General Index 

Northbridge, MA - Recent Home Sales Statistics, Trends and Analysis (Dec, 2010)

• Northbridge has 67 single family homes listed as Active 
• Northbridge had 40 single family sales in the last 6 months, and 21 single family sales last 3 months 
• Northbridge has an Average Market Time of 125 days for SOLD properties 
• Northbridge has an Average Market Time of 292 days for ACTIVE properties 
• Northbridge has an Average Sold Price of $ 293,000 for sold properties

Northbridge Comments:

Market time and Home Sales have stabilized a bit in Northbridge.  There's no difference in the previous three months sales to last three months sales, and 125 still suggests a seller's market.  The high time on market for active properties looks alarming, but the new construction listings over at shining rock, at 1500 days or so, are really affecting those averages.

Northbridge, MA - Home Sale Trends and Analysis

• Northbridge has 70 single family home listed as Active
• Northbridge had 54 single family sales in the last 6 months, and 5 single family sales last month
• Northbridge had 7 single family homes in pending last month

The Market is better in Northbridge for Sellers than statistics suggest

Although the active to sold ratio favors buyers, the days on market at just over 100 for sold properties shows the market is quite a bit tighter for buyers than that single statistic would suggest. Buyers are clearly being picky and price sensitive, but when quality homes come on the market, they are moving aggressively and buying inventory.

For more detailed reporting, contact me directly!

Question about the terms used here? Check my Explanation for Mass Home Sale Statistics

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

Tips for Sellers

Buyers Next Steps After Signing An Offer

I Just Signed an Offer, Now What? For Sellers

How to Handle a Home Inspection (Tips)

Do Good Things Today!

Matt Heisler

Hello All.

Heard some good chatter on the radio, as we often do this time of year, about favorite Christmas movies.  Since I sell real estate, I often study the homes in movies (hey, I can't just turn the job off that easily...).  One of things that does make me always a little curious is that Hollywood, by and large, has a fascination for older homes, and the custom detailing that went it to them.  Today's buyers though, by and large, are far more willing to pay for a newer home, without all that charm, curb appeal and detail, than to find a seriously Hollywood home and update it.  I guess most of us are just too busy!  But I digress.

The most popular movie, in most of the polls, is the Griswalds family in Christmas Vacation.  I was going to do a post on various information on the home of the Griswalds, as part of the post, but I have been beaten soundly to the punch with this post here:   (Incidently, her blog, http://hookedonhouses.net, which features celebrity housing is really well done and just has a ton of information). All pictures are courtesy of her site.    The author has painstakingly written about both the exterior of the home (which is a home on a movie lot set used for several other major films) and has all the photos of the interior as well.  A little disappointing that it's not a "real" house, but that's the movies for you.

So, Matt, what do you notice about the house?

Well, there's several things that I think are terrific about the home.  On the exterior, in the forties and fifties (and earlier too), good builders would extend the roofline past the home (the roof's overhang).  This was a good way to keep the rain away from the foundation and the areas of home where there are seams (this is pre- aluminum gutters, remember), and was also a nice way to add additional detail to the home, but does have the problem of cutting off light in the upstairs windows.  The colonials built in this area in the 70's, 80's and early nineties by and large had virtually NO overhang, which can make the homes really boring (why? It's cheaper, of course). Today's contemporary colonials are bringing back overhangs, and these homes tend to me more popular.  I also notice the rounded half-moon windows in the attic, which you can find around here on some well-built homes of the 20's and 30's.  Today, of course, no builder would spend that kind of money on a custom window in the attic, but it really adds to how the home looks from the street.  Ditto with the front door overhang, which (again, has to do with the time before cars and garages), which was practical in that it kept people dry why fumbling for their keys in the rain, but also adds scale and depth to the curb appeal.

