Real Estate Search Blog

As a pioneer in green efforts, it’s no surprise that Cambridge, MA is the site of a private initiative to launch full-scale production of a “clean” fossil fuel substitute. The Boston Globe reported today that Cambridge-based company Joule Unlimited Inc. has acquired $30 million in venture capital to begin production in Cambridge, MA.

Green Collar Jobs in Cambridge

The company hopes to double its workforce within the next year, which is great news for Cambridge home-sellers looking to sell Cambridge real estate. In addition to these jobs, the city of Cambridge recently launched a green jobs initiative where Cambridge residents can receive job training through the Energy Efficiency Technician Apprenticeship Program, beginning this month. Participants will also receive job placement assistance, computer training, vocational ESOL, and math and workforce preparedness training. In the current state of the economy, it’s wonderful to see a city taking the initiative to create jobs for its residents, with the added advantage of contributing to the clean energy industry.

For more information about the city of Cambridge and the most current Cambridge real estate listings, visit the Cambridge Real Estate website.  Charles Cherney is an excellent Cambridge real estate agent who is passionate about providing people with helpful information about his home city. Stop by his website today to browse the Cambridge MLS listings and to contact him for further information.

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal explores the growing trend of parents buying property in college towns for their son or daughter to live in while attending school. In today’s real estate market, a mortgage for a single-family home in Boston can be cheaper than the cost to rent an apartment or to live in a dorm. The Boston Globe even noted that housing prices continue to fall while “renters feel no relief” – rents remain the same or increase. At public and private universities nationwide, room and board has increased 5% since last year, averaging $7404 per school year for public universities and $8595 for private. With many families struggling to pay rising college fees, a change in housing options can provide huge relief on monthly expenses.

A search through Boston real estate listings pulls up a three-bedroom, one bath condominium on Grant Street in Boston. Close to the UMass Boston campus, this listing would be ideal for a student and a few roommates. A monthly mortgage payment could cost under $2000. To compare the benefit of owning a home to renting an apartment, parents could use Google Maps’ rental search feature to browse apartments listed around UMass Boston. It can cost anywhere between $1500 and $1800 for a 2-bedroom rental, or between $750 and $900 to rent one of the bedrooms. By purchasing a condominium, parents could rent out the two other rooms and cover part of the mortgage each month. The cost to house their son or daughter would be less than the area’s average monthly rent. The parents would be saving money in the short term. Thinking more long-term, a college town has a recession-proof demand for apartment rentals. After graduation, the family could continue renting out the property to college students or to a family.

Buying property in Boston offers relief for families struggling to keep their student in college. The short-term advantages are just as valuable as the long-term benefits.