Ok, here's the $64,000 question. How much is enough when it comes to updating/fixing your home to place it on the active market? Some folks go all in without regard for return on investment. Others do the bare minimum (lipstick on a pig). The best thing to do is ask your trusted professional Realtor®. They will know what to advise you. Painting can be inexpensive but use neutral colors. Doing a complete kitchen update could be expensive and not bring you the increased value you were looking for. Thus, the answer to the question is...it differs for every property. That's why you need to engage a professional Realtor® to guide you through the process so you maximize your return. I hope you enjoy the article below.Should You Update Your House Before Selling? Ask a Real Estate Professional.... 05/13/2022

This is one of the largest units at Turtle Crossing!  Enjoy a spacious corner unit on the first floor.  The kitchen has SS appliances, granite countertops, lots of cabinets, and a pantry for storage.  The kitchen opens to the dining area (plenty of room for a table) and living area. The master bedroom has a walk-in closet plus 2 other closets and a full bathroom with a jaccuzi type tub.  A second bedroom and bathroom with a shower stall complete this condo. Gas heat, gas cooking, central air, in unit laundry (stackable washer & dryer).  Enjoy all the amenities that Turtle Crossing has to offer: exercise room, putting green, gazebo, swimming pool, hot tub, clubhouse, playground and more.  Close to shopping, highways, and the MBTA.  There is an echo/ google type device in the condo that c... 05/04/2022

Building better, greener & smarter homes faster - LIVE GUIDED INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL TOUR on Wednesday, May 4th, 2022 @ 5:30 PM EST - sign up at www.vt-sign-up.com Experience a live virtual tour of our actual custom modular homes factory & models located at the factory, as well as custom homes that our customers have allowed us to shoot in 3D and share with you.  What will you learn by attending the Live Virtual Factory Tour? The Benefits & Advantages of Modular ConstructionThe Design Software & how you can take a 3D walkthrough of your home before its built3D Tour of our Factory & Sample HomesQ & A Session after Presentation Please feel free to sign up for this tour even if you cannot make the date and time. We will send you a recording of it. 04/24/2022

Pianist Sergei Novikov will perform two concerts on Friday May 27 at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at the Cotuit Center for the Arts,4404 Falmouth Rd, Cotuit, MA. From Tchaikovsky to Phantom and from Ellington to Joel, the performance will delight the audience, all with a good sense of humor. Part of the profits from concerts will be donated to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to help assist Ukraine.Sergei has performed for such luminaries as President George H.W. Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, President Joe Biden as well as Billy Joel, Reba McEntire and Paul Newman. He opened a program for first lady Barbara Bush. Sergei received official recognition from the Queen Mother of England for his music. He performed a solo concert in the same WCRB Classical Concert series as th... 04/23/2022

I remember when my wife and I were house hunting in the mid-1980s. Housing prices were rising and interest rates were rising. We were wondering if we'd really be able to afford a house if the trajectory on pricing and interest kept rising. We had been looking for a bit and were getting antsy BUT we knew the market. Finally, we found a home that was underpriced and needed updating. We offered full price with a credit for the replacement of the septic. The interest rate was locked in at 13%. The one thing we were certain of was interest rates will come down at some point. They eventually made it to 18%. Interest rates did fall and each time they fell by 2 points we refinanced. We also paid extra principal. The point is, rising rates may be of concern but don't let that deter you. I suspec... 04/20/2022

YOU ARE INVITED! Register for the LIVE VIRTUAL FACTORY TOUR onWednesday, April 20th 2022 @ 5:30 PM EST at www.vt-sign-up.com Experience a live virtual tour of our actual design center and factory plus models located at the factory, as well as custom homes that our clients have allowed us to shoot in 3D and share with you.Find out how the entire modular building process works - from initial site work and permits to completed, fully landscaped custom designed home. We can build your next home in any style, size and layout. If you are interested sign up at www.vt-sign-up.com What will you learn by attending the Live Virtual Factory Tour? The benefits & advantages of modular constructionThe design software & how you can take a 3D walkthrough of your home before its builtHow the entire proce... 04/18/2022

When I was in the corporate world we experimented with remote working. It made management uncomfortable but they were looking for ways to increase productivity and cut costs but it didn't really catch on.  Fast forward 2 decades... You-know-what changed the face of business. Technology had made strides. Now working from a remote location became easier because of Virtual applications such as Zoom, internet connectivity, Apps etc. Real Estate professionals made the adjustment with virtual showings, virtual open houses, YouTube videos, cloud computing applications, electronic signatures, and more. Connectivity became the new buzzword.Now working from home is the TREND. No more arduous commutes, less stress, flexibility, and more make working from home seem plausible and is becoming general... 04/06/2022

