Serving the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts

 

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Clients only: Register to receive daily email updates of new listings and access to our MLS extranet. Click here.

 
A Realtor's View from Hubbert's Peak: The End of Cheap Oil and Cheap Money (June 5, 2006)

 
The market has finally shifted in favor of buyers! See Update: A Buyers' Market.(October 23, 2005)

 
War and Property Inflation (April 7, 2005)

 
Why Home Prices Are Going through the Roof: A Brief Guide to the "New Economy" (January 13, 2003)

 
More Articles on the Housing Market:

A Word of Advice in a Real Estate Slump: Rent by David Leonhardt (New York Times, April 11, 2007)

Crisis Looms in Mortgage Markets by Gretchen Morgenson, March 11, 2007.

Un-Real Estate by James Grant, April 2005

Housing bubble in New England  (Dean Baker, Center for Economic and Policy Studies, Jan. 5, 2003)

"These are perilous times for asset markets ...." (Ian Campbell, UPI, Jan. 30, 2004)

 
     

"House of Cards: US, UK Home Prices to Decline Dramatically in Next Few Years."
See The Economist's survey of May 29, 2003

 
"Mortgage Markets Are Out of Control," New York Times, August 17, 2003

 
Co-buying: One solution to the high cost of housing in the Valley?

 
Considering an adjustable rate mortgage? It may be a risky proposition. See Homeowners Urged Caution on Hybrid Loans

 
For the effects of skyrocketing home prices on communities, see an article by Rebecca Solnit, Hollow City (as computer money flows into San Francisco, the quirkiness and creativity drain out). A cautionary tale for Northampton and other Valley towns.

 

 

MLS Abbreviations Used in Land Listings

 

Please click on the appropriate category:

Acreage Documents in Hand Lot Improvements Water and Sewer
Area Amenities Gas and Electric Miscellaneous Waterfront/Beach Description
Beach Ownership Land Description Road Type Zoning/Usage

 

Zoning/Usage:

CNDO – Condo

MFAM – Multi-family

OTHR – Other

SFAM – Single Family

 

Acreage:

ACR – Total approximate acres

CUL – Approximate Cultivation Acres

FRT – Approximate Frontage

PAS – Approximate Pasture acres

TIM – Approximate Timber acres

 

Land Description:

ADDL – Additional land available

CRNR – Corner lot

EASE – Easements

ELEV – Elevated

FLPL – Flood Plain

GOLF – Gold Course Frontage

IRRL – Irregular Lot

LEVL – Level

OTHR – Other

ROLL – Rolling

SLPE – Sloping

STRM – Stream

USTK – Underground Storage Tank

WETL – Wetlands

WOOD – Wooded

 

Road Type:

CNTY – Country Road

CSTR – City Street

CULD – Cul-De-Sac

DEAD – Dead End Street

NONE - None

OTHR – Other

PARD – Paper Road

PAVD – Paved

PBLC – Public Road

PRMN – Privately Maintained

PRVT – Private Road

PUMN – Publicly Maintained

STRD – State Road

UPVD – Unpaved

USHY – U.S. Highway

 

Lot Improvements:

C&GT – Curbs & Gutters

FGRA – Finish Graded

FNCE – Fence

NONE – None

RGRA – Rough Graded

SDRN – Storm Drains

SDWK – Sidewalks

SHDR – Shared Drive

STAK – Lot Staked

 

Gas and Electric:

ASTR – At Street

NONE – None

NRBY – Near By

OSTE – On Site

OTHR – Other

UNDR – Underground

 

Water and Sewer (WTR, SWR):

ASTR – At Street

NRBY – Near By

OSTE – On Site

PBLC – Public  (city water / city sewer)

PRIV – Private   (well / septic system)

SWDT – Sewage District

 

Miscellaneous:

CBL – Cable Available

HOA – Home Owner’s Association

PT – Perc Test done (yes/no)

PTD – Perc Test Date

 

Documents in Hand:

21 EC – 21 E Certificate of Compliance with the Hazardous Waste Removal Law

AERL – Aerial Photo

APPR – Appraisal

BPMT – Building Permit

BPRT – Blueprints

BRCH – Brochure

DRAW – Drawings

EVIS – Environmental Impact Study

LEAS – Leases

LGDC – Legal Description

NONE – None

OCND – Order of Conditions

OTHR – Other

PERC – Perc Test

RCOV – Restrictive Covenants

RPLT – Recorded Plat

SOIL – Soil

SPDS – Septic Design

SRVY – Survey

SUBD – Subdivision Approval

TOPO – Topographical Map

 

Waterfront / Beach Description:

ACCS – Access

BAY – Bay

CREK – Creek

Dock – Dock

FRTG – Frontage

HRBR – Harbor

LAKE – Lake

OCEN - Ocean

POND – Pond

RIVR – River

SOND – Sound

VIEW – Waterview Only

WALK – Walk to

 

Beach Ownership:

ASSC – Association

DEED – Deeded Rights

PBLC – Public

PRIV – Private

 

Area Amenities:

GOLF – Gold Course

LDMT – Laundromat

MDCL – Medical Facility

OTHR – Other

PARK – Park

POOL – Swimming Pool

SHOP – Shopping

STBL – Stables

TENN – Tennis Court

TRAN – Transportation

TRLS – Walk / Jogging Trails