Pat Laracy Baker, Realtor, Green, ABR Needham, Massachusetts

Ridge Hill, Bradley Estate, Needham, MA

Credit Greg Abazorius

Have you ever wanted a place to go and get away from the noise of life without driving a long distance? Well we have it here in Needham and that is Ridge Hill, named that because there is a glacier there. This part of Needham was once where the wealthy of Boston came to summer. The beautiful piece of land is home to many animals, plants, grasses and it is so beautiful. There are many trails within the large parcel of land too.

Link to trails at Ridge Hill: http://www.needhamma.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=2350

Often I go there to set and think, meditate, plan and just get away from the noise of life. I am only 3 miles east of that sweet spot. We are so fortunate of have this lovely land to share as a community.

Here are two links to some history about this site which was part of a much large parcel of land. It provides for an interesting true story of this area of Needham and a man named William Emerson Baker (no relation).

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/needham/articles/2010/04/08/little_remains_of_19th_century_eccentrics_wondrous_estate_in_needham/?page=2

http://greisnet.com/needhist.nsf/bakerestate!OpenPage

Special thanks to the League of Women Voters who hosted a wonderful informative evening on the Ridge Hill property at the Needham Public Library.

Once the Bradley Estate, the town originally purchased 222 acres in 1972 and put it under the oversight of the Conservation Commission. Through additional acquisitions, the reservation now includes 360 acres of uplands, trails and access to the Charles River.

Until recently, the Bradley Morse house was open for public use. The Selectmen have been responsible for the house and the surrounding 3 acres since the Massachusetts legislature allowed that parcel to be separated from the rest of the reservation land.

Now the way I see it is how can we rehab and preserve the house, garage, and other buildings. It will be costly and could be a few million to rehab but it would be a shame not to. If you love history and architecture like I do you understand what I am talking about. Along with the wonderful acreage is these buildings and how can we do it. I will have my thinking cap or and I hope others will too and put our collective ideas together and and find a way to pay forthe rehab of this buildings.

The link below describes the Ecological Management plan.

http://ma-needham.civicplus.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=3927

Needham MA Open Houses 1/29/2012

It is an amazing day weatherwise. It is hard to believe that this is January 29th and believe me I am not complaining. It is a great day to visit these open houses.

Of the 107 listed homes on the market there are 42 open houses. I have listed them below. The price range of on market single family homes is $439,000 to $18,000,000. There are great homes in every price rang

