General Index 

There has been much ado on the local airwaves made about the Red Sox "making a move" at the trading deadline. Some of the hosts clearly need something to talk about. Fortunately, the return of the NFL will relegate the Sox talk to the back burner, as they continue to crush teams and get healthy, at least until the post-season. Yet, I've heard many voices and articles from the prominent beat writers making their best shot at Trades. I love trade talk, but guys, you need to be looking about 150 miles South. The Yankees will be the ones making deals, if they can. In short:

Beltran Gives the Sox very Little

Didn't we all just live through the "talented but aging center-fielder" experiment with Mike Cameron? It would be one thing if he was cheap (he's not) or wouldn't require prospects (he will) or at the very least would provide draft picks if he leaves (he won't). It's even worse that he'd half to play right field for the Sox, the most challenging right field in MLB, and he's coming from the NL. I'm sorry, what is the upside here? I flat out don't even want him, if he cost me nothing. I see a big risk, and no long term solution in Right Field. If you trade for him, you'll have to play him, and we don't need another Eric Gagne trade.

Now, I'm no fool. I know Josh Reddick is probably not going to end his career as a .375 hitter. But I also think he'll end up better than Drew (who apparently is going on the DL today), and with this lineup, you could settle for average in Right, all the while finding out if he can play everyday next year. He could be a multi-year solution at basically low cost for many years, and I think you seriously need to get a good look at guys like that. Again, with this line-up, you don't need him to be an All-star. Somewhere in the middle is just fine. If the defense is there, look for the Sox to let Reddick play, make adjustments, and evaluate him as next year's starting right fielder. I'm good with that.

Jose Reyes: Don't make me Laugh

Mr. Carfado, I generally like your columns, and read them regularly, but this one was out of left field.  OK, out of the infield, but you get my point. Jose Reyes is having a great SEASON, but isn't a great player. So, first off, Epstein doesn't like to do deal where a player is over valued by the marketplace, which Reyes most certainly will be. He certainly isn't going to load up the prospect truck to get Reyes whose a .782 career OPS guy in the National League. I think Jason Stark did a column that showed that a lot of players that have a great half (first or second) usually crash back to earth in the next half. I'm also sure that whoever wrote it, Epstein read it, and knows that too. Bottom line, this guy isn't the offensive threat he might seem, and might be MARGINAL at best an improvement over Scutaro and a healthy Jed Lowrie. Not the "bet the farm" type deal you need to do here, so it'll never happen.

Prepared to be Unimpressed when the Trade Deadline Ends

As noted in my last column, I expected the deadline to be quiet for the Sox. Based on the last two weeks, it's a lock. Theo knows he has a team good enough to win the whole thing. Look for the players to get challenged to do so.

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Matt Heisler

Boylston, MA Condos

View Metrowest Condominium Complexes in a larger map

Key:

Blue Pointer: Standard Condominium Complex

Green Pointer: Active Adult Community (Over 55+) Complex

Purple Pointer: Affordable, Income restricted Units At This Complex

Timberbrook Condos

This completed, 150 unit complex was built in 1974, with townhouse style units with 3 bedrooms available.  Practical and affordable, they deserve a look!

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Matt Heisler 

Charlton, MA Condos

View Metrowest Condominium Complexes in a larger map

Key:

Blue Pointer: Standard Condominium Complex

Green Pointer: Active Adult Community (Over 55+) Complex

Purple Pointer: Affordable, Income restricted Units At This Complex

Upham Farms

This completed, 30 unit complex was built in the late 80's.  It is mostly pet friendly and is not age restricted.  Most units have a one car garage, and some have A/C  With approximately 2 bedrooms 1.5 baths in a 1400 sq. foot floor plan, they are practical starter housing.  Fees are reasonable and units with a basement are always a nice find..  In rural Charlton, this complex does have a shared well and private septic, which may results in fees down the road.  Lastly, some units are quite close to the mass pike and will have significant road noise. This complex is in the western part of Charlton.

Countryside Village Condominiums 

This completed, 20 unit complex was built in 1970, and converted to condos in 2006.  These smaller, practical units are good apartment alternatives, giving a buyer an opportunity to build equity.

