General Index 

Homes For Sale in Medfield Market Report

A big surprise is in store for this report in Medfield. Interestingly, Medfield posted the highest HSI - 137 - since we've been tracking, but paradoxially, prices have fallen - significantly - from a high of $252 last June. Let's see if we can figure out why!

Can’t see the chart? You can find it Here .

There were a few things that stood out in the data, other than the HSI and price information. First was that the average price paid in Medfield set a record - almost 700K - and that's important because as the houses get bigger, the $/sq foot get a little smaller at some point - usually after the houses get 3600 sq feet plus. With an average sale price at 700K, there were lots of big homes that sold. That probably is a small effect. There's a seasonal pull back in this data too - we've seen that elsewhere. Lastly, a lot of the sales are recent - and haven't closed - so we don't have any spring prices in there.

The houses that are on the market are pricey - $268/ square foot - so I think when the sales in this report close, we're going to see a sharp swing up in prices.

What should home buyers do in Medfield ?

Home buyers should be looking at the HSI and realizing that it is no picnic in Medfield, and it's expensive too! This is not a good place to look on a budget, unless you're thinking condo.

What should home sellers do in Medfield ?

Home sellers - especially the high end - should be getting out there. If you're at last years peak prices, you'll still look cheap to the overall market - and will sell quickly. It's a good market for an educated seller.

Medfield Recent Houses For Sale and Sold Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• Medfield ‘s “Home Seller Index” (HSI): 137 Last Report: 118
• There are 35 homes listed as For Sale.
• There have been 89 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 61 homes sold in the last 3 months in Medfield.
• The Average number of Days on Market was 103 days for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 71 days of the homes For Sale (currently for sale).
• The amount that was paid in Dollars per Square Foot averaged (vs. )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $695,360 for sold homes.
• Medfield ,MA, has 1 properties advertised as lender owned or foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Medfield has 0 properties advertised as a short-sale is going to be needed by lender.

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS. Matt’s HSI is proprietary. (That means you won’t find it anywhere else. Take that, Case-Schilling!).

More Great Reads!

• Quick reference guide for buyers and sellers
• Current Massachusetts Smoke Detector Laws Explained. Read -before - you go to the hardware store.
• How do I calculate true mortgage closing costs?
• What should I know before buying a new construction house or condo?
• What exactly is the state of Massachusetts 40B zoning?
• A look at some of the hottest towns to buy real estate in Massachusetts.
• What is a mortgage commitment letter and why is it important?

About Matt Heisler

Matt Heisler is a real-estate professional and owner of this website. He has been selling homes in MA for buyers and sellers for over 20 years. He is an expert in foreclosure purchases, short-sale purchases, short-sale sales, buy and hold investing, fix and flip investing, and of course traditional residential home sales. He is happy to take questions as they pertain to real estate on Title V, Radon, Termites, Sump Pumps, Roofs, Foundations, Wells, Septic Systems, Cash-Flow, Staging, and a host of other housing issues. As a Vanderbilt University alumnus, he is proud to serve his local community.

*All information is posted in good faith and is assumed to be reliable, but may rely on third party information sources.

Homes For Sale in Hudson Market Report

Hudson puts together a strong report, backing up Hopkinton, that the spring market is here and already impacting the data. If you look, you'll see that the HSI basically held steady from January, but the Days on market for both solds and actives really dropped. Prices were also up.

Can’t see the chart? You can find it Here .

Pretty cut and dry, the market just got tighter for buyers in Hudson.

What should home buyers do in Hudson ?

Prices are below today where they were at this time last year - and that's not common. If you find something you like in Hudson, I would probably make sure it is priced at current levels and grab it - because I see prices moving up.

What should home sellers do in Hudson ?

With an average of 83 days until UAG, it's a great time to get sold in Hudson. Prices are not at the last year's peek yet, so if you are price sensitive, you may want to wait a little longer. Things are going fast, that will motivate a lot of buyers if good options turn up later in the year.

Hudson Recent Houses For Sale and Sold Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

Hudson ‘s “Home Seller Index” (HSI): 132 Last Report: 135

There are 35 homes listed as For Sale.

There have been 84 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 56 homes sold in the last 3 months in Hudson.

The Average number of Days on Market was 83 days for just SOLD homes.

There is an Average Market Time of 125 days of the homes For Sale (currently for sale).

The amount that was paid in Dollars per Square Foot averaged $163 (vs.$159 )

There was an Average Sold Price of $321,218 for sold homes.

Hudson, MA, has 0 properties advertised as lender owned or foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .

Hudson has 1 properties advertised as a short-sale is going to be needed by lender.

