Massachusetts Real Estate- Merrimack Valley
Real Estate in Essex and Northern Middlesex Counties, Massachusetts
The question often arises, "can a buyer back out of an accepted offer on a house?" after putting their home under contract. Of course, it is great to be under contract but don't think you are on easy street. Simply put, it's not over till the fat lady sings!! When it comes time to sell your home, there is always risk involved when a seller takes their home off the market for a buyer. While you have done everything possible to put a good transaction together, things happen … Continue reading...
Eventually, when you go about buying a home there will come a time you want to write a contract on a home. And, you will run across the term earnest money deposit. For many buyers, they will think what is earnest money? How does earnest money work? If you have previously bought a home you probably already have an understanding of earnest money. But as a first time home buyer, it can be confusing. Sometimes you will hear the term good faith deposit, home deposit or escrow money as … Continue reading...
Buying a home raises a lot of questions. But one area about home buying that causes homebuyers much distress is the list price or asking price of a home. The home buyer does not want to make a mistake and overpay for a home, Is the asking price to high? Or now in a hot seller's market, is the listing price to low? How much should I offer for a home? Should I offer below the ask price? Do I need to offer above the list price? How Much? Of course, as a homebuyer you don't want to overpay for … Continue reading...
My brother was moving back to the area. He recently called me about a rental he found on Craigslist, that he and his wife were excited about. Unfortunately, I quickly saw it as just another of many rental scams on Craigslist. The home my brother emailed me from Craiglist, was a beautiful 2600 sq ft Cape Cod style home built in the last 20 years and listed for $1400 a month. Market rent was more in the range of $2600. While my brother and his wife fell in love with the rental … Continue reading...
No matter where you turn in New England you will find a Cape Cod home. The Capes charm starts with its earliest roots in our country. Which of course is the region it is named after.... Cape Cod in Massachusetts. The Cape Cod style home is the classic American Cottage. Really, who doesn't love a weathered shingled Cape style home with a white picket fence? Yes, Cape Cod home style has tons of charm and it certainly is one of the most romanticized homes. Better … Continue reading...
It is important your home is equipped with properly working Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Detectors. Doing so provides a level of safety to your home's occupants from fire and equipment malfunctions. Many states like Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island require a certificate of compliance prior to a home sale. The certificate of compliance is to make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are of the right type, placed correctly and are working. Other states, like … Continue reading...
The Covid-19 pandemic took full effect in late March of this year and has certainly disrupted the spring real estate selling season. An influx of inventory usually hits the spring market. What do you need to know about Covid-19 and selling your house? Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic left so much uncertainty in home buyers and sellers minds that the spring real estate market came to all but a screeching halt shortly after the lockdown occurred. Initially, home sellers were scared … Continue reading...
Whether I am working with a home seller or a homebuyer the question often comes up "is this a bedroom?" This leads us to "what is the legal definition of a bedroom?" A bedroom is not always a bedroom when it comes to the legal requirements for a bedroom. Most of the information that defines a bedroom as a bedroom leads back to the International Residential Code incorporated in the state building code. The Dollar Value of a Bedroom A legitimate bedroom is worth money.... it … Continue reading...
If you are about to sell your home it is important to take a quick look at fair housing laws. Fair housing laws have been enacted on both the federal and state levels to prevent discrimination against certain classes of people. While most sellers have no intention of discriminating against a potential buyer, it is easier to say something that could be misconstrued as a violation of fair housing laws than you think. As a full-time agent of almost 20 years, there are plenty of home sellers … Continue reading...
Checking your credit on a regular basis is important to maintaining a healthy credit profile. Even more so when your about to buy your first home. At the first thought of buying a home definitely pull your free annual credit report. By getting your hands on your credit report early, you have time to check for mistakes and fraud that could be impacting your credit score. Accessing your free annual credit report early will also give you time to take some measures to improve your … Continue reading...
