BOSTON-REAL-ESTATE-WATCH

Weekly Activity Summary

2006-06-25T07:38:00.000-07:00

6/17/2006 through 6/24/2006

Number of new listings: 196
Number of price changes: 217
Number of properties back on market: 17
Number of properties off-the-market: 83
Number of properties under agreement: 112
Number of properties sold: 94
TOTAL INVENTORY: 3692

Weekly Activity Summary

2006-06-25T07:37:00.000-07:00

6/10/2006 through 6/17/2006

Number of new listings: 179
Number of price changes: 215
Number of properties back on market: 23
Number of properties off-the-market: 95
Number of properties under agreement: 126
Number of properties sold: 134
TOTAL INVENTORY: 3703

Boston Housing Inventory

2006-06-11T08:35:00.000-07:00

Boston housing inventory for the week ending June 10, 2006.

Number of new listings: 171
Number of price changes: 228
Number of properties back on the market: 24
Number of properties off the market: 95
Number of properties under agreement: 112
Number of properties sold: 166
______________________________________

Total Inventory: 3,739

Boston real estate inventory

2006-05-25T05:34:00.000-07:00

Information was obtained from LINK.

Number of new listings - 233
Number of price changes - 272
Number of properties off the market - 50
Number of properties under agreement - 128
Number of properties sold - 73
_________________________________

Total Inventory : 3691

www.fordrealty.net

Weekly Inventory

2006-05-13T06:59:00.000-07:00

The following information was obtained by LINK:

Number of new listings: 252
Number of price changes: 239
Number of properties back on the market: 29
Number of properties under agreement: 152
Number of properties sold: 47
________________________________________

Total Inventory: 3632

Boston Condo Market

2006-05-06T06:45:00.000-07:00

The following information was obtained by LINK.

Number of new listings: 315
Number of price changes: 275
Number of properties back on the market: 26
Number of properties off the market: 86
Number of properties under agreement: 122
Number of properties sold: 76
______________________________________

Total Inventory: 3601

Boston Condo Market

2006-05-06T06:42:00.000-07:00

Boston Herald - Real Estate News

2006-05-04T06:20:00.000-07:00

The Boston Herald had two large real estate articles in todays paper. The first article was about the Boston waterfront condo market and how sellling prices have sunk 40% in the first quarter of 2006 compared to this time last year. The second article that mentions Ford Realty Inc was about how real estate agents are turning down over priced listings.

Waterfront Condo market:

http://business.bostonherald.com/realestateNews/view.bg?articleid=137808

Realtors turning down listings:

http://business.bostonherald.com/realestateNews/view.bg?articleid=137805

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Parking

2006-05-01T07:12:00.000-07:00

The Boston Courant had an interesting story today in reference to residential parking. It stated: It is a simple math problem 23,251 cars with parking stickers do not divide neatly, or at all, into 5,000 or so parking spaces the city says are in the Back Bay, South End, Beacon Hill and Fenway.

It goes on to say: In the Back Bay, data from the city's Transportation Dept shows 6,253 cars fending for only 1,457 slots.

Beacon Hill has 3,557 cars for only 980 parking spaces.

The Fenway has 3,911 stickers and 1,175 parking spaces...

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Condo for the Week of 4/22/06

2006-04-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

Weekly activity from 4/22/06 through 4/29/06:

Number of new listings: 311
Number of price changes: 254
Number of properties back on the market: 18
Number of properties off the market: 50
Number of properties under agreement: 120
Number of properties sold: 38
________________________________________
Total Inventory: 3,503

www.fordrealty.net

MAR - Real Estate Data

2006-04-25T13:03:00.000-07:00

The following information was obtained by the Massachusetts Association of Realtors:

Detached Single-family Home Sales:

March 2005-3,373
March 2006-3,440

2% increase.

Activity in the state's detached single-family market rose for the first time in six months on a year to year basis in March.

Supply of detached single-family homes on the market rose for the 13th consecutive month in March, climbing to 33.4% over the past year. There is presently 11.6 months supply which would indicate a buyers market. In Massachuestts, the market is equilibrium for buyers and sellers when there is 7.5 - 8 months of housing supply.

Statewide median selling price declined 1.7 percent over the past year.

Condo Sales:

1, 731 units sold in March set a new record for the month, topping the prior record of 1,691
condos sold a year ago in March 2005. However, inventory climbed to 11.9 months up from 8
months of supply in March 2005.

This is the 11th consecutive month of single digit annual appreciation in the condo market.

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Condominum Market

2006-04-22T06:26:00.000-07:00

Weekly activity from 4/15/2006 through 4/22/2006

Number of new listings: 246
Number of price changes: 233
Number of properties back on the market: 23
Number of properties off the market: 51
Number of properties under agreement: 99
Number of properties sold: 24
_________________________________
Total : 3,366

Mass Exodus

2006-04-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

The Boston Globe reported yesterday that Massachusetts lost more residents than it attracted in recent years, the only state that lost more residents was New York.

The estimates show between 2000 and 2004 more residents left Ma then moved to the Bay State - with an average annual exodus of 42,402 people. That amounts to a rate of 6.6 people leaving the state per 1,000 second only to NY.

www.fordrealty.net

Source: Boston Globe

The start of the 2nd Q

2006-04-20T09:17:00.000-07:00

According to LINK the start of the second quarter looks like this:

3,293 properties for sale.

2,757 condos for sale.

The following data is avg days on the market for properties that have not been sold yet.

Avg days on the market for all cities in LINK: 301

Avg days on the market for metro Boston (condos) - 290

Avg days on the market for Boston proper condos - 228

To compare with properties that have been sold avg days on the market are about the same as last year.

Overall inventory is still on the rise but condos are still selling.

www.fordrealty.net

McMansion Backlash

2006-04-19T06:59:00.000-07:00

The Boston suburbs are fighting back against the new crop of megahouses they are being built in the Boston suburb landscape. These are those 4, 000 to 10,000 sq ft homes that are poping up all over the area. these homes now have some intersting names such as "McMansion", "Hummer Houses" and "Starter Castles".