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS. Matt’s HSI is proprietary. (That means you won’t find it anywhere else. Take that, Case-Schilling!).

More Great Reads!

• Quick reference guide for buyers and sellers
• Current Massachusetts Smoke Detector Laws Explained. Read -before - you go to the hardware store.
• How do I calculate true mortgage closing costs?
• What should I know before buying a new construction house or condo?
• What exactly is the state of Massachusetts 40B zoning?
• A look at some of the hottest towns to buy real estate in Massachusetts.
• What is a mortgage commitment letter and why is it important?

About Matt Heisler

Matt Heisler is a real-estate professional and owner of this website. He has been selling homes in MA for buyers and sellers for over 20 years. He is an expert in foreclosure purchases, short-sale purchases, short-sale sales, buy and hold investing, fix and flip investing, and of course traditional residential home sales. He is happy to take questions as they pertain to real estate on Title V, Radon, Termites, Sump Pumps, Roofs, Foundations, Wells, Septic Systems, Cash-Flow, Staging, and a host of other housing issues. As a Vanderbilt University alumnus, he is proud to serve his local community.

*All information is posted in good faith and is assumed to be reliable, but may rely on third party information sources.

Homes For Sale in Hopkinton Market Report

Hopkinton comes in with a real surprise report.

Not surprisingly, the HSI fell. HSI's above 130 are really hard to sustain. It's still really strong at 112, but things look a little weaker. So then we have to ask, "why?"

Can’t see the chart? You can find it Here .

Well, quite frankly, it's because prices are up. Sharply.

Prices jumped to $217/ sq foot, from $208, almost a 4.5% rise, from January. That's despite the fact that the average home sold actually dropped in price almost $50K. That's not so long ago, and when you look at how far Hopkinton has come, it's pretty amazing. Having said that, these higher prices will certainly ease the pressure on buyers from a time standpoint - it should slow things down - but so far it hasn't, with the average sold market time at a blistering 87 Days.

What should home buyers do in Hopkinton?

Home buyers should be cautious. Unlike Natick, which has seen prices rises but not so fast as Hopkinton, prices are really moving in Hopkinton, and not in other towns. That means other towns could offer better options for you money, with less risk to boot. Hopkinton has vaulted to the fourth most expensive town, meaning that Southborough, Westborough and Northborough are going to look like relatively bargains - with little increase in commute (Southborough would actually be less).

We've had a number of reports that have demonstrated the market softening, but this is the first indication that perhaps this spring won't be soft after all. Is Hopkinton the precursor to some strong charts ahead? We will see.

What should home sellers do in Hopkinton?

Get listed! Ask for top dollar! It looks like buyers are willing to pay it. Prices are up 20% since Feb 2012 - just over 2 years - and it's a great time to take advantage of that.

Hopkinton Recent Houses For Sale and Sold Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• Hopkinton‘s “Home Seller Index” (HSI):112 Last Report: 141
• There are 60 homes listed as For Sale.
• There have been 111 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 68 homes sold in the last 3 months in 

  Hopkinton continues to see prices rises, despite less indications of price pressures in other towns.

  Hopkinton.
• The Average number of Days on Market was 86 days for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 151 days of the homes For Sale (currently for sale).
• The amount that was paid in Dollars per Square Foot averaged $217 (vs. $208 )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $498,336 for sold homes.
• Hopkinton, MA, has 1 properties (vs. 1) advertised as lender owned or foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Hopkinton has 0 properties (vs. 3) advertised as a short-sale is going to be needed by lender.

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS. Matt’s HSI is proprietary. (That means you won’t find it anywhere else. Take that, Case-Schilling!).

More Great Reads!

• Quick reference guide for buyers and sellers
• Current Massachusetts Smoke Detector Laws Explained. Read -before - you go to the hardware store.
• How do I calculate true mortgage closing costs?
• What should I know before buying a new construction house or condo?
• What exactly is the state of Massachusetts 40B zoning?
• A look at some of the hottest towns to buy real estate in Massachusetts.
• What is a mortgage commitment letter and why is it important?

About Matt Heisler

Matt Heisler is a real-estate professional and owner of this website. He has been selling homes in MA for buyers and sellers for over 20 years. He is an expert in foreclosure purchases, short-sale purchases, short-sale sales, buy and hold investing, fix and flip investing, and of course traditional residential home sales. He is happy to take questions as they pertain to real estate on Title V, Radon, Termites, Sump Pumps, Roofs, Foundations, Wells, Septic Systems, Cash-Flow, Staging, and a host of other housing issues. As a Vanderbilt University alumnus, he is proud to serve his local community.

*All information is posted in good faith and is assumed to be reliable, but may rely on third party information sources.

