Archive for the 'Cambridge' category

Single, married or dating, it seems that everyone in our office enjoyed reading Trulia's recent data analysis on the best places to find love. It left us wondering whether there will be a mass exodus of single women leaving Boston for Worcester. Or, if perhaps we'll see a flurry of bachelors living on Boston's waterfront start shopping around for cozy Beacon Hill brownstones. It's too soon to tell what the future holds, but one thing is certain......depending on your zip code you now have a valid excuse as to why you're single this Valentine's Day! 

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Full article: http://trends.truliablog.com/2013/02/looking-for-love-in-all-the-right-places/

Where the Boys Are
Women looking for single men should try their odds in Vegas, where the ratio of men living alone to women living alone is the highest among the 100 largest metros: 1.34. That’s four men for every three women. San Jose, it turns out, also has plenty of men to choose from, with 1.23 men for every woman. Several warm spots – Honolulu, Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL, and Miami – also skew toward men (remember we’re not including those 65+), as do some mid-size metros around the country, like Worcester and Tacoma.

Here are the best neighborhoods for finding single men or single women in 10 of the largest metros, based on the ratio of men and women living alone:

What do these neighborhoods have in common? Billy Joel was right: in most metros, the neighborhood with the highest ratio of men to women is in or near downtown, as well as in recently redeveloped neighborhoods like Boston’s Waterfront or Long Island City. Even man-rich Rosslyn is a major employment center despite being in northern Virginia, outside of Washington D.C.

The neighborhoods with the highest ratio of women to men tend to be more residential, like San Francisco’s Marina and Seattle’s Queen Anne, and more upscale (and safe), like the Upper East Side and Upper Connecticut Avenue. Some are near major retail centers, like Chicago’s Near North Side, the Beverly Center in LA, and Atlanta’s Perimeter Mall, though Houston’s Great Uptown neighborhood — which skews toward men — is near the Galleria, Texas’s largest mall.

Of course, we’re only talking about the quantity of men and women, not whether they’re your idea of a great date. If you’re not into the men of Vegas or the women of the Upper East Side, that’s your business. We can point you to cities and neighborhoods where you’ll have more dating options, and we can even help you find a home there. But if you’re looking for love, you’ll need to take it from that point. We’re not going to make you and your friend pancakes.

Note: these data are based on the 2010 decennial Census. “Neighborhoods” refer to Zip Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTA’s), an approximation of ZIP codes created by the Census. In calculating the number of men living alone and women living alone in each metro or ZCTA, we excluded people living in “group quarters” (e.g. dormitories, prisons, barracks, and other institutions) and people aged 65 and older. We adjusted these counts of men and women living alone based on our estimates of the prevalence of single gay men and women in each ZCTA, in order to estimate the number of heterosexual single men and women living alone. To do this, we used 2010 Census counts of same-sex partners – based on the correction described here – and assumed that single gay men and women were distributed geographically in proportion to same-sex male and female couples.

We’re in the throes of winter, the Patriots aren’t going to the Superbowl and though our state’s economy has bright spots and the unemployment rate is holding steady, by all accounts we’re still in recovery mode. So, is there anything especially hot in Boston these days? Indeed there is, and that something is the local rental market.

The demand for rental units in the Boston/Cambridge/Brookline area is huge right now, and this represents a big shift. Historically, Q1 was an inopportune time to rent property – a small pool of potential tenants combined with lower monthly rents created a less than ideal environment for landlords .But, those days are long gone. If you’re in the market for an apartment, read on!

Here are a few tips to help you find an apartment in today’s tight market:

Start Early – You’d be amazed how many people wait until the 11^th hour to start looking. Especially true in a tight rental market, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment (and lots of unnecessary stress!) if you procrastinate. Some good first steps are to ask around for referrals to trusted rental agencies; contact agents and introduce yourself – you’ll want to get on their radar screen when an apartment comes available! In your free time explore the general areas you think you want to live. While we think having an open-mind is a good thing (especially in this market!), it’s helpful and saves time down the road if someone has a general idea where they want to be.