42 Listings

Single Family Listings MLS # Status Address Town Description DOM Date/Time List Price 71315327 ACT 76 Ardmore Rd Needham, MA 11 room, 5 bed, 5f 1h bath Shingle 60 Jan 29 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM $1,499,000 71324315 ACT 88 Old Farm Rd Needham, MA 12 room, 6 bed, 4f 1h bath Colonial 134 Jan 29 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM $1,479,000 71324328 ACT 118 Old Farm Rd Needham, MA 12 room, 6 bed, 5f 1h bath Colonial 24 Jan 29 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM $1,589,000 71326252 ACT 1022 Webster St Needham, MA 7 room, 3 bed, 1f 0h bath Colonial 18 Jan 29 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM $489,000 71327929 ACT 82 Curve Needham, MA 7 room, 3 bed, 1f 1h bath Colonial 13 Jan 29 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM $579,900 71331204 ACT 48 Lake Dr Needham, MA 7 room, 3 bed, 1f 1h bath Ranch 4 Jan 29 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM $548,000 71316512 ACT 48 Taylor St Needham, MA : Needham Heights 10 room, 3 bed, 3f 1h bath Ranch 57 Jan 29 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM $729,000 71316525 ACT 81 Arch St Needham, MA : Birds Hill 11 room, 5 bed, 5f 1h bath Colonial 57 Jan 29 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM $1,499,000 71302978 ACT 535 Great Plain Avenue Needham, MA 11 room, 4 bed, 2f 2h bath Cape 101 Jan 29 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM $749,000 71314338 ACT 16 INTERVALE ROAD Needham, MA 10 room, 4 bed, 3f 1h bath Colonial 181 Jan 29 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM $1,244,900 71214102 ACT 365 Warren Street Needham, MA 7 room, 3 bed, 1f 0h bath Colonial 288 Jan 29 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM $485,000 71221790 ACT 80 N Hill Ave Needham, MA 10 room, 4 bed, 3f 1h bath Colonial 403 Jan 29 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM $1,149,000 71275724 ACT 80 Richard Road Needham, MA : Birds Hill 11 room, 5 bed, 4f 1h bath Colonial 166 Jan 29 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM $1,349,000 71276954 ACT 126 Jarvis Needham, MA 9 room, 5 bed, 3f 1h bath Colonial 164 Jan 29 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM $1,200,000 71287682 ACT 857 South St Needham, MA 11 room, 4 bed, 4f 2h bath Colonial 405 Jan 29 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM $1,695,000 71292672 ACT 7 Armen Way Needham, MA 10 room, 4 bed, 3f 1h bath Colonial 307 Jan 29 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM $1,199,000 71294721 ACT 76 Grosvenor Road Needham, MA 8 room, 4 bed, 3f 0h bath Cape 121 Jan 29 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM $699,000 71270428 ACT 73 Mackintosh Ave Needham, MA 7 room, 3 bed, 2f 1h bath Split Entry 275 Jan 29 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM $575,000 71289773 ACT Lot 25 Lake Dr Needham, MA 8 room, 4 bed, 2f 1h bath Colonial 132 Jan 29 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM $1,249,000 71309759 ACT 595 Webster Street Needham, MA 5 room, 2 bed, 2f 0h bath Cape 81 Jan 29 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM $439,000 71298940 ACT 15 KINGSBURY STREET Needham, MA 12 room, 5 bed, 3f 1h bath Antique 110 Jan 29 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM $1,199,000 71323403 ACT 580 SOUTH STREET Needham, MA 15 room, 6 bed, 6f 2h bath Colonial 300 Jan 29 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM $2,749,900 71326424 ACT 39 THURSTON LANE Needham, MA 12 room, 5 bed, 5f 1h bath Colonial 126 Jan 29 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM $1,473,000 71326500 ACT 20 Glover Road Needham, MA 8 room, 3 bed, 1f 2h bath Split Entry 17 Jan 29 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM $579,000 71324504 ACT 789 Webster Street Needham, MA 10 room, 4 bed, 2f 1h bath Colonial 261 Jan 29 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM $1,199,000 71322471 ACT lot30 JARVIS CIRCLE U:74 Needham, MA 8 room, 4 bed, 2f 1h bath Colonial 29 Jan 29 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM $729,000 71309485 ACT 309 Central Ave Needham, MA 10 room, 4 bed, 2f 1h bath Colonial 236 Jan 29 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM $899,000 71296483 ACT 43 Abbott Street Needham, MA 10 room, 4 bed, 4f 1h bath Colonial 116 Jan 29 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM $1,299,900 71322470 ACT Lot 28 JARVIS CIR U:60 Needham, MA 9 room, 4 bed, 2f 1h bath Colonial 28 Jan 29 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM $779,000 71266853 PCG 744 GREENDALE AVE. Needham, MA : Birds Hill 9 room, 4 bed, 3f 0h bath Colonial 170 Jan 29 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM $698,000 71294588 ACT 19 Southfield Ct Needham, MA 12 room, 4 bed, 4f 2h bath Colonial 121 Jan 29 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM $1,900,000 71231596 ACT 28 Marr Road Needham, MA 12 room, 5 bed, 7f 2h bath Colonial 601 Jan 29 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM $2,250,000 71232546 PCG 73 Berkshire Road Needham, MA 10 room, 4 bed, 4f 1h bath Colonial 261 Jan 29 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM $1,229,000 71244545 ACT 44 Gatewood Dr Needham, MA 13 room, 5 bed, 3f 2h bath Colonial 235 Jan 29 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM $1,200,000 71289338 ACT 620 Central Avenue Needham, MA 9 room, 4 bed, 2f 1h bath Colonial 126 Jan 29 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM $849,900 71188832 ACT 32 Rybury Hillway Needham, MA 10 room, 4 bed, 4f 1h bath Colonial 328 Jan 29 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM $1,269,000 71317829 ACT 10 Longacre Road Needham, MA 12 room, 5 bed, 3f 1h bath Colonial 179 Jan 29 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM $1,449,900 71300853 ACT 215 Fisher St Needham, MA 11 room, 4 bed, 3f 1h bath Ranch 218 Jan 29 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM $979,000 71326167 ACT 167 Charles River St Needham, MA 12 room, 6 bed, 3f 1h bath Colonial 18 Jan 29 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM $965,000 71331162 ACT 82 Gayland Rd Needham, MA 8 room, 4 bed, 2f 0h bath Cape 226 Jan 29 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM $608,800 71314294 ACT 81 Avon Circle Needham, MA 10 room, 5 bed, 4f 1h bath Colonial 260 Jan 29 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM $1,149,000 71295284 ACT 289 Hillcrest Road Needham, MA 7 room, 3 bed, 2f 1h bath Colonial 118 Jan 29 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM $699,900