To give you an idea how the McMansion has been super-sized look that these stats:

1950- the average size house was 983 sq. ft.

2004 -the average size house is 2,349

140% increase.

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Apartment Rental Market

2006-04-19T06:23:00.000-07:00

The spring market is here and the rush to find an apartment is off to a fast start. Presently, if you are looking for an apartment commensing in September you should start your search now. Inventory at least in Beacon Hill is in short supply and with all the condo conversions in the last few years the market will be very tough for renters. I foresee rent prices increasing in Beacon Hill by about 10% this year.

Looking for an apartment visit our web site. www.fordrealty.net

Young Home Buyers Being Pushed Out

2006-04-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

Rising home prices have been pushing the young home buyer ages 25-34 out of the metro Boston area. They are looking for property further and further away from Boston so they can raise their families.

A new federal report shows an incerase in Boston area housing prices has pushed many young adults out of the city suburbs into the rural areas outside of 128 and 495 belt.

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Condo market - Weekly Activity

2006-04-15T05:31:00.000-07:00

The following information was obtained by LINK:

Number of new listings: 118
Number of price changes: 119
Number of properties back on the market: 15
Number of properties off-the-market: 39
Number of properties under agreement: 92
Number of properties sold: 53
______________________________
Total Inventory: 3,225

It appears that the Boston housing inventory may finally have leveled off.

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Real Estate - Days On The Market

2006-04-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

Boston condos days on the market (DOM)

$100,000 - $500,000

91 days based on 11 Boston neighborhoods

$501,000 - $999,999

125 days on the market based on 11 Boston neighborhoods

$1,000,000 - $10,000,000

164 days on the market based on 11 Boston neighborhoods

The following information was obtained by LINK

More 1st Q - Sales Data

2006-04-13T06:28:00.000-07:00

The following information was obtained by LINK. These numbers include all towns and cities tracked by LINK.

Number of condos sold in the 1st Q in 2006 from $500,000 to $1,000,000 - 284.

Number of condos sold in the 1st Q in 2005 from $500,00 to $1,000,000 - 296.

Number of condos sold in the last quarter of 2005 from $500,000 to $1,000,000 - 494.

Boston Condo Market - Updated 1Q

2006-04-10T08:38:00.000-07:00

The Boston real estate 1Q sales report is in and the sales data is a lot stronger then we had first anticipated. In the Boston condo market from the range of $500,000 and under there were 391 sales in downtown Boston this quarter compared to 399 at the end of the 1st Q of 2005.

The million dollar plus condo market didn't fair as well as the number of condo sales plummeted from 85 in the 1st Q of 2005 to 67 this quarter.

www.fordrealty.net

April 8th Real Estate Sales

2006-04-08T11:48:00.000-07:00

The number of listings that went "under agreement" according to LINK this week was 131 properties. This is the most amount of real estate listings that went "under agreement" in one week since June 24, 2005.

www.fordrealty.net

Updated 1st Quarter Sales Numbers

2006-04-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

LINK provided me with an updated sales data for the 1st quarter thus far. Presently, the Boston condo market is only down -00.71% from last year at this time. Back Bay and Beacon Hill were down -27.35% and -41.18%. However, The Leather District was up a whoooping 385.71% and The Fenway was also up 119.05%.

These numbers are based on the first 75 days in 2006 compared with the first 75 days in 2005.

Back Bay Million Dollar Condo Market

2006-04-02T11:45:00.000-07:00

The following data was obtained by LINK

The number of Back Bay condos that sold from $1,000,000 to $10,000,000 in 2005: 45

The number of Back Bay condos that sold from $1,000,000 to $10,000,000 in 2006: 24

www.fordrealty.net

Condominiums under agreement

2006-04-01T07:23:00.000-08:00

The number of condos based on LINK data that went under agreement from 3/11/05 through 4/1/05 was 413.

This year based on the same dates there were 296 condos that went under agreement.

www.fordrealty.net

One Year Ago Today - Boston Real Estate

2006-03-31T13:42:00.000-08:00

The Boston real estate outlook in March 31, 2005 looked like this: (Based on LINK data)

The number of new property listings in LINK : 82
The number of price reductions in LINK : 42
The number of properties under agreement: 171

Comparing one year later to March 31, 2006:

The number of new listings: 267
The number of price reductions: 208
The number of properties under agreement: 103

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Condo Sales - 1Q

2006-03-31T13:03:00.000-08:00

Comparing the first quarter real estate sales of 2005 with 2006 are as follows:

The number of Boston condo sales from $500,000 and under in 2005 ............555.
The number of Boston condo sales from $500,000 and under in 2006.............667.

The number of Boston condo sales from $1,000,000 and up in 2005 ...............88.
The number of Boston condo sales from $1,000,000 and up in 2006 ...............56.

The first time home buyers are out looking and buying and it appears that the "empty nesters" are on the side-lines.

The days on the market (DOM) for the million dollar plus condo market is just short of 5.5 months.

CO Detectors are required as of March 31, 2006

2006-03-26T11:20:00.000-08:00

As of Friday, March 31, 2006 almost all residential properties that contain fossil-fuel-burning equipment will be required to install CO detectors/alarms. No properties can be sold or rented after that date unless they comply.

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Real Estate Inventory for 3/26/06

2006-03-26T06:38:00.000-08:00

The following information was obtained by LINK:

Number of new listings: 267
Number of price changes: 208
Number of properties back on the market: 18
Number of properties off-the-market: 99
Number of properties under agreement: 103
Number of properties sold: 98

Total Inventory: 3028

www.fordrealty.net

Real Estate Market is Stabilizing.

2006-03-24T06:58:00.000-08:00

Kimberly Blanton of the Boston Globe reported today that Massachusetts home sale prices remain flat. She wrote how the slump in New England home sales may be coming to an end as we enter the spring market.

Housing Prices NOT Set to Fall

2006-03-21T07:36:00.000-08:00

Kimberly Blanton of the Boston Globe wrote a story today that with the recent employment growth economist predict that the Boston housing market will remain strong.

