Police Exam Open House in Cambridge – February 28, 2011
Do you or someone you know have what it takes to protect the City of Cambridge? Do you possess pride, integrity, courage and a willingness to help those in need? If so, it may be time for you to pursue a career as a police officer!
The City of Cambridge is currently recruiting applicants to take the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Open Competitive Examination for Police Officer Cities and Towns which is being held on Saturday, April 30, 2011.
Take the opportunity to learn more at the
Informational Open House:
Monday, February 28, 6 – 7:30pm at the Robert W. Healy Public Safety Building (125 6th Street in Cambridge)
Representatives from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Human Resources Division (HRD), the Cambridge Police Department, the City Manager’s Office and the Cambridge Personnel Department will on hand to answer any questions about this exciting career opportunity.
Early application deadline to do so is quickly approaching on March 18, 2011, with an application fee of $100. Final Application date is April 1, 2011 with a fee of $150. So act fast!
To be eligible to take the exam, you must be at least 21 years of age as of April 30, 2011. For the City of Cambridge, there is no maximum age.
Applications to apply for the exam are available on-line or can be obtained by contacting or going to:
City Hall, Personnel Department, 795 Mass Ave, Room 309, Cambridge, 617.349.4332 or 4331 or visit the website
Robert W. Healy Public Safety Building, 125 Sixth Street, Cambridge, 617.349.3374, or visit the website
Commonwealth of MA, Human Resources Division, One Ashburton Place, Boston, 617.878.9895 or visit the website
Don’t miss this great career opportunity. The Cambridge Police Department may be just what you’re looking for!
Jaime Kidston
Cambridge Neighbor
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Tips for a Killer Super Bowl Party in Cambridge, MA
For football fans all over the country, Super Bowl Sunday is a great American holiday that needs to be celebrated by going all-out for. And when we say all-out, that means food, food and more food. Next to the game itself, food is the next best thing at a Super Bowl Party. Guy Fieri, host of Guy’s Big Bite, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network, has provided some tips for a killer Super Bowl Party.
- Keep the food coming. Choose foods that can be prepped beforehand so that you can keep them coming throughout the whole game. Homemade pizzas are a great idea. You can prep them the day before and toss them in the oven as needed.
- Choose a fan area. Having the game on multiple TVs throughout the house definitely helps. Limit one to just the football purists who want no talking, no talking and no talking. It is a party, but there is also an important game happening as well.
- Think about flow. Keep everyone out of potentially high traffic areas; like the kitchen. Use multiple coolers for beverages and label them so that guests can just grab as needed.
- Give people choices. Classic football-watching foods are a key, but build some creativity with them. For instance, provide multiple tasty sauces for your chicken wings.
- Present some healthy alternatives, or sort of. Super Bowl Sunday is a day of indulgence, but you will still have a guest or two who won’t budge to break their New Year’s resolution. By creating build-your-own bars, like nachos, guest can choose which items they choose to add on.
- Invite people who will pitch in. Someone to help with the food as needed, a technical person who can help in case there are any glitches with the TVs, and those will offer to help with whatever you may need.
- Stock up on doggy bags. We all know that when it comes to parties it’s always better to have more. Don’t let your left overs go to waste. Have a supply of disposable containers on hand so you can send friends home with extra food.
(Information from USA Weekend)
The New England Patriots may have not made it to the Super Bowl this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t throw one killer party! Whether you’ve decided to be faithful to the East Coast and cheer on the Pittsburgh Steelers, or will be taking on a chance with the Midwest and the Green Bay Packers, use some of these tips and your party is sure to bring you a victory!
Jaime Kidston
Cambridge Neighbor
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Cambridge Police Quality of Service Community Survey
The Cambridge Police Department (CPD) is asking citizens to participate in their Quality of Service Community Surveys. Citizen responses will help the CPD as they work to provide the highest quality of police service possible to all members of the community.
These surveys are aimed at gauging public perception about crime, community initiatives and interactions with Cambridge Police Officers and the department as a whole. It only takes a few minutes to complete and can be found on the Cambridge Police Department website.
Participation in these surveys based on personal experiences with the police department will provide valuable insights to the Cambridge Police Department as they continuously strive to better serve the community.
