Massachusetts Real Estate- Merrimack Valley
Real Estate in Essex and Northern Middlesex Counties, Massachusetts
As a home shopper, there are a few things you can do to make your life easier…and that is to make your agent’s job easier. You two have aligned goals, so it is best to work with each other instead of against each other. I have observed both sides of the transaction enough times to know a few of the items consumers can do to help their REALTOR®. Here is that list. Be Upfront and Communicative All good relationships are built … Continue reading...
You have put an offer in on a home that was accepted!! Congratulations. There is probably no doubt you decided you should have a home inspection on your new home before closing. Today we will talk about how to get ready for your home inspection. Your home inspection is your last line of defense in insuring your home is safe and sound when you move in as well as alerting you to any repairs they may need to be done immediately or in the near future. I won't go into depth … Continue reading...
Does Going Directly to The Listing Agent Save Money? Some home buyers think that if they go to an open house or call the listing agent directly on a home they will save money. The thought is if they go directly to the listing agent they will receive an edge in negotiations and/or the listing agent will give up part of their commission to make the deal work. So will going directly to the listing agent save you money? In reality, yes you may have the illusion of saving money upfront on … Continue reading...
I have a term for when home buyers waste valuable months searching for homes that don't exist, but have no clue they are involved in an impossible or near impossible task. I call searching for homes that don't exist chasing unicorns. Just like the mythical creature that doesn't exist neither does some home buyer's dream homes. Home buyer's that don't have a handle on existing markets conditions and the available inventory will waste months or even longer, while getting more and … Continue reading...
You have probably heard that in many segments of the real estate market in Massachusetts it is a hot sellers market. As a home buyer navigating a hot sellers market can sure be frustrating. This article will help home buyers identify and navigate a red hot seller's market. Define A Seller's Market I have written other articles on understanding real estate markets. But let's quickly define a sellers market. A sellers market is when the amount of inventory on the market will … Continue reading...
Home buyers will frequently ask "should I get a home inspection before buying?" The answer is certainly very specific to the circumstances. In most cases, I would certainly recommend that a home inspections is done. Why Should I get a Home Inspection Before Buying? Buying a home for many is not something that is done very often. You take the time to get properly financed financed for your home purchase, search for homes then finally put in an offer. Ont op of it … Continue reading...
When negotiating a home price as a buyer, its not necessarily about the money. My last two buyer transactions where I was a buyer's agent negotiating on behalf of my client, we were not the highest bidder, yet we were the ridding bidder. Yes, my buyer client's offers were several to five thousand dollars less than the highest offer the sellers received on their home. Now don't get me wrong you can't be 10's of thousands of dollars less than other offers and expect the seller to choose … Continue reading...
An escalation clause can be a great way to structure an offer to be the winning bid in a red hot market. When you know buyer competition will be high on a home, it it also means you may be competing with multiple offers . Here in the Massachusetts Real Estate market we are seeing certain communities or properties that will most likely be in a bidding war with multiple offers. It can be very frustrating as a buyer. What is an escalation clause? An escalation clause is you offer a certain … Continue reading...
I got several calls every week from people who want my help, but make it clear they are already working with a real estate agent. There are two types of help they are looking for. One they want help finding a home or two they have questions their agent can't answer or isn't around to answer. Yesterday, I received one of these calls. She was begging me to help her find a home but made it very clear she would have her agent write the offer so they can get the commission. Hmmmm, whats wrong … Continue reading...
Accompanied Showings.... a definite NAY! Occasionally, I am asked to do accompanied showings on a potential listing. For 99.9% of the homes I market for sale to the public, this is a huge mistake. The only time I recommend accompanied showings is when I have a truly unique house that requires and explanation. Even that can become overcome with a "cheat sheet" I make for the showing agent. I have had two listings in 11 years, that I thought benefited from me being there when showings … Continue reading...