In the article Kimberly Blanton stated: A strengthening economy should bolster the nation's housing markets and prevent US and New England home prices from declining in coming months, two top economists told a conferesnce of real estate agents yesterday.

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Housing Inventory for March 18, 2006

2006-03-18T06:19:00.000-08:00

The following information was obtained from LINK:

Number of New Listings: 212
Number of price Changes: 149
Properties back on the market: 16
Properties off the market: 129
Properties under agreement: 79
Number of properties sold: 121

Total Inventory: 2,967

www.fordrealty.net

Boston's Population is in Decline

2006-03-16T06:12:00.000-08:00

According to a new U.S. Census data report, the city of Boston's population is dropping at an alarming rate. The report noted that between the years 2001 through 2005 Suffolk County's population dropped more then 5%.

The most recent report noted that people are leaving Boston at a stunning rate of about 27 a day - with 10,000 leaving Suffolk County last year alone, according to a new U.S. Census Data.

That's more than 1 person bailing out of Boston every hour.

For more information read Jay Fitzgerald's article in the business section of the Boston Herald.

www.fordrealty.net

Preview of 1st Quarter Sales

2006-03-14T08:44:00.000-08:00

This is only a preview of what to expect for the end of the first quarter real estate sales based on LINK data.

Back Bay - 2005 - 110 condos sold
Back Bay - 2006- 71 condos sold

Beacon Hill - 2005 - 85 condos sold
Beacon Hill - 2006 - 21 condos sold

Fenway - 2005- 21 condos sold
Fenway - 2006 - 43 condos sold

Midtown - 2005 - 23 condos sold
Midtown - 2006 - 12 condos sold

North End - 2005 - 26 condos sold
North End - 2006 - 4 condos sold

South Boston - 2005 - 80 condos sold
South Boston - 2006 - 79 condos sold

South End - 2005 - 65 condos sold
South End - 2006 - 80 condos sold

Waterfront - 2005 - 22 condos sold
Waterfront -2006 - 21 condos sold

This is based only on condos.

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Real Estate - Open Houses

2006-03-12T10:33:00.000-08:00

Sunday Open Houses - Today Ford Realty Inc., conducted an open house at 84 Myrtle Street and over 12 people showed-up. In addition, we received an offer on a small two bedroom on Phillip Street. As I stated earlier, contrary to the media reports, I feel that the Boston real estate market is starting to show signs of coming back from its winter slump.

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Real Estate Inventory for March

2006-03-11T06:08:00.000-08:00

LINK the Boston real estate multi-listing service database issued its weekly report on the Boston housing market.

Summary: The number of new Boston real estate listings increased once again to 247. The total Boston real estate inventory as of March 11, 2006 is 2,952.

www.fordrealty.net

Website Real Estate Leads - Improving

2006-03-09T06:30:00.000-08:00

Is it possible that the Boston real estate market is coming back to life? One resource I use to predict the next 3 - 6 months of real estate activity is based on the number of internet leads obtained from the Ford Realty website. In the last few weeks the number is up two-fold with strong solid leads. Only time will tell?

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Rents Going Up

2006-03-08T07:05:00.000-08:00

Jerry Kronenberg of the Boston Herald reported today: New figures show average Greater Boston apartment rents are rising for the first time in four years-suprising lanlords, who report weak demand

M/PF Research, which tracks rental markets nationwide, says in a quarterly study due out later this month that average Hub-area rents rose 1.5% in 2005 to $1,300.00 a month

Ford Realty Inc was mentioned in the article. For the complete story click on the link below

http://business.bostonherald.com/realestateNews/view.bg?articleid=129480

Sunday Open Houses

2006-03-06T06:51:00.000-08:00

Hello Sellers! Finally I can report some good news. Yesterdays Sunday Open Houses that I attended did very well. Buyers are coming out and looking at property. I will keep you posted.

www.fordrealty.net

Sunday Open Houses

2006-03-06T06:47:00.000-08:00

Most Expensive Condo for sale in New England

2006-03-04T07:18:00.000-08:00

The Boston Courant reported today on the most expensive condo in New England. The condo is located on Commonwealth Avenue in the Back Bay. The Boston Courant reported: While the values of high price condominums in the Back Bay have leveled off, a seven bedroom penthouse on Commonwealth Avenue has been listed at $13,995,000, the most expensive condo in New England.

The article went on to say: The luxury condo at 51 Commonwealth Avenue is more expensive per square foot at $1,555 than any in New York City. The priciest Manhattan property is an East Village townhouse listed at 16.5 million or $1,309 per square foot, according to Realtor.com

The Boston Courant then wrote about the housing market in general stating: The listing comes as home sales are down 18.4 percent in the last threee months compared to one year ago, according to the Listing Information Network (LINK), a downtown company that lists condos for sale.

From December 1 through February 28, the number of sales was 144 compared to 174 for the same period a year ago. Median prices fell to $645,000 in the last three months compared to $682,500 one year ago, according to LINK.

While condo sales under $1 million have lagged, luxury home sales have surged in the last six months. Since Labor Day, 29 homes in the Back Bay priced from 2 million have sold............

Still median prices have been flat at about 2.7 million.

The other factor that weighs heavily on a home's price is the number of days a unit is listed for sale. Since September, the average number of days on the market for homes priced above 2 million has increased to 263, up from 201 one year ago, a 30.8 percent increase.

The MLS Propery Information Network, the Shrewsbury-based company that lists properties for sale, found that the vast majority of luxury condominiums have sold far below asking price since January 2004.

The prices cuts ranged from a modest $99,000 off the asking price of $3,999,000 for a unit at 348 Beacon Street to a Whooping $1,240,000 price cut for a condo at 86 Beacon Street listed at $4,390,000.

www.fordrealty.net

Another Real Estate Blog

2006-03-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

www.real-estate-blogs.com is a great source of information if you are looking to read more on the real estate market.

