Milford Housing Market Statistics Overview

Milford is showing some interesting data in this home sales report. Prices seem to be down significantly, as homes are selling at a lower $/sq foot, but buyers have responded by snapping up homes quickly, pushing the Days on Market down to the point where it's getting close to a hot market. Usually, we see any DOM under 100 resulting in a hot market, or HSI above 90, and here we see the HSI at 88 moving north quickly. Sellers should be seeing very good traffic, and if they aren't getting results, don't blame the market. Buyers should be prepared that desirable homes could go competitive - the homes could get multiple offers - and should move quickly to avoid that scenario.

The bank impacted inventory is down, but still significant, with 24 properties (about 25% of the market) being either short sales or foreclosures. The picture is improving though, and a couple of more reports like this one and we may see that number get cut significantly.

Milford Housing Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• There are 103 homes (vs. 87 in the last Milford Home For Sale report) listed as For Sale.
• There have been 111 houses sold (vs. 96) in the last 6 months, and 70 homes sold (vs. 49) in the last 3 months.
• There was an Average Market Time of 104 days (vs. 122) for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 127 days of the homes For Sale.
• The Dollars paid per Square Foot in Milford is $130 (vs. $145 )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $231,191 for sold homes.
• Milford has 8 properties (vs. 9) advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Milford, MA has 16 properties (vs. 17) advertised as short sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Milford “Hot Seller Index” (HSI): 88 Last Report: 80

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS.

Read my Explanation for Massachusetts Home Data Reports.

Our Most Accessed Posts

• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What do I need to know about Heat Pumps? Will they save me money?
• Will Solar Panels add Value to my Home and build Equity?
• Is it a bad idea to buy a house near power lines? Is it safe to buy a house near high tension powerlines?
• What is the Case-Schiller Index?
• Investors can make money on foreclosures - can you?
• Should I buy a home with electric heat? How much will my heating bill be with electric heat?

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.

Marlborough, MA Housing Market Statistics Overview

Marlborough has improved for sellers a bit, owing a bit to the spring buying splurge we've seen throughout Metrowest, but it remains a neutral market. The best homes are selling quickly, but there's not enough demand just yet to really put pressure on prices. Buyers should be prepared to move quickly for A condition properties in good locations, and sellers should get good traffic in all prices ranges.

In a surprising positive development for Marlborough housing, we see reductions in both foreclosures and short-sales in this report. They are still high - over 10% of the market, but have been cut significantly in this report, and that is certainly the right direction.

Marlborough Housing Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• There are 119 homes (vs. 105 in the last Marlborough Homes for Sale Report) listed as For Sale.
• There have been 112 houses sold in the last 6 months, and 75 homes sold in the last 3 months.
• There was an Average Market Time of 127 days for just  SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 139 days of the homes For Sale.
• The Dollars paid per Square Foot in Marlborough, MA is $152 (vs. $154 )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $290,478 for sold homes.
• Marlborough, MA has 4 properties advertised (vs. 6) as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Marlborough has 10 properties advertised (vs. 15) as short sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Marlborough, MA “Hot Seller Index” (HSI): 82 Last Report: 72

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS.

Read my Explanation for Massachusetts Home Data Reports.

Our Most Accessed Posts

• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What do I need to know about Heat Pumps? Will they save me money?
• Will Solar Panels add Value to my Home and build Equity?
• Is it a bad idea to buy a house near power lines? Is it safe to buy a house near high tension powerlines?
• What is the Case-Schiller Index?
• Investors can make money on foreclosures - can you?
• Should I buy a home with electric heat? How much will my heating bill be with electric heat?

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.

Hudson, MA Housing Market Statistics Overview

The Hudson real estate market looks softer in the numbers - but buried in there are 20 pendings that will increase the HSI a great deal, and probably mean the market is stronger than a lower number of 73 for the HSI would indicate. We see a big jump in Hudson homes for sale, and good increases in the six month and three month sales. Average time on market for these homes is remaining steady. Buyers should expect competition for the nicest most well-priced homes. Most homes however are getting traffic, and sellers should find the market receptive to buyers. Perhaps not too many competitive bids, but good offers and sales.

Has the shadow inventory appeared in Hudson? Foreclosures are up to three, and short-sales are at 7. That puts bank impacted inventory at 10% - an unhealthy level for sure, and bound to keep a lid on average prices going forward. So maybe we're seeing some distressed inventory here, but we're not seeing it elsewhere, so this data point is an outlier until further notice.

