Lifestyle
12/18/22 | Liz and Ellie Local
It’s the end of the year again, which means it’s time to look back and reflect on 2022. This year, we’ll focus on how we were able to turn lemons into lemonade! Here are some of the most challenging—or as we like to say, interesting—experiences we’ve had this year.
How does an art consultant support a real estate team?
In early 2022, Stephanie Bond joined our team as an art consultant, relatively new to real estate. These two fields don’t inherently match…or do they? Our clients Nick and Winny worked very hard to pare down and declutter their two-bedroom condo in Somerville, as we suggested. But once that was done, the home felt a little barren. Stephanie swooped in with an armload of artwork from her gallery, which she professionally mounted in just the right spots. As a result, potential buyers were welcomed with warmth and energy as opposed to empty walls. The property sold for over the asking price with multiple offers. Stephanie also offers consultations if you are looking to purchase art for your home, and can help you establish the value of pieces you already own. Check out her gallery at childsgallery.com to learn more.
When does a home listed as having “potential” deliver on that promise?
A home listed as having a lot of “potential” usually means it needs work. We took on one of these listings and learned so much! Our historical sleuthing on an Italianate two-family in Somerville helped us showcase its unique architecture. According to the Somerville Preservation Commission, the details in this home were "nothing short of wonderful." They included high ceilings, double arched windows with a keystone motif, substantial baseboards, pedimented windows, and highly decorated interior moldings.
The history of a home can help explain its features and even increase its value. We like to tell the story of a home when we put together the listing materials, in order to build understanding and excitement about the home’s unique architecture. Double arched windows soften the room, frame a gorgeous view, and suggest a classic style; high ceilings create more space and allow for gorgeous chandelier lighting; highly decorated interior moldings bring visual interest and appreciation for this skilled craft. And yes, these individual features are lovely; but more importantly, they help tell the story of a particular home in the Boston area. Here, homes have a past that is worthy of telling.
Do I really need to get an inspection? Yes, yes, you do.
Scheduling a home inspection is always important, even in newer, updated, and remodeled homes; and we have averted disaster because of the inspection on several occasions. This fall, we represented the buyers of a $2 million home in North Cambridge. The home was beautifully updated, and no one expected any work would be needed. However, we always recommend an inspection, and our buyers went ahead and scheduled one. The inspector suggested we hire an expert to check out the sewage pipes, as that’s not something he does. Sure enough, the entire length of sewage pipe going to the road had disintegrated and collapsed. The sellers agreed to replace it, which is no small thing! Can you imagine the disappointment and buyer’s remorse our clients would have felt if they’d discovered this after closing on their home? Even in a busy market, there is always time to inspect a home you want to buy. It just makes sense.
Our 2022 takeaways in a nutshell:
What are the lessons you’ve learned from 2022 (besides “commuting really is as bad as I remembered it from before Covid”)?
As housing affordability continues to challenge our local communities, we find it encouraging to see legislative steps that prioritize affordability, flexibility, and access, like Massachusetts’s Affordable Homes Act, signed into law last year by Governor Maura Healey. One of the changes we find most intriguing is the expanded ability to build Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs. These are small residential living spaces located on the same lot as another home, either within an existing primary residence, like converting a basement into an apartment, attached to a primary residence as a new construction addition, or completely detached, like a cottage or converted detached garage in a backyard.”
Here at Liz & Ellie Local, we are always looking for ways to make life a little greener. And if you’ve been in the Boston area for any length of time, you’ll know that there are areas where paving your yard was all the rage…and the remnants of that craze are still all over town. But things are changing. In Somerville, in particular, residents are tearing up their pavement in favor of something green.
We’re a few days from “official” summer, but there are already plenty of things happening outdoors in the Boston area. And while we love a good Red Sox game or concert at the Pavilion, there are tons of ways to take advantage of summer without spending a dime. From free music, to lectures, to movies and more, Boston has a plethora of free events worth checking out. As local residents of Cambridge and Somerville, who adore the communities we live and work in, we'd like to share a few of our favorite events.
With their complementary communication styles, responsiveness, competence, and ability to truly listen, Ellie and Liz enable their clients to feel at ease throughout any real estate transaction. They would welcome the opportunity to be your next real estate advisors.
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1100 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02138
