Celtic 5K and St. Patrick's Day Parade in Worcester, MA - March 13, 2011       Whether you run, march, or crawl, it's time for the wearin' o' the green in Worcester, MA.  On Sunday, March 13, 2011, the city will celebrate St. Patrick's Day with two fine events. First is the Guinness Celtic 5K road race at 11 AM.  This race is an out-and-back loop course that starts at Elm Park.  The entry fee is $35. Following the Celtic 5K will be the annual St. Patrick's Day parade at noon, starting at the corner of Park Avenue and Mill Street.  All the details on the parade are on the St. Patrick's Day parade web site. In addition, the local taverns will hold their post-race and post-parade pub crawl throughout the city.  See the Celtic 5K web site for a list of participating establishments.    This ... 03/09/2011

Spring is just around the corner and if you are looking to do major home improvements, the 2011 Worcester Spring Home Show may be your one stop shop! Exhibitors from all around Worcester County will be there on hand to answer any home improvement questions you may have. The 2011 Worcester Spring Home Show is a 3-day event and starts this Friday, March 11th from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., Saturday, March 12th from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, March 13th from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Regular admission is $6.00 and children under 12 are FREE. Look for FREE passes in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette throughout the week! Appliances Chimney Services Cooking & Food Products Financial & Business Services Garage Doors & Services Heating & Air Conditioning Household Services Landscaping, Lawn & G... 03/09/2011

Just wanted to share this exciting news I just read from Mark Hall of Vancouver, Washington's blog. Keller Williams' CEO, Mark Willis recently announced that Keller Williams is now the #2 largest Real Estate company across the United States! So glad to be a part of this amazing company! 03/09/2011

A home inspection is important. You wouldn't bye a car without test driving it or rent a tux without trying it on first. This is most likely the largest investment of your life and it needs to be treated with thoroughness and care.1. What is going to be covered in the inspection process?A good inspector will make sure everything within state guidelines is inspected. You can ask the inspector to look at additional areas just make sure to make them aware of what that may be.2. Professional experience, how long have they been in this line of work what their credentials and references?The inspector should have this available through request or on their website. Don't be afraid to ask, it's your potential new home3. Are you specifically experienced in residential property?Some inspectors ar... 03/08/2011

365 things to do in Worcester County - listen to Haydn in Worcester.  The Haydn Creation... THE WORCESTER CHORUS will perform this great Oratorio Friday, March 11 at Mechanics Hall in Worcester at 8 PM.  Artistic Director Christopher Shepard will be joined on stage by guest soloists Kendra Colton, Frank Kelley,  Thomas Jones, and the Worcester Festival Orchestra.The angel Gabriel sings "The marv'lous work beholds amaz'd the glorious hierarchy of heaven..." One of the most popular oratorios of all time, Hadyn's Creation comes to us just in time to celebrate the anticipation of Spring's arrival.  The Worcester Chorus and a wonderful selection of soloists will explore this work whose subject is the creation story seen through the lens of the Enlightenment.  This work provides the theme for... 03/08/2011

Radon is a radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up. Any home may have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.RADON GETS IN THROUGH: Cracks in solid floors Construction joints Cracks in walls Gaps in suspended floors Gaps around service pipes Cavities inside walls The water supply Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. You can't see radon. And you can't smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your home.Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That's... 03/08/2011

Many agents simply don't realize the power at their fingertips. In the past, businesses paid thousands of dollars to other people or companies to make them look good. Now, you can do it all yourself on one platform called Facebook (in as little as five minutes per day). Here are 4 ways you can use your Facebook page as your PR department: 1. Generate goodwill - Post interesting local "Groupons", coupons, and deals to inform your sphere about discounts they'll love. Giving away tickets and gift cards works too! 2. Manage your professional reputation - Post testimonials, success stories, and your accomplishments. Even better...post those of your clients. 3. Respond to bad news - Bad news about the housing market? Put your spin on it by demonstrating how the news will be beneficial to cer... 03/08/2011