Hudson, MA Housing Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• There are 93 homes (vs. 48 in the last Hudson Homes for Sale Report) listed as For Sale.
• There have been 70 houses sold (vs. 64) in the last 6 months, and 39 homes sold (vs. 35) in the last 3 months.
• There was an Average Market Time of 134 days for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 117 days (vs. 178) of the homes For Sale.
• The Dollars paid per Square Foot in Hudson is $152 (vs. $151 )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $278,442 for sold homes.
• Hudson, MA has 3 properties (vs. 1) advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Hudson, MA has 7 properties (vs. 3) advertised as short sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Hudson “Hot Seller Index” (HSI): 73 Last Report: 85

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS.

Read my Explanation for Massachusetts Home Data Reports.

Our Most Accessed Posts

• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What do I need to know about Heat Pumps? Will they save me money?
• Will Solar Panels add Value to my Home and build Equity?
• Is it a bad idea to buy a house near power lines? Is it safe to buy a house near high tension powerlines?
• What is the Case-Schiller Index?
• Investors can make money on foreclosures - can you?
• Should I buy a home with electric heat? How much will my heating bill be with electric heat?

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.

Hopkinton, MA Housing Market Statistics Overview

The lack of homes for sale in Hopkinton mentioned in the last report definitely looks better, but it's still light. The number of homes for sale has returned to more normal levels, jumping 45 homes to 97, but many of these homes are being snapped up quickly, so we see the average market time for solds at a super hot 92 day average. Prices are up slightly according to $/sq foot, which you'd expect to see in a tight market, but we'll see if those gains hold up as we go through the summer. Last year, they didn't across much of Metrowest. At any rate, sellers should be seeing good traffic even for average condtion/location properties, and fantastic traffic for neighborhood properties in good condition. Buyers will find the Hopkinton market very competitive, as it has been for much of the last two years.

Bank impacted inventory remains a non-factor in Hopkinton, as these properties move off the market quickly and are being replaced, but there's no increase here. No foreclosure homes for sale, and but three short-sales are in the Hopkinton market.

Hopkinton Housing Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• There are 97 homes (vs. 52 in the last Hopkinton Homes for Sale Report) listed as For Sale.
• There have been 106 houses sold (vs. 90) in the last 6 months, and 61 homes sold (vs. 52) in the last 3 months.
• There was an Average Market Time of 92 days (vs. 107) for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 143 days (vs. 213) of the homes For Sale.
• The Dollars paid per Square Foot in Hopkinton is $189 (vs. $182 )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $548,829 for sold homes.
• Hopkinton, MA has Zero properties (vs. 2) advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Hopkinton has 3 properties (vs. 1) advertised as short sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Hopkinton, MA “Hot Seller Index” (HSI): 88 Last Report: 101

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS.

Read my Explanation for Massachusetts Home Data Reports.

Our Most Accessed Posts

• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What do I need to know about Heat Pumps? Will they save me money?
• Will Solar Panels add Value to my Home and build Equity?
• Is it a bad idea to buy a house near power lines? Is it safe to buy a house near high tension powerlines?
• What is the Case-Schiller Index?
• Investors can make money on foreclosures - can you?
• Should I buy a home with electric heat? How much will my heating bill be with electric heat?

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.

Holliston Housing Market Statistics Overview

Holliston has seen some big changes as the sellers have returned. A jump up of over 40% in Homes for Sale in Holliston has helped sales as well - with virtually all the sales in the last six months happening in the last three months. So after stalling over the winter, things are back on track in Holliston. There were notable declines in all the days on market statistics, so buyers are being aggressive with choices - but prices are holding firm. The HSI is essentially unchanged.

There's a rise in the number of foreclosures in Holliston, as they tripled from a paltry 1 to 3, but with inventory almost doubling on a percentage basis it's less impressive when looked as a percentage of the active homes. Either way, I don't see a huge flood of bank impacted inventory here - but enough to depress prices somewhat when the numbers are crunched going forward.

Holliston Housing Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• There are 74 homes listed as For Sale (vs. 44 in the last Holliston Homes for Sale Report).
• There have been 58 houses sold (vs. 59) in the last 6 months, and 42 homes sold (vs. 29) in the last 3 months.
• There was an Average Market Time of 126 days for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 120 days of the homes For Sale.
• The Dollars paid per Square Foot in Holliston, MA is $178 (vs. $178) )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $375,936 for sold homes.
• Holliston has 3 properties (vs. 1) advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Holliston, MA has 3 properties (vs.2 ) advertised as short sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Holliston, MA “Hot Seller Index” (HSI): 82 Last Report: 81

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS.

Read my Explanation for Massachusetts Home Data Reports.

