GBP GREATER BOSTON’S MAGAZINE FOR REAL ESTATE & THE HOME
THE ALLURE OF
THE LOFT THE GBP INTERVIEW:
CHRIS SMITH Fall 2013
Property Makeover 8 Hot Products and our Fall Landscaping Checklist
INSPIRE BIDDING WARS
Want more sales with higher offers?
BEFORE ^
AFTER ^
Up-Stage is Boston’s premier home staging company, established by Heidi Pribell Interiors, winner of three consecutive Best of Boston awards. She is a graduate of Harvard University and the New York School of Interior Design
consider
heidi pribell interiors
! staged homes sell 6 times faster than non-staged homes ! the average return on a staging investment is 343% ! staged homes, on average, sell for 7% more than non-staged homes ! the investment of staging your home is tax deductible
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CONTENTS 18 FEATURES 18
PRIMPING THE PROPERTY An outdated space is transformed into a lighter, brighter, crisper, and more modern one.
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THE GBP INTERVIEW Get plugged in with Chris Smith, keynote speaker at GBAR’s first Roadshow Conference and Expo.
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ALLURE OF THE LOFT Once a refuge for impovershed artists, lofts are now desireble living spaces for Bostonians.
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THE CASE FOR MINIMILISM My new place had wood floors and brick walls, but it didn’t have the same sexy appeal that the loft had. Could I be content with this change?
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THE LOFT
AT
ON THE COVER 172 GREEN STREET, JAMAICA PLAIN. PAGE 40.
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CONTENTS
GBP
Continued
MAGAZINE & PUBLISHER Don Costanzo
PRESIDENT
CONTRIBUTORS
Yorgos Efthymiadis Lizzy Flanagan Carly Gillis Todd Larson Bridgette Meinhold Ken Richardson Benedetta Rocca Brian Smith
DEPARTMENTS
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REAL ESTATE Moving? Some good advice on what to do with all that stuff!
Bios page 10
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A Publication of the Greater Boston Association of REALTORS®
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A division of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board PRESIDENT
PRODUCTS A series of light fixtures that combine technology with tradition.
Susan McDonough William Raveis Real Estate
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PRESIDENT-ELECT Michael DiMella
TRENDS These 8 hot products will spice up your home.
Charlesgate Realty Group VICE PRESIDENT
David McCarthy Keller Williams Realty TREASURER
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Robert J. Harrington Nexum Group
OUTDOORS Don’t put away that lawn mower until you check out of fall landscaping checklist.
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
William Dermody Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
John Dulczewski
Greater Boston Association of REALTORS®
& MARKETING Kate Reynolds
COMMUNICATIONS
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Greater Boston Association of REALTORS®
Greater Boston Property is published six times a year by Greater Boston Property, Inc. and is distributed free in 54 cities and towns throughout Greater Boston. All content of this magazine, including without limitation the design, advertisements, art, photos and editorial content is Copyright “C” 2013. No portion of this magazine may be copied or reprinted without the express written permission of the publisher. Greater Boston Property is a registered trademark of GBP, PO Box 170558, Boston, MA 02116.
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IN EVERY ISSUE
GREATERBOSTON PROPERTY MAGAZINE For advertising, subscription & editorial inquiries Greater Boston Property PO Box 170558, Boston, MA 02116 www.gbpmagazine.com 508.221.3268
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INDULGENCE Walking barefoot on these $1 million tiles can only be described as a truly sensual experience.
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
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CONTRIBUTORS
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LOCAL MARKET UPDATE
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PROFESIONAL DIRECTORY
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PROPERTY PORTFOLIO
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REAL ESTATE
IT’S MOVING SEASON
Y by Amy Tierce Amy Tierce is a rock-star residential mortgage guru having spent 20 years perfecting her skills and the last seven managing her own branch of Fairway Independent Mortgage. Now a Regional Vice President for the company, her branch in Needham consistently ranks as number one and is home to three of the top five producing loan officers for the company nationwide. Amy is highly sought as a speaker and commentator on the mortgage industry and is always willing to share her “Perfect Loan Strategy” with those eager to learn. When not busy in the mortgage world, Amy is an avid gardener, reader and home renovator. The best word that describes her? Passionate! Amy invites you to visit her blog: amyrates.com, or follow her on twitter @FairwayNeedham. Got a loan related question? Amy can be reached directly at amy@amyrates.com.
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ou may think I’m crazy but I love moving! Every year as the moving vans descend and families struggle to be in place and organized before the start of the new school year, I get jealous. I would love to move out of my house annually just to move back in so that all my closets, drawers and storage spaces are cleaned up and out! Because I often feel like I have “…too much stuff and not enough space,” as they scream on late night TV while touting Space Bags. While I completely relate to that ad, my solution is not to find better ways of storing stuff, it’s to get rid of the stuff that is overtaking our lives instead. In fact, a wry friend once gave me this sage advice, “You want to do your kids a favor, get rid of all your stuff before you die!” Did you know that there are upwards of 51,000 storage facilities across the country? That’s more than seven times the number of Starbucks! Families are paying on average $200 a month to keep stuff that would not fetch half that amount in a yard sale. So, what to do with all our stuff? Clothes may be the easiest to get rid of and there are many places that will come to you for pick-up or that offer easy drop-off for clothing donations. Clothing donations are extremely important to many organizations: some offer clothes for resale, some recondition and then re-sell clothes, and many ship what’s collected overseas for bulk sales in third world countries. Yes, your old rock and roll tee shirts could end up modeled by kids in Somalia. So, if you haven’t worn it in a year, you probably never will. If it hasn’t fit in more than a year, give it up (by the time you grow or shrink into it, it will likely be out of style and out of date!). If every time you put it on you then take it off… time for it to go! And certainly each season you can easily rid your kid’s closets of what no longer fits them. Donations of household items and supplies can also go a long way to support an organization. Many use them for the families that they support, or re-sell them to raise funds for support programs. Home pick-ups can generally be scheduled. Reducing clutter, closet and storage space jam, easing up on STUFF can have a great overall impact. You think more clearly and find things with greater ease. Having stuff mastered can help you gain control over other areas of your home life. Imagine you have a moving van coming next week. You don’t want to pay money to move the stuff that you don’t want or need. So get organized, find a drop-off location or organization you want to support, schedule a home pick-up and get packing. You will feel so free in your newly de-cluttered environment. For a comprehensive list of donation and recycling options visit the MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs: www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/recycle/reduce/donation-and-reuse.html Find out where you can recycle all sorts of items locally here: http://americarecyclesday.org/find-recycling and an even more comprehensive list including building materials, food, office equipment and more through the MA DEP is here: http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/reduce/donation.htm Find out how you can opt out of unwanted catalog, solicitations and junk mail GBP courtesy of Catalog Choice, https://www.catalogchoice.org/
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PRODUCTS
k n i t t e d A SERIES OF LIGHT FIXTURES THAT COMBINES TECHNOLOGY WITH TRADITION; KNITTING WOOL THREADS IN FIXED PATTERNS CREATES A THREE-DIMENSIONAL SHEET OF FABRIC WHICH SERVES AS A LIGHTING FIXTURE. A COLLABORATION BETWEEN ODED SAPIR & ARIEL ZUCKERMAN. THE DEVELOPING WAS DONE USING THE DESIGNER ADVA BRUNER.
