Fellow Americans,

While statewide numbers might be down, Metrowest for the most part, has endured a healthy recovery over the past 12-24 months. Today’s buyers, as a whole, are a bit more savvy and are hunting down what they perceive as being “good deals”. To them, it’s not just about how much land or square footage you get for the money, now more than ever a “good deal” means finding a town with a good reputation, great location good schools and area amenities and good commuting, while still having the best lot and location and best price per square foot for the best price… Typically, the more of these a town has, combined with a variety of homes available at different price points- means that usually real estate in those towns is strong. When you apply these concepts to the towns mentioned below, you start to get a sense for who, why and what is moving.

Dedham single-family home sales in the month of December 2011 are up 58.3% compared to Dec. 2010. Unit Sales have gone from 13 to 20.
Dedham condo sales in Dec. 2011 are up 50% from Dec. in 2010. Units have gone from 2 to 3
Great town with great commuting and a variety price points makes Dedham affordable and attractive to buyers.

Needham Single-family home sales are up 36.4% in the month of December 2011 compared to December 2010. Units jumped from 22 to 30.
Condos no change 2 and 2
Core town, excellent commuting, great schools and a variety of price points and affordability help Needham stay ahead of the pack in Real Estate.

Wellesley Single-family down 11.4% 26 to 23
Condos were up 100% from 1 to 2
Great town, great schools and good commuting but is more expensive, meaning there is less variety in pricing and affordability.

Westwood Single-family is up 200% 4 to 12
Westwood condo sales remain unchanged with no data to report
Great town, good affordability, good commuting and great schools all help Westwood maintain healthy growth.

In my experience over the past 12-24 months, Baby Boomers looking to down-size, are the ones responsible for spearheading this growth and charge. Most are looking to downsize and have low-maintenance, “turn-key” living. The homes they are down-sizing from, tend to be popular for larger families, looking to get into a town with great schools. Therefore, it is my belief that this positive trend continues over the next 5 years.

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Draft-proof Your House – Seal Up and Save On Energy Bills

No matter how baffling the energy situation is, homeowners are definitely seeing its results in skyrocketing energy bills. It makes homeowners scramble to button up their older houses against both blustery winters and humidity-laden summers. If you know where your home has leaks, you can seal it up to keep out humidity and cold.

Drafts Diagnostic: A Candle and a Hair Dryer

You can use a candle and hairdryer to determine where your home has drafts – it’s not exactly high-tech, but it works. You need two people: one on the outside directing the air from the blow dryer through door jambs and at window frames. The other person follows on the inside with a candle. A candle that flickers or goes out indicates a draft opening that you should seal with weather stripping or caulk.

Caulk and Weather Stripping

Caulking around the frames is no big deal. Buy tubes of caulk in the same color as the trim, lay in a bead of caulk and smooth it with a finger.

Here are some tips for weather stripping window sashes and exterior doors:

Weather stripping: There are many weather stripping products. Thin spring metal weather strips work well because they’re long-lasting and barely visible when installed. Cut them to length with tin snips and tack in place. After tacking, lift the outer edge of the strip with a screwdriver for a better seal.
Door sweeps: Screw door sweeps to the inside bottom of front and back doors to cover the gap between the bottom of the door and the floor.
Insulate: Insulate the attic access panel.
Drafts: Check newer windows and doors for drafts as well. If an oil or resin caulk was used, it may have pulled loose in as little as one year, depending on expansion and contraction caused by weather extremes.
Caulking: Caulk around foundation walls, pipe outlets, the clothes dryer vent and any other gaps on the outside of the house.
Draft blockers: Air infiltration from electric switch and plug outlets can also be significant, so it’s smart to insert draft blockers. They’re inexpensive and readily available at hardware stores and home centers.
Weatherstrip overhead doors of attached garages.
Other Ways to Reduce Energy CostsHere are some more simple and low-cost recommendations to help cut energy costs.

Cold weather: During cold weather, set the thermostat at 68 degrees F and leave it alone during the day. Overnight, lower setting by 5-10 degrees. Make sure the thermostat isn’t affected by drafts that will give an incorrect reading.
Hot weather: During hot weather, set the thermostat at 78 degrees F when you’re home and lower it a bit a night.
Windows: Develop energy-saving window habits: In the winter, open curtains or shades of east, south and west-facing windows on sunny days to let the sun heat the house. Close them at night to preserve heat. Keep the draperies closed all day on north-facing windows. Do just the opposite in summer.
Unused rooms: Turn the heat down in rooms you don’t use. And turn the air conditioning off in those rooms or close vents in the summer.
Energy surveys: Check with your utility company to see if they offer free home inspections and energy surveys.

