How your home looks on the exterior can make or break a purchasing decision for prospective buyers. Many realtors will tell you that potential homebuyers subconsciously decide whether or not they will buy within the first 15-30 seconds of seeing the home. Here are a few tips on how you can make your home stand out to homebuyers in a positive way:

Exterior Color – If the paint is beginning to peel on the siding of your home you should definitely consider sprucing it up with a fresh coat of paint. Depending on your neighborhood, it might be a good idea to take a look at other houses in the area to get a sense of the general aesthetic of the area. You don’t have to paint your house the same color as your neighbor, but homebuyers typically like to see consistency in the neighborhood where they’re looking to purchase a home.

Entryways – Making sure that the entryways to your home meet standards is essential. Remove any potential obstacles blocking the walkway to ensure easy access to your home. It would also be a good idea to clean up the driveway and/or pathway to your home – sweep away leaves and other debris and maybe even pressure wash the area to make it shine.

Landscaping – The state of your front yard is another thing that potential homebuyers notice immediately upon arriving at your house. While you should be sure to maintain a freshly cut lawn, you need to make sure that the rest of the landscaping in your yard is nicely manicured. You may even consider hiring a professional landscaping crew to make your front yard look as nice as possible.

Welcoming Elements – Smaller, seemingly insignificant, details that prospective buyers tend to notice are “welcoming” elements on the exterior of your home. For instance, buyers take note of the state of your mailbox, welcome mat, doorbell, house numbers, and doorknob. If these elements of your home appear a bit outdated, consider replacing them with new ones. This is a fairly inexpensive way to give a positive first impression of your home.

These small changes can make a huge difference in the appearance of your home and ultimately might sway someone’s decision of whether or not to buy. To help improve your home’s chances of leaving a good, lasting impression make an investment to the exterior of your Boston home for sale. For further help in the process of selling your property contact a Warren Residential real estate agent today!

As the temperature continues to rise during the next few months many Boston residents are lucky enough to already have central air in their apartment. However, if you’ve just recently moved into a new place in the city you may not be so fortunate.

The question is do you sweat it out for the summer or spend the money on a cooling unit? If you decide that you just can’t take the heat and plan to install a cooling unit, your next step is choosing between an individual wall/window unit and central air.

The Importance of Determining Room Size

If you plan to purchase an air conditioning unit you should first determine the size of the room you wish to cool. You could be faced with the Goldilocks dilemma – if you buy a unit that’s too small it will be difficult to cool your space on a hot day. On the other hand, if you buy a unit that’s too big you’ll be able to cool your space quickly but will have trouble dehumidifying. Measure your space to make sure you get a unit that is “just right.” Depending on the number and size of rooms you want to cool it may make more sense to choose one over the other, but how can you figure it out?

BTU Calculator

The typical measurement used in the heating and cooling industry is a British Thermal Unit (BTU). This measurement represents the amount of energy it would take to heat/cool 1 gallon of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. A BTU can specifically measure the amount of heat contained within a certain area.

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends a cooling capacity of 20 BTUs per square foot for window and wall units. For instance, if you have a 10 ft. by 15 ft. room (150 square ft.) you would require a cooling unit with a 6,000 BTU capacity. Once you have calculated the necessary BTU capacity for your space you need to make your purchasing decision.

Window and Wall Unit Air Conditioners

Your BTU measurement will help you determine the size of the air conditioner you need. If you purchase an individual wall unit make sure you look for a new ENERGY STAR conditioner. These units are much more cost effective than older models and cycle the compressor on and off so that it doesn’t operate continuously.

Additionally, it might be a good idea to purchase a model with a timer. You can set the unit to begin cooling a half hour or so before you get home or to stop cooling once you fall asleep. This way you’re not using excessive amounts of energy while you’re not home or sleeping. Also, with individual units you also need to make sure to check the filter during times of high usage.

Central Air Conditioning

If you’re trying to cool two or more rooms in your home it would make the most sense to choose central air. However, you should have an air conditioning contractor measure your space because the BTU calculator for central air is more complicated than that of individual air conditioning units.