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Boston’s Top 20 •••••
Showcasing the top 20 real estate agents in the Metro Boston area based on monthly closed volume as reported by a third party.
BostonTop20 was created as a tool to connect some of Boston’s best real estate professionals with interested buyers and sellers. Agents are listed and ranked on a monthly basis according to the total residential volume closed in Suffolk, Middlesex and Norfolk counties, as reported by a third party. No agents or agencies are able to pay to be listed on the site and ranking is solely determined on monthly volume. Reported volumes correspond with the month listed on the home page.The agents listed do not indicate year-to-date rankings. Agents profiled work from an office within the counties listed above and are not on-site.The website is sponsored by various members of the real estate industry to provide the consumer with the ability to use the other resources as a one stop shopping platform. Given that this is one of the most challenging markets of the past three decades, BostonTop20 aspires to celebrate the hard work of local agents by featuring them in a consolidated online resource for consumers, allowing them higher visibility while providing consumers a more personal introduction to talented agents in the Metro Boston area. Luke Ostrowski, founder of BostonTop20, has been an active member of the Boston real estate community for over 11 years.
To contact Luke, email Luke@bostontop20.com or call 857-453-5904. 54 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
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PRIMPING THE PROPERTY STORY & PHOTOS BY LIZZY FLANAGAN
Interior designer & home stager Heidi Pribell transforms a heavy, outdated and claustrophobic space into one that is lighter, brighter, fresher, crisper, and more modern. 18 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
INTERIOR
DESIGNER AND HOME STAGER
HEIDI PRIBELL
G
reater Boston home prices are on the rise, and inventory is scarce, but no matter how quickly the market is moving, today’s buyers are discerning and savvy. They need to see the possibilities of a home before they can relate to it, imagine themselves living there, and even more importantly, make an offer to buy. With the advent of HGTV and an influx of design websites and decor blogs, home staging has become synonymous with successful residential real estate sales. However, many sellers miss the mark when trying to effectively stage their own homes leaving the property to languish unnecessarily on the market for weeks, months, and in extreme cases, years. When a high end condominium on Memorial Drive with gorgeous views of the Charles River and over 2000 sq/ft of living space just blocks from Harvard Square wasn’t attracting serious buyers, selling agent Gail Roberts of Coldwell Banker’s Cambridge office brought in award winning interior designer and decor specialist, Heidi Pribell to restage the space. Two years ago, Heidi Pribell knew little about home staging outside of its importance in other major real estate markets like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City. “No one in those markets would think about putting anything on market without staging it,” says Pribell. “It would be like going out to a grand event without makeup or your hair brushed.” Though Pribell started as an antiques dealer in the 1980s, she evolved her business to include interior design in the 1990s, and added staging services when she was offered the opportunity to purchase a group of warehoused
‘‘
SPACES SHOULD FEEL ECLECTIC AND AUTHENTIC IN ORDER TO HELP A POTENTIAL BUYER FEEL AT HOME.
’’
— HEIDI PRIBELL FALL 2013
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furnishings owned by another designer who was relocating to the West Coast. Having worked in theater and on movie sets, Pribell had a strong sense of how to pull something stylish together very quickly. Combined with her years of experience creating comfortable and elegant interiors for her clients, Pribell viewed the staging business as a great opportunity and an adventurous challenge. Heidi Pribell comes at every staging job with one simple objective in mind: to show prospective buyers what they have thus far been unable to see. Her philosophy is that if buyers can relate to the furnishings, there is greater likelihood of their relating to the home. Empty homes summon questions, and create feelings of uncertainty and doubt in buyers. (Is there enough space to entertain? Would my bed fit in this master? Is there ample room for a table in this kitchen? What are all of those marks on the wall?) If the space is furnished, most often it is too specific to the owner’s taste, or out of touch with current interior design trends and does not resonate with buyers. About the property on Memorial Drive Pribell says, “It’s emblematic of what’s so great about staging. The owners had combined heavy antique furniture with Venetian plaster walls, so the house felt very claustrophobic. The finishes were good, the bathrooms renovated, but it still felt outdated and didn’t speak to the current buyers. I achieved a lighter, brighter, fresher, crisper, more modern look by changing the furnishings.” 22 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
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10 WAYS TO STAGE WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK • Remove clutter in every room. Give the buyer a sense of space and openness. • Float furniture away from walls and reposition into cozy conversational groups. This actually makes rooms look larger. • Repurpose your “junk” room into something that will add value to your home like a cozy reading spot, yoga/meditation room, or home office. • Properly light your rooms with a combination of ambient (general or overhead), task (pendant or reading) and accent (table and wall). • Go for serene in the bedroom. Use calming colors and fresh linens to make the buyer feel like they want to stay forever. • Make your rooms appear larger than they are by using the same paint color as the adjacent room. Small kitchen and dining room? Create a seamless look and the feeling of one big space by painting them the same color. • Dealing with dated finishes? Paint the room a fresh neutral hue ranging anywhere from warm tans and honeys to soft blue-greens. • Gracing your space with fresh flowers doesn’t have to bust your budget. Even things from the yard like attractive seasonal holly branches can do the trick. • If your kitchen is tired, and new cabinets aren’t in the budget, invest in new doors and drawer fronts, and don’t forget to clear the clutter off those kitchen counters. • Unfinished projects are unsightly. Don’t risk letting things like large sidewalk cracks, chipped paint, or missing floor boards are less expensive to fix than to risk
Pribell explains “spaces should feel eclectic and authentic in order to help a potential buyer feel at home.” She strives to help the buyer feel comfortable and desirous enough to sit down and enjoy the space, linger, and really see the assets of each room. Although some stagers use a formula, Pribell prefers to
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“bring a human hand” to each project, not adhering to any one style, aiming for an eclectic mix. “There is beauty all around us”, says Pribell. “After all, our interiors are a reflection of our lifestyle and ideally our happiness. Heidi Pribell’s Upstage has a strong track record in the Boston market. In one case, a property that had languished
on the market for months with no realistic offers, received an offer that was accepted the morning after Pribell finished work on it. Another home in Cambridge sold for over the asking price three days after Pribell staged it. Yet another home got 12 offers the first weekend last fall and sold for 10% over asking price.