Boston Condominium Market Stats

2006-03-02T13:14:00.000-08:00

The following information was obtained by LINK regarding the amount of condos (condos only) that are available on the market:

Back Bay - 257 - DOM (days on the market) 120
Beacon Hill - 108 - DOM 124
Fenway - 45- DOM 110
Leather District - 40 - DOM 139
Midtown - 50 - DOM 166
North End- 72 -DOM 110
S. Boston - 262 - DOM 129
S. End - 286 - DOM 121
Waterfront - 107 Listings DOM 174

The Nations Housing Market

2006-03-02T08:10:00.000-08:00

On the MSN website there is a report today on the nations housing market entitled: HOME SALES COOL OFF - PRICES DON'T. The article states: Condo sales down sharply, new and existing homes sitting longer as well. Inventory is the highest since 1998.

It's unanimus: The housing market is cooling quickly.

A spate of reports this week show sales of existing homes were slower in January then they have been in two years. New homes sold are at their slowest pace in two years. And the number of homes sitting on the market hit a high not seen since 1998.

The good news is that prices are still remaining strong and most parts of the country have seen an increase in appreciation.

New housing numbers

2006-03-01T09:04:00.000-08:00

Both the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald reported that the housing numbers are down in Janauary 2006. The number of single-family homes sold statewide fell 21% in January. The Globe reported that it was, the largest year-to-year decrease in monthly home sales since April 1995.

The Globe also reported: Meanwhile in Massachusetts, the condo market continued to outpace the single-family home market. January condo sales rose 2.5 percent; the median condo price was up 1.9 percent from January 2005.

The number of "active listings"- homes being offered for sale-for both single-family homes and condos in January rose 41 percent from January 2005 the realtors acssociation said.

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Real Estate Podcast

2006-02-26T09:44:00.000-08:00

Ford Realty will be coducting their first real estate podcast on Wednesday, March 1, 2006. To listen to the Boston real estate podcast download www.podcastalley.com and on the search bar type in Boston Real Estate.

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Real Estate Inventory

2006-02-25T11:39:00.000-08:00

Boston real estate inventory from 2/18/06 through 2/25/06:

Number of new Boston real estate listings: 224

Number of property price changes: 107

Number of properties back on the market: 28

Number of properties off-the-market: 67

Number of properties under agreement: 76

Number of properties sold: 89
____________________________________

Total Inventory: 2,745

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Real Estate - High Prices

2006-02-25T07:08:00.000-08:00

Both the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald had articles today on the high prices of Boston real estate.

The Boston Globe reported a story that a mystery buyer paid $25.175 million for an Edgartown house. It is reported as the most expensive single family home paid for in the state of Massachusetts.

The Boston Herald article was about the high price for parking spaces in Boston. The article noted that: There are only 19 spaces currently listed for sale-including two Beacon Street spots priced at $150,000 each. The article goes on to say: But even $150,00.00 isn't the highest priced ever paid for a space. The highest paid was $185,500 in Beacon Hill.

www.fordrealty.net

New Real Estate Website

2006-02-24T12:35:00.000-08:00

A new website that launched Feb 13, 2006 called www.zillo.com allows users to zoom in on any city, neighborhood, and home and discover all it's juicy details-real estate details, that is.

www.zillow.com provides home buyers, sellers, owners - and those ubiquitous minds - maps and U.S. home market value estimates it dubs "zestimates" along with recent sales price statistics, and data as to how a home compares to others in the same neighborhood or zip code.

www.fordrealty.net

Luxury Apartments

2006-02-24T06:34:00.000-08:00

The Boston Herald reported today that two major rental towers are poised to open this year. One is in Chinatown and the other is in the Fenway. The Trilogy located in the Fenway will have average rents from $2,500.00 to $2,700.00 a month. On the high end, renters will pay $4,500.00 for a thee bedroom.

The Boston Herald also reported about the lack of affordable housing. Thomas Meagher from Northeast Apartment Advisor was mentioned in the article commenting on the lack of affordable apartments: His solution: Instead of mandating affordable units, City Hall should streamline its review process. Get out of the way, and get more than just a pair of apartment towers into construction. Market forces will take over. The rents will come down, says Meagher.

www.fordrealty.net

Most Expensive Apartment Rentals

2006-02-22T13:52:00.000-08:00

The following is a list of cities with the most expensive apartment rentals:

1. New York City - $2,400.00

2. San Fran - $1,573.00

3. LA - $1,421.00

4. Orange County - $1,384.00

5. San Jose - $1, 330.00

6. Boston - $1, 216.00

I was suprised to see Boston at number six, every other report I have read has Boston in the top three most expensive rental markets.

Source: MSN

www.fordrealty.net

Developers throw in cash incentives

2006-02-22T06:43:00.000-08:00

Kimberly Blanton of the Boston Globe wrote a story today entitled "Developers throw in extras to seal condo deals"

In her article she wrote: With a wave of new condominiums units available in Greater Boston, real estate developers are offering incentives to boost sales and move hard-to-market units.

Developers are often willing to pay closing costs, forgive monthly maintenance fees for a year, or thow in amenities such as free hardwood floors.

www.fordrealty.net

Weekly Activity - Boston Condo Market

2006-02-20T12:05:00.000-08:00

The following information is the weekly activity report from LINK.

2/11/2006 through 2/18/2006

Number of New Listings: 167

Number of Price Changes: 124

Properties Back-on-the-Market: 13

Properties Off-the-Market: 60

Properties Under Agreement: 92

Number of Properties Sold: 74
_____________________________

Total Inventory: 2,626

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Top Selling Prices In January

2006-02-18T08:25:00.000-08:00

The following information is from LINK and Boston Homes indicating the top selling prices in January.

Back Bay - 297 Commonwealth Avenue Unit #3 - $2,596,000

Beacon Hill - 100 Mt. Vernon Street - $3,900,000

Charlestown - Flagship Wharf Unit 730 - $850,000

Downtown - 5-7-9 Hudson St Unit 6N- $515,000

East Boston - 63 B Maverick Square Unit 5 - $380,000

Fenway - 120 Mountfort Place, Unit 202 - $704,000

Jamaica Plain - 19 Robinwood Ave - $857,000

South Boston - 98 Pembroke St - $3,612,000

Waterfront - 20 Rowes Wharf, Unit 604 - $630,000

www.fordrealty.net

Mortgage Interest Deductions

2006-02-18T08:24:00.000-08:00

The Boston Globe reported today that President Bush rejected the idea of any changes in the US tax code that would eleminate the mortgage interest deduction.

