What to do with your mantel?

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Carole

I found this great site, homeportfolio.com  where you can get product and design ideas as well as search by architectural style, product design, lighting, outdoor decorating, and much, much more!
Today, they are showing different mantel designs.  I think many are stumped about what to do with this focal point in most rooms.
Decorating a mantel is not about a specific formula as much as it is about proportion, scale, and balance. Don’t be afraid to play around. Add a few
things, take a few away. Layer. Step back and assess your work, and keep
adjusting until the arrangement feels right. There are endless ways to decorate
this natural focal point of a room. Here are a few beautiful ideas you can use
for creating inspired designs all your own. Launch Slideshow

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The real estate market in Stow…what’s it doing?

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Carole

In my series about the current local real estate market, we are looking at 3 factors that matter in real estate:

  • Number of sales
  • Inventory of homes
  • Median sale price
    These numbers are tracked by the Greater Boston Real Estate Board for the many towns that are their primary service area.  The numbers help us work with both sellers and buyers.  To help them decide if this is the best time for them to sell…what do these numbers forecast for us into the spring market?  Will spring be better or worse?
    And, for buyers who think there may be better, greater deals to be had…how should their negotiating strategy work and should they wait or buy now?
    GBREB tracks 2 segments of the market:
  • Single family homes
  • Condos

Today, we look at Stow.
September was a tough month.  The key indicators are all in the wrong direction.
It appears to be an anomaly when compared to the YTD numbers…the outlook is much brighter.
The median price is up and the number of sales are up.  The days on market are also up…36%!  So sellers…If you need to sell, you need to price to not just be competitive, but to be a great deal.  And if you are able to wait it out, then just know your marketing time will be a longer cycle.  Especially going into the last 2 months of the year.
Stow is a great community that people want to be part of.  They are part of the Nashoba Regional School district…people want their kids to go to school there.
It’s easily accessible to 495, the Mass Pike and the 128 belt.  And it’s a lovely and close knit quiet community.

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What’s going on in the Hudson real estate market?

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Carole

In September, Hudson had some good news to report in 2 of the 3 areas we look at to project what will happen in the months ahead.

  • Closed Sales
  • Median House Price
  • Months Supply of Inventory

There are 2 segments measured:

  • Single family homes
  • Condos

The single family segment had all pluses, including inventory and days on the market…not what we want to see go up.
On the positive side, the median house price was up and the number of sales were up.
The condo market told another story…
While the median price was up slightly, the average days on market was up significantly and everything else was down.
Here is the graphic with all the numbers included…and stay tuned tomorrow to find out how another community fared!

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What is the Acton real estate market doing?

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Carole

In September, Acton took an overall down turn in 3 areas we look at to project what will happen in the months ahead.

  • Closed Sales
  • Median House Price
  • Months Supply of Inventory

To clarify the down turn, MSI (months supply of inventory) means that there are actually fewer houses on the market.  That’s a good thing, especially in the fall market.
The other 2 areas, closed sales and median house price…not such a good thing…especially in the fall market.
There are 2 areas that are measured:

  • Single family homes
  • Condos

As you will see, there were plus sides on the condo market that the single family market did not realize.
The fall is traditionally the 2nd busiest market of the year.
Here is the graphic with all the numbers included.

The bottom line…if you have your house on the market and are serious about getting it SOLD, price it so that it will do just that.  Nothing else really matters going into the winter.

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Weekend Plans in and around Central MA

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Carole

Fall in New England…the quintessential image of the most glorious time in our calendar.   The splendor of the colors, the smell in the air.  It is such a spectacular time of year.
And, then there are all the activities that allow us to fill our weekends…pumpkin and apple picking, leisurely drives taking in all the color and the seemingly endless choice of fall festivals.
This weekend in particular, Central MA offers some of the best activities in the region.

  • The 28th Annual Apple Fest at Wachusett Mountain. This most popular fall festival, AppleFest features over 75 Craft Fair & Farmers’ Market Booths, Family Entertainment, Chainsaw Carving Demonstrations, Scenic Foliage Skyrides to the Summit, Mountainside Barbecue, and much more.
  • Davis’ Mega Maze is a perennial favorite for all ages.  Starting this weekend, Halloween Fright Nights begin.  There is so much to see and do at
    Davis Farmland and Mega Maze.

  • And while you’re out here, don’t forget the apple orchards.  You can pick your own at any one of the neighboring orchards in Sterling, Lancaster, Bolton and Harvard.

It will certainly be a weekend to remember as your meander through our main streets and back roads of Central MA and find some of the gems we have to offer.
Enjoy!!!!

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An agent is an agent is an agent…right? Or is it?

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Carole

Real estate agents are sometimes viewed by the consumer as a commodity.  After all, anyone can open the door and point out the difference between the kitchen and the living room.  And, the consumer would be right…if that’s what Realtors did.