Selling Step 1: Evaluation: Get Ready to Sell Your Home

Millions of homes are sold each year, and while each transaction is different every seller wants the same thing – the highest price with the least amount of hassle and aggravation.

Home selling is more complex than it used to be. As a seller you need to be aware of a range of issues and deal with many complex forms. You also need to know that buyer agents represent buyers and are working to get the best deal for their buyer clients.

Successfully selling your home requires experience and training in areas such as real estate, marketing, financing, negotiation and closing “ this is the very expertise REALTORS ^® offer.

Know Why You Want to Sell Your Home

First, you should have a clear idea why you want to sell your home.

Selling a home is an important matter and there should be a good reason to sell, such as moving to a new community, needing more space, retiring to a smaller home or moving closer to family. Your reason for selling can impact the negotiating process so it’s important to discuss your needs and wants in private with the REALTOR ^® who lists your home.

To get an idea of whether it™s a seller™s market or a buyer™s market, many people start by looking at online or printed real estate guides to research the current market and the price of comparable properties.

Is Your Home Ready to Be Sold?

The home-selling process typically starts several months before a property is made available for sale. For best results when selling your home, you need to look at your home through the eyes of a prospective buyer and determine what needs to be cleaned, painted, repaired and tossed out.

Ask yourself: œIf I were buying this house, what would I want to see? The goal is to show a home which looks good, maximizes space and attracts as many buyers – and as much demand – as possible.

When Should You Sell?

The marketplace tends to be more active in the spring because parents want their children to be settled and enrolled before the beginning of the school year. Spring is also when most homes are likely to be available.

Generally, the selling market is more active from Labor Day to early December, and then January to about May. Summer and Christmas are usually the slowest times of the year for house sales.

Owners are encouraged to sell when there is a need or desire to sell, the property is ready for sale and the seller has chosen a REALTOR ^® to work with.

How Do You Improve Your Home’s Value?

Ideally, you want to be sure that your property is competitive with other homes available in the community. REALTORS ^® see many homes and can provide home-improvement suggestions that are consistent with your local marketplace and cost-effective in terms of what you will be able to recoup through the sale.

The general rule in real estate is that buyers seek the least expensive home in the best neighborhood they can afford. In terms of improvements, this means you want a home that fits in with the neighborhood but that is not overimproved. For example, if most homes in your neighborhood have three bedrooms, two baths and 2,500 square feet of finished space, a property with five bedrooms, more baths and far more space would likely be priced much higher and would likely be more difficult to sell.

Improvements should be made so that the property shows well, is consistent with the neighborhood and does not involve capital investments that cannot be recovered from the sale. Furthermore, improvements should reflect community preferences.

Cosmetic improvements, such as carpeting, paint, wallpaper and landscaping, help a home ” show” better and often are good investments. Mechanical repairs, which ensure that all systems and appliances are in good working condition, are required to get a top price.

Prepare yourself to sell your home by evaluating why you want to sell, and when to sell and by improving your home and property to enhance its value to buyers.

Working with an experienced REALTOR ^® will give you valuable expertise and advice to guide you through the complex process of selling your home.

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The Walsh Team: Top Producing REALTORS ® at the William Raveis office in Wellesley, MA, specializing in Luxury Real Estate, Antique Homes and Estates, Equestrian Properties and ALL other home sales and property types in the Metro West area.

• Community Reports – Provides you with up-to-date detailed information on local communities and nearby schools.

• City Profiles – Provides a detailed look at the people, places, and conditions in an area. Includes information on demographics, finances, economics, real estate, and other factors which may impact the quality of life.

• School Reports – Provides detailed information on public and private schools, from kindergarten through twelfth grade.

• Salary Comparison Tool – Calculates the equivalent buying power for two cities.

• Greeting Card – Offers a free change of address notification service.

• Mover Quotes –  Provides instant price quotes from professional Full-Service, Self-Service, Auto, Office, Specialty, and International Movers.

