Mary Hannon, Boston's Area Real Estate Agent

The Last 3 Months of Activity in Jamaica Plain with all the Solds and Under Agreements!

2008-03-23T14:40:00.004-04:00

Click on the title and you'll see just what is happening in Jamaica Plain...
Here are all the pending and solds from March 23 back 3 months. You'll see everything that has gone under agreement or has sold - if you want any extra information on the market - just call and we can talk about the market.
There is a lot of activity in Boston. If you are buying or selling you should know the truth before making a decision on value or market price.

Average Price Per Square Foot for Single Families in JP

2008-03-23T13:58:00.002-04:00

Here is the last 13 months in a graph for all single families in Jamaica Plain in the last 13 months from December 2006-February 2008

Mary Hannon, Accredited Buyer Representative

2008-03-21T19:01:00.000-04:00

You're already paying for a real estate agent when you buy a home... so why don't you have your own representation? Did you know that there is (typically) a commission offered to the buyer agent through the contract that a Real Estate Agent has with their seller?- That's right and guess who is paying for it? -That's right- you are! After all, aren't you bringing the money to the "table". Why wouldn't you want someone on your side?
A Good Buyer's Agent is certified with the National Association of Realtors (ABR or CBR designations). They should have good experience and truly know the community you are intested in. Finding the property you are interested in is the smallest part of the job for a buyer's agent. That's when we really go to work. Researching the value, the property, and negotiating on your behalf is the job that is most important. You want to make sure that the agent has the resources, the knowledge and the reputation in the community to work in your best interest. Interview your potential real estate agent. Don't just show up at the first property you find on the internet. For a series of questions you should ask...contact me and I'll send you a list of questions I would want to ask my real estate agent...
Let me do the work so you can relax and start packing.

NSTAR information for Electric in Boston

2008-01-23T21:29:00.000-05:00

Here is a link that will give you all the numbers you need for your electric needs in Boston. In some cases you may have NSTAR for your gas needs too.

Spontaneous Celebrations

2007-09-21T19:36:00.000-04:00

Wake Up The Earth and The Lantern Parade around Jamaica Pond are just 2 of the ways Spontaneous brings our community together. Located at 45 Danforth Street, near the corner of Boylston Street near Stony Brook T. If you aren't a member and you live in JP- you should be... they are working hard to keep us Celebrating Spontaneously. Click on the link and find out how you can become a member or find out what's happening. If you aren't capable of being Spontaneous- plan a visit or some giving. They need our support for their major overhaul of the building. Pitch in - you'll feel better.

Sailing on the Pond

2007-09-21T19:12:00.000-04:00

It's not to late to go sailing on Jamaica Pond. You can go sailing through October. A mere $15. for the hour you can take a boat out as late as 5pm (last boat out) and enjoy the evening light on the pond. Grab some friends and have your own sailing challenge.

My Poetry

2007-06-05T21:57:00.000-04:00

Blackberries

My clothes too thin
to shield the bites from thorns,
my ears wrapped
in buzzing,
the broken branches scattered
beneath the ferns
snap,
and I sink into the moss
with a smear of blackberries.

Visual Meditation

2007-05-06T18:56:00.000-04:00

Caroline Myss' wonderful visual meditation.
Being present is the key that unlocks time. Being in the moment is timelessness. If you don't know what you are doing or where you are going. Stop, look inside and listen. The answers are there you just need to listen for them. Here is the link: http://www.myss.com/cmed-visual-meditation-2.swf

Harvard Commons: A Front Porch Community

2007-05-06T17:56:00.000-04:00

Harvard Commons is a new urban development. This is a rare development in the heart of the City, surrounded by green space and designed like so many communities in other parts of the country. This development of 50+ single families have been designed to encourage community. Each house has been designed with a front porch. A wonderful space that was created to bring us out to socialize with neigbhors, to meet, greet and wave good bye to our visitors. These front porches are to help us return to the days when life on the front porch was an integral part of creating community. A return to summer evenings watching the kids in the neighborhoods play; visiting neighbors as they strolled through the neighborhood on breezy summer evenings after dinner. . This is a community in the heart of the city with a home owner association and a community center . The new home owner association can vote on what they want in the community center... There are plans for a fitness center, a day care center and a community room to gather with friends, family and neighbors.
Each single family ranges in size from 1900-3000 square feet, all with 3-4 bedrooms, all with atleast 2.5 baths, 1 car garages, back decks and front porches. Each Kitchen has Amana Stainless Steel appliances (you can up grade and you have a starting budget of $2500.) varying styles of cabinets and granite counter tops. Here is your chance to have some input on your dream home. The developers, Cruz construction, are very open and willing to collaborate with you and design just what you are looking for.... These single families range in price from $429k- $569k. Email me for more details and photos. We are also hosting a Jazz/ BBQ, Saturday, May 19, 2007 from 12-4pm.

