If you are tackling a remodeling project this spring, big or small, our Beyond Boston magazine has some great tips for you to follow. Building Basics covers all aspects of the process and what you need to consider at every stage, along with how to make sure you are hiring the right professionals. There are also some great resources in the magazine of local design firms and contractors who can help you get your project off to the right start. 

The best piece of advice we can offer when taking on a construction project of any size is planning. You'll need to consider many factors - budget, timing, location, even the New England weather. The more you can plan ahead the smoother your project will be. And with any home improvement, consider your return on investment.  Generally speaking, any improvement to your home is a good thing, but if you are improving with an eye to sell you should consider what will make the biggest impact in the current market. Kitchens and bathrooms are still the two areas where you can make the biggest impact on your home's value. Regarding style, even though demand still outstrips supply in most of our towns, you still want to ensure your home appeals to a wide range of people. Be wary of too many custom or personalized updates of you are planning to sell - if you are not careful you could end up over-spending on a project that won't actually add value to your home. You might also find that many buyers are prepared - and want - to make their own improvements, so the work you are planning may not be necessary to prepare your home for sale. In all circumstances, a conversation with a local realtor before you commit to any projects will help you ensure you are not "over-improving" your home or spending on unnecessary work.

If you are improving instead of moving, you have a bit more freedom to personalize your style and finishes, but you should consider enlisting the services of a design company to make sure you are making the best use of the space for what you need. And of course, any professionals you hire should be properly licensed and be able to supply references. Our realtors work with a number of local companies and are happy to provide some resources for your consideration. 

Beyond Boston is a free guide to your towns and our services. Pick up your copy from any of our eight offices or at select local businesses.

A major kitchen upgrade can cost as much as a year’s worth of college education these days. If you are planning to be in your current home for many more years, then spending the money to create the kitchen of your dreams is well worth it.  But if you are thinking of making a move, a minor kitchen reno can pay dividends in terms of [...]

There's more good news for sellers in the towns beyond Boston after another month of home sales. The demand from buyers continues to keep house prices buoyant, with Lexington showing a marked increase (45%!) in average sale price compared to 2021. Westford also experienced a greater than 20% leap in the average sale price. In Acton and [...]

We are proud to announce that 2021 was the best year yet for Sotheby's International Realty! Our iconic brand achieved a record-breaking USD$204 billion in global sales volume, a 36% increase year over year. In the US alone, sales volume was up 33.8%, higher than the national increase reported by NAR*.

We also saw growth in our marketing reach. Sothebysrealty.com had more than 46 million visitors in 2021, which is a 25% increase on the previous year. The website was named Best Real Estate Website in the People’s Choice Category in the 25th Annual Webby Awards, in recognition of (amongst other things) a mobile-first approach reflecting how buyers shop for homes. Our social media pages have over 1 million followers, and our home videos were played 90 million times on YouTube (earning the brand the Silver Creator Award). Our hugely successful PR team secured over 47,000 placements to make us the #1 most profiled real estate brand in the news. 

None of this would be possible without the people. With over 25,000 sales associates worldwide in 1000 offices spanning 79 countries and territories, Sotheby's International Realty agents are able to assist buyers and sellers from all over the globe. Referral business increased as agents collaborated across towns, states and countries - referral sales volume within the brand’s global network increased by nearly 80% year over year.

For more details on our amazing year visit sothebysrealty.com. Thank you for helping us make this happen - we couldn't be prouder of our iconic brand and of our amazing agents that all contributed to it's continued success.

*Source: Sothebysrealty.com

One of the most fun snow day activities is sledding - it requires very little equipment or planning, no tickets or pre-booking necessary, and can be enjoyed free of charge - making it a winner for families this winter break!  We’ve asked our agents for their recommendations for the best local spots to enjoy some sledding while the snow [...]

February vacation starts next week and many of us are looking forward to some long-awaited travel - but if you are stay-cationing in the Boston area we are here to help!  Our agents are experts on the towns they live and work in and many of them have raised families here, so who better to ask for suggestions to keep both kids and parents [...]

We are delighted to announce the launch of our new area guide, Beyond Boston! 

We partnered with Greydoor Publishing to produce a magazine that gives you a true insight into the towns we serve. We feature information on Acton, Bedford, Carlisle, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Westford and Winchester, including median house prices, points of [...]

There is a very “Groundhog Day” feel to the real estate stats for our communities in January. As in previous months, we are looking at increased prices, decreasing days on market and limited inventory across all our towns. [...]

If you're a homeowner you probably hope that, as well as being a place to live, your home is also an investment that is going to increase in value. And while your home's value strongly depends on factors outside of your control, like its location or the current state of the real estate market in your area, that doesn't mean you can't do [...]

The Massachusetts Association of Realtors (MAR) has published the latest housing market report for the towns and cities in our state. The report covers all our office towns (including Concord, Acton and Lexington) as well 54 other towns and cities where we have represented buyers and sellers. This report includes the summary of the data from 2021 and compares that to the previous year, giving a good indicator how the year shaped up for home buyers and sellers. You can look at days on market to see how fast homes were moving, check how many homes sold compared to the previous year to understand the demand, and see how the list prices compared to sale prices to comprehend how aggressive the market was in some towns. It's a fascinating read and gives a great overview  - but for a full market analysis, you should talk to an experienced realtor. They'll be able to give you a more detailed evaluation of your home, taking into account specific property and neighborhood details and including information about recent comparable sales, to give you the true picture.

So if this has made you think about taking advantage of the fast-paced market, get in touch today! In the meantime, click here to find out what your home is worth. You can also find out why you shouldn't wait until spring to list your home.