Luxury at Boston's Ritz

This gorgeous home at The Ritz in Boston offers luxury amenities and amazing views. Watch this video to get a better sense of this stunning condominium home, listed by Kyle Kaagen Hancock.

Luxury living at The Ritz

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.

Boston Real Estate Firm Sees Upward Mobility

Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty is finding conventional successes in unconventional ways

BOSTON: Only a few weeks into the spring market, one Boston real estate firm is seeing tremendous success. Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty recorded 80 Under Agreements and over 100 sales transactions in January and February (source: MLS). The firm is ranked #5 in the state and has the #1 office in Boston’s Back Bay for 2010 sales-to-date. But their recent success is not just measured in sales figures. The firm has made some strategic moves over the last few years, making them the top-ranked Boston-based firm in the state. They expanded with office acquisitions in the Waterfront, Charlestown and Westwood areas. They also invested in the firm’s infrastructure, including additional marketing and relocation services for their clientele. “We saw the importance of offering the finest services to each client,” says Michael Hansen, President and Co-Owner. “We knew our clients would appreciate the special efforts we now provide.”

All the improvements have attracted highly successful sales associates. Once again, Gibson Sotheby’s recognized Beth Dickerson as their top agent in 2009, having sold the highest volume of sales. Dickerson’s average sale price was more than $3 million last year and she recorded the most expensive sale in Boston, a condominium on Beacon Street in the Back Bay that sold for $9.25 million. Co-Owner, Paul McGann, meets regularly with agents who are considering the firm. “Most often, agents who join us are already successful – but they are looking to go to the next level; to grow their business.” It is that growth potential that brought agents like Tammy DeWolfe to the company. After years in the business, she joined Gibson Sotheby’s Westwood office last month, citing the company’s support as a major motivating factor.

CEO and Co-Owner, Larry Rideout, continues to look for new ways to offer service to an expanding clientele. This month, the company launched a text-to-MLS service offered by Kwkly. This allows home buyers to text the address of any property for sale to get MLS information in seconds. They also have added an iPhone application and a GPS-based search function. “The percentage of Gen X and Gen Y home buyers is growing and they want immediate access to information,” says Rideout. “Our goal is to continue to find new ways to provide exceptional service.”

Spotlight on Boston real estate: Hancock Tower is sold

The New England Real Estate Journal has reported that the Hancock Tower was bought at auction by a partnership between Normandy Real Estate Partners and Five Mile Capital Partners, which have been buying some of the debt on the building since June. There was only one bid at the auction for the iconic building, originally designed by I. M. Pei.

Read the complete story on NEREJ.org.

For more information on the Boston real estate market, go to Gibson Sotheby's International Realty, Boston's real estate experts.

Boston Real Estate Update: Back Bay offers the quintessential Boston experience

A recent article on Boston.com talked about the pros and cons of Back Bay real estate. As Bostonians know, this is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the city. With boutique shops, historic landmarks and fabulous restaurants, you can’t go wrong! (unless you are looking for street parking on a sunny day!)

Read the full article on boston.com.

For more information on the Boston real estate market, go to Gibson Sotheby's International Realty, Boston's real estate experts.

Boston’s Back Bay is named in the top ten dreamiest neighborhoods

Frontdoor.com, powered by HGTV, put out a list of ten dreamy neighborhoods in the United States. Boston’s own Back Bay was ranked number ten for its combination of Victorian brownstones, skyscrapers, cafes and 19th century landmarks.

View the complete article on marketwatch.com.

For more information on the Boston real estate market, go to Gibson Sotheby's International Realty, Boston's real estate experts.

How to “pahk the cah at Havahd Yahd” or “park the car at Havard Yard”

Boston is famous for its distinctive accent and infamous for hard-to-find public parking – hence the title of this blog post. If you are a resident, or about to be a resident, you will find that insurance costs, monthly parking arrangements and parking tickets get to be quite expensive.

One popular solution to this problem is ZipCar. This membership-based rental company allows you to find and book cars within your neighborhood for hourly or daily fees. The hourly costs (from $7 -$14.25) include gas and insurance. The cars include the Toyota Prius, Honda CR-V, BMW 328 and Mini Cooper Convertible.

So, if you live and Boston and only need a car for the grocery store or the occasional ski trip, this might be the answer for you. Find out more about the cars and membership benefits at ZipCar.com.

For more information on the Boston real estate market, go to Gibson Sotheby's International Realty, Boston's real estate experts.

Spotlight on luxury living – The Appleton-Parker House

Beth Dickerson has listed a $27.5 Million Residence with historic ties to author, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. This Beacon Hill residence offers eleven plus bedrooms, ten full bathrooms, four half bathrooms, sensational park views, a ball room, and well preserved original detail spread across 18,000+/- square feet. Also boasting two roof decks, an enormous terrace, a three car garage and a six car parking lot, this palatial building also has condo development potential. Longfellow traversed the bridge between Harvard University and this home so often to visit his intended, that the bridge bears his name.

View the complete property description on SothebysRealty.com.

For more information on the Boston real estate market, go to Gibson Sotheby's International Realty, Boston's real estate experts.