One of my pet peeves about houses for sale is that many of them are unpleasant because they are dirty. Houses collect hold odor in the heat of the summer and in the dead of the winter. Sellers, ventilate. Sellers, clean your homes. Sellers, don’t cover it with perfume! It’s little wonder why some places
Part I: Building the home music studio that won’t drive your neighbors crazy Email from M.R., a long-time reader: I'm a landlord in Somerville (I have two 2-family houses), I'm a long-time reader of the Globe RE blog, and finally, I'm a basement drummer. I've spent a few weekends' worth of time sound-proofing the basement
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.
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
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
This year, I had the pleasure of attending three wedding in a single season. Only one of the couples is seriously discussing buying a house soon. We often get calls from prospective buyers that require the immediate response “Congratulations!” They have a great new job. They are getting married. They are having a baby. These
“Did you know that if a seller receives only one offer on your property, that the probability that it will close is 90 percent. If a seller gets multiple offers, the probability that it will close is only 50 percent…” I heard this statistic in a negotiating training run by Bernice L. Ross. I queried
Sellers have the advantage in this market. My office and I work hard to do everything to keep our clients informed. We use every tactic we can find to give our client the best advantage over other buyers in a bidding war. In order not to grossly overpay or buy without rights, our clients will