First Quarter of 2012 Solds for Mansfield

Posted on May 7, 2012 by cherylcahill

First quarter solds of 2012 versus first quarter solds of 2011 for Mansfield

Homes Sold

The market reports are in for the first four months of 2012 and things in Mansfield are looking brighter.  Home sale data  from the months of Jan-April 2011 to Jan-April 2012 are listed below:

First Quarter 2012

  • Number of Solds-    34
  • Average List Price- $371,209
  • Average Sold Price- $360,591
  • Average DOM-         140
  • Highest Sale Price-  $705,000 
  • Lowest Sale Price-  $127,000
  • Average Price per SqFt- $185.

 First Quarter 2011

  • Number of Solds-    27
  • Average List Price- $345,974
  • Average Sold Price- $322,914
  • Average DOM-        131
  • Highest Sale Price-  $635,000
  • Lowest Sale Price-   $175,000
  • Average Price per SqFt- $176.

Please notice the increase in not only the highest sold, at being a $70,000 increase, but an increase in both the average list as well as the average sold for 2012. 

When writing this article on May 7, 2012 there were 24 single family homes under agreement and there were 69 active homes.  It will be interesting to see how we do in the second quarter.  Stay tuned.

Would you like to sell your home? or find out what your home is worth?

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Annual Car Wash Fundraiser for St. Mary’s Catholic School

Posted on April 25, 2012 by cherylcahill

car wash

FYI… Car wash Saturday April 28th 9-1:00pm at St.Mary’s Catholic School in Mansfield, MA.  While waiting to get your car washed and hand cloth buffed, buy a raffle ticket or two for the chance to win a Boston Sports autograph photo.   Washes are only $5.00 and all proceeds will be going towards the 2012, 8th grade, graduating class school events.

Hope to see you there.  I will be the one wearing the polka dotted rain boots, bright yellow rain coat and handling the hose!

Cheryl

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Calling all Beauty and the Beast Lovers

Posted on April 24, 2012 by cherylcahill

Beauty and the Beast Jr

A stage production of Beauty and the Beast, Jr. will be performed this weekend, April 27-29th at the Orpheum Theatre in Foxboro, MA by the St. Mary’s Catholic School  in Mansfield, MA.  Show times are Friday and Saturday at 7:30p and on Sunday a 2:00p matinee.  Tickets are available for $10.00 for adults and $8.00 for students.  Tickets will also be sold at the door for $10.00.

This stage production is the result of many hardworking individuals namely Kathleen Bousquet, Lynn DiCorpo at stage production and musical production is lead by Eileen Cusack.

This is one of Disney’s all time best selling movie, so take the family out for dinner and then catch a show-you will not be disappointed!  And all proceeds will go toward the theatrical program.

If interested in purchasing tickets, please contact Cheryl Cahill, 508-369-3809 or at ccahillrealtor@hotmail.com  Hope to see you there.

 

 

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A New Way to Grow Your Vegetables and Herbs

Posted on April 23, 2012 by cherylcahill
Vegetable and Herb Garden

Vegetable and Herb Garden

Tight on Space, but looking to plant Vegetables and Herbs?

If you’re looking to grow your own fruit and vegetables in your yard this year, but are limited on space, well, how about adding some herbs and a few of your favorite veggies to your flowerbeds.   The important thing to remember is that everything should flow, meaning  place the larger vegetables next to your larger plants and the smaller herbs and vegetables in the front and on the sides of your flowerbeds.

To prepare your beds you should clear any leftover fall debris as well as weeds, then add your compost mixing it into your soil.  Now, you are ready to plant your selection of herbs and vegetables.  Make sure your new plants are watered at least once a day until the roots become established.

Now, if you live in the city and if there is no outdoor space, you still can have your vegetable and herb garden just put everything in containers.  Container pots add such beauty to your window or balcony area.  Again, just make sure you water and the plants get the proper amount of sunlight.  And check with your local gardening supply store to make sure your selections are able to grow in containers.

