Real Estate Articles Worth Reading

If you ask most people moving would not rank highly as an enjoyable event. Moving takes a lot of works and causes quite a bit of stress for most folks. In fact most people like to use the word "dread" when it comes to packing up and leaving their home.

There are however ways to minimize the stress you will incur when moving. It all starts with proper planning well in advance of the actual move. Take a look as I provide some excellent tips for packing a home when moving. What you will see is how to prepare your home for the move in record time with far less stress. You will see step by step tips on how to make the process go far more smoothly.

When you are moving the planning for it is actually a three step process including before, during and after. The article takes you through each phase in-depth. Not only will you learn how to pack your home but also unpack as well.

Using these tips will keep the whole home sale process going smoothly. Make sure you don't miss the video which shows you some really simple packing tips.

Take a look and hopefully your sale and move goes as well as planned!

In every industry there are good and bad apples. Real Estate unfortunately is no different. Have you ever felt like you were trying to be up sold when buying a home? The term "up sold" means being coerced into buying a more expensive home.

It seems kind of silly but as @Debbie Drummond explains in her article there are some real estate agents that only think of one thing - the almighty dollar.

I can't even imagine trying to talk a buyer into spending more money than they are comfortable spending just to make a little more money. The difference of what you make by selling a more expensive home is miniscule when thinking about the hit you can take to your reputation.

These kind of tactics are disgusting and there is no place for it in the business. Most people that act this was don't last long in the business.

Take a look at Debbie's article and make sure you have a look at some of her references including those of @Kyle Hiscock @Lynn Pineda @Karen Highland  @Andrew Fortune  and @madisonmortgage.

Upton Massachusetts is a small town located just west of Hopkinton. One of the big attractions for Upton is the large lot sizes the current town zoning has in place. Many folks flock to Upton for the affordable values combined with how much privacy you can get.

If large home sites are your thing but you don't want to be too far from major commuting areas Upton could be worth checking out!

You can still get to and from most of the larger cities including Boston, Worcester and Providence very easily from Upton.

Upton has a wide variety of real estate options available from condo's around two hundred thousand to executive homes that are priced in the $600,000 range.

Upton has decent schools for those who have school age children. They actually share school systems with neighboring Mendon which is also a nice town as I have previously mentioned here.

Take a look at the detailed guide I have put together for Upton and see if it sounds intriguing. The sign above really says it all - the town has a welcoming small town atmosphere that lots of people really love!

Around the country the winter this year has become one of the worst on record. Many areas including the Northeast have experienced record snow fall. With this inclement weather comes with it problems such as ice dams that many home owners have had to face.

For this reason I decided to put together one of the most comprehensive guides on how to remove ice dams from your home. The first consideration when talking about ice dams is not to get them in the first place. Is this possible? Yes for some homes you can minimize your chances of getting and ice dam greatly.

The cause of ice dams is heat escaping into the attic creating a warm environment that causes snow and ice build up to melt. This ice and snow then continuously re-freezes and melts until it builds up under your homes shingles.

Eventually there is no where for this build up to go other than into your home! This is where things really get sticky. Ice dams can cause major damage to our homes including paint, walls, floors and insulation. After a while the possibility of mold becomes far more prevalent.

In the article you will see three things:

1.) How to prevent ice dams from forming at your home.

2.) How to fix ice dams at your home if they do happen to appear.

3.) How to file an insurance claim if the damage warrants it.

Take a look at all my tips for preventing and removing ice dams along with an excellent Youtube video I have included.

One of the questions on many home buyers minds when searching for a home will be should I buy a new home or opt for an existing property. There is quite a bit to think about when trying to decide between these two housing options.

Often times a re-sale home will offer more bang for your buck. This is a big consideration for many home buyers. Why buy new when you can purchase an existing and make a few home improvements for a lot less money?