Women are the Chief Buying Officers of American Households

2007-01-11T16:15:00.000-05:00

Women are the CPOs (Chief Buying Officers) of American households, and are rapidly gaining in gender status as the nation's top wealth holders.
According to Tom Peters and other experts monitoring the American marketplace, women now make 83 percent of all consumer buys, including 94 percent of home products, 89 percent of vacations, and 75 percent of all decisions regarding the purchase of the largest investment most of us will ever make -- a house.
As women have increased their earnings, built their own businesses, weathered divorces, widowhood, and taken charge of family bequests, they've grown more independent and wealthy. IRS data indicates women comprise 39 percent of the top wealth holders in the U.S., a category defined as adults with total assets of $625,000 or more. That adds up to some 2.5 million women with combined assets of $4.2 trillion. Significantly, 42 percent of the women in this group will be single or widowed, according to the IRS, by the year 2050.
The IRS notes that this will result in the transfer of an estimated $41 trillion from seniors to the next generation composed mainly of Baby Boomers. Since women tend to outlive men by an average of 5 to 7 years, according to the US Census Bureau, even more wealth will be concentrated in female hands.
But the newest wrinkle in female buying power is young, single women across the country who are fueling a new wave of home buying that is far ahead of their male counterparts. Evidence of this trend recently surfaced in a story in the New York Times that described a boom in the purchase of condos in Brooklyn by young, single women.
The National Association of Realtors (NAR), in a study released last month, reported that young women in the 25-34-age bracket bought 1.76 million homes in the period from July 2005 to June 2006, accounting for 22 percent of the market. That's up from 14 percent a decade ago. The number of single men buying homes stayed flat at 9 percent during the same period.
The median age of single women buying a home for the first time is 32, according to the NAR study. The median income for all single women buyers (including those who have owned before) is $47,300. Their median age is 42, a figure pushed higher by divorcees or widows.
Reasons for this buying trend -- according to various research experts and confirmed by my own experience in the real estate business -- include:
Women are surpassing men in higher education degrees (According to the U.S. Department of Education, 57.4 percent of women enrolled in colleges eligible for federal student aid in 2003-4 compared to 42.6 percent of men.)
Women are already successful in their chosen careers, and their earning power is higher than it's ever been. “Among 25-34-year olds -- key home-buying years,” says Peter Francese, a demographic trends analyst for Ogilvy & Mather in New York, “these women have good jobs and they make money.”
Young women are more concerned these days about building an early nest egg and becoming financially independent in the event Mr. Right doesn't come along.
Equally important, in my opinion, is that women are also more willing to trust their instincts and “go for it” when they see a smart investment than they have in the past. A February 2004 study of 1,134 women by Prudential Financial reveals that one in three respondents finds herself more involved in financial decision-making than five years ago.
However, during 20 years in the real estate business, I've witnessed a behavior pattern in women that I find ironic and counterintuitive. Despite their increased education, discretionary purchasing power, and instinct for what constitutes a wise investment, many women -- particularly those in the 34 – 45 demographic -- feel compelled to discuss their buying decisions with men in their lives.
And women are frequently dissuaded from going ahead with what later proves to be a good investment, often to avoid bruising the ego of a spouse, Significant Other, or other influential men in their lives.
Nevertheless, I'm encouraged that women, led by their younger cohorts, are finally getting over that emotional bump in the road to profitable real estate investment and financial independence -- needing a male opinion. This is a refreshing sign in such an active real estate market filled with rich, new opportunities.
Many of my previous clients are single women first time home buyers in there 30's and 40's. Even when I work with a couple, I find that most of the communication is with the woman. Not saying men don't have their say or aren't part of the deal. But we women are moving foward with or without them.

