Washington to the Rescue?

    Rest easy, America.  Washington has ridden to the rescue with a plan to "stimulate" the economy.  Not fix problems mind you such as a huge current accounts deficit, lack of an energy policy, looming Social Security shortfalls, out of control spending or anything that would have required heavy lifting.  Instead the Republican President and Democratic House Leadership have come up with a plan that has a little bit for everyone.

  As reported in the mainstream media, everyone who earns less than $150,000 will get up to $1,200 sometime next June, which it will be their patriotic duty to immediately spend.  Make part of one mortgage payment, send it to a credit card company, fill up at the gas station.  Since this goes to everyone, including those that don't pay taxes, it can be assumed that a goodly portion will wind up spent on lottery tickets thus also aiding the states.

   Businesses are being stimulated by getting a 50% write off on capital equipment purchased this year.  Supposedly a similar tax break in 2003 boosted employment by between 100,000 and 200,000.  In a country of 300 million.

   There is also something in there for real estate buyers.  So called jumbo mortgages guaranteed through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will see their top limit raised through the end of this year from $417,000 to $729,750.  Or 125% of a counties median sale price.  For Lincoln County the median sale price is $200,000.

   Miffed at being left out of the discussion, the Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, Barney Frank of Massachusetts, said his committee will get right to work on bills that will regulate mortgage products and preserve affordable housing.  Although first they need to get more involved in oversight of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.  So they need to take a trip to Africa.  In March.  Then they'll get right on a bill.

  There you have it folks, Washington has everything under control. Nothing to worry about.  The economy has been stimulated, home prices are lower than they've been in years and mortgage rates are, too. Wouldn't this be a great time to buy?

Jim Cosgrove

This Never Happens in Maine

    We usually try to write nice posts about either our area or the real estate market but this is just too much and I had to put it up here.  We get a lot of ribbing around this parts from friends and neighbors who go south in the winter for a few weeks in the sun.  They love to call when they know we are in the middle of a major snowstorm or cold snap and tell us how they just got sunburned playing golf or tennis or how nice the water is in the pool.

   Well this just came across the news: Frozen Iguanas are falling from the tress in Florida .   

   That pretty much seals the deal right there for me.  You can keep Florida and sunburns and tennis and golf at unnatural times of year.  Yes sir, Mr. Man I'm staying right here in good old Maine where sure it might get a little chilly every now and then and yes, we do get some of the white stuff but we never, ever have to worry about getting hit on the head by a frozen prehistoric lizard.

   Good gravy, mother, it almost sounds biblical, like a plague decimating the population or a flock of locusts eating all the crops.  Frozen iguanas falling on people from trees.  If you're ready to get out of there and move to the best spot on earth, call our office right now and we'll be glad to help.  If the phone is busy, keep trying, everyone is trying to get out of Florida this afternoon.

Jim Cosgrove 

New Years Fun in Maine

    Tomorrow is January 1 and in Maine that means it's Ice Fishing season!  There's nothing like a bright winter day with the air crisp and clear, the sky sunny and blue and dozens of people out on the ice catching fish, cooking burgers on a grill, the kids throwing the football around (or maybe a frozen pickerel) and the dogs chasing the snowmobiles.

   Now, I know some people feel that winter is the time to curl up by the fire and read a book or watch a movie.  Well, that's OK but others prefer the outdoors and there's plenty to do in Maine in the winter.  We have world class skiing at resorts like Sugarloaf and Saddleback. There are major snowmobile trails that go both interstate and up into Canada and there are many more smaller trail systems maintained by local snowmobile clubs and individuals. Dog Sledding is becoming a bigger and bigger sport and there are some locals who enjoy ice boating on Pemaquid Lake.

   But still the sport of the masses in winter is ice fishing.  One doesn't need a boat to access even the deepest parts of a lake once it's frozen.  Whole families can enjoy a day together.  And if a fish is actually caught, well all the better!

At Home in Maine

    There is an interesting article in this months Smithsonian Magazine by the Pulitzer Prize and PEN/Faulkner award winning author Richard Ford who lives in East Boothbay.  He talks about the essence of home and touches on his life here in mid coast Maine.

   We seem to be attracting authors and other creative people to live here in the mid coast and particularly along the banks of the Damariscotta River. Tracy Kidder summers in South Bristol and on the other side of the Pemaquid peninsula the town of Bremen was the model for the fictional Crabapple Cove in the novel and subsequent movie; M*A*S*H

   Besides our small friendly towns and beautiful scenery maybe they move here because we have such a great bookstore and library.