SHOW ME CURRENT CONDOS FOR SALE IN CHARLTON

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Matt Heisler

Analysis of Framingham Housing Market Statistics

As noted in the last report, we see significant strengthening in this report.  Actives are up slightly, but sales and sales momentum are way up.  Average days on market for solds continues to fall, and at 99 days, it's official, sellers are having success in Framingham.  Buyers are likely bumping into each other

at competitive properties, and should be aware good condition neighborhood homes priced right are moving very fast.  Sellers, it may not be too late to take advantage of the market, things have been busy in July this year.

Framingham Housing Market Statistics - Raw Data

• There are 218 homes (vs. 199 in the last Framingham Home Sales Report) listed as For Sale.
• There have been 247 houses (vs. 188)  sold in the last 6 months, and 176 homes (vs. 110) sold in the last 3 months.
• There was an Average Market Time of 99 days (vs. 116) for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 114 days of the homes For Sale.
• There was an Average Sold Price of $311,772 for sold homes.
• Framingham has 8 properties (vs. 6) advertised as lender owned (typically foreclosure) .
• Framingham has 17 properties (vs. 22) advertised as short sales required by lender .
• Framingham “Hot Seller Index”: 95 Hot!!

*All statistics are for Single Family Homes.

Wondering about my Market Methodology? Read my Explanation for Massachusetts Home Data Reports.

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Matt Heisler is a real-estate professional and owner of Heisler & Mattson Properties. He has been selling residential real-estate for over 20 years. He has given several talks on real estate, including presentations on first-time buyer tips & tricks, and profiting in real estate investing in Massachusetts. 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.

Powerlines and their Impact on Housing

First off, let's clear up what I mean by power lines. I don't mean telephone poles that bring power to your house. You need those. Nope, I'm talking about large, high tension power lines. You know, the scary, giant steel towers that bring huge amounts of power to substations from the power plants. Concerns about power lines fall into three categories.

Power lines are dangerous

Currently, real estate agents are not required to disclose that power lines are dangerous to your health.  But many people, despite the prevailing science, are concerned that they are anyway. Ultimately, that is up for you to determine.  Here is the EPA's view.

Power lines are Ugly

Well, I think they are ugly. Trees=pretty, power lines=ugly. This is certainly true. So let's stop here. If you think that power lines are UGLY, or dangerous, and you don't wish to live next to them, then you should

NOT! Stop reading! Move on! If they bother you that much, don't bother with them. However, if you don't think they bother you THAT much, read on.

Power lines mean I'll never be able to re-sell my house

Certainly large power lines give most people cause to slow down and think about the house. The facts remain though, there are people who live in houses next to power lines, and they get bought and sold all the time. Why is that?

Houses ultimately Have a Value

Let's take a hypothetical situation. I use this one often. Let's say you see what is NORMALLY a $600,000 beautiful house on the market. It's only $575,000. But it's next to power lines. Usually, when informed of this, buyers will say to me: "I would NEVER buy that house". Oh really? What if it was $500K? No? What if it was 300k? I bet you're thinking about it now. A nice, expensive house - without the expense! Let's take it to the extreme. If the house was being sold for $1000 would you buy it? That's less than typical closing costs. I bet you just answered yes. Why? Because you KNOW you can sell it for more than $1000. In fact, I know that you can sell it for more than $300,000. So the question is really at what price can you find a buyer for this home? That can be determined - without much effort, generally, by a seasoned real estate agent. That price is the where the value of what the home provides becomes an irresistible allure to that segment of the buying population that doesn't care about the power lines. And that is the right price.

Selling A House Next to Power lines

If you bought the house at the right price, and the town that you live in has gone up 10% in value, guess what? You probably made 10% too! I can hear you skeptics! I know you're saying it's not true. But it is. These houses have people that live in them - and for the vast, vast majority, are very happy!!! Why wouldn't they be happy? They are getting a great deal on a great house - with the benefit of some very quiet neighbors ( power lines might be ugly, but they are quiet). The key to remember is that just because you've had a good run in that house, the power lines are still there. Don't be fooled into thinking that you'll be able to get more, on a RELATIVE basis, than the last person did - you probably can't. Make your house the compelling value it was when you bought it, and you'll find a buyer before you know it.

6 Elizabeth Drive

This extra large home with compelling features is in Westborough!

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Matt Heisler

Analysis of Clinton Housing Market Statistics

The Clinton market looks like another market moving sideways.  There's some incremental improvement in sales, but not really enough to draw firm conclusions.  A surprising pick up in lender owned foreclosures in Clinton stands out, as almost 12 percent of the inventory is lender impacted in Clinton.  Both the average sold market time and days on market look pretty healthy.  Still hard to imagine price pressures without a better active to solds ratio, so it looks like a neutral market for the time being in Clinton.

