Author: Jon Goode

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Baby Boomers To Have The Largest Household Growth

 

I found this very interesting….baby boomers aren’t just downsizing, but trading up, going across town and country…going with the “freedom threshold”. A great post by the KCM crew. (Keeping Current Matters)

Baby Boomers: Home Is Where The Heart Is

by 

Baby Boomers Find Freedom in Housing | Keeping Current Matters

Within the next five years, Baby Boomers are projected to have the largest household growth of any other generation during that same time period, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard. Let’s take a look at why…

In Merrill Lynch’s latest study, “Home in Retirement: More Freedom, New Choices” they surveyed nearly 6,000 adults ages 21 and older about housing.

Crossing the “Freedom Threshold”

Throughout our lives, there are often responsibilities that dictate where we live. Whether being in the best school district for our children, being close to our jobs, or some other factor is preventing a move, the study found that there is a substantial shift that takes place at age 61.

The study refers to this change as “Crossing the Freedom Threshold”. When where you live is no longer determined by responsibilities, but rather a freedom to live wherever you like. (see the chart below)

Crossing The "Freedom Threshold" | Keeping Current Matters

As one participant in the study stated:

“In retirement, you have the chance to live anywhere you want. Or you can just stay where you are. There hasn’t been another time in life when we’ve had that kind of freedom.” 

On the Move

According to the study, “an estimated 4.2 million retirees moved into a new home last year alone.” Two-thirds of retirees say that they are likely to move at least once during retirement.

The top reason to relocate cited was “wanting to be closer to family” at 29%, a close second was “wanting to reduce home expenses”. See the chart below for the top 6 reasons broken down.

Reasons for Moving in Retirement | Keeping Current Matters

Not Every Baby Boomer Downsizes

There is a common misconception that as retirees find themselves with less children at home that they will instantly desire a smaller home to maintain. While that may be the case for half of those surveyed, the study found that three in ten decide to actually upsize to a larger home.

Some choose to buy a home in a desirable destination with extra space for large family vacations, reunions, extended visits, or to allow other family members to move in with them.

“Retirees often find their homes become places for family to come together and reconnect, particularly during holidays or summer vacations.”

Bottom Line

If your housing needs have changed or are about to change, meet with a local real estate professional in your area who can help with deciding your next step.

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Provincetown Listing Of The Week – 7 Meadow Road #2

West End one bedroom townhouse condo with den and separate work studio/office.

7 Meadow Road #2 is a one bedroom one and a half bath 3 level condo in the Meadows complex.  It has 1,188 square feet and an asking price of $499K.

 

7 meadow 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MLS COPY: West End Townhouse in The Meadows condominiums, a thoughtfully designed community surrounded by Conservation land located on the way to Herring Cove Beach, yet a short stroll into town center. The residence is an end unit on 3 levels providing lots of natural light and sunset views. The main floor has an open living/dining/kitchen layout with bamboo floors, lots of windows and direct access to the parking and exclusive oversized garden. The kitchen has granite counters, stainless appliances and natural wood cabinets. The second floor master bedroom has windows with plantation shutters and a full bath with washer/dryer. The top floor den has sliding full glass doors opening onto a sunny roof top deck. There is also a finished studio/home office with a half bath on the lower level with a private outside entrance.

 

7 meadow 5

7 meadows 1

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7 Meadow 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

View all properties for sale at Beachfront-Realty.com

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Vacation Home Sales Set Records

Good Boston Globe article –

Vacation home sales set record

 

Home by the sea in Falmouth.

DAVID L RYAN/GLOBE STAFF

Home by the sea in Falmouth.

 

 

 

By Prashant Gopal BLOOMBERG NEWS

Even before the remnants of Eastern Massachusetts’ snowiest winter have melted, second-home buyers flocking to Cape Cod’s beach towns have helped agent Steve Clay’s team break their sales record.

