Wellesley Real Estate Report

Shamelessly jumping on the “Black Friday” bandwagon…. Maybe this is the opportunity you’ve been searching for to live in Wellesley or take advantage of a redevelopment project?

-          This is the lowest-priced home for sale on MLS in Wellesley

-          Bank Owned

-          1/4 acre lot on dead-end street

-          Finished basement

-          Easy commuting access

Definitely needs renovation inside and out. A property inspection will reveal the structural integrity. Contact Mark Grupposo at (508) 509-7895 for full details on this or the other 11 Wellesley homes offered for sale under $500,000.

The demolishing of the Wellesley Inn several years ago has left a hole (literally) for visitors seeking lodging close to Wellesley Square.

Wellesley Real Estate and the Wellesley College Club have partnered to offer our clients the convenience to stay on the beautiful Wellesley College campus with just a short stroll taking to the sights, shopping, and dining of Central Street and Wellesley Square- and at a special reduced room rate.

The Wellesley College Club is situated on 500 acres of pristine woodlands, meadows, ponds, hills and footpaths while overlooking a spectacular view of Lake Waban.

Wellesley College Club Inn

The Wellesley College Club Inn is conveniently located at the East Entrance of campus and has 16 guest rooms available. The Wellesley College Club Inn is a great option for out of town visitors, or for a quiet lake side weekend getaway. The friendly staff welcomes you and your guests and will provide you with the highest level of hospitality. They offer rooms with twin beds, full beds and king sized beds, perfect to suit any lodging needs.

A stay at the Inn comes complete with:

Rooms with lake views On site restaurant with seasonal patio seating
Complimentary Wifi Access
Complimentary Parking
Complimentary Continental Breakfast
Climate controlled rooms
Pet friendly environment
Hair dryer in rooms, cable TV, and robe provided
Handicap access
Guest laundry
Concierge Service
Meeting Rooms
Walking distance to downtown Wellesley

The Wellesley College club has a full service restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Of course, Wellesley Square offers a number of dining choices including renowned celebrity chef Ming Tsai’s Blue Ginger.

Call Wellesley Real estate at (781) 237-1212 and we’ll be happy to make your reservation for you. You may also go the Wellesley College Club website at http://www.wellesleycollegeclub.com

An agent called me for feedback after I showed my client her listing. I relayed my buyer’s likes and dislikes as to why the property was over-priced in their estimation.

Then in “agent code” she whispered in my ear the magic words “They are motivated sellers.”

Oh yes- I’m sure you’ve noticed that real estate professionals are like secret agents – there are code words and phrases that mostly mean the opposite of the actual words.

“Cozy” equals tiny.

“City-Like” means the train tracks run through your living room.

“Motivated” often translates as “Sellers getting desperate” or “Please make an offer I’m close to losing the listing and Xmas is coming!”

As a Buyer Advisor I lick my negotiating chops when I hear those words.

As a Seller Representative, I cringe when an agent says something like that.

This agent has unwittingly given me a HUGE amount of leverage on behalf of my buyer.

Of course, motivated might not mean desperate. It could mean “more flexible” or becoming more “market realistic”.

It could also mean “I’ve got an accepted offer on new home and I need to sell this one ASAP!”.

Either way, the door has been opened.

A “Reality” TV show I enjoy is “Pawn Stars” (not to be confused with another favorite “Hard Core Pawn”- notice the adult entertainment play on words – isn’t that clever?)

It’s intriguing to observe what and why people pawn. More interesting to me is the study in negotiation expertise on the part of Rick, one of the family owners.

One of his skills is not to disclose his desire when he comes across an item he wants to acquire for his personal collection. He lets the person pawning the item talk until he gets them to reveal how much they want- and then the fun begins.

While he wants to get the best deal possible, he’s also quite fair and has often paid more than he could have because it was the right thing to do.

In negotiation there are many potential advantages- and “shut up and listen” is one of the more powerful.

Now please, tell me more…..

Friends and associates often ask me why I don’t join up with one of the huge franchise real estate companies.