For the full story : www.boston.com

www.fordrealty.net

Million dollar properties for sale in Boston

2006-02-16T11:57:00.000-08:00

The following data is the number of million dollar (and up) properties for sale in Boston.

1. Condos - Total number- 265 - Days on the market - 180 days

2. Single Family - Total number - 43 - Days on the market - 179

3. Three Families - Total number - 5- Days on the market - 97 days

4. Buildings - Total number - 26 - Days on the market - 83 days.

Source: LINK

www.fordrealty.net

Price Per Square Foot

2006-02-16T10:57:00.000-08:00

The following information is the asking price per sq ft. in some of the most popular Boston neighborhoods for 2006.

Back Bay - $816.00
Beacon Hill - $809.00
Fenway - $563.00
Midtown - $852.00
South Boston - $425.00
South End - $592.00
Waterfront - $790.00

The following are a few Boston neighborhood sales price per sq ft today compared to 2005.

Back Bay 2005 selling price: $698.00 per sq ft.
Back Bay 2006 selling price: $664.00 per sq ft. ( - )

Beacon Hill 2005 selling price: $686.00 per sq ft.
Beacon Hill 2006 selling price: $758.00 per sq ft. ( + )

Fenway 2005 selling price: $500.00 per sq ft.
Fenway 2006 selling price: $565.00 per sq ft. ( + )

Midtown 2005 selling price: $677.00 per sq ft.
Midtown 2006 selling price: $658.00 per sq ft. ( - )

South Boston 2005 selling price: $406.00 per sq ft.
South Boston 2006 selling price: $387.00 per sq ft. ( - )

South End 2005 selling price: $582.00 per sq ft.
South End 2006 selling price: $568.00 per sq ft. ( - )

Source: LINK

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Real Estate - Under Agreement Stats

2006-02-16T08:15:00.000-08:00

Link provided me with some recent Boston real estate data that compares the number of properties under agreement for the first 6 weeks of 2006 with the first 6 weeks of 2005.

2006 - first 6 weeks 498 properties under agreement.

2005 - first 6 weeks 469 properties under agreement.

6.18% increase.

Properties Under Agreement from January 1, 2006 through February 10, 2006

1/6/06 - 53
1/13/06 - 56
1/20/06 - 87
1/27/06 - 94
2/3/06 - 95
2/10/06 - 113

www.fordrealty.net

Cape Cod Home Sales Drop

2006-02-16T06:19:00.000-08:00

Kimberly Blanton wrote an article in todays Boston Globe entitled "Cape Cod home sales fall in '05" subtitle "Buyers waiting for lower prices spur 14.5% drop"

The article states: Cape Cod's housing market was hit harder by declining prices than any other Massachusetts region, as buyers held back in hopes that prices for vacation homes would drop.

Sales of single-family homes on the Cape fell 14.5 percent, to 3,986 in 2005 from 4,633 in 2004, according to final, year-end figures released yesterday by the Association of Massahusetts Realtors, which include the first regional sales breakdown.

Source: Boston Globe

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Real Estate Comeback?

2006-02-16T05:49:00.000-08:00

Scott Van Voorhis and Jerry Kronenberg wrote a story entitled "Realtors welcome Hub downtown condo sales uptick" Some of the highlights are as follows:

"overall, 311 condos have been put under agreement so far this year in downtown Boston, according to Otis and Ahearn, which tracks sales in pricey neighborhoods, like Back Bay and South End. That's up from 295 the same time last year."

The article also mentioned new stats that came out from the Massachusetts Association of Realtors which reported that the number of houses changing hands fell 9.4 percent in Greater Boston.

Source: Boston Herald

www.fordrealty.net

Stats on Search Engines

2006-02-15T09:15:00.000-08:00

emarketer has released the latest statistics on the growth of the search engine as well as the change in the market share.

The article notes that there has been a 55% increase in the total number of searches on the web, going from 3.28 billion in December 2004 to 5.07 billion in December 2005.

All three of the major search engines Gooogle, Yahoo and MSN experienced a growth in the total number of searches. However, MSN did drop in the market share but the search engine still processed 20% more queries in 2005 then in 2004.

As of December 2005 Google had 48.8% market share, Yahoo had 21.4% and MSN had 10.9% of the market share.

For the full story click on the link below:
http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?1003822

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Proper - Day's on the Market

2006-02-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

The following stats are "day's on the market"(DOM) for condominum sales in eight Boston downtown neighborhoods.

Back Bay - 126 DOM
Beacon Hill - 125 DOM
Fenway - 114 DOM
Leather District - 129 DOM
Midtown/Financial - 164 DOM
North End - 100 DOM
South Boston - 147 DOM
Waterfront - 172 DOM

Source: LINK

www.fordrealty.net

A Tale of Two Cities

2006-02-13T08:07:00.000-08:00

Ford Realty Inc., was mentioned in this week's Fortune Magazine entitled "A Tale of Two Cities" written by Ellen Florian Katz in which she compares Orange County, California with Boston, Massachusetts. Click on the link below for the full story

http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/13/real_estate/twomarkets_fortune/index.htm

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Housing Inventory On the Rise

2006-02-11T07:25:00.000-08:00

The number of new listings for the week of February 4, 2006 through February 11, 2006 according to LINK was 228. That is the highest amount of new listings coming on the market in a single week since 9/17/05.

Number of New Listings: 228
Number of Price Changes: 140
Number Back on the Market: 25
Number of the Market: 87
Number Under Agreement: 113
Number of Properties Sold: 31
___________________________

Total Inventory: 2602

www.fordrealty.net

Is the Boston Waterfront Condo Market Sinking?

2006-02-10T12:17:00.000-08:00

These are not good times for those trying to sell their luxury Boston waterfront condominium. Based on data obtained from LINK the average day's on the market (DOM) for a Boston luxury waterfront condo is 194 days over 6 months. Below are some of the most prestigious waterfront buildings which brokers/owners are having trouble selling their condos. The stats are obtained from LINK, based on the average length of time to sell a condo in a particular luxury building.

