Homes For Sale in Northbridge Market Report

Northbridge is improved, with a record HSI, breaking 100 for the first time, and the sales have been strong enough to push down the days on market for all properties, sold and listed. Prices are up sharply, showing that the rise in prices is no longer confined to the 495 belt.

Note: The chart above updates automatically with each new real estate market post, so make sure the comments you are reading line up with the time the post was published.

Big drops in bank impacted inventory (foreclosures and short-sales) are also noted,

as the market gets healthier. Prices are up sharply, and with the cheapest homes gone, the bottom is probably gone too!

Northbridge Houses For Sale and Sold Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• There are 59 homes listed as For Sale in Northbridge.
• There have been 109 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 75 homes sold in the last 3 months.
• The Average number of Days on Market was 146 days for just SOLD homes.

  A little more red, white and blue for the month of July!

• There is an Average Market Time of 262 days of the homes For Sale (currently for sale).
• The amount that was paid in Dollars per Square Foot averaged 154 (vs.$146 )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $314,226 for sold homes.
• Northbridge ,MA, has X properties advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Northbridge has x properties advertised as a short-sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Northbridge “Home Seller Index” (HSI):102 Last Report:86

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS. Note, there will be a some what artificial jump in the rankings as the active status flag is being phased out. (this is a good thing, but will screw up my data sets).

More Great Reads!

• Massachusetts Property Tax Rates by Town
• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What is pre-paid PMI, and is it a good deal?
• How do I get rid of PMI on my mortgage payment?
• How do I prepare for getting ready to buy a house?
• When Should I do a Lead Paint Test on my Home
• Which is better, 2x4 or 2x6 home construction?

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.

Do Good Things Today! Matt Heisler

*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 Natick Market Report

So the big question today is, can Natick maintain it's lead in the HSI after Framingham's crazy 189 in the last post? Can it? 189 is totally insane. Alright, the numbers are in, let's see.

Note: The chart above updates automatically with each new real estate market post, so make sure the comments you are reading line up with the time the post was published.

Even though I see it, it's still hard to believe. 202. Well that is an all-time, all town record. I guess you can do that when sales outpace actives by almost 4:1 That has to rank as the number one surprise here, but it's not the only one.

What's really amazing to me is that the $/sq foot is up *only* $9. Prices in Natick are obviously much higher than what people are selling for. I'll say that again: Too many people are TOO LOW. Prices should be going up much faster, given the demand, despite the fact that they are up 10% since last year, it's still not enough.  I think we will see things continue to rise as the July closing sale prices come in.  Things may calm down - a little - in the fall, but buyers should be aware that Natick remains the most difficult market for buyers and they should be prepared to pay more than might make sense looking in the rearview mirror.

Also worth noting: Natick has joined a growing number of towns with no foreclosures and no short-sales - no one here but real sellers. That will provide a boost to the market. Lastly, a quirk.  The average sale price of Natick actually FELL.  Average and median sale prices will sometimes fall when prices are rising, which is why I prefer to track $/sq foot.  It's an imperfect metric for assessing a single homes value, but very useful when looking at aggregate data.

Matt

Natick Houses For Sale and Sold Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• There are 58 homes listed as For Sale in Natick.
• There have been 254 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 193 homes sold in the last 3 months.
• The Average number of Days on Market was 63 days for just SOLD homes.

  Home Prices are not exploding in Natick.  But demand is.

• There is an Average Market Time of 83 days of the homes For Sale (currently for sale).
• The amount that was paid in Dollars per Square Foot averaged $250 (vs. $241)
• There was an Average Sold Price of $497,236 for sold homes.
• Natick, MA, has 0 properties advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Natick has 0 properties advertised as a short-sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Natick “Home Seller Index” (HSI): 202 Last Report: 150

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS. Note, there will be a some what artificial jump in the rankings as the active status flag is being phased out. (this is a good thing, but will screw up my data sets).