Go ahead and prepare your flowerbed garden or container, sustainable living is now the new way to go.

A few of the herbs and vegetables that you can plant in your flowerbeds and or containers are:

  • Basil-both flowerbeds and containers
  • Oregano-both flowerbeds and containers
  • Chives-flowering; both flowerbeds and containers
  • Lavender-both flowerbeds and containers
  • Tomatoes-both flowerbeds and containers
  • Cukes-flowerbeds
  • Squash-take up a lot of space; flowering; flowerbeds

Regards,

Cheryl Cahill, Cross Real Estate, 508-369-3809. Contact me if you would like a landscaper to give you some helpful hints at improving your flowerbed garden or container garden.

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A Light at the End of a Tunnel

Posted on April 5, 2012 by cherylcahill

A turnaround in the real estate market?  According to the Massachusetts Association of Realtors (MAR) in February 2012 the homes sales were up compared to February 2011.  Since MAR started tracking monthly sales, this has been one of the largest monthly increase.  Why? Well, qualified buyers were and continue to take advantage of the market conditions as well as the low mortgage rates.

The overall median selling price for a single family home was $255,000, a 3.8% decrease compared to the average selling price of $265,000 in February 2011.

The number of condos sold was up 21% compared to that of 2011, but the average selling price was slightly down, 2.8% compared to 2011.

“As we reported earlier this month, the 40% increase in pending sales in February indicates that we”ll most likely see this trend of increased sales continue through the spring,” said MAR President Trisha McCarthy

How about the average days on the market as well as inventory for both single family homes and condominiums?  As of February 2012, the single family home inventory had decreased 5.3%.  According to McCarthy, this is the sixth straight month of inventory decrease.   Just as with the single family home inventory, the condo inventory is also down, 16.3% compared to 2011.  The average days on the market for the singly family homes=130 days.  Which was comprable to 2011.  The condominium days on the market=124 days, slightly down from 130 days in 2011.

With the positive news about the job market as well as the economy rebounding, lets continue to hope the the real estate market will continue to make leaps and bounds as we come into the Spring and Summer months.

For more information, contact Cheryl , 508-369-3809, Cross Real Estate.  Licensed in MA and RI

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Finally Full Day Kindergarten Approved for Mansfield,MA

Posted on March 22, 2012 by cherylcahill

A Full Day Kindergarten for Mansfield.

The school committee, with a vote of 4-1,  has finally approved a full day Kindergarten for the fall of 2012.  Parents registered for fall Kindergarten will have the option of taking part in the lottery system-competing for the limited spots that are available.  Right now, there will be 4 classrooms available at the Robinson School, but there is hope that 2 more will be added, 6 in total.

The program will be tuition-based and cost $3,100 with classroom size up to 24 students.  Concerns about the cost have parents worrying, but they were told that financial assistance will be available to those that could not afford the tuition.  Tuition will be used to cover teacher’s salaries.

Will a full day Kindergarten be madated by the state? Eventually, so the feeling is why not get a jump start on it early.  Just recently Mansfield was awarded a $67,000 grant from the state to start a full day Kindergarten. This money will be used to purchase educational items as well as classroom furntiure.  The state has been encouraging area districts to voluntarily add a full day program.  To date, Mansfield is one of 30 districts that do not offer a full day public Kindergarten-only a half day.  St.Mary’s Catholic School in Mansfield offers a full day Kindergarten.

If you have any questions, or feel like you want to comment on this blog, please do so by contacting Cheryl Cahill.

 

 

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Has Spring Sprung Early?

Posted on March 18, 2012 by cherylcahill
Has Spring Sprung?

Has Spring Sprung?

 

The skies are a royal blue, and the  buds are coming to life; still hard to believe that we are only in our third week of March.  Definitely a feeling of Spring.  And with Spring, comes the Great Mansfield Clean Up.  On April 28th from 9:00-11:00am, come and join the Mansfield community in an effort to beautify our town.  Volunteers are needed to clean the streets of litter and debris.