Tom Field

What Does it Cost to Live In Maine?

    Have you ever wondered about the cost of living someplace else? Perhaps here in Maine if you've always hoped to someday move here?  Or elsewhere if you're thinking of moving away?  (Hard to believe I know, but occasionally someone does leave.)

   Well the folks at CNN Money have put a neat Cost of Living Comparison Calculator up on their site.  If you put in the city where you presently live and work and then the city where you would like to live and work it will give a comparison of some of the major areas of expense that you can expect.  A word of warning, if you're not planning on moving to one of the major cities in a state you will need to make adjustments.  For example, in Maine only Portland and Bangor are listed.  Real estate prices in the Damariscotta-Pemaquid region will tend to be a little lower than Portland.  Follow the link above to check this out.

   Thanks and a tip of the hat to Dave Whitten at Maine Real Estate Blog who spotted this first.

Jim Cosgrove

Pemaquid Point Dawn

    I woke at 3:32 AM - tried sleeping some more but to no avail.  I slipped out of bed at 4:19, pulled on jeans, made a cup of coffee and whispered for the dog to come.  There was to be a lunar eclipse as the full moon was setting in the hour before dawn, and I had decided to go watch it.

   As soon as I reached the end of the driveway, I knew this was a good idea.  The moon was huge and orange in the western sky with just a hint of a smudge at its upper rim, and it stayed within my sight while I drove down the peninsula from Newcastle. I was headed for Pemaquid Point.

   When I reached the shore of Johns Bay, it was still quite dark.  The sky was that deep midnight blue that I love, and from overhead and to the east was still filled with stars.  The brightness of the moon made them invisible in the west.  There was a bench by the rocks where I sat and watched and sipped warm coffee and nibbled icy cold raspberries that I bought and chilled the night before just for the occasion.

   There was a lot happening in that sky.  The eclipse began at the top and advanced faster than I expected.  If I looked up to see if the stars were still shining, or to the east to see if the dawn was breaking, I could see the difference when I looked back.  The stars and the dawn were competing, and even though I knew it was futile, I was rooting for the underdog - every time I looked up and could still discern a star or two, I cheered them on.

  Then as the moon went for cover and darkness was giving way to lightness, I saw a small shape move on the rocks about 25 feet away.  I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me and that it was a small piece of driftwood and then I saw that it was a small dark cat.  I was so happy about that little cat wanting to be with us while the dog and I watched the moon.

   Then, just as I was marveling at how wonderful this all was, it got more wonderful.  As the moon slipped from sight, the sounds emerged.  The water lapped quietly - the tide was low.  Then the birdsong began and the shore birds chimed in with saltwater cries.

   At about the time the moon was obscured, the sky suddenly filled with color.  I couldn't believe my eyes because it happened so rapidly.  One minute I was under a dome of blue and the next, everything was pink.  Pink clouds out of nowhere and all was light.  The downside of all that light was I didn't see the rim of red that happens sometimes when the moon is fully eclipsed.  By the time it happened, the dawn's early light prevailed.

   I've watched only a few dawns in my lifetime - never been much of a morning person.  And although I rarely miss the full moonrise, I've never even thought about the moon setting. Tuesday's dawn was awesome and illuminating.  I'm going to do this again.

Kathleen Shattuck

Ben Franklin the Weblogger

    Maybe it's because I was a History major in college or I'm simply overcome with patriotic fervor leftover from last nights excellent fireworks show here on the Damariscotta River but I love this blog post by Brian Brady over at Bloodhound Blog and so I'll break one of the cardinal rules of blogging and send you away from our site.

   The title is Benjamin Franklin the Weblogger and Brian starts with the thought that "Benjamin Franklin would have been a helluva weblogger."

Check it out; http://www.bloodhoundrealty.com/BloodhoundBlog/?p=1623

Jim Cosgrove

Retirement in Your Future?

    We know that many of you reading this blog are doing so with the idea that someday you will retire to The Greatest Place in the World to Live so you just may find this interesting.  It's a Retirement IQ Test.  I was surprised to learn just how much I didn't know.  But with two teenagers, retirement isn't on my radar screen and besides I already live in The Greatest Place in the World!

