10 Tips for First Time Homebuyers

1.  Be picky, but don’t be unrealistic.  Your first home may need a little work, some paint, carpet and perhaps some other updates.  Remember, this is your first home and the first step in investing in your future. Don’t avoid a home because it has bright pink walls or ugly floors.  Do avoid a home

National Open House Weekend April 20 and April 21, 2013

Did you know it is National Open House Weekend?  The National Association of Realtors is expecting to sell almost 10% of the current inventory. With lots of homes on the market and great low rates, this spring market is turning out to be fantastic!  This weekend real estate agents from around the area will be

What is a Business Cycle?

The “Books” say an average business cycle is 44.4 months and we have lived through many of them. Some longer than that and some as short as a season in New England.  A business cycle is like the exhibit from our youth…“What makes an ocean wave, wave” at the New England Aquarium.  In the exhibit,

Do I Really Need Title Insurance?

Title insurance is one of the important and least understood aspects of a real estate transaction. There are two types of title insurance; lenders’ coverage and owners’ coverage. Title insurance protects the lender and the owner against all types of title defects and also covers issues such as zoning, access, and protects the lender and

SELLERS: 5 Musts for Generating Multiple Offers

Selling your home?  Interested in getting multiple offers on your home?  Check out this article from Trulia blogger Tara. As you might have heard by now, multiple offers are the new black. Well – kind of; if your own home is on the market or soon to be, it can seem like you break your

FHA Streamline Refinance

Do you currently have an FHA mortgage?  And has it not made sense to refinance because of the High Mortgage Insurance Premiums?  Well, FHA just announced that it is going to reduce the Mortgage Insurance fees for current FHA mortgage holders.  But before you get excited, there are some rules to follow. You must have

Mortgage Rates still Trending Down

Short Sale vs. Foreclosure

The KCM blog publishes news and information daily about the real estate market.  It’s a great source of what is the hot topic at the moment.  In their blog today, they talk about the Short Sale versus Foreclosure.  The information gives the consumer a better idea of what each of these processes entails. KCM Blog: 

Truth in Lending

The History:  The Consumer Credit Protection Act, more commonly known as the Truth-in-Lending Act, went into effect in 1968. The law is intended to protect borrowers from predatory lending by requiring lenders to fully disclose all costs associated with securing a mortgage loan. Prior to the implementation of the act, borrowers routinely were paying considerably

Featured Open House Recipe

Occasionally I am asked by a realtor to sponsor a luncheon for their open house.  I have found that by making something special for the luncheon, the realtors slow down and take a moment to truly enjoy the lunch which tends to promote more conversation about the home they are viewing.  I greatly enjoy these