No Responses to “Ready to buy?” »»

1. Blinders
   Comment by Blinders | 07/30/07 at 9:43 am

   Are you a homeowner, currently? Yes.

   Are you a homeowner

   looking to buy and/or sell? Kind of, long-term looking to buy a second home in burbs. By

   long-term I mean maybe 3-5 years or longer. (At family/lifestyle change.)

   Are you a renter

   looking to buy your first home? No.

   Do you live in Boston? Yes. Southend.

   Do you

   live in Massachusetts? Yes.

   Do you live outside Boston but are relocating? No.

   Age?

   35

   What is your timeframe for buying? See above.

   Are you afraid to buy today? I

   would wait on second home but would very much consider primary residence.

   Are you afraid to

   put off buying? No.

   Grade my blog, A to F. Wide variation between days (A+ to C+) but

   overall a nice combo of intelligent discussion and sarcasm (A-).

2. Viet
   Comment by Viet | 07/30/07 at 9:48 am

   Are you a homeowner, currently?
   Nope.

   Are

   you a homeowner looking to buy and/or sell?
   N/A

   Are you a renter looking to buy your

   first home?
   Yep, closing on a condo in Brighton tomorrow.

   Do you live in

   Boston?
   Renting in Brighton.

   Do you live in Massachusetts?
   Yes.

   Do you live

   outside Boston but are relocating?
   N/A

   Age?
   23

   What is your timeframe for

   buying?
   Really really soon.

   Are you afraid to buy today?
   Somewhat. I’m kinda

   concerned that the condo I’m purchasing will go down in value in the future.

   Are you afraid

   to put off buying?
   Nope.

   Grade my blog, A to F.
   A – It’s the only blog I’ve found

   that paints a picture of the real estate market in Boston.

3. Byron Seese
   Comment by Byron Seese | 07/30/07 at 9:50 am

   Homeowner? – yes

   Buy/Sell? -

   yes, closing on new place tomorrow and am lined up to sell our current condo by the end of

   August

   Live in Boston/Mass?- Currently, yes – Roslindale. Moving to Newburyport next

   month

   Age? – 36

   Grade? – B

   Afraid to buy today? – No, it’s a good buyers

   market especially outside of downtown

   I’ve been living in Boston/Boston area for over 10

   years. I started reading the site when I found it while researching moving to a larger place about

   6-8 months ago and then just kept reading because I enjoy the content. Reading about and following

   Real Estate has become a hobby of sorts.

4. Ben
   Comment by Ben | 07/30/07 at 10:14 am

   Are you a

   homeowner, currently? Nope.

   Are you a renter looking to buy your first home? Yes.

   Do

   you live in Boston? Yes, the Fenway

   Age? 25

   What is your timeframe for buying? 1-2

   years.

   Are you afraid to buy today? Very. The market doesn’t seem sustainable at

   all.

   Are you afraid to put off buying? Not at the moment. Rent for my fiancee and I (albeit

   with a roommate) is half of what we’d pay to own a similar condo.

   Grade my blog, A to F. -

   B+. Overall pretty good.

5. Tio Sancho
   Comment by Tio Sancho | 07/30/07 at 10:25 am

   > Are you a homeowner,

   currently?

   No.

   > Are you a renter looking to buy your first home?

   Yes, at

   some point.

   > Do you live in Boston?
   > Do you live in

   Massachusetts?

   Somerville.

   > Age?

   32

   > What is your timeframe for

   buying?

   Probably sometime in the next 5 years. I am very patient.

   > Are you

   afraid to buy today?

   Yes. This is the only reason I am not buying now. I already have a

   hefty down payment and could even pay cash for some places.

   > Are you afraid to put off

   buying?

   Not at all. My apartment is nice.

   > Grade my blog, A to F.

   B,

   mainly because I am a tough grader. Most blogs are tripe.

   > Why haven’t you contacted

   me yet to be your agent? (Seriously.)

   1) I plan to look for a SFH in the burbs and it looks

   like you focus on condos.

   2) I think you would be PO’ed with my time frame and intention to

   seriously lowball sellers once I think the downturn has gone on long enough for them to

   capitulate.