On the inside, either the director/set people did a great job of showing off the home of a working stiff, or it was a really tricked out 80's house that just looks dated today.  Today's buyers do not care for wallpaper!  And the home is really fully of wallpaper.  Wallpaper serves many purposes in older homes.  If they are pre blueboard (drywall), they they are plaster, and plaster cracks (typically much longer cracks in plaster), which can make painting an annual event.  Wallpaper is very effective at covering small cracks (but will rip if they get large enough).  It also is extremely durable, and for the most part washable, and in times gone by, people didn't think about redecorating every 10 years like they do today - it was more of a generational thing.  For a fake home, they did a good job putting all the wainscoting, chair rails, crown molding in the front rooms (foyer, dining room, living room) of the home, but that detail fades away as you head up stairs.  Buyers of that time period, any time period really, were just a strapped financially, and didn't have the dough to put the fancy fixins in rooms only used by the family.  Lastly, the bath couldn't be more 50's, there was really only one decade, maybe two, where builders and folks wanted those 4x4 inch tiles up to their elbows.  I guess the thinking was that the durability and moisture resistance made it an effective to solution to some of the issues presented in bathrooms, but today's modern materials have eliminated the need to waterproof the whole bathroom, and the look never really caught on in residential construction.

Old houses can be great to look at for decorating ideas or especially things to ask your builder about doing.  Small items up front can make a huge difference and make that house pop when it's on the market.

Do Good Things Today!

 Matt Heisler

Northborough Home Sales Trends

• Northborough has 57 (vs. 65 in last report) single family homes listed as Active
• Northborough had 55 (vs. 63) single family sales in the last 6 months, and 27 single family sales last 3 months
• Northborough has an Average Market Time of 153 (vs. 137) days for SOLD properties
• Northborough has an Average Market Time of 164 days for ACTIVE properties
• Northborough has an Average Sold Price of $ 383,000 for sold properties

There has been some seasonal softening in Northborough, pushing down transaction volume, but nothing major.  57 Actives is a very small number for a town of Northborough's size, and could be worth watching this spring.  If inventory stays this tight, I would expect sellers to gain pricing power quickly.

Top Seven Articles

• Are fences a good way to build equity in my home?
• Does the basement get water? Don't wait to find out!
• How serious is that moss on the roof?
• How do interest rates on mortgages affect housing prices?
• I Just Signed an Offer, Now What?  For Sellers
• How can I save money on my home? 10 Quick tips anyone can do.
• How can I shop for an interest rate for a refi or purchase?

Matt Heisler is a real-estate professional and owner of Heisler & Mattson Properties. He has been selling residential real-estate for over 10 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.

• Natick has 75 single family homes listed as Active
• Natick had 126 single family sales in the last 6 months, and 49 single family sales last 3 months
• Natick has an Average Market Time of 70 days for SOLD properties
• Natick has an Average Market Time of 173 days for ACTIVE properties
• Natick has an Average Sold Price of $ 480,000 for sold properties

Natick has just enough (very expensive) new construction actives to really through the Active days on market statistic out of whack, but you can really see the strength of the market by looking at the lopsided Active/Solds ratio and the DOM for the sold properties. Natick remains one of the best towns to be a seller in, despite 'slipping' to 70 Days on Market for the Solds. If you are thinking of selling your home in Natick, you should know that it is in demand!! If you're having trouble selling, ask why!

Top Seven Articles

• Are fences a good way to build equity in my home?
• Does the basement get water? Don't wait to find out!
• How serious is that moss on the roof?
• How do interest rates on mortgages affect housing prices?
• I Just Signed an Offer, Now What?  For Sellers
• How can I save money on my home? 10 Quick tips anyone can do.
• How can I shop for an interest rate for a refi or purchase?

Matt Heisler is a real-estate professional and owner of Heisler & Mattson Properties. He has been selling residential real-estate for over 10 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.