Area Market Report for 1 Month In Needham MA 1/25/2012

On Market

Price Range # of Listings Avg. DOM

$350,000 - $399,999 1 16

$400,000 - $449,999 1 77

$450,000 - $499,999 10 135

$500,000 - $599,999 11 99

$600,000 - $699,999 7 208

$700,000 - $799,999 7 83

$800,000 - $899,999 4 158

$900,000 - $999,999 7 104

$1,000,000 - $1,499,99942 162

$1,500,000 - $1,999,9997 236

$2,000,000 - $2,499,9993 316

$2,500,000 - $2,999,9993 141

$3,000,000 - $3,999,9992 241

$4,000,000 - $4,999,9990 0

$5,000,000 - $9,999,9990 0

$10,000,000-99,999,999 1 67

Total Properties106 Avg. 154

Lowest Price: $375,000 Median Price: $1,149,500

Highest Price: $18,000,000 Average Price: $1,299,699

Total Market Volume: $137,768,100

Pending Sales Days On the Market

$350,000 - $399,999 2 62

$400,000 - $449,999 2 83

$450,000 - $499,999 2 103

$500,000 - $599,999 4 148

$600,000 - $699,999 1 168

$700,000 - $799,999 2 82

$800,000 - $899,999 3 171

$900,000 - $999,999 0 0

$1,000,000 - $1,499,9992 115

$1,500,000 - $1,999,9990 0

$2,000,000 - $2,499,9990 0

$2,500,000 - $2,999,9990 0

$3,000,000 - $3,999,9990 0

$4,000,000 - $4,999,9990 0

$5,000,000 - $9,999,9990 0

$10,000,000 - $99,999,999 0 0

Total Properties18 Avg. 120

Lowest Price: $373,000 Median Price: $575,000

Highest Price: $1,349,000 Average Price: $672,922

Total Market Volume: $12,112,600

Sold Properties Ratio Ratio

Price Range # DOM Average Avg.Sale Price SP:LP Avg. OP SP:OP

$500,000 - $599,999 4 114 $536,250 $569,325 94 $572,425 94

$600,000 - $699,999 1 67 $650,000 $799,000 81 $799,000 81

$700,000 - $799,999 1 247 $737,000 $795,000 93 $985,000 75

$800,000 - $899,999 3 120 $843,333 $887,667 95 $897,667 94

$900,000 - $999,999 1 959 $975,000 $1,099,000 89 $1,200,000 81

$1,000,000 -$1,499,999 2 127 $1,193,250 $1,199,500 99 $1,387,000 86

______________________________________________________________

Total Properties12 Avg.DOM 195 Median Price: $778,500 $895,058

Highest Price: $1,201,500 Average Price: $785,292

Total Market Volume: $9,423,500

*DOM = Days on Market

*SP:LP = Sales Price to List Price

*SP:OP = Sales Price to Original Price

No matter if you are a fan or not you've got to say it was a great game. The Ravens were stunned those last few minutes.

Love the score 23 to 20. Nice. How sweet it is. It was a nail biter.

Steven Tyler is a native after all. He is the owner of the Needham restaurant Blue on Highland and

it is fabulous. Just a mention of Needham of course.

Heading for Indy. Congratulations AFC Champs. You deserve it. What a night. What a great night!

Go Patriots! All the way and on their way!

Yay Super Bowl XLVI

Needham MA Office Park Eventually Will Bring Millions in Tax Revenue

Towns look to commercial office parks for tax relief. Needham is one of those towns. A Boston Globe article excerpt below describes how the 2.5 million square feet in new office could bring millions in tax revenue. The good news about Needham is the lower tax rate we have in comparison to other towns.

Needham's commercial office park will once again bring home tax relief without the overhead.

Needham "Town Meeting voters approved changes in the zoning rules to encourage development in the property, off the highway’s Exit 19A. The changes will allow for taller buildings and as much as 2.5 million square feet in new office space, growth that could eventually bring in millions in tax revenue for Needham each year, Bailin notes."

"Meanwhile, the value of residential property in Needham has soared, with the town featuring some of the area’s highest home prices. The median home price stood at $649,400 as of last month, up nearly $20,000 over the end of 2010, according to the Warren Group, a Boston-based real estate data firm and publisher." Boston Globe January 22, 2012

For full article.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2012/01/22/communities_are_focusing_on_commercial_properties_along_rte_128_to_lure_developers_to_office_parks_and_reap_the_tax_revenue/

Two articles on this subject in Needham Times

http://www.wickedlocal.com/needham/news/x617626338/Needham-would-capitalize-on-business-park-potential#axzz1kC1HZlLr

http://www.wickedlocal.com/needham/news/business/x1696632778/Needham-Town-Meeting-changes-New-England-Business-Center-zoning#axzz1kC1HZlLr