More Great Reads!

• Massachusetts Property Tax Rates by Town
• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What is pre-paid PMI, and is it a good deal?
• How do I get rid of PMI on my mortgage payment?
• How do I prepare for getting ready to buy a house?
• When Should I do a Lead Paint Test on my Home
• Which is better, 2x4 or 2x6 home construction?

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.

Do Good Things Today! Matt Heisler

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

The Milford Homes For Sale Market Report

Another report, another stunning rise in Home prices. This graph is a great example of what you should see when you're going to get rising prices and improving home seller conditions. Let's look!

Note: The chart above updates automatically with each new post, so make sure the comments you are reading line up with the time the post was published.

What? That's not clear? Well, let me explain. The yellow line is home sales. Note that it doesn't really do anything that interesting. Sorta goes up, down, back up. It's pretty steady. But look at the green line. That line is homes currently on the market. It's going in one direction - down. Went up a little bit in July, but the trend is down. With fewer options - and the same number of buyers, pressure builds, and prices go up.

So when we look at the data below, we see that - another 6.5 increase, and we don't have all the June data yet, and none of the July closings. I think I'm seeing a trend here, and it's going to make headlines if it holds up. We will know in the coming weeks!!

Milford Houses For Sale and Sold Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• There are 60 homes listed as For Sale in Milford.
• There have been 140 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 100 homes sold in the last 3 months.
• The Average number of Days on Market was 85 days for just SOLD homes.

  Holy Snikes! It's July already.  Fireworks aren't the only thing exploding - so are Home Prices.

• There is an Average Market Time of 107 days of the homes For Sale (currently for sale).
• The amount that was paid in Dollars per Square Foot averaged $148 (vs. $139)
• There was an Average Sold Price of $282,816 for sold homes.
• Milford, MA, has 1 properties (vs. 3 in the last report) advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Milford has 3 properties (vs. 4) advertised as a short-sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Milford “Home Seller Index” (HSI):132Last Report:111

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS. Note, there will be a some what artificial jump in the rankings as the active status flag is being phased out. (this is a good thing, but will screw up my data sets).

More Great Reads!

• Massachusetts Property Tax Rates by Town
• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What is pre-paid PMI, and is it a good deal?
• How do I get rid of PMI on my mortgage payment?
• How do I prepare for getting ready to buy a house?
• When Should I do a Lead Paint Test on my Home
• Which is better, 2x4 or 2x6 home construction?

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.

Do Good Things Today! Matt Heisler

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

The Medfield Homes For Sale Market Report

I like doing these reports, because there's almost always something I haven't seen before, or is odd, or illuminating, or just interesting. this report on Medfield is no different.

First the chart. Guess what? It shows a decline in the houses for sale available and a big rise in sales, indicating the buyers are not in control in Medfield. Not much of a shock, we're seeing that everywhere.

Note: The chart above updates automatically with each new post, so make sure the comments you are reading line up with the time the post was published.

Let's take a closer look at the data. I just remarked on Marlborough stunning $11/sq foot rise in price in one report cycle. So imagine my surprise when I see that Medfield has jumped $25 a sq foot - almost 10%. There's going to be a lot of talk of a bubble (by ME, among others) if prices in all the towns jumped 10% this spring.  10% is too much, too fast - that tells me that buyers aren't doing a good job of assessing their options.  That wasn't the only thing I noticed though.

What I also noticed was that the average price of a home in Medfield that is on the market is OVER 1 Million dollars.  With an average sale of $622K in this report, but the average list price at 1M+, that tells you the low end has been cleaned out. Bargain hunters - move on - deals in Medfield are out.

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

• There are 48 homes listed as For Sale in Medfield .
• There have been 105 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 84 homes sold in the last 3 months.

  Medfield has home buyers knocking, but many are not finding what they want unless they pay top dollar.