Show Me Clinton, MA Homes for Sale

Clinton Housing Market Statistics - Raw Data

• There are 58  homes (vs. 49 in the last Clinton Home Sales Report) listed as For Sale.
• There have been 42 houses (vs. 40) sold in the last 6 months, and 27  homes (vs. 21)  sold in the last 3 months.
• There was an Average Market Time of  123 days for just SOLD homes.
• There is an Average Market Time of 117 days of the homes For Sale.
• There was an Average Sold Price of $207,609 for sold homes.
• Clinton  has 5 properties (vs. 2) advertised as lender owned (typically foreclosure) .
• Clinton  has 2 properties (vs. 5) advertised as short sales required by lender .
• Clinton “Hot Seller Index”: 77    Trending Up

*All statistics are for Single Family Homes.

Wondering about my Market Methodology? Read my Explanation for Massachusetts Home Data Reports.

An Educated Home Buyer is a Happy Home Owner. Read On!

• Practical steps to declutter your home and have it show it’s best!
• How can I buy an auction property if I don’t have cash?
• Are one bedroom condos or homes a good investment? It depends.
• Have a home? Quick 10 ways to save money!
• Can I win my bid war by dropping contingencies, and should I do that?
• Prices and assessments are up! Do you need to file an abatement?
• Upgrading a bath? Handy idea book here with many options to think about!

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.

HOA Fee Basics

Home Owners association Fees are getting more common in this part of the world. Where once they were quite rare, the increase in town scrutiny for new developments, and the increase in density in this area, they are showing up all over the place. So what are they? Most people know that the "fee" part means they must pay something. But they aren't usually sure what they get. Most HOA fees are a fee assessed to a group of home owners to pay for or support a shared benefit of the association. They can be as simple as mowing the grass on a neighborhood field, or as complicated as a condo fee.

Types of HOA fees

As mentioned previously, HOA fees can be for a huge range of items. Trash pickup, lawn maintenance, golf club dues, water access dues (many lakes have a HOA fee for various reasons), shared sewer systems, plowing, gardens, private roads - the list is virtually endless. The only way to know for sure is to look at the Association

documents. When selling property, many Sellers will just highlight what the money goes for most of the time, but you should always read the documents before committing to that property. There could be rules you're not comfortable with.

What's the Difference Between a Condo Fee and an HOA Fee?

Well, there's really no functional difference. Legally, most HOA fees are for properties that are deeded single family homes, and condo fees is the language used for those properties that are legally condominiums. In general, condominiums have larger and more complex rules, but that's not always the case. As noted, most HOA fees are simple and straightforward, but there's no "standard" or rule that says they need to be. They can be just as, or more complicated than condo fees. (It should be noted that in some instances condo documents are quite simple).

What should I Absolutely Know About HOA fees

I think the number one question you should try to get answered is, "How likely is my HOA fee to go up significantly?". If the HOA fee involves infrastructure, and there's no capital reserve fund, you could get clobbered in assessments or fee raises (if the association has the power to do so). Understand how the HOA fee is changed, who votes on it, what things it can cover and what things it does not. Obviously, if an HOA fee is in place for a common driveway and is designed to pool funds for plowing, there's not much risk that it will go up significantly (or more than any other plowing bill). But if the association is responsible for the PRIVATE ROAD, and it's in disrepair and needs to get repaved, take a close look and ask questions as to how that will get paid for.

Do you have questions about HOA fees? Contact me and I'll post them here with answers.

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Matt Heisler

Well, I'm glad that's over.

Sometimes I feel the All-Star game has turned into the Oscars.  I like seeing who plays, and who wins, but does it have to take so long?  The Oscars, of course, is plagued by the endless speeches, and the All-Star game by a two hour introduction and more commercials than a foot ball game.  Can't they just play?  MLB, here's a hint:  We don't need introductions and background on these players.  If you don't know who these guys at the All Star game, you're not going to learn that night. At any rate, a natural time to reflect on the season, so here we go.