Who I am, outside of Real Estate

2007-01-11T13:20:00.000-05:00

This is my family. When I'm not working (rarely). We spend time together. Traveling to http://sangres.com/places/laveta.htmLa Veta, Colorado to visit family in the summer or spending time on the Vineyard with friends. We live in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, surrounded by the Arnold Arboretum http://www.arboretum.harvard.edu/. We love JP. We wouldn't think of leaving. We have an abundant network of friends and families that live here with us. There are festivals and opportunities to get together often and we do... My average week consists of taking turns with my husband, David, getting the kids to school and back and sharing in the managing of a home. One of the things I love about working as a Real Estate Agent is that I am at work just by having my blackberry with me. I'm available all the time and with the technology the way it is- I can completely live around appointments, phone calls and computer work. If you call my cell- I answer, unless I'm in a rotary. If you email me I answer, unless I'm meeting with a client.

I'm a poet married to a musician. I worked at the MFA for 7 years and have a deep appreciation for Fine Art. Music, Art, Writing are my outlets.

Community involvement has been a large part of my experience in JP. I was an elected member of the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council for 4 years and I have been a member of the JPNC's Public Service Committee for the last 8 years, a group that makes recommendations to the Licensing Board of Boston and works on public Safty for Jamaica Plain.

In November I host a women's event up in New Hampshire. It is a weekend retreat to Purity Spring Resort. There are about 20 women who participate and we have a wonderful time relaxing, laughing and forgetting about all our responsibilities. Most of us wish we could spend every weekend on our retreat. We affectionately call it Beaver Weekend - It happens in November (the full moon is named the Beaver moon), there are abundant signs of Beavers on the lakes and trails at Purity Spring, and of course we are industrious women. I hope to continue to create blogs for the various events. My good friend, Robin Maxfield, started a GNO (Girls Night Out) event monthly at her house - almost 10 years ago. We all congregate at her home the fourth Friday of the month - typically- and it is open to any and all women. Sometimes we have 10 and sometimes we have 50 women. A great place to meet up and enjoy good food (potluck) and libations(byob). So outside of Real Estate (if there is such a thing) I manage to keep busy enjoying life and all that it brings.

Mary Hannon

2007-01-10T21:27:00.000-05:00

Simplify & Organize

2007-01-10T14:34:00.000-05:00

Step 1: Lighten Up (Purge)
Get rid of things you no longer need or want. Sort these items into boxes labeled Recycling, Thrift Store, Friends, Garage Sale. Finding new homes for your items means putting resources in the hands of those who truly need or want them. Think about getting rid of things if they fit in these categories:

Things that don’t work
Things that annoy you (e.g., a piece of furniture that is wobbly and can't be repaired)

Things you’re keeping because someone gave them to you
Things that bring up negative thoughts such as I was so stupid to buy it, but I paid a lot for it, so I’m keeping it. When you look at something it typically carries memories for you- if those memories aren't good ones, it is detrimental to keep it. How do you feel when you see it or use it... Excessive amounts of freebies, such as all those sample lotions you’ve collected.
Before you keep something that might not be worthwhile, ask yourself:
Do I really love this?
How does this item make my life better or easier?
Have I used it in the past year?
Will I really ever use this again?
If parting with particular items is stressful, put them in a closed box for a trial separation. Give yourself a deadline and write it on the box. If you haven't opened it - get rid of it without opening it.

Step 2: Sort It Out (Organize)
Once you’ve eliminated the excess, sort items into laundry baskets or large boxes labeled by purpose: Craft Supplies, Toys, Garden. Employ smaller baskets, hampers and boxes to organize the little stuff.
Store things you use daily or weekly in the most accessible spaces, such as on the middle shelves of your closet or pantry, in the front. Seasonal and holiday items that come out once a year can go in the harder-to-reach attic or top shelves.
Step 3: Keep It Up (Maintain)
Maintaining a clutter-free life gets easier as you establish new habits. Avoid the urge to buy more stuff; as time goes on, you’ll find it’s second nature to ask, “Do I really need this?” Try these ideas for cutting back on purchases:
Have your children give a toy away to a charity each time they get a new one.
Set an example: For every new piece of clothing you buy, donate a gently used one to charity.
Whenever possible, fix things instead of tossing them. Look on the Internet to find parts (even eBay is a resource).