6. Adam B.
   Comment by Adam B. | 07/30/07 at 10:34 am

   I actually close on my new condo

   tuesday! I’m switching from renting in West Roxbury (nice, but too quiet), to an awesome little

   condo in Jamaica Plain (sacrificed about 100 square feet for location and a little garage). I’m

   31, and because i come up for tenure in 4 years it was either buy now, or wait all the way until

   after the tenure decision.

   Perhaps because i’m looking at my house as a place to live and

   not as a Big Moneymaking Opportunity, I didn’t have much fear about buying now. A year ago, I

   would have waited, but at least in JP things seem to have levelled off.

   Blog grade? Solid B.

   I love your coverage of new construction, and some of the real-estate : politics intersection work,

   and your “parse the real estate news story” bits. I’d love to see you do a series that

   encapsulates your take on Boston neighborhoods, one at a time. I.e. a post on the South End, a post

   on EaBo, etc. Where it’s been, where’s it going, etc.

7. Garyk
   Comment by Garyk | 07/30/07 at 10:35 am

   Are you

   a homeowner, currently? No.
   Are you a homeowner looking to buy and/or sell? No
   Are you a

   renter looking to buy your first home? Yes
   Do you live in Boston? Yes
   Do you live in

   Massachusetts? only place Boston exists
   Do you live outside Boston but are relocating?

   No
   Age? 40
   What is your timeframe for buying? When I find something I like for the price I

   like.
   Are you afraid to buy today? Yes. Still feel the market has significant

   corrections.
   Are you afraid to put off buying? No. Little chance of significant price

   increases.
   Grade my blog, A to F. B+ Some great info. Some strange views though.

   Oh,

   and, most importantly:

   Why haven’t you contacted me yet to be your agent? (Seriously.) 1.

   Looking more in Cambridge than Boston due to price/space. 2. As I have no time pressure, and

   generally feel that the market is still not appropriate priced, I wouldn’t want to waste your time

   until I feel I am seriously ready.

8. Rhea
   Comment by Rhea | 07/30/07 at 10:46 am

   I owned a house in Boston for about 5 years, sold it in 1998,

   now renting. Will buy again after all the current fallout. Will definitely not buy until then.

9. Confused
   Comment by Confused | 07/30/07 at 12:37 pm

   Are you a homeowner, currently?

   nope

   Are you a homeowner

   looking to buy and/or sell?

   N/A

   Are you a renter looking to buy your first

   home?

   Yes

   Do you live in Boston?

   No

   Do you live in

   Massachusetts?

   Yes

   Do you live outside Boston but are relocating?

   Yes not

   relocating

   Age?

   37

   What is your timeframe for buying?

   When prices line

   up with incomes.

   Are you afraid to buy today?

   You bet your bippy. I’m not selling

   my future.

   Are you afraid to put off buying?

   No way. Climbing foreclosures,

   increasing interest rates (can’t always stay below the historic average), tightening credit

   standards, subprime, alt-a, prime bond crash all equal advantage me

   Grade my blog, A to

   F.

   I’ll give you an A. I may disagree with some of your opinions but hell its YOUR

   blog.

   Oh, and, most importantly:

   Why haven’t you contacted me yet to be your agent?

   (Seriously.)

   If you want to help me chase around short sales and generally low ball people

   in the Auburndale area, I’ll give you a call next year.

10. Crumpet
    Comment by Crumpet | 07/30/07 at 12:46 pm

    Are you a homeowner, currently?
    Yes

    Are you a homeowner looking to buy and/or

    sell?
    No

    Do you live in Boston?
    Yes – South End

    Age?
    32

    Grade my

    blog, A to F.
    B

11. Mike
    Comment by Mike | 07/30/07 at 12:57 pm

    I’m a frequent commenter here, so

    here’s mine:

    Are you a renter looking to buy your first home?
    Yes (sort of — owned

    condo 2 yrs ago in Atlanta)

    Do you live in Massachusetts?
    Yes,

    Newton

    Age?
    25

    What is your timeframe for buying?
    Winter

    Are you afraid

    to buy today?
    Yes – I only hear bad housing news in the Globe

    Grade my blog, A to

    F.
    A

    Why haven’t you contacted me yet to be your agent? (Seriously.)
    Looking to buy

    in Newton to Sudbury area – you only cover Boston.

