Posted on November 19th, 2008 by
Charissa PemperThe Holidays are right around the corner and if you are looking for the not-so-normal shopping in Boston, then there are a few places that are absolute musts.
Newbury St.
“Boston’s most enchanting street. Eight blocks filled with salons, boutiques, and fabulous dining. Boston’s Newbury Street has something for everyone.”
In the heart of the Back Bay, Newbury st. boasts some of the finest shops and boutiques in the world. A beautiful melding of 19th century ambiance and modern culture, Newbury St. is the ultimate city shopping experience.
After a tiring day scouting the various boutiques, you can just sit down and sip your favorite coffee along one of the al fresco coffee shops. Wear very comfortable shoes when shopping here because you don’t want to miss the fun of shopping two to three days in a row! This street used to be part of the Boston Harbor until it was filled in. If you are having a bad hair day, then visit one of the premier salons before going on a shopping spree.
Prudential / Copley
The Shops at Prudential Center and Copley Plaza (attached by an above-ground pedestrian walkway) have been identified as one of the top destinations for shoppers in Boston. It is the epicenter of consumer goods in the city. It has more than 75 establishments with well-known names as Saks Fifth Avenue, Lacoste. Club Monaco, Barneys New York and Tiffany & Co.
The Wrentham Village Premium Outlets
45 Minutes from Boston, the Wrentham Outlets are an astonishing series of name-brand outlet stores offering great deals. It is an huge place, with Gucci, Cole Haan, Movado, Williams-Sonoma, Yankee Candle, Kate Spade, Hugo Boss, Banana Republic, Barneys New York, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Coach, Elie Tahari, J.Crew, Kenneth Cole, Lacoste, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, Salvatore Ferragamo, Sony, Williams-Sonoma and about 160 more…
Filene’s Basement
The famous Filene’s Basement is still going strong. This store houses high-end name brand clothing at much discounted prices. Every year they have their annual Wedding Dress event, which will be held in February ‘09, where hundreds of brides-to-be vie (or fight) for unbelievably discounted name-brand wedding gowns.
Located in the heart of Downtown Boston in the Downtown Crossing area. Don’t expect tea and concierge service here though. It really is a basement, and actually abuts The MBTA’s Orange Line, which is really the best way to get there. You can literally get off the train and walk into the store.
Charissa Pemper
Lic. MA Real Estate Broker, REALTOR®
Charissa@HomesInBoston.com
Posted on October 13th, 2008 by
Charissa PemperOne of the biggest topics of discussion in the local market is the record number of foreclosures and shortsales going on in the Boston area.
Because of the mortgage fallout, there are a ridiculous number of foreclosed properties on the market. They are often hard to distinguish from regular listings. Sometimes they are tagged as bank-owned, but most often they have no distinguishing notices to the public. Foreclosed properties can offer an opportunity to buy a property at a discount IF the place needs work. In this sense, they really aren’t all that different from a traditional sale on a fixer-upper.
But, because of the drop in property values recently, there aren’t as many "deals" out there with foreclosed homes as you might hope.
A shortsale, on the other hand, occurs when the mortgage on the property is higher than the value. You might have a $375,000 loan on a house, the market value of which is now only $350,000. A shortsale is when the mortgage holder agrees to forgive the $25,000 difference in order to sell the house.
Shortsales can be very difficult to negotiate since every dollar lower you try to go represents a dollar lost to the mortgage holder. An added complication here is that the mortgage holder must approve of EVERY step of the transaction. Even worse – they have the right to change their mind all the way up until the time of closing, meaning you could have your inspections, get your financing all set, be ready to close and suddenly get a notice saying that the seller’s lender has decided not to allow the sale.
I’ve compiled some frequently asked questions about the subject to handle the most common questions:
Charissa Pemper
Lic. MA Real Estate Broker, REALTOR®
Charissa@HomesInBoston.com
Posted on October 13th, 2008 by
Charissa PemperIn my profession, I drive around quite a bit. I have never seen so many wild turkeys (and I’m not talking about the whiskey) ever before! I come across them sometimes in Newton and Brookline, but even those cases were relatively infrequent. This year has been a completely different story.
I’ve seen a rafter of more than 20 in Brookline, so far this year, a gang of around 10 in Milton, the same in Newton, then I across a small family in Hyde Park, wandering the streets. All of the neighbors came out to check them out as they wandered from yard to yard. I’ve had pictures sent to me of enormous numbers traipsing through neighborhoods.
I don’t know if their numbers are up and/or if their food supplies are down and they need to search further, but they certainly are fun to see in the city.
I just hope they have the sense to clear out before Thanksgiving!
Charissa Pemper
Lic. MA Real Estate Broker, REALTOR®
Charissa@HomesInBoston.com
Posted on October 13th, 2008 by
Charissa PemperIn this day and age, buying and selling your contact info happens more than you can imagine. And it often happens from sites that suggest they are "matching" you with qualified real estate agents and sites that say you can get a free market value for your house. These sites are hardly more than form redirects. They get your inquiry and sell it.
You are being treated like some sort of nameless, mindless commodity. Your privacy is not being respected, nor is your time, because if an agent pays for your contact info, they are going to do anything to get you to buy/sell so they aren’t out the money.
These sites market to agents saying they can provide us with X number of leads a month. Some want a flat fee for your info, others want a percentage of the commission. Some charge by zip code. Those that want flat fees are generally willing to sell your contact info multiple times to make the most profit.
Think about that for a moment… You fill out one form on one of these sites and you might have just been sold to 3-15 agents!
So here you are thinking you’ve just put in a request for an automated valuation of your house, only to start getting tons of emails and phone calls. All from agents who are desperate to get your business, and with the market being what it is, many agents are faced with the problem of either getting you to sign up or leave the business.
They tell agents that you are a "certified" or "qualified" lead.
They tell you that the agents are "certified" or "qualified" too.
Which only means that you have a legitimate phone number and email address and that the agents pay their fees…
Why people support this practice is beyond me. I refuse to be a "lead" and you should too!
Charissa Pemper
Lic. MA Real Estate Broker, REALTOR®
Charissa@HomesInBoston.com
Posted on October 13th, 2008 by
Charissa PemperWelcome to my Boston Real Estate Blog, though it is about more than just real estate! We will be discussing living in Boston and all of it’s fun and quirks along with market updates, news from the real estate and mortgage industries as well as trends, tips and hints.
My husband will be offering his insights on some great attractions, events, restaurants, and shopping. We will also have guest authors come in and post about mortgage trends and how the changes in the lending world will affect you.
I hope you enjoy, sign up, comment, and share this blog with your friends. I look forward to talking with you!
Charissa Pemper
Lic. MA Real Estate Broker, REALTOR®
Charissa@HomesInBoston.com
