If I incorporate my art into my house, should I remove it before I sell? My clients, T. and E. are selling their house. They are leaving two stained glass pieces that T. made. They are also leaving a wallet holder that T.’s father made. He is attached to it, but it “belongs” in that
We’ve been in a seller’s market – where there is more demand than supply – since spring of 2012. It takes a while to get perspective on a market that is changing. To figure out when price inflation began to pick up again, I looked back on my blogs. I found this one, from February
What should an energy conscious house hunter be looking for, when choosing a house or condo? It’s a good idea to have this in mind all year, but more people notice this time of year. With our clients, we point out our energy wasters when we see them. Single zones: If there is only one
Buyer tip: A badly done listing sheet can save you money. Many buyers will reject a place based on bad pictures, or not enough pictures. Some agents don't do their job. There's plenty of them. Enough to fill humor sites like Lighter Side of Real Estate, Hooked on Houses, Terrible real estate photography, and often on
Some electrical repair can’t wait. Knob and tube wiring is one of those problems. This wiring, from 80-100 years ago, has not aged gracefully. It is considered a fire hazard by most insurance companies. Our clients are often told that they cannot get insurance, or they can only get insurance if they promise to remove
The big issue in Boston area real estate is inventory. There are not enough houses for sale. We have a stalemate about inventory here. These are the factors: Empty-nesters are staying longer in their houses. This is a demographic and cultural shift. They are holding on to their houses, partly because of personal choices and
Do you know what it will cost you to borrow at a higher interest rate? If your rate changed from 3.5 percent to 3.75 percent, the cost would be an additional $14 per month, per $100,000 of principal. This increases slowly to $15 per month, per $100,000 when the interest rate changes from 4.5 to
The most common mistake that consumers make when setting up an MLS search is to limit their search too much or too little. The ideal search yields properties that are closer and closer to the goal. Bad searches yield either too few options or properties that don’t work, in the same way, over and over.
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
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