It may seem daunting to have central air installed, but central air conditioning can often be a much more cost effect method of cooling more than one room in your home. It can also provide you with a 25-75% return on investment if you should ever choose to sell your home.

Overall, make sure to do your due diligence when researching which type of cooling system would work best for your living situation to make sure you’re not overspending. However, if this whole decision process seems a bit too intimidating you might want to find a Boston apartment already furnished with an air conditioning unit. To help with your search contact a Warren Residential Group agent today!

While the market continues to fluctuate, Mark Strickland of www.bostonrealestateobserver.com notes that the current real estate market trends for the South Boston neighborhood potentially weigh in favor for both the seller and buyer. Strickland defines these advantages as follows:
•    Seller Advantage Market – there is currently less than a six (6) month supply of homes for sale
•    Buyer Advantage Market – there is currently more than a six (6) month supply of homes for sale

As of January 21st, 2010, all condos priced at or under $499K in South Boston are in a Seller Advantage Market, whereas all other condos are in a Buyer Advantage Market. All multi-families are in a Seller Advantage Market, as are single-family homes priced under $499K. Single-family homes priced between $500K and $749K are in a Buyer Advantage Market.
While this data shouldn’t indicate that there are NO exceptions, it provides a good understanding of where the market is and where you can go from here. Stickland further explains his terminology: “In a Seller Advantage Market, a particular owner may be flexible on price if there are mitigating circumstances such as a pending relocation, or the pre-purchase of another home. Similarly, in a Buyer Advantage Market there are always going to be sellers who are unrealistically inflexible on their price because they are in no hurry to sell, or still unrealistically believe that their home is worth far more than it actually is.” He also recommends hiring a good Marketing Agent or Buyer’s Agent to understand your individual circumstances within the larger context of your neighborhood’s market conditions.

(This data was compiled through a 12-month rolling calendar from December 2008 to December 2009 for condos, multi-family and single-family homes. You can find more information on additional Boston neighborhoods in the full article, here)

Also make sure to check out our selection of available South Boston Apartments!

We handle Boston and Cambridge area apartment rentals for people who make millions of dollars a year to students with no income what-so-ever and everyone in between.  With that said, many of our renters need a co-signer of some sort.  Here are some reasons why you might need a co-signer:

• Lack of Credit
• Bad Credit
• Lack of Income
• Bad landlord reference

The problem most people have is actually finding a co-signer.  How many of your friends would put their credit and money on the line for you?

Well, this is where WeCosign.com comes in.  They saw an opportunity and here is how it works:

1. An applicant who doesn’t meet the Landlords FICO score criteria is directed to call WeCosign so they can determine their eligibility for their service.
2. WeCosign reviews the applicant, and if approved they will cosign their lease agreement and act as their guarantor.
3. The landlord collects the rent from the tenant as usual, and the tenant pays WeCosign an additional monthly fee for their service.
4. In the event that a tenant stops paying their rent, WeCosign assumes financial responsibility under the terms of the lease agreement.

It’s that simple.  It’s really a genius idea that fulfills a big need.

So now that you have your co-signer, you need to find an apartment.  Clink the links below to do that!

Search for Your Boston, Cambridge, or Brookline Apartment Here

Browse all Cambridge Apartments Here!

Browse all Boston Apartments Here!

Browse all Brookline Apartments Here!

Back Bay Apartments:

2 Bedrooms across from the Mandarin Oriental $3500-6500:

These beautiful Back Bay apartment rentals have been completely renovated for 2009.  Brand new stainless steel appliances with gas cooking can be found in all the kitchens.  Beautiful gas fireplaces are in every one of these Back Bay apartments as well.  Each unit has a balcony to enjoy drinks on as well as a beautifully landscaped common roof deck, perfect for the 4th of July!

South End Apartments:

2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom Lofts in the South End for $3250:

This particular South End Loft is a Penthouse 2 bed with private deck located in the hottest section of the South End. The unit features cherry hardwood floors and granite counters with stainless steel appliances. The rent includes ac and it has a washer dryer in the unit.