Lincoln Wharf - 119 day's on the market
Harbor Towers Two - 124 day's on the market
Burrough Wharf - 137 day's on the market
Lewis Wharf - 143 day's on the market
Harbor Towers One - 180 day's on the market
Constellation Wharf - 181 day's on the market
Folio - 212 day's on the market
500 Atlantic Avenue - 237 day's on the market
Battery Wharf - 358 day's on the market

www.fordrealty.net

Craigslist Accused of Violating Fair Housing Law

2006-02-09T06:18:00.000-08:00

Craigslist.org has been accused of running discriminatory rental notices in a lawsuit by a Chicago fair housing group, according to a report in the Chicago Tribune.

The suit contends that the popular San Francisco web site ran more then 100 ads that violated the Fedaral Fair Housing Act.

According to the newspaper, ads cited in the lawsuit included "Requirements: Clean Godly Christian Male" and "African Americans and Arabians tend to clash with me so that won't work out."

We will keep you posted if we here more about this lawsuit.

www.fordrealty.net

Real Estate Cash Out

2006-02-08T06:38:00.000-08:00

According to Inman news: A full 80% of Freddie Mac owned loans that were refinanced in the fourth quarter resulted in mortgages with loan amounts that were at least 5% higher then the original mortgage balances. This percentage is up from the third quarter of 2005, when the loan share of refinanced loans took cash out was 73%, and is the highest since the third quarter of 2000.

www.fordrealty.net

Just How Big is Housing?

2006-02-03T06:24:00.000-08:00

The following information is from the Association of Home Builders.

The U.S. housing market consists of 107 million occupied units, including 74 million owner-occupied homes and 33 million rental units.

The total value of the nation's housing stock exceeds $17 trillion. And, equity-the value of a home minus any debt-now exceeds $10 trillion in the U.S.

More then 69% of all U.S. households own their own home-the highest homeownership rate in history.

In 2005, more then 7 million single-family homes were sold.

www.fordrealty.net

More MLS housing stats

2006-02-02T06:29:00.000-08:00

The following information was obtained form MLS:

Boston condo market statistics

January 2005

Average List Price: $445,767.00
Average Sales Price: $430,408.00
Days on the market: 53
___________________________

January 2006

Average List Price: $417,936.00
Average Sales Price: $403,512.00
Days on the market: 65

www.fordrealty.net

January Roundup

2006-01-31T07:16:00.000-08:00

Mortgage rates were up slightly at the end of this month. Yet from a historical point of view mortgage rates are still very low. Freddie Mac Chief Economist pointed out that favorable loan rates continue to fuel the housing market. According to HSH Associates, a publisher of mortgage data, HSH says. "Truly, we have enjoyed a remarkable run with interest rates, and there are no current signs that the end of low rates are near."

www.fordrealty.net

Real Estate Transfer Tax Opposed

2006-01-29T17:14:00.000-08:00

The Massachusetts Association of Realtors calls a plan to fund affordable housing with a 1 percent transfer tax on homes priced over $750,000.00 as "unfair". Presently, a proposal included in a bill S, 2330, is pending in the legislature's Joint Committee on Revenue.

Michele Lerner wrote in a trade magazine: Home owners and home buyers in targeted areas shouldn't have to pay for something that's the responsibility of the entire community. Steven Ryan, MAR general council and director of goverment affairs states "MAR opposes transfer taxes in any locality because they're essentially an entrance fee into a town."

Ford Realty will keep you posted on this proposed bill.

www.fordrealty.net

One Year Ago Today

2006-01-29T07:32:00.000-08:00

Comparing today's Boston housing market to a year ago.

1/29/05 - New Listings: 81
1/29/06 - New Listings: 144

1/29/05 - Price Reductions: 31
1/29/06 - Price Reductions: 149

1/29/05 - Back On the Market: 6
1/29/06 - Back On the Market: 19

1/29/05 - Off the Market: 40
1/29/06 - Off the Market: 81

1/29/05 - Properties Under Agreement: 82
1/29/06 - Properties Under Agreement: 94

1/29/05 - Total Inventory: 1,550
1/29/06 - Total Inventory: 2,555

In the month of January 2005 300 properties went under agreement.
In the month of January 2006 290 properties went under agreement.

Source: LINK
www.fordrealty.net

Survey - Buyers Market

2006-01-28T07:51:00.000-08:00

Ford Realty conducted a survey of Boston real estate brokers and the general consensus by a majority is that the Boston housing market is a "buyers market" however, most real estate brokers feel very optimistic for 2006.

Boston Homes staff writter Marilyn Jackson wrote "Boston brokers and real estate developers have a positive outlook for the 2006 housing market in the city..........."

www.fordrealty.net

The week of January 21st

2006-01-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

The following data was provided by LINK:

Number of New Listings: 114
Number of Price Changes: 149
Listings Back On the Market: 19
Number of Listings Off the Market: 81
Properties Under Agreement: 94
Number of Properties Sold: 67
____________________________
Total Inventory: 2,555

www.fordrealty.net

Tips for Homebuyers

2006-01-27T06:16:00.000-08:00

1. Stay cool, don't fall in love with the first home you see, shop around.
2. Find a good broker that can help you through the buying process.
3. Lawyers, have a lawyer review both your written offer and the purchase-and-sales-agreement.
4. Inspectors, don't skip a professional home inspection the few hundred dollars you spend now can save you thousands latter on.
5. Insurance, make sure you can get affordable homeowners' insurance for a given property.
6. Mortgages, shop as carefully for a mortgage as you do for a home.
7. Be firm, if you have qualms, don't let anyone pressure you into buying.
8. Make sure you obtain an agency disclosure form which indicates who the real estate broker represents, either you or the seller.
9. When buying a condo ask about any possible future assessments or increases in condo fees.
10. Drive around the area at different times of the day to ensure you like the surroundings.

Source: Some info was provided by the Boston Herald.

