Roslindale Real Estate Market in Review

Posted by: Tim White
Posted on: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Categories: Financing, Education, Home Selling, Home Buying, Market Conditions, Roslindale

Over the past week, I’ve reported in detail on the various residential real estate market dynamics at play in the Boston neighborhood of Roslindale in an effort to provide readers with a better sense of the current state of the market.  The analysis itself was broken down by residential property type (e.g. single family, condos and multi-family ) as each of these segments is distinct in that they not only speak to different audiences but also because the data subsets reflecting inventory and sales rates present unique trendlines for each segment.  Furthermore, we examined each property type segment over a 24-month period using as our tools certain key market indicators such as median sales price, supply and demand by # of units, and sales rates as measured by monthly supply of inventory (MSI) in order to “see” the market through a variety of lenses, thus adding precision and clarity.

This blog post is designed to bring it all home, so-to-speak, in terms of what’s happening overall in the Roslindale real estate market as of July 2007.  But first, a quick review:

Single Family Market Conditions–In a word, the single family market in Rolsindale has been consistent over the past 24 months in terms of median sales price, supply and demand by # of units, and the sales rate measured as monthly supply of inventory (MSI).  For a more detailed accounting of this market segment click here.

Condominium Market Conditions–A bit of a mixed bag.  The perception of this market segment as demonstrated by the median sales price is not in line with the reality of the market when taking into consideration such key market indicators as supply and demand by # of units and the sales rate MSI.  There appears to be somewhat of a stalemate between perceived value on the buyer’s side versus seller’s perceived value.  It may be that adjustments need to be made on both sides.  For a mored detailed accounting of this market segment click here.

Multi-Family Market Conditions–Presently, the multi-family market in Rolsindale is stagnant and values are declining.  Unfortunately, all the key market indicators are pointing to the same difficult reality for multis in Roslindale.  For a full account of this market segment click here…and to understand why the multi-family market in general has been experiencing tough days click here.

Overall, the real estate market in Rolsindale is struggling a bit.  Although there is strength in the single family market segment, the condo market is lackluster and the multi-family market has its share of problems to overcome before that segment can fully recover.  For sellers, the key to selling is having the proper motivation, perspective, and expectation and then, after being armed with the facts, determining a realistic sell price.  For buyers, there are many opportunities in all segments of the Rozzie market, but be prepared to act when the right one comes your way.

 NEXT UP:  A CLOSER LOOK AT THE JAMAICA PLAIN REAL ESTATE MARKET

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How to Make Your Home “Green”

Posted by: Veronique Mendelson
Posted on: Friday, June 1, 2007 at 5:51 am
Categories: Home Buying, Education, Lifestyle, Curb Appeal, Education, Curb Appeal, Lifestyle, Likestyle, Home Buying, Curb Appeal, Education, Home Buying, Jamaica Plain

Clearly, the environmental movement has gone beyond tree huggers, Al Gore and your Dad telling you to turn off the lights because he didn’t own the electric company.

We generally seem to be more aware of the environmental impact when it comes to our cars, and a lot of manufacturers are already building eco-friendly vehicles, but some states also build green homes.  In fact, more than 25% of re-modelers say consumers sought environmentally sensitive upgrades last year, compared to just 6% the year before, according to a study by NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) almost 80% of Americans consider themselves “green minded”.

The U.S. Green Building Council defines a “green home” as one that incorporates features that result in it:HomeGreen

  • using less energy
  • using less water
  • using fewer natural resources in construction
  • creating less waste
  • having better indoor air quality

Here are a few ways to make your home greener:

ENERGY EFFICIENT WINDOWS

By replacing windows with Energy Star windows, you save on energy bills by helping to keep heat inside during the winter and outside during the summer.  These windows may have two or more panes of glass, warm-edge spacers between the windowpanes, improved framing materials, and Low-E coatings (microscopically thin metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on windows to reduce heat flow).

ECO-FRIENDLY FLOORING

Bamboo, cork and eucalyptus flooring products are all excellent choices for the home as they are sustainable alternatives to the slower growing hardwoods.  These products mature in roughly half the time that it takes hardwoods to grow.  They are also stylish and affordable.

COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS (CFL)

This type of light bulb is a simple way of making a big change at a low cost in the energy efficiency of your home. Most home improvement stores carry these bulbs, which use 70% less energy than regular bulbs and can save $30 or more in energy costs over each bulb’s lifetime.

ENERGY STAR PRODUCTS

If you are in the market to upgrade any of your major appliances, consider purchasing an Energy Star-rated product.  Qualified refrigerators, dishwashers and vent fans incorporate advanced technologies that use 10-50% less energy and water than standard models, more than making up for their slightly higher costs.

TANK-LESS WATER HEATERS

Tank-less water heaters provide hot water on demand at a preset temperature rather than storing it.  Alternatively, replacing an electric water heater with a solar model can reduce costs by up to 80% a year, and over the 20-year lifespan of the appliance will prevent more than 50 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

MORE EFFICIENT TOILETS

New toilets have redesigned bowls and tanks that use less water but function more efficiently than first-generation low-flow models.  In the average home, flushing toilets accounts for some 30% of water usage.  New efficient models can reduce that use up to 25%.

HOME INSULATION

Increasing the amount and R-Value (the measure of thermal resistance) of insulation is a cost-effective way to save energy and help reduce heating and cooling bills, which account for at least half of the energy use in the home.

To learn more about energy innovation, you may download the illustration above at: http://www.nahb.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentID=62120

As Spring is all around us and everything looks green and beautiful, it is easier to think about the environment and what we all may be able to do to preserve it!

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