Well, over the last 25 years I was an associate (briefly) at several and discovered the following:

1. The bureaucracy, fees and corporate culture was stifling and support was lacking
2. The focus was on listings, listings, listings (that’s how they make the most money)
3. I couldn’t give buyer clients the level of personal service I desired

Technology has leveled the playing field in two ways important for buyers to understand:

1. Through MLS, every agent has the same access to every property.
2. No matter what company an agent is affiliated with, he or she works for himself or herself (unless they are the owner).

To me, the difference to a buyer is knowledge, expertise and service. That’s why we at Wellesley Real Estate made a deliberate decision to be a boutique agency to focus on client service, not volume.

Many buyers don’t know what questions to ask when interviewing an agent. Personally, I think it’s simple. Here I’ll show you by interviewing myself:

Buyer: Am I working primarily with you and can I reach you when I need?

Mark: Absolutely! I am one of two principal brokers at Wellesley Real Estate. I am at your service. My cell is (508) 509-7895- call me day or night.

Buyer: How well do you know the area(s) I‘m interested in buying?

Mark: If you are looking in Wellesley or Natick, I have specialized in Wellesley and Natick real estate since 1980. I know these areas inside and out.

Buyer: Will you work to get me the best deal possible?

Mark: I believe in win-win and am a strong negotiator. I am working 100% for you and will fight hard to get you the most advantageous price and terms.

Buyer: You’re hired!

See how easy that was? Now please call me.

As a 9 or 10 year old Cub Scout, it was almost a rite of passage to go to the Natick Outdoor Store to purchase your uniform.

Back then it was located on Washington St (where Agostinos Restaurant is now).

Jammed floor to ceiling with clothing, outdoor gear, boots and run by “Huck” Saxe, it was like a treasure hunt to find what you needed. Yet Huck (who had only one arm) knew exactly where everything was and could find it in a flash and was as adept with one arm as many with a full complement of limbs.

Today, the Outdoor Store is located in a new building just a couple of blocks away.

And in a world filled with “Big Box” stores staffed by well-meaning but mostly uninformed clerks, the Outdoor Store boasts a friendly, knowledgeable staff led by bearded owner Henry Kanner as well as a wide selection of quality shoes, boots, clothing and outdoor gear.

In fact, the Natick Outdoor Store slogan is “If we don’t have it, you don’t need it!”

The footwear department knows how to properly size you, the extensive fishing department is staffed by people who fish, and the sporting goods department has first-quality  gear for every season. The Natick Outdoor Store also handles the uniforms for many local soccer and cheering teams. It’s fun for my kids to go into the stockroom and rummage through the shirts trying to find their favorite number.

As a 9 or 10 year old Cub Scout, it was almost a rite of passage to go to the Natick Outdoor Store to purchase your uniform.

Back then it was located on Washington St (where Agostinos Restaurant is now).

Jammed floor to ceiling with clothing, outdoor gear, boots and run by “Huck” Saxe, it was like a treasure hunt to find what you needed. Yet Huck (who had only one arm) knew exactly where everything was and could find it in a flash and was as adept with one arm as many with a full complement of limbs.

Today, the Outdoor Store is located in a new building just a couple of blocks away.

And in a world filled with “Big Box” stores staffed by well-meaning but mostly uninformed clerks, the Outdoor Store boasts a friendly, knowledgeable staff led by bearded owner Henry Kanner as well as a wide selection of quality shoes, boots, clothing and outdoor gear.

In fact, the Natick Outdoor Store slogan is “If we don’t have it, you don’t need it!”

The footwear department knows how to properly size you, the extensive fishing department is staffed by people who fish, and the sporting goods department has first-quality  gear for every season. The Natick Outdoor Store also handles the uniforms for many local soccer and cheering teams. It’s fun for my kids to go into the stockroom and rummage through the shirts trying to find their favorite number.

One of the most popular events is the annual outdoor “Try before You Buy” kayak sale. They fill a huge outdoor pool and you can paddle around with different kayaks to find the perfect one for you.

Family run since 1947 and friendly expert help. That’s what makes the Outdoor Store so special to so many.

One of the most popular events is the annual outdoor “Try before You Buy” kayak sale. They fill a huge outdoor pool and you can paddle around with different kayaks to find the perfect one for you.

Family run since 1947 and friendly expert help. That’s what makes the Outdoor Store so special to so many of us.