Clay, of Keller Williams Realty, said he and his four agents have 17 properties under contract, more than at any one time since the team formed in 2009

“Buyers know they missed the bottom of the market, and now they don’t want to miss the bottom of interest rates,” he said.

Second-home buyers from Cape Cod and New York’s Hamptons to Miami and Lake Tahoe, Calif., are returning to the housing market as surging stock prices, job growth, and low interest rates boost purchasing power and consumer confidence. US vacation-property sales jumped 57 percent last year to an estimated 1.13 million, a record in data going back to 2003, the National Association of Realtors said in a report Wednesday.

The increase in sales of new and existing vacation homes coincides with a 7.4 percent drop in deals for investment properties, to 1.02 million, as rising prices cut into potential profits. Purchases of owner-occupied homes fell almost 13 percent to 3.23 million, the realtors group said.

Vacation-home buyers had a median household income of $94,380, up from $85,600 in 2013, and the typical property was 200 miles away from a buyer’s primary residence. About 40 percent of purchases were in beach areas, 19 percent were in the country, and 17 percent were in the mountains.

Vacation homes accounted for 21 percent of all transactions last year, the most since the National Association of Realtors survey was first conducted 12 years ago.

‘Greatly Improving’

“We knew the fundamentals for vacation-home sales were greatly improving in 2014,” Lawrence Yun, the group’s chief economist, said in a telephone interview. “I did not expect it would be this big of an increase. It shows the buyers perceive that economic conditions will be solid for upcoming years.”

The realtors’ vacation-sales figures were based on survey responses from nearly 2,000 people who bought a residential property last year. Transactions involving institutional investors were excluded from the report.

In the Hamptons, the Long Island resort area favored by Manhattan’s elite, many people who might have rented in previous years are choosing to buy instead, said Ernest Cervi, the executive managing director who oversees Hamptons home sales for brokerage Corcoran Group. Buyers are riding high because of stock gains and average Wall Street bonuses of $172,860, up 2 percent as the industry added 2,300 jobs in New York City.

“Rates are low, so why not jump in?” Cervi said.

‘Backed Up’

Clay, who is based in Falmouth, where ferries bound for Martha’s Vineyard depart, said the snow kept many buyers away earlier in the year. In the past few weeks, the market has exploded, he said.

Single-family home sales in Barnstable County, which covers Cape Cod, rose 11 percent in February from a year earlier, according to The Warren Group, a property-data provider based in Boston.

“Mortgage people are flooded and appraisers are backed up,” Clay said. “It’s an indication that the pent-up demand is coming to fruition.”

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Sales Rise In Suburbs – Slow Down In Boston

Interesting dynamics in the Boston and metro Boston markets – from Scott at Boston.com.

Sales rise in suburbs, slow down in Boston.

By Scott Van Voorhis

Boston.com Correspondent

 

boston-skyline*304xx700-467-0-29

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Towns and neighborhoods across the Boston area posted big gains in both sales and prices in February, defying a winter that broke snowfall records and left many businesses reeling.

The suburbs led the way. Several communities are actually ahead of last year’s pace when it comes to home sales, according to numbers released by The Warren Group, publisher of Banker & Tradesman.

Cambridge proved as desirable as ever, with both condo and home sales rising markedly, as the median price of a house in the city hit $1.3 million.

Boston was more of a mixed bag; some neighborhoods posted strong numbers, but others all but fell off the map.

Overall, home sales across Massachusetts rose 4 percent in February, with the median single-family home price for the first two months of the year increasing 5 percent to $316,000, according to The Warren Group.

Condo prices rose 1.5 percent to $294,250, even as sales fell by 6 percent.

The Warren numbers, of course, only tell part of the picture, as some represent sales that were initially inked late last year, or in January of this year (before the storms) but which finally closed in February.

