Since the real estate market shifted last year (late spring/early summer in our market), there has been no shortage of speculation as to what the year ahead will bring with mortgage rates, inventory, sales, and of course, prices. I've been reading it all -- from local agents' and mortgage brokers' LinkedIn posts to national coverage in the NYT and WSJ and everything in between -- so here's a little summary... While pretty much all forecasts are predicting fewer home sales in

Three years ago I moved my business to Gibson Sotheby’s and it has proven to be a great decision — I love having the backing of a highly-respected global brand, while being part of a locally-owned affiliate that still has a very small business, boutique feel. And really, what I most love is the people I get to work with every day — from the owners and the CEO to the marketing and operations team and of course, the amazing agents. We may not be a behemoth, but we get things do

Don’t worry about Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction of six more weeks of winter — that doesn’t mean you have to wait to sell  your home… When most people think about listing their home, they imagine green grass and flowers framing the sign on their lawn. The “Spring Market” is the holy grail of real estate and most of us – I include agents here – are conditioned to believe this is the best time to sell or buy a home. However, there’s a lot to be said for listing your home in Jan

Last week I posted the first of this five-part “mini-series” of home staging, focusing on clearly defining the rooms and spaces. This week, I want to talk about the next universal principle… Staging principle #2 – Scale down and scale back When my clients A & J lived here, this cute eat-in kitchen in a small Somerville condo had felt very cramped and difficult to navigate, with a long, six-seat dining table and high-backed dark wood chairs. Since we listed their home after th

Very few of us live in a way that we would just be able to throw up a for sale sign and welcome people in — most of our homes require a bit of preparation before we come to market. And no matter the size or style or price point of a given property, the principles of home staging are always the same: Clearly define the rooms and spaces Scale down and scale back to increase the feel of spaciousness and improve flow Lighten & brighten Declutter and depersonalize Clean! I am goin

Anyone who’s been involved — or even KNOWS someone who’s been involved — in a recent home sale or purchase in the Greater Boston area is likely well aware that we’ve been in a hyper-competitive, low-inventory, rapidly-appreciating market for the past several years. And while it may feel painful for anyone out there trying to purchase a home, in many ways, it is a positive, since it’s a reflection of our strong economy, low unemployment, and the fact that we live in a pretty g

Hard to believe, but the summer is over, moving day / Allston Christmas has passed and the campuses are once again full. Before you know it, the holidays will be upon us — and snow! But before I get your minds reeling with images of parking bans and ice dams, let’s talk about the fall market… We’re now a few weeks in and are seeing very mixed results. On the one hand, open houses are very well attended — buyers are out there! And multiple offers haven’t gone away — I wrote tw

(Ah Bowie, you will be missed…) I am a big believer in change — whether it’s changing where I live, what I do, how I think about things… it’s part of life and it keeps things interesting. So it should come as no surprise to those who know me, that after six great years with Coldwell Banker, I decided to move my business to Gibson Sotheby’s Cambridge office. And because I have already gotten questions from friends, clients and my real estate peers, I put together this little Q