  This weeks mortgage interest rate moves are going to be driven by 2 major factors 1.Bond auctions 2.Middle East tensions On Wed and Thursday- There are longer term treasury auctions in the form of a 10yr treasury auction on Wed. and a 30yr auction on Thursday. The last 10yr auction we had a few weeks ago were meant with strong demand and were actually the catalyst that prevented the rates from moving over 5% and staying over 5%. There is anticipation that there will be more strong auctions this week. With unemployment numbers starting to trend downward, and economic data trending up, this will continue to drive high demand for our debt. Which is a very good thing. The other 800 pound gorilla in the room is the civil and political unrest in the Middle East.Oil is trending towards $120... 03/07/2011

I thought this song would be appropriate for this week since it's the beginning of Lenten season. Nichole Nordeman is a very talented singer who has been blessed with a beautiful voice. ENJOY! 03/06/2011

Will The Price of Oil De-Rail the Spring Housing Market? As tensions, and in some instances revolution have sprung up all over the Middle East, we have seen a dramatic increase in the price of oil. The higher costs are affecting the airliners, the cost to heat our homes, and right in our own daily pockets in the form of higher gas prices. We have not seen oil this high since 2008, and we all remember  the economic down turn that insued shortly after oil peaked out at $147 a barrel. In fact, we are still dealing with it, so is this spike the catalyst to wipe out the economic progress we have made since the March stock market lows of 2009? According to Ben Bernake who testified in front of Congress last week; he feels at least at these levels the increase in price does not pose a threat t... 03/06/2011

365 things to do in Worcester County - Dine for Dollars at Piccadilly inWorcester This Sunday, March 6, 2011 you can support a local arts organization and enjoy a dinner at a local pub.  Shrewsbury street is a mecca for fine dining.  And this Sunday  "dine for Dollars" at one of the local favorites.  Come join with friends and support Greater Worcester Opera. Dining for Dollars on March 6 at the PicHungry?  Looking for a special meal out?  Print out a flyer (link below), bring it to the Piccadilly Pub (480 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester) at any time on Sunday, March 6th, enjoy a wonderful meal, and a percentage of your bill will go directly to Greater Worcester Opera for our June production.  Great food, great cause- it's a win/win opportunity!Link to Dining Dollars Flyer   new nameAnnoun... 03/05/2011

417 Mill Street WORCESTER, MA First time homebuyers, take notice! OWN YOUR OWN HOME, STOP RENTING! With alittle TLC, this home could be a diamond in the rough! Low taxes and low ma 2BR/1BA Single Family House $135,000 Year Built 1943 Sq Footage 1,064 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms 1 full, 0 partial Floors 1 Parking Unspecified Lot Size 9,000 sqft HOA/Maint $0 per month DescriptionFirst time homebuyers, take notice! With alittle TLC, this home could be a diamond in the rough! Low taxes and low maintenance fees. Fireplaced living room, fully applianced kitchen, nice backyard and minutes away from Worcester State University. Property Features FireplaceDining roomRefrigeratorStove/OvenBasementWasherYard Community Features Storage space(s) Other Special Features Tatnuck area Additional Photos Photo 1... 03/05/2011

    What Tomorrow's Jobs Report Will Tell us About the Economy   Tomorrow's jobs report will report on the unemployment numbers for the month of February at 8:30AM. This is the most important jobs report in a few months. We are coming out of the seasonal hiring season of the holidays Last month's report was considered by many to be a jaded report because of the record storms in January. This report will be so important for the stock market, the interest rates, and the political policies towards jobs creation. If we as a country don't start creating at least 200k we are going to be in big economic trouble because we have used up much of the stimulus money in the economy and fed buying programs ending in June. No one can doubt that the stimulus package has saved us from certain depression... 03/03/2011

Don’t be the Little Orphan Annie of the Broker Open House World   The broker open house for many listing agents is a great way to get their newly listed property out there to the real estate world. We all know the importance of having other agents see the property to increase the chance to match up the perfect buyer and the perfect home. From my experience over the past couple of years is that the main draw to the broker open house seems to be the lunch. Usually the listing agent will call upon their loan officer to orchestrate the lunch menu and pay for the food. We loan officers, being the suckers that we are for the attention of Realtors, we get the best sandwiches and salads hoping to make a good impression with the local agents. Now let’s thing about that; I’m hoping that my lunch ... 03/01/2011

