Real Estate Market

Pending Home Sales Holding In Stable Range

Pending home sales eased against a deteriorating economic backdrop but remain in a stable range, according to the National Association of Realtors^®.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in October, slipped 0.7 percent to 88.9 from an upwardly revised reading of 89.5 in September, and is 1.0 percent below October 2007 when it was 89.8.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said a review of the past year is instructive. “Despite the turmoil in the economy, the overall level of pending home sales has been remarkably stable over the past year, holding in a generally narrow range,” he said. “We did see a spike in August when mortgage conditions temporarily improved, which underscores two things – there is a pent-up demand, and access to safe, affordable mortgages will bring more buyers into the market.”

Let’s take a look at the sales statistics for November 2008 to see how the Western MA real estate market looks:

This November, Worcester County saw a 16% decrease in sales, when compared against November 2007. The average sales price declined 20% to $244,043, and homes were on the market an average of 12 days less than the same time last year.

Worcester County	Active Listings	Pending Sales	Sold Listings	Average DOM	Average Sale Price
Nov 2008	520	271	357	147	$244,043
Nov 2007	n/a	n/a	424	159	$307,099

In Hampden County, the average sales price dropped 11% to $182,195 in November 2008 from November 2007. Home sales were down 36% in November 2008, while homes were on the market an average of 2 days longer than in November 2007.

Hampden County	Active Listings	Pending Sales	Sold Listings	Average DOM	Average Sale Price
Nov 2008	264	127	154	118	$182,195
Nov 2007	n/a	n/a	239	116	$206,074

In Hampshire County, the average sales price dropped 5% to $281,124 in November 2008 from November 2007. Home sales decreased by 43% this November. Market times increased by 23 days from November 2007.

Hampshire County	Active Listings	Pending Sales	Sold Listings	Average DOM	Average Sale Price
Nov 2008	63	33	43	133	$281,124
Nov 2007	n/a	n/a	75	110	$295,648

For the latest Western MA real estate market conditions in your area, please call me at 413-283-6324 or visit ShannonDonohueHomes.com.

Home Organization Tips for the New Year

“I just need to get organized.” How many times have you heard yourself recite this familiar refrain? With the coming of the New Year, now is a good time to resolve to actually do it. This year, instead of just thinking about ways to get it together, use some simple tips for organizing your home -- and your life.

Get in the “Zone”
Get in the organizing frame of mind by mentally dividing up rooms into various activity zones -- this will help you create a basic plan of attack. For example, a kitchen typically has zones for food storage, food preparation and cooking, among others. Identify which zone needs to be organized from scratch, which zone needs an organizational tune-up and which zone, if any, works fine for now. With this information, begin choosing organization solutions.

De-clutter in chunks
A first solution is to de-clutter the most critical zone. Start with the most visible items first, such as what’s on the countertops. Then go for the contents of that junk drawer, and so on. You’ll get a feeling of instant change and gain motivation to do the next chunk. Stay focused by seeking hidden treasure versus ditching the unwanted.

Divvy it up
Now that you know what you want to keep and what to toss -- at least in one area -- consider how to divide it up. Today’s manufacturers are making this task easier by offering a variety of cabinetry products with built-in organization features, such the Diamond (R) Logix (TM) line. For example, if you want easy access cleaning supplies, but don’t want them to share a space with food or dishes, a Utility Cabinet is the perfect solution. At only six inches deep, the cabinet adds storage to an otherwise unused space at the end of a cabinetry run. Its four adjustable shelves allow for storage of cleaners and other small items while the broom holder ensures that brooms and mops stay in place.

Lay out a landing strip
Designate an official “drop zone” where car keys, cell phones, sunglasses, and more can be placed without creating a pile on the counter. Line up beautiful baskets or colorful pottery to hold these items. Better yet, install a Mini Message Center cabinet. It has a hidden compartment for small items, plus a message board.

Discover drawers
You’d also be amazed at what you can accomplish with an age-old storage solution that has taken on new organizational dimensions: the drawer. For example, a sink base cabinet is available with tilt down drawers to hold small items like sponges and dish wands; a kitchen/laundry deep drawer cabinet has the ability to hold large bottles upright, including full-sized containers of laundry detergent; and a bathroom vanity cosmetic cabinet is built with a two-tier, segmented drawer to hold makeup and small bathroom essentials. These ingenious drawer configurations can help you keep stored items neat and within easy reach.

Keep business at hand
A home office, whether it’s a full-sized room or just a corner of a bedroom or den, can quickly disintegrate into a disorganized mess. Organize it with Diamond cabinetry such as solid-wood file drawer, a great help during tax season and throughout the year. For smaller office items, the corner cabinet is a perfect solution. Complete the workspace with a bookshelf to organize journals or photo albums.

Make organization part of your life.

Schedule a time for organizing in your daily routine, such as after the kids get home from school. Just 10 minutes a day can make that disorganized home seem “so last year.” (ARA)

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