Now that the condominium on Memorial Drive is restaged and back on the market, Pribell believes it will be seen in a new light. Hiring a stager may be cost prohibitive for some, so we’re including a solid top ten list of ways to stage your place to get it ready to sell and bring top dollar. GBP
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THE GBP INTERVIEW
CONNECTING
WITH
CHRIS SMITH Nationally known as a go-to guy for digital marketing and an infallible influence in the real estate industry, Chris Smith — keynote speaker at the Greater Boston Association of Realtors’ first Roadshow Conference and Expo is a man with a mission: to get real estate pros plugged in and turned on to the latest and greatest in online marketing, social media, lead tracking, web building and mobile application so their property promotion, lead generation and lead conversion can go through the roof in visits, inquiries, and hopefully sales.
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A
s co-host of weekly RE webshow Water Cooler and co-founder of Curaytor.com, a digital marketing service and the RE industry’s first social conversation search engine, this New York City-based digital doyen will take his case right to the Hub’s doorstep as keynote speaker at the Greater Boston Association of Realtors’ first Roadshow Conference and Expo on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at Lexington’s Scottish Rite Museum and Library (formerly National Heritage Museum). At this megagathering of eastern Massachusetts real estate professionals, Smith will communicate his insider expertise directly to his target audience — ultimately in the form of a take-home bag of techno-treats they can dig into right away to bring their e-mail, web, mobile app and social media marketing campaigns up to speed. “The main theme is, here’s the technology we found most effective, and here’s how you can implement it as a real estate agent,” said Smith, who will base much of his presentation on his experience at Curaytor providing e-mail and content marketing, Google-friendly blog posts, infographics, social media content development, and iPhone, iPad and Android optimized website building. (Curaytor co-founder and Water Cooler co-host Jimmy Mackin will give his own presentation at the same event on “Tech Apps & Emerging Trends in Social Media” with real estate speaker and blogger Linda Davis.) Proper design of a company logo to make sure a RE agency’s website is mobile-responsive and cross-compatible with the agency’s social media profiles, blogs and MLS tie-ins will be one area Smith will touch on. “This logo is everywhere — Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter — and I’ll be providing an understanding of how the website is designed today and how your assets feed into that,” he said. Designing e-mail marketing to facilitate follow-up on Internet leads will be another topic of his, as well as techniques for tracking a campaign’s results. “Important things to consider are, ‘Now that we understand how we’re doing this e-mail, how do we track our results, and what do we do with the data we’ve collected?’” said Smith. “Also, how to keep web leads engaged that come to you through [RE listings sites] Zillow, Trulia, Redfin or Realtor.com®. If somebody called you from Zillow and you’ve missed the call, now what? It’s a matter of digging deep into e-mail marketing as a way for keeping leads from Zillow for six or nine months.” Lead generation through Facebook advertising will also be stressed. “Your ability to target your dream clients, based on, for example, what kind of college degree you want them to attain, has never been better than on Facebook,” said Smith. “I teach a class on how to use social ads to target and generate seller leads.” Smith will also demonstrate how brokers and agencies can harness other increasingly popular online technologies not designed specifically for RE, e.g., WordPress, YouTube, Dropbox, and Evernote, a note-taking and archiving software suite. “I try to teach people how you can leverage where the most attention is to curate your business,” he said. “Ten years ago, if I were to send a postcard to a Realtor®, I’d understand if there was a return on that investment if the phone rang. You now have an infinite number of ways to provide that concept through digital marketing, because it’s trackable. The tools are there to make it easy and effective to go to the next level of ‘How successful were we?’ because of that ability to track the return on investment.” Dropbox obsoletes the filing cabinet in terms of document hyper-accessibility. “It shows the way the consumer mind has changed: they want any-
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‘‘
THE MAIN THEME IS, HERE’S THE TECHNOLOGY WE FOUND MOST EFFECTIVE, AND HERE’S HOW YOU CAN IMPLEMENT IT AS A REAL ESTATE AGENT.
’’
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T
he Greater Boston Association of Realtors’ Roadshow Conference and Expo comes to town Tuesday, Sept. 24, at the Scottish Rite Museum and Library (formerly the National Heritage Museum) in Lexington. And it’ll be a three-ring circus in its own right: a networking opportunity for real estate professionals to interconnect, build referral networks and learn about the latest industry practices; an educational opportunity for them to take away new digital marketing techniques, technologies and apps; and a business opportunity for providers of RE-related products and services to connect with those they seek to serve. “‘Roadshow’ is meant to convey that we’re bringing the association out to the members and not just holding the program in one location, but moving it around,” said GBAR Executive Director John Dulczewski, who envisions this event as the first of an annual series of traveling conference-expos stopping at four towns in GBAR’s jurisdictional area within the I-495 belt. “Our primary goal is to help boost our members’ sales skills to help them improve their sales performance and grow their business. From the range of speakers and sessions we have scheduled, they should expect to learn about personal marketing techniques and the latest technology of social media in connecting with buyers and sellers and more efficiently running their business.” In selecting speakers for the event, the GBAR Education Committee made sure they were top in their turf in industry insight and sales success. “They’ll be asked questions about how they achieve their business on a regular basis, what they’ve done to keep the machine going, and if people were starting out, what they’d advise them to do,” said David McCarthy, chairman of the GBAR Education Committee, which developed the Roadshow Conference and Expo in collaboration with the GBREB Business Development Committee. Speakers will include real estate digital marketing and social media expert Jimmy Mackin on “Tech Apps & Emerging Trends in Social Media” at 10 a.m., which will feature a presentation by Linda Davis on how to use mobile apps in one’s real estate business. “A lot of agents are already using Facebook at a high level, but there are other things we’re not doing extremely well,” continued on page 21
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where, anytime, any device access to anything,” said Smith. “They want to be on their iPad looking at homes you sent them.” For Smith, all of these digital channels have relevancy for the RE industry because of its traditional role as gatekeeper of popular market information. “Zillow has been an industry leader on where people search for homes, and that’s been a result of people being able to calculate a home’s value, read reviews of Realtors®, and look at market trends in real time without giving the home’s address away,” said Smith. “Now it’s down to, who are they going to get it from?” This is where digital marketing, social media and web technology come in as a huge opportunity for a local agent to provide prospective home buyers and sellers with a consumer-centric experience that facilitates the home searching, pricing, purchasing and closing process step by step. “To draw an analogy, when Expedia.com, Hotwire.com and Travelocity.com came up, they decimated the travel industry so you could price and purchase it,” said Smith. “The people who started Zillow are the same who started Expedia.” Takeaways — “five or six things they’ll do first” — that Smith hopes Expo attendees will glean from his visit include the following pointer: create more organization and efficiency in the way your business is operated. “The primary focus is to get them engaged with more people who want to buy or sell a home from them,” said Smith. “So they need to go back and understand the type of website they need to get results and how to get people there on a regular basis. The endgame is more people in their pipeline.” Attendees will have every reason to take stock in both these takeaways and the 5-plus pages of notes Smith hopes they’ll take on his talk, given the depth and breadth of his industry background. Prior to Water Cooler and Curaytor, Smith was chief evangelist for Inman News, the largest independent real estate news source outside of the AOL, CNN and Yahoo real estate newsfeeds. “Inman’s been around since ’97, and they have a national conference,” he said. “I was the video blogger and the host of the National Technology Conference for Inman News for 20 years.” Before that, he worked for Move, Inc., which operates the Move Network of real estate information websites for consumers and RE professionals, including the realtor.com® site of the National Association of Realtors®. “Move, Inc., has a company called Top Producer, specializing in CRM databases, websites and lead generation,” said Smith. “I spent three years as a rep for Top Producer in Florida. During that time, I started a blog called Tech Savvy Agent. As a rep in Florida trying to be helpful to my clients, between our Facebook page and blog those things took on a life of their own, we got 10,000 followers on Twitter, and we won an award for the most innovative blog in real estate. I’d interview dotloop, Zillow, ask ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ and I became a voice in the face of real estate.”