A Long Strange Trip To First

The Sox are where most thought they would be. In first, by a game. But after the start they've made, it's definitely a wonder. If they can keep their pitching injuries from affecting too many games, the way they are pounding the ball, they should finish out in front comfortably. Some notes:

A) I'm sure some laughed at my calling Adrian Gonzales the Triple Crown Threat (TCT). Not only might is he a TCT, but he's most assuredly on his way to an MVP. There are many who are surprised at how good he is, but they are obviously not reading this blog! The scary part is, I'm not even sure this is his "best". Look for the Walks issued to AG to skyrocket, and Youkilis to clean up. They'll have to work around him.

B) Matsuzaka is a shame. Just when it looked like he might put together a solid season, he wrecks the elbow. I was looking forward to him competing, and salvaging his contract. Guess not.

C) Goodbye Cameron. Cameron's transition to platoon player just didn't happen. Shockingly, he was even more ineffective than Drew, and with Lowrie and Reddick playing well, someone had to go. It's a surprise that he just couldn't get hot, but it can take some guys a while to figure out a big change in role (right, Posada?).

D) The depth on the Sox pitching has been good - but it won't hold up if Lester, Buckholz, and Beckett can't keep doing DL stints.

E) Will they or won't they trade? I don't really see anything on the trade market that's going to improve the team. They have just as much a chance as Drew playing better, Crawford playing well, and Reddick or Lowrie contributing. Bullpen is the same way - Wheeler and Jenks are due for some major contributions. I see the Sox standing pat.

How Good are the Yankees

I think if you were looking at the standings, you'd have to say the Yankees are damn good. But I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out how they are compiling these wins. Hughes looks in trouble. Nova is barely better. Can both Colon and Garcia continue to pitch like All-Stars? Somehow I doubt it. How, exactly, are the Yankees going to continue to play at this level with so much whistling past the graveyard? They are definitely doing a high wire act. Some notes:

A) Jeter hits 3000. Celebrate Jeter. You earned it. And 3000 is a homerun? How on earth did Price through you a cookie you could hit out? Let's face it, you can still rise to the occasion. Not sure you should be hitting first, but I look forward to seeing you in the 9 hole soon.

B) Here's to you, Mr. Robinson. Without a doubt, the emergence of David Robinson has helped the Yankees shorten and win games. With teams pressing to get on top by the seventh inning, he could be the most important part of their bullpen.

C) A-Rod status: A-Rod's out. The beginning of a poor season, or a chance to rest and be strong down the stretch? We'll have to see. Either way, Ramiro Pena may be tying up the number 9 spot while the Yankees try to fill a very big hole. Most people think that losing one hitter isn't a big deal, but if that's the guy that turns your line up into one that can't be pitched around, it is. Last year, when the Sox lost Youkilis and Pedroia, they were a different team. Too many holes, despite some strong hitters. That's what the Yankee lineup looks to me without A-Rod - a lot of holes, and they can be beat by teams that throw strikes, like Tampa and the Sox.

D) The Yanks have scored a lot of runs, but believe it or not, it's their pitching that stands out. They are 6th in the league in runs allowed, and third in the AL. When you think about the band box that they play in, that's pretty unbelievable. I'm just not sure they can keep it up.

E) Can Cashman pull a rabbit out of the hat? The NY papers seem to feel that Colon and Garcia can pitch like this all season, but I doubt Cashman does. Does he have the chips to do a deal? Is someone available? Can he put someone in whose likely to be better before someone blows up? Does he decide to ride it out? If you love the Hot Stove, the Yanks moves will be far more interesting.

Should be a good second half.

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Matt Heisler

The Globe reported that both Framingham and Natick - the densest and most commercial of the towns in Metrowest, and home to the Natick Collection along the busy route 9 corridor, were able to raise some impressive funds thanks to the new "local" meals tax, which communities can enact after some legislation was passed in 2009 allowing them to tack on .75% to the check as a local fund raiser.

Framingham has netted 1.5 Million dollars, and Natick has done even better on a per capita basis, netting over $1 Million.

Personally, I think this is a tax that makes sense.  We all like to eat out, but it's pretty amazing,  not too many of us want a bevy of new Restaurants in our town (or any other commercial zoning and development).  The towns that have zoned for this, and deal with the traffic and the headaches should probably partake in the spoils, as it were.  Not as sure the state-wide tax of 6.25% makes as much sense, but that's really another topic.  Hopefully, this will encourage some of the NIMBY folks to take another look at expanding the commercial zones in their town - to offset the taxes on their homes.

You can read more here.

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Matt Heisler

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