How do I choose a town to buy in when I don’t live there? That is one of the most frequently asked questions by prospective buyers. They live in an apartment now. They know it is too small for their long-term use. They want a yard. But, where? It is both common sense and neuropsychological
Here is an idea that should cross the pond. February is the time to think about creating nesting places for local birds. In England, National Nest Box Week is and organization that encourages people to create nesting places for local birds. Their habitats are being threatened by building, and landscaping that eliminates the places where
What are those things on that roof and why are they there? Those little spikes are there to break up sheets of ice and snow that will be falling off the roof this season. If the ice comes down in one, solid sheet, it is heavy and can damage property and hurt people. It is
General: most of the number-crunching services are predicting that housing prices will be stable. This means they will increase, but at a slower rate than we have been seeing over the past three years. Deregulation will loosen mortgage requirements. This is a positive for first-time buyers who are on the brink of purchasing. Some will
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 2016: Total amount under original asking negotiated: -$188,359 Total amount negotiated after inspections: -$35,000 Total paid over asking price in bidding wars $229,300 Towns
Winter. Yes, the days are short now. Soon we'll see (and be shoveling) snow. Will we see white stuff like last year, or the year before? I get asked questions about snow removal, as a real estate agent. Since they are legal questions, I depend on Attorney Richard Vetstein for accurate legal answers to general
This was the “Thanksgiving of the mouse.” Two out of three of the households we visited had uninvited squatters of the rodent variety. I ended up being the hero this week. My niece, who is a tall, strong woman turns into a ten-year-old at the thought of a mouse. Well, not entirely. The day before
Even though it isn't winter yet, housing prices begin to drop this time of year. Winter is a bargain-hunter's paradise, but it is also house-hunting hell. Between Thanksgiving and Martin Luther King Day (or Super Bowl Sunday when the Pats are in the playoffs), demand dries up, but so does inventory. The drain on demand
Ron Rothenberg, homeowner and exclusive buyer's agent, has a love-hate relationship with hot water heaters. He's ready to break up with his conventional direct-fired water heater. This is one of the reasons why: Apres le water heater, le deluge by Ron Rothenberg (edited from 2010 post) Conventional water heaters have always bothered me. Why would
Q: What happened in Boston on Tuesday night will affect the region’s housing. A: Question 5 in Boston passed! Q: What’s that? A: It was a ballot measure that increased property tax on Boston residents by 1 percent. This money will be dedicated to affordable housing, recreation, and historic preservation projects. The expectation is that