May 14th, 2013
Having a porch in Boston is definitely something to be proud of. The extra versatile space has the potential to be used for anything from a barbecue haven to a private garden oasis. Here are some tips to make the most of your porch this summer!
- Adding a rug is a quick and easy way to tie together the outdoor décor. Bring the coziness from indoors to every aspect of your home.
- Take advantage of yard sale season. Whether you’re out in the suburbs or thrift shopping in Central Square, there are plenty of secondhand hidden treasures perfect for both your porch and your wallet.
- Use fabric made for the outdoors. Find durable fabrics for your furniture that will withstand anything the summer will throw at it, from grass stains to sangria.
- Make your own curtains. Recycle your old favorite blankets, fabrics, or even that impulse buy you know you won’t ever wear to create a curtain set unlike any other. Your custom curtains are the perfect way to add extra protection and privacy, while holding together your color pattern.
- Coordinate a color scheme. Test out fun popular colors that are “in” this summer including sunshine yellow, refreshing lime, nautical navy, and sky blue. Incorporate your color theme of choice throughout all of your porch décor.
- Mix and match furniture. Spice up your entertainment space with a variation of love seats, whicker chairs, and benches galore. These conversation pieces will ease your hosting needs.
- DIY Flower Pots. Just moving in to your home? Reuse all of those paint buckets as the ideal potters for your plants. You can find a paper or fabric pattern of your choice to wrap around the paint bucket to create your custom plant potters.
- Let the games begin! Simply find your board game of choice and attach the board to the top of a stool. Your new unique table piece is ready for your next game night.
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April 24th, 2013
The sun is finally making an appearance after a long winter, and once the snow and ice are cleared from your balconies, it may be time to consider using them! Space is limited in Boston, so consider yourself lucky to have an outdoor place to call your own. Now, accentuate it! Creating a simple and elegant balcony or rooftop garden isn’t hard to do if you have a little patience and plenty of sun.
- Plan your garden. Make a list of your favorite potted plants and flowers and research when they are in season. Draw a map to scale of your patio or balcony to decide what you will place where. Take consideration for where the sunniest spots are, or what areas receive the most wind. Don’t forget to leave room for a few chairs so you can enjoy your garden spot in the sun.
- Worried about having a balcony that’s too small? Vertical growth is always an option. Consider planting a trellis or building an outdoor shelving unit for potted plants. Hanging pots are also great for smaller areas.
- Consider an umbrella or some sort of shade to protect your plants from very hot days with intense sun- added bonus: this can protect you from hot days too!
- Use wooden containers for potting. These are the most insulating during the winter and won’t crack the way terracotta or plastic would.
- Place gravel in the bottom of pots for drainage, and remember to water your plants regularly. Plants in containers dry out more frequently than those placed in natural soil.
- Vary your plant selection. Incorporate bushier shrubs if you have an excess of flowers, or use evergreen plants which can add depth to your variety of greenery.
- Be careful to not place plants on railings or edges where they are likely to fall during windy days and cause a problem with your neighbors!
- Pests and insects are something to be wary of, but be careful using chemicals or pesticides in residential buildings where you could pollute the air.
- For food lovers, you may not have space for fruit and vegetable plants, but small herb gardens in pots are a great way to spice up your outdoor garden.
- The more space you have, the more you can include! Furniture is always a plus for enjoying your balcony with friends.
Tags: apartment garden, balcony, balcony garden, boston garden, Boston Real Estate, outdoors, planting, rooftop garden
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April 8th, 2013
It’s the season for renting. Students, young professionals, even families are looking to lay their head in the Boston area, but many don’t know the most efficient way to go about it. Smart City is laying out a step-by-step way to go about renting through one of our reputable agents.
- Figure out what you want. Whether it be the number of bedrooms, the area, the proximity to public transportation, or the price, come into a rental office with a list of requirements. However, be prepared to be flexible.
- Assemble your documents. These include current and past landlord information, student documentation, or paycheck stubs for verification of employment. The sooner you are able to provide these to your rental agent, the faster the process will move along.
- Take notes on apartment showings. Make lists of pros and cons and try to recall specific details of each apartment. A rental agent can really help with these details.
- Come to showings with a checkbook. Be prepared to make a quick decision if you find your dream home. Properties, particularly in Boston, go very quickly.
- Read through your entire lease before signing. This seems straightforward but it’s important to know exactly what you are signing. Have a conversation with your rental agent if you spot anything that confuses you or raises questions.
