2021 Real Estate Observations (Worcester, Brockton, Framingham: install, gas, waterfront)

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by yesmaybe

Can't be the law to let people jaywalk.

Well i was referring to crosswalks, such as when I stop at an intersection (with crosswalks) while jogging to catch my breath for a min and folks think i want to cross and start waving me on.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by massnative71

It's called common courtesy. I'll always nod my head, make eye contact and give a slight wave of acknowledgement. It's for my own safety as well (are they "really" stopping for me?). Sure the responsibility is on the driver to stop, but way too many pedestrians have a sense of entitlement in this town. The passive aggressive ones who half step it, phones in their faces...sorry to say that half the time I regret stopping for these losers (even though I do have respect for the the rules). Acknowledge the driver doing what he is supposed to, move with a purpose and GTF out of there. You have no right to impede traffic.

There are certainly irresponsible drivers out there and there are certainly irresponsible cyclists/pedestrians as well. I'm a big believer in personal responsibility and unfortunately there's a lot of people out there who take none.

if you're a pedestrian/jogger don't just run out into traffic (like I've seen SO many do). Just like your parents told you when you were a youth look both ways before you cross a street. Yesterday, I saw a cyclist blow through a red light at a high rate of speed at a busy intersection. I feared for his life but I have no doubt this guy also probably complains regularly about cars not respecting his right of way or that they're not safe around him.

Again, take some responsibility for your own actions and safety. As I said to someone on my local Facebook page once who was trying to tell me that someone crossing the street bears absolutely NO responsibility if they're struck by a car whatever their actions may or may not have been simply because they have the right of way . . . knowing you had the right of way is not going to make you feel better when you're in the hospital after being struck by a car when you stepped out in front of a moving vehicle. Just look both ways first!

Originally Posted by jayrandom

I think election signs make a difference at the local level. I know I use yard sign density as a proxy for local support. For things like President? I think the sign is saying more about expressing something about than about convincing anyone. Same with the "Let's Go Brandon" and "Hate Has No Place Here" signs. Sometimes people just feel inclined to shout who they are to the world.

The problem with political signs is that they don't come down after the election anymore. Our country is too politically charged right now. I guess that's what I have a problem with . . . people shouting to the world who they are. I'm sorry but I just don't care to know about some random person who's house I'm driving by. I don't want to know what your politics are and I don't want to know your stance on racism (although my hope is you're against it). It just feels like an overinflated sense of self importance by these folks that they have to tell everyone who they are via yard sign.

Originally Posted by jayrandom

I actually have two yard signs in front of my house right now. As do a lot of parents in Westwood. I know absolutely no one outside our house cares that we have two "Summer Reading Champions", but everyone inside the house is happy and the two reading champions like having the signs out for everyone to see. It's similar to the political signs. It's not for you, it's for them.

I see those signs differently and I'm totally fine with them. To me, they're more about making your kid feel good that they accomplished something as to encourage them to continue working hard to succeed. These signs actually accomplish something. Very different in my eyes than a sign telling people what to do or who to vote for.

Originally Posted by jayrandom

You've already said you obey the limits. I think we are just in disagreement about the "traffic calming zones" and "please slow down signs". Ideally you wouldn't need either, but I think we just disagree on how unsightly they are. I don't generally see these sorts of signs on a road I would consider "scenic" (density is too low) or on major thoroughfares (density is too high). It's almost always when my traffic app has pushed me off the beaten path. If anything those signs are a reminder that I am, in fact, off the beaten path and I don't mind an extra reminder.

I'm just not a big lover of waste. If it doesn't accomplish anything then you don't do it and don't waste any resources on it. I don't see these signs as helpful in terms of changing anyone's driving behavior so I don't see the point of having them.

[matrix5k]

Originally Posted by New Englander

It's so sad to see pedestrians wave a thank you to me when I stop at the crosswalks.

It's fun when someone cuts you off or pulls out in the middle of a busy two way road so they can turn left, creating a backup of traffic all for themselves. But they waved so it's okay.

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by MikePRU

I absolutely hate when a town puts speed bumps on a road. There are a few streets in Newton and Dover I go down frequently that have that. To me, that seems like an overcorrection. Driving over the speed limit? Well, we're going to make you slow down to a crawl every 20 yards. You end up driving well under the speed limit.

I hate them too, but generally streets that have speed bumps are 20-25 MPH to begin with. While annoying, they do keep people from speeding through residential neighborhoods.

While traffic calming signs may not do much, physical measures are quite effective. Curb extensions are extremely effective, as are raised intersections and crosswalks (which are much better than speed bumps). These measures should be incorporated into all residential street design moving forward. The car culture won;t love it, but they save lives and improve quality of life.

[id77]

Originally Posted by porterhouse

I hate them too, but generally streets that have speed bumps are 20-25 MPH to begin with. While annoying, they do keep people from speeding through residential neighborhoods.

While traffic calming signs may not do much, physical measures are quite effective. Curb extensions are extremely effective, as are raised intersections and crosswalks (which are much better than speed bumps). These measures should be incorporated into all residential street design moving forward. The car culture won;t love it, but they save lives and improve quality of life.

I'd argue speed bumps aren't all that effective. They're often not highly visible, and many drivers don't slow down at all or swerve around them (if they don't span the whole street), or slam on their brakes last minute, which is also dangerous. The drivers most likely to deliberately speed through a residential neighborhood are also generally the same drivers who will see things like SLOW signs and speed bumps as justification to drive faster and louder through that area.

[WestieWhitie]

Back on the topic, prices have definitely come down. Seeing quite a few livable houses in the $700s in Melrose/Wakefield/Stoneham area, not too long ago that would have gotten you a half fallen over crackhouse.

[simplexsimon]

Originally Posted by WestieWhitie

Back on the topic, prices have definitely come down. Seeing quite a few livable houses in the $700s in Melrose/Wakefield/Stoneham area, not too long ago that would have gotten you a half fallen over crackhouse.

Yes it seems like the effects of higher rates are starting to take hold.

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by matrix5k

It's fun when someone cuts you off or pulls out in the middle of a busy two way road so they can turn left, creating a backup of traffic all for themselves. But they waved so it's okay.

Hah exactly. I don't think they realize (care?) about what they are doing.

I was on the Pike the other day, heading out of Boston during rush and right past the Newton exit (where the drivers from 95 merge on), I saw not one but two Canadians (one with Ontario; other with Quebec plates) wave their way into the traffic -- the Ontario plate did a legit 3 lane change while the Quebec one did multiple lane changes (in and out of the Center) during rush hour traffic. I doubt that they knew each other, but amusing to see them literally wave themselves in and then give thank you gestures. I was really amused for a change.

This cannot be a Canadian thing? Can it?

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by WestieWhitie

Back on the topic, prices have definitely come down. Seeing quite a few livable houses in the $700s in Melrose/Wakefield/Stoneham area, not too long ago that would have gotten you a half fallen over crackhouse.

I'm hoping that it continues. I'd like to get in on multifamily in Newton or Belmont. Between low inventory and the same issues as those north of Boston towns you mentioned, I pretty much stopped looking.

[johngolf]

Old real estate adage. Never buy a house on a street with a line painted down the middle of it.