Our Most Accessed Posts

• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What do I need to know about Heat Pumps? Will they save me money?
• Will Solar Panels add Value to my Home and build Equity?
• Is it a bad idea to buy a house near power lines? Is it safe to buy a house near high tension powerlines?
• What is the Case-Schiller Index?
• Investors can make money on foreclosures - can you?
• Should I buy a home with electric heat? How much will my heating bill be with electric heat?

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.

Grafton, MA Housing Market Statistics Overview

Grafton continues to be slow for sellers - with the average listed market time at 200 days, many sellers are sitting too long. There's a significant overhang of houses for sale in Grafton as well - too many sellers, not enough buyers. That means deals for buyers going out there though, and the market is moving along for some houses that are desireable and priced right. The 126 days for SOLD homes in Grafton is actually pretty healthy, but not enough to eat up the existing inventory. Supporting the fact that not all is doom and gloom, $/sq foot is actually up $1 - showing buyers are not pushing prices down.

It doesn't hurt that there's little foreclosure activity in Grafton. Just three in the last report and only two in this one. Shadow inventory has yet to invade Grafton. But we remain vigilant.

Grafton, MA Housing Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• There are 122 homes (vs. 98 in the last Grafton Homes for Sale Report) listed as For Sale.
• There have been 84 houses sold (vs 86) in the last 6 months, and 47 homes sold (vs. 40) in the last 3 months.
• There was an Average Market Time of 126 days for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 200 days of the homes For Sale.
• The Dollars paid per Square Foot in Grafton, MA is $158 (vs. $157 )
• There was an Average Sold Price of $374,480 for sold homes.
• Grafton, MA has 2 properties (vs. 3) advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Grafton has 6 properties (vs. 6) advertised as short sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Grafton, MA “Hot Seller Index” (HSI): 68 Last Report: 69

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS.

Read my Explanation for Massachusetts Home Data Reports.

Our Most Accessed Posts

• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What do I need to know about Heat Pumps? Will they save me money?
• Will Solar Panels add Value to my Home and build Equity?
• Is it a bad idea to buy a house near power lines? Is it safe to buy a house near high tension powerlines?
• What is the Case-Schiller Index?
• Investors can make money on foreclosures - can you?
• Should I buy a home with electric heat? How much will my heating bill be with electric heat?

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.

Framingham, MA Housing Market Statistics Overview

A quick look at the statistics produces a yawn - nothing much to see here. Framingham remains very good for sellers. But a look at the last couple weeks activity shows over 40 homes going into pending, including a big chunk of homes that have been on the market for a year or more. When the laggards are being bought, that means things are jumping. Expect the next report to have a monster HSI number for Framingham - I'll be shocked if it doesn't shoot well above 100. We should definitely see a reverse of the slight slide in $/sq foot as well - that data hasn't trickled through yet.  Sellers - Buyers are looking for you homes now! Better get out there while the getting is good. Buyers, be aggressive. Know what you want and get out there quickly - the best ones aren't sticking around.

Foreclosures are basically flat, and short-sales are too - no real change there.  It will be interesting to see if they move significantly at the end of the spring.

Framingham, MA Housing Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• There are 174 homes (vs. 143 in the last Framingham Home Sales Report) listed as For Sale.
• There have been 240 houses sold (vs. 242) in the last 6 months, and 144 homes sold (vs. 123) in the last 3 months.
• There was an Average Market Time of 115 days for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 126 days of the homes For Sale.
• The Dollars paid per Square Foot in Framingham, MA is $171 (vs. $177) 
• There was an Average Sold Price of $306,376 for sold homes.
• Framingham, MA has 6 properties (vs. 5) advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Framingham, MA has 19 properties (vs. 21) advertised as short sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Framingham, MA “Hot Seller Index” (HSI): 94 Last Report: 100

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS.

Read my Explanation for Massachusetts Home Data Reports.

Our Most Accessed Posts

• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What do I need to know about Heat Pumps? Will they save me money?
• Will Solar Panels add Value to my Home and build Equity?
• Is it a bad idea to buy a house near power lines? Is it safe to buy a house near high tension powerlines?
• What is the Case-Schiller Index?
• Investors can make money on foreclosures - can you?
• Should I buy a home with electric heat? How much will my heating bill be with electric heat?

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.

Do I Need Flood Insurance on my Home?

Today's update is on the topic of flood insurance. Insurance is (obviously), very important for every homeowner. For many of us, insurance is something that we try to get a competitive price for, but don't really understand what we're buying until we have an issue, and then need to get it fixed. Personally, despite a lot of "fine print" reading, I'm usually unclear on various points when it comes to what's covered, how much its covered, and in what situations I'm not covered. Because of the specialty nature of this post, I thought I'd go right to the source, my insurance agent, Morgan Duffy, Owner of Hayden Wood Insurance Agency. Inc in Southborough.

