business, real estate

Berkshires resort sold

AP Wire — Thu, 4 Mar 2010 05:00:00 -0500

Berkshires resort sold

LENOX (AP) - A resort in the Berkshires that closed last year after 62 years in business has been sold for about $5 million to a group that plans to reopen it.

The Berkshire Eagle reports that the 450-acre Eastover Resort and Conference Center in Lenox was sold this month to HG October Mountain LLC.

Home foreclosures dip, but owners under stress

Daily Hampshire Gazette — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0500

Home foreclosure rates in Hampshire and Franklin counties were down in 2009 compared to the year before, but the decline came at a slower rate than the rest of Massachusetts.

According to the Warren Group - a company that keeps track of foreclosure data - Massachusetts saw 25 percent fewer foreclosures in 2009 than 2008.

'Staging' a house can boost its appeal to potential buyers

Owen Boss — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0500

SOUTH HADLEY - Much more goes into staging a house - that is, getting it ready to show to prospective buyers - than tossing around a couple of throw pillows, adding a few coats of fresh paint and changing the color of the drapes in the living room.

Banks wait for borrowers' confidence to return

jlowe — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0500

NORTHAMPTON - While the economic recession is far from over, local bankers said the last year was one of modest growth that hopefully will carry on through 2010. Pioneer Valley banks saw increased deposits in 2009, a sign that customers were making a point to save more. They also reported increased loan activity, particularly in the mortgage field.

Northampton homes were county's top-sellers last year

Dan Crowley — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0500

NORTHAMPTON - All of the county's top home sales occurred in Northampton in 2009, with several of them in the Smith College neighborhood - including two home sales topping $900,000.

A conventional-style home built more than a century ago at 28 Harrison Ave. gets bragging rights for the top selling home at $925,000 - and $158,800 above its assessed value.

Top five 2009 commercial property transfers include school, golf course

Dan Crowley — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0500

An unfinished golf course, a language immersion school, a former horse farm, and the former site of a recreational vehicle business were among the top five nonresidential property transactions in Hampshire County in 2009.

All but one of the sales were in the $2 million range.

Pioneer Valley home construction still on idle

Dan Crowley — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0500

Contractors accustomed to building four or five homes most years settled on only two or three last year, while others used to raising at least a few houses built none in 2009.

Construction of single-family homes remained lackluster in Hampshire County last year, as was the case in 2008, though many builders report staying busy with home renovations and additions.