Anyone with questions about these surveys can contact the Cambridge Police Department Professionals Standards Unit at 617.349.3384.
The Cambridge Police Department would also like to thank any citizens in advance for their participation!
Jaime Kidston
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6 Tips for Choosing the Best Offer for Your Home
Article From BuyAndSell.HouseLogic.com
By: G. M. Filisko
Published: February 10, 2010
Have a plan for reviewing purchase offers so you don’t let the best slip through your fingers.
You’ve worked hard to get your home ready for sale and to price it properly. With any luck, offers will come quickly. You’ll need to review each carefully to determine its strengths and drawbacks and pick one to accept. Here’s a plan for evaluating offers.
1. Understand the process
All offers are negotiable, as your agent will tell you. When you receive an offer, you can accept it, reject it, or respond by asking that terms be modified, which is called making a counteroffer.
2. Set baselines
Decide in advance what terms are most important to you. For instance, if price is most important, you may need to be flexible on your closing date. Or if you want certainty that the transaction won’t fall apart because the buyer can’t get a mortgage, require a prequalified or cash buyer.
3. Create an offer review process
If you think your home will receive multiple offers, work with your agent to establish a time frame during which buyers must submit offers. That gives your agent time to market your home to as many potential buyers as possible, and you time to review all the offers you receive.
4. Don’t take offers personally
Selling your home can be emotional. But it’s simply a business transaction, and you should treat it that way. If your agent tells you a buyer complained that your kitchen is horribly outdated, justifying a lowball offer, don’t be offended. Consider it a sign the buyer is interested and understand that those comments are a negotiating tactic. Negotiate in kind.
5. Review every term
Carefully evaluate all the terms of each offer. Price is important, but so are other terms. Is the buyer asking for property or fixtures-such as appliances, furniture, or window treatments-to be included in the sale that you plan to take with you?
Is the amount of earnest money the buyer proposes to deposit toward the downpayment sufficient? The lower the earnest money, the less painful it will be for the buyer to forfeit those funds by walking away from the purchase if problems arise.
Have the buyers attached a prequalification or pre-approval letter, which means they’ve already been approved for financing? Or does the offer include a financing or other contingency? If so, the buyers can walk away from the deal if they can’t get a mortgage, and they’ll take their earnest money back, too. Are you comfortable with that uncertainty?
Is the buyer asking you to make concessions, like covering some closing costs? Are you willing, and can you afford to do that? Does the buyer’s proposed closing date mesh with your timeline?
With each factor, ask yourself: Is this a deal breaker, or can I compromise to achieve my ultimate goal of closing the sale?
6. Be creative
If you’ve received an unacceptable offer through your agent, ask questions to determine what’s most important to the buyer and see if you can meet that need. You may learn the buyer has to move quickly. That may allow you to stand firm on price but offer to close quickly. The key to successfully negotiating the sale is to remain flexible.
G.M. Filisko is an attorney and award-winning writer who has survived several closings. A frequent contributor to many national publications including Bankrate.com, REALTOR Magazine, and the American Bar Association Journal, she specializes in real estate, business, personal finance, and legal topics.
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Jaime Kidston
Cambridge Neighbor
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FREE Tours of the New Main Library
There has been a lot of buzz lately about the Cambridge Public Library, but have you had the chance to check out what all the buzz has been about? Well here is your chance.
On various Saturdays, starting at 10 am you can tour the New Main Library and learn more about the “green” aspects of the new building as well as the art and architecture of both the stone and the glass sides of the building.
Schedule of Tours ( January – March 2011)
- January 29
- February 12
- February 19
- March 5
- March 12
- March 19
- March 26
Tours are free, but as a courtesy to the volunteer docent, they ask that you register for the tour by sending an email to cpldocents@gmail.com. Include the date you will attend, your name and the number in your parter. Also include either a phone number or email address so that you can be contacted in case of an emergency tour cancellation.
The Main Library is located at 449 Broadway in Cambridge. Normal business hours are Monday – Thursday 9 am to 9 pm, Friday – Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday 1 pm to 5pm.
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Cambridge Library Recieves 2010 Harleston Parker Medal for “Most Beautiful Building”
The Cambridge Public Library sure has earned it’s way into the news with all the recent renovations and upgrades.
