Renovations that make sense

It is so tough as a homeowner to know which renovations will have a high return on investment. This weekend, Frank Celeste was quoted in Boston Magazine regarding how he counsels clients on their decision making. After decades of experience in Charlestown, the South End and Back Bay, Frank has seen lots of renovations and how they’ve affected the home’s sale price.

To read the article go to Boston.com, or go here for Charlestown homes for sale or Back Bay homes for sale.

Gibson Sotheby’s Joins the Effort to Help End Hunger

Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty is participating in a fundraiser for the Greater Boston Food Bank. The memorable event will be hosted by RHD&D at their newly completed luxury home and will feature the following local chefs: Michael Schlow of Radius, Evan Deluty of Stella, Andy Husbands of Tremont 647, and Tim Fonseca of Four Seasons Hotel Boston.

One Starry Night - A Celebration to Help End Hunger
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
6:30pm - 9:30pm
A private residence at 1014 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA
Tickets: $500 per person

To purchase tickets, go to the Greater Boston Food Bank website.

To refinance, or not to refinance

With the incredibly low interest rates of recent months, many homeowners are wondering when exactly is the best time to refinance. Is it now? Well, three economists weigh in on a CS Monitor story and have created a calculator that takes a lot of factors under consideration, including your income tax rate and number of years you plan to remain in the home.

For more information or to use the refi calculator, go to CSMonitor.com.

Newton school system opens new school

The town of Newton, Massachusetts just opened the most expensive school ever built in the state. The Newton North High School cost $197.5 million to build. The new facility only further enhances the town’s reputation as a great place to raise a family. Boston Magazine ranked Newton South and Newtown North as numbers 5 and 6 respectively in their 2009 assessment of the Best Public High Schools.

For more information on the new school in Newton, go to Boston.com.