On the other hand there are a lot of buyers who are just like me and simply prefer new construction. Personally I would always favor buying new for a few reasons:

1. With new construction you can get exactly what you want. Customization can be done to your exact tastes.

2. You can get the exact floor plan you want.

3. The fact that is new means you don't have a used product. There aren't old carpets or funky color schemes in the home.

4. With new you don't have to settle for something that is not to your taste.

5. The systems in the house are not old which can make a difference if you will not be staying in the home for an extended period of time.

These are some of my personal thoughts on the subject. In his excellent article @Kyle Hiscock raises quite a few other considerations on what you should be thinking about when trying to decide if new or used is the best way to go for you or your family's lifestyle.

Check out the article and if you find it useful make sure you share it!

Linkedin is a little bit different than most of the other social media platforms out there. While most of the other social sites business and pleasure are mixed, this is NOT what you want to do at Linkedin.

Linkedin has an audience of business professionals. This is not a place to share a funny picture of your dog rover or gossip about the latest news in town. When you come to Linkedin you should be prepared to be all business.

There are a number of ways a real estate agent can master Linkedin. In the article you will see ten tips that should help improve your time spent on Linkedin.

One of the biggest blunders that real estate agents make in numerous social channels is not engaging with other members. Their whole stick is to "link dump" and then move on to the next social media site.

Folks this gets you nowhere fast! If you are a real estate agent that constantly thinks about pasting your listings into social media sites then you are going about it all wrong.

People do not go to Linkedin to buy a home. Please think about what I just said. So many Realtors are dumping their listings into professional Linkedin groups and they look like absolute fools.

It is annoying and unprofessional. Frankly it makes you look like a fool in front of your peers, especially when the rules clearly state not to do it.

Being a moderator for one of the largest Linkedin real estate groups I see this all the time. It happens everywhere not just in Linkedin. Real Estate agents are one of the worst groups who have gotten the reputation of being spammers.

In the article you will find tips on what you should be doing at Linkedin and as I just mentioned what you shouldn't be.

If you are a real estate agent take the time to read this post. If you want to increase the traffic to your blog from Linkedin some of the guidance here is going to help you.

Feel free to reach out if you need help on using Linkedin for real estate!

Have your ever heard of the term "value range pricing'? How about "value range marketing"? If not consider yourself lucky. These two real estate terms refer to a special kind of pricing strategy where a fixed price is NOT used.

Instead the seller puts a price range they May consider selling their home at. This is nothing more than a real estate gimmick that confuses the heck out of the public and some real estate agents too.

It conjurers up some of the late night television advertising you see where they try to sell you the tapes that are going to make you become the next real estate millionaire.

One things is for certain value range pricing has never been shown to be a successful real estate marketing strategy. In fact it has only been used in certain parts of the united states, It seems like this real estate gimmick comes and goes.

In my area of Massachusetts it is not all that common although the town of Franklin probably has more value range homes than anywhere else I have seen.

Do yourself a favor if your are selling a home. Price it correctly from day one and don't be talked into value range pricing from some fast talking real estate agent.

Price your home at or near market value and you will get a good offer. This has been shown over hundreds of years to be a time tested means of selling any product not just homes.

You don't need a gimmick like value range pricing to be successful in selling your home.

Take a look at the article and you will see a complete explanation of what value range pricing is and why it should be avoided. Without question you will come away with a much better idea of what this type of marketing entails.

One of the most important things when selling a home is your presentation. When you are competing against other similar homes it becomes even more important that your home stands out in a good way.

Most buyers today are looking for turn-key properties where they don't have to do major renovations or multiple improvements. Those who let their homes go suffer greatly in terms of what they can sell their home for. Buyers pay for mint condition but penalize for imperfection.

This makes having your home look it's best extremely important. @Lynn Pineda  has put together a mega guide on what you need to do in order to stage your home for maximum success.

Lynn has gone out and referenced some of the best home stagers and real estate agents in the business to get a massive list of tips to make a home shine before it hits the market.

