Surveying residents who leave

[Joseph Milan]

Perhaps someone can discuss this with real estate agents, I'm sure they have a good grasp of why people come and go. If some type of survey is designed, they may be able to assist with people (coming or going) completing it for us.

Joe

[Kate McCarthy]

I think surveying agents is a good idea. There are agents who are very pro Lakewood, but I'm guessing Lakewood is completely off the radar with some agents and it would be interesting to check out why. Do they drive their clients to one community or another and if so why? I've often felt that suggesting including home improvements in offers on homes might be helpful in buyers updating properties. I've always regretted not making an offer on our house (let's say, 10 to 15K over what the selling price was) to minimally update the wiring and windows before we moved in. Improvements paid for in a 30 year mortgage are much less painful then forking over the money post sale or running after a line of credit afterward.

Do communities court real estate agents the same way pharmaceutical companies court physicians?

[Kenneth Warren]

Boston Globe reports on survey results on the MA exodus.

“The survey also sought to measure what was a major factor in prompting people to move. Housing and jobs were cited by 50 percent and 39 percent, respectively. Taxes were cited by 30 percent; a better place to raise kids, by 25 percent; the weather by 24 percent; and the traffic by 20 percent.â€Â￾

For more:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massac ... rn/?page=2

Lack of affordable housing is a key driver in the MA exodus.

FLA and TX are typically where many land.

Kenneth Warren