Acton Makes CNN’s “Best Place to Live” List! By admin posted September 8th, 2011     Acton Makes CNN's Best Places to Live List   Acton just placed 16th on CNN’s poll of the Best Places in Live in the U.S. Some of the factors they cited as making Acton so desirable were the consistently top-rated schools, low crime, historic significance, proximity to major commuter routes and more. They said that even though Acton is easily accessible to Boston, it “feels very much like its own place.” Visitors enjoying interacting with Revolutionary War landmarks and artifacts, and residents take a lot of pride in their New England heritage. IBM and Cisco are some of the larger employers in Acton, which keep jobs steadily available and the economy and real estate market thriving. This is a prestigious... 09/11/2011

Acton MA was named in CNN Money Magazines list of Best Small Towns in America, ranking at number 16!  http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2011/top100/  Here's a picture of the real estate market in Acton MA in July of 2011. Home Sales - 23 Average List Price: $660,263 Average Sale Price: $641,648 or 97.2% of the final list price Average Days on Market of these sold homes:  79.6   This compares very favorably with the stats from a year ago:  July 2010 Home Sales - 8 Average List Price: $590,835 Average Sale Price: $578,425 or 97.9% of the final list price Average days on Market 42.63   As you recall, the home buyer incentive program had just ended in June of 2010, which didn't leave many buyers for the month of July.  It was a slow fall in real estate sales, but sales have pic... 08/31/2011

Discovery Museum Acton MA By agent posted July 20th, 2011   The Discovery Museum Acton, MA The Discovery Museum in Acton is a wonderful place to bring the kids and even learn a few things yourself. Situated on four acres, the Discovery Museum has one building for tiny tots and one for children and adults of all ages. In the Children’s Discovery Museum, your littlest children can explore three floors of hands-on, kid-sized activities. Step inside a bubble wall, conduct a train, or cross a wobbly bridge – the choice is theirs. At Science Discovery, children and adults learn about the science all around us. In the Light and Color Room, you’ll learn the scientific elements behind shadows. In the Inventor’s Workshop, you can try your hand at building a rocket, an airplane, a popcorn maker or... 08/31/2011

  By agent posted June 25th, 2011   Theater III Acton, MA Theater III is an exciting, community theater organization that was established in 1955. Since then, the group has been entertaining Acton residents with plays, musicals, reviews and educational programs. This year, Acton residents are looking forward to being frightened by Jekyll and Hyde in September, laughing along with Neil Simon’sBarefoot in the Park in January, and enjoying the sounds ofMusical Chairs in April. Theater III recently won the Moss Hart Award for its production of Falsettos and was nominated for various EMACT Distinguished Achievement and Special Honor Awards. When you buy a home in Acton, you’ll experience the joy of going to the theater a few times a year and sharing in this special tradition with your commun... 08/31/2011

ACTON REAL ESTATE - FOR THE MONTH OF JULY 2011 Here is what is happening in Real Estate Market of ACTON, MA for the month of JULY 2011. Please note that this statistics is for SINGLE FAMILY HOMES only. (SOURCE: MLSPIN)   JULY 2010 JULY 2011 Trends Number of Homes Sold 8 23 Median Sale Price $584,750 $580,000 Averge Sale Price $578,425 $641,648 Days on Market 43 80 Sale Price to List Price Ratio 98 97 Total Volume $4,627,400 $14,757,900   This table compares the real estate market in ACTON, MA for the month of JULY last year and this year. Almost triple the number of sales this year as compared to last year - though days on market have gone up a lot - and median/average price are up a lot, too! Great sign this month for ACTON, MA - for Real Estate Recovery! Feel free to reach me should ... 08/14/2011

NARA Park Acton By agent posted June 20th, 2011     NARA Park Acton   NARA (North Acton Recreation Area) Park is a wonderful asset to Acton homeowners. The park is open all year and provides residents with a wealth of outdoor recreation and beauty to enjoy. NARA Beach opens each year at Memorial Day and for a small fee residents and guests can use the beach and rent paddleboats or canoes. The amphitheater at NARA park is a hot spot for summer concerts that keep Acton residents involved in entertainment, their community and outdoor life. At NARA park, you’ll find plenty of space for hiking, fishing, swimming and enjoying the scenery. On the Fourth of July, you can find most of the town watching fireworks under the stars. And throughout the year, Acton residents enjoy using the park for ... 06/22/2011

