Real Estate Search Blog

The hardest part of Newton real estate shopping is over — picking out the home that is right for you and your family. But wait! Before you spend hours flipping through home design magazines, here are 5 tips to help you get started on home decorating without the headache.

1. Take cues from the masters. Do you have a favorite painting? Bring a print to a paint store and have them match shades of paint to the painting’s colors. Just think about how great it will feel to introduce guests to “The Waterlily Room”!

A Pedro Cano painting in the Vatican Museums

2. Wallpaper one wall. It’s a modern alternative to papering the entire room – and it also saves you time and money.

3. Mix and match textures. Black leather couch? Add gray satin pillows. Tiled white bathroom floor? Toss down a soft, nubby white bathroom rug.

4. Cluster objects by color. Merchandisers group by color in window displays and with clothing inside the store  – it works great at home, too. The best part is, you won’t have to store away all of your knick-knacks.

5. Skip the home design magazines and look at hotel rooms instead. Hotel rooms are the simplified version of home decor. Surface Magazine and National Geographic Traveller are two magazines that show contemporary indoor and outdoor spaces from top hotels.

A room at the Ace Hotel in New York City

If you’re planning on looking at Newton real estate this summer, make sure to check out one of Newton’s farmer’s markets! Fresh fruits and veggies, baked goods, flowers, cheese and other dairy products are just a few items you might see on your visit to one of Newton’s farmer’s markets. Farmer’s market season in Newton begins after July 4th and the market remains open through October. The market takes place every Tuesday and Friday at two different locations in Newton:

Tuesday Location

• Cold Spring Park
  1200 Beacon Street
  Newton, MA 02464
  Open 1:30 PM until 6 PM
  Begins Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Friday Location

• Post 440 Parking Lot
  295 California Street
  Newton, MA 02458
  Open 1:30 PM until 6 PM
  Begins Friday July 9, 2010

Christine Norcross & Partners are the area experts on Newton real estate as well as real estate in Greater Boston, including homes for sale in Wellesley, Weston, Newton, Natick, Brookline, Needham and more. The home buying process shouldn’t be a headache. Put your trust in the hands of Newton real estate agents Christine Norcross & Partners — visit their Newton real estate website today.

New England Mobile Book Fair

If, like most Bostonians, you love to read, you should consider looking at Newton real estate. Newton, MA boasts two of Massachusetts’ most legendary independent bookstores.

First, the New England Mobile Book Fair, located at 82 Needham Street in the Newton Highlands. I’ll excuse the fact that it doesn’t have cotton candy and fried dough as a normal fair would, because this place is a discount book shopper’s fantasy. Every book, hardcover and paperback, is at least 20% off. The Book Fair is a huge warehouse with endless rows and shelves loaded with every genre and publisher you can think of. The travel section is the most expansive collection I’ve ever seen in a bookstore, outnumbering the selections of both Barnes and Noble and Borders. There’s even a large bargain book section of overstock books — I recently bought a hardcover novel for $4.95.

Second is Newtonville Books, located at 296 Walnut Street in Newtonville. By signing up for the email newsletter you can find out about all the neat events, such as a visit by the author of Shutter Island, and frequent writing workshops that cost a modest $20. The selection is stocked and Yelpers say that “the price is right.”

If you’re planning on buying a home in Newton, or you’re currently shopping for real estate in Newton, consider taking a weekend to explore the area with your family. Newton is an excellent community for raising families, as it has some of the best public schools in Massachusetts, plenty of recreation areas, and a pulsing community scene. To many, Newton is the best little town outside of Boston.

Christine Norcross and Partners is a leading team within William Raveis Real Estate and Home Services. For real estate or related questions about housing, relocation services, communities, local schools, and more in Newton, MA or the surrounding towns in Metro-West Boston, contact Christine Norcross and Partners at (781) 694-3595.