Read today's Boston Herald for more information on Home Buying Tips.

www.fordrealty.net

Condo Sales Surge

2006-01-26T08:04:00.000-08:00

Today, Kimberly Blanton from the Boston Globe reported that single family home sales were down 3 percent last month from sales in December 2004. One positive note in her Boston Globe article was with the Massachhusetts condo market. She wrote "But the state's condo market surged 16.5%, achieving a fourth consecutive record year, with 29,089 sales. The median price in December was $275,000,....."

Ford Realty Inc was mentioned in The Boston Globe story. For the full story click on the link below:

http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2006/01/26/us_home_sales_begin_to_mirror_the_slowdown_in_state

www.fordrealty.net

MA Homes Appreciated 67%

2006-01-24T08:24:00.000-08:00

Home prices in Massachusetts have appreciated 67% in the past five years, according to the federal Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight. October median selling price for a single-family home was $349,000.00. For condominiums, October's median price was $271,350.00.

www.fordrealty.net

MLS - SALES DATA

2006-01-23T11:04:00.000-08:00

There are two multi-listing services in Boston LINK and MLS. As reported last week LINK data showed a 15% decline in Boston condo sales. MLS results look much brighter.

MLS 2004 Condo Sales: 4,200

MLS 2005 Condos Sales: 4,636

If you include condos, single-family homes and land the results are as follows:

MLS 2004 Total Sales: 6,726

MLS 2005 Total Sales: 7,213

www.fordrealty.net

Weekly Activity Summary

2006-01-22T07:08:00.000-08:00

1/14/2006 Through 1/21/2006

Number of New Listings: 153
Number of Price Changes: 129
Properties Back on the Market: 29
Properties Off the Market: 94
Properties Under Agreement: 87
Number of Properties Sold: 72
___________________________

Toatal Inventory: 2,569

www.fordrealty.net

Federal Reserve - Outlook

2006-01-20T10:01:00.000-08:00

For a report on the outlook of Boston's economy click on the Federal Reserve "Beige Book" report.

http://www.federalreserve.gov/fomc/beigebook/2006/2006018/1.htm

Brief Summary regarding housing from the report dated January 18, 2006

"Residential real estate markets in New England continues to slow, but as indicated three months ago, contacts say this represents a return to normal, rather than significant market corrections."

www.fordrealty.net

Realtor Stats

2006-01-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

The following information is from www.realtor.com

- Married couples make up the largest share of the housing market 61%
- Single women 21%
- Single males 9%
- Unmarried couples 7%
- Other 2%

- Typical buyer walked through 9 properties and searched 8 weeks to buy a home and moved no more then 12 miles from their previous residence.

- Typical seller placed their home on the market for 12 weeks, lived their for 6 years. Moved 15 miles to a new residence

-44% of buyers found their real estate agent via freind.

-11% used an agent from a previous transaction.

-7% found an agent on the internet

-7% found an agent at an "open house"

-Six other groups account for a smaller share each.

www.fordrealty.net

Deflating The Housing Bubble Talk

2006-01-20T06:24:00.000-08:00

Heres a brief excerpt from a story in the New York Times earlier this week:

"As of yesterday, the Census Bureau officially pegged the resident population of the United States at closing in on 297,000,000. The bureau estimates that with a baby born every 8 seconds, someone dying every 12 seconds and the nation gaining an immigrant every 31 seconds on average, the population is growing by one person every 14 seconds.

At that rate, the total is expected to top 300 million late this year. But with those projections adjusted monthly and the number of births typically peaking during the summer, the benchmark is likely to be reached about nine months from now."

For our local home builders, keep building those homes, 300 million people need to live somewhere.

Housing Data

2006-01-20T06:07:00.000-08:00

The National Association of Realtors, reported in their home purchasing survey that 43% of first time homebuyers financed 100% of their purchase, while another 50% financed betweeen 71% to 99% of their home.

The trade group also noted that the for-sale-by-owner market has gotten smaller, from 20% of total sales in 1987 down to 13% in 2005.

www.fordrealty.net

Net Worth of Homeowners vs Renters

2006-01-19T18:16:00.000-08:00

The average net worth of homeowners vs renters:

$80,000 and up the average homeowner has a net worth of $451,200 and a renter has a networth of $87,400.00.

$50,000 to $79,999.00 the average homeowner has a net worth of $194,610.00 and a renter has a net worth of $25,000.00

$30,000.00 to $49,999.00 the average homeowner has a networth of $112,600 and a renter has a net worth of $4,240.00

Source: VIP Forum Federal Reserve

www.fordrealty.net

Condos cut into U.S. Apartment Supply

2006-01-19T17:42:00.000-08:00

Conversions on rental apartments to condominiums decreased the apartment supply, which boosted the market overall. As a result, apartment rents in the 69 largest U.S. markets rose 0.7% durring the last three months, as vacancies dipped to 5.7% according to the recent report from Reis Inc.

www.fordrealty.net

Housing Starts Drop in December

2006-01-19T17:01:00.000-08:00

The rate of housing starts dropped an estimate 5.7% from December 2004 to December 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today.

www.fordrealty.net

Boston's First Interactive Real Estate Window Display

2006-01-19T09:25:00.000-08:00

Ford Realty is proud to annnounce Boston's first" Interactive Real Estate Window Display" at its 151 Tremont Street office. The interactive window display will debut on March 1, 2006.

Our new window display enables pedestrians to use a standard mobile phone like a remote control, to browse property information displayed on an internet connected flat TV screen located in our storefront and connected to the broker 24/7 to leave a message.

Scenario:

Susan is walking past the Ford Realty 151 Tremont Street office and notices a flat panel TV screen in the window. It displays 30 or so thumbnail photos of condos with a number underneath each photo with the price. She'd like to know more about one of the condos and dials the phone number displayed on the screen. She follows the voice prompt on her cell phone along with the visual prompts on the TV screen and starts using her mobile cell phone as a remote control for the TV monitor in the window diplay. She would like to know more about condo number 7 on the TV monitor, so she presses 7 on her phone. The TV screen will then enlarge the photos of condo #7 from the MLS selection. She uses her phones * and # keys to navigate forward and backward of photos of various rooms in the condominium along with other data. She views several properties she likes and then presses "0" to leave a message to the broker requesting a showing. The broker instantly obtains an email with a voice attachment from her and is able to follow-up 24/7.

