Real Estate Search Blog

Aside from providing the latest details on Taylor Swift’s new album, Twitter and other forms of social media can be extremely useful when it comes to keeping tabs on the latest real estate news. Whether you’re hungry for foreclosures and short sales, information on recent tax credits, or tips on how to stage your home for a sale, these are the 10 best social media sources for real estate search.

Growth spurt... or Goliath?

1. Economix.Blogs.NYTimes.com

With contributors that include esteemed economics professors from MIT, Harvard University, and Princeton, the New York Times Economix blog helps readers understand the real impact of laws and market fluctuations that are relevant to the housing market. Recent blog posts discuss the impact (or lack thereof) of last year’s home buyer tax credit and the lasting effects of kindergarten education on a student’s life.

2. Twitter.com/Agentopolis

The best source for real estate lifestyle articles that aren’t focused on a specific region. Agentopolis combs through a variety of sources, posting about articles such as 10 Best Cities for Working Women with Kids and Hidden Costs of a First Home.

Porter Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts

3. The Cambridge Real Estate Blog

Harvard graduate and Cambridge real estate agent Charles Cherney tells readers what they can expect from the home buying process, how to find their dream home on Day 1, and when they can expect their home to sell in the Cambridge real estate market. Charles also regularly posts in-depth spotlights on Cambridge neighborhoods and properties.

4. Trulia.com/Voices

These message boards are great to browse through for real estate discussions. Post your own question, general or specific, for free advice from experienced real estate agents located in almost every region in the country.

5. YouTube.com

Another great source for real estate video tours. Check out this Cambridge real estate channel for video tours through the latest Cambridge MA listings.

A screenshot of WellcomeMat.com

6. WellcomeMat.com

A real estate video tour website featuring properties listed by 18,000 real estate agents across the US. Particularly useful for luxury properties in metropolitan areas. A good way to establish a connection with an experienced real estate agent.

7. Zillow.com/Advice

Similar concept to the Trulia message boards; another great source for free expert real estate advice.

8. LinkedIn.com

Any real estate agent that’s not on LinkedIn isn’t worth doing business with. Connect with a real estate agent you are interested in working with, read recommendations from clients or colleagues, find out if your agent has any certifications or designations that are important to you.

9. ConsumerBoomer.com

Even though it’s a blog that’s written for Baby Boomers, there’s a wealth of helpful financial information here that’s helpful for any generation. And though it’s not completely dedicated to real estate, articles include Affordable Vacation Homes and How to Get the Best Deal on Mortgages.

10. Twitter.com/EnergizedSeller

For home selling and staging tips, ask Dan Eason. Visit his website for more tips and tricks at EnergizedSeller.com

Did we miss something? Tell us your favorite social media source for real estate!

On his Cambridge real estate blog, real estate agent Charles Cherney noted the importance of the outer and inner appearance of a home that’s on the market.

“I was struck on my visits today by by how much appearance matters. One condo I looked at is very nice – but you almost wouldn’t know it. The place needs a good cleaning and would really benefit from having someone give some thought to its presentation…”

An example of a staged bathroom

An experienced Realtor or a professional home stager can bring  a valuable, new perspective to the home selling process. A furniture arrangement that has suited a family’s needs for years may not fully compliment a space in the way that it should; for instance, cluttered furniture may make a space feel smaller than it actually is. In addition to finding an experienced Realtor with a talent for staging, here are some tips that any homeowner can follow to create a blank canvas from his or her property.

• Clear off countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms; remove smaller kitchen appliances such as toaster ovens and blenders from the countertops
• Clear the fridge door
• Re-organize closets. The Container Store and Ikea sell inexpensive storage boxes and hanging bags
• Hang curtains 4-6 inches higher and wider than the window to make the room look bigger
• Rent a storage unit for extra clutter that can’t be stored in your home
• Hire a professional to clean your home. It costs under $100 to have a four-bedroom, 2500 square foot home cleaned.
• Before each showing, boil cinnamon sticks or bake cookies
• Have a professional pressure-clean the exterior of your home — it’s amazing how sparkling the outside of a home can look when it’s freed from years of crud! You can also rent the equipment from a hardware store for $50-$75 for the day.
• Mow the lawn, lay down mulch if necessary
• Replace the mailbox and house numbers if they’ve taken a beating over the years

Real estate agent Charles Cherney’s passion for Cambridge MA real estate, for architecture, and most importantly, for other people, make him an ideal residential real estate agent for Cambridge, MA properties. Visit his Cambridge real estate website and Cambridge Real Estate Blog for helpful real estate tips, detailed blogs about neighborhoods and listings in Cambridge, video tours of Cambridge real estate listings, and more.

Looking for an easy way to find real estate tips, tools, and resources all in one place? You can find a collection of blog posts on various real estate topics for ANY real estate market on The Cambridge Real Estate Blog, which is written by Cambridge real estate agent Charles Cherney.