• Self-Storage Quotes – Helps you find a nearby storage facility, request a free quote, and reserve their storage unit online.

• Truck Rental – Offers a free quote service for local and long distance truck rental.

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The Walsh Team: Top Producing REALTORS ® at the William Raveis office in Wellesley, MA, specializing in Luxury Real Estate, Antique Homes and Estates, Equestrian Properties and ALL other home sales and property types in the Metro West area.

Community Information

Whether you’re buying a home, selling your home or relocating to the  Wellesley or  Metro-West area, the following tool will help to guide your decision.

Community Reports	A quick and easy way to find useful information about your community, nearby schools and local businesses.

“Beach Home” Decor

œBeach home. What an evocative phrase: the sun shines on it; a breeze blows through it; you could hang a hammock from it and nap, guilt free, all afternoon. We often have fond memories of the beach: feeling carefree, no stress, casual living and space, and lots of light.

It’s about plenty of light, plenty of space and enough time to do anything – or nothing. And while decorating a beach house used to mean white on white on blue with white, these days beach decor is less about how things look and more about how they make you feel.

Bring the Outside Inside

Whether you have an oceanfront home or not – and the majority of Americans live in close proximity to a coastline – you can always decorate like you do. The key to beach home decor is bringing the outside to the inside. Sliding glass doors give way to swinging French doors. Wool carpets get paired with sisal or cotton. Sea shells, a chunk of driftwood, a bowl of beach glass all bring the sea inside.

You don’t have to start from scratch, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money. You can bring the beach ambiance indoors with a gorgeous painting of the ocean combined with a collection of natural or nautical articles.

Beach houses work best when they draw from their surroundings and are a perfect showcase for collections that come from the area. Let your decorating be whimsical. Because a beach house is often a second home, you can be more relaxed in the decorating style you choose. A beach house filled with whimsy is wonderful.

Use Color and Texture

One striking beach home design bypassed the traditional white-and-blue palette, and instead filled the house with the rich range of colors found in the sunrises and sunsets. The garnet and wine tones stood their ground against the saturated blues of the ocean vista visible from every window in the house.

Textured fabrics and bold carpets were combined with polished woodwork and a glass table, an echo of the play of silky water against rough sand.

Introducing a contrasting color can give a beautiful complement to what’s going on outside a window. Complimentary colors form a rich contrast and give balance. Balance is what you’re after, in any house, really. Balance the indoors with the outdoors in a beach house, and you’re on the right track.

Here are some other great decorating articles:

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The Walsh Team: Top Producing REALTORS ® at the William Raveis office in Wellesley, MA, specializing in Luxury Real Estate, Antique Homes and Estates, Equestrian Properties and ALL other home sales and property types in the Metro West area.

Commuter Open House Tuesday 4:00-6:00 @ 81 Springdale Ave. Dover, MA

Nicely sited atop a gentle knoll overlooking an expansive, protected field, this stunning, young 6,000+ sf, six bedroom, six bath Colonial offers four finished levels and lovely detailed living spaces. Built in 2007 and reminiscent of days gone by with its inviting wrap-around veranda, special features include a gorgeous entrance foyer with arches and attractive architectural columns, beautiful mahogany library with distinctive coffered ceiling,gracious dining room with circular, lighted tray ceiling, spacious chef’s kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances,glazed cabinetry and sunny breakfast area open to a comfortable, fireplaced family room with deck access, as well as a luxurious master suite. Complete with four additional bedrooms on the second floor and a sixth en suite bedroom and large office/ bonus room on the 3rd floor. There is also a lower level rec room- lots of space for a large family.This is a truly fabulous, young home conveniently located near the town center in a sought-after community with recognized schools just 15 miles from Boston!

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The Walsh Team: Top Producing REALTORS ® at the William Raveis office in Wellesley, MA, specializing in Luxury Real Estate, Antique Homes and Estates, Equestrian Properties and ALL other home sales and property types in the Metro West area.

Hey Everyone,

Evan Walsh here and I wanted to make you aware of a BIG change I made to Walshteam.com. I have just

of the improvements include:

1. Luxury Home Search: Where you can search for Luxury Homes for sale ANYWHERE in MA, that

matches you EXACT criteria including Price, Location, Property Type, Number of Beds and Bath, Living Area

and Lot Size.

