A couple of weeks ago I was on a tour in the suburbs west of the city. The foliage was beautiful, the farm stands picturesque.
Turns out we didn't have to go on a foliage drive to catch the color. It was only a matter of a week or two before we hit peak foliage in Cambridge. This year the display is about as good as it gets. Glorious colors at every turn. The brilliant foliage competes with the election signs for our attention.
Leaf peeping in your own backyard - you can't beat it.
Yesterday we had early snow - preceded by pouring rain. But what a difference a day makes! It was a beautiful blue sky autumn day.
Good thing too - I had a tour scheduled for the Back Bay in Boston this afternoon. It's a park-and-walk kind of place so bad weather would have nixed our tour. Instead, it was a glorious day - no need for a jacket - and the perfect weather to soak in this beautiful neighborhood.
"One of the brightest gems in the New England weather is the dazzling uncertainty of it. There is only one thing certain about it, you are certain there is going to be plenty of weather." -- Mark Twain
Last night I was playing around with the IDX on my website. I was startled to see that my listing search results didn't include the Description field - just photos and the little snippets of info about size, etc. No matter how much I fiddled I couldn't get the Description to show.
I was stumped - why would anybody want to use a website without getting to see the Property Description? Not me that's for sure.
I emailed my IDX provider and was dismayed to get an email today that said the problem stems from new regulations on the part of the Massachusetts MLS, MLSpin.
Dismayed doesn't really describe how I feel. Enraged is more like it.
It turns out that MLSpin, at the end of August, instituted new rules that require registration to view the description on a property listing.
While I know there are varying views regarding whether or not to require registration I have decided from the beginning to not require registration to view listing information. And a post by Greg Smith about his results with registration vs. no-registration convinces me that I'm on the right track.
As far as I'm concerned this is a huge step backwards. We can't pull back. Buyers and sellers want access to information and trying to keep it close in a misguided attempt to maintain control just doesn't make sense.
Right now the descriptions are still on Zillow, Trulia and Yahoo - and those are just the ones I checked.
It's an outrage.
Tell me why that makes any sense? Who are MLSpin's constituents? Who pays MLSpin dues? Who provides the content that MLSpin needs to survive? What were the Board of Directors thinking?
In a day and age where lead aggregators are constantly trying to get a slice of our pie why on earth are we being hobbled by our own MLS?
Even if MLSpin creates a level playing field that's not the answer. What are we all doing this for? Aren't we trying to sell properties for homeowners? Isn't that what keeps us all in business? To make an online experience far less meaningful is not doing the job for anybody - agents or home sellers. Information wants to be free.
I am confident that online buyers are not going to register at dozens of sites. This is not a move that will benefit individual agents that's for sure.
This isn't the first time that I've been hugely aggravated by an arbitrary rules change from MLSpin. Once again I find myself asking who are these people making these decisions? How did they become the decision makers? Why aren't our voices heard, our opinions solicited? Can we have an election?
It's 2009 - not 1989. Bring back the Property Descriptions.
Tags Hardware in Porter Squareis the place to go when you're moving to Cambridge or Somerville. It's one-stop shopping when you've just moved into your new place.
Opened in 1957 and still run by the Shapiro family, Tags is a combination hardware store - home store. Over the years the store has expanded into more and more home accessories and has many stylish choices - while still maintaining a full service hardware store.
Upstairs you'll find home decor and accessoriesincluding everything you'll need to outfit your bath, a wide variety of kitchen implements, dishware and small appliances, placemats and napkins, candles, laundry needs, storage items, even small furniture. The seasonal items are up front - everything from barbecue tools to Christmas decorations depending on the time of year.
Downstairs Tags looks more like a regular hardware store - an Ace Hardware store in fact. Here you'll find everything hardware related - paint and wallpaper, plumbing supplies, cleaning supplies, electrical and wiring supplies, gardening supplies, and more. There's also a counter where you can get keys made.
In short - just about anything you're looking for when you move into your new place can be found at Tags. Everything you need plus friendly, helpful service - it's a hard combination to beat.
Tags Hardware is at 29 White Street, Cambridge MA in the Porter Square shopping centerthat runs between Mass Ave in Cambridge and Elm Street in Somerville. Hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8pm and Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Tags Hardware's phone number is 617-868-7711.
Porcelain Patch & Glaze - Watertown MA Got some ugly colored tile in your house? A stained bathtub sorely in need of sprucing up? Or a battered file cabinet that's too shabby for your office? Time to give Porcelain Patch & Glaze of Watertown Massachusetts a call.
Porcelain Patch and Glaze offers electrostatic refinishing services that will transform appliances, fixtures, tile and even furniture.
I discovered Porcelain Patch when it was time to sell my condo. I lived in an early 1970s building. In the late 1960s and early '70s colored appliances and fixtures were all the rage. In my complex you either had the blue, the harvest gold, the avocado green, or the brown color scheme. Everything in your condo was the same dated hue - the sinks, the stove, the fridge, the tub - each and every piece.
Over time I had replaced most of the appliances and fixtures but I still had a gold stove hood and an unattractive tiled backsplash. Something needed to be done.
Porcelain Patch sent out a packet of information in advance of my appointment. Oh the possibilities! It would never have occurred to me that so many items could be refinished and recolored. My metal file cabinets and metal desk would have to wait but the metal bi-fold doors were added to the list for refinishing. And while I was playing it safe with a white color scheme for an immediate resale, one could dream of color choices for future projects - there are over 300 subtle shades and bold hues available to transform a boring appliance or an old cabinet.
The process involves acid etching, removing rust, filling holes, sanding, and finally priming and glazing. Work is typically done at your home or office.
The company has a long list of satisfied customers. The Gleason family opened the company in 1938, over seventy years ago. Today business is booming and depending on the time of year there may be several weeks wait for your project.
If you're ready to get your tub reglazed or your fridge made new - give the folks at Porcelain Patch a call at 617-924-9100. Their office is located at 140 Watertown Street, Watertown MA 02172.
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