Jim Cosgrove

Spring has Sprung on the Coast of Maine

    We've been a little lax lately about posting to this blog and I sincerely apologize to all of our readers, faithful and otherwise.  You see, in addition to showing a whole lot of property to potential buyers who are (finally) coming out of winter hibernation we've also been trying to spend some time outside of the office.  Up until today the weather has been absolutely as perfect as it can be for late March and early April. 

   Now this is Maine we're talking about, not Miami or Tuscon, so it's all relevant.  There is still some snow left but it's back in the woods where the sun can't get at it. Our lawns are all a  nice shade of muddy brown and speaking of mud, that's what our roads are, at least the ones that aren't paved.  Still when that sun gets high in the sky and the thermometer hovers near 50 degrees it sure does feel nice out.  Everyone smiles a whole lot more and it's easier to stop and chat on the street than say in January when the wind feels like it's going to slice right through you if you don't keep moving. I saw boys throwing baseballs in a field the other day and it won't be long until the golf courses open up.

   So if you've been south for the winter, it's time to start planning for your trip north.  There might be one or two more snow storms left but don't worry they'll melt off fast. If you've been planning on coming to the Damariscotta - Pemaquid area to look for real estate this would be a good time to do it.  but if you call, let it ring.  We might be outside and it could take us awhile to get in to answer it.

 

Jim Cosgrove

Why Do We Blog

    Let me state right in the beginning that I am totally against chain e-mails.  At last count I believe I had received 1,786,342 of them and never sent one on. I do not believe that Bill Gates will give me a free computer ever, I do not believe that a little girl will survive some horrible fate if I only spam my friends within the next 30 seconds and I do not think I need to forward anything to the people I love in order for them to know I love them.

   But now I have received or been mentioned in a sort of chain blog and while I am philosophically against this sort of thing I'm intrigued enough to play along. There's a game of tag going on in the blogosphere and Rich Brooks from Flyte New Media has tagged me.  The object is to give 5 reasons why one blogs and tag 5 other bloggers.  No mention was made of either a prize or a horrible fate so...what the heck, here goes!

1. We started blogging because we perceived that we needed a new way to reach our potential clients and customers.  The old method of using print media almost exclusively just wasn't working anymore.  There are more media outlets now competing for peoples attention and at the same time prices for traditional media advertising have gone sky high (haven't you ever wondered why newspapers and TV stations are so in favor of public funding for political campaigns?). Blogging has allowed us to reach those people who are interested in being reached directly.

2. We blog because not only do we reach people but we can now give them a chance to get to know us. Having a website to provide information about our Listings was the first step. The blog provides information about us. Not every professional is a good fit for every client whether we're talking about Doctors, Lawyers, Stock Brokers or Real Estate Brokers.  If people have a chance to get to know us a little through our blog and like what they see and decide to use us for their next real estate transaction then it is more likely things will go smoothly.  I hate to think that we might lose some business but if it wasn't going to be a good fit, we're probably all better off.

3. We blog to give folks a chance to get to know our area.  We're extremely lucky, we live in the greatest place in the world, the coast of Maine. OK, right now at the beginning of March, just after receiving about a foot of heavy wet snow it might not seem all that great to everybody but check back  a little later.  We want to share our lifestyle and area with everyone who's interested and we'll post plenty about that right here.

4. I think it's mandatory that I put in SEO which stands for Search Engine Optimization.  Supposedly if we blog about things people search for, the search engines will rank us higher and more people will find us.  Or something like that.  I'm not a computer guy so I pay people to tell me these things.  But I'm not really sure this one works.

5. And finally here's the real reason we blog; chicks dig it!  I'm serious. Women love guys who blog!  I see the twinkle in my wife's eye after a particularly good post. I assume it works the same for female bloggers, too.  Bloggers are going to be the new celebrities.  The day is coming when Brian Brady will be bigger news than Tom Brady.  Brian Brown and John L. Wake will be household names and Teresa Boardman will be mentioned more often than Paris Hilton and Hilary Clinton combined.  I'm pretty sure Sadie is already more famous than Lassie but if she isn't she soon will be.

   And now they can consider themselves tagged!

Jim Cosgrove

Morning on the Damariscotta River

   "Sea Smoke" rises off the Damariscotta River early on a January morning in this picture taken from behind the 2nd Congregational Church in Newcastle.