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Continued from page 19 said McCarthy. “The apps thing will make us more mobile and able to do business paperless.” Davis, a nationwide lecturer, webinar presenter and writer on RE technology solutions, was named one of the Sellsius Real Estate JOHN DULCZEWSKI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, Marketing Blog’s Top GREATER BOSTON ASSOCIATION 12 Women Real Estate OF REALTORS ® Bloggers in 2008 for her numerous RE issues blogs, including “Simply Ledyard.” At 3 p.m., real estate marketing guru Chris Smith will give the keynote address on the latest trends in digital marketing, social media, website building and mobile apps for RE professionals, based largely upon his personal business experience in those areas. Smith and Mackin are co-hosts of Water Cooler, iTunes’ #1 rated RE webshow, and co-founders of Curaytor, a provider of digital marketing, mobile app and website building, and social media content development services for RE pros. Launched Jan. 17, 2013, at Inman Real Estate Connect New York City, Curaytor is also the nation’s first RE conversation search engine that enables agents and others to access discussions of interest from anywhere and keep them going indefinitely. At 1:30 p.m., Gary Rogers of RE/MAX on the Charles in Waltham will moderate a Top Producer Panel of three high-achieving GBREB brokers: Stephen McKenna of Bowes Real Estate Real Living in Arlington, John Ranco of Hammond Residential Real Estate in Boston, and Amy Massey-Weider of Century 21 Shoreland Real Estate in Hyannis, a member of the GBREB’s young professionals segment. “They’ll be asked to talk about how they build their business, what techniques and strategies they regularly employ to build their sphere of influence in the industry, how they market themselves, and what are the secrets of their success,” said Dulczewski. “We expect many of our younger members and those looking to increase their sales production to benefit from learning from these seasoned professionals who have already found success in the industry.” Networking opportunities at the kickoff breakfast from 9-10 a.m., the lunch from 12-1:30 p.m., and a halfhour break at 2:30 will present boutique-style continued on page 23 32 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
Just prior to that Smith worked for Quicken Loans — America’s largest online mortgage lender, according to National Mortgage News — working directly with buyers and sellers on mortgages. “I was fascinated with lead generation and conversion before anyone thought about it,” he said. “That got me on the web.” Curaytor was the brainchild of Smith’s and Mackin’s perception of a need for a real estate conversation search engine that enables industry professionals to seek discussions of relevance from Facebook and other groups and keep those conversations in their sight before they can vaporize into cyberspace. Discussions can be searched by Topic, Company, Source, or User and filtered according to Trending, Popular, Latest, and Staff Picks to help users zero in on key conversations without having to sift through a smorgasbord of spam-worthy content first. Launched Jan. 17, 2013, at Inman Real Estate Connect New York City, Curaytor expanded its scope on May 13 into a complete online marketing system designed for high-sales real estate agents and teams that does it all with one password: furnishes a responsive Internet Data Exchange (IDX)enabled website and pertinent content for it, manages and tracks every lead and follows it up with prospects, provides automated e-mail marketing, supplies web traffic and visitor behavior analytics, and even includes a blog complete with relevant, SEO-friendly articles. The single-design website, fully customizable according to an agency’s personal brand, photos and color preferences, is built with HTML5 for strong appearance on all screen sizes from laptop to iPad to mobile device. Smith also works for dotloop, a Cincinnati-based Software as a Service (SaaS) real estate tech firm offering a contract negotiation platform that lets users create, finalize and sign documents with an eSignature in one fell swoop online. “It’s paperless and hassle- and stress-free and can be done on an iPad,” said Smith, who is designated “Chief Paper Killer” at dotloop. “I’d use that in your e-mail and social media marketing.” But paperless doesn’t mean peopleless. Moving beyond the digital dynamics Smith has pushed beyond the outer limits, he’ll emphasize at the Expo the continued importance of interpersonal communication in real estate networking, referrals, lead generation and sales. “One of the things I hear people say is, ‘Innovation is rewarded,’ people that are innovative are going to get these rewards,” he said. “But don’t let all the innovation around you fool you: get on the phone and call more people. Everybody’s admiring the innovation, but once they realize that underneath it is more hard work, talking to more people, we can move on.” GBP
Continued from page 21 tradeshow exhibits from vendors representing the mortgage lending, errors & omissions insurance, legal representation, property listing and advertising, home price forecasting, RE website development, and moving and relocation industries. (For a list of exhibitors, visit gbreb.com/gbar/roadshow/exhibitors.html.) “It’s a cross-section of businesses that provide services to Realtors®, buyers and sellers,” said Dulczewski. “These businesses on hand will try to get the attention of Realtors® so they’ll have greater awareness of their services.” Cocktails at 4:30-6 p.m. will conclude the event. “It’s a networking reception for all the attendees of the program that’s intended to connect members with one another and build their referral network,” said Dulczewski. Based on its level of success, the Conference and Expo will travel to three other to-be-determined locales within GBAR’s jurisdictional area as an annual four-show roadshow. Encompassing 54 Massachusetts municipalities, the area runs from Boston out to I-495’s loop through and around Boxboro, Stow, Hudson, Hopkinton, and
Bellingham and Wrentham at the Rhode Island border. The region also extends as far north as Acton, Concord, Bedford, Burlington (excluding Woburn), Winchester, Medford, Malden and Revere, and south to Milton, Canton, Sharon, Foxboro and Mansfield. “I’ve been a strong advocate for doing something like this for a long time,” said McCarthy. “I was chosen to chair the Education Committee this year knowing this event would be done, but we decided to do this with vendors so they could sell the tools available to agents for purchase. I’m really excited.” Tickets for the Sept. 24 GBAR Roadshow Conference and Expo at the Scottish Rite Museum and Library, 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, are $35 for GBAR members, $50 for Realtor® GBREB members, and $75 for non-members. Prices include admission to all presentations and the tradeshow, parking, breakfast, lunch and cocktail reception. To register, visit gbreb.com/gbar/roadshow/registration.html. For more information on the event and its speakers, vendors and full schedule, visit gbreb.com/gbar/roadshow, or contact Kevin Jones at GBP kjones@gbreb.com or 617-399-7851.