Topics include:

• Five Keys to a Residential Real Estate Search
• A Fresh and Clean Appearance Makes a World of Difference
• 4 Home Inspection Myths
• The Mortgage Appraisal

and more. You can read these blog posts on The Cambridge Real Estate Blog.

For insight into the entire real estate process and for detailed information about the Cambridge area, visit CharlesCherney.com. Charles Cherney is a top Cambridge real estate agent who has years of experience assisting buyers and sellers of homes in Cambridge. If you are a student or working professional who is thinking of relocating to Cambridge, take the first step by visiting CharlesCherney.com.

Flickr is the best place on the web to visually explore towns, cities, and neighborhoods — for example, you can now find photos of Cambridge real estate and its notable places on Flickr.com. Click the photo below to be taken directly to the Cambridge real estate Flickr Photostream.

Harvard Square

Notable Cambridge real estate agent Charles Cherney is the photographer behind the Cambridge real estate Photostream on Flickr, where you can find photos of places in Cambridge such as Harvard Square (seen above), the Charles River, lush gardens, and interior shots of homes for sale in Cambridge.

Visit Cambridge MA real estate on Flickr today — and don’t forget to add real estate agent Charles Cherney as a contact to find out when he posts photos of new homes for sale!

Take these tips from RealEstate.com and see how fun it can be to enjoy your new home on Cape Ann!

40 Granite Street Rockport MA

1. Order in – no one wants to cook and clean up surrounded by moving boxes!

2. Write notes signed “From your new home” to your children and post them on their new bedroom doors

3. Prolong moving furniture and put up the family photos and artwork first!

4. Take advantage of nature and arrange fresh wildflowers in vases throughout your home.

5. Second day of moving? Fire up the grill and have a cookout! It’s a great way to meet the neighbors.

For more information on Cape Ann MA real estate, Gloucester MA real estate or real estate updates in Cape Ann and surrounding communities or neighboring towns of Beverly, Rockport, Lynn or Newburyport, MA – call Cape Ann real estate agent Rosemary Quarato directly at 978-764-1978 or visit the Cape Ann real estate website.

Click here for the entire list of RealEstate.com’s tips.

According to a January 2010 Market Watch survey, home buyers look for these 10 features when shopping for their dream home.

• Large kitchens with an island.
• Energy-efficient features. Energy-efficient appliances, high-efficiency insulation, and energy-saving windows.
• Home office or study. The trend is away from dining rooms and toward spare concept rooms.
• Main-floor master suite.
• Outdoor spaces. Visit HGTV.com for ideas on how to transform your back yard to an “outdoor living room.”
• Ceiling fans
• Master suite soaker tubs and oversized showers.
• Stone and brick exteriors.
• Community parks with walkways and playgrounds. Use Google Maps to note the public recreation areas in your neighborhood, then use this to your advantage when selling your home with an experienced real estate agent.
• Two-car garages.

***

If you are in need of an experienced real estate agent, RealEstateSearchBlog.net would like to personally recommend the following real estate agents in Massachusetts:

Charles Cherney of Hammond Real Estate:  Cambridge Real Estate

Michael D. Lyons of Prudential Lyons Group Real Estate: Boston Real Estate

Marguerite Cashman of Arrow Realty Group: Fall River Real Estate

Christine Norcross & Partners of William Raveis Real Estate: Newton Real Estate

Rosemary Quarato of RE/MAX: Cape Ann Real Estate

And for the home hunters seeking real estate in Connecticut:

Jerry and Maureen Sherman of William Raveis Real Estate: CT Shoreline Real Estate / CT Waterfront Real Estate

When shopping for homes you should keep in mind the future value of your home, whether you plan on one day selling it for your retirement or leaving it to your loved ones. Whether your plan is to purchase a home as an investment or to make it your family’s first home, there are several things to research before you buy. You can find the answers to the questions below on the Internet and by visiting the neighborhood and dropping in on its local businesses.

What is the state of the neighborhood?

• Basic needs for future buyers include a low crime rate, parks and recreation facilities, transportation routes (bus stops or train stations), and nearby shopping areas.
• Neighboring homes should be well-maintained.

Visit the schools!

• You can look at public schools on the Internet, but you’ll never know the actual school environment until you visit the school itself.

Are people moving in or moving out?

• Do a Google search for the street you’d like to buy on to see if any of the nearby homes are for sale.

How’s business?

• Aside from checking out the local businesses, you can also visit the town hall or city hall to find out future developments in or around your neighborhood. Developments can increase or decrease surrounding property value and taxes.

Before doing any of the research above, make sure you like what you see in your future neighborhood. Will you enjoy spending time in the area, taking walks with your kids, visiting the local restaurants or cafes? Or area you simply focusing on the best bang for your buck, and not taking the local area into consideration?

For help on browsing Boston real estate, consider the real estate agents at Prudential Prime Properties. Prudential Prime Properties has years of experience helping people find homes in Boston. The firm has years of experience helping residential, commercial, and rental clients find properties. For additional insight on buying real estate in Boston, refer to the Categories list on the right column of this blog.