Saturday Floor Duty

    I'm sitting here at the office, excuse me Newcastle Square Realty World Headquarters, on a Saturday morning - I have floor duty which means it's my turn to be the on duty broker helping those people who walk in off the street or send an email not addressed to a specific broker and since it's the weekend and our office manager, Linda Mitkus is off, I also get to answer the telephone.   With a temperature outside of 6 degrees, before wind chill, I have not been overwhelmed with walk in customers this morning.  Often, spring through fall anyway, there is a familiar "tap, tap, tap" on our front window panes as people outside point to pictures of the various listings we have hanging there.  Not today.

   Is my time wasted sitting at the front desk ready for business? Does anybody look at real estate in Maine in winter?  They certainly do.

   Due to our presence on Realtor.com the number one real estate web site in the world as well as the incredible amount of traffic we get at our own Newcastle Square Realty site which I'm pretty sure is the number two real estate web site in the world, there are plenty of people making email inquires and on line shopping from the comfort of their homes, many of them someplace MUCH warmer than here.

    Most home buyers today begin their home search using the Internet. Buyers can gather lots of useful information about home prices, towns, schools and more by starting their search on the web. As buyers begin to have more detailed questions about properties and start to formulate their plans to actually take a trip to Maine, this is when the services of a knowledgeable and experienced real estate agent becomes invaluable.  Starting with a phone call or email, I answer all sorts of questions, send more information and begin to set up dates to meet and start their home search.  Here at Newcastle Square Realty all of our property packets have been turned into PDF documents and are available for easy email delivery.  It's always exciting to start out on this new adventure with a buyer.  I get to meet some great people from all across the country and sometimes even other parts of the world.

   This morning I have spoken to a lovely couple from Pennsylvania who will be moving to Maine, they have grown children who already live in the area. Their home in PA is on the market and getting some good interest lately so they are ready to start looking for their new digs here on the Pemaquid Peninsula.

   I have also been chatting, via email and phone with a kayaking enthusiast from New Hampshire who would like to find a small home along the Damariscotta River.  He has tried and canceled twice in the past month to get here, due to bad weather on his proposed driving days, but he'll be here in February and I have a list of properties to show him.

   Well floor duty will be over soon and I've got two homes to show this afternoon from appointments made earlier this week.

   Is this a quiet real estate market?  Not by my account.  It is a different market than a few years ago but people are still buying and selling homes. And if someone is making an appointment to see a home in this weather, you can bet they're serious about it.

   If you're serious about buying a home in Maine, don't wait for spring, call me today!

Kathy Wyman

The All Weather Real Estate Broker

Winter's Back in Damariscotta

   Put another log on the fire, Mother. winter is back. I bet them tulips that were starting to come up will be some surprised.  Well, at least Tom might get to use those new snow machines and maybe Craig can fill up that skating rink !

Jim Cosgrove

New Technology in Real Estate

...or, How Many Brokers Does it Take to Install a Piece of Hardware?

   The answer may depend upon the age of the Broker.  How does that saying go?  If you want to know how to operate an electronic device ask your grandchild.

   While none of Newcastle Square Realty's Brokers grandchildren work here, we do have a 30 year span in the ages of our 16 full time brokers. So, when there is a change in technology for the office the ability and enthusiasm for dealing with that change is varied and quite interesting.

   The other day Bill Byrnes, one of our more "experienced" Brokers, decided it was time to convert his laptop computer so that he could take advantage of our office's wireless technology.  He was led to believe by a young clerk at the local electronics store that this was a simple procedure, he only needed to purchase a PC MIA card, install some software and he would be wireless in less than 10 minutes.  HA!  Before he completed the process he began getting pop up messages that reminded him of his limitations with technology.  Fortunately, Tom Field a slightly less "experienced" (and thus technology savvy) Broker, walked by Bills office just as Bill was about to have an anxiety attack.  After about 20 minutes of diagnostics Tom had Bills laptop pulling in the wireless signal loud and clear. Now that's the teamwork we're famous for here at Newcastle Square Realty!

Judging from this photo, Bill either had little interest in the details or total confidence in Tom's technological prowess!

Lee Simard

Inside Scoop on the Office Party

   Ever wonder what real estate professionals do at a holiday party?  I will let you in on a secret; they get house tours of each others homes.  Bill and Tracy Babcock christened their new house by hosting a great holiday party for the brokers and staff of Newcastle Square Realty. Actually this isn't a new house but an older, circa 1850 home with a beautiful new addition. Bill and Tracy, along with one of our fine local craftsmen have spent the last 3 years painstakingly working on every detail of this project. 