South Acton Neighborhood Info By betsypurcell posted April 26th, 2011     Faulkner Homestead in South Acton   South Acton used to be the most industrialized area of Acton. In the 18th century many, many mills and other small industrial developments were in this area and using water power generated by the Fort Pond Brook. South Acton includes the Faulkner Homestead, which is the oldest home still standing in Acton. The Homestead was owned by the Faulkner family who also owned and operated a mill that was just across the street from the family home. The Jones Tavern is another antique building that is still standing, and dates back to the Revolutionary War era. It is open to the public several times a year. South Acton is also home to the MBTA commuter rail station. The area of South Act... 04/27/2011

West Acton or West Acton Village as it’s known to local residents is an important commercial  and residential area of town. Many local businesses operate from it’s cute streets and are housed in older style buildings. Residents frequently walk to the bank or to buy lunch. Seasonal things to do include the Farmers’ Market, which showcases produce from local farms in the area and even an Oktoberfest which is full of seasonal goodies from pumpkins to apple pies and lots of fun acitivities for children. The annual 5K run/walk takes place the morning of the Oktoberfest event, and is a fun event to participate in, or cheer on! Art buffs can explore local artistry at the gallery. Take out a book at the West Acton Library, get a massage at Moodz spa, even take in a play put on by the Theater I... 04/23/2011

Transportation Networks Around Acton MA By betsypurcell posted April 15th, 2011      Acton MA Local Area        When you are looking at Acton, MA homes and neighborhoods as a possible place to live, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that even though it’s a suburban outpost, it’s really easy to get where you need to go. Acton is locate just five miles from Interstate 495 which runs North to South through the state. Also, Interstate 95 or Route 128 are just ten miles from the center of Acton. For even more convenient commuting the major routes of 2, 2A, 27, 62, 111 and 119 run right through town. It’s a very quick and fairly easy commute into Boston and it’s surrounding suburbs. Don’t want to drive? No worries here either. Acton has it’s very own commuter rail stop at the South Ac... 04/19/2011

  Acton Boxborough Regional High School   Families looking to purchase Acton, MA real estate may want to know what the school district is like in Acton. The simple answer is excellent. The school system consists of five elementary schools, the Conant School, the Douglas School, the Gates School, the McCarthy-Towne School, and the Merriam School. There is also a Public Preschool that is available for three and four year olds. There is one junior high school for grades 7 and 8, the Raymond J. Grey Junior High School, and the Acton-Boxborough Regional High School for grades 9 through 12. Acton, MA homes buyers may be surprised to learn that Acton has a rather unique system for placing students in schools. Rather than sorted by neighborhoods, the district has an “Open Enrollment”, where st... 04/11/2011

Patrick Clark ss the Local Editor for Acton's Patch and does a great job of serving the community with instant-online-local news.  Things going on Today in Acton that may be of interest to you... Town Meeting:  1). The annual Town Meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Acton-Boxborough Regional High School Auditorium. Click here for a list of Warrant copies offered by the Acton town website.  Sports: 2). The R.J. Grey Junior High School Baseball Tryouts will be from 2:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.  3). Click here for the Acton-Boxborough Regional High School Volleyball Games that will take place from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.  Free Fitness:  4). The Acton-Boxborough Regional high School Fitness Center will offer free admission from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.  Finance Committee: 5). The Finance Committee Meeting w... 04/04/2011

By betsypurcell posted April 4th, 2011       North Acton Recreation Area   Those looking into purchasing Acton, MA homes may be surprised to learn that Acton has a large amount of green space in town. In fact, there are over 1,650 acres of town owned conservation lands. Here’s a look at just some of the great spots Acton has for nature lovers. Great Hill. A 185 acre property that is located in South Acton behind the School Street fire station. There are picnic tables, two sets of playing fields and even a skating pond for wintertime fun. Wills Hole Conservation Area and Town Forest. 73 acres of of property located in North Acton off Quarry Road. It is adjacent to the North Acton Recreation area and natural features include a bog and an inactive quarry (which is private property.) Acton... 04/04/2011

      Acton, MA real estate buyers are in for a real treat when it comes to cultural attractions. Acton, MA has a rich, diverse history and has a wide variety of attractions for everyone of all ages to enjoy.   Acton Memorial Library   The town owns and operates two libraries, the Acton Memorial Library and the West Acton Citizens Library (or the Secret Library as it’s known.) The Acton Historical Society also owns the Jenks Library which contains historical maps, documents, photographs and drawings. Acton also has a variety of museums which include the Children’s Discovery Museum and the Science Discovery Museum, the Iron Work Farm, that operates two historical houses, the Jones Tavern and Faulkner House and the Hosmer House which is a Revolutionary War era house that is open a few tim... 03/30/2011