Homes For Sale in Holliston Market Report

At first glance, we see a sharp down turn in the home selling index. Does this bode ill for sellers in Holliston? Let's look:

Can’t see the chart? You can find it Here .

So, yes, we're down, but from 250 to 180 still means the market is under pressure, with sales about 5.5x the active listings. Even with April underway, the number of actives homes has barely budged, and the sales have kept trucking. $/ sq foot has softened a bit, but it's been on a real tear, and some stabilization was in the offing.

What should home buyers do in Holliston?

Home buyers should be aware that pricing can be difficult with so few comparisons. Houses are moving very quickly if they are well priced. Holliston no longer looks quite as inexpensive as it did a year ago.

What should home sellers do in Holliston?

Home sellers should be sure to check their competitive market. Remember, buyers look in ranges. Right now, the homes for sale are evenly distributed:

200-350 5

350-450 5

450-600 6

600-800 8

But some of those homes are likely to be non-competitive with your home, and so you could be competing with only one or two homes. If you have a compelling market feature, now could be a time to get a premium!

Holliston Recent Houses For Sale and Sold Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• Holliston‘s “Home Seller Index” (HSI): 181 Last Report: 249
• There are 26 homes listed as For Sale.
• There have been 114 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 62 homes sold in the last 3 months in Holliston.
• The Average number of Days on Market was 86 days for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 150 days of the homes For Sale (currently for sale).
• The amount that was paid in Dollars per Square Foot averaged $200 (vs. $204)
• There was an Average Sold Price of $488,879 for sold homes.
• Holliston, MA, has 0 properties advertised as lender owned or foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Holliston has 1 properties advertised as a short-sale is going to be needed by lender.

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS. Matt’s HSI is proprietary. (That means you won’t find it anywhere else. Take that, Case-Schilling!).

More Great Reads!

• Quick reference guide for buyers and sellers
• Current Massachusetts Smoke Detector Laws Explained. Read -before - you go to the hardware store.
• How do I calculate true mortgage closing costs?
• What are the types of foundations we find in housing, and what should I know about them?
• Which is better, 2x4 or 2x6 home construction?
• How do I know if my septic system is failing?
• What is a mortgage commitment letter and why is it important?

About Matt Heisler

Matt Heisler is a real-estate professional and owner of this website. He has been selling homes in MA for buyers and sellers for over 20 years. He is an expert in foreclosure purchases, short-sale purchases, short-sale sales, buy and hold investing, fix and flip investing, and of course traditional residential home sales. He is happy to take questions as they pertain to real estate on Title V, Radon, Termites, Sump Pumps, Roofs, Foundations, Wells, Septic Systems, Cash-Flow, Staging, and a host of other housing issues. As a Vanderbilt University alumnus, he is proud to serve his local community.

*All information is posted in good faith and is assumed to be reliable, but may rely on third party information sources.

What is PMI?

PMI is Mortgage Insurance that is generally required on higher risk, higher leverage mortgages that protects the lender from a home owners inability to pay the mortgage. I'm sure that didn't help, let's take a closer look.

A "standard" 80/20 mortgage means that the buyer is putting 20% down. So on a $300,000 house, the lender brings $240,000 in the form of a mortgage, and the buyer brings 60,000 in the form of a cash down payment. There is no PMI required on these loans, because if the buyer stops paying the mortgage, the bank is "likely" to recover ALL their money through foreclosure (the 240K), because even if they sell the house at a discount of 10%, or $270K - there's still plenty of money to pay the bank back. Worst case, the bank is taking only a small charge off.

In this case, the bank's risk of the buyer not paying is offset by the down payment. But not all loans require a 20% down payment, and as such, the lender/bank takes on more risk. To offset that risk, PMI exists.

For an example, lets say that the buyer pays 5% down on the same house. Now he is only bringing 15,000, and the lender(s) are bringing 285,000. Now in this case, if the loan goes into foreclosure in the short-term, there is not enough money for the lender(s) to get paid back. Thus, they require the buyer to pay Mortgage Insurance, which will pay the bank back for any losses they sustain should the buyer fail to pay the mortgage. The buyer pays a fee - how much depends on how much they borrow, but usually around $150/month, and this protects the bank in case of default.

How do I stop paying for PMI?

Most people are pretty clear that PMI is a good thing, as it allows them to get a mortgage where otherwise they could not. And it is! But we all want to stop paying it as soon as possible. How do we do that? Well part of the solution is something that you were probably never told when you got the mortgage - how does the PMI company determine that you are at the 20% level? There are lots of ways they could do that - but don't look for them to spend a lot of money figuring it out.

