2008 Jan
2008 Jan. Vol. 6, No. 1
Don't Panic
Pay no attention to the talking heads. The national media may be focusing on subprime mortgage scandals and far-flung neighborhoods teeming with foreclosures, but in Eastern Massachusetts, at least, the inventory of unsold properties has actually dropped since 2006. Read More
Passing Inspection
You're ready to sell your condo, and you're a little worried about that mold problem in the bathroom or the noisy pipes or the water stain under the bedroom window. Anyone seriously shopping for your unit will hire a home inspector to check the place out before the sale closes. Should you worry about what the inspector might find? Read More
To Sell ot Not to Sell?
Only a few years ago, the real estate market was so hot that condominiums were selling in days and the asking price was just the opening bid. In many cases you could get more than your asking price due to the demand for housing and the apparently never-ending supply of buyers willing to pay top dollar for your unit. Read More
Breathing Room
With oil prices soaring and talk about "going green" on everyone's lips these days, homeowners and developers alike are making an effort to button up homes to keep warm air in and cold air out. Read More
Going it Alone
Many condominium owners selling their homes in today's market are caught between a rock and a hard place. They may have purchased their home a few years ago, when prices were at their peak. Now if they have to sell, they are facing downward pressure on their asking price, which may not match their equity, leaving them "upside down." Read More
Safe at Home
As the days grow shorter and the temperature drops, we naturally begin spending more time indoors. We get caught up on housework, enjoy spending time cooking, sitting in front of a good fire, or perhaps just enjoying the flickering glow of scented candles on a blustery day. We sometimes forget these everyday activities can be dangerous, and we become careless. Read More
Crying Wolf
One of a management company's most important responsibilities is to be there when something goes wrong — but that doesn't necessarily mean that a building or association manager needs to be on-the-spot for every minor mishap. Sometimes trustees and residents alike forget that their property manager can't (and shouldn't) try to do everything and be everywhere. It's important to prioritize issues, pick your battles, and resist the urge to phone or e-mail the manager for every broken light bulb or sticky door hinge. Read More
The Back Bay
Perusing the trendy shops and restaurants along Newbury Street, or taking in the famed architecture along the Charles River, it is hard to imagine that Back Bay, arguably Boston's most prestigious and affluent neighborhood, was built on a swamp. Clearly, the neighborhood has come a long way. Read More
