Sales and the median price of single-family homes in Carlisle, Massachusetts decreased in 2010, according to data compiled using MLS Property Information Network, Inc, the local multiple listing service.

Single-family home sales in Carlisle, MA decreased 11.8 percent in 2010, a difference of six sales compared to 2009. The median price of single-family homes fell 12.9 percent in 2010 compared to the previous year, a $97,500 difference.

There was only one condominium sold in Carlisle in 2009, while none sold in 2010.

Carlisle, Massachusetts Home Sales

           Sales / Median Price

Single-family Homes
2009 – 51 / $757,500
2010 – 45 / $660,000

Condominiums
2009 – 1 / $520,000
2010 – 0 / $0

Multi-family Homes
2009 – 0 / $0
2010 – 0 / $0

Search For Homes For Sale In Carlisle, Massachusetts

Despite the downturn in the housing market that ignited the foreclosure crisis and the meltdown in the economy, home ownership is still a major part of the American Dream.

A poll conducted by Allstate and the National Journal Group found that nearly nine out of 10 homeowners would buy their homes again, Banker & Tradesman reported in its Housing Scene blog March 22, 2011.

In addition, nearly three quarters of the poll's respondents would encourage a family member or friend to purchase a home as a long-term asset.

Considering the number of foreclosures and homeowners under water over the past several years, some people may be shocked by America's continued love affair with home ownership. I'm not surprised. It's simple in my opinion.

Does renting really compare to the satisfaction a person gets from owning his or her own home? It's not even close.

The recent downturn in the housing market has wiped out the home equity of nearly one in five homeowners in the Greater Boston Area, according to new research by CoreLogic, a real estate research firm.

The Boston Business Journal reported March 8, 2011 that the research found that nearly 16 percent of homeowners, or 62,957 residences, in the Boston-Quincy metropolitan area had mortgage balances that exceeded the value of their houses. Another 3.5 percent homeowners, or 13,861 homes, were nearing the point of having negative equity in their home as of the end of 2010.

Around the nation, 23 percent of borrowers, some 11.1 million homes, were "underwater" on their mortgage, up from 22.5 percent in the third quarter of 2010, and these homeowners carried a combined principal balance that exceeded $750 billion as of December 31, 2010.

The report also indicated that homes with negative or near-negative equity represented 27.9 percent of all U.S. residential properties with outstanding mortgages as of the end of last year.

Additionally, the report said that 65 percent of Nevada's homeowners are underwater, the highest percentage in the country. Nevada was followed by Arizona (51 percent), Florida (47 percent), Michigan (36 percent) and California (32 percent).

Nevada also had the nation’s highest-average loan-to-value (LTV) ratio of 118 percent. New York state had the lowest LTV ratio at 50 percent.

Home buyers apparently took advantage of Billerica, Massachusetts real estate bargains in December.

Sales of single-family homes in Billerica, MA increased in December 2010 while the median home price declined sharply, according to data from  MLS Property Information Network, Inc., the local multiple listing service.

Single-family homes sales in Billerica, MA increased 60 percent in December 2010, a difference of 9 sales compared to December 2009. The median price of single-family homes dropped 16.5 percent in December 2010 compared to December of the previous year, a $56,500 difference.

The median price of condominiums increased 72.3 percent, or $82,450, compared to December 2009. Condo sales in Billerica, MA fell 42.9 percent in December 2010, a difference of 3 sales.

There was only one multi-family home sold in December of 2010, an increase from the zero multi-family homes sold in December 2009.

Billerica, Massachusetts Real Estate Market Activity

                      Sales / Median Price

Single-family

December 2009 – 15 / $343,000

December 2010 – 24 / $286,500

Condominiums

December 2009 – 7 / $114,000

December 2010 – 4 / $196,450

Multi-family

December 2009 – 0 / $0

December 2010 – 1 / $365,000

Search for Billerica, MA homes for sale.

Search for foreclosures in Billerica, MA.

Sales of single-family homes and condominiums in Haverhill, Masschusetts declined in the third quarter of 2010 compared to Q3 2009, according data compiled from MLS Property Information Network, Inc., the local multiple listing service.

Single-family home sales decreased 22.1 percent in Q3 2010 compared to the same period in 2009, a difference of 21 sales. During the same time period the median price of single-family homes in Haverhill remained flat, declining 1 percent, or $2,400.

Condominiums in Haverhill, MA saw decreases in both sales and median price in the third quarter of 2010. Sales dropped 17.9 percent compared to Q3 2009, a difference of 10 sales. The median price of condominiums decreased 2.7 percent or $4,500 compared to the third quarter of 2009.

The median price of multi-family homes actually increased in Q3 2010 by 2.5 percent, or $3,450. Multi-family sales dropped 21.2 percent when compared to Q3 2009, a difference of seven sales.