An Acton MA home buyer should receive a brochure, Home Inspectors Facts for Consumers Sheet, at the time of the signing of the first written contract to purchase.A standard home inspection in Massachusetts is a visual examination of the physical structure and major interior systems of a residential building consisting of one to four dwelling units. It should be understood that there are certain risks inherent in the purchase of property and a home inspection is inherently limited in its scope and depth. The information gained from home inspection conforming to the Massachusetts Home Inspector Standards of Practice may reduce some of those risks, but the home inspection is not intended to provide the client with protection from all of the risks involved. Visit the Acton MA Home Inspector... 03/09/2011

Selling Your House? 5 Reasons To Do It NOW! by The KCM Crew on February 15, 2011 · 5 comments in For Sellers,Pricing 1063Share The conventional wisdom when selling a home has always been to wait until the ‘Spring Buying Season’. Over the years, that has seemed to make sense and is now accepted as a good strategy for those who want to sell their house and receive the best possible price. This real estate market has shattered many previously held beliefs. The wisdom of waiting for a spring market is another belief that is about to fall. Here are five reasons why? 1.) Interest Rates Are On the Rise Interest rates have spiked up rather dramatically over the last ninety days and are now over 5%. Initially, an increase in rates has a positive effect on the market as it forces buyers off the ... 02/15/2011

For the 3nd time in as many weeks, I have had to deal with disappointed buyers.  In each case we have looked at several properties, all of which have been on the market for between 60 and 180 days.  My clients have finally found a property that works for them, and when I contact the listing agent to talk about an offer I'm about to put in, I find out that they already have an accepted offer, or in one case 3 offers came in over 2 days after 120 days of sitting...  This isn't an issue of an agent not flagging a property in the MLS; we are suddenly getting many offers for properties in Acton MA!  It's a good problem for many reasons, but the buyers seem incredulous, (I must admit, so am i!) and have trouble believing it! This isn't to say that prices will be increasing, in fact, prices ha... 01/29/2011

Congratulations! You've finally made the decision. After many months of looking online, comparing towns, comparing homes, comparing school systems, tax rates, commuter access, you have decided that Acton, MA is the town for you.  Now what?  Attending open houses is a great step to start to get the feel of the community.  Begin to understand the nuances of various neighborhoods, and areas within Acton.  Do you want to be near the train?  Do you want to avoid a busy road? There are so many things to think about.  OK.  So now you've been to 8 or 10 open houses.  Have you contacted a mortgage person to get pre-approved for a loan?  If you don't already have one, then it's time to find a Realtor to work on your behalf, to help you through the process of buying a home. A competent local Real... 01/12/2011

I've been wanting to buy a house in Acton for a long time.  I'm tired of waiting... Prices have come down, interest rates have come down.  But what if I buy a house and the prices continue to go down? And more likely, what happens if interest rates go up?   For every 1% increase in the interest rate you pay, your buying power decreases by 10%!!  In real numbers, if interest rates increase from 4.5% to 5.5%, instead of that $525,000 house you want and can afford to buy, (but are waiting and hoping to get for $495,000) you'll now be able to purchase a home for $472,500. Average sold home prices in Acton, MA have decreased from a high in 2005 of $633,000 to $571,000 in 2010.  That's a 10% decrease over the past 5-6 years.  Now I know that's an average, and there are all sorts of factors th... 01/08/2011

  Acton Massachusetts Homes and Condos Sold Q2 2010     Acton Massachusetts Single Family Home Sales   The Acton, MA 2nd quarter real estate market report indicates that there were 71 homes sold in Q2 2010 as compared to 48 in 2009. This represents a 48% increase in the number of homes sold. The average sales price changed from $502368 in 2009 to $560355 in 2010, a 12% increase in value. The days on market changed -33 % from 104  to 70.  Visit the Acton MA 2009 real estate market report for comparisons in market conditions. Visit Acton MA real estate for information about the community, relocation, demographics, MLS search, home buying and selling guides. Go to Acton MA homes for sale to view current listings of homes, condos, multi-family and land listings.   Acton Massachusetts Condom... 01/08/2011

Every year it's interesting to take a look back to see how far we've come, and try to figure out where we are going next.. In real estate, looking ahead isn't always clear, but you can see some trends and get a sense of where we are.   In Acton, MA, the real estate market has been fairly steady.  In fact, some of the comparisons to 2009 are quite favorable, which I wasn't counting on.   In 2010, there were 185 sales of single family homes.  The average listing price for these homes was $588,092, and the average sale price $572,389.  The average "days on market" was 75.4 days. In 2009, there were 189 single family homes sold.  The average listing price was $568,733, and average sale price $549,133, with average time on the market at 106.7 days. Nearly identical number of homes sold, with... 12/30/2010