• The Average number of Days on Market was 103 days for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 140 days of the homes For Sale (currently for sale).
• The amount that was paid in Dollars per Square Foot averaged $252 (vs. $227 )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $622,577 for sold homes.
• Medfield ,MA, has 1 properties (vs. 0) advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Medfield has 0 properties (vs. 0 in the last report) advertised as a short-sale is going to be needed by lender .

Medfield “Home Seller Index” (HSI):125 Last Report:85

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS. Note, there will be a some what artificial jump in the rankings as the active status flag is being phased out. (this is a good thing, but will screw up my data sets).

More Great Reads!

• Massachusetts Property Tax Rates by Town
• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What is pre-paid PMI, and is it a good deal?
• How do I get rid of PMI on my mortgage payment?
• How do I prepare for getting ready to buy a house?
• When Should I do a Lead Paint Test on my Home
• Which is better, 2x4 or 2x6 home construction?

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.

Do Good Things Today! Matt Heisler

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

The Marlborough Homes For Sale Market Report

Marlborough has an interesting report here because I think it shows how the market is changing in the area. With a serious shortage of homes in the more expensive towns, people are looking around to see what else might make sense - and they are seeing tremendous value. Marlborough has had a crazy 161 sales in 3 months. 3 months! Not surprisingly, this has set them up for a record HSI, 137, which is very strong.

Note: The chart above updates automatically with each new post, so make sure the comments you are reading line up with the time the post was published.

Yes, it's a strong number. But we've seen lots of strong numbers - what sets this one apart? Well, I'm looking at the $/Sq foot, which JUMPED $11 in one report cycle. Sure, we can argue that the last report cycle was a little week, but that's a big move either way, and the big numbers haven't hit yet. So, after a long stretch, it certainly seems like it's good to be a seller in Marlborough.

What should buyers be thinking? Well, if you see a house you like, recognize that Marlborough is on the way up - so you can be a little more aggressive in purchasing. If you don't be, someone else likely will.

Marlborough Houses For Sale and Sold Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• There are 88 homes listed as For Sale in Marlborough .
• There have been 209 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 161 homes sold in the last 3 months.
• The Average number of Days on Market was 81 days for just SOLD homes.

  Prices are rising in Marlborough, as Home Buyers play Catch-up

• There is an Average Market Time of 104 days of the homes For Sale (currently for sale).
• The amount that was paid in Dollars per Square Foot averaged $161 (vs. $152 )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $303,685 for sold homes.
• Marlborough ,MA, has 2 properties (vs. 3 in the last report) advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Marlborough has 6 properties (vs. 9) advertised as a short-sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Marlborough “Home Seller Index” (HSI):137 Last Report: 102

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS. Note, there will be a some what artificial jump in the rankings as the active status flag is being phased out. (this is a good thing, but will screw up my data sets).

More Great Reads!

• Massachusetts Property Tax Rates by Town
• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What is pre-paid PMI, and is it a good deal?
• How do I get rid of PMI on my mortgage payment?
• How do I prepare for getting ready to buy a house?
• When Should I do a Lead Paint Test on my Home
• Which is better, 2x4 or 2x6 home construction?

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.

Do Good Things Today! Matt Heisler

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

The Hudson Homes For Sale Market Report

Hudson in this weeks report presents a bit of mystery. At first glance, it looks like all the other charts before it. And the chart, by and large, is very similar. Shrinking numbers of homes for sale, shortening days on market, and sales far outpacing actives - especially in the last few months.

Note: The chart above updates automatically with each new post, so make sure the comments you are reading line up with the time the post was published.

So where is the mystery? It's down below in the data. $/Sq foot fell almost $10, which is a huge decrease. How can demand be increasing so clearly and prices be falling? That is a good question, and my only answer is that this is a fluke - there must be a couple of data outliers in the 60+ sales that were used in this report. If I'm right, we'll see a bounce back in the next report - or maybe two reports - when these sales fall off, but we will see.