Matt: Welcome to the blog Morgan! Let's get right to the point. What is Flood Insurance?

Morgan Duffy: Flood Insurance provides coverage for ground water. While a flood is normally defined as an overflowing of a large amount of water beyond its normal confines it may also be cause by the rapid accumulation of rain.

Matt: What does Flood Insurance typically cover?

Morgan Duffy: Flood Insurance provides coverage for both the building and contents (Matt's note: contents = Your stuff!) located at or above ground level. It will also provide limited coverage for essential mechanicals (furnace, a/c, etc…) which may be located in a structure below ground level (aka your basement). It is important to note that a finished basement is not covered.

Matt: What does a typical home insurance policy cover?

Morgan Duffy: This can be a bit of an involved question but if we are limiting it to our current topic of Flood Insurance then the answer is easy – nothing. Homeowners insurance specifically excludes flood though many companies offer endorsement for the backup of sewers & drains and sump pump failure. These endorsements (Matt's note: endorsement is insurance speak for additional coverage at additional cost often only if you ask for it!) usually provide very limited coverage of between $2,500-$10,000 against these specific situations.

Matt: So, it's really difficult to get insurance protection for my finished basement?

Morgan Duffy: Yes, in most cases coverage is not available for finished basements, however, there is an exception - if your home has over a $1MM Replacement Cost (Insurable Value) then you may qualify for a high end company who caters to affluent individuals. In that case flood coverage is actually an endorsement included in the home insurance policy. That type of homeowner policy is in a whole different league and that flood endorsement does offer coverage for your finished basement treating it like it treats the rest of your home.

Matt: How expensive is flood insurance?

Morgan Duffy: That depends on the flood zone you are in. If you are in what is classified to be a 50 or 100 year zone, meaning that it is expected to flood every 50-100 years flood insurance can be expensive when compared to your home insurance premium. But if you are not in one of those zones then flood insurance is a relatively inexpensive proposition and worth the cost. It is important to note that flood insurance is available up to $250k in coverage. If you want or need more coverage than that on your home then you will also need to purchase an Excess Flood Policy at an additional cost.

Matt: How do I know if I'm in a Flood Zone?

Morgan Duffy: The National Flood Program supports a website http://www.floodsmart.gov where you can type in your address and it will tell you what type of flood zone you are in along with what your risk of flood is.

Matt: Morgan, what are the different levels of risk that http://www.floodsmart.gov would give me and how does that correspond to pricing of flood insurance?

Morgan: Low Risk = low cost

Moderate Risk = moderate cost

High Risk = high cost

Matt: As a homeowner, can I change whether I'm in a Flood Zone?

Morgan Duffy: Nope. This is determined by the government. If your home is in a flood zone there are factors which may reduce the risk of flooding thusly reducing the premium for your flood coverage. This has to do with the relative elevation of the home vs the Base Flood Elevation for that location. If you are in this situation you may obtain an Elevation Survey and submit that to the insurance company providing your flood coverage for consideration.

Thanks to Morgan Duffy from Hayden Wood Insurance Agency, Inc.

There's been no shortage of storylines this week from the media.

I have found over the years, that the beginning of a Sox season is always filled with hyperbole, as fans an pundits alike try to draw season wide conclusions from a sample set of games that has barely reached the double digit mark. Another interesting trend is that they also look at just the local 9 - and not league wide - as such a look might show how foolish that increased scrutiny can be.

This season is no different.  Certainly, things have not gone as expected, with injuries to Ellsbury, Bailey, and Crawford out longer than expected.  But it's easy to lose focus.  So let's look at some numbers and see what conclusions, if any, actually confirm the story lines.

Among the various story lines:

1) Bard needs to go to the bullpen.

As of this writing, Bard leads the starters in ERA.  That's right, he's their best pitcher right now.  Any talk of putting him in the bullpen is not only short-sighted, it's illustrative of desperately people abhor change.  He's not lighting the world on fire, but there's no reason to yank the rug out from under him now.  If you don't like the way he's pitching, I'd submit you're not watching very closely.

2) The bullpen is a mess.

Bullpens are always a mess, especially early.  Hello people, Rivera has a 5.40 ERA at the moment.  It happens.  A number of pitchers the Sox have are pitching OK, and a couple have been terrible.  But it's a little early to be talking about wholesale changes or that they can't get to the all-star break with this bullpen.  That's nonsense.

