Haunted House for Sale- Must A Stigmatized Property Be Disclosed?

Are haunted or stigmatized property a disclosable issue?

With Halloween around the corner, you might be wondering.... do I have to disclose my house is haunted? Or if there was a murder or a suicide in the home?  So a stigmatized property may or may not have to have a disclosure to the potential buyer depending on the state you live in. Do I Disclose My House Is Haunted? When we talk about haunted houses fo sale, we classify it as stigmatized property or home. What does stigmatized mean? It means to mark with disgrace or infamy. A stigmatized … Continue reading...

Top Credit Don’ts While Buying a House

Today we will discuss the top credit don'ts while buying a house.  When you get a pre-approval and you are in the process of buying a home in is important to keep your credit status quo.  Your credit score is a complicated thing.  It is calculated by "mystical" alogrithyms from the major credit reporting agencies.   Something that you think makes sense can send your credit into a tail spin.  Alternately some home buyers will just plain do stupid things. 4 Top Credit Don'ts While Buying a … Continue reading...

Days on Market, how does it effect your home sale?

Days on market Time is Money

Days on Market or Market Time You will hear the two terms used synonymously.  Days on Market or Market Time is the number of days your house is marketed before receiving and accepting an offer to purchase on your home.  You list your home on July first and do not receive an offer until September 15 you are looking at 76 days on market or 76 days market time. I read a post of Chicago Real Estate Agent Mike Cuevo, The Importance of Market Time.  After reading the post by Mike it … Continue reading...

Assessing Your Needs When Buying a Home

Needs assesment when purchasing a home

Assessing Your Needs Upfront Can Save you Months of Frustration When buying a home, assessing your needs upfront can help you maintain your focus. Be careful not to confuse wants with needs. When I say needs I am talking about the base needs that are an absolute must.  Deciding to buy your first home or to move from one you already own is a big decision.  Take a few moments and assess your needs on paper. The first question to ask yourself is: Why are you looking to buy a home and what are … Continue reading...

Maximize your Massachusetts Home Search- Active Statuses

Active Status in a home search

Over the years I have found much confusion about the availability of homes for sale when doing a Massachusetts Home Search.  When you are thinking of buying a home many buyers will just start cruising the internet looking for a website where they can do a Massachusetts Home Search.  There are certainly plenty to choose from. Where the confusion lies for many buyers is the actual status of a home that is for sale.  The status is whether it is for sale, sold, withdrwan from the market.etc...  … Continue reading...

House is not selling? Avoid MARKET ROT!!

graph of market activity for a listed home

You list your home and you anxiously await  an offer.  Showings are sporadic.  Thirty days go by, then sixty then ninety.  Then you pass the average days on market in your area.  It starts to become obvious to you that your house is not selling and now your are getting worried.  The days on market (DOM) is the amount of time from the day you list a property until the day you take your house of the market due to an accepted offer.  Typical DOM runs about 74 to 120 days in our area and can be very … Continue reading...

Show Your Home to Sell It!

You need to show your home to sell it

Seems like the selling season is upon us many good properties are getting snatched up quickly.  Yet some seem to sit on the market for longer then usual.  One thing a seller must pay attention to is how are showings getting scheduled and how quickly is the response time.  You have to show your home to sell it! Seems like a simple concept.... you have to show your home to sell it. It certainly does seem like a simple concept.  But as a listing agent, I will occasional get sellers that will … Continue reading...

Re-think Taking Your Home Off the Market for the Holidays

Conventional wisdom in the past has been to take your house of the market for the holidays.  It's time to re-think taking your home off the market for the holidays,  Over the past couple of years that thinking has been shifting.  With home buyers having access to information at their fingertips that thinking is changing.   Buyers are afraid of missing good homes during the holidays so they keep their eyes open.  I also have been in this business for 12 years and the buyers that are out looking … Continue reading...

Plum Island Homes for Sale

Plum Island- Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Plum Island is a barrier island of the northeast coast of Massachusetts.  The island is divided between four towns, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley and Ipswich.  Most of the residential homes sit in Newbury and Newburyport on the northern side of the island.  More than half of Plum Island is made up of the  Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.  There are miles of public beaches for the islands residents as well as a major destination for the greater area.  Plum … Continue reading...