Regardless, buyers have swarmed Hudson and for good reason- good prices!  But the early bird looks to have gotten the worm, what's left is quite expensive (currently $174 a square foot, a large premium to this reports prices), and probably is not as nice as the stuff that has already sold, by and large. Buyers will have to be sharp to find bargains now.

Note also that the bank impacted inventory has disappeared - just two properties fit that criteria in Hudson.

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

• There are 37 homes listed as For Sale in Hudson.

  Home Sellers are finding the market much brighter than the last report.

• There have been 104 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 84 homes sold in the last 3 months.
• The Average number of Days on Market was 103 days for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 111 days of the homes For Sale (currently for sale).
• The amount that was paid in Dollars per Square Foot averaged $156 (vs. $165 )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $296,902 for sold homes.
• Hudson ,MA, has 1 properties (vs. 0 in the last report) advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Hudson has 1 properties advertised as a short-sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Hudson “Home Seller Index” (HSI):85   Last Report:144

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS. Note, there will be a some what artificial jump in the rankings as the active status flag is being phased out. (this is a good thing, but will screw up my data sets).

More Great Reads!

• Massachusetts Property Tax Rates by Town
• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What is pre-paid PMI, and is it a good deal?
• How do I get rid of PMI on my mortgage payment?
• How do I prepare for getting ready to buy a house?
• When Should I do a Lead Paint Test on my Home
• Which is better, 2x4 or 2x6 home construction?

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.

Do Good Things Today! Matt Heisler

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

The Hopkinton Homes For Sale Market Report

Hopkinton posts another strong report. I'd say very strong, except for the following:

1) The changed active flag status policy and 2) There's some high end new construction that is not moving - showing that not every segment of the market is hot.

Note: The chart above updates automatically with each new post, so make sure the comments you are reading line up with the time the post was published.

This, however, won't help you much if you are a regular buyer, however. Most of the inventory is selling very, very quickly. As noted in the past, Hopkinton has been hot, and remains so, as we look at almost a full year of reports with the HSI at 100 or above.

A sustained market like this should result in rising prices, and we do see that in Hopkinton. In fact, since Feb of 2012, a little less than 16 months, we are up from $182, or over 7% in a little more than a year. That's hot folks! And there's no signs that the changes are slowing down. With only 40 houses left on the market, pressure on prices remains the story.

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

• There are 40 homes listed as For Sale in Hopkinton.
• There have been 128 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 105 homes sold in the last 3 months.

  Looking to move to Hopkinton? So is everyone else, it seems. Rising home prices have failed to deter home buyers.

• The Average number of Days on Market was 80 days for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 232 days of the homes For Sale (currently for sale).
• The amount that was paid in Dollars per Square Foot averaged $195 (vs. $191 )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $543,693 for sold homes.
• Hopkinton ,MA, has 0 properties  (vs. 0 in the last report) advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Hopkinton has 1 properties advertised as a short-sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Hopkinton “Home Seller Index” (HSI):158 Last Report: 104

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS. Note, there will be a some what artificial jump in the rankings as the active status flag is being phased out. (this is a good thing, but will screw up my data sets).

More Great Reads!

• Massachusetts Property Tax Rates by Town
• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What is pre-paid PMI, and is it a good deal?
• How do I get rid of PMI on my mortgage payment?
• How do I prepare for getting ready to buy a house?
• When Should I do a Lead Paint Test on my Home
• Which is better, 2x4 or 2x6 home construction?

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.

Do Good Things Today! Matt Heisler

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

The Holliston Homes For Sale Market Report

Holliston is moving forward as demand is increasing and working through the market. It's not a market where everything is selling right away, however, and seller still need to use some caution when pricing property. If it doesn't sell right away -it may not, as the average for the properties on the market is around 129 days (once you take out some new construction ads), which is certainly not the shortest timeline we've seen. But with homes selling at an average of 55 days, that certainly tells you the good stuff is flying off the shelves.

