Yesterday marked the first day of the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.  With more than 26,000 reported to have attended, this conference is brought to Boston by the nonprofit US Green Building Council and featured ways for businesses and builders to keep the environment first in their minds.  It was also reported that there were more than 800 companies present and representing themselves at the show; this high attendance revealed that Massachusetts Businesses are looking to find ways to participate in green techniques that will benefit the area and the services that they offer. The conference relayed a message for everyone to join in the movement to go green, no matter what your income, with products being presented that respect green ideas including solar-tube lighting systems and other ecofriendly devices to exchange for our less environmentally friendly devices already in use.  

For more information on Metro Boston real estate including homes, condos, foreclosures, and short sales, contact your neighborhood realtor John McCann.  You can also search the Metro Boston MLS for the current offerings in this great area.

In a recent report from Bankrate.com, mortgage rates have made a ‘modest’ decrease this week.  Bankrate continually helps to keep homebuyers informed by publishing a survey involving large lenders in the top 10 markets; a recent national survey reflected that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage decreased by 5 basis points (a basis point is one-hundredth of 1 percentage point), settling in at 6.39 percent.  Measuring a similar time frame, one year ago, the mortgage index was recorded as 6.32 percent.  Also, the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage decreased by 13 basis points to come in at 6.08 percent.  Before this week of analyzed data, these mortgage rates were all over the place—making dramatic movements up or down from the first of October to the fifth of November.

Read more about Bankrate’s current report or calculate how much home you can afford here.

For more information about Metro Boston real estate contact your local agent John McCann.

Malden MA appeared in the latest edition of BusinessWeek magazine, recognized as ranking in the top communities to raise children in the state.  In Businessweek’s study, they reviewed data about school performance, diversity, environmental issues, crime, and affordability; based on the data analyzed this popular national magazine named Malden as ranked in Massachusetts most ‘diverse, well-connected, and affordable’ cities in the state.  City officials reported that they were pleased to hear this and felt it reflected the progress that they have been working for in moving Malden in the right direction.

For more information and specific questions regarding real estate in Malden including the foreclosure market, homes, and condos contact your neighborhood realtor John McCann.

Malden Massachusetts boasts a rich history from its beginnings over three centuries ago as a small settlement to its current economic status as being in close connections to the Metro Boston area.  In Malden you will find convenient access to an international airport, plenty of ways to commute, and be in the midst of some of the best universities, and state-of-the-art and medical research facilities.  Being within reach of parks and only a few minutes away from some of New England’s best beach areas, puts Malden MA on the top of the list for homebuyers.

So come and check out what Malden MA has to offer and bring any specific real estate questions to your local realtor John McCann.  Take the time to fall in love with Malden MA just like many current homeowners have before.

Medford Massachusetts is looking to make a Mystic water taxi available as a way to link surrounding Boston Metro cities and offer a new option for mass transit.  The development of this boat idea for the Mystic River is meant to create a link between the waterways and the many developments—now and for the future—for residents and commuters to enjoy.  This ‘water taxi’ would allow transportation to riverfront developments in Somerville, Malden, and Everett as well as Medford and possibly even Boston itself.  Medford officials expect that this will boost the economy in the future, since the current city is not using their natural waterways to their full advantage.  Residents will also be able to enjoy the river more, and there are plans to develop a dock at Medford Square, with three or four Mystics taxi route sites in Medford.

For more information on available real estate in Medford MA search the Metro Boston MLS, or send your neighborhood realtor John McCann an email with any specific real estate questions you may have.

Looking for a condo in the Metro Boston area?  Well, you’ve come to the right place.  Here at Metro Boston Real Estate blog, you will find an easy tool to help you find the Metro Boston Condo you’ve been searching for.  The Metro Boston Condos link will take you to a listing including specific featured condos in Medford, Malden, and Winchester MA, which will assist you in your condo hunting.  Simply click on a link and view the specifications for each condo building and what to expect from them including security systems, location, and amenities including exercise rooms, pools, and club houses. 

So let your neighborhood realtor John McCann help you on your way to finding that perfect condo in the Metro Boston area.   Don’t hesitate to contact John with any specific real estate questions or your interest in featured listings.

If you have ever dreamed of living in a beautiful top-tier neighborhood in the Boston Metro area, now is the time to find your home or condo.  With the present economic conditions, buying opportunities for these popular Boston locations have opened up with the decrease in home prices.  During previous ‘boom’ years for the housing markets many of the upscale areas across the nation were out of reach, but don’t let the news tell you that it isn’t a buyer’s market now; for those in great financial standing, there is no better time than now to look into that dream home or condo in an area you will thoroughly enjoy living in.

Whether you are looking for a home or a condo in the Boston Metro area, your neighborhood realtor John McCann is happy to answer any real estate questions you may have.

With a growing number of foreclosures nationwide, it’s a great time to search for your dream home for an affordable price.  However, when looking at the foreclosure market, it may be difficult to locate homes in the foreclosure process as most featured home listings use different terms for homes in this category (e.g. ‘as is,’ ‘bank owned,’ etc).  Often real estate sites that have foreclosure listings do not have them clearly labeled for easy searching, and you will need to look a little harder for these affordable homes.  If you are hunting for a foreclosure and don’t have the time to weed out other home listings, than you may want to consider a few services that will offer you assistance for a weekly or monthly fee.  RealtyTrac and Foreclosure.com allow you to search a comprehensive listing of homes in the process of foreclosure easily for any given area you are home hunting in.  

And don’t forget that you can contact your neighborhood realtor John McCann for all of your questions concerning the Metro Boston Foreclosure market; he’s always happy to assist you in all your Metro Boston area real estate needs.

As a homeowner, you may be concerned about steep home heating cost predictions this winter.  But don’t let economists rule your wallet; consider these tips that may help you save on your home heating bill in the Metro Boston MA area this winter.  

•    Take the time to look at your thermostat.  If you are going to be away from your home for most of the day, turn it down as a habit before leaving.  Most thermostats are programmable, but you need to initially take the time to keep it at efficient levels day and night.  
•    Purchase an insert for your fireplace.  Although, fireplaces can greatly assist in heating your home, many older fireplaces will need an insert (which come in attractive styles to suit your decor) to get the most out of them and improve their efficiency.
•    Don’t forget to weatherize your home.  By fixing any windows or doors that let in drafts, hanging insulated drapes and using double-paned windows, you can retain much of the heat that would be lost needlessly.  
•    Consider using a space heater.  If you tend to spend much of your time in a certain room or if you have guests over often, a space heater can improve the comfort of a room and cut down on the cost of oil and gas heating as its source of ‘fuel’ is electricity.  

So don’t wait until your bill goes up, prepare now and enjoy the comfort of your home in the winter without the strain on your wallet.

If you have any specific real estate questions regarding the Metro Boston MA area including Malden, Medford, and Everett condos, homes and foreclosures, contact your neighborhood realtor, John McCann.

According to a report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), sales of existing homes increased by 1.4 percent this September 2008 as compared to September 2007.  The NAR also reported that the nation’s mortgage market has stabilized somewhat with the takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by the government although credit markets aren’t settled yet; the slight increase in this number (i.e. sales of existing homes) from this past September 2008 as compared to September 2007, may be due to the recent decline in home sale prices and lower mortgage interest rates overall.

If you have any specific real estate questions regarding the Metro Boston MA area including Malden, Medford, and Everett condos, homes and foreclosures, contact your neighborhood realtor, John McCann.