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TRENDS
v ULTRA MODERN FIREPLACE MODFIRE’S URBANFIRE IS A FIREPLACE OR FIRE PIT, A PIECE OF FUNCTIONAL ART THAT BRINGS FIRE TO CENTER OF YOUR
“UNIVERSE”,
BE IT OUTDOORS
OR INDOORS. ITS CLEAN LINES AND ORGANIC SHAPE ALLOW IT TO NATURALLY INTEGRATE TO ANY ENVIRONMENT.
HAND-MADE
FROM
NATURAL STEEL, IT COMES AS SUCH OR PAINTED WITH SEVERAL LAYERS OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE PAINT IN A VIBRANT PALETTE OF AVOCADO, AZURE, MARASCHINO OR TANGERINE.
FOR
A TOUCH OF LUXURY, YOU CAN
ALSO HAVE IT IN SHINY COPPER.
THIS PIECE FROM
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WITH
GROUP SEATING
A SOCIAL MEETING POINT SWATHED IN LIGHT,
BEAU & BIEN
MODERNIZES THE ROUND
METAL TREE-TRUNK BENCH COMMONLY FOUND IN PUBLIC PARKS AROUND THE WORLD.
AT
THE SAME TIME,
THIS SPECIFIC DESIGN APPLIES THE IDEA OF THE TREE BENCH TO A MORE HOME-FRIENDLY CONTEXT.
CALLED
HOT PRODUCTS
THE
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OF LIGHT, THE WHITE AND PINK
COMBINATION PACKAGES A MULTITUDE OF USEFUL FURNITURE INTO A SINGLE, ALL-IN-ONE ITEM.
WALL MOUNTED GEOMETRIC FAUCET SET THIS WALL-MOUNTED FAUCET FROM ZUCCHETTI IS A SLEEK WAY TO DRESS UP YOUR WITH INNOVATIVELY MINIMAL HOT- AND COLD-TEMPERATURE KNOBS THAT EVADE ANY CLASSIFICATION OF TIME, THIS PIECE IS RIGHT AT HOME IN ALMOST ANY STYLE OF BATHROOM. ORIGINALLY INTENDED FOR USE IN HIGH-END, DESIGN-CONSCIOUS HOTELS, THIS SINK SET IS MORE THAN JUST FASHIONABLE. MADE FROM STAINLESS STEEL AND OTHER DURABLE MATERIALS, IT'S LONG-LASTING WITHOUT BEING RUGGED, AND EASY-TO-CLEAN WITHOUT BEING SIMPLISTIC. THE SPOUT ITSELF IS ATTRACTIVELY ELEGANT, WITHOUT UNNECESSARY GILDING, AND THE REST OF THE ENSEMBLE FOLLOWS SUIT WHILE ADDING A DAB OF WARM COLOR TO THE MIX.
v
TAP.
v SUPERNOVA TRESLE TABLE THIS SUPERNOVA
TRESTLE TABLE IS DESIGNED WITH MOVEMENT IN MIND AND CAN BE
CONFIGURED IN TWO DIFFERENT ORIENTATIONS
—
TO BE EITHER A COFFEE TABLE OR A
DINING TABLE (OR EVEN A DESK). JUST CHANGE THE ORIENTATION OF THE SUPPORTS FROM VERTICAL TO HORIZONTAL.
AVAILABLE
IN MULTIPLE COLOR BASES, YOU CAN MIX
AND MATCH FOR DIFFERENT STYLES AND ASSORTED GLASS TOPS.
34 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
v
FUNKY FLOOR LAMP CREATING
TRENDS
ETERNITY CHANDELIER
v
THE ETERNITY
CHANDELIER BY
EXTRAVAGANCE.
THIS
KOKET
IS THE EPITOME OF ILLUMINATED
CHIC LIGHT FIXTURE FEATURES DIFFERENT-SIZED
CRYSTALS, EACH ENCIRCLED IN POLISHED BRASS RINGS THAT LEND THE LOOK OF FINE JEWELRY, DRESSING UP ANY ROOM FROM OVERHEAD.
THE
ELEGANT CYLINDRICAL SILHOUETTE IS DRESSED UP WITH THIS DAZZLING DIAMOND LOOK ALL AROUND AND ALONG THE BOTTOM, BRINGING SPARKLE TO EVERY UPWARD GLANCE.
DANGLING
LOW ABOVE THE DIN-
ING TABLE, SUSPENDED IN THE LIVING AREA, OR WELCOMING YOU HOME
2011, A GROUP OF AUSTRIAN VISUAL DESIGNERS AND ANIMATORS BRIEFLY FOOLED THE INTERNET WITH A WELL-FAKED VIRAL VIDEO OF A 58” TABLE MADE TO RECREATE THE SCREEN OF AN IOS DEVICE ON A MUCH LARGER SCALE, GAINING INTEREST FROM NATIONAL MEDIA AND LARGE CORPORATIONS BEFORE REVEALING THAT THE TABLE THEY “DESIGNED” WAS SIMPLY A REGULAR CONFERENCE TABLE AND SOME VIDEO EDITING TRICKERY. HOWEVER, THE INTEREST IN THE TABLE WAS SO SIGNIFICANT THAT SOME OF THE VIDEO’S CREATORS HAVE SPENT THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF DESIGNING THE REAL THING: AN ULTRAMODERN TABLETOP WITH A MULTITOUCH DISPLAY THAT DERIVES ITS OPERATIONS DIRECTLY FROM YOUR IPHONE, IPAD, OR ANDROID DEVICE. THE GROUP HAS PRODUCED A WORKING PROTOTYPE OF THEIR 60” OFFERING AS WELL AS A 32” PROOF-OFCONCEPT. BOTH DESIGNS HAVE AN INNOVATIVE TABLE LEG STRUCTURE WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO BE USED IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION AS WELL AS THE TYPICAL SITTING STANCE. THE PRODUCT IS INTENDED FOR CORPORATE OFFICES AND RETAIL CENTERS, AS WELL AS A CENTERPIECE IN THE LIVING ROOMS OF THE HOMES.
v
TABLECONNECT 60-INCH MULTITOUCH DESIGN TABLE IN
LATE
IN THE ENTRY FOYER, THIS CHANDELIER IS A CERTAIN STATEMENT PIECE THAT SCREAMS LUXURY.