Take a look at this must read guide to getting your home staged to perfection. Remember a home that looks exceptional will almost sell quicker and for more money than one that doesn't!

When you are buying a home it really is who you listen to that matters. Good advice can make or break a real estate transaction. This is why having the right professional in your corner is an important facet of purchasing a home.

In her fantastic article @Karen Highland puts together a massive guide explaining the home buying process in detail.

Karen tackles as number of prominent issues surrounding the real estate industry at the moment including affordability, interest rates, buyer qualification and pricing among many others.

If you are going to be buying a home in the near future this is well worth the read. There are some who are staying on the sidelines and not purchasing homes which could be a mistake given the historical low interest rates.

Will these low rates last forever? Of course not! At some point rates will rise and while this will not affect tons of buyers from purchasing a home it will cost them money out of their pocket in the long run.

See all of the myths that Karen has presented and count how many of them you believe were true. It just may surprise you.

The subject of whether to remodel your home and stay put or sell and find something different is a popular topic. Frankly there is no right or wrong answer for most people.

What you have to do is analyze your personal situation and really look hard at what is best. In a situation like this it is often helpful to make a checklist. Put together the pro's and con's of both selling and renovating.

Use your checklist as a guide and rank each item in terms of importance.

In her informative article @Anita Clark looks at remodeling vs selling and gives us some things that should really be considered. If you find this is something you will be tackling in the near future make sure you have a peak at Anita's advice.

While nothing is cast in stone for every individual, Anita will give you some smart things to consider when deciding between a remodel or sale.

When you are selling a home the desire for things to go smoothly is probable right at the top of most peoples lists. There are not many people who enjoy dealing with real estate headaches.

For this reason I have put together an excellent resource page that offers some awesome real estate advice from quite a few top real estate bloggers from around the country.

The advice is varied quite a bit on various on selling topics. I will be adding to the list when something important comes along that deserves top billing. You can take a look at some of these top home selling tips if you will be considering moving in the future or just enjoy reading about real estate.

Some of the resources used include those of @Kyle Hiscock @Anita Clark  @Debbie Gartner  @Andrew Fortune  @Lynn Pineda  @Karen Highland and a few others.

Take a look at the advice and hopefully one or more of the articles strikes a cord!

If you are a Realtor and are not getting any business from your online efforts it is possible to change than and fairly quickly. One of the best ways to obtain business is by having a real estate blog.

This is just one means of generating business but it's a good one if you enjoy writing at all. In this excellent article you will see some excellent tips surround starting a blog with some good examples including one from @Kyle Hiscock and myself.

I have been blogging for over ten years and have seen countless real estate deals that I would otherwise not have if it wasn't for my blog.

There are other means of obtaining clients of course and these are mentioned in the article. Have a look and see if you can glean some worthwhile tips that could improve your real estate business.

If you have never bought or sold a home before the term "backup offer" may be foreign to you. A backup offer however is a common thing in real estate sales. In simple terms a backup offer or contract happens when a contract has already been accepted on a home and a second buyer who is interested would like to purchase the home.

A backup offer can be put in place that would spell out contract terms should the first sale fall apart. In real estate sales often times transactions do not come together. The possibility of a deal falling apart is real.

So with a backup real estate offer a buyer can be first in line to get the home should something happen with the first buyer.

There are many considerations for both a buyer and seller to think about when entering into a backup offer scenario. In the article I discuss all of the positives and negatives of a backup contract. I look at this from both a buyers and sellers perspective.

Take a look and see if what you thought about backup real estate contracts holds true.

Are you being relocated somewhere into the Worcester County area for a job and need a great town and location for commuting purposes that is close to not only Worcester but also not far from Boston and Providence either? Why not check out the sleepy bedroom community of Mendon Massachusetts?

One of the big attractions for Mendon is the affordability of it's real estate. Compared to some of the towns only 15 minutes further east it is a real bargain. You can get much more bang for your buck in this town by just having a bit longer commute.