During an initial consultation with a buyer, I explain that we each have a job to do.  The hardest part of their job is to sift through the properties we see to find the home they will spend several years living in.  It’s a big decision for them.
That ends up being the easiest part of my job.  In fact, it’s so not the most important thing a Realtor does that a licensed assistant could actually show the buyers the properties.  In many parts of the country, that person is called the Showing Assistant.
The way I see it, a Realtor’s job is broken into 3 parts.
Phase 1 is educating the buyers to the market and the process of buying a home.
Once they say, “Carole, this is the house for us”, I go into Phase 2…doing the research on the property and negotiating the most favorable terms and price for my clients.
Phase 3 is getting the buyers and sellers to the closing table so my clients can move into their dream home and achieve their real estate goals.
Phases 2 and 3 are the most difficult and important part of what I do as a real estate professional.  The skills needed to navigate all parties through the turbulence along the way to a successful real estate transaction are more imperative today than ever before.
Today in the KCM Blog you can see that whether you are a buyer or a seller…Realtors are not all the same.  It’s important to choose yours wisely.

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Houses are more affordable than they’ve been in a decade

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Carole

 Are you in the market to buy a house or are you sitting on the sidelines waiting for the bottom to hit?  Waiting for the interest rates to drop more?
It’s understandable that with all the media hype and headlines with ever changing information, you may believe taking the wait and see approach is the best option.
We know a few things based on recorded history of the housing market.  One of those truths is that we don’t know when we’ve hit bottom until prices or rates begin to rise again.
According to Kiplinger’s October 2011 report, 6 reasons why it’s time to stop waiting and start to get into action are:
1)  Prices are nearly at the bottom
2)  Houses are affordable again
3)  Mortgage rates won’t go any lower
4)  It’s a buyer’s market
5)   You may find a distressed property
6)  Home ownership is still attractive:
“A home is the biggest purchase most people ever make. But deciding whether and  what to buy isn’t purely a financial  decision”.

Read more: http://www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/six-reasons-to-buy-a-home-now.html?si=1#ixzz1Zje5UTIh

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Fall events and festivals this weekend

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Carole

Fall in New England…sunny dry days, cool nights, pumpkins, turning leaves, festivals.  Ahhhh…..perfect.  This weekend there are many choices around the state and the weather is predicted to be almost perfect!  Enjoy!

09/30 to 10/10 2011 – Topsfield Fair
Topsfield Fairgrounds – Topsfield, MA
09/31 to 10/02 2011 – Spirit of Shrewsbury Fall Festival
Oak Middle School & Various Venues – Shrewsbury, MA
10/01 to 10/01 2011 – Walpole Arts & Music Fest
Blackburn Hall Field – Walpole, MA
10/01 to 10/01 2011 – Fitchburg Forge-In Blacksmith Festival
Fitchburg Riverfront Park – Fitchburg, MA
10/01 to 10/01 2011 – Bethlehem Artisan Festival
Town Common – Sturbridge, MA
10/01 to 10/01 2011 – Horseshed Fair
First Church – Lancaster, MA
10/01 to 10/01 2011 – Autumn in New England Craft Show
Franklin Elks Club – Franklin, MA
10/01 to 10/01 2011 – Twenty-Fifth Harvest Craft Fair
HT Wing School – Sandwich, MA		 Get more details
10/01 to 10/01 2011 – Boston Local Food Festival
Boston Waterfront at Fort Point Channel – Boston, MA
10/01 to 10/02 2011 – The North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival
Forsters Farm – Orange, MA
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Who knew? Saving money can be as easy as repositioning your lamp!

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Carole

It sounds little crazy doesn’t it?  I mean it’s not the most obvious thing as turning off your lamp or unplugging your lamp (which of course helps), but to reposition it?
There were a few other surprises in this article, like using your laptop instead of your desktop.
I must admit, I’m not at all keen on turning off my automatic ice-maker, so I will have to really think about that one…there will most likely be a few you won’t want to change either, but there are enough ideas that even by picking and choosing, we can all reduce our energy wasting ways.
So in these times when we are all interested in continuing to live well and save money, these energy saving tips allow us to accomplish both.

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2nd quarter housing stats for Central MA

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Carole

Every day we are hearing about what housing is doing on the national level.  How does that affect us in our local market and what does it mean for us?

NAR Research produces a series of Local Market Reports (LMRs) which provide insights into the fundamentals and direction of the nation’s largest metropolitan housing markets. Each report evaluates a number of factors affecting home prices, including:

  • The health of the local job market
  • Foreclosure rates
  • Housing inventory
  • Debt-to-income and mortgage-servicing-costs-to-income ratios

NAR Research uses a variety of data sources in preparing the LMRs.

  • Housing Price and Sales Statistics – The National Association of REALTORS®
  • Labor statistics – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Establishment and Household Surveys)
  • Housing Permits Data – U.S. Census Bureau
  • Foreclosure Data – Mortgage Bankers’ Association of America (MBAA)
  • State Economic Index – Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia

Here is a snapshot of what’s going on in the Worcester area for the 2nd Quarter of 2011.
If you would like to discuss this information our would like help in interpreting the data, contact me.

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