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Brookline
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Covering 6.8
square miles, Brookline boasts approximately 60,000 residents, and is
surrounded by three sides by the City of Boston, and Newton to the West.
Housing in the town is characterized by an
eclectic mix of single, two- and three-family houses, condominiums and large
estates.
The north side of town offers urban
neighborhoods with excellent access to parks, public transportation, shopping,
dozens of restaurants, schools and houses of worship. Take your pick of 26
playgrounds.
South Brookline, further from the urban
center, offers lots of green space and recreational facilities. Many doctors
and academics make their home in this cosmopolitan town with its pick of
universities and teaching hospitals.
The Town places a high value on the
preservation of historic buildings, neighborhoods and green spaces, as well as
on its elected Town Meeting form of government that represents the interests of
a politically and culturally active, highly involved, diverse
citizenry.
Education
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The
Brookline public school system continues to attract families drawn by its
national reputation for excel-lence. Eight neighborhood specific primary
schools serve kindergarten through eighth grade, with ex-tended day programs
available, and there is one central high school, currently undergoing a $39
million renovation, for grades nine through twelve.
Over 30% of Brookline students come from
homes where English is not the first language, and a recent High School senior
class gift was a set of 68 flags, one for each nation represented at the High
School.
Despite the demands of diversity, (or
perhaps because of it) Brookline continues to excel academically and furthers
approximately 80% of its senior high school class to higher education
immediately upon graduation. More than 10% of the students have achieved
distinction in the Advanced Placement exam and have been recognized with
National Merit Scholarship awards or commendations.
In addition to renowned Performing and
Visual Arts Departments, Brookline High School features the largest
interscholastic athletics program in New England with 68 teams in 38 different
sports. Among the 58 student activities and clubs are three student newspapers,
one of which was selected as the top high school newspaper in New England.
With over 350 student participants, the
high school also boasts one of the largest volunteer community services
programs in New England.
Numerous fine private institutions
complement the public system in Brookline, as well as access to the Boston
areas 80+ colleges and universi-ties.
The Brookline Public Schools' Adult and
Community Education Program is the largest non-credit public education program
in Massachusetts, offering a curriculum of over 400 courses to 16,000
enroll-ments.
Services
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Police and
fire services are excellent and centrally headquartered in Brookline Village
near Town Hall. The Police Chief is responsible for the maintenance of law and
order, and the department emphasizes prevention of crime through expanded
community policing featuring programs such as the Citizen's Police Academy,
DARE and bicycle patrols.
The Fire Chief oversees a professional
fire department that provides protection through prevention, rescue, fire
suppression and education. The Park and Recreation Commission is responsible
for year-round programs and for maintenance of all indoor and outdoor
facilities including tennis, ice-skating, swimming, golf and various summer
camp and seasonal activities.
Public Transportation
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Getting around Brookline and beyond by public transportation is a
snap.
The MBTA runs several trolley lines
through Brookline from approximately 5am until midnight with direct and
convenient service to the medical area and downtown Boston, and quick
connections to Cambridge and greater Boston communities.
There are also several major bus routes
that travel regularly with direct service to Cambridge, downtown Boston, Back
Bay and South Station train stations. The Brookline Elderbus makes a circuit
through North Brookline that includes elderly housing, shopping areas and the
Longwood area hospitals.
Market Conditions
[ Education ] [ Services ] [ Public Tranportation ] [ Market Conditions ] [ Local Links ] [ Return To Top ] Massachusetts continues its national lead in dual income families, influencing the premium placed on "move-in" and new construction properties, and Boston leads the country, as well, in setting the benchmark for the youngest first time buyers in a metropolitan area at 31 years of age. Combining unparalleled urban conveniences with intimate, small town involvement, Brookline is an extremely desirable place to live. As hosts to both the International Ryder Cup and Davis Cup Tournaments, it has earned its reputation and cache` as a world-class locale. High buyer demand combines with a shortage of home inventory to create a premium market where prices have rose steadily and properties generally sell quickly. As of 2/1/08, there were only 32 single-family homes for sale with no more than three in any price category between $400K and $1M. Ten homes are priced between $1M-$2M, and fifteen are priced between $2M and $8M. A total of 157 single-family homes were sold in Brookline from the start of 2007 through August, representing a 15.4 percent activity increase over 2006. A review of sales prices demonstrates Brookline's fundamental value and market resilience--even in the face of doom and gloom national real estate news. According to County Home Data, the median selling price for single-family homes sold in the town rose 2.8 percent over 2006 for the same period, as well, to just over $1M. Brookline condominium sales also shot up 13.8 percent during the same time period, while prices slipped 2.7 percent lower than a year ago. Available properties for sale diminished significantly in 2007 from the prior year. For example, in December 2007, there were four properties on the market between $1M-$1.5M, compared to 12 the prior December. In December 2007, there were half as many homes available priced between $1.5M and $2M-- five instead of ten in December 2006. Existing housing stock by and large was built pre-World War II, with many older, Victorian-era, Colonial Revival-style and Georgian style homes. Smaller homes in South Brookline mostly exceed $700K, and seldom do more urban identified North Brookline single-family homes appear for less than $900K for properties needing some work. As of 2/1/08, the least expensive house in Brookline is a 1056 square foot 2 bedroom cottage with rental parking for $425,000, and the highest priced home offered for just under $8M, is an 11,000 square foot luxury property sited on an acre. 
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Median Home Price |
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Condo Median
Price |
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| 1990 |
$275,000 |
| 1991 |
$285,000 |
| 1992 |
$300,000 |
| 1993 |
$319,000 |
| 1994 |
$320,000 |
| 1995 |
$375,000 |
| 1996 |
$385,000 |
| 1997 |
$398,000 |
| 1998 |
$457,000 |
| 1999 |
$521,000 |
| Through 6/00 |
$600,000 |
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| 1989 |
$167,000 |
| 1990 |
$164,000 |
| 1991 |
$133,000 |
| 1992 |
$135,000 |
| 1993 |
$139,000 |
| 1994 |
$151,000 |
| 1995 |
$155,000 |
| 1996 |
$171,000 |
| 1997 |
$187,000 |
| 1998 |
$210,000 |
| 1999 |
$243,000 |
| Through 6/00 |
$276,000 |
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Local Links
[ Education ] [ Services ] [ Public Tranportation ] [ Market Conditions ] [ Local Links ] [ Return To Top ]
[ Education ] [ Services ] [ Public Tranportation ] [ Market Conditions ] [ Local Links ] [ Return To Top ]
About the Brookline, Massachusetts Area
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Financing Your Home >If You Are Self Employed
There's no question that it could be more difficult for you to get a mortgage loan if you are a free lance viola player than if you are a government accountant. Traditionally, lenders have been more cautious when evaluating loan applications of buyers who are self-employed than people who work for a regular salary.
However, if you are self-employed, there is no reason for you to shy away from applying for a home mortgage loan, especially if your earnings have been in the same field for at least two years. It is a good idea to meet with one or more loan officers before you begin your search. They will probably want to analyze your tax returns for the past 2 or 3 years, keeping in mind that many self employed people can look impoverished on paper, since you can write off some expenses that salaried individuals can not. Try to get pre-approval from the lender, and ask for a letter stating that you have pre-qualified for a loan which your real estate agent can attach to any offer you submit on a home. This will make you more attractive to the sellers.
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| Q |
What was the world's highest viewing platform before the opening of the Empire State Building in 1939?
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| A |
The Eiffel Tower, built between 1887-1889, was for 42 years the highest viewing platform in a man-made structure. |
 See More Real Estate Trivia > |
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- NUMBER1EXPERT™ 
