In lots of condo buildings, valet parking is considered a mark of luxury. But depending on the valet it can also be annoying when you’re not in the mood for interacting with other people. There’s always the question of how much to tip. And what I hear from those living at the Boston Ritz towers [...]

This is a new Beacon Hill listing. It’s not often that the words “Beacon Hill” and “foreclosure” are linked togther.
The MLS description for 127 Charles Street #4:
1 Bedroom and studio setup. Please be advised that this property is listed post-foreclosure, and therefore caution should be exercised by brokers and their clients during any entry and [...]

Beacon Hill news:
The daughter of Todd English will be opening up a cupcake store at 81 Charles Street in Beacon Hill where the old Ritz Camera shop was once located.

The link below is an interesting real estate chart from the Wall Street Journal. It provides a look at fundamental indicators in 28 major real estate markets.
Real Estate Chart
Boston – 2nd Q
Change in housing inventory…..-9.3%
Months supply…. 7.4
Price drop from peak….-18.8%
WSJ

According to LINK five (5) condos sold at the Ritz in June, one of which was bank owned.
Average sales price $959,500.00
Average sales price per sq ft. $750.00.

It appears to me that more and more agents are expanding the prestigious Boston neighborhoods when they list their properties on MLS. Here are just a few examples:
MLS # 70948090 – 12 Stoneham Street $349,000 is classified under Back Bay.
MLS # 70924453 – 13 Albemarle Street #1 is also under Back Bay. Really? I thought [...]

The following information is from LINK, comparing the fist 6 months of ‘08 with ‘09
Number of Jamaica Plain condo sales in ‘09 – 155
Number of Jamaica Plain condo sales in ‘08 – 199
Average Jamaica Plain condo sales price in ‘09 – $363,481.00
Average Jamaica Plain condo sales price in ‘08 – $376,000.00
Median Jamaica Plain condo sales [...]

Is the US due for a protracted decline in housing prices? The linked article below argues that fundamentals on the supply side of the housing market imply that US housing prices are about to bottom out. They should resume rising soon.
Read the full article: How far will US home prices fall?

From the Boston Globe:
For Americans debating whether to buy or rent their homes, the scales are tipping toward ownership. Because of the slide in home prices, low interest rates, and tax incentives, renters are realizing they could handle a mortgage for a just little more money.
An Associated Press analysis of 45 metro areas finds the [...]

June’s foreclosure petitions jumped to 2,835, more than eight times higher than the 350 petitions in June of last year and about 22 percent higher than the 2,329 filings in May. The number of petitions to foreclose in June reached a 13-month high.
The foreclosure numbers come on the heels of an increase in the Bay [...]