11:52 +0000

Sorry, I took some time off from this blog to do some travelling with the family as well as a Mission trip to Southern Africa. I’m back in the saddle and ready to go for the remainder of the year. My wife and I are deleading our home and I ran across a helpful webpage with numbers for all of the Deleading Inspectors and Contractors in Massachusetts. Check it out when you get a chance.

Click below for the link

http://www.townstuff.com/searchresult.cfm?L=1&S=3&town=86&directory=55&category=738956&brand=&id=1992

Foreclosure prevention…

bostonrecast — Sat, 20 May 2006 01:00:31 +0000

Recently I was asked by Floyd Williams of Floyd Williams Funeral Homes to participate on his In The Spirit radio program. The topic of discussion was Foreclosures in the Boston marketplace. We discussed a number of issues and attempted to talk a little bit about the foreclosure process. Please check out the podcast and let me know what you think (click the link below)……

http://media.libsyn.com/media/pottpodcast/01_rwre_2006-04-08_1_copy_1.m4a

100 Great Real Estate Questions….

bostonrecast — Sat, 20 May 2006 00:50:46 +0000

As a homebuyer educator and Realtor I always remind my clients to count the cost before they make any decisions as it pertains to buying a home. For most people a house will be one of the largest financial investments that will be made in our lifetime. It's important for you to do your due dilligence to make sure that you are ready to buy a home, the home you want to buy is appropriate for your needs, the mortgage product is the right one for you, you choose the right realtor, home inspector, insurance agent, attorney…the list goes on. HUD put together a great list of 100 questions to ask before you purchase a home. We have included these questions on the link under "Real Estate." Please review and make notes and most importantly…Ask questions!