MEASURING 31.5
INCHES ACROSS AND
11.8
INCHES HIGH, IT IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN A STAINLESS STEEL FINISH.
TIRE
v
TABLE DEFINES BODY SHOP CHIC
HOW’S THIS FOR “BODY SHOP CHIC?” THIS COOL TIRE TABLE FROM TAVOMATICO FEATURES TWO CIRCULAR DISCS OF PLEXIGLASS — ONE ON THE TOP AND ONE ON THE BOTTOM, TURNING A TIRE INTO A TABLETOP WITH STORAGE SPACE INSIDE. FOUR SMALL WHEELS MOUNTED TO THE BOTTOM LET YOU ROLL THIS UNUSUAL TABLE TO YOUR DESIRED LOCATION — IN THE LIVING ROOM OR DEN, HOME OFFICE, STUDIO, OR TO THE MAN CAVE. THE THICK, CHUNKY TIRE TREAD BRINGS A BIT OF BUILT-IN TEXTURE TO THE DESIGN, BUT IT’S ALL BEEN FINISHED TO MAKE IT SMOOTH, ODORLESS AND RESISTANT TO WEAR AND TEAR. AN OPTIONAL LED LIGHT TAKES THIS MODERN TABLE TO THE NEXT LEVEL. THE TIRE TABLE IS AVAILABLE IN A RANGE OF SIZES AND COLOR OPTIONS.
LED ILLUMINATED SINK BREATH THE BREATH IS MORE THAN JUST A STOREBOUGHT ADD-ON TO YOUR BATHROOM WALL, AND INCLUDES ADAPTABILITY AS A DESIGN FEATURE. FORMED FROM CORIAN, AND USING PLASTERWORK, THE BREATH BECOMES A SEEMINGLY INTEGRAL PART OF THE SPACE, AND IS EXPECTED TO BE FINISHED IN THE SAME COLOR AS THE WALL AROUND IT. BECAUSE OF THIS TYPE OF INSTALLATION, THE SINK CAN BE RE-FORMED WITH NEW PLASTERWORK AND DIFFERENT FINISHES CAN EVEN BE ADDED IF THE HOMEOWNER SO DESIRES, KEEPING IT CURRENT WITHOUT HAVING TO INVEST IN NEW STRUCTURE.
THE BASE ITSELF LED LIGHTING TO ILLIMUNATE WATER AND TO ENLARGE THE FOOTPRINT OF THE SINK ABOVE THE CONFINES OF THE BASIN. THIS LIGHTING WORKS TO EFFORTLESSLY ACCENT THE ALREADY-MODERN FORM OF THE SINK, AND TO CREATE A CALMING AMBIANCE IN THE ROOM. INCLUDES SIMPLE, MODERN
FALL 2013
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v
36 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
THE ALLURE OF THE
LOFT B Y D O N C O S TA N Z O
W
hat a difference a wall makes. Some say lofts are apartments that builders did not bother to finish, but lofts have a distinct appeal to certain buyers and renters. Apartment living appeals to those who seek separation and privacy in defined rooms. Real estate agents might label tiny studio apartments as lofts instead, putting a positive spin on the lack of defined bedrooms or living spaces in the hopes of attracting buyers and renters.
Lofts originally were cheap places for impoverished artists to live and work. The decaying and abandoned infrastructure of industrial New York provided basic shelter for artists after World War II. According to the book “Loft Living: Culture and Capital in Urban Change,� painter Robert Rauschenberg moved into the large attic space of an industrial building that featured 20-foot
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38 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
42 Myrtle Street Sommerville $549,000 Anthony Marino Gibson Sotheby's International Realty Weston
T
his striking, stylish industrial loft has commanding rooftop views of Boston! With custom decor and features throughout, it is one of the flagship units in the complex. Stained concrete flooring, granite counter tops, and stainless steel appliances make this open concept kitchen fabulous. Two full story great room make up the dining area, living room and second bedroom space. Walk up Master bedroom loft has exposed whirlpool area, private full bath and another staircase to the unparalleled outdoor living area roof deck. An inspirational home for the creative minded, and for those who embrace the unique. Walk to Union Square’s finest bistros, bars, and cafes. Drive into Boston within five minutes. Take the T into town with ease.
ceilings but no heat or running water. Despite the shortcomings, the area attracted fellow artists, mainly because the rents were cheap. As more artists moved in, word got out about the lively atmosphere, and wealthy, adventurous New Yorkers checked out the scene. By the beginning of the 1960s, many lofts were finished living spaces rather than substandard art hovels. Apartment living in the United States can be traced to the Industrial Revolution. Jobs increased populations in cities, luring single men and women from rural farms. Inexpensive rental apartments filled a need. Apartment houses in New York, for example, teemed with workers and immigrant families at the turn of the 20th century.
People who enjoy city life choose apartment living in order to be close to cultural attractions or work. Many apartment-dwellers rent, but some people own apartments or apartment buildings. Lofts usually function as both work and living space, although FALL 2013
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40 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
172 Green Street Jamaica Plain $699,000 Denise Smigielski McCormack & Scanlan Real Estate Jamaica Plain
A
piece of JP history. This true loft in the Patrick Meehan Carriage Factory features beamed ceilings, exposed brick and gleaming maple floors. Updated kitchen with high-end DCS stove, stainless steel appliances, cherry cabinets, granite countertop and breakfast bar. Gas fireplace, wet-bar hook-up and in-unit laundry. Central A/C, private storage, deeded parking, outdoor patio and elevator enhance this sought-after city living experience. Steps to T station, shops, park.
zoning prohibits some artists’ lofts for residential use. Traditionally, lofts reuse and adapt otherwise derelict and abandoned spaces, often in blighted urban areas. Sculptors and painters who seek large welllit spaces get priced out of affordable lofts when gentrification follows them.