Beacon Hill Apartments:

Beautiful Beacon Hill rental along Mt. Vernon St. featuring 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms for $5000:

Truly a one-of-a-kind luxury, furnished apartment available for a short or long term lease (6 mo min requested but not required). The beautifully decorated, extremely large apartment boasts nearly 1700 square feet, 7 rooms, and the living room features 12+ foot windows and 14 foot ceilings. The bedrooms are situated wonderfully to provide a quiet setting with an abundance of space and light, and the living room is expansive beyond belief. Less than two blocks from the Boston Common, the apartment is located on one of the most beautiful and quiet streets in Beacon Hill.

Ritz Carlton Apartment Rentals:

2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom with Balcony for $4550:

This beautifully renovated 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment at the Ritz Carlton in downtown Boston is available immediately for $4550 per month.  It features granite counter tops, new Tiger Wood hardwood floors, and a great balcony off of the master bedroom.

There are plenty more where these came from but this should give you a good taste of what you can get out there.  We have units ranging from $1200 studios to $30,000 penthouses so no matter what your budget is, we can help.  Give us a call at 617-848-9616 ext. 2 or email us at rentals@warrenre.com.

Features and Amenities of the Kendall Square Luxury Apartments:

• 24/7 Concierge
• Fitness Facility
• Lounge
• Boardroom
• Garage Parking
• Boston Skyline and River Views
• In-Unit Washer/Dryers
• Carpeted and Hardwood Floors
• Walk-in Closets

For more information on this wonderful Cambridge apartment building, please contact a Warren Residential Group rental agent at rentals@warrenre.com or 617-848-9616 ext. 2.

In a recent article in Business Week it listed the top Metro areas with the biggest rental rate drops.  The Boston, Cambridge, and Quincy area were lumped in together and ranked #10 on their list with a drop of 2.8% to $1634.20 in the Q4 of 2008 vs. Q4 2007.   Other important numbers included a rise in unemployment from 3.6% to 5.0% and vacancy rates from 4.7% to 6.0%.  They noted that on average, landlords were conceding 1.3 weeks of free rent.

Other notable Metro area drops:

Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash.

Rank: 5
Rent drop: -3.5%
Q4 2008 rent change: -3.8%
Q4 2007 rent change: -0.3%
Effective rent: $1,161.60

New York-Wayne-White Plains, N.Y./N.J.

Rank: 4
Rent drop: -3.7%
Q4 2008 rent change: -3.2%
Q4 2007 rent change: 0.5%
Effective rent: $2,672.20

Salt Lake City

Rank: 1
Rent drop: -5.7%
Q4 2008 rent change: -2.3%
Q4 2007 rent change: 3.3%
Effective rent: $810.30

My Thoughts:  We have definitely noticed large landlords and management companies changing some of their strategies when it comes to renting their apartments.  Many are offering to pay the brokers fee for our clients as well as give 1 or 2 free months of rent.  However, prices have not dropped dramatically in the Boston proper neighborhoods of Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Midtown, and South End where high demand and a small supply has kept prices fairly stable.

Warren Residential Group rental agents are trained in negotiating with landlords and getting you the best price and most concessions possible but we also are here to manage your expectations and help educate you on the market.  We try to teach you throughout the rental process about the market and specific buildings so you know you are getting a good price.

Here are a few Back Bay condos under $400,000:

1.  3 Gloucester St. Unit 9 – $399,000

-529 Square feet of living space

-1 bedroom

-1 bathroom

Charming 1 bed with three exposures in the heart of the Back Bay. Features include high ceilings, large east facing bedroom with nice views from both generous windows. The classic bow front living room facing Gloucester Street is flooded with afternoon light and includes a handsome fireplace and stone mantle. This is a third floor walk-up. VACANT, easy to close quickly.