“The continued, sustained snowfall has been an incredible challenge for the region’s housing market,” said Dan Breault, EVP/regional director of RE/MAX of New England in a press statement. “Fortunately, spring is just around the corner and with low inventory and rising prices, we anticipate a busy spring season.”

Still, Greater Boston homebuyers proved to be a hardy bunch.

The western suburbs held up especially well, according to The Warren Group’s February housing report.

Framingham, Marlborough, Natick, Franklin, Medfield, Wayland, Lexington, Concord, Wellesley, and Weston all put in strong showings in February.

Sales so far this year are up by double digits in Framingham (20 percent), Franklin (118 percent), Concord (54 percent), Lexington (14 percent), Natick (15 percent), Wellesley (26 percent), and Needham (18 percent).

The dire cold may have made buyers stingier, as selling prices were down in a number of towns. Notable exceptions included Needham, whose median home price soared past $1 million after a 33 percent jump; Lexington, where the median price hit $875,000 after a 7.4 percent increase; and Natick and Framingham, which saw prices go up by 6 percent.

Quincy and Braintree were the stars on the South Shore, with sales for the first two months of the year rising 28 percent and 15 percent respectively. Median prices in both cities stayed just about even, at $360,000 for Quincy and $356,000 for Braintree.

North of Boston, Medford is off to a particularly fast start in 2015, with sales up 6 percent and median price up more than 10 percent, to $440,000. Sales in Reading are up 80 percent, though the median price fell 9 percent to $438,000.

But for Boston and Somerville, the latest home sales numbers for the first two months of the year had more downs than ups.

Somerville home sales plunged 36 percent, with just seven properties changing hands so far this year, while condo sales were down 14 percent. The median price of a condo dropped 6 percent, to $422,000.

In Boston, both condo and home sales were down in several neighborhoods.

South Boston saw home sales rise by a quarter, even as condo sales fell by 10 percent, while Jamaica Plain saw condo sales plunge by 25 percent, even as the median price rose nearly 20 percent to $426,500.

East Boston put in one of the strongest showings in the city, with condo sales up 46 percent for the year and the median price rising 10 percent to $385,000.

Downtown Boston saw condo sales drop by a quarter through the end of February, while the median price edged down 14 percent to $757,500.

Neda Vander Stoep, a broker in the Back Bay office of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. “However, with inventory remaining low and plenty of buyers on the sidelines, properties that came on during the February storms were nonetheless quick to sell.”

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Listing Of The Week 154 Commercial Street

West End two bedroom one bath condo at 154 Commercial Street #3,  975 square feet with an asking price of $629K. This condo has a great location on the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Commercial Street.

 

154 Com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MLS COPY: Top floor 2 bedroom home with water views and access to Cape Cod Bay across the street. Located in the heart of the West End this bright renovated home has an open living area, large windows to take advantage of the views, wide plank pine floors and kitchen with stainless appliances, black granite counters and cherry cabinetry. In addition to the two bedrooms, there is a large loft space/office above. The bath has a green marble mosaic floor and subway tile surround tub with glass doors. Laundry, central AC, 2 car parking, sunny private deck and an exclusive yard area complete the offering. There is a low condo fee and stable association. New roof in 2013. Weekly rentals and pets for owners. This is a rare opportunity to own a renovated top floor, 2 bedroom home with water views, 2 car parking in the heart of the West End of Provincetown.

 

View all properties at Beachfront-Realty.com.

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Provincetown Listing Of The Week – 153 Commercial Street

Waterfront condo – 153 Commercial Street #6 , has three bedrooms, 3.5 baths and 1,142 square feet with an asking price of $1.749M.

 

153 Com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MLS COPY: It doesn’t get any better than this! Located beachfront in the heart of the West End, this 3BR/2.5BA free standing condo lives like a single family, and is the one you’ve been waiting for. This immaculate unit received a gut renovation in 2008 and was refinished in a contemporary style, using the highest quality materials. You’ll enjoy views from every room of this house, and from any of the 3 decks. The open floor plan living space includes a lovely kitchen, dining area, and living room with panoramic views. In unit laundry, gleaming blond pine plank floors, and air conditioning throughout. Direct beach access, weekly rentals permitted, pets for owners, and parking for one small to medium sized car. Very strong rental history. 6 unit association, professionally managed.