Most lofts you see today try to stay true to their building’s industrial heritage. You’ll often find brick or stone walls, raw wooden support beams, unconcealed ductwork, original wooden floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, which provided adequate light to seamstresses and machine operators in previous years, brighten the living space, high ceilings, and an open floor plan with a great room consisting of the kitchen, living room, and dining room all sharing one space. This allows occupants to decorate and furnish to their hearts’ content while staying true to the building’s history. FALL 2013
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42 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
One Aberdeen Way Cambridge $365,000 Carol Kelly Myra Von Turkovich Hammond Real Estate Cambridge
C
ontemporary loft style condominium located in a 55 unit building in West Cambridge. Complete renovation of all units was completed in 2005/2006 by a well-known local developer. Located on the top floor, this one bed, one bath duplex has 16 foot ceilings and oversized windows facing East. A skylight on the top floor illuminates the bedroom during the day. Other amenities include dark stained bamboo and wide pinewood flooring, open entertaining space and deeded parking for one car. The unit has its own heat and hot water systems. Non-smoking building.
Apartments work well for families who need privacy and defined spaces. Apartment living means less maintenance than single-family home ownership. Lofts benefit people who crave open space, or who need one place in which to live and work. Flexibility in arranging the living space is a key benefit of a wide-open loft.
Lofts are not necessarily what they used to be. Developers label newly built suburban living spaces as lofts, though they have more in common with traditional apartments than lofts. Loft living is different than open-concept design, but happy dwellers do not seem to mind. People who decide to move back to the city from the suburbs, lured by loft living, might find marginal neighborhoods outside their comfort zones. GBP
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LIVING WITH LESS AN ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVE FROM ONE WHO LEFT THE LOFT BEHIND BY JOSHUA FIELDS MILLBURN
P
eople are often intrigued by my living space, or rather by the idea of my living space, wondering what it looks like, how a minimalist really lives, often posing all sorts of voyeuristic questions. But that’s OK, I understand the curiousity. When I first approached minimalism, lingering trepidatiously at its pristine white perimeter, I too wanted to see the material changes in people’s lives; I wanted to peek into their worlds to see if minimalism was possible and to see if it was something that I desired. Even then I knew minimalism wasn’t ideal for everyone. After all, I didn’t want to be a monk, I didn’t want to live out of a bag and travel the world, and I certainly didn’t want to get rid of all my stuff and sulk in an empty apartment. Could I be happy as a minimalist?
44 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
About a year ago I counted my things as a parody, showcasing the fact that I didn’t have the desire (or perhaps the emotional wherewithal) to be as radical or as extreme as some minimalists. My beautiful loft apartment in downtown Dayton, Ohio, was a capacious living space with hardwood floors and high ceilings, wide open and airy from brick wall to brick wall. It was not unlike something you’d see in a magazine (actually, come to think of it, it was featured in two magazines). When I left my corporate job, however, I decided to downsize; I decided to reduce my expenses so I could afford to live my dream. So I moved into a small, one-bedroom apartment, not too far from the picturesque old loft. At first, I wondered if I could be as happy with my new apartment. Although the new place was clean, and it had wood floors and brick walls, it didn’t have the same sexy appeal that the loft had. Even the word “loft” sounds sexy, doesn’t it? Could I be content with this change? I wasn’t sure. Fast-forward a year and, truth be told, I enjoy my new, smaller apartment more than my old loft, a feat I thought impossible a year ago. Recently, a Norwegian magazine commissioned my friend, photographer Adam Dressler, to take a few photographs of my apartment. On the following pages are some of the photos from that shoot. Feel free to have a look around. FALL 2013
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THE MAJORITY OF THE APARTMENT
—
DINING/LIVING AREA, KITCHEN, READING NOOK
—
ARE ALL CONTAINED IN ONE BRIGHT, OPEN SPACE.
MY
46 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
DINING TABLE COMFORTABLY SEATS SIX.
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48 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
A
SMALL HALLWAY LEADS YOU TO THE
BEDROOM, IN WHICH YOU’LL FIND A BED AND A NEARBY WRITING SPACE, WHICH ALLOWS ME TO ROLL OUT OF BED AT
3:30 A.M. THE
AND WRITE.
NIGHTSTAND NEXT TO THE BED BEARS
A DUET OF CANDLES AND A PHONE CHARGER THAT DOUBLES AS AN ALARM CLOCK
—
MY ONLY CLOCK, IN FACT.
50 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
BETWEEN THE DINING AREA AND THE KITCHEN, SITS A DIVIDING WALL/BAR THAT SERVES AS A CASUAL EATING SURFACE:
AT THE TOP OF THE STEPS, YOU’LL SEE A SMALL TABLE TOPPED WITH A BOWL CONTAINING A FEW OF THE PERSONAL
I TAKE ALONG ON MY DAILY WALKS (HEADPHONES, NOTEBOOK AND PEN, ETC.). THERE’S ALSO AN UNPLUGGED TELEPHONE OCCUPYING THE BOTTOM SHELF, A PHONE EFFECTS
THAT REPRESENTS MY PERSONAL UNPLUGGING FROM THE TELECOM INDUSTRY
(WHERE I
MY
A
SPENT
12
YEARS).
WORK SPACE.
LEATHER COAT HANGS ON THE WALL,
A PIECE OF CLOTHING THAT’S TRANSFORMED INTO A PIECE OF ARTWORK WHEN
I’M
NOT WEARING IT.
FALL 2013
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FALL LANDSCAPING
OUTDOORS
52 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
If rainfall pools on the grass, it’s time to aerate compressed soil so water and nutrients can reach the roots. A garden fork can do the job on a small yard, but for larger lawns use a walk-behind aerator that pulls out 2.5- to 3-inch-deep soil plugs, which will break down naturally by spring.
Cutting back on fertilizer in late summer prevents perennials from wasting energy on leaf production. Grass roots keep growing until the ground gets down to around 40 degrees, so this is a good time to feed them. Apply a highphosphorus (12-25-12) mix to lawns in fall to encourage roots, so turf greens up earlier in spring.
Trim turf down to 1.5 inches for the last cut of the season. Disease has a harder time with shorter grass and fallen leaves blow across the lawn because they have nothing to latch on to. Don't go too low, though: Grass makes most of its food in the upper blade.
To make fallen leaves easier to transport, rake them onto a plastic tarp. Add them (along with leaves cleared from the gutters) to a compost bin — a simple chicken-wire pen will do. Flip the leaf pile every week with a garden fork to aerate; the “black gold” that results next year can nourish lawns, flower beds and shrub borders.
OUTDOORS
In many parts of the country, planting shrubs in early fall gives the plants a head start at establishing roots in the season’s cool, moist soil. The basics: Dig a hole (twice the diameter and to a depth of 2 inches less than the full height of the root ball); position the shrub in the hole (make sure the top of the root ball remains at, not below, ground level); fill in with soil; water to settle soil; add more soil to top of root ball (don't pack soil down with foot); mulch.