2. Most Expensive Homes: Where you can easily see all the Most Expensive Luxury Properties for sale in

MA, over $5,000,000

3. Luxury Condos For Sale: Keeping it simple, this link is dedicated to ONLY Luxury Condos for sale in MA

over $2,000,000.

4. Luxury Homes For Sale by Town: This is the most important improvement to come to

Walshteam.com. What I was able to do, is seperate all the Luxury Homes (top 1%) by town, so visitors can

see easily see what luxury properties are available in their favorite community. When you click on the town

CLICK HERE to visit Luxury Real Estate @ Walshteam.com.

The Walsh Team: Top Producing REALTORS ® at the William Raveis office in Wellesley, MA, specializing in Luxury Real Estate, Antique Homes and Estates, Equestrian Properties and ALL other home sales and property types in the Metro West area.

The movers have just left and you’re surrounded by boxes of stuff that looked great in your old house, but you haven’t got a clue how it will all come together at your new home. Well, now is the time to literally œthink outside the box. Just because a furniture piece worked one way before doesn’t mean it can’t have an even better use in your new home.To make a warm, inviting environment, professional arrangers suggest you maximize the use of the furniture, art and accessories you already own. You might be surprised at the new looks you can create with your existing furnishings and accessories.

What better way to make your house into your home than by surrounding yourself with the items you’ve collected over the years. Your new home is giving you the advantage of a clean slate, so revel in the many possibilities.

Fresh Ideas

Analyze your belongings. Consider using some of the furniture in a fresh and altered presentation. A favorite living room chair may be more at home in a bedroom; a dining room cabinet may work nicely as a focal point in the living room; a dresser can make quite a statement in a foyer.

Are you short a side table in the living room? Look to your bedrooms for a nightstand that might fill the role nicely. A day bed could serve double duty in a family room.

Downsizing? Moving Up? Moving North or South?

Each change leads to different decorating challenges. When downsizing, it is really advantageous to utilize usual pieces in unusual ways. Small rooms can take a very large piece of furniture so don’t discount that family armoire too soon. You can still keep your favorite buffet, if it fits, in the entry. An upside-down umbrella stand may make a great home for a plant.

If your new home has a larger living room, avoid spreading your furniture out too far to fill the room. Consider two groupings: perhaps a primary one for conversation, and then a smaller, more intimate area for a dinner for two or a reading area. This arrangement will help maintain a feeling of warmth and coziness.

If your move has brought you to a different climate, you will need to address some decorating style differences. In the warmer regions, especially during the hottest time of the year, you’ll want to be more of a minimalist. Your color palette is likely to be lighter. In cooler climates, your palette is likely to have darker tones and heavier fabrics. The easiest way to introduce the color changes is with flowers and pillows.

Shopping in Your Own Accessories Store

As you unpack your moving boxes, try placing your art, lamps and accessories in one room, preferably in groups of like items or similar color. By doing this you will create your own “store” of goodies to use when adding the decorating details to your home.

When hanging your art, place complementary subjects together, or group works by the same artist. You can create interesting arrangements by mixing in plates and other objects.

Whether you™re putting the final touches on a mantle, creating a tablescape or filling a curio cabinet, remember to group your collections together for the greatest impact.

Contrast gives punch. On your tabletops, consider mixing rough surfaces with smooth; matte finishes with reflective ones; and high items with low ones. Hard-covered books are great for creating varying heights.

If you empty your “store,” it™s time to make a wish list of the items you would like to have. This list will be much shorter if you have indeed maximized the use of your existing furnishings. When you do go shopping for new things, to help you make correct color matches take the arm protectors from your sofas and chairs. They make convenient, portable color swatches. And, if possible also take a small piece of your carpet, an extra tile or piece of counter top.

Enjoy creating your new decor and remember that your creation is a work of art in progress. Keep working with it until it feels right.

Hi Everyone,

My name is Evan Walsh, member of The Walsh Team and Real Estate Agent for

William Raveis Real Estate – Wellesley, MA. Besides being an agent I am also

completely emmersed in   Social Media Marketing (Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in,

she is still working for you.

Click Here to View our Listings

The Walsh Team: Top Producing REALTORS ® at the William Raveis office in Wellesley, MA, specializing in Luxury Real Estate, Antique Homes and Estates, Equestrian Properties and ALL other home sales and property types in the Metro West area.