Many PMI companies rely on the town's assessed value for figuring out what the house is worth. That can be a "real-time" problem, because assessed values in Massachusetts are at least 6-18 months behind the market, and worse, are not intended to be market value - they are usually comfortably below market, some times as much as 10%. That makes this number a guarantee you'll pay PMI longer than you have to, and unless the PMI company is willing to accept outside documentation - like an appraiser - It wont' be easy to prove you have your 20%.

For many people, re-financing is the most cost effective way to eliminate PMI ahead of schedule. Since the refinance will take into account a current market valuation - considerably higher than the assessed value - the 20% equity can be most quickly captured that way.

The good news is if you hit whatever metric they are measuring, they will stop charging you on their own.

If you don't want to refinance, try to get a phone number for the PMI servicer, and find out how they calculate your houses worth. That probably won't be easy, it's not like you get a bill from the PMI company directly. Once you have that information, you can make sure that the valuation they have is accurate, and that the PMI company is aware of the value of your house. If, for example, they are willing to accept an appraisal, you can hire an appraiser and then if the numbers support your case, send it on to the PMI company. Check first that they will accept it! Also ask if they will count any equity that you have built as part of your mortgage payments. Big surprise, the answer is often "NO" although I don't understand why they don't count it - equity is equity after all.

Do you have any other stop paying PMI suggestions? Let me know what has worked for you, and I'll expand the article.

Best-

Matt Heisler

40B Zoning: A Layman's Guide

40B is the set of state laws that handle much of the states affordable housing guidelines. Please note, I'm not an attorney, and you should consider this a "layman's" guide to 40B for the novice. Refer to the state website location for more detailed information.

Now that we have that disclosure out of the way, let's establish WHAT 40B is, WHY it exists, HOW it is supposed to work, and HOW it actually works today.

What is 40B Zoning?

First up: What is this crazy thing called 40B?

All towns in Massachusetts have zoning requirements. Zoning specifies, at some level of detail, where you can put certain types of buildings in that town. Industrial zoning, Commercial zoning, residential zoning are generally all separate areas, but lately many towns (especially high density ones) have been adopting mixed-used zoning, which sounds complicated until you remember it basically undoes what zoning does in the first place.

In general, people don't like big changes to the towns they live in, and over time, many communities used the zoning laws capabilities to limit what - and how much - of certain things developers might want to build in town. One of the more common problems was restrictions on high-density zoning. Developers, in general, like high-density zoning, as they can take small amounts of land and create many potential units, or purchasers, and higher profits. Neighbors, in general, dislike high-density zoning, especially if there are anticipated visual issues (blocking views, or unattractive buildings), traffic issues (more people means more cars), noise issues, and other issues. This wouldn't be a problem accept that real estate in Massachusetts is expensive relative to many places and the solution is - wait for it - high-density zoning. Makes sense right? Create enough supply and prices will stabilize, or go down.

Why do we have 40B Zoning?

The goal of 40B was to create more affordable property in Massachusetts. Simply creating more supply just through the creation of high-density housing wasn't a guarantee it would be AFFORDABLE. To make sure that the developers actually created "affordable" housing, 40-B has a requirement to do just that - which we'll get to in a moment.

Thus, the push for 40B was born. In an attempt to create affordable housing, the state decided that if a town didn't have "enough" affordable housing, than a developer could apply to the state to overturn the towns' zoning map, and basically rezone the land that they owned to create more affordable housing. This was a huge win for developers; the one catch for 40-B for builders was that a certain percentage of the units needed to be designated as "affordable", a very complicated metric that is tied to the average household income in the town. There were a few town protections as well - if the town met or exceeded their affordable housing requirements on a percentage basis, than they could choose to reject any 40B proposal.

Ok, that's a mouthful. Let's make sure we got our definitions right.

Zoning: A set of regulations that define what types of building can go in a certain area, and under what restrictions.

40B: A state zoning override designed to create affordable housing.

Affordable housing: Housing that can be bought by people on the lower end of the median income of a town. Typically it is smaller in size. True affordable housing regulated at the price it can be bought and sold, and it is limited to those who have certain income guidelines as to whether or not they can purchase it. If this sounds like a complete abandonment of the free market, it's because it largely is just that.

High-density zoning: zoning that allows for more, generally smaller units for a given parcel of land. Creates higher density of people in an area.

There's much more to 40B, it's a large and complicated law. It was done to help developers get around local zoning boards, and create "affordable" housing for folks in each and every town in the state. But only up to a certain point.

How is 40B Zoning Supposed to Work?

The typical steps in a 40B project were supposed to go like this:

1) Developer sees town does not meet it's affordable housing requirement

2) Developer purchases land

3) Developer announces a 40-B project to the town and the state

4) State approves project

5) Developer builds and sells project.

