Transportation Secretary Recommends Green Line expansion to Rt. 16

After a long blogging hiatus, I have returned and excited to bring you this news from wickedlocal.com There are have been many meetings and many debate over where the last T-stop should be on the extension of the Green Line.

“Transportation Secretary James Aloisi Jr. today recommended the Green Line be extended to Mystic Valley Parkway/Route 16, pending federal funding, via commuter rail rights-of-way as its preferred project terminus for main line service. “

If approved, this T-stop would not require construction of a new parking facility, which was the steam for a lot of local objections. The new T-line would extend the Green line from Lechmere Station to Mystic Valley Parkway along the Lowell commuter line. Construction should start in 2012 with a December 2014 completion date.

Click here for the entire article.

For more information, head to http://www.greenlineextension.com

Great News for Middlesex County Home Loans

The Federal Housing Fiance Agency (FHFA) yesterday announced the conforming loan limit will remain $417,000 for the rest of 2009 for most areas in the us, but specified higher limits in certain cities and counties.  The conforming loan limit is the maximum size of loans that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can purchase in 2009.

Middlesex County is one of the few areas that will be above $417,000 which is good news!

Middlesex County

SFR/Condo – $465,700 (loan amounts)

2 Family – $596,250

3 Family – $720,700

4 Family – $895,700

Other counties that are the same as Middlesex:  Suffolk, Norfolk, Plymouth, Essex and Bristol.

A few of the mortgage brokers I work with will be able to offer these loans by the end of November.  If you have questions about this, please let me know.

Bad MLS Photo of the Week: Anyone For a Swim?

I’m starting off a new weekly post regarding the most interesting pictures on MLS.  I’m on MLS every single day, morning, noon and night and I laugh continiously at the pictures on there.  So why not share my fun….

Here is a lovely one I saw today (property not to be named).  All I can say is “What the…..”

Shopping Around Town: Zia Clothing Outlet

photo courtesy of ziaclothing.com

A co-worker of mine turned me on to this store about 2 years ago and I have been a loyal customer every since.  Zia Clothing Outlet is located in Cushing Square in Belmont.  It is one of those great stores that always is different every time you go.  She has great taste, fabulous finds and great prices!  I wanted to keep this “hidden gem” all to myself, but couldn’t.  Especially after receiving Karen Kostigan’s (Zia Owner) recent newsletter yesterday and seeing that bostonmamas have an interview of her on their site.  Check it out here

Karen has monthly wine & cheese parties at her store which I love attending.  Its a chance to meet some great people and try on some great clothes.  She usually has something fun going on each time.   So now that my secret fashion spot is out there, head to her website and sign up for her newsletters.

Tonight happens to be her Wine & Cheese night this month.  So head over there from 6-9pm!

A stroll through Lexington’s mid-century homes courtesy of apartmenttherapy.com

via apartmenttherapy.com

I’m so excited that apartmenttherapy.com is now covering the Boston area.  After reading their blog for over 2 years, I’ve been so envious of SF, LA, NY and Chicago.  But now we have it!  And even better, they posted some great pictures of a recent tour sponsored by the Lexington Historical Society.   There are so many great mid-century homes in Lexington.  Some are in prime condition, and if you have a great eye a few need to be updated.   Check it out here.

There are many neighborhoods around Lexington that feature design from the 50’s.  I’ve had the pleasure of showing and selling many of them.  Although the architecture is unique and not your standard cape or colonial, my clients who really strive to purchase one are always extremely excited of the prospect.  I’ve never been in the same one twice.   There are also neighborhoods in Bedford, Lincoln, Acton and Concord that were able to adopt the same styles of the period.

Back from Wine Country

Well I’m back from an extended vacation in Northern California.  We didn’t have a cloud in the sky for over 7 days!  A stop in Napa Valley really enlightened my view on the wine world.   I’ve always been a fan, but this by far was the most amazing time I’ve had in a while.   To be on site at wineries that produce the wine I’ve consumed in my own home was truely a treat.  We visited the bigger houses of St. Supery, the organic Frog’s Leap , the intimate caves of Schramsberg and our final stop was a small greeting by a gorgeous golden retriever and a woman who love of wine shows at her small winery, Zahtila Vineyards.

I realized, I’d love to learn more.  So here at home, I found a few clubs, blogs and event lists for those (including myself) that love wine.

Boston Wine Buzz

Boston Uncorked

Local Wine Events

10 Ways to Prepare for Home Ownership

Here are some great ways to prepare for home ownership, taken from Realtor.com

1. Decide what you can afford. Generally, you can afford a home equal in value between two and three times your gross income.

2. Develop your home wish list. Then, prioritize the features on your list.

3. Select where you want to live. Compile a list of three or four neighborhoods you’d like to live in, taking into account items such as schools, recreational facilities, area expansion plans and safety.

4. Start saving. Do you ahve enough money saved to qualify for a mortgage and cover your down payment?  Ideally, you should have 20% of the purchase price saved as a down payment.  Also, don’t forget to factor in closing costs.  Closing costs – including taxes, attorney’s fee, and transfer fees – average between 2 and 7 percent of your homes value.

5. Get your credit in order. Obtain a copy of your credit report to make sure it is accurate and to correct any errors immediately.  A credit report provides a history of your credit, bad debts and any late payments.

6. Determine your mortgage qualifications. How large of a mortgage do you qualify for?  Also, explore different loan options – such as 30-year or 15-year fixed mortgages, ARMs – and decide what’s best for you.

7. Get preapproved. Organize all the documentation a lender will need to preapprove you for a loan.  You might need W-2 forms, copies of at least one pay stub, account numbers, and copies of two to four months of bank or credit union statements.

8.  Weigh other sources of help with down payment. Do you qualify for any special mortgage or down payment assistance programs?  Check with your state and local government on down payment assistance programs for first time buyers.  Or, if you have an IRA account, you can use the money you saved to buy your first home without paying a penalty for early withdrawl.

9.  Calculate the cost of homeownership. This should include property taxes, insurance, maintenance and utilities and association fees, if applicable.

10. Contact a Realtor. Find an experienced REALTOR who can help guide you through the process.

Around Town: Demolition Style

Driving to work this morning, I drove right by this:

Pretty interesting stuff to watch a bulldozer take out a house in a few hours flat.  They must be making way for some new townhouses.  Who said the market is down?

Trulia Mobile: Get Listings & Open Houses on Your Mobile Phone!

Trulia.com has launched an application for the iphone and other mobile devices that allows you to search for listing via your phone.  It give you a picture, all the specs, the location (via google map), and the open house times.  How many of you have been out and about in your car, and you’d like to see whats available in the area, or you didn’t plan to hit open houses on a Sunday – but changed your mind?  This is a great tool.  I’ve often thought this would be a great idea and was surpised that it didn’t come sooner.  For more information click here

Open Houses Posted for the Weekend

Open houses are updated for this weekend above on the “open house” tab.  If you don’t see a town that you are searching in, send me an email at kelly@eastman.net and I’ll get it up there for you.  Happy house hunting!