A New Alternative

Since about 30% of meals are eaten outside of the home Menino said in a statement regarding the initiative that, “food trucks are a fun, fresh way for people to enjoy a variety of food, much of it healthy and locally produced.” A few of the initial vendors include the Cupcakory, Redbones BBQ, Grilled Cheese Nation, Kick*ss Cupcakes, Clover Fast Food, and the Froyo Truck. Director of the initiative, Edith Murnane, also mentioned that several more locations and vendors will be announced soon. So if you’re walking down Commonwealth Avenue to your Brookline apartment you may be lucky enough to grab a delicious meal on the go!

Food Truck Initial Launch

The first day of the food truck launch last Wednesday saw only about a handful of the trucks at their designated locations. Companies blamed their absence on truck repairs as well as issues with obtaining food permits and other unforeseen problems. While the first day of the Boston Food Truck Initiative seemed to be a “soft launch,” Murnane assures Bostonians that food trucks will occupy these allocated spots as soon as they possibly can.

Although there is no specific deadline for when the food trucks must start selling to customers, there is a stipulation within the contract that they “could and would inhabit this space.” So it’s only a matter of time before these companies start capitalizing on this great opportunity.

If you’re looking for a new Boston apartment so you can enjoy the benefits of initiatives such as these, contact Warren Residential today!

The kitchen features all new stainless steel appliances as well as openings to both the dining room and living room.  The bedroom is accessed by a long corridor that adds extra privacy. The bathroom was also completely renovated.  All of the electrical work has been redone, and there is a washer and dryer in the basement. This truly is a perfect example of our Brookline condos.

To learn about this listing, view the listing or contact a Warren Residential agent to schedule a viewing.

FP3 Studio Loft

The View from an FP3 Loft Balcony

Exterior of FP3

The FP3 Boston luxury lofts are only a five minute walk to Boston’s South Station, allowing for easy access to the entire city and beyond with the Red Line and Commuter Rail (as well as private  bus companies.)  Whether you are looking for a luxury loft studio or a 3 bedroom condo – the FP3 lofts are an amazing project worth looking into.  To learn more about available units or schedule a rental or sale showing, view the listing or contact a Warren Residential Group agent.

At only $338 per foot, this pet-friendly Cambridge condo is a perfect investment property or first home.  It is just minutes to the MBTA Green and Red lines, Kendall Square, and Boston!  If you missed the open house yesterday, make sure to schedule a viewing!

To learn more about this East Cambridge condo,  check out the listing, view our other Cambridge condos for sale, or contact us to schedule a viewing!

If you are looking to sell your property, regardless of whether it is a luxury Cambridge condo or a Brookline home, there is one thing that you should start doing on your own as soon as you can – staging!  Staging is a great way to highlight the strengths of your property in order to appeal to the greatest pool of potential buyers.  Here are a few tips to get you started.

De-Clutter and Edit: This is the most important step in staging.  Clutter will distract any buyer from seeing the actual room and space.  Remember that not all clutter comes in the form of knickknacks, big items like furniture needs to be trimmed down too.  When a professional stager works on a home, they often take away as much as half of all the furnishings to make the house look larger.  When staging, think in terms of bare essentials.  Remove the big heavy pieces that make rooms look smaller.  Put them in storage, sell them, or even put them in the garage.

Curb Appeal is Key: If you are selling a house or townhouse, make sure that the outside is as appealing as the inside.  Remove any clutter from your yard and put a little effort into landscaping.  Some homeowners will go as far as to paint the house just to grab a buyer’s attention immediately.  This is costly, so take into account the cost and the gain and make sure it is worth the investment.  Repairing walkway cracks and throwing some fertilizer onto dead grass patches is an inexpensive way to up the curb appeal.  If you are selling a condo, the management company and the building association are responsible for maintenance outside of your front door, so just focus on the inside.

Designate Functions: Make sure that the formal dining room is staged as a formal dining room – not a catch all for clutter or an office.  If you have a room that has always been just a “junk room”, repurpose it into something that will add value.  Adding a chaise lounge with ambient lighting and a small bookcase to a nook will add a cozy reading area to your home’s amenities.  A large point of staging is to help the prospective buyer see the potential of the space and to guide their imagination.  Another tip is to float furniture away from walls.  Reposition your seating into distinct groups in such a way that the traffic flow is clear to the prospective buyer.  Chairs and sofas that are pushed up against walls make rooms feel stiff, under styled, and bulky.

Create Ambiance: This part of staging is the most subtle, but infinitely important.  You want a prospective buyer to feel at home, and to spark their imagination.  The property should smell fresh and clean, be light and airy, and also be a comfortable temperature.  You can always fall back on the old “baking cookies before a showing” trick to make the kitchen smell homey.  Otherwise, pick candles and air fresheners that are not overpowering (skip the mango madness and pick something like clean linen or cotton.)  If you are a smoker or you have pets, this step is especially important.  Repainting walls and cleaning carpets and furniture (don’t forget blankets and curtains) are ways to avoid that stale smoke or kitty pee smell.  As far as lighting is concerned, replace all old and burnt out light bulbs and remove any heavy drapes or curtains.  The more light the better! Be sure to leave the heater on a comfortable temperature in the winter months and the A/C on in the summer.

