House alarms cause me a lot of tension. On two occasions in my career, I have tripped an alarm and could not get it to go off. Once it happened because I couldn’t figure out the right series of buttons to push. (The code was obvious, but the set/go button was unmarked. Really!) Once I walked in to an alarmed house without foreknowledge that there was an alarm. Another time, I opened a porch door during an open house and the alarm went off.

Two out of three times, the police came. Both times, I gave them my business card and they left. That’s a thought for would-be house thieves…

This brings me to today’s topic. Home security.

Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise? by David Feldman (1987) was a popular book of questions and answers. I recently picked it up as a book that was good to read in short bursts. Of course, being me, I was attracted to the real estate stories found there. I grew up in a 1954 post-war development with houses that looked the same and tyrannical social norms around the state of the lawn. So, this question and answer struck me:

Question: Why do we grown lawns around our houses? Feldman answers (I summarize): 1. Lawns are pretty and people like them. They are a status symbol imported from Europe. 2. However, they are environmentally wasteful. Even in 1987 when this was published, lawns covered 25-30 million acres of America that could have been used for crop production. The average lawn, if used for fruits and vegetables, would yield two thousand 1987-dollars worth of crop. FULL ENTRY

Sam Schneiderman, Broker-owner of Greater Boston Home Team continues his Monday series.

I was recently talking with an economist about helping him buy his next home. As we were discussing his wants and needs, of course the subject turned to price.

This gentleman, who we will call George (not his real name) has been around the real estate block a few times. He has lived in several cities and is now retired. We spoke about homes he has lived in over the years and he reminisced about his first apartment, a suburban single family home that worked well as he was raising children and the condo he is in now. Now that his children are grown, we discussed his desire to spend his retirement years in an urban condo where he can walk to most amenities.

As we discussed his targeted price range and condo fees, George shared his philosophy about home buying.

Last week, we talked about the perfect density for a home. Some tried to put a town name on the place. Remember, we are doing fantasy, not reality.

Today, we talk about what is in town when you go to town.
What is in your fantasy town center? Is there shopping? What kind of shopping? Does it have stores with everything and anything you want, big stores? Or are there Mom and Pop places with specialty items? Both?
Are there cultural venues like theater? Museums? Live music venues?
Are there places to go on a date? Restaurants? Movies?
Is there street life? Does the town hold farmer’s market or street vendor events? Is there a children’s recreation center?
What recreation is there, overall? Is there a municipal pool? A skating rink? Tennis courts? A track? Parks and wooded walking paths?
What annual events would you want to have? Fireworks? Parades? Races? Fairs?

Create your perfect town or city here.

Marcus asked:

Rona, do you ever ask your clients what their absolute fantasy neighborhood would look like? I'm not talking about picking from existing neighborhoods; I mean describing what you wish you could find--the type and size of house, the neighbors you'd meet, the amenities nearby, how you'd spend your time. It can be an interesting question, as long as you can steer discussion away from pure money per se.

OK, Marcus, you are on! I don’t ask my clients, but I will ask my readers…

Dear Readers,
If money were no object, where would you live? What would your house look like? What would be around it?

Today, let’s talk about density. How much crowding is too much crowding? How much space is too much space? If you could live anywhere, would you choose city life, or would you want 100 acres between you and the next house in town? Is suburbia to best of both worlds?

When house-hunting, I point out things about homes that will affect my buyers in the winter: lots of steps, steep steps, hills, low and shaded doorways, sunken driveways. However, by the time that we are house-hunting, my clients have already made the biggest winter decision: city, suburban, or rural.

Boston and the other cities of Massachusetts are relatively small cities. Massachusetts suburban life varies from homes on 3000 square foot sized lots -- where neighbors can easily get to neighbors -- to towns where homes have acres to themselves -- with gates, walls and total privacy.

Where you live depends on what you can and will spend for your housing. Within a price range, you made some choices about whether you wanted to be a city mouse or a country mouse.

By law, everyone is supposed to clear their walks after a snowfall. This winter, that has been already created a lot of labor. Since we are in New England, you would think that we’d be prepared for some snow. But, every time we hit a snowy patch, I hear grumbling about those who don’t do their part, or those that do it poorly. Bad-will runs especially deep for businesses that don’t do their part.

In many towns, the fine for not clearing your walk is $25. Is that enough? Some people think it should be more, especially for businesses. One client of mine suggested that businesses that don’t clear their sidewalk should be closed until they clear, because they pose a hazard to public safety.

The cards started showing up about two weeks ago. Every year, I get cards with houses on the front. It’s not because I am a broker. I get the impression that lots of cards have peaceful, quiet houses which are covered with snow. I got a perfect example from Bob and Margaret. Great card!
Why is it that Christmas is associated with single family homes, snowy streets, and fireplaces? Is it like Thanksgiving, stuck in New England history? You know, “Over the river and through the woods” and all that. (You all know that the song was written about grandparents in Medford, right?)

Starting with the winter solstice, the days get longer from now until June. That’s not such a warming thought, since the winter is just beginning. So, what do you need? Light! Fire!