Why so few houses to buy in 7 short points.1. After the last "housing market downturn", many construction workers (tradespeople) found other jobs.This exodus from the trades has still not reversed. 2. The building slump in America has continued thru today, and hasn't recovered to the needed levels to increase new home availability.Finding enough skilled workers is still a problem for builders who are making an attempt to grow their inventory of projects.3. The pandemic hit and slowed everything down.With the government paying people to stay healthy, and with the fear of catching something awful, workers stayed home.4. As part of the latest slow down, supply chains became broken and sporadic.We've all seen the ships in the harbor waiting to unload, and many people have heard stories of h... 04/05/2022

Spring has Sprung in many parts of the nation. There are still some areas in the northern reaches and higher elevations of the country where it is cold and snowy still, but nonetheless, Spring is here and the Spring Market for Real Estate is preparing to enter into high gear. I've noticed increased listings for some communities in our area and... they are being sold quickly.  Below is an article prepared by the folks at KCM on their view of the Spring Market and what to expect. What You Can Expect from the Spring Housing Market   As the spring housing market kicks off, you likely want to know what you can expect this season when it comes to buying or selling a house. While there are multiple factors causing some uncertainty, including the conflict overseas, rising inflation, and the fir... 03/31/2022

Pitchbook recently released their NVCA Venture Monitor for 2021, and Boston has again set a record high for venture capital funding.  Last year, Boston-based startups attracted $34.9 billion in capital funding.  For the fifth consecutive year, Boston ranked 3rd highest among all metros in their regional spotlight, behind New York and San Francisco.   According to Pitchbook’s data, Boston saw a 194.9% increase in total VC capital compared to 2020.  Nationwide the amount of VC funding nearly doubled to $329 billion, up from $166.6B in 2020.  Boston, New York, and San Francisco hold a lion’s share of this total funding, with the 3 metros accounting for over $205B of all venture capital funding in the US.  Miami, New York, Chicago and Denver saw the biggest YOY increases in total capital fu... 03/31/2022

Boston is one of the most historic cities in the United States, and it is also home to some of the most beautiful hardwood floors. If you're thinking about installing hardwood floors in your home, you need to know a few things about the process. In this blog post, we will discuss the ins and outs of the hardwood floor installation in Boston!hardwood floors are a beautiful addition to any home, and they can last for many years with proper care. However, hardwood floors can be a bit tricky to install, especially if you're not familiar with the process. In Boston, there are a few things that you need to take into consideration before starting your hardwood floor installation project.First, you need to choose the right hardwood for your floors. There are many different types of hardwood ava... 03/28/2022

If you're moving to Boston, you're in for an exciting adventure! This vibrant city has something for everyone. Whether you're moving here for school, work, or a new start, we've got you covered. In this blog post, we'll give you our best tips for making your move go as smoothly as possible. From local moves to long-distance moves, we've got you covered!If you're moving locally, the first thing you need to do is find a good local moving company. Boston is a big city, and there are a lot of moving companies to choose from. Do your research and read online reviews to find the best one for you. Once you've found a reputable company, give them a call and get a quote. Be sure to ask about any discounts or promotions they may be running.If you're moving long-distance for example you are moving... 03/28/2022

Real Estate Seller Tips :1.  How has selling real estate changed since you last sold? The changes can be surprising. There can be scores of steps before the closing.2.  Once you decide to sell, understand that your property is an asset rather than your home. Let go as best you can, and enjoy the process. Deciding to sell starts the adventure.3.  Choose an experienced professional to guide and advise as to what are normal requests, forms, clauses, and business procedures. Real Estate has become more specialized than you may remember.4.  Rely on your active professional for honest information about how buyers will look at your property. Be receptive and consider their experience useful.5.  Location Location Location has morphed into varying degrees of Location Condition Price, with all be... 03/28/2022

The Top Vacation Home Counties in the USA:According to the most recent NAR Vacation Homes Report (https://cdn.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/documents/2021-vacation-home-counties-report-06-15-2021.pdf), the top 1% of vacation home counties were in 16 states. North Carolina had four vacation counties (Swain,  Alleghany, Macon, Watauga); there were three each in New York (Greene, Sullivan, Hamilton), Vermont (Windham, Bennington, Windsor), Massachusetts (Dukes (Martha's Vineyard), Barnstable, Nantucket), and Michigan (Oscoda, Alcona, Clare); there were two each in Florida (Lee, Collier), Missouri (Hickory, Camden), and Maryland (Garrett, Worcester). Oklahoma, Maine, Arizona, New Jersey, Georgia, New Mexico, Delaware, and Minnesota each had one vacation home county that landed in the top ... 03/24/2022