A post clean-up celebration from 12-2:p at the Comcast Center.  So, hope to see you on April 28th.  For more information go to www.keepmansfieldbeautiful.com/cleanup or at the Parks and Recreation Dept., Town Hall, Six Park Row.

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Fun Things to do this Weekend in Mansfield,MA

Posted on March 9, 2012 by cherylcahill

Free Skate at Mansfield Crossing

If you are looking for  something fun and different to do this weekend, then you need to check out the Free Skate at Mansfield Crossing.   Open only for 3 weekends- Fridays March 2/9/16 from 3-8p; Sat March 3/10/17 from 12-8p; and Sun 4/11/18 from 12-6p.  Experience an indoor winter wonderful complete with FREE ice-skating, skate rentals, special activities, and exclusive area merchant offers!

Located in what was once the Borders Bookstore,  next to LL Bean at 280 School Street Mansfield, MA.

Come on down, I mean really where can you go and enjoy a little quality time with your family for free, and when done you can splurge on an ice-cream cone for the kids at Coldstone Creek.

 

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Renting versus owning in Mansfield, MA

Posted on March 8, 2012 by cherylcahill

Renting vs Buying

The old rent versus own argument is coming up a lot lately in the media and news outlets. It really just depends on where you live that will dictate which is cheaper.

In Mansfield, MA it appears that it is less expensive to buy and own a home than it is to rent one

I looked around at several different rental sites including Craigslist and Rentals.com and 3-4 bedroom homes in the Mansfield area seem to be renting really quickly. An average time seems be 30 days or less.   As of today, March 8, 2012 there is only 1 3-4 bedroom rental available  for $1,650.   The rents being asked for the 3-4 bedroom homes were anywhere from $1,650 to $2,800 per month. That is a lot of money to throw away each and every month for rent. Once you pay that money out in rent you will never ever see it again. You worked your butt off for a month to earn that money and now it’s gone forever. You get no long term benefit other than a roof over  your head for 30 days. Sad and a bad financial decision.

People who buy homes now will look like geniuses in a few years.

For that same amount of money per month you can easily own a very nice home in Mansfield,MA. If you have a 20% down payment saved you can probably live in a much nicer home than the one you are renting for the same or less in as a monthly payment.

I know many people have had their credit dinged over the past few years and probably cannot qualify for a loan even if they wanted one right now. Some of you might be surprised to find out that yes you can now be approved for loans to get back into the housing market.

We all know that living in a home of your own is so much better and financially rewarding in the long run than renting. So why not get back into the game? Buy a home.

Some of the lending restrictions have been relaxed from the early days of the recession so many people are happily getting loans for homes when they would have been denied just 18 months ago.

Give me a call 508-369-3809 if you would like to explore your options for getting out of the rental home and back into home ownership.

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March Madness for St. Mary’s Catholic School

Posted on March 6, 2012 by cherylcahill

March Madness takes off at St. Mary’s Catholic School

As we all prepare ourselves for the NCAA March Madness countdown with the brackets being filled out and the work pools going around, there is one school who will be preparing for their own type of March Madness-St. Mary’s Catholic School in Mansfield, MA.  Both the boys and girls eighth grade basketball teams, with 14-0 and 12-2 respective records, have made it to the Catholic Athletic League Championship game that will be held on March 7, 2012 at 6:30p for the girls game and 7:45p for the boys game.  Both games will be held on the campus of Bishop Feehan High  School located in Attleboro, MA.

The girls team will be playing St. John’s the Evangelist of Attleboro, MA and the boys will be playing St. Mary’s Sacred Heart of  North Attleboro, MA.

The winners will go on to represent the Fall River Diocesans of MA at the New England Tournament being held in Burlington, Vermont during the weekend of March 30-April 1st.

Please come and cheer your teams on!

Cheryl Cahill, Cross Real Estate, 508-369-3809 or at ccahillrealtor@hotmail.com

 

 

 

 

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