3) Time to relegate Youkilis to the bench and bring up Middlebrooks.

Hey, I'm a big fan of Middlebrooks.  But Youkilis is a monster hitter off to a slow start.  He's earned his right to play out of it, and I'm sure he will.  While we're on the subject, hitting is not the Red Sox problem, they are among the AL leaders in runs and OPS.  We've seen evidence of their ability to mash, and although the lineup is a little thin at the moment, it's not their biggest problem.

4) The Sox are doomed.

The Sox are off to a bad start, and a lot of injuries, but there's a whole calvary of help coming down the Pike. Ellsbury, Crawford, Bailey, Dice-K are impact players and they'll be at Fenway sooner than you think, with plenty of games to play.  Are people worried the 6-6 Yankees have already taken an insurmountable lead?  Or that the Orioles are going to run away with the division?  Please.  

5) The Yankees are in great shape.

It's early, but their starters are not doing so hot either.  Nova is doing the best with a 4.5 ERA.  But Garcia and Hughes are looking like they may have long seasons in front of them. The Yankees have some depth at the position, but not a lot of flexibility (what do you do with Hughes if he can't pitch?) on their roster.  And I'm not sold that Pineda or Pettite are monster upgrades. And if you think the Sox lineup is in trouble, look down south.  A-rod, Teixeira, and Granderson have hit four homers combined (while Jeter has already hit 4 homers). Russel Martin is starting his campaign to be the worst starting catcher in MLB early, hitting .148.  But Hey, it's early.  The Yankees are better than that, and not every team starts the season the way it ends.

Bottom line is this, the Sox are looking at a 4-8 record because they have pitched poorly against some teams that can rake.  Despite this, the RPI that the Sox have on ESPN puts them the 12th best team in the league, but with 5 NL team in front of them, that probably means 8th.  (Once interleague games get played, NL teams tend to fall off the RPI standings). Right now, the Sox have the worst pitching in baseball - but I have a hard time thinking they won't pitch better.  Good enough to win the division? Not without some better play over the next 20 games, but that's why they play them.

So fans, it's looked ugly, but we're far from hopeless.  I see some bright spots on the Horizon.

Clinton, MA Housing Market Statistics Overview

After a great report last time, Clinton has softened a little for sellers, as increase competition, i.e. more homes for sale, has made things more difficult. Much of the new competition is very recent - I counted 11 homes that were listed in the last week - but those fluctuations will put a damper in the HSI until the buyers grab them. Even though the numbers are down, the $/sq foot is steady, suggesting buyers are liking their options in Clinton. Clinton is very inexpensive for what you get, more buyers should consider it, it's a small town though, and often overlooked because it's not quite close enough to 495.

Interesting turn around in the foreclosure market - foreclosures being marketed are down sharply, over 50%, which is the exact opposite of what most of the pundits are saying should happen this year. Interestingly, and not for the first time, I've noticed that when a market seems to go through a stretch that is good for sellers, the short-sales increase - reflecting, I think, broker and seller optimism that buyers can be found for these properties. We see it here as well, as short-sales are up sharply. Net result is that banks still control a health 20% of the inventory, too much too put pressure on prices.

Clinton Housing Market Statistics - Raw MLS Data

• There are 64 homes (vs. 53 in the last Clinton Home Sales Report) listed as For Sale.
• There have been 51 houses sold (vs. 56) in the last 6 months, and 27 homes (vs. 33) sold in the last 3 months.
• There was an Average Market Time of 138 days for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 132 days of the homes For Sale.
• The Dollars paid per Square Foot in Clinton is $119 (vs. $120)
• There was an Average Sold Price of $209,362 for sold homes.
• Clinton, MA has 3 properties (vs. 7) advertised as lender owned/foreclosure (typically foreclosure) .
• Clinton has 8 properties advertised (vs. 4) as short sale is going to be needed by lender .
• Clinton, MA “Hot Seller Index” (HSI): 72 Last Report: 82

*All statistics are for Single Family Houses and based on data in MLS.

Read my Explanation for Massachusetts Home Data Reports.

Our Most Accessed Posts

• How do I get the seller to pay my closing costs, and is it free money?
• What do I need to know about Heat Pumps? Will they save me money?
• Will Solar Panels add Value to my Home and build Equity?
• Is it a bad idea to buy a house near power lines? Is it safe to buy a house near high tension powerlines?
• What is the Case-Schiller Index?
• Investors can make money on foreclosures - can you?
• Should I buy a home with electric heat? How much will my heating bill be with electric heat?

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.