Q3 Haverhill, MA
Sales / Median Price

Single-Family
2009 -   95    $249,100
2010 -   74   $246,700

Condominiums
2009 -   56   $164,000
2010 -   46   $159,500


Multi-family
2009 -   33   $135,000
2010 -   26   $138,450

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Sales of both single-family homes and condominiums in Tewksbury, Massachusetts decreased in July 2010, according to data analyzed using MLS Property Information Network, Inc, a local multiple listing service.

Single-family home sales decreased 31.8 percent in July 2010 compared to July of the previous year, a difference of seven sales. The median price also decreased in July, dropping 20 percent or $66,500 compared to July 2009.

Condominium sales in Tewksbury, MA also decreased, dropping 63.6 percent in July 2010, a difference of seven units sold. Unlike single-family homes the median price of condos increased, rising 17.7 percent in July 2010.

Tewksbury, MA
Single-Fmaily Homes
Sales Median Price
July 2009: 22 $332,500
July 2010 15 $266,000

Condos:
July 2009 11 $225,000
July 2010 4 $264,900

Pesticides are powerful tools for controlling pests; however, there are also other tools available for use in pest control, many of which reduced risk to your health and the environment.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other organizations consider Integrated Pest Management (IPM) an effective and environmentally sensitive approach that makes use of a variety of these tools. The concept of knowing what the problem is before you apply pesticides is fundamental to planning a successful IPM program, according to the EPA's IPM fact sheet. IPM relies on a combination of common-sense practices and science-based strategies, rather than solely on pesticide spraying.

Read the EPA's Integrated Pest Management Fact Sheet.

Massachusetts also has information on its Web site about pesticide use.

An email has been circulating for a few months (and you may have even received it or heard about it) that reports the new federal health care bill will be paid for with a 3.8 percent tax on the sale of homes. 

It is not true.

Of course there are new taxes to pay for the health care bill. You're not surprised are you? The bill included a provision that imposes a new 3.8 percent Medicare tax for some "high-income households" that have “net investment income.” There's also a tax on medical devices.

Read the Massachusetts Association of Realtors blog for more information.

Sales of Massachusetts single-family homes in August 2010 declined to the lowest level in more than two decades while the median price slightly increased, The Warren Group, a publisher of real estate data, reported September 28, 2010.

A total of 3,659 single-family homes sold in Massachusetts in August 2010, an 18.5 percent drop from 4,492 sales in August 2009. It represented the second consecutive month of year-over-year sales declines, and the first time sales have fallen below 4,000 in the month of August since The Warren Group began tracking data in 1987. Prior to last month, the lowest number of single-family home sales tracked in August was 4,100 in 1990.

Sales of single-family homes edged up from a month ago, when there were 3,590 sales of single-family homes. Year-to-date sales climbed 9.35 percent to 28,567, up from 26,124 a year ago.

Year-to-date sales were up in every county, but sales were boosted in the first half of the year by the federal government's home buyer tax credit.

The median price of single-family homes crept up 3.9 percent to $315,000 in August, up from $303,000 a year earlier. Median prices of single-family homes in Massachusetts dropped from a month ago, when the median price was $320,000. August marked the third straight month of the year that the median price exceeded $300,000. The median price for homes sold January through August was $300,000, up almost 5.26 percent from $285,000 in the prior year.

In August, Massachusetts condominium sales also dropped, declining 23.3 percent from a year earlier. A total of 1,620 condos sold in August, down from 2,113 a year ago.

Year-to-date condominium sales were up 9 percent, increasing to 12,830 from 11,764 during the same period in 2009.

Condo sales increased slightly from a month earlier, when 1,482 condos sold in Massachusetts.

The median condo price also increased in August. The median selling price was $298,500, up 8.5 percent from $275,000 a year earlier. The year-to-date median price of condos in the Bay State is $266,000, up 3.5 percent from $257,000 a year ago.

Search for all homes for sale in Massachusetts.

Foreclosure petitions reached the highest number in more than a year in August 2010, while foreclosure deeds increased for the eighth straight month in Massachusetts, The Warren Group, a publisher of real estate data, reported September 23, 2010.

Foreclosure petitions, the first step in the foreclosure process in Massachusetts, jumped to 2,713 in August, a 13.23 percent increase from a year ago, when there were 2,396 such petitions. Foreclosure petitions were also up in August from the 2,307 starts recorded in July 2010.

A total of 18,358 foreclosure petitions have been recorded so far this year, a small decrease from the 19,108 recorded during the same period in 2009.

A total of 1,207 foreclosure deeds were recorded in August, up from 659 from a year ago. So far this year, there were 9,887 completed foreclosures in Massachusetts. That amount exceeds the total number of foreclosures in all of 2009. There were 9,269 completed foreclosures last year. Foreclosure deeds decreased slightly from a month ago when there were 1,247 deeds recorded.

What are people seeing with foreclosures and short sales in other states?