 

View all properties for sale at Beachfront-Realty.com.

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Provincetown Sale Of The Week – 10 Harbour Drive

 

WOW!  10 Harbour Drive  a five bedroom, six bathroom home with 4,233 square feet sold for $3.995M…and their beachfront is growing by accretion.

 

10 Harbour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MLS COPY: Experience beachfront living with unparalleled privacy at Provincetown’s newest waterfront community. This newly built spectacular home at Bay Harbour is the largest waterfront home for sale in Provincetown, with over 4000 SF, 5 BR’s and 6 BA’s. Custom chef’s kitchen with WOLF & Subzero appliances. The view pours into the vast living room through the floor to ceiling wrap-around windows. A sumptuous master suite also faces the water & has a private deck,gas FP, WIC,& large bathroom with jacuzzi, steam shower. All bedrooms & the den have ensuite baths. Security, AC, lush grounds, basement, and 2 car garage. While most oceanfront properties are experiencing severe erosion, Bay Harbour, through certified surveys, has experienced over 125 feet of beach ACCRETION seaward since 1976. The property’s approved for a 12×27 ft pool with a jacuzzi.

 

View all properties for sale Beachfront-Realty.com.

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Provincetown Listing Of The Week – 293 Commercial Street #3

Two bedroom, great rental income, convenient downtown location.

293 Commercial Street #3 is a two bedroom one bath condo with 608 square feet – asking price of $265,000.

 

293 LR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MLS COPY: Two bedroom and one full bath top floor condo located in the heart of Provincetown, downtown between the two wharfs. Well designed with two good size bedrooms, 3 huge closets and a bath with a tub. Well equipped galley kitchen with cafe height island pass-through that is open to the bright living room. Total cosmetic interior renovation 3 years ago. A/C units for each room. Pets and weekly rentals are allowed. Fun and convenient downtown location. Excellent rental history.

 

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bedroom 2

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This cute condo is one of the few two bedroom condos available under $300K.  A great affordable year round home or income property.

See all properties for sale on Beachfront-Realy.com

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What $629K Gets You On The Cape

 

Another great Curbed Comparisons from Jazmine –

 

CURBED COMPARISONS

What $629,000 Buys You on Cape Cod Right Now

Thursday, March 5, 2015, by Jazmine Donaldson

It’s time once again for Curbed Comparisons, where we break down what you can get at the same price point, style or size in five different Cape and Islands neighborhoods. This week, Barnstable listings for around $629,000.

154comm.jpg
[154 Commercial Street, Unit 3, Provincetown via Zillow]

Here now, eight Cape Cod properties asking around$629,000 – year round, single-families, an old-meets-new condo, views of Cape Cod Bay, fireplaces galore, perpetually pricechopped, in need of TLC, in contract, bulldozer bait, recently renovated, ready to rent, and move-in-ready – with a little something for everyone.