A little work now results in healthier spring beds: Evict tired annuals, as well as the snails and slugs that feed on them, which breed in fall. Trim spent perennial foliage down to the ground; this sends energy to the roots, for next season. Every three years, divide crowded tuberous plants, like irises and daylilies: More space means more flowers.
Give new beds a layer of mulch — chopped leaves, weedfree straw, or wood chips — after a light frost, but before the ground freezes. Till decomposed layers of organic mulch into the soil, then apply a fresh 2- to 4-inch layer (more will smother roots) to keep new plantings warm and to control water runoff and soil erosion.
Standing water can freeze and crack drip-irrigation tubing. For simple systems, shut the water off, unscrew the tap-joint adapter, and, using a high-volume, low-pressure setting on the compressor, insert an air hose where the system normally attaches to the tap. Blowing the water out avoids having to uproot the entire system.
CHECKLIST
Lifeless branches can succumb to winter snow and winds, endangering you and your home. For big jobs, call in the pros. But you can protect small ornamental trees from further damage by cutting cracked, loose, and diseased limbs close to (but not flush with) the trunk; leave the wounds exposed to heal.
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PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY Cecilia Hensel
Rhonda A. Pieroni
REALTOR®, MBA
REALTOR®/Certified Relocation Specialist
Prudential Town & Country Real Estate
Weichert, Realtors® Synergy
Wellesley and Natick Cell: 617-962-5489 • Fax: 508-655-2156 cecilia@prudentialtnc.com • www.ceciliahensel.com
2 Summit Avenue, Brookline, MA 02446 (617) 762-3573 Cell rhonda@synergy-metrowest.com http://rhonda.synergy-metrowest.com Serving Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Brookline & Charlestown Agent for Sellers/Buyers/Builders
Tim Garvey
David Noyes
Broker Associate
Real Estate Consultant • REALTOR®/Broker
Century 21 Commonwealth
Prudential Town & Country Real Estate
39 Church Street, Winchester, MA 01890 781-369-7145 • Cell: 617-930-3951 tim,garvey@commonmoves.com www.timgarvey.com
"#1 Century 21 Company in New England"
Wellesley and South Natick Cell: 617-645-8555 • Fax: 617-249-0105 617.308-6649 david@prudentialtnc.com • www.davidntherealtor.com Top-rated service and great results for sellers, buyers, and investors.
Jennifer Linehan REALTOR®/Local Real Estate Expert
Coldwell Banker 25 Waltham St. Lexington, MA 02421 (781) 862-2600 • Cell: (978) 857-1607 jennifer.linehan@nemoves.com www.jenniferlinehan.com
Greater Boston Property magazine’s Profesional Directory is the affordable, effective way to expand your reach and recognizion in 54 cities and towns throughout Greater Boston. To reserve your space: email: scott@gbpmagazine.com or call 508-221-3268. GBP will compose your Directory ad at no additional cost. Space is limited.
GREATERBOSTON PROPERTY MAGAZINE A Publication of the Greater Boston Association of REALTORS®
56 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
PROPERTY PORTFOLIO
NATICK Quality details abound in this newly constructed contemporary colonial in one of Natick's most popular neighborhoods. High ceilings, flexible, open floor plan, expansive cherry/granite/stainless kitchen, spacious master suite with bonus room; private, level backyard.Walk to elementary and middle schools. Close to all major transportation routes and shopping.
LYNNFIELD Three quarter acre hidden private setting offers custom designed 4,905 square feet, 4-bedroom home ideal for entertaining with state-of-art kitchens — inside and out. Terraced gardens surround hot tubs, pool and multi sports court. Enjoy custom details, including media room and bar/game room. $1,299,000
David Noyes, Prudential Town and Country Real Estate Cell: (617) 645-8555,
Paula Battinelli m. 781.953.9388 • Mary Jane Errico m. 781.405.0526 Waterfield Sotheby’s International Realty
(617) 308-6649
Dover Voted
#1 Best Schools by Boston Magazine, September 2013.
Architecturally classic, blending a traditional and open floor plan, this stunning 5 bedroom home has been expertly renovated and meticulously cared for.The heart of the home, a richly appointed kitchen & open family room with floor to ceiling fieldstone fireplace & walls of glass. Luxurious master suite w/ gas fireplace, custom window seats & radiant heated marble floors. A virtual apartment, the walk-out finished basement with a fireplace, 4th bath & kitchenette are just some of the outstanding features in this beautiful home. Nestled on 2+ lush acres in a cul de sac with excellent commuter access. Offered at $1,459.000. Photos, Floor Plan at www.10SchaffnerLane.com
Mary G Cusano, Realtor, CRS, ABR, Certified Stager Century 21 Commonwealth | 266 Main Street, Medfield, MA 02052 mary.cusano@commonmoves.com | 508.561.5411 cell | 781.657.9004 e-fax Learn how we can help you at www.Facebook.com/CusanoTeam "Let's Get a Move On" FALL 2013
57
WINNER
NEW
COLORFUL
POWERFUL STRAIGHTFORWARD SHARP
LEGENDARY A LEADER
ALL OF THE ABOVE
Adver tising oppor tunities abound in the new, colorful, straightforward, sharp, powerful and smar t Greater Boston Property Magazine
GBP GREATER BOSTON’S MAGAZINE FOR REAL ESTATE & THE HOME
THE ALLURE OF
THE LOFT
For a complete Media Kit contact: Scott Anderson scott@gbpmagazine.com
•
www.gbpmagazine.com
THE GBP INTERVIEW:
CHRIS SMITH Fall 2013
Property Makeover 8 Hot Products and our
GBP Magazine is published 6X a year and is distributed to 54 cities and towns throughout Greater Boston
Fall Landscaping Checklist
Be part of this legendary winner, today. 48 GBPMAGAZINE.COM
INDULGENCE
$1 MILLION I DIAMOND STUDDED TILES
f you’re remodeling your home and want your floor to have all the elegance of a royal palace, it would be hard to think of a tile more suitable than Pietra Firma’s LuxTouch, the most expensive tile in the world. Pietra Firma takes floor tiling to new heights with this black marble creation. Each tile is inlaid with 95 brilliant cut diamonds in a flower petal pattern surrounding a rich, black agate circle. Each corner is inlaid with abalone shell and mother of pearl, creating a stunning overall effect. Pietra Firma recommends walking barefoot on these luxurious tiles, as the diamonds are slightly raised for maximum tactile enjoyment. The LuxTouch tiles are a limited creation and will only be used in five projects in the world. If diamonds aren’t your thing, Pietra Firma offers a variety of other precious stones to cater to your tastes — as they should, considering the price of the tiles. Every ten square feet of LuxTouch tiles costs $1 million.
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