Kathleen Buckley

Thanks to all the great resources and information found online, researching real estate options today is so much easier than it was just a few short years ago. From anywhere in the world, buyers can research and compare potential communities. For the Greater Boston Area, boston.com has some nice research tools, for example.

When buyers are ready to start looking at specific properties, the local real estate agent serves as a wealth of information which is far more difficult, if not impossible to find online.

Sometimes sellers believe it doesn't really matter how many days their property is on the market. Particularly if they have no pressing need to sell, they figure, "We'll just leave it on the market and if a buyer wants it they'll pay what we're asking". As the Days on Market (DOM) count rises, their chances of selling at their asking price decrease.

Although there is not linear correlation (the black line is the trend line), the graph below illustrates how as days on market increase, the ratio of sale price to original asking price decreases.

One of the top five reasons to love being a non-franchise brokerage firm: the ability to sponsor important local events and organizations with funds that may otherwise have gone to pay for franchise fees of some sort. At STAR REALTY, we have enjoyed the freedom to contribute over $25,000 to the Hopkinton Education Foundation (HEF) since our firm was founded in 2004.

HEF hosts the annual Winter Gala event to raise money which it then uses to fund innovative grants requested by Hopkinton public school teachers and staff. At STAR REALTY, we know that an excellent education is the key to opening doors of opportunity throught life. We are honored and delighted to sponsor the HEF in its endeavor to open minds and spark imaginations through innovative and enriching programs.

Tickets to this year's event are still available through HEF Board Member Libby Skiba (508) 497-9465

HEF is just one of a number of local organizations that STAR REALTY enjoys sponsoring. Others include Project Just Because, The Hopkinton PTA, The Hopkinton Women's Club, The Hopkinton Police Association, Hopkinton Boy Scout Troops, and Hopkinton Little League & Soccer Teams, The Hopkinton Mom's Club, and others.

Most folks generate market reports at the end of the month. I prefer to generate them mid-month since the end of the month tends to be busy in real estate.  For January, we have the year end data as well.

Below is the beta release of the video market report (charts below are easier to read than those in video):

 

Number of SF homes sold in 2008 = 130 which is a 30% drop from the 186 SF homes sold in 2007.

Median price of SF homes sold in 2008 = $569,500 which is down just 1.8% from the median price of $580,000 in 2007.

Current inventory trend--number of homes on the market is down.

Just to put that into perspective, here's the history of inventory since January 2005.

 

 

For the raw data of 2008, here's what the year looked like:

 

Coming on the heels of being named one of the nations top 500 Public High Schools, the results of the Spring 2008 Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests burnish Hopkinton High School's stellar reputation for high achievement. Particularly notable, 76% of last year's sophomores performed at the highest "advanced" level in the math test. In all three subject areas, the Hillers scored over 90% advanced & proficient. A statewide assessment exam, the test is administered only to the 10^th grade.