We feel that this will be the future look of the next generation of real estate offices. From our studies on Gen X and Gen Y we found that this group does not necessarily want to enter into a real estate office and have contact with a broker to obtain housing information, but rather do more research on their own online. Gen X and Gen Y behavior patterns are different from the Baby Boomers and we are hoping to fill that niche.

Some of our findings on the Gen X and Gen Y home buying habits:

1. Responsiveness and efficiency is a must they are an impatient group
2. Being competent is more important then "Schmoozing"
3. A rich web site experience is key
4. Email is the preferred way to communicate.

On March 1st please stop by to witness first-hand the real estate office of the future.

Internet Home Searches climb

2006-01-17T13:02:00.000-08:00

The internet is an increasingly popular tool for both buyers and sellers. According to the 2005 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers about 77% of home buyers reported that they used the internet to search for a home - a 3% increase since 2004. One other note of interest, in 1995 only 2% of home buyers said they used the interent.

www.fordrealty.net

Boston Sales fell 15.4% Last Year

2006-01-16T12:40:00.000-08:00

Home sales fell by 15.4% last year to 2,196 properties, down from 2,595 in 2004 according to data from LINK the Boston multi-listing service. Beacon Hill, Fenway, South End, and West End all saw double digit declines. The largest drop was in the West End where sales fell a whooping 34.8%. Back Bay fell 8.26% according to LINK statistics.

Although sales were off prices are still heading upward, the median price in the above neighborhoods was $505,750.00 last year, up $465,000.00 in 2004, an 8.8% rise. Back Bay was the most expensive area with a median price of $668,500 up from $550,000 in 2004.

www.fordrealty.net

Weekly Inventory

2006-01-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

The following informations was obtained via LINK:

Number of New Listings: 154
Number of Price Changes: 115
Number Back On Market: 37
Number Off Market: 95
Number Under Agreement: 56
Number Sold: 109
__________________________

Total Inventory: 2,587

Condo Sellers Pull units off the Market

2006-01-13T06:19:00.000-08:00

Jay Fitzgerald a reporter for the Boston Herald wrote a story today stating that "condo owners appear to have pulled their condos off the market rather than sell for lower prices in a soft market." Ford Realty was mentioned in the story.

http://business.bostonherald.com/realestateNews/view.bg?articleid=121131

www.fordrealty.net

Mortgage Applications

2006-01-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

Overall mortgage applications climbed 9.9% last week on a seasonally adjusted basis from the week before, the mortgage Bankers Association reported today.

www.fordrealty.net

No Suprise: We Have Expensive Housing

2006-01-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

Massachusetts is one of the most expensive states in which to rent an apartment, exceeded only by Hawaii and California, according to a recently published report on housing affordability.

In its seventh annual Out of Reach study, the National Low Income Housing Coalition, a Washington, D.C. based housing advocacy group, stated that a worker must earn $15.78 an hour in order to afford rent and utilites in the United States, while Massachusetts average $21.88 per hour. Ma is nearly $6 higher than the national average.

www.fordrealty.net

Moving Trends

2006-01-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

During the year 2005, many people packed up and moved their home to the Southeast and West, while the Midwest and Northeast experienced an increase in residents leaving, as measured by the business trends of United Van Lines, the nations largest household goods mover.

Highest inbound migration states in 2005

1. Florida

2. Texas

3. Washington

Highest outbound states

1. California

2. Lousiana

3. North Dakota

4. Ma. lost residents for the 18th straight year.

Boston Housing Inventory continues to Drop

2006-01-07T08:09:00.000-08:00

Weekly activity Summary:

Number of New Listings: 125
Number of Price Changes: 91
Back On The Market: 44
Off The Market: 100
Under Agreement: 53
Properties Sold: 64
_______________________

Total Inventory: 2,548

Boston housing inventory has been on a steady decline for a couple of months.

www.fordrealty.net

Last week of 2005 - Summary

2006-01-03T05:54:00.000-08:00

The following is the last week in December housing summary report:

Number of New Listings : 17
Number of Price Changes: 9
Properties Back on the market: 6
Number of Properties Off the Market: 34
Number of Properties Under Agreement: 25
Number of Properties Sold: 50
______________________________________

Total Inventory: 2,570

www.fordrealty.net

Women Homebuyers

2005-12-27T09:57:00.000-08:00

According to a study conducted by the Joint Center of Housing Studies of Harvard University "Social and economic trends have given women a more powerful presence in the housing market." The study also indicated:

1. Twice as many single women buy homes as single men.

2. Between 1994-2002 the number of single women owning homes climbed from 13.9 million to 17.5 million.

3. Single women purchase one in five homes, single men one in ten based on 2003 information.

Boston Housing Inventory Continues Downward

2005-12-27T06:02:00.000-08:00

According to LINK, for the 6th week in a row property inventory continues its downward trend. Presently there are 2,622 properties for sale in the LINK database that is down from 2,684 reported on 12/17/05.

www.fordrealty.net

Wealthy Americans - See No Housing Bubble

2005-12-24T08:07:00.000-08:00

In a news release from Market Watch dated December 23, 2005 it stated "Wealthy Americans don't appear to be too concerned over the state of the housing market. Nearly two-thirds of those with incomes over $150,000.00 and investable assets of $500,000.00 or more say they expect the value of their primary home to increase by double digits over the next five years and nearly one-third think the increase will be 20% or more according to a survey this week from PNC Financial Service Group."

Massachusetts Home Sales on the Rise?

2005-12-24T07:47:00.000-08:00

According to the Associated Press news report dated December 24, 2005 the Northeast home sales are on the rise. The article stated "Home sales were down in all parts of the country accept the northeast where it staged a 13.4% surge, the biggest percentage increase in the region since January 1994."

Could this be a sign of good times ahead for Sellers?