- Finally, make preparations for your move. Consider parking, elevator access and even the weather on the day of the move.
To get in touch with one of our experienced and talented rental agents to guide you through this process, call (617) 236-0353
Tags: apartments, Boston, boston apartments, Boston Condo, Boston Homes, Boston Real Estate, Boston Trends, Find a Home Boston, how to rent an apartment, real estate, renting, renting boston, The Charles Realty
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April 3rd, 2013
While summer may be the warmest season for sales and rentals, spring is the time to prepare your property to go on the market. In fact, with less inventory flooding the market in the spring rather than summer, you’re more likely to have a faster sale if you list soon.
As the economy heats up, students and residents are dying to find home in this crowded city. Get in touch with an agent to warn them in advance of your preparations and plans to list. Ask when they would recommend beginning showings. The warmer the weather gets, the busier our offices become, so don’t wait until the last minute consider listing.
Preparations can include de-cluttering your home and making small updates and fixes here and there. Have conversations with family and friends about storage opportunities while making the move, and ask your listing agent if there are any renovations you should make to increase property value.
Lastly, always consider the overall look and feel of your home in terms of when it’s appropriate to put it on the market. If your home has large windows, listing during sunny weather will emphasize this positive aspect of your home. However, if your home is a top story walk-up, a hot day might turn visitors off from a big flight of stairs, so listing in spring might be the time for you.
To speak with an agent about listing while the market and the weather heat up, please call our offices at (617) 236-0353.
Tags: Boston Real Estate, boston summer, spring summer listing, summer housing boston, summer listing, summer listings boston, sunny boston homes
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March 27th, 2013
A new luxury property for rent in the Charlestown area! 21 Walker Street is now available at $2,350 a month. This sunlit one-bedroom apartment comes with many luxury accommodations. Hardwood floors and a marble bath make this home radiant throughout. The kitchen is fully equipped with Energy Star appliances and cherry cabinets as well as granite countertops. In addition, the home has cathedral ceilings and many convenient extras such as a full washer and dryer and a built-in ironing board. For safety and ease, the apartment has a video entry system that will record images of callers to your home when you’re gone. With easy roof deck access and central A/C and heat, this home is the complete package. Not to mention the great location in charming Charlestown, with access to the highway, shopping and public transportation.
Tags: 21 Walker, apartments, Boston, boston apartment, boston apartments, Boston Condo, Boston Homes, Boston Luxury Building, Boston Luxury Buildings, Boston luxury real estate, Boston Real Estate, Boston Rentals, Charlestown, Find a Home Boston, luxury condo, Luxury home for rent, New Lease, new listing, The Charles Realty, Unit 3
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March 25th, 2013
New developments in the Boston area are a great sign of a burgeoning economy and improving market. There has been a lot of attention surrounding the on-again, of-again project intended to cross the Mass Pike, called “Fenway Center.” According to Curbed Boston, the development plans include “at least 550 apartments, plus retail and commercial space, at Brookline and Commonwealth avenues.” The project intends to include four buildings, the majority of which will be built above the turn-pike.
Up until now, construction has been delayed due to hold-ups with an adjoining landowner. However, lead developer, John Rosenthal triumphed over these challenges. Since then, Rosenthal has progressed by buying a parking lot nearby on Landsdowne Street in partnership with The Boston Red Sox.
According to The Boston Herald, these actions signal big strides for the $450 Million project, “set to break ground this year.”
According to Fenway Center’s website www.fenwaycenter.com, the project is environmentally conscious and “plans to include one of the largest solar energy generation plants in the Commonwealth.” It also will include a new commuter rail T stop and pedestrian access to Fenway Park, according to WBGH-TV.
And that’s not all! The project anticipates creating about 1700 construction jobs and 200 permanent ones for Boston area laborers.
Rosenthal explained in his interview with WBGH that while there is a sky deck at Prudential and Copley, there hasn’t been one to cross the turnpike in over 30 years. “Try to envision an overpass extending the bridge from Brookline Ave…west to Beacon Street…”
While building on air rights may sound complicated, Rosenthal asserted, “You have to create the land!”
Tags: Boston, Boston Develpments, Fenway Center, John Rosenthal, new buildings in Boston
Posted in Fenway/Kenmore, The Happenings, The People, The Trends, You and Us | No Comments »
March 18th, 2013
St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone, but why not go green year-round? Here are some fascinating green technologies out there that might be worth considering:
1) Rotating houses. These houses actually turn towards and away from the sun depending on the seasons and time of day. This helps save on heat and lighting in your home. While this obviously is not conducive to city living, it is an option for areas that have a bit more land.