12. Matt
    Comment by Matt | 07/30/07 at 1:43 pm

    Are you a

    homeowner, currently? Yes
    Are you a homeowner looking to buy and/or sell? Yes, both
    Are you a

    renter looking to buy your first home? No
    Do you live in Boston? Yes
    Do you live in

    Massachusetts? Yes
    Do you live outside Boston but are relocating? No
    Age? 35
    What is your

    timeframe for buying? As soon as my condo goes under contract
    Are you afraid to buy today?

    No
    Are you afraid to put off buying? No
    Grade my blog, A to F. B

    Oh, and, most

    importantly:

    Why haven’t you contacted me yet to be your agent? (Seriously.) Using a

    friend-of-a-friend

13. Finance Mike
    Comment by Finance Mike | 07/30/07 at 2:10 pm

    Are you a homeowner, currently? No.
    Are you a homeowner looking to buy and/or sell?

    No.
    Are you a renter looking to buy your first home? Yes.
    Do you live in Boston? Yes, Back

    Bay
    Do you live in Massachusetts? Yes.
    Do you live outside Boston but are relocating?

    No.
    Age? 37
    What is your timeframe for buying? As soon as I find what I like at the right

    price. My deposit’s sitting and ready to go.
    Are you afraid to buy today? I am unwilling to

    pay current prices. I feel pretty strongly that the majority of sellers are asking too much given

    current market conditions. It is improving however.
    Are you afraid to put off buying? No, my

    apartment is fine for now.
    Grade my blog, A to F. I think it’s a good blog overall (an A).

    For my specific needs, more market analysis and commentary would be interesting and

    useful.

    Oh, and, most importantly:

    Why haven’t you contacted me yet to be your

    agent? (Seriously.)

    Actually, I plan on contacting you when I think the market’s more

    realistic. Based on your commentary and that you’ve created this blog, you seem like someone with

    whom I would enjoy working. However, I think it’s unlikely I’ll find what I want at a reasonable

    price until September/October time frame, so I don’t want to waste anyone’s time.

    Mike

14. Denise Catalano
    Comment by Denise Catalano | 07/30/07 at 3:23 pm

    Are you a homeowner, currently? Yes

    Are you a homeowner looking to buy and/or

    sell? Yes

    Are you a renter looking to buy your first home? No

    Do you live in Boston?

    No

    Do you live in Massachusetts? No

    Do you live outside Boston but are relocating?

    Yes (probably)

    Age? 45

    What is your timeframe for buying? Spring/Summer

    2008

    Are you afraid to buy today? No

    Are you afraid to put off buying?

    No

    Grade my blog, A to F.

    A. I think it has great information on the Boston market

    and neighborhoods, plus links to other interesting real estate info. And it’s

    entertaining!

    Oh, and, most importantly:

    Why haven’t you contacted me yet to be

    your agent? (Seriously.)

    If my husband is transferred to Boston we won’t be ready to start

    seriously looking until Spring of 2008. We should know if the transfer/relocation will happen by

    this fall. If it’s a go, then I plan to contact you about being our agent in Boston. We aren’t

    ruling out neighborhoods outside of Boston due to cost savings and more space (Cambridge,

    Brookline, even Quincy), and I don’t think you deal with those areas. But we do like the South End

    and Seaport.

    BTW, I liked your earlier post about how you work with clients. That’s exactly

    how I foresee looking for a condo.

15. Dawn
    Comment by Dawn | 07/30/07 at 3:52 pm

    Homeowner, currently? YES.

    Homeowner looking to buy and/or sell? YES/YES

    Do you

    live in Boston? NO–but desperately want to.

    Do you live in Massachusetts? NO–Rhode

    Island (Ugh!)

    Do you live outside Boston but are relocating? YES. LOOKING TO MOVE TO

    ROSLINDALE.
    Age? 32

    What is your timeframe for buying? AS SOON AS WE CAN SELL OUR

    CURRENT HOME (Expecting our 3rd–hopefully final–offer today). First 2 offers fell through due to

    buyers’ financing.

    Are you afraid to buy today? NOT AT ALL!

    Are you afraid to put

    off buying? YES–FROM ALL I’VE READ AND HEARD, IT’s ANYBODY’s GUESS AS TO WHEN PRICES WILL

    BEGIN RISING AGAIN. The right type of fixer upper with great potential will surely increase in

    value with renovations. Plus we’ll go insane if we have to stay in RI too much

    longer.