• Natick has 75 single family homes listed as Active
• Natick had 126 single family sales in the last 6 months, and 49 single family sales last 3 months
• Natick has an Average Market Time of 70 days for SOLD properties
• Natick has an Average Market Time of 173 days for ACTIVE properties
• Natick has an Average Sold Price of $ 480,000 for sold properties

Natick has just enough (very expensive) new construction actives to really through the Active days on market statistic out of whack, but you can really see the strength of the market by looking at the lopsided Active/Solds ratio and the DOM for the sold properties. Natick remains one of the best towns to be a seller in, despite 'slipping' to 70 Days on Market for the Solds. If you are thinking of selling your home in Natick, you should know that it is in demand!! If you're having trouble selling, ask why!

Top Seven Articles

• Are fences a good way to build equity in my home?
• Does the basement get water? Don't wait to find out!
• How serious is that moss on the roof?
• How do interest rates on mortgages affect housing prices?
• I Just Signed an Offer, Now What?  For Sellers
• How can I save money on my home? 10 Quick tips anyone can do.
• How can I shop for an interest rate for a refi or purchase?

Matt Heisler is a real-estate professional and owner of Heisler & Mattson Properties. He has been selling residential real-estate for over 10 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.

• Millis has 31 (vs. 43 in last report) single family homes listed as Active
• Millis had 37 (vs. 32) single family sales in the last 6 months, and 21 single family sales last 3 months
• Millis has an Average Market Time of 158 days for SOLD properties
• Millis has an Average Market Time of 180 days (vs. 160) for ACTIVE properties
• Millis has an Average Sold Price of $ 335,000 for sold properties

Millis, Massachusetts has an average to softer market, and has remained stable since the last report.  Data is very limited due to both the towns size and the limited turnover, so the statistics are likely price range sensitive, meaning don't read too much into them!  Small towns can have very tight markets in certain price ranges, and softer markets in other price ranges.  If you're thinking of buying or selling in Millis, please contact me and we can discuss your situation in greater detail.

Top Seven Articles

• Are fences a good way to build equity in my home?
• Does the basement get water? Don't wait to find out!
• How serious is that moss on the roof?
• How do interest rates on mortgages affect housing prices?
• I Just Signed an Offer, Now What?  For Sellers
• How can I find an accurate valuation of my home for refinancing or sale?
• How can I shop for an interest rate for a refi or purchase?

Matt Heisler is a real-estate professional and owner of Heisler & Mattson Properties. He has been selling residential real-estate for over 10 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.

Here's a post for a not-so-common question.  But I bet it's secretly asked by many.

Do I Need to Use the Same agent to Buy and Sell?

Well, the short answer is NO, you don't.  But let's talk about some reasons why you might want to, and why you might not want to.

Using the Same Agent to Buy and Sell: Advantages

1. Convenience.  You only have to manage one relationship, and one call helps clear up questions and next steps in both directions.  
2. Problem solving: Since you're dealing with just one agent, they know the ins and outs of each deal, and can head-off potential problems if they happen.  Most of my "back-to-back" deals have a number of "Waterfall Contingencies".  It's super useful to make sure that you're able to protect your money and not endanger deals.
3. Cost: You may be able to save money on commissions. That could be nice.

So you see, like most things, there's no right or wrong answer here, but if you have complicated deals in the same area, I would lean towards the same agent, and if you have simple deals in two different locales, I would get different agents.

Do Good Things Today!

 Matt Heisler

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Top Seven Articles

• Are fences a good way to build equity in my home?
• Does the basement get water? Don't wait to find out!
• How serious is that moss on the roof?
• How do interest rates on mortgages affect housing prices?
• I Just Signed an Offer, Now What?  For Sellers
• How can I find an accurate valuation of my home for refinancing or sale?
• How can I shop for an interest rate for a refi or purchase?

Matt Heisler is a real-estate professional and owner of Heisler & Mattson Properties. He has been selling residential real-estate for over 10 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.

• Milford, MA has 97 (vs 110 in last report) single family homes listed as Active
• Milford, MA had 72 (vs. 93) single family sales in the last 6 months, and 33 single family sales last 3 months
• Milford, MA has an Average Market Time of 103 days (vs. 86 days) for SOLD properties
• Milford, MA has an Average Market Time of 160 days for ACTIVE properties
• Milford, MA has an Average Sold Price of $ 265,000 for sold properties

As in other towns in Metrowest, momentum is falling a bit in Milford, as the seasonality aspect of real estate kicks in.  But the actives are falling off in pace with sales, and at 103 days on market for actives, the market remains good for sellers.  Buyers should be aware that there are some good properties not being marketed, and some of them will return in the spring, so work with an agent who is comfortable pursuing off market properties if you're looking now.