EAST FALMOUTH
Behold, waterfront bulldozer bait with rather amusing brokerbabble for $629K: “There is a perfectly good house on this land, but will need to have a new septic system due to the present one being too close to the water, and a corner of the dwelling is in a flood zone. So the potential for tearing down the house and building just a smidge back opens the prospects of this property to limitless bounds (other than the ones set by the state and town bylaws).”
164 ACAPESKET ROAD, EAST FALMOUTH, MA 02536
WEBSITE
NEW SEABURY
Unit 14 is an end unit townhome “in a very private setting located in the village known as SeaQuarters!” The 2BR, 3.5BA features a first floor master, gas fireplace, three-season porch, a finished lower level, and the community pool “just steps away.” Yours for $629,900.
20 MASHPEE ROAD, COTUIT, MA 02635
WEBSITE
CENTERVILLE
This updated classic Colonial on .46 acres was built in 1994 and features 5BR, 2.5BA in 2,696-sq.-ft. The listing hit the market in early February for $629,000 and was in contract by the end of the month.
73 WILD GOOSE WAY, CENTERVILLE, MA 02632
WEBSITE
HARWICH
“Great Value!!!” The excited brokerbabble aside, this updated 3BR, 3BA on .92 acres features a first floor master, a hot tub room (insert time machine joke here) and a bonus room over the two-car garage. Asking price is $629,000.
24 DEER RUN, HARWICH, MA 02645
WEBSITE
ORLEANS
Built in 1800, this 4BR, 2.5BA “has been fabulously restored and lovingly and meticulously maintained.” In addition to the 2,072-square-footer, there’s a barn and shed on the 1.04 acre lot. First listed in September for $639K, a December chop brought the ask down to $629K.
32 MONUMENT ROAD, ORLEANS, MA 02653
WEBSITE
EASTHAM
First listed in March 2013 for $699K, this 3BD, 2BA upside-down Cape “across from the waters edge on beautiful Herring Pond” is now hoping for $629K.
375 HERRING BROOK ROAD, EASTHAM, MA 02642
WEBSITE
TRURO
Here’s yet another in contract abode with a $629K price tag. This contemporary Cape with 3BR, 2BA sits on a tricked-out 1.13 acres with an “in-ground, heated, salt water pool with waterfall, a large hot tub, an outdoor shower and a large storage shed.”
12 BAYBERRY LANE, WELLFLEET, MA 02667
WEBSITE
PROVINCETOWN
Finally, to PTown. This 2BR, 1BA newly listed West End condo features water views, access to Cape Cod Bay just across the street and nice mix of 1890-meets-2015 in 975-sq.-ft. Asking price is $629,000.
154 COMMERCIAL STREET, PROVINCETOWN, MA 02657
WEBSITE
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Provincetown- Spring Buyer Preview

 

Provincetown – Spring Buyer Preview

 

While it is early to make many predictions about the spring market, one thing we can say for sure is that the snow and cold has delayed it. Realtors everywhere are notorious for rushing the spring market, and putting all their new inventory on the market as early as possible after the New Year. Not so with all this snow, but hopefully with temperatures rising next week, we will begin to see some listing activity.

Locally our market is tracking market conditions that we see in the downtown Boston neighborhoods. Moderately increasing prices, lower inventory levels and fewer days on market. Demand generally is outpacing supply. Translate this dynamic to a second home market and while demand is high, urgency is much lower than in those urban neighborhoods.

Condo sales are up and they are selling at slightly higher prices. Sales of more expensive single family homes are slower but prices remain even year over year – and it seems there is never enough inventory to satisfy demand in this category.

We have segmented the market into four categories for analysis, the entry-level, the mid market, the luxury market and the $1M plus market.

 

The entry level ($150K to $399K) is the 2nd busiest market category in Provincetown. Last year 66 properties sold representing 33% of the total. Today there are 25 properties on the market representing 21% of all properties available. Below are 3  favorites.

 

3 Bradford Street #1, studio, 278 sf, $248K
3 Bradford Street #1, studio, 278 sf, $249K
15 Cottage St #6, 2 beds, 2 baths, 579 sf, $374K
15 Cottage St #6, 2 beds, 2 baths, 579 sf, $374K
163 Bradford St #3, 1 bed/2 baths, 506 sf, $399K.
163 Bradford St #3, 1 bed/2 bath, 506 sf, $399K.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The entry level is always popular. As you can see above there is quite an assortment of properties available – from charming West End studios at 3 Bradford Street, to an artists cottage at 5 Arch Street, to a West End condo in a complex with its own heated swimming pool. More properties will certainly become available in the next few months and we expect continuing high demand.

