Just sat down to compile some data about the housing market as it pertains to single family homes in 11 of  Team Cotraro's top selling towns.  Some interesting facts were found particulary with sales trends.  The median sales price in Wenham has decreased $81,000 from the same time last year while Middleton has increased $100,000. Boxford is down 47% in terms of number of units sold but is up $37,000 in terms of the median sales price. ( That is one of the stats that can alter the market).  Beverly remained flat from 2010 to 2011 losing less than 1/2% in sales price and actually increasing the number of units sold.  Peabody and Salem remained in the red for both units and sale price. Only Middleton and Topsfield stayed in the black or positive for both units sold and median sale price.  For more information please take a look at the charts provided. 

Came across an article today noting 10 of the most contaminated towns in America.  How does this happen? Well it can happen due to mining heavy metals such as lead are mined for different products such as components for the military. The lead is extracted from the ground but there are several tons of soil that are left behind with a level of lead. This is  the waste product and it is left behind in piles and piles of debris.  This is the case with Picher, Oklahoma (former town of Hall Of Fame baseball player Mickey Mantle).  Now Picher is down to only 6 residents in the entire town.  Other towns were used as dumping grounds for hazardous waste prior to 1976 when the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act was instituted.  An example of dumping hazardous waste in the waterways is the Love Canal in upstate NY.  Hazardous waste was dumped into Niagra Falls, NY. Approximately 220 families fled their homes due to high toxic levels.  Real Estate prices tumbled and the area was devestated for many, many years.  Other towns with severe contamination issues and consequently rock bottom real estate prices are the following: Three Mile Island  in Penn, Hinkley, CA, Libby, Montana, Times Beach, MO, Cheshire, Ohio, Cardin, OK, Rocky Mountain Arsenal, CO.  Many of these areas have been cleaned up but some are now ghost towns.  I think I will stay on the North Shore and enjoy our beautiful coastline and occasionally complain about a plastic bag in the water. HAHA. 

Recently had the opportunity to have my home undergo an Energy Assessment with help of an experienced technician who works with National Grid and Mass Save.  This assessment takes about 1.5 hours depending on the size of the house.  The technician will come out to your home and analyze the amount of energy being used efficiently and inefficiently throughout your home.  The analysis includes your heating system, lighting, windows, insulation, water heating use, appliances, pools, and spas to name a few.  The technician gives you a printout of all his data right at your house so there is no waiting around and gives you a cost benefit analysis right at your house. A great side bonus was FREE light bulbs and FREE shower heads!!  The technician changed out every lightbulb and replaced them with energy efficient, compact fluorecent bulbs. The bulbs are bright and work great! That yearly savings in energy cost is approximately $355 per year just in lighting.  He changed out the shower heads and this will also help reduce our volume of water and reduce our overall cost on a yearly basis.  An analysis was performed on how we can conserve more energy using more insulation in our walls and changing out some windows. The home energy assessment is free and the amount of information my wife and l learned about our home was very helpful.  There is a significant savings because of the  spending $400 we will add insulation in several rooms and in the attic. This will greatly improve our heating costs on a yearly basis. The process is painless and the information is excellent.   For more information go to www.masssave.com .

Still time to enjoy the North Shore Coast line!! Beverly, Salem, and Manchester harbors  are warm, clean, offer plenty of fun.  Grab some friends and head to Lynch Park, Brackenbury Beach,Salem Willows, or Singing Beach!!  Had the opportunity to view the coast on a Jetski this past summer.  Awesome time buzzing around Beverly Cove, West Beach, Manchester Harbor, Misery Island, Bakers Island, Salem Harbor and much more.  On the jetski you can get a close up view of the beautiful homes that accent the coast line. You can truly appreciate the architecture of these magnificent homes.  Seeing all of these homes along the rocky shores helps solidify why the North Shore is one the best places to live in the United States.