Note: The chart above updates automatically with each new post, so make sure the comments you are reading line up with the time the post was published.

We don't see a huge push in prices - they look flat - but I think by the next report we will see that rise, as the current sales push through the data.

What should buyers do? Well, Holliston remains a market that isn't totally nuts - so it's a good spot for buyers to keep on their list. Prices are still rational in Holliston. If the inventory continues to fall though, we may see more buyers pushing up prices.  Also, right now, there is very little new construction in town, but Toll Brothers has rumored that there will be more of their product coming on line.  I expect those will be at higher prices than currently, and they are selling fast, and at high prices, roughly 230-250 a square foot, where the rest of town is selling quite a bit lower (this is normal, new construction usually gets top prices. ).  My point being, however, that as those sales get put in the data, it will be moving the numbers up.

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

• There are 46 homes listed as For Sale in Holliston.
• There have been 103 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 79 homes sold in the last 3 months.
• The Average number of Days on Market was 55 days for just SOLD homes.

  The homes in good condition are selling quickly.

• There is an Average Market Time of 165 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 $425,439 for sold homes.
• Holliston ,MA, has 1 properties advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Holliston has 4 properties advertised as a short-sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Holliston “Home Seller Index” (HSI):145 Last Report: 122

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS. Note, there will be a some what artificial jump in the rankings as the active status flag is being phased out. (this is a good thing, but will screw up my data sets).

More Great Reads!

• Massachusetts Property Tax Rates by Town
• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What is pre-paid PMI, and is it a good deal?
• How do I get rid of PMI on my mortgage payment?
• How do I prepare for getting ready to buy a house?
• When Should I do a Lead Paint Test on my Home
• Which is better, 2x4 or 2x6 home construction?

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.

Do Good Things Today! Matt Heisler

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

Red Sox continue to Impress in June

It's hard to complain about the local 9 this year. They have been in the thick of it from the beginning, and still are atop MLB and their division. A number that I like to keep track of at this point is the run differential - not just the record, but how many runs are you beating the opposition by? The Sox are third in that category, right behind Detroit, but trailing the powerful Cardinals by quite a stretch. The eyeball test reveals little different - this is a good team - and so far they've done a better job at staying healthy then they usually do. Not sure why that is, but so far, it's a welcome change. Here are some of the bigger surprises:

Good Surprises

• Daniel Nava - Riding the top of the list has to be Nava. I thought he would be a quality fourth outfielder, but he has been much, much more. The Globe recently wrote that he's been having an All-Star caliber season, and it's pretty likely he'll be a coaches choice. Like Youkilis, his fantastic plate discipline has allowed him to continue improve beyond his projected skill set. And he's not just having a good numerical season, he's coming up in big spots, winning games for the team.
• Clay Buckholz - Is a close second place. It looks like Clay is putting it all together, as many of us had been hoping for a while. While his health has been an problem in the past, it's been only a minor annoyance this year. He certainly looks like a formidable weapon should the Sox reach the post season.
• John Lackey - Don't look now, but he has an ERA at 3.14, which is damn good. He's in shape and with his elbow repaired, has a chance to make me take back all the things I said about him. It still won't be remembered as a good contract for the Sox, but pitching like this is a good way to work your way back into the fans good graces.

Keeping an eye on....