 

The mid market ($400K to $750K) is the most popular category, accounting for 45% of all sales in 2014. Today there are 40 properties on the market in this category, including 31 condos and 9 single family homes representing 35% of available inventory. Below are three favorites.

 

3 Brown Street #A, 1 bed/1 bath, 700 sf, $475K.
3 Brown Street #A, condo, 1 bed/1 bath, 700 sf, $475K.
19 Bangs Street, Single Family, 3 bed/1 bath, 1,020 sf, $659K.
19 Bangs Street, SF, 3 bed/1 bath, 1,020 sf, $659K.
4 Willow Drive #8, 2 beds/2.5 baths, 1,065 sf, $699K
4 Willow Drive #8, 2 beds/2.5 baths, 1,065 sf, $699K

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the category where many buyers want to be. A two bedroom and two bath condo in the West End or  East End is on everyones’ wish list. There is a lot of variety  –  from  a standalone condo at 3 Browne Street with one bedroom and two baths, to a charming three bedroom single family house in the East End at 19 Bangs Street, to a renovated two bedroom condo at 42 Franklin Street.  In this category demand generally outpaces supply, and with only 5 months of inventory on the market expect competition when you do buy and be ready to act if you see the perfect property.

 

The luxury market ($750K to $1M) is a highly visible and closely watched category here in Provincetown as it represents the growing bridge between the mid market and the $1M+ market. This category  accounted for 27 sales last year representing 13% of total sales. There are currently only 18 properties available for sale. Realtors are always lamenting the lack of inventory in this price point as it limits buyer choice. Below are three of our favorites.

 

23 Winthrop St #3, condo, 3 beds, 2 baths, 1,371 sf, $799K.
23 Winthrop St #3, condo, 3 beds, 2 baths, 1,371 sf, $799K.
25 Miller Hill Road, condo, 2 beds, 3 baths, 1,600 sf, $929k.
25 Miller Hill Road, condo, 2 beds, 3 baths, 1,600 sf, $929k.
18 Brewster Street, single family, 2 beds, 3 baths, 1,374 sf, $949K
18 Brewster St,  SF, 2 beds/ 3 baths, 1,374 sf, $949K

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you might expect this is a category usually full of choices but currently there are only 6 condos and 12 single family properties available. These inlcude the three pictured above:  a three bedroom newly renovated top floor condo;  a spacious arts and crafts style freestanding condo in the East End; and a charming two bedroom single family bungalow on Brewster Street – Watch for a spring inventory surge in this category.

 

The $1M+ market. This super luxury market represented 9% of all sales in 2014. Interestingly enough there are 33 properties on the market, the second highest of any category at 29% of total inventory. As you can imagine these properties tend to stay on the market a bit longer and absorption is quite a bit slower than other segments. Three of our favorites are below.

 

664 R Commercial St, condo, 3 beds, 4 baths, 1,560 sf, $1.10M
664 R Commercial St, condo, 3 beds, 4 baths, 1,560 sf, $1.10M
5 Dyer St, single family, 4 beds/3 baths, 2,252 sf, $1.495M
5 Dyer St, Single Family, 4 beds/3 baths, 2,252 sf,  $1.495M
9 Creek Round Hill, 4 beds, 4 baths, 6,346 sf, $2.95M
9 Creek Round Hill, SF, 4 beds, 4 baths, 6,346 sf, $2.95M

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a broad assortment of styles, locations and pricing in this category, from a new construction freestanding condo high on a hill in the East End, to a traditional Provincetown Captains house on Dyer Street to the most palatial home in the far West End, a 6,000 square foot totally renovated masterpiece on Creek Round HIll Road. These homes represent the best of Cape End living.

Hopefully this market preview has provided  some interesting context and helpful information. We will keep you up to date as the spring market develops. Please let us know if you have any questions or would like more information.

Beachfront-Realty.com