   One of the problems we see all too often when someone puts a new addition onto an older home is that the two parts of the home simply don't match. Not so here, the Babcock's have done an amazing job of blending the old with the new without losing any of the charm of the original 19th century farmhouse.  It is certainly worthy of spread in House Beautiful or Architectural Digest or even the mainecoastpropertiesblog!

   And what was the highlight of the tour?  Was it the his and her dressing rooms? This his and her offices?  The incredibly well appointed chefs kitchen?   No, it was....the automatic opening trash can.  How have I lived without one of these for so long? You wave some trash in front of it and it opens.  How cool is that?  You've never seen people use so many napkins just for a chance to throw them away. I'm calling my stock broker today and buying into the company that makes these. Clearly this is the next big thing!

Tom Field

Editors note: (Big sigh) This is a true story.  Sad, but true. Gone are the days when people could get in serious trouble with the boss for what they did at the office party. We're a very staid group.

The Best Season, part ll

    In a previous post I introduced the idea that fall is actually "the best season" here in Mid Coast, Maine.  The weather usually consists of warm days with low humidity and cool nights. The summer haze is gone and the air is clear. The traffic we deal with in June and July is gone (it's a relative term, if it takes more than 3 minutes to get through town we call it a traffic jam). And to top it off we are rewarded with a beautiful display from mother nature as she colors the country side with red, orange and yellow.

    This past weekend was just about as perfect an example of our fall weather as I could have asked for and it looks like it's going to continue for a while. Above, you see a shot of Damariscotta, taken from the Newcastle side of the river.  At the right is a picture taken on Columbus Day at Wawenock Golf Course. The view is from the 6th tee with the 4th fairway on the left.  Those golfers from states to our south will note how open the course is!  I had plenty of time to search for my ball and didn't hold anyone up.

    Finally, here's a picture I just snapped, from the rear entrance of our office in town, looking down the Damariscotta River. If you'll look carefully at the picture you will note that there is a spot open in the parking lot for you and your boat trailer. We're waiting for you.  Why aren't you here yet?

   Seriously folks, why don't you live here? We have excellent schools, safe streets, great shops, restaurants and galleries.  There can't possibly be a nicer place to live.

Email or call one of our brokers today and let's talk about putting you in one of these pictures!

Jim Cosgrove

Pemaquid Point Moose

   When Bill Byrnes and Lee Simard met recently to discuss a deal they were working on they were joined by this young moose.  Who says it's not a "bull" market!

   The picture was taken by Lee's wife, Denise in the back yard of their home at Pemaquid Point. Note the fog rolling in over the ocean and the animals appetite for Rosa regosa.

Damariscotta Lake Opportunities

    Many visitors to Mid Coast Maine come here with visions of the fabled "...rock bound coast of Maine" in mind and are pleasantly surprised to find that we also have beautiful lakes that are just a short distance from all that the coast has to offer, giving them the best of both worlds!

   Thirteen mile long Damariscotta Lake is the largest fresh water body in Lincoln County and has frontage in Jefferson, Nobleboro and Newcastle.

   The fishing in Damariscotta Lake is fabulous and at one time the state record toque (a lake trout) came from these waters.  It was once stocked by the State with land locked Salmon but is now principally managed as a Brown Trout fishery .   Hard as it may be to believe sometimes folks from places to our south find that swimming in the ocean here is a tad cold and that the warmer lake waters agree with them more.

   This year as our season winds down there are some terrific opportunities for those who wish to own lake front property. There is a wide variety of real estate available on the lake, ranging from summer camps such as shown above or a heated cottage with gorgeous sunset views such as this. Or there is new construction with all of the amenities that one could wish for.

   For those who desire complete privacy and who don't mind living "off the grid" we even offer an entire island in the lake (shown below) complete with a new residence, a generator, several docks and deeded parking on the mainland!

   We also have wonderful properties for sale on some of our other fine fresh water bodies such as Pemaquid Lake, Biscay Pond and Lincoln County's hidden jewel, Webber Pond.

   Call one of our brokers today and let them tell you about freshwater property opportunities in Mid Coast Maine!

Jim Cosgrove

   

Main Street Business District

   Our biggest super market has finally finished their renovation and held their grand re opening this past weekend. It's a very nice store with a wide range of products many of which were not previously available in greater Damariscotta. Although this is a large chain store owned by a global corporation, the people that work there are all our friends and neighbors and the corporation is to be commended for using their own money and not the taxpayers to improve the infrastructure (road and drainage) around the store.  There are several smaller markets in the area such as Yellow Front Grocery in Damariscotta and Reilly's Market in New Harbor that do a very nice job and are important pieces of the fabric of our community but all in all the new and improved chain store is a net plus for our area.