One of the many reasons people fall in love with Newton real estate are the endless opportunities to experience arts and culture right in Newton or in its neighboring suburbs. If you’re looking for Newton real estate, consider working with Christine Norcross & Partners, who provide assistance for those relocating to Newton, Wellesley, Brookline, Natick, Needham, and Weston, Massachusetts.

One of the most relaxing things to do on a frigid winter day in Massachusetts is to take the family on a trip to the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens. Admission is free, the rooms are warm and balmy, flowery perfume lingers in the air, and kids can marvel at plants that are native to places all over the country. Afterwards, take the family on a walk through town to do some shopping, book-browsing, or a leisurely lunch at a local cafe.

Click this picture to be taken to the Youtube video from last year

And pictures from the plants of 2010:

A lemon

At Bigelow Middle School in Newton, several classes are experimenting with the use of netbooks, wireless, and SMART boards during class. The equipment was paid for by federal stimulus money, and came to a total of $60,000.

The netbooks were given to 45 sixth-graders as part of a pilot program in the Newton public school system. Teachers facilitate computer-assisted learning by asking questions which the students can respond to, and immediately see their classmates’ responses. The teachers use Google Docs to design assignments, and SMART boards to teach. The data is being reviewed by researchers at Boston College, with results expected at the end of the school year.

The Newton public school system is recognized in Massachusetts to be one of the state’s most forward-thinking schools systems. Many families search for Newton real estate because of the city’s great schools, strong foundation in arts and culture, safe streets, and pleasant neighborhoods. There are many homes for sale in Newton that are offer superb value for their listing price. Take a look at the Newton MLS listings today.

A couple who was considering moving to Newton asked a question about Newton schools on Newton’s WickedLocal.com page.

“My husband and I currently live in Cambridge and are considering relocating to Newton for the elementary schools. I am new to the American public school system and am trying to gather some information about the various schools – I was told that the Newton schools are in general very good (based on scores etc.) but that I should ask Newton parents about their personal take on the schools and if they have any advice on how to choose between them.”

One Newton resident said:

“As a kid who just went through the Newton school system I can say it is probably one of the best around. Kids are very accepting of others and are taught by some great teachers through the course of their years in the programs. Decent athletics, great clubs, and other activities make a good place to grow up. My story is similar to yours…to get a better education, my parents moved us to Newton. Best decision they ever made. Great location (right near the city), great schools, very safe… I am a product of Ward school, Bigelow Middle and Newton North High. I am now a Sophomore in college studying business and playing football.”

Couples often have questions about the schools in the city or town they wish to relocate to. Newton schools often receive favorable press, but sometimes the best way of deciding if a city is right for you and your family is to talk to its current residents. Visit the public library or go to the local grocery store to chat up a few Newton residents. When you are ready to begin looking for homes in Newton, visit Christine Norcross and Partners on the web, and call to speak with a few of the most talented and knowledgeable real estate agents in Newton.

Before the recession, the phrase “house poor” was adopted into the average home buyer’s vocabulary, as buyers hesitated to spend every last penny of their life savings on a down payment for a dream home. To go beyond the “house poor” consideration is to prevent oneself from also becoming “Maintenance poor.”

Marketwatch.com recently published an interesting article for home hunters on how to financially prepare to buy a house in these shaky economic times. To become “Maintenance poor” is to purchase a home unaware of its necessary future repairs with the fatal error of not having enough in the bank to cover these costs.

The article advises house hunters to save at least 1 to 3 percent of a property’s purchase price for major maintenance costs and unexpected expenses. As for mortgage payments, these days buyers should have 6 months of payments saved in the bank because of the wavering job market. For basic repairs like painting and caulking, anyone buying a typical starter home budget $500 to $1,000 a year.

If you’re a home buyer looking at homes in Newton, Natick, Needham, Wellesley, Brookline, and Weston, the top real estate agents of the area are Christine Norcross and Partners. Browse the Homes by Norcross website for Newton listings, and feel free to contact Christine Norcross and Partners if you have any question about Newton real estate or about a particular property.