Note, since it's a 40B project, other than keeping the town in the loop, the developer really doesn't need a lot of approvals from the town. The state runs the show.

That sounds simple and good, but, like all things political, actually pushing a 40B project through a town that doesn't want it can be expensive for the developer. Expensive enough that most developers would rather do a project with the town's approval and blessing, as that is much faster. So how it actually works in most cases today is quite different.

How does 40B Zoning Work in Practice?

In practice, the developer generally uses 40B as "leverage" to get the town to accede to a compromise between what 40B would offer and what the town zoning currently offers. So instead of building 60 units with 15 affordables, the builder will do 44 units with 11 affordables. By shaving units off, the developer gets faster approvals, and the town gets less density than what would happen if it went all the way through the 40B process. More importantly, town concerns about traffic and noise and all the rest can be addressed with the developer directly. Most towns now realize that fighting 40B is a losing battle, and if they want to remain in control, it is best to work with the developers instead of shutting them out.

So does 40B work?

Technically, 40B does do what it is designed to do - create affordable housing. But the devil is in the details. Here are some of the problems with affordable housing as regulated by the state.

1) Buying an affordable is often threading a needle for a buyer. Buyers must have a certain amount of income in order to afford a mortgage, but not TOO much income, or they don't qualify as requiring an affordable. In my experience, these units are hard to sell, because the scope of buyers that don't make too much and don't make too little is very, very small. The extra paperwork require doesn't help, as most affordable owners are first time buyers, and the process is more complicated.

2) Once you get in, you don't have to leave. Let's say I buy an affordable home. Two years later, I get a big promotion, bump in pay, the works. I would no longer qualify for the affordable if I had to apply today, but the application process is done. I'm already in, and they don't make you sell it just because you are no longer meeting the income guidelines. Basically that means the owners are getting very cheap housing, and they often stay longer than they need to - creating more of shortage - at the taxpayers expense.

3) Limited upside of home ownership. Before you start thinking that an affordable is the way to go, guess what? Your home is very cheap when you buy it, but you'll be giving it away when you sell it. You see, the price of the property doesn't depend on it's market value - it depends on a set of calculations that determine what the price should be for a home of that type to be affordable. So if the town you live in sees prices rise by 10%, it could be totally possible that your affordable unit went up 1%. Or nothing. Or 3%. Obviously, one of the great wealth builders in this county is the leverage that a house can provide as an asset, but if you live in an affordable, you may not participate in that equity build up. Can values of affordable fall? Yes, they can, it all depends on the median household income levels in a town, and if they fall so will the values of the units.

Despite it's flaws, 40B (and it's cousin, 40-R) should be recognized as getting developers and town to work together - not always happily - and makes the change if not easier, a little more accepted.

Red Sox / Yankees wraps up today

I have to get my Yankee posts in early this year - I have a feeling I won't be writing any after the All-star break.

Today's game features two pitchers with a lot of promise - but for one reason or another can't seem to pitch consistently. Nova vs. Dubront will be interesting just to see who can look sharp.

Both pitchers have runs where they look really good, and I'd like to think that Dubront will be a quality starter for a good stretch, but when he's off, he's really off (they both are), and you wonder if he just doesn't have the head for it.

As I write this, the Yankees have taken control of the series in the Bronx and are up 2-1, with the Sox hoping for a split.

The Yankees are lucky to be in this position.

I can't help but think it's going to be a LONG season for the Yankees. Their moves this winter smacked of desperation, and Cashman must feel like the little Dutch boy putting his fingers in the leaky dike - and running out of fingers. There's so many holes here, and no one seems to think that there's anything in the farm system on the way to the rescue.

I won't say I follow the Yankees farm system very closely, but all you have to do is look at the trades they've been making and see how their "top rated" prospects have worked out. The deal that immediately comes to mind is the Pineda/Montero deal, where the Yankees traded their "catcher of the future". Montero has gone on to truly been a disappointment, and this was their top ranked prospect!! If that's at the top, what's below that? Yikes.

Anyway, this Yankees team has some great questions in front of it. Some we already have early answers on.

1) Can Mark Texeria stay healthy and add thump to the lineup?

So far, NO. He's already hurt again. Yikes.

2) Can Jeter stay healthy and be productive

Fans are already grumbling about his defensive range being about half what it was in his prime. He's not going to make friends with many pitchers if he can't get to routine balls. Hitting? Health? We'll see. What we do know is the Yankees are gambling on a strong season from him for sure.

3) Is McCann the new premier backstop of the AL East?

Well, the early returns aren't good, but he'll hit more. How much more remains the question - he's supposed to be a clean-up caliber player, and that hasn't happen yet (it's early, I know.)