What is it with politicians? How many times do we have to tell them NO? In Massachusetts, the State Legislature is, once again,  attempting to place another surcharge on Real Estate sales. Massachusetts already has a sales tax on real estate sales. It's called tax stamps.Currently, MA sellers must pay $4.56 per $1000 of the sales price. The median sales price in Massachusetts is $556,000 which equals a tax of $2535.36. Realtors and MA citizens have instructed the Legislature, time and time again, this would be a bad thing for the marketplace.Well, they're up to it again! The MA Legislature is now considering allowing local municipalities to charge either a .05% surcharge on all sales or a 2% surcharge on that portion of the sale over the median sale price.  If you are a Massachusetts Re... 03/23/2022

LIVE GUIDED INTERACTIVEVIRTUAL TOURSRegister for the Live Virtual Factory Tour:Wednesday, March 23rd, 2022 @ 5:30 PM ESTsign up at www.vt-sign-up.comExperience a live virtual tour of our actual factory & models located at the factory, as well as custom homes that our customers have allowed us to shoot in 3D and share with you. If you are interested sign up below:What will you learn by attending the Live Virtual Factory Tour?The Benefits & Advantages of Modular ConstructionThe Design Software & how you can take a 3D walkthrough of your home before its built3D Tour of our Factory & Sample HomesQ & A Session after PresentationPLEASE NOTE : If you signed up for a live virtual tour and are unable to attend for some reason we will email you a recording of it. Please make sure when you sign up... 03/18/2022

Is mortgage pre-approval/pre-qualification important?Simply answered...Yes.Rates are rising, inventory is continuously low, both buyers and sellers are experiencing challenging times finding new homes to purchase. That being the case, do you want your financing to be an added challenge to an already challenging situation? Getting pre-approved for a mortgage is one card that helps you emerge from the offer pack as the buyer of choice. When you decide to enter the active real estate market, as a buyer, make sure you speak with your lender of choice. You want to be ready to make an offer when you find the right home. Financing is something that can be prepared ahead of time, so there's no need to miss out on your dream home just because your loan application isn't in order.Your loan office... 03/14/2022

Please join us... register for the LIVE VIRTUAL FACTORY TOUR on Wednesday, March 9th, 2022 @ 5:30 PM EST at www.vt-sign-up.comExperience a live virtual tour of our actual design center and factory plus models located at the factory, as well as custom homes that our clients have allowed us to shoot in 3D and share with you.Find out how the entire modular building process works - from initial site work and permits to completed, fully landscaped custom designed home. We can build your next home in any style, size and layout. If you are interested sign up at www.vt-sign-up.com   What will you learn by attending the Live Virtual Factory Tour? The benefits & advantages of modular construction The design software & how you can take a 3D walkthrough of your home before its built How the entire ... 03/01/2022

Westchester Modular Homes – LIVE Virtual Tour of Design Center, Factory & Sample HomesPlease join us for our “LIVE Virtual Tour” on February 23rd starting at 5:30 PM… explore our design center, factory & sample homes… learn how we design & build custom modular homes... live Q&A session right after tour... sign up today at http://www.vt-sign-up.com to learn about the advantages of building a custom modular home…Explore how we help you design and build your dream home… building stronger, better & greener… complete homes and additions… turn key custom home construction services… if you can imagine it, we can build it… register today at https://www.vt-sign-up.comWe service NY, NJ, PA, CT, NH, VT, RI, MA, ME… 02/14/2022

This is an interesting article from KCM regarding interest rates. It is my opinion there's always some demand for Real Estate and people will buy no matter what the rates may be. The proof can be found, (let's all hop into Mr. Peabody's Way Back Machine) in the middle 1980's Real Estate market when rates went as high as 18%. I know we bought our home when rates were 13%. The rising rates DID give us the motivation to get with it...lolWith Mortgage Rates Climbing, Now’s the Time To Act   Last week, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate from Freddie Mac jumped from 3.22% to 3.45%. That’s the highest point it’s been in almost two years. If you’re thinking about buying a home, this news may have come as a bit of a shock. But the truth is, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. Experts have been c... 01/24/2022