Today, let’s talk about fireplaces. Do the short days of the year make you yearn for a roaring fire? Do you have an opinion about which is better, wood-burning or gas?

For some of my buyers, fireplaces are a must. Some don’t care. Some don’t like them. Homeowners, did you want a fireplace? Did you get one? Do you use it?

If you are part of the fireplace-less majority, there are alternatives. In 1966, WPIX in New York began airing a film loop of a crackling fire, called The Yule Log. It was a hit in the New York metropolitan area.

Did you go home early on Friday? Or did you work from home? Not everyone can stay away from their job. For some, their jobs are more critical in bad weather. Staying home is just not an option.

In the spirit of the holiday season, I would like to commend all those who have jobs which took them onto the road during this spate of wet weather. You know who you are. You are the plow drivers, truckers, fire fighters, police, bus drivers, heating and plumbing contractors, medical workers, and, of course, public utility repair personnel.

Also out there were those who added to our convenience. These workers include taxi drivers, food delivery people (from meals-on-wheels to pizza,) those who staffed grocery stores and convenience stores. The mail came. So did the newspaper. The Patriots played at Foxborough.

Thank you all.

The ice storm on Thursday night was the worst since 1990. I wish a quick recovery to everyone in the path of this storm.

Where I lived it poured, it was windy, but it didn’t all freeze until later. I drove on Thursday night. I drove on Friday morning. I had power and heat at home. This weekend I saw some damp basements, including my own. I saw sump pumps running, including my own. I saw sump pump run-off freezing on the sidewalks and streets, including my own. I got off lucky.

In my memory, black-outs, snow and flooding became an opportunity for neighbors to band together. City dwellers (and some suburbanites) have strength in numbers. When power is out or streets are impassible, neighbors find neighbors. As a child, blackouts meant ice cream binges. Barbeques were fired up to save the meat. Neighbors with gas stoves cooked other perishables, those with candles and extra blankets shared them, and the neighbors with camp heaters housed the little children overnight. During the flood after a hurricane, my father ran important errands in his truck. To the kids, disaster meant no school. It was a party. I think the grown-ups had a fairly good time, too.

The New Republic column, “Firm Grasp on the Obvious,” cites this headline:

'Light' Meals are Lower in Fat, Calories
Huntington Herald-Dispatch

Equally obvious is this:

Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation study that found Suffolk County residents with the least access to fresh produce, safe parks, and affordable places to exercise were the least healthy.

Cities like Boston, Somerville, and Holyoke have been part of an effort to change this.

WS started a conversation about neighborhoods which got side-tracked to a conversation about the term he used to describe bland, homogeneous neighborhoods. He got some good answers. Are there more?

Where can a person find a neighborhood that is not bland? Where are the neighborhoods to find people of different ages, income levels, cultural backgrounds and family constellations? Where are places where the housing doesn't all look the same? There are a lot of people who prefer these areas to those that remind them of Leave it to Beaver. or Father Knows Best.

So far the real estate downturn has hammered poor urban neighborhoods and middle class towns.

But will the tide of distress reach the golden shores of Weston, Wellesley and Brookline before it finally recedes?

It’s a fair question and one that has sparked a lively debate on the blog.

In one camp are the “location, location, location’’ devotees who appear convinced that no spate of foreclosure auctions will ever taint a Wellesley or Weston.

WSJevons wrote about his quest for a "not white bread" neighborhood.

Rona,

Thanks for the info*. It is tough to find truly integrated communities in Boston.

Any readers (who are not real estate agents) have thoughts on communities that have a diverse mix of people?

* Is white bread a protected class?

Here's the answer I can give, as a broker. The rest is up to you, readers! Please! No bashing on anyone's race, religion or sexual preference!

WS,
These are the protected classes: Race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex (gender), sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability (mental or physical,) age (except elderly retirement communities that meet certain standards.)
There are additional classes in regard to rental housing.

"White bread" is not on the list.

I trust that when WS says “white bread,” he does not just mean Caucasian. I wouldn’t define it that way. You can figure out the "white bread" factor for yourselves, based on your personal definition. Look at the businesses an area supports, what kinds of cars are parked around, what bumper stickers are on the cars, what size is the average home there...There are many things that are not directly related to the color of the skin, the ethnic or religious origins, or who your neighbors choose as life partners. Look around you, the signs are everywhere!

My question today is about home-town identity. I would like to hear from some of the small-town readers, those who went to regional schools, those who went to small local schools. How does home-town identity shape you?

In tough times, should towns that have been sharing facilities merge? Is it worth the change in identity to streamline the services paid for by municipal tax? Wenham and Hamilton are discussing just that. They already share a library and a regional high school, so why not get married? Two can live as cheaply as one, my grandmother used to say.

ZipRealty.com has a great new utility on its site. It’s from Walk Score. It ranks a home in relation to how conveniently located it is to grocery stores, parks, restaurants, coffee shops, parks, movies, bars, mass transit stations and more. Homes that score 90 or above are deemed a “Walker’s Paradise,” homes scored between 70 to 89 as “Very Walkable,” 50 to 69 as “Somewhat Walkable,” and 0 to 49 as “Car Dependent.”