   More to the point though is that this store really anchors our expanding Main Street Business District. We've gradually seen an expansion of that district which at one time stopped at the intersection of Bristol Road.  Now it continues north to the intersection with Biscay Road where most of the traffic heading to Bremen turns off and it is slowly but surely expanding towards Route 1 at Pine Grove Plaza and Andrews Pine View Restaurant.

   While some of this is driven by new businesses looking for land which simply isn't available downtown, there are also older established businesses like Damariscotta Hardware that expanded and needed more parking. 

   I look at this as the sign of a healthy vital community that is growing in a very positive manner. There are no vacant storefronts downtown and although every year a business or two may leave, they are quickly replaced.  In 2002 Newcastle Square Realty moved from the southern edge of the business district to our present location at 87 Main Street in Damariscotta and experienced an immediate increase in foot traffic.  Folks seem to enjoy perusing our window boards and homes that we present there seem to get a lot of interest. We have a a very healthy and comfortable village district and an equally healthy and expanding outer district.

   Recently Newcastle Square brokered a land sale in the expanding district, a 9+/- acre parcel that sold for $310,000.  We were also involved in the sale of a residence that was converted to an office building and are presently offering another property at the corner of Main Street and Back Meadow Road that has great potential as both a residence or a commercial spot. Further north we have a very nice parcel just off Main Street on Belvedere Road that has the advantage of also having Route 1 frontage.

   The Great Salt Bay Water District has already expanded the water line north to Route 1 and it is to be hoped that the State will resurface the road in the near future (Wouldn't sidewalks be nice?  At least near the school.)

   We are blessed to live in a town and area that is on the way up, creating jobs and commerce yet still retaining the closeness and charm that we all love.

Jim Cosgrove

New Web Site

   Newcastle Square Realty isn't the only organization in town with a new web site.  Well worth a visit is the new site of the Central Lincoln County YMCA.

   Director Craig Wilson has worked tirelessly to build on the efforts of his predecessors Barry Costa and the late Wayne Plummer. The town has shown its support by deeding over the land (prior to affiliating with the national YMCA this was a town owned recreational facility) and my understanding is that many exciting developments are in the works.

   The "Y" is a terrific asset to our town with a Fitness Center, Tennis Courts , Little League ball field and an ever growing number of programs.  They also operate an excellent child care program. Newcastle Square is proud to be a supporter of this fine organization.

Jim Cosgrove

Welcome Home

   I've just returned from a two week vacation which is why there have been no recent posts.  This means I've missed such annual events as Old Bristol Days, The Miles Rummage Sale and the Red Sox swoon. OK that last one isn't Damariscotta specific but it was just so bad this year (swept by the hated Yankees) it bears mentioning. The Associates here at Newcastle Square presented me with a very nice welcome home present though, while I was away they put 10 properties "under contract"! Once we all got past the idea that maybe I should leave the office more often what this told us is that, despite the "gloom and doom" stories about the demise of the real estate market that have become a regular item in almost every major newspaper lately, there is still some life left in this market.  While there is no question that the high flying market of the past  few years has slowed down there are still ready, willing and most importantly able Buyers who wish to live in our area. For those Sellers who take a reasonable approach to selling their home there is a reasonable expectation of success.  Let me explain what I mean by a reasonable approach.  In the past, when pricing a home it was reasonable to factor into that price that the market was rising.  There were more Buyers than there were Sellers and so a Seller could reasonably expect to receive the upper end of the fair market value range of their property.  Now that equation has flipped.  There are more Sellers than Buyers. All of the reasons why people want to move to this wonderful corner of the world still exist.  However, all free markets are cyclical. Now a Seller can reasonably expect to receive the lower end of their fair market value range.  The key for both Buyers and Sellers is understanding where that fair market value range lies.  This is where an experienced Broker comes in.  Knowing the latest comparable sales and looking at the data objectively  a competent Broker can help a Seller to define the fair market value of their property. Similarly a competent Broker can help a Buyer to understand the fair market value of the property (s) that fit their needs. As long as everyone understands fair market value both the Buyer and Seller will get what they want.  Now as for the Red Sox, well I guess it's "wait until next year".

Jim Cosgrove