2) Solar hot water heaters. Installing one of these can really help with gas and electricity, easing your bills and environmental impact. However, this often is not enough to heat an entire home with people showering, doing laundry, and dishes.
3) Using a rain barrel, literally to just collect rain water can help save some water. We’re not suggesting you use this water to drink, but use it to water your plants. Hoses really put a dent in our water supply, so why not use the water we’re already given by nature!
4) On a smaller scale using smart power strips and energy star appliances can make a big difference in your home, and your electric bills. Just be smart about electrical appliances and lighting around your home and you’ll find yourself saving more money in the long run and support a more sustainable future!
Tags: going green, green real estate, green technology
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March 11th, 2013
Hot on the market: two of our most recent listings are located in the luxurious 3 Repton Place in Watertown. This building hosts a wide variety of great amenities including easy parking and a relaxing courtyard with a playground and landscaped grounds. This building is more secluded than properties in downtown Boston, and is convenient for commuters thanks to easy highway access.
Exterior at 3 Repton Place
Unit 3402 is a sweeping three bedroom, two bathroom home with plenty of space for storage and family members, while Unit 3202 also offers additional space with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a den. These homes are the complete package.
Repton Place Luxury Courtyard
Both listings include many desirable aspects: private balcony, hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, tall ceilings and dramatic windows letting the sun pour in to these spacious apartments. Additionally, both homes offer not just one, but two garage parking spots per listing. The on-site management and superintendent are always on top of property maintenance. Condo fee includes snow removal, refuse removal and constant exterior maintenance and landscape work.
The Watertown area includes shopping, walking trails, and bike paths for the active homeowner. The latest listings at 3 Repton place are sure to impress anyone seeking a new place to lay their head in the Boston area. Go to www.thecharlesrealty.com or (617) 236-0353 to inquire further with the listing agent, Sarah Glovsky.
Tags: apartments, Boston, boston apartment listings, Boston Condo, Boston Condos, Boston Homes, Boston Luxury Building, Boston Luxury Buildings, Boston Real Estate, Find a Home Boston, luxury condo, new listings, repton place, The Charles Realty, watertown
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March 1st, 2013
The Boston home market is still on the rise. Listings are barely hitting the market before offers come flowing in. We’re not just talking one or two offers either, we’re talking about several offers on single listings. In this brief post we just want to highlight some of the reasons why homes are moving so quickly.
Zillow is reporting a 6.2% increase in home values across the country since last January and a 0.7% increase since December. With this in mind it’s also worth noting that this is the lowest percentage of homes with price reductions on the market in over four years. People know that if they buy now and market trends continue, then there’s potential to make a profit in a matter of just a year or two.
In Boston, as we’ve stressed before, inventory is incredibly low across the city. Thus, home values are up 9.5% from last year. This is a clear reflection of the low inventory, thus making this the ideal sellers market. With this trend, now is the time to put your home on the market. Sellers are receiving multiple offers within just days of listing and the market is only getting busier as we come into the spring.
Sources:
http://www.zillow.com/local-info/MA-Boston-home-value/r_44269/
http://blog.altosresearch.com/three-signs-2013-will-be-the-hottest-housing-year-since-2005/
Tags: Boston Homes, Boston Real Estate, home appreciation, home values, real estate, The Charles Realty
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February 22nd, 2013
Right now going green is the big movement, securing a more sustainable future for all of us. In the Boston area with so many older colonials and victorians it’s difficult to find homes with a green initiative, but there’s a new home on the market in Charlestown and it strives to meet all eco-friendly requirements. This 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom condo offers energy efficient Bosch appliances in the kitchen, energy efficient washer and dryer, fresh air intake, and 99% efficient HVAC.
If that’s not enough “green” for you then there’s always the roof deck along with the roof garden! This home truly has it all, environmentally friendly bamboo floors stretching throughout, granite countertops in the kitchen along with entertaining peninsula, custom blinds, and a video recording security system, you’ll never be at a loss. Don’t worry about storage, there’s plenty including a california closet, hidden coat closet, designed master closet, and towering kitchen cabinets.
For more information contact Betsy Herald at betsyherald@realtor.com or call the office at (617) 236-0353
Tags: Boston Real Estate, Charlestown, charlestown condo, charlestown real estate, eco-friendly, eco-friendly condo, green initiative, The Charles Realty
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