• Mike Carp -Carp got off to a quick start in April, but looked terrible in May, and looked like he was not going to be much of a competitor. Looks like he's a streaky player, because as bad as he looked (and he looked AWFUL), he is TEARING IT UP. He's raised his average from .267 to .330 in about two weeks, and smacked 5 homers along the way. That's a groove.
• Dustin Pedroia - Dustin isn't hitting for power, and that might be due to a troublesome thumb that would have put many players on the DL. But with a .409 OBP, a .325 batting average (team leader), and what I thin will go down as his finest defensive season if he keeps it up, who cares. He has been nothing short of spectacular on both sides of the diamond, while leading all players in games played. If you don't root for Dustin everytime he gets up, go watch something else. He may not have the raw charisma or (eventually) the career length of Derek Jeter, but there are no teams who wouldn't welcome this guy. He's that good. He's put up a .304/.372/.832 slash line CAREER, and no one other than Robinson Cano has been better and more consistent.  (I don't think Cano is as good a defender, but he is a better hitter).
• Jose Igelias - I have been highly critical of Jose's future as a major league prospect. Highly. Critical. So in the interest of full disclosure, I have really, really enjoyed watching him play. He plays defense with a grace that you rarely get to watch, and he has been a tough out at the plate.  But working off some numbers that Peter Abraham posted in the globe last week, I've calculated that if not for an unusual number of lucky bounces and well placed fly balls, he would be around a .241 batting average with a .304 OBP. YIKES. So I remain critical. But I have not failed to notice that his slugging is almost .600, which I can not explain, but will use this word: Hope. I will be watching intensely - but if he reverts to the mean, it will be UGLY.

Disappointments

• Middlebrooks - Where for art thou Middlebrooks? His slump has been bordering on epic, and although growing pains are to be expected, I'd like to see more of a sustained burst of the potential that we all know is there. When he has been hitting, the raw power continues to be awe inspiring. But Will? Hit the other way once in a while, if you haven't noticed, they are pitching you away.
• Ellsbury - he historically has tough Mays, but with June here it'd be nice to see a little more power. Not a lot, just some. His current slugging (.384) won't offset his lower than desired OBP (.349).
• Jonny Gomes - Lack of production noted. He's a gamer though, so here's to a breakout second half.

The Grafton Homes For Sale Market Report

The Grafton MA housing market is also seeing a huge surge this spring. Again, some of this is clearly being front loaded by the Active status flag change, but still things are up sharply in Grafton.

Note: The chart above updates automatically with each new post, so make sure the comments you are reading line up with the time the post was published.

The crazy piece is that prices have not really moved substantially, and may have actually lost some ground. I'm willing to be that when the current UAG flip to SOLDs, we will see housing prices increasing, but right now the data does not show that. Still, a huge imbalance of buyers is crowding Grafton, and most of them have shown up fairly recently. I think we're going to see a huge bunch of sales at the end of the month, it'll be interesting to track the data through that period.

Another report where bank impacted inventory is disappearing. Just two reports ago, you were looking at 11 properties being bank impacted. Now? Just two. That is also very good for price momentum. The good news here for buyers is there are still a fair number of properties left - but the best have moved quickly, with sold homes moving at less than a hundred days - showing the sellers are gaining control of this market as well!

Grafton, MA Houses For Sale and Sold Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• There are 84 homes listed as For Sale in Grafton, MA.
• There have been 144 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 112 homes sold in the last 3 months.
• The Average number of Days on Market was 96 days for just SOLD homes.

  Flowers and Home Sales are in Season in Grafton, MA

• There is an Average Market Time of 209 days of the homes For Sale (currently for sale).
• The amount that was paid in Dollars per Square Foot averaged $165 (vs. $168 )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $370,776 for sold homes.
• Grafton, MA, has 0 properties (vs. 1 in the last report) advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Grafton has 2 properties advertised as a short-sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Grafton “Home Seller Index” (HSI): 110 Last Report:79

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS. Note, there will be a some what artificial jump in the rankings as the active status flag is being phased out. (this is a good thing, but will screw up my data sets).

More Great Reads!

• Massachusetts Property Tax Rates by Town
• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What is pre-paid PMI, and is it a good deal?
• How do I get rid of PMI on my mortgage payment?
• Homestead laws have been improved for Home Owners! Read about your new options.
• When Should I do a Lead Paint Test on my Home
• Which is better, 2x4 or 2x6 home construction?

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.

Do Good Things Today! Matt Heisler

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