4) Missing A-rod?

Out of sight is out of mind, but right now an unheralded nobody - Solarte - is turning heads with his .940 OPS. His minor league numbers suggest more like .750 is in order, which means there are going to be some bad days when he gets exposed. He's got to play everyday, so there's no where he can hide once pitchers figure out where his holes are. But the best part is A-rod will likely be back in 2015, and I can't wait for that. Really, I can't. What a MESS.

5) Alfonso Sorianio - here come the strike outs!

Tying up the DH spot is Soriano. He's been great for the Yankees, but he's so streaky - and strikes out a lot - there are going to be some long stretches with him in the line up.

6) Can Roberston make one forget about Mariano's durability and excellence?

Nope. Hurt already. Yikes.

The Yankees have paid for some bright spots, but with at least 6 or 7 quality players missing from the team, I do't' see how they can compete. One or two injuries, and 85 wins will be an achievement.

On the other hand, the Sox - dealing with some injuries of their own early on, to key players Middlebrooks and Victorino, aren't playing so hot. The pitching has been middle of the road (15 out of 30), with some solid starts and some real stinkers. The hitting can't seem to knock anybody in just yet. But it's hard not to be pretty optimistic. Boegarts looks like he belongs. Sizemore looks like his old self. Perdroia, Ortiz, Napoli are still middle of the order hitters. They are having trouble figuring out the leadoff spot, but they'll figure out something. On the pitching side, only Dubront has failed to impress, and he's got about a month before he gets sent to AAA so Workman can get his shot.

In fact, the Sox farm system is brimming with replacements; relievers, starters, and hitters. I didn't even mention JBJ's good start, hitting .276 and a .380 OBP. You'll take that all day, everyday from as good a defensive center fielder as he is.

Despite all the problems, the Sox are ranked 9 on the ESPN MLB RPI. Now, it's a little early to be looking at that, but in another couple of weeks in won't be.

Bring on the Rays.

Homes For Sale in Framingham Market Report

Framingham is showing some signs of coming back to earth, which should be welcome news for buyers. Don't confuse that with a buyers market, however, as the number of homes for sale in Framingham remains near lows in this cycle.

Can’t see the chart? You can find it Here .

Fundamentally, what we are seeing is a little more " rationality" from Home Buyers, as the seasonal swoon has them taking a deep breath and looking around a bit. Will it last? Well, only if the number of houses for sale in Framingham cracks 120, or the number of transactions falls significantly - even from here.

If I'm a home seller, I'm still pushing prices especially this year - if I've got time, I can see what's the appetite for my home and then make a price change later. With so few houses, I should get plenty of traffic either way.

Framingham Recent Houses For Sale and Sold Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• Framingham‘s “Home Seller Index” (HSI): 168 Last Report: 212
• There are 78 homes listed as For Sale.
• There have been 275 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 166 homes sold in the last 3 months in Framingham.
• The Average number of Days on Market was 71 days for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 89 days of the homes For Sale (currently for sale).
• The amount that was paid in Dollars per Square Foot averaged $193 (vs. $196 )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $353,522 for sold homes.
• Framingham ,MA has 1 properties advertised as lender owned or foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Framingham has 3 properties advertised as a short-sale is going to be needed by lender.

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS. Matt’s HSI is proprietary. (That means you won’t find it anywhere else. Take that, Case-Schilling!).

More Great Reads!

• Quick reference guide for buyers and sellers
• Current Massachusetts Smoke Detector Laws Explained. Read -before - you go to the hardware store.
• How do I calculate true mortgage closing costs?
• What are the types of foundations we find in housing, and what should I know about them?
• Which is better, 2x4 or 2x6 home construction?
• How do I know if my septic system is failing?
• What is a mortgage commitment letter and why is it important?

About Matt Heisler

Matt Heisler is a real-estate professional and owner of this website. He has been selling homes in MA for buyers and sellers for over 20 years. He is an expert in foreclosure purchases, short-sale purchases, short-sale sales, buy and hold investing, fix and flip investing, and of course traditional residential home sales. He is happy to take questions as they pertain to real estate on Title V, Radon, Termites, Sump Pumps, Roofs, Foundations, Wells, Septic Systems, Cash-Flow, Staging, and a host of other housing issues. As a Vanderbilt University alumnus, he is proud to serve his local community.

*All information is posted in good faith and is assumed to be reliable, but may rely on third party information sources.