Cambridge Public Library recently received the 2010 Harleston Parker Medal for “Single Most Beautiful Building” built in the Boston Metropolitan Area in the Past 10 Years, ARCHITECT Magazine’s Design Review Award and the LEED Silver Certification (as announced before).
A jury of nine professionals selected the Cambridge Library project out of 96 nominated projects and it was confirmed the award winner by the Boston Society of Architects (BSA) in December. According to the Harleston Parker Jury Report, the Cambridge Public Library “exhibits formal beauty as well as beauty of purpose, and the experience of the building as a place is not only beautiful for its form, its building science, its sustainable design, its materials, its programs, but also for the vibrant activity and indisputable joy within.”
The Cambridge Public Library reopened in November 2009 and includes a striking new glass building of 76,700 square feet joined to the restored 27,200 square foot landmark, designed in 1887 by Van Brunt & Howe.
In December, the City of Cambridge announced that Cambridge Public Library had also received an Annual Design Review Award from ARCHITECT Magazine, one of the country’s two leading national architectural magazines. Cambridge Public Library received one of nine Awards given from nearly 300 entries and was one of only two Award-winners in the category covering institutional, cultural and religious building. The project was praised for a range of its design features: its transparency and abundant natural daylighting, the “indoor-outdoor connection being strengthened by aligning the first floor with the ground plane”, and the use of a paved courtyard connecting the new and old buildings.
These two awards just add to the other 7 that the Cambridge Public Library project has received since its reopening in November 2009. Its historical beauty and new-age renovation has really made it an elegant site to see. (Read more)
Congratulations go out to the Cambridge Public Library and all those who have helped make it the building it is today.
Jaime Kidston
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Improve Credit Score with These Home Finance Tips
Article From HouseLogic.com
By: Gwen Moran
Published: October 22, 2010
How you manage your home ownership finances affects your credit score–and your ability to refinance later.
Your credit score affects how much you’ll pay for a mortgage or refinance-or even if you can get one at all. Master the six ways to manage home-related spending to keep your credit score braggingly high.
1. Postpone that refinance until your credit is squeaky clean
Even a small blemish on a credit report can cost you at closing. Money expert Denise Winston found that out firsthand: Her husband hadn’t paid a $40 pager charge. The unpaid bill was turned over to a collection agency and ended up damaging his credit score.
Because of that one small unpaid bill, the interest rate on the couple’s mortgage was 0.25% higher than if he’d had a clean score. Put another way, that’s $13,000 over the life of the loan.
The lesson? Even small items can damage your financial position. Get your credit report beforehand to see if there’s anything damaging. If so, consider postponing a refinance or HELOC (home equity line of credit) until small but potentially costly dings fade over time.
2. Pay your mortgage-now
Not all late payments are created equal: Almost nothing hits your credit score harder than a late mortgage payment. Payment history generally accounts for 35% of your credit score, which is bad enough, but credit score agencies consider late home payments graver than late credit card or car loan payments.
In fact, credit score agency VantageScore will knock off more than 100 points beyond what it would do for delinquent auto loans or credit cards.
But if you think you can improve your credit score with early payments, think again. Geoff Williams, co-author of Living Well with Bad Credit, says it may make a slightly positive impression on today’s risk-averse lender, but it won’t make a big difference in getting future credit.
3. Cool it on second mortgages and HELOCs
Drawing down a second mortgage or HELOC can have a negative impact on your credit score because 30% of your credit score is based on how much you owe to creditors. However, if you pay the loan on time, it will have less of an impact, says Winston.
Also, you can mitigate the credit score damage of a HELOC by staying within 30% of the limit.
4. Protect your mortgage to protect your insurance rates
Late payments on your mortgage may also affect your home owners and automobile insurance rates, potentially costing you hundreds of dollars a year, says Williams. Insurers may assume that if you’re strapped for cash and pay your bills late, you’re more likely to file a claim because you need the money.
5. Pay your utility bills and property taxes on time
If you’re late on your utility bills and your account is assigned to a collection agency, that agency may report it, causing a drop in your credit score, says Winston. The good news is that utility companies often don’t bother to report late bills to credit bureaus until your delinquency becomes serious.
