School’s out next week for April Vacation, and if you are staying local there’s plenty to see and do in the towns along the Patriot Trail! Patriot’s Day itself is Monday, April [...]

Moving to a smaller home? Gain valuable advice about paring down and learn what you really need in order to maintain a comfortable, beautiful lifestyle in less space. Join Marie LeBlanc from Transitions & Liquidations Services, Jan Poulain and Liz Larson from Perfectly Placed for You, and Barrett Sotheby's International Realty owner and CEO Laurie Cadigan for tips, tricks, and resources for stress-free downsizing. Seminars will be held virtually on Saturday, April 23rd at 10am and Thursday, April 28th at 6pm.

Email seminars@barrettsir.com to register and receive the zoom link

Spring is on its way, and with it an increase in home buying activity! We’ve seen an uptick in activity in March from both buyers and sellers, and the early spring market is showing some welcome signs of increased inventory and activity. [...]

Looking to buy a home in the Greater Boston area? It’s a hot seller’s market because there are a lot more interested buyers than there are homes available, so time is of the essence. Here are some tips for buyers looking to purchase a home in a seller's [...]

Moving is hard enough as it is, and for many first-time homebuyers, it's normal to feel both excited and overwhelmed. The truth is, there's a long list of important things you need to keep up with as you prepare for life in your new house. If you're planning to move soon as a first-time homebuyer, don't worry. We have put together some [...]

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 [...]