Trask makes First Proposal to begin revitalization downtown(4/2014)

Change is hard! Although Ashland new zoning map has been on the books since 2006, the declining real estate market probably kept many developers at bay in taking advantage of it. Now though, Trask Development, a reptuable builder in Southborough, has bellied up to the development bar. As is usually the case, impacted neighbors are less than thrilled. More from the Metrowest Daily News. How Ashland, Trask, and the neighbors react to the change will be critical as this could be a real litmus test of the future success of the new zoning map.

Ashland Looks to Re-vitalize downtown; sale of commercial building is Important Step (4/2014)

60 Pleasant St sells for 1.6 Million, and town official note it's an important step to increase the efficiency of the existing commercial space.Ashland could really benefit from converting their "old school" commercial /industrial spaces to more attractive retail and modern day commercial.  The redevelopment group in Ashland has been looking to do just that.  More in the Worcester Business Journal.

Turkey Meets Undignified End in Ashland(4/2014)

Ever hear the expression "crazy as a turkey"? You might now, as a Turkey decided to take on an bus. He lost! More here: Click me From wcvb. Great photo, and thankfully no one was hurt seriously. Darwin wins again....

It's here! The season is Here! Checking in with the BoSox

----9th inning--------------

MIddlebrooks is up. He's hit the ball hard a couple of times, but hasn't done any damage. Tommy Hunter on to finish it off. Whoa! Beans Middlebrooks. High and Tight.

Nava back on the Left against Hunter. He's due. 2-1. Should get a fastball strike here. He does, but pops it up.

Pedroia up. He's no stranger to either openning day heroics or late inning heroics. He's 0-2 and late on everything. Checked Swing; close. Too close! He lines a base hit!

Ortiz up. Oh boy! Ortiz at the plate. The crowd at Camden Yards quiets noticeably. They know this game could go the wrong way fast now. Ortiz ends up 0-2 on an inside fastball. Watch it Hunter. Don't throw that again. Next pitch is up, and Ortiz gives it a ride, but not enough - Middlebrooks has to hold at 2nd.

Jackie Bradly Jr. comes in to hit for Napoli. He looks at two inside strikes and fouls off a third. I wonder if Napoli is hurt.

Find out tomorrow I guess. Hunter nibbles; so dumb with a rookie on the ropes. Just go get him! He finally does, throwing a strike down the middle, and JBJ goes down looking; game over.

Ah well, 161 to go.

----8th inning--------------

Evan Meek against Napoli. Time running out for the Sox, but with the O's bullpen, it ain't over.

Napoli decided to keep the beard. Now, it's far more distinctive. full count. Gotta love the stories of Napoli shirtless and s***faced in downtown Boston. He walks.

Carp has a well-placed infield hit, but he's out anyway. Napoli advances. We'll probably see some regression to the mean for Carp this year. Sizemore up. He's not a power hitter, so two home runs today is probably not in the cards.

He's out. Boegarts has another nice AB and walks, but AJP can't get it done, and we go to the bottom of the 8th. Too mnay men left on base today for the BoSox.

----Orioles up------

Tazawa in. He gets his three outs and it's the last three outs for the Sox.

----7th inning--------------

Nava switches sides aginst the left throwing Britton to start the inning and is out 5-3.

Pedroia follows and is out 1-3.

Britton is carefully pitching around Ortiz. Gets a ground ball to first,

----Orioles up------

And there's cruz hitting a Homer. Told you to be careful with him Lester!

Bullpen is warming for the Sox, Weiters swings his way back to the bench.

Delmon Young just not haveing a good day. Neither is Flaherty. 8 K's for Lester, but he trails 2-1

----6th inning--------------

Zack Britton pitching. Sizemore hitting. Lefty/Lefty. Sizemore reportly has struggled against lefties so far. I'll never understand why more teams weren't calling Sizemore. 6-3, out. He was a worthy gamble for any club.

Boegarts gets a pitch away and takes it to right, stand up double and looks good doing it.

Britton gets another lefty with AJP up. He doesn't help himself, going 0-2. Funny infield hit has him out at first, but Xander advances.

Middlebrooks hits it hard, but it's handled at third, 5-3 and they're done.

----Orioles Up------

Almost back to live.

Lester gets Markakis looking.

Jones gets on, but Lester is dealing. Lester gets Davis too. EOI.

----5th inning--------------

Pedroia looks at a 12-6 curve that Tillman has featured all day. Pitching backwards to the Sox, and confident he can throw that pitch for strikes. Defensive swing leaves it 1-2. Pedroia - one of the best bad ball hitters out there - has already swung at his share today; at least 4 or 5 outside the zone. Nearly hit one for a double there. 2-2. Must be a seven pitch at bat already.

STraight away to center, but not enough, one out.

Ortiz up. Another deep hit, but not enough. 2 away. Bullpen up for the O's, and it's the first game of the year - starters won't go deep into this one.

