Why do we have downspouts and gutters? Partly, we have them so that when we step out of the house we don’t get gallons of rainwater on our heads. We also have them so that the downspouts can channel water away from the foundation of the house. Houses that are set on large tracts of
Long before you apply for a mortgage, it is a good idea to check your credit score. Credit scores determine if you qualify for a loan and the rate you pay for your loan. If your credit score is low, you may not be able to get a mortgage, even if you have the down
Here’s a quick primer on how to read the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and alternate real estate listing sites. Most of my clients “web around” to sites like Trulia and Zillow to look at images of properties for sale. We create customized searches with our database, but the raw data is out there for everyone
In real estate, 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
In the process of choosing a house or condo to buy, house-hunters find themselves in a lot of old houses with old and recent repairs. Every house has a component that is worn out, unless you are looking at something that just got a down-to-the-studs renovation. Like a car, a house will have something that
More data is not better data. I advise my clients to look for indications of negotiation points, like comparable sales, the seller buying another property, and neighborhood issues that are chasing the seller from their property (this is common if a building project is nearby or the taxes just went up… that kind of thing.)
Did your buyer's agent tell you to waive home inspection in order to be more competitive? We don't recommend that, ever! We want you to know what to expect, in terms of care and maintenance on this high-priced investment you are making. With average sales well over $600,000 in most areas we work in, we
We recommend that house hunters choose an attorney and an inspector--and a back-up for each--early in the house hunting process. That way, when you find a house and start making an offer, you are not scrambling to interview attorneys and inspectors during a busy week. You need to know what they are going to be
We're in the middle of snow season. It hasn't been a very snowy season in the Boston area, but when a storm hits, everyone gets a little frenzied. As a real estate agent, I get asked about who is responsible to shovel: the landlord or the tenant? Since that's a legal question, I depend on
Massachusetts uses two contracts for home purchases. The first one, "offer to purchase" is a short-term document that sets the parameters for the more extensive "purchase and sales agreement" which defines the quality of the Deed and Title and how funds will be exchanged. Once a buyer and seller sign a Purchase and Sales Agreement,