Storage That Protects Your Belongings and the Earth
Plastics, including polystyrene (Styrofoam), bubble wrap, and PVC or vinyl tubs and bins, are made from nonrenewable petroleum, which can outgas harmful odors and chemicals into the environment—and onto the stuff you store in it. This could discolor linens and clothing or damage photos and documents.
The best way to keep your keepsakes? Avoid storing them in basements or crawl spaces where they might get wet or damp. Steer clear of plastic containers and wraps altogether—especially those made of PVC. Always use acid-free, dye-free papers and boxes if you’re protecting valuables, such as antiques, or packing away household items made from porous materials, such as cloth, paper or wood.
Instead of: Bubble wrap, packing Styrofoam, Use this: Tissue paper, recycled newspaper, old towels, worn-out T-shirts; Storage tips: Wrap fragile holiday table settings and décor in holiday linens. If you use a shredder you can shred your paper and use it.
Instead of: Large plastic or PVC storage bins and tubs, Use this: Cardboard boxes (especially those with recycled content); Storage tips: Used computer or copy-paper boxes are sturdy and often have handles.
Instead of: Plastic crates or modular pieces, Use this: Metal modular furnishings, or those made from wood or other fibers; Storage tips: Steel or aluminum modular furnishings or stackable storage bins are sturdy and ultimately recyclable. Or look for modulars made from either Forest Stewardship Council–certified wood or wood substitutes, including bamboo, wheatboard (made from wheat stalks) or Kirei board (constructed from sorghum stalks).
Instead of: Plastic zip bags, Use this: Cloth bags or canvas bins; Storage tips:Tote bags, cloth laundry bags or canvas bins are ideal for storing clothing, towels, linens and craft supplies.
Instead of: Plastic laundry hampers, Use this: Baskets; Storage tips: Look for fair trade baskets made from all-natural or recycled materials.

Green Cleaning, better for you, better for the environment

2007-01-10T14:20:00.000-05:00

2007 Wish: Green Cleaning
Green cleaning refers to cleaning techniques that are less caustic.
Usually it takes a while for the government to catch on to a good thing. The private sector is often ahead of government, especially where there is a profit to be had. I wonder why government is so far ahead of the private sector when it comes to green cleaning.
Green cleaning refers to cleaning techniques that are less caustic. They hurt the environment less than other traditional techniques and they hurt humans less as well.
Before modern products dominated grocer's shelves, a lot of simpler, less caustic products were available. Vinegar comes to mind. Many people from Europe still use vinegar to clean just about everything, and it works. Now, its regarded as one of those environmentally green products.
The federal government now has a green purchasing policy concerning its office buildings. There are various organizations that have certified products to be "green," and under the federal program these products are preferred.
The government observed that one of the benefits of its program is that it leads to a healthier indoor air quality for its work force. This is particularly important because Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors and according to some studies, indoor air quality can be much more contaminated than outdoor areas.
The feds are trying to convince other governments to follow their lead. As benefits they cite the following: promotes a healthier work environment, improves safety for janitors, reduces an agency's overall environmental liability, and it helps create a larger market place for cost effective green cleaning products.
Last August New York State took a very bold move in the right direction when the Governor signed an executive order requiring that whenever feasible all New York schools must use green cleaning products.
The program is well underway. And the State takes this very seriously. Today, school children and school employees have drastically reduced exposure to the harmful chemicals that had been used for day to day cleaning.
In certain instances, the older products are still being used because effective alternatives have not been identified and in some cases, because so much of the less toxic material is needed that there is not net gain.
But the New York schools are very green today. That's New York. Here is a really good question: why isn't this being done in every school district across the country? Should only New York students have a cleaner environment?
We need to reduce the exposure of children and staff to harsh cleaning agents. Every school district in the US, without exception, needs to follow New York's lead. Why not attend local meetings and start making this demand.
To do this, read a lot of the literature that exists about New York's experience. Also, read information distributed by the certifying agencies that label certain products as green. There has been a lot of shared experience to date, and you should have this information with you when you make your pitch.
Frankly, you can't lose. The chemicals often cost the same as those now in use. And there is no reasonable debate as to the attributes of this approach. We need activists to go out and start making this happen all over the US.
Ultimately, when will be able to go to the local supermarket and have a large selection of nontoxic, capable cleaning supplies for use at home? The feds and New York are right about this. Its time that every household enjoys the same potential.