In 2012, I had two different clients who were looking for a home for themselves, and for their grand piano. The piano space was on their short list of "must haves." A lot of the housing I work with does not have living rooms that can happily house that big an instrument. Most two-family house
Anyone who is thinking of buying in a town where they do not live should test drive the town before starting to house hunt. A cursory look at the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) will give you an idea of where you can afford to be. If you do not know the area, spend some time
Yard signs for your summer.
It gets complicated when you want to use a condo roof to harness solar power. Who pays for it? Who gets the power? Who gets the rebate when you sell power to the grid? Newly built condos have the advantage of having the solar (PV) system as part of the initial purchase. Adding it later
Angie’s List now has a free membership for people who want to read and write reviews. You’ve heard of Angie’s List. Did it turn you off with its membership fee? Well, that fee is gone. The staff confirm that reviewers actually used the businesses. It keeps the reviews more accurate. We’ve had happy clients writing
Your credit report is a full list of who you have open credit with, and how loyal you are about repaying those debts. Your credit score is a number compiled based on how you are handling that debt. The algorithm used to determine you credit score changes, but there are some basic rules. Have open
Seller’s Statement of Property Condition is a standard form. As a buyer, you may see this 8-page form at an open house. It’ll be on the table with a big “DO NOT REMOVE” written across the top. If you like a house and are considering making an offer, you should be reviewing this paperwork before
No sooner do I publish how well our clients did in a hard seller’s market, than The Boston Globe publishes a second edition of their annual “scare the buyers” article. What they say is all true. But, who does it serve to say it the way they do? Not buyers, that’s for sure. Before you
How well do exclusive buyer’s agents do, in the face of a tough seller’s market? Here are results for the hardest seller’s market we have faced, ever! Our report card for the first half of 2016: Total amount under original asking negotiated by -$213,500 Total amount negotiated after inspections: -$19,000 Total paid over asking price
Not every year is the same, but there’s a pattern. By July, the number of new listings has declined, but demand also goes down. Then, in September – normally -- some more properties come up for sale because sellers try to sell in the fall, before the “dead” winter season. The spring market is motivated