Despite the end of the federal tax credit, housing conditions across most of the country improved in May, according to a new S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices report.
Massachusetts fared pretty well, with home prices increasing about 1.6 percent month-to-month and 4.8 percent year-over-year. The report tends to confirm what Banker & Tradesman is also reporting (see [...]

Single-family home sales in Massachusetts spiked 45.8 percent in April compared to the same month a year ago, while condominiums sales soared 55.7 percent, according to The Warren Group, publisher of Banker & Tadesman. The article also noted that median home prices climbed for the fifth straight month.

A week ago, the local news reported on $52,000 per month rental at the Mandarin. Well today, I looked up the penthouse listing and I found out that it was withdrawn after four days on the market. What’s up with that?
On another note, two of the Bryant auction condos are now listed for rent. 303 [...]

From Banker and Tradesman:
Buying a home is about to get cheaper for a whole new crop of homebuyers — $6,500 cheaper.
First-time homebuyers have been getting tax credits of up to $8,000 since January as part of the economic stimulus package enacted earlier this year. But with the program scheduled to expire at the end of [...]

Fenway condo sales – 1/1/09 – 5/31/09
Number of Fenway condo sales – 30
Avg. Fenway condo sales price – $369,207.00
Median Fenway condo sales price – $338,250.00
Avg. price per sq ft. – $551.00
Avg. days on the market – 51
Fenwat condo sales – 1/1/08 – 5/31/08
Fenway condo sales – 73
Avg. Fenway condo sales price – $411,406.00
Median Fenway condo [...]

Comparing Boston condo sales of the 1st Q 2009 with 2008.
Boston condo sales 1/1/09 – 3/31/09
Number of Boston condos sold – 618
Avg. Boston condo sales price – $437,845.00
Median Boston condo sales price – $301,750.00
Avg price per square foot – $404.00
Avg # of days on the market – 125
Boston condo sales 1/1/08 – 3/31/08
Number of Boston [...]

1st Q Boston real estate sales.
Unit dollar volume 1/1/09 – 3/31/09:
$634,386,673.50
Unit dollar volume 1/1/08 – 3/31/08:
$1,061,152,975.28
Source: MLS

Charlestown condo sales data.
Charlestown condo sales from Jan 1st – March 1st 2008
Number of Charlestown condo sales – 25
Average sales price of a Charlestown condo – $446,946.00
Median sales price of a Charlestown condo – $400,000.00
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Charlestown condos sold from Jan 1st – March 1st 2009
Number of Charlestown condo sales – 10
Average Charlestown condo sales price [...]

After a somewhat unexpected spike in December, foreclosure activity dropped 10 percent in January — although the January total of 274,399 was the fourth highest monthly total since January 2005 and still up 18 percent from January 2008, according to the latest RealtyTrac U.S. Foreclosure Market Report.
The monthly drop was uncharacteristic for a January: [...]

The following is a list of Boston’s top ten neighborhoods for condo sales in ‘08 (‘07).
1. Boston South End condo sales – 571 (611)
2. South Boston condo sales – 407 (573)
3. Back Bay condo sales – 404 (453)
4. Dorchester condo sales – 367 (364)
5. Jamaica Plain condo sales – 328 (432)
6. Brighton condo sales – 283 [...]