Top Seven Articles

• Are fences a good way to build equity in my home?
• Does the basement get water? Don't wait to find out!
• How serious is that moss on the roof?
• How do interest rates on mortgages affect housing prices?
• I Just Signed an Offer, Now What?  For Sellers
• How can I find an accurate valuation of my home for refinancing or sale?
• How can I shop for an interest rate for a refi or purchase?

Matt Heisler is a real-estate professional and owner of Heisler & Mattson Properties. He has been selling residential real-estate for over 10 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.

• Marlborough, MA has 108 (vs. 145 in last report) single family homes listed as Active
• Marlborough, MA had 120 (vs. 131)  single family sales in the last 6 months, and 65 single family sales last 3 months
• Marlborough, MA has an Average Market Time of 117 vs. (103) days for SOLD properties
• Marlborough, MA has an Average Market Time of 179 days for ACTIVE properties
• Marlborough, MA has an Average Sold Price of $ 310,000 for sold properties

In Marlborough, the market momentum has softened.  Market time for solds has risen steadily from the 90's to 117 days, and increase of a month in a short span of time.  The actives have shrunk by 30%, so quickly in fact that it has altered the active solds ratio.  Clearly, as often happens this time of year, many sellers, especially those with higher market times, are leaving the market for the season, no word yet on if they'll be back, but historically many return in the spring.  Buyers should work with a Realtor who is comfortable shopping for off market properties, as there are likely 30-50 off market properties in the Marlborough area at this time.  Sellers should watch the spring numbers carefully, as the limited inventory could support prices, even raise them, if the property shortage continues.

Top Seven Articles

• Are fences a good way to build equity in my home?
• Does the basement get water? Don't wait to find out!
• How serious is that moss on the roof?
• How do interest rates on mortgages affect housing prices?
• I Just Signed an Offer, Now What?  For Sellers
• How can I find an accurate valuation of my home for refinancing or sale?
• How can I shop for an interest rate for a refi or purchase?

Matt Heisler is a real-estate professional and owner of Heisler & Mattson Properties. He has been selling residential real-estate for over 10 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.

• Medfield, MA has 56 (vs. 68 in last report) single family homes listed as Active
• Medfield, MA had 67 (vs 79 in last report) single family sales in the last 6 months, and 20 single family sales last 3 months
• Medfield, MA has an Average Market Time of 140 days (vs. 123)  for SOLD properties
• Medfield, MA has an Average Market Time of 138 days for ACTIVE properties
• Medfield, MA has an Average Sold Price of $ 640,000 for sold properties

Medfield has seen seasonal adjustments in actives and sales, and the market is little changed from the last report.  The market remains top heavy and much slower once you reach the upper tiers of pricing.  For all that though, the average sales price demonstrates the popularity of Medfield, and the demand for the town remains strong.  Buyers should be aware that competition in the lower price levels of Medfield can be very strong, and they should not wait long if they find a property that they like, and be prepared to make sacrifices under 500K.  Sellers looking to move up the price range in Medfield could find it an ideal time to do so, as lower price properties is in demand, with good selection in the upper price ranges.

Last Report Available Here

Top Seven Articles

• Are fences a good way to build equity in my home?
• Does the basement get water? Don't wait to find out!
• How serious is that moss on the roof?
• How do interest rates on mortgages affect housing prices?
• I Just Signed an Offer, Now What?  For Sellers
• How can I find an accurate valuation of my home for refinancing or sale?
• How can I shop for an interest rate for a refi or purchase?

Matt Heisler is a real-estate professional and owner of Heisler & Mattson Properties. He has been selling residential real-estate for over 10 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.