Interestingly, late payment of property taxes won’t affect your credit score unless you find yourself with a lien on your property. Since liens are public records, they may appear on your credit report and might cause a drop in your credit score.
6. Refinancing? Beware of taking out equity, too
Refinancing your home generally won’t have an impact on your credit score as long as you continue to pay your loan on time, says Williams. However, if you extract equity in the deal, you could marginally affect your credit score because the amount you owe will increase.
Gwen Moran is a freelance business and finance writer from the Jersey shore. She’s the co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Business Plans and writes frequently about real estate.
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
Jaime Kidston
Cambridge Neighbor
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Cambridge, MA Real Estate Market Overview
Here is a market update of Cambridge’s real estate market through the week ending January 5, 2011. (Provided by Trulia.com)
Market View for Cambridge, MA
The average listing price is $642,642 which is down $5,265 (-0.8%) from the prior week. Themedian sales price, October to December 2010, is $447,000. This has increased 2.2%, or $9,500 from the same time period a year ago. Recently, 506 homes were sold, there are 207 homes for sale and 17 in foreclosure. Mid-Cambridge and Cambridgeport remain the most popular neighborhoods with average listing prices of $645,460 and $553,033 respectively.
Median Sales Price in Cambridge (1 yr)
Number of Sales (1yr)
Average Listing Price in Cambridge
Number of Listings
Average Price Per Square Foot for Homes in Cambridge (1 yr)
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Cambridge Public Library Awarded LEED® Silver Certification
The Cambridge Public Library project, designed by William Rawn Associates and Ann Beha, Associate Architect for the Historical Restoration, has achieved LEED® Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute. LEED® is the nation’s preeminent program for design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
This is the second Cambridge building to achieve Silver LEED® certification for the month of December. Earlier in December, the renovated War Memorial Recreation Center, designed by HMFH Architects, had also been awarded LEED® Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute.
Designed in 1887 by Van Brunt & Howe and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Cambridge Library includes a striking new glass building of 76,700 square feet joined to the restored 27,200 square foot landmark. The building has capacity for over 275,000 books, 90 computer stations, reservable meeting rooms and 220 seat auditorium. The project includes an underground parking garage with a 33,000 square foot green roof and the restored Joan Lorentz Park.
Key aspects and features of the project’s sustainable approach that contributed to receiving this prestigious award include:
- Re-use of a historic landmark: The restoration of the City’s original Main Library is at the heart of the project
- Main façade: The first of its type in the U.S., a double-skin curtainwall opens the building to views of Joan Lorentz Park and allows for extensive daylighting and energy savings.
- Open green space: A 4-acre park surrounding the library has been renovated and parking is located underground – below a 33,000 square foot green roof – which expands the land available for the park.
- Stormwater management: A 350,000 gallon stormwater retention tank provides stormwater management for a 3-square mile section of the City surrounding the site.
To learn more about this project, as well as the Renovated War Memorial Recreation Center, visit www.cambirdgema.gov.
Congratulation to the Cambridge Public Library and all those who have put forth effort in making this project a success!
Jaime Kidston
Cambridge Neighbor
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Best Shoveled Block in Cambridge Contest
Do you consider your neighbors, as well as yourself as state of the art shovelers? If so, nominate your block for the Best Shoveled Block in Cambridge Contest, sponsored by the Cambridge Post Office and Green Streets Initiative.
You can submit your nominations in 3 simple ways:
- Call in nominations to 617.575.8738 and ask for Fran
- Send in a picture/description to Cambridge PO, 770 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139
- E-mail walk-ride-days@comcast.net
Nominations will be due on Walk/Ride Day, February 25, 2011 and the winner will be picked by the ones who use the sidewalks every day; letter carriers.
The winner will be awarded at a ceremony at the Central Square PO on Walk/Ride Day, March 25, 2011.
Walk/Ride Days occur on the last Friday of every month. On these days, people everywhere are invited to first go green and wear green, then celebrate and get rewarded. Be sure to visit the Green Streets Initiative’s Website to find out about discounts and incentives available to participants from Cambridge businesses.
So put on some boots and grab your shovel to help make your block the best shoveled block in Cambridge.
Jaime Kidston
Cambridge Neighbor
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