    Grade my blog, A to F. B+ WAY BETTER THAN THE GLOBE’S BLOG.

16. Holly
    Comment by Holly | 07/30/07 at 5:21 pm

    Are you a homeowner, currently? Yes

    Are you a homeowner

    looking to buy and/or sell? I have a unit under agreement at 45 Province. Will be looking to sell

    my current place in a year or two depending on how construction move along.

    Are you a renter

    looking to buy your first home? No

    Do you live in Boston? Yes (SoSo)

    Do you live in

    Massachusetts? Yes

    Do you live outside Boston but are relocating? No

    Age?

    31

    What is your timeframe for buying? Have a unit under agreement.

    Are you afraid to

    buy today? No

    Are you afraid to put off buying? No

    Grade my blog, A to F.

    B+

    Oh, and, most importantly:

    Why haven’t you contacted me yet to be your agent?

    (Seriously.) Because I alreday have my new home all lined up.

17. Anon
    Comment by Anon | 07/30/07 at 10:07 pm

    Are you a homeowner, currently? Yes, times 2
    Are you a homeowner looking to buy

    and/or sell? Nope
    Are you a renter looking to buy your first home? Nope
    Do you live in

    Boston? Yes
    Do you live in Massachusetts? Yes, times two
    Do you live outside Boston but are

    relocating? No
    Age? 53
    What is your timeframe for buying? When everyone says it is a terrible

    time to buy real esate. Like 1992-1995
    Are you afraid to buy today? Not afraid, but prices are

    too high
    Are you afraid to put off buying? Nope
    Grade my blog, A to F. B+

18. Franco
    Comment by Franco | 07/30/07 at 11:28 pm

    Are you a

    homeowner, currently? Yes

    Are you a homeowner looking to buy and/or sell? No

    Are

    you a renter looking to buy your first home? No

    Do you live in Boston? Wellesley

    Do

    you live in Massachusetts? Yes

    Do you live outside Boston but are relocating?

    No

    Age? 41

    What is your timeframe for buying? Not in market presently

    Are

    you afraid to buy today? Nope

    Are you afraid to put off buying? Nope

    Grade my blog,

    A to F. A. I love it.

    Oh, and, most importantly:

    Why haven’t you contacted me

    yet to be your agent? (Seriously.) I would if I were in the market.

19. david
    Comment by david | 07/31/07 at 7:20 am

    Are you a homeowner, currently?
    yes
    Are you a

    homeowner looking to buy and/or sell?
    yes

    Are you a renter looking to buy your first

    home?
    no

    Do you live in Boston?
    no, medford

    Do you live in

    Massachusetts?
    Yes.

    Do you live outside Boston but are

    relocating?
    no

    Age?
    39

    What is your timeframe for buying?
    in next

    yr

    Are you afraid to buy today?
    yes, i’m worried the suburban market will

    tank.

    Are you afraid to put off buying?
    no, it’s getting to be more of a buyer’s

    market

    Grade my blog, A to F.
    a.

    Why haven’t you contacted me yet to be your

    agent? (Seriously.) you don’t cover the burbs, and we’ll try DIY first. but if i were buying in

    the city, i would contact you.

20. Ed
    Comment by Ed | 07/31/07 at 10:47 am

    Are you a homeowner, currently? Yes

    Are you a homeowner looking to

    buy and/or sell? No

    Are you a renter looking to buy your first home? No

    Do you live

    in Boston? No, Arlington

    Do you live in Massachusetts? Yes.

    Do you live outside

    Boston but are relocating? No.

    Age? 36

    What is your timeframe for buying?

    N/A

    Are you afraid to buy today? No, it’s a great time to buy.

    Are you afraid to put

    off buying? No.

    Grade my blog, A to F. Solid B.

    Oh, and, most

    importantly:

    Why haven’t you contacted me yet to be your agent? (Seriously.) I am an

    agent. I enjoy reading your blog on a daily basis.

21. Matt
    Comment by Matt | 07/31/07 at 11:17 am

    @Holly: What the f is SoSo?

22. Mike
    Comment by Mike | 07/31/07 at 12:17 pm

    SoSo is in South Boston near the Broadway T. There

    really isn’t much of anything there yet. Lots of vacant commercial lots and run-down triple

    deckers.