Mendon has some really neat attractions including the largest Zoo in the state and also an old fashion drive-in! Located along Rte 16 Mendons drive-in is one of the few left in the state. During the warmer months it is a great place to catch a movie and feel the nostalgia from an era gone past.

If you are looking for a top Mendon MA Real Estate agent to work with for either buying or selling a home I have been working here for nearly thirty years. I have sold everything from luxury executive homes in some of the top neighborhoods to smaller old style colonials affordable for first time home buyers.

Getting to know Mendon Massachusetts is easy with this comprehensive guide I have put together. Not only will you learn about the real estate market but also detailed information on demographics, schools, restaurants, attractions and more.

Mendon is a great place to live - check out why so many people have this on their radar as a town to check out!

One of the many benefits you receive by being a homeowner is to have some tax savings. For most people this is not the reason they buy a home but is a nice side benefit.

Did you know there are a lot of people who don't know what the tax benefits are of home ownership? Yes that is correct some people don't know there are tax deductions you can take just for owning a home! Unless you have an accountant it is no wonder people end up missing these deductions.

In her excellent article @Karen Highland  takes a look at some of the most common tax deductions for owning a home. Have a look at her article to see if you are missing any of these money savers.

Remember the tax code changes every year so it is always important to stay up to speed on tax laws. It can be the difference of a lot of money out of your pocket.

Have you heard of the social media site called Storify? If not it is well worth checking out. As the name suggests Storify allows you to take your content and create a unique story that can become an exceptional guide to whatever the topic.

Lets say you just wrote a great post on the best tips to sell a home. You would take this article and post the URL to storify. Your post would be front and center of course. What comes next however is really where Storify shines.

You can add unlimited articles, tweets, pinterest pins, Youtube videos and anything else you can think of to add to your page.

To make your story the best it can be don't just add your own content! Add other peoples content as well. This will not only make your page better unless you think you are the only one who produces good content - NOT!

Once you have put your Storify page together let the folks who you have shared on your page know you featured them. Do you think you will end up getting more social shares? You probably will as most people love being in the spotlight.

This is an article I shared on Linkedin explaining how Storify works but what I really want you to see is this working in action.

Take a look at this Metrowest Mass real estate guide to see what I mean. If you were researching whether or not you wanted to live in the Metrowest area would this not be a fantastic resource? It sure would! You can learn about the whole area in one handy place.

There are endless uses for Storify. Check it out and see what you think.

Determining the exact value of a home is not easy - in fact it is impossible. There is no such thing as an absolute value. The saying one mans trash is another mans treasure can certainly be applied to the value of a home.

One buyer can see the beauty is a certain property and be willing to pay a lot of money for it while another buyer could have no interest whatsoever.

In real estate however you can establish a range in which a home should sell for based upon what other like properties have closed at. This is the most popular method used for establishing value and one banks rely on to lend money.

In the article you will see an excellent explanation of how to answer the question "how much is my home worth'?.

Chris Severn does a terrific job reaching out to a few real estate experts to share their thoughts on valuing real estate including an appraiser and a few Realtors including myself who have been in the business for quite a few years.

Take a look and see if "market value" in the article meets your definition.

Making mistakes in real estate is fairly common for those who don't have good guidance from a real estate professional. The best real estate agents will look a seller right in the eye and tell them the truth. They don't sugar coat things because in the end who does that benefit. The answer is nobody!

@Kyle Hiscock  does a nice job of laying out some of the more common perils that plague home owners who do not listed to good advice and end up with home sale failure.

Some of these offenses include:

1.) Overpricing your home - this is the #1 mistake that prevents homes from selling. It is all too common!

2.) Poor photography - one of the most important aspects of selling a home is your photos. Don't blow it!

3.) Poor curb appeal - this goes without saying. Make the outside look as good as the inside.

4.) Over-personalized - having