2. 31 Massachusetts Ave. Unit 1-1 – $375,000

-625 Square Feet of Living Space

-1 Bedroom

-1 Bathroom

THIS IS A VERY SPACIOUS FRONT FACING CORNER ONE BEDROOM WITH A GREAT LAYOUT! GOOD SIZE FOYER LARGE ENOUGH TO PUT YOUR OFFICE IN. LIVINGROOM IS VERY CHARMING WITH BAY WINDOWS, MOLDINGS, HARDWOOD FLOORS, HIGH CEILING AND MARBLE FIREPLACE. THIS UNIT ALSO HAS A GREAT OPEN EAT IN KITCHEN. UNIT IS LOCATED BETWEEN MARLBOROUGH AND BEACON ST EVERYTHING FROM RESTAURANTS,SHOPS,T STOP,BUS STOP, WHOLE FOODS, TRADER JOE S, THE NEW MANDERIN HOTEL,COPLEY PLACE AND THE ESPLANADE ARE JUST MINUTES AWAY

3. 35 Marlborough St. Unit 1 – $349,000

481 Square Feet

Studio

1 Bathroom

Enjoy living in an unmatched locale on the first block on Marlborough just steps to Beacon Hill, the public garden and all that Back Bay offers. An adorable studio home offers a sun-splashed south facing living room, separate sleeping area, full sized kitchen with breakfast bar, 2009 bathroom & mud room – all complemented by refinished oak floors, high ceilings, walk-in closet and fresh paint. Beautiful high owner occupancy bldg, laundry, central air and LOW FEE!

*All Data and Remarks provided by the listing brokers on MLSPIN

To see any of these Back Bay condos or any other listings please contact Nick Warren at 617-933-9776 or nwarren@warrenre.com

While it may be tough to find a renovated 1 bedroom in Back Bay for under $2000/month, we just received one of the best we have seen in a while.  This beautifully renovated brownstone units features a gorgeous renovated kitchen and bathroom with granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.  The building features common laundry and is professionally managed by a very well respected company.  Hot water is included in this Back Bay apartment which is located only 1 1/2 blocks from the public gardens and 3 blocks from Newbury Street shopping.

Details:

• Back Bay 1 Bedroom for rent
• Available March 1st
• $1750 per month
• Hot Water Included
• Hardwood Floors
• New Kitchen with Granite and Stainless Steel
• New Bathroom with Marble Tiles
• Walk to Newbury Street and the Boston Common
• Close to Green Line

For more information or a showing request, please contact Nick Warren at nwarren@warrenre.com or 617-848-9616 ext. 706.

Ultra-Luxury Rental Apartment Building in Midtown Boston

This Ultra-Luxury Rental Apartment Building in Midtown Boston is perhaps Boston’s most sought after rental building.  Located near the Ritz Carlton, Grandview, Tremont on the Common, and Parkside Condos in downtown Boston, these apartments are truly in the center of it all.  The luxury apartment building has units ranging from Studios to 3 bedroom penthouses so there is an apartment for everyone.  Each apartment comes with wide-plank hardwood floors, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, in-unit washer/dryer, and large windows bringing in tons of natural sunlight.

Many of these luxury Boston apartments have amazing views of either the Boston Skyline, Boston Harbor, and even Back Bay!  Travel down the high-speed elevators to the buildings best features, it’s amenities package.  The amenities include an indoor 75 foot heated lap pool, a beautifully appointed entertainment lounge with poker table and kitchen, a Cafe’ with Starbucks coffee and internet access, a massage room, and a fully equipped gym with cardio equipment and free weights.

The best part about this building is that on units over $3500/month there is no brokers fee!

Features and Amenities of Ultra-Luxury Rental Apartment Building:

• Completed in 2006
• Concierge 24/7
• Hardwood Floors
• Stainless Steel and Granite Kitchens
• Garage Parking Available
• Pool
• Fitness Facility
• Game and Entertainment Lounge
• T Access
• Professionally Managed
• Walk to everything in Boston!

For more information on the Ultra-Luxury Rental Apartment Building rental listings please Click Here or contact Nick Warren at nwarren@warrenre.com and 617-848-9616 ext. 706.