Napoli up. He's had good AB's today. Walk. Tillmans first.

Carp looks at a strike that is so high, it looked like it was around his neck. Followed up with a down and away pitch he swings through. Ug. Another big spot for Carp. Still alive at 0-2, but Carp doesn't look in control of this AB. Tillman over 100 pitches. Weakly hit to third, no dice.

---Orioles up-----

Napoli with a nice play to get Young out 6-3. Need a better throw there Middlebrooks!

Lester is at only 67 pitches, and is looking tought to beat. Flaherty again is no match.

Schoop (now that's a baseball name) is quickly 0-2 and was lucky he didn't get rung up on a checked swing. Doesn't help him though, he's down on strikes.

----4th inning--------------

Little behind; baby break meant we had to go to DVR mode.

Sizemore cracks a home run to lead off the inning. The way he hit in Spring training, not a shock, but still, so good to see. Has to feel amazing for him. Will he fade down the strech? Hell, will he make it to the stretch? Who knows. He'll add some pop to April though.

Boegarts with the can of corn.

A.J. muscles a single over the infield.

Middlebrooks gets 2 balls this time. Trying to get him to chase, Tillman? Well next was a high fastball, and it lands harmlessly in an Orioles glove.

Nava up. Lines to left, but a good looking at bat by Nava. Tillman isn't fooling him. 1-1 going to the bottom of the fourth.

---Orioles up-----

Jones gets the birds 4th hit on the first pitch; clearly looking for a fast ball.

Davis up - probably the orioles best hitter. Lester does a GREAT job getting him to hit a low and away pitch to start a double play, but it takes too long to turn and the runner is safe.

Cruz back up. Gotta be a little careful here.... Nice; Lester throws a rare changeup, and Cruz is way out in front. 1-2. Popped up to Pedroia.

Weiters up, and it'll either be a HR or an out. Two-out muscle from the backstop. Quickly 0-2, on a nasty cutter. Looks at strike 3.

----3rd inning--------------

Tillman starts off the inning showing why he's the #1 starter for the birds. Not much doing for the Sox, and Tillman should have bbeen out of the inning except Ortiz knocks a pretty good pitch through the shift for a single.

Tillman tries to get too cute with Napoli, and the Sox have a two out chance. Carp had some good at-bats last year, but not as many with RISP. He's down 0-2 quick. Strike 3.

---Orioles up-----

This live blogging is kinda fun! I should do it more often. I have lots of time, after all (yeah, right...)

Lester gets out of a 3-0 hole to Markakis with a pop-up. JJ Hardy obliges with a 5-4-3 DP.

----2nd inning--------------

Sizemore immediately makes his prescense felt by knocking a solid single.

As I watch the much hyped Boegarts, I should note that I am multi-tasking, wathcing my baby daughter today as I am unexpectedly at home as we had a scheduling conflict. On the plus side, get to see the game! And not on tape!

Darn it! Boegarts hits it 362 where the wall is 364. Good looking swing, and in July that's 3 runs for the sox.

Long fly for Pierzynski.

Another big at bat. C'mon Will!

His new patience results in looking at a pith right down the plate. Swings through a 95 mph fastball. Looks at strike 3. YIkes.

---Orioles up-----

Gotta like Cruz. Not a complete hitter, but right handed power is always good. Draws a well earned walk.

Weiters is up. Much like Lavarnway, hasn't put it together offensively. His numbers last year are not what the Orioles want. He can thump, but can he hit? Gotta do better than sub .240 on the average. Muscled a bloop hit to left.

Delmon Young. You can kinda smell a double play. Oh! There it is. Not pretty, but we'll take the outs over the run. 1-0 birds.

Flaherty. Should be the end of the inning....... And it is. Lefty/lefty not his matchup.

----1st inning--------------

While we muddle through the first couple of innings, let's check in on my lineup prediction.

Naturally, Victorino gets hurt and is sitting out, and Sizemore stole the show, leaving JBJ down in Pawtucket.

Vs a right hander I had

Nava

Victorino

Pedroia

Ortiz

Napoli

Pierzynski

Boegarts

Middlebrooks

Bradley, Jr.

Lineup ended up being:

Nava

Pedroia

Ortiz

Napoli

Carp

Sizemore

Boegarts

Pierzyski

Middlebrooks

So, not close, but I had some trends right. The newer players are all at the bottom, being protected. I did have Boegarts hitting ahead of Middlebrooks, and Sizemore won't stay sixth, if healthy, that's making the best out of a bad situation. Pierzynski is lower than I figured for sure, but when you're adding a quality bat like Sizemore, everyone is going to move down.

Mike Carp just put the second hit for the Sox on the board.