Build a Good Relationship With Your Agent – It goes without saying that you should feel comfortable and enjoy working with your rental agent/agency. It’s also important to be open with them about each and every one of your needs. Don’t worry, we’ve heard it all……What are your must-haves, can’t live without? Need to be near a specific subway line or bus route? Don’t just say you want to be close to ‘public transportation’. Would you be comfortable if you had to share laundry facilities or do you need your own washer/dryer? Are there any space requirements? No stairs, 2^nd floor only, won’t do basement apartments, etc.  In addition to your must-haves, don’t forget to communicate your “nice-to-have” list……..One of the nice things about working with an agent is that you have access to their guidance and advice – they know what’s out there and will help bring you back to reality if there’s a large gap between it and your wishful thinking. Your rental agent is your partner; the more information they have to work with the better (and faster) they can help you!

Be Ready To Sign A Lease – It’s not a scare tactic – apartments are going off the market in record time! While you should never do anything without taking the time to make a well-informed and responsible decision, in today’s market it’s unlikely you’ll have time to just “wait and see”.  That said, have your finances squared away (factor in first month, security deposits, fees, etc), be ready to provide referrals and have their updated contact information on-hand, try and clean up any blemishes on your credit report you feel are inaccuracies, etc. As with most things, being prepared is key!

Tory Row’s annual “Best Cookie in Cambridge” holiday contest is underway!

To participate in this year’s contest, simply send us your favorite holiday cookie recipe no later than Friday, December 7^th and we’ll do the rest! Recipe submissions can be made on our Facebook page, blog or info@toryrow.com. You can also email your recipe to someone on our staff.

After tasting all of your treats the staff at Tory Row will name the “Best Cookie in Cambridge”. This year’s winner will receive an “Evening of Holiday Fun in Harvard Square” which includes:

• Two Passes for Ice Skating at The Charles Hotel
• Hot Chocolate and Dessert for Two at Burdick’s Chocolates

Don’t forget to ‘Like Us’ on Facebook. We’ll be posting contest updates and announcing the winner on Tuesday, Dec. 11th!!

Many of the individuals we help find homes for have never been to this special part of the world, let alone lived in a community where people are so warm and take such pride in their neighborhoods. One of the many things we love about focusing our business in and around Cambridge is that we have the distinct pleasure of introducing these newcomers to this wonderful and vibrant community we call home.

It’s fun for us to share with our clients the reasons why we feel this is a great place to live, but we’d love to hear from you! Why do you love living in Cambridge? What makes this community so uniquely special?

Send us your thoughts!  We’re looking forward to reading your comments!

Since we all know that your home is the biggest investment you will probably make in your lifetime, maximizing its value is very important. One very simple way, and also most overlooked, is choosing the right paint colors! Seems minimal right? Not necessarily.  Most people get very overwhelmed with what color and shade is the right one for their home. Here are some tips to steer you in   the right direction.

 ** Since color is an effective way of giving your home a quick fix makeover and won’t make a huge dent in your wallet, doing a little research goes a long way.

** When deciding the right wall color, make sure it complements your furnishings and allows them to be the focal point of the room.

** Stick to one color family. Using a lighter and darker shade of the same color allows you to highlight the features you love most about your home. Different colors may clash and distract from the architectural details. 

** Are you distressed because you have a small space and don’t know what to do with it? No worries! Focus on using shades of white and cream.  These shades add size and openness to even the smallest of spaces.

** Is your style bold and daring?  Using a valiant color on one wall of the room may give it a chic look.  But be careful, you want to make sure it coordinates with your furnishings as well.

** If you are dealing with a rental property, you are going to want to steer away from my last tip! Make sure you use neutral shades.  It is also wise to stick with one color.  This will blend well with most lifestyles, work well with different furniture and color schemes and also gives the apartment a spacious look.

 Investing in the upkeep of painting your home is not only rewarding, it will definitely increase the value and in the end you will get a better price if you are thinking of selling.