SOLD!!! 80 Dug Hill Road HOLLAND, MA SOLD!!! Antique Cape Beautifully Renovated! 3BR/2BA Single Family House $280,000 Year Built 1790 Sq Footage 1,858 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial Floors Unspecified Parking 4 Car garage Lot Size 271,814 sqft HOA/Maint $0 per month DescriptionSOLD!!! Gorgeous Antique cape beautifully renovated . Newer roof, cedar siding, insulation and windows. Very energy efficient home! This wonderful home sits on 6+ peaceful acres just perfect for the gardener. Fruit trees, berry bushes, herbs and perennials abound. Large insulated & heated barn/garage currently used as a workshop. Additional outbuildings for the hobbyist or animal lover. Enjoy Lake Siog's public beach nearby! Take a step back in time and come discover your next home! Property Features Cent... 03/01/2011

What if Rates Drop? Free Rate Float Downs at Prospect Greater Worcester   The dilemma most borrowers face during their purchase is "When do I lock my rate?".  When rates are going up everyone thinks they will come back down. When rates are trending down everyone thinks they will always go lower.   It is human nature to think this way. So when SHOULD you lock?   If you are Purchasing or Refinancing with Prospect Greater Worcester the answer is LOCK NOW.  Why? Because we offer a one time free float down of your interest rate if rates drop considerably.  By considerably I mean .375%-.5%, or, in REAL examples, if you locked at a 5.375% in the beginning of February, we could relock your loan, FREE OF CHARGE, at a 5.0% today.  Is this the lowest rate out there? NO.  A new client walking into ... 03/01/2011

Rate Outlook for the Week Beginning February 28, 2011 This week’s rate forecast is going to be dominated by two major factors. 1.   The weakening of the dollar 2.   The political unrest in the Middle East   The major economic calendar data point will be Fridays’ big jobs’ report. There is a consensus that the unemployment numbers should be very strong for February as compared to January mainly because the weather was much better this month. The range is 120,000  to 255,000  new  jobs created and a hope that the unemployment rate could drop under 9%. This would be a great psychological boost for the markets.   My Rate Forecast I’m going to say that the rates will stay in a lower range for at least the first half of the week. There is a lot of geopolitical pressure and uncertainty right ... 02/28/2011

I thought this song was appropriate for the start of my week! I am in Florida visiting my Mom and glad to be escaping the snow and freezing rain, I heard that I am having back home. Not missing it here with the 80s temperatures here today and for the rest of this week! Looking forward to having some fun, fun, fun this week! 02/28/2011

One Last Push for the FHA Streamline Refinance   As a result of FHA running low on their capital reserve requirements they are going to need to raise their fees so that can replenish their reserve pool, and the home owner is the one footing the bill. The FHA Streamline has been a great product over the last couple of years. On average I have been able to help between 12 and 20 FHA mortgage holders a month refinance their current FHA loans into lower interest rate settings, and it is so frustrating that HUD has make the home owner pay higher fees for those who defaulted on their mortgage payments. In about 6 weeks the benefit someone can achieve from FHA Streamline Refinance is going to be chopped for the second time in 6 months.   I'm am strongly urging those who have not yet taken adva... 02/27/2011

I am so glad I live in Worcester! Worcester Restaurant Week starts up again next week from February 28th through March 13th, 2011. Participating restaurants serve 3 course dinner entrees for only $22.11!This event is sponsored by Unibank, KJ Baaron's Fine Wine and Spirits and Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel.The restaurants participating are as follows:AJ Tomaoilo's RestaurantAmici's TrattoriaBarbers CrossingBocadoBiagio'sThe BoyntonBrew City Grill & Brew HouseBiblos LoungeThe Castle RestaurantCeltic TavernCeres BistroChioda's TrattoriaChuck's SteakhouseCoral SeafoodEl BashaEvoFlying RhinoHaikuIl FornoJoey's Bar & GrillLaScalaLeo's RistoranteMezcalNorthworks Bar & GrilleO'ConnorsThe People's Kitchen/CitizenPiccolo'sPorto BelloSmokestack Urban BBQSole ProprietorSquire'sThe RegistryTweeds... 02/26/2011