Listing your home or investment property takes innovation and the knowledge of professionals.  If you are currently looking to list, click here to learn about what Warren Residential can do for you.

Not every For Sale by Owner seller is to be criticized, many are knowledgeable and fair.  The risk, however, lies in those that are not acting in the best interests of the buyer, the property, or the neighborhood.  The simple fact that For Sale by Owner sellers are not required to divulge information (good, bad, or irrelevant) about the property lends to the fact that all real estate transaction should involve and buyers agent and a sellers agent.  Such an important transaction should not be left in the hands of a stranger with no obligation to you.

Warren Residential Group has some of the most qualified and experience agents that would love to help you find your next home.  Feel free to check out our current listings. Please contact us to learn more about finding your dream home or click here to learn about our customized marketing plans and some of the techniques we use to sell your home.

The units at 15 North Beacon feature hardwood floors, balconies, updated kitchens (many have stainless steel appliances) and renovated bathrooms.  It is a quick walk to the MBTA green line, and the bus stops right outside.  There is also amazing access to convenience stores, restaurants (almost every ethnic cuisine you could imagine has a restaurant in Allston Village) and entertainment (Allston is home to some of the best small music venues, bars, and clubs in the city.)

For more information about this luxury Allston real estate, check out the listing or contact a Warren Real Estate agent to schedule a viewing of 15 North Beacon or one of our other luxury building listings.

Today’s Featured Listing is a prime Boston rental located in Boston’s beautiful South End neighborhood, home to young professionals. The 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment has gorgeous hardwood floors with a decorative fireplace within the living area. It is a bright apartment with high ceilings and Bay windows, and freshly painted to accommodate its new tenants!

The rent is $3,000, which includes heat and hot water.  There is a newly renovated kitchen and bathroom, and street parking s available for an additional fee. To schedule a showing of this apartment or any of our reputable South End apartments, contact us today!

“The Warren Group, a Boston-based real estate tracking firm, provided us with the following median prices for 2005 and 2009 (2005 was considered the market peak in Massachusetts; since then, the median single-family home price has shrunk by 20 percent statewide).”

Here are the top 10 picks.

If you are interested in learning more on current great investments or wish to know how your Massachusetts town is weathering the storm please contact a Warren Residential agent, we are happy to assist you.

#10. BROOKLINE

Median single-family home price in 2009: $1,169,250
Change since market peak in 2005: +4%
Median condo price in 2009: $451,000
Change since market peak in 2005: -3%
Population: 54,896
Residential tax rate: $10.97

#9. WESTON

Median single-family home price in 2009: $1,207,600
Change since market peak in 2005: +1%
Median condo price in 2009: $665,000
Change since market peak in 2005: +9%
Population: 11,711
Residential tax rate: $11.10

#8. DOWNTOWN BOSTON (BACK BAY – BEACON HILL – WEST END – NORTH END - WATERFRONT – MIDTOWN – CHINATOWN – SOUTH END)

Median single-family home price in 2009: $1,958,000
Change since market peak in 2005: +45%
Median condo price in 2009: 510,000
Change since market peak in 2005: -2%
Population: 79,731
Residential tax rate: $11.88

#7. NATICK

Median single-family home price in 2009: $417,750
Change since market peak in 2005: -9%
Median condo price in 2009: $310,000
Change since market peak in 2005: +29%
Population: 31,880
Residential tax rate:$11.67

#6. LYNNFIELD

Median single-family home price in 2009: $495,000
Change since market peak in 2005: -12%
Median condo price in 2009: $452,200
Change since market peak in 2005: +45%
Population: 11,412
Residential tax rate: $12.84

#5. ROWLEY

Median single-family home price in 2009: $420,000
Change since market peak in 2005: -10%
Median condo price in 2009: $349,900
Change since market peak in 2005: +75%
Population: 5,738
Residential tax rate: $12.50

#4. WINCHESTER

Median single-family home price in 2009: $710,000
Change since market peak in 2005: -3%
Median condo price in 2009: $360,000
Change since market peak in 2005: +9%
Population: 21,090
Residential tax rate: $11.51

#3. CAMBRIDGE

Median single-family home price in 2009:$680,000
Change since market peak in 2005: +2%
Median condo price in 2009: $408,000
Change since market peak in 2005: -3%
Population: 105,596
Residential tax rate: $7.72

#2. JAMAICA PLAIN

Median single-family home price in 2009: $529,000
Change since market peak in 2005: +6%
Median condo price in 2009: $316,650
Change since market peak in 2005: -2%
Population: 38,074
Residential tax rate: $11.88

#1.  WENHAM

Median single-family home price in 2009: $550,000
Change since market peak in 2005: +5%
Median condo price in 2009: $599,000
Change since market peak in 2005: +87%
Population: 4,788
Residential tax rate: $15.56 per $1,000 of assessed value