Sandy is a Real Estate agent in New Hampshire and I am the Real Estate Sales Manager for Boston.com & The Boston Globe right in the city, Dorchester actually. Dorchester is the most southern neighborhood in Boston. We could hit a golf ball into Milton but I’d probably hook it into Quincy.
Sandy’s NH business stayed strong right through the summer. Her listings sold quickly at or above the asking price most of the time. She worked with a lot of buyers too, relocation and local. It was business as usual – and it was strong.
I’m always amazed that the Real Estate industry in the Greater Boston (but mainly the City of Boston) all but shuts down for the second half of July and the whole month of August. And not just RE, but most companies are operating with a skeleton crew. The daily commute had noticeably lighter traffic.
There isn’t an agent to be found in the city. There truly is a mass exodus to the Cape & Islands; and a couple to the Seacoast in Maine. Some agents were conducting business from their cell phones on the beach but most just weren’t answering their phones.
In NH, we’re use to seeing heavy traffic coming north into our state on Fridays year-round. The summer is for those going to the lakes region or camping, the fall is for leaf peeping and winter is for skiing. Yet all the while business of all kinds continues to be conducted.
I think getting out of the city for the dog days of summer is left over from the days before air conditioning. It has just become a tradition. The vibrant Seaport area in Boston is a great reason to stay in town, as is the cool deep green shaded paths along the Charles. There are summer arts festivals, kids’ festivals, concerts at the Half Shell … but if you threw a party and nobody came, is it still a party. It’s funny but most of the people at the city events are coming from outside the city (no hard facts here, just my guess).
Genuinely, the Boston Real Estate industry attempts to do in 10 months what other markets do in 12. Thank goodness property values continue to rise and make the market in Boston look even better than it is with low inventory.
Sandy LeRette – Realtor® ABR – Better Homes & Garden Real Estate / The Masiello Group – 436 Amherst Street, Nashua, NH 03063 cell: (603) 661-7301 email: slerette@masiello.com
Bob LeRette – Div. Sales Manager/ Real Estate – Boston.com & The Boston Globe, 617-929-2104 email: robert.lerette@globe.com