23. Jen
    Comment by Jen | 07/31/07 at 1:06 pm

    Are you a homeowner, currently?
    No

    Are you a renter

    looking to buy your first home?
    Yes, eventually

    Do you live in Boston?
    Almost, in

    Brookline

    Age?
    34

    What is your timeframe for buying?
    I’m still trying to

    figure that out – at least a year, likely longer

    Are you afraid to buy today?
    Very much

    so. Both for financial reasons and what I guess I would call fear-of-commitment issues.

    Are you afraid to put off buying?
    For too long, yes. I am terrified by the idea of still

    having a mortgage payment at retirement.

    Grade my blog, A to F.
    B.

    Why haven’t

    you contacted me yet to be your agent? (Seriously.)
    Time frame, mostly, and a sense that I may

    need to buy further outside the city.

24. NickV
    Comment by NickV | 07/31/07 at 6:39 pm

    Are

    you a homeowner, currently?
    No.

    Are you a homeowner looking to buy and/or

    sell?
    N/A.

    Are you a renter looking to buy your first home?
    Yes, eventually.

    Do

    you live in Boston?
    Cambridge (close enough).

    Do you live in

    Massachusetts?
    Yes.

    Do you live outside Boston but are

    relocating?
    No.

    Age?
    Mid 30s.

    What is your timeframe for buying?
    When

    housing prices make more sense than they do now.

    Are you afraid to buy

    today?
    Yes.

    Are you afraid to put off buying?
    No.

    Grade my blog, A to

    F.
    Mostly B+ / A, but sometimes I think you’re a bit too much of a real-estate cheerleader

    instead of a realist.

    Oh, and, most importantly:

    Why haven’t you contacted me yet

    to be your agent? (Seriously.)
    a) My spouse is a lawyer, and therefore, a broker.
    b) Even if

    (a) weren’t true, we’d prefer to go it alone unless we *needed* a broker to get cash back on the

    commission.

25. Per
    Comment by Per | 08/01/07 at 4:39 pm

    Are you a homeowner, currently?
    No.

    Are you a renter

    looking to buy your first home?
    Yes, in the preliminary stages.

    Do you live in

    Boston?
    Yes.

    Age?
    25, and my girlfriend is 24 (we’re living in sin,

    wheeee!)

    What is your timeframe for buying?
    12-18 months. Like I said, we’re just

    starting the process. She has one more year at BU law, which will coincide with the end of our

    current lease.

    Are you afraid to buy today?
    No.

    Are you afraid to put off

    buying?
    Only in the sense that I’d rather be paying $2200 a month as a mortgage instead of in

    rent.

    Grade my blog, A to F.
    A for content, B for design. It’s my prime destination for

    news about Boston real estate, but the design, while fairly clean, could be slicker.

    Oh,

    and, most importantly:

    Why haven’t you contacted me yet to be your agent?

    (Seriously.)
    Well, like I’ve mentioned, we’re still just starting the process. I think we’ve

    narrowed down the kind of place that we’re looking for, but we definitely wouldn’t be moving

    until after her law school graduation, and we probably wouldn’t be able to come up with a suitable

    down payment until she starts generating a second income.

26. Jim
    Comment by Jim | 08/01/07 at 6:09 pm

    Are you a homeowner, currently?

    YES
    Are you a homeowner looking to buy and/or sell? NO
    Are you a renter looking to buy your

    first home? NO
    Do you live in Boston? GREATER BOSTON AREA
    Do you live in Massachusetts?

    YES
    Do you live outside Boston but are relocating? NO
    Age? 34
    What is your timeframe for

    buying? N/A
    Are you afraid to buy today? NO
    Are you afraid to put off buying? N/A
    Grade

    my blog, A to F. B

27. Mike
    Comment by Mike | 08/02/07 at 11:46 am

    @Per: I think John spent big bucks to have this website designed. I saw the

    designer’s portfolio somewhere once, and the sites that utilized flash were quite impressive.

28. Per
    Comment by Per | 08/02/07 at 6:29 pm

    @Mike:

    I think his main

    website was the one that was professionally designed (www.ivynerds.com), and really, the blog is

    great. I’m just surrounded by GUI stuff all day, so I’m needlessly picky.

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