The city of Newton has found success in its new recycling program which recently launched on October 5th, 2009. The program makes it easier than ever for Newton residents to recycle.

Newton’s Single Stream Recycling system means that residents can throw all recyclable materials into one bin, rather than separating each material into different bags. Going green has become more appealing to those who have never recycled. For seasoned recyclers, recycling has become easier.

There are other important effects from the new recycling system in Newton. Green and blue bins distributed to all Newton residents keep the city’s streets cleaner because they lock animals out, and are sturdier than a regular garbage can. The garbage trucks use automated arms to pick up the containers, making trash collection more efficient and less costly for the city and its residents. Automated collection is also safer for public works employees.

If you are browsing Newton real estate, there are dozens of perks to becoming a part of the Newton community. To see several beautiful homes in Newton and read about the perks of buying real estate in Newton, select “Newton Real Estate” under the “Real Estate” category on the Categories drop-down list on the right column of this blog.

The city of Boston is once again advancing to become one of the safest cities in the country for drivers and pedestrians. A unanimous vote yesterday by the Boston City Council to outlaw text messaging while driving might help jump-start a state-wide prohibition. If approved by state legislators, this law would impose fines ranging from $100 to $300 for violators. The texting ban needs Mayor Thomas Menino’s approval to be sent to Beacon Hill.

Boston is known around the country and by its own residents as a walking city, so this new law may be great news for families in the area. It could be just another perk for people looking at real estate in Newton MA. The city of Newton is already one of the safest in the country. If you are considering looking at homes in MetroWest Boston, look to Christine Norcross and Partners for one of the most knowledgeable real estate agents in Newton MA.

Thinking of selling your home in the near or distant future? There are several things you can do to make your home more appealing to potential buyers that don’t require a lot of effort or expense. These tips were pulled from a video on HGTV’s Frontdoor.com.

Tip 1: Hire it out

Hire a designer or realtor for about an hour to check out your home. Though you’ve always liked that art deco backsplash in the kitchen, a potential homebuyer might not. See what works and what doesn’t when it comes to the taste of the general public. If you’re not comfortable doing the work yourself, see these helpful tips for hiring a contractor or remodeler.

Tip 2: Get an Inspection

I’ve spoken with several real estate agents in Massachusetts, and most of them recommend having your home inspected before you do anything else. The inspector can point out major and minor problems that you can fix, before potential homebuyers see them.

Tip 3: Get a Fresh Look

Paint each room in a different earth tone. Doing so will give each room its own distinct feel — a house full of white rooms isn’t very appealing and doesn’t inspire buyers to imagine how they will decorate each room. Make sure to draw attention to accents like crown moldings. Below is a picture of the hallway of one of the homes for sale in Newton MA. The earthy, sandy color that the owners chose for the walls draws sharp contrast to the banister, the moldings, the small window, and the gleaming hardwood floors. Sometimes plain white paint just doesn’t do a home justice.

Tip 4: Decorate

Pick up a few home design magazines and see what you can do to improve the aesthetics of your home. Don’t go overboard with trends and embellishing — after all, when you move out the decor goes with you. Stick with basic decorating details. If your larger furniture has a busy or bright pattern, throw a few neutral slipcovers over them and add a couple of brightly colored pillows. Upgrade bland window blinds to neutral-colored drapes. If you can’t afford to overhaul your bathroom, paint it a neutral color and choose one bright accent color for the hand towels, shower curtain, and rug.

Tip 5: Get an Energy Audit

Visit your energy provider’s website to evaluate your home’s energy efficiency. You can find tips to quickly and inexpensively decrease your home’s electricity costs, like replacing regular lightbulbs with energy-saving ones. If you’re not planning to sell your home for some time, consider replacing windows with better-insulated ones. Take advantage of this federal tax credit which allows for 30% off your home energy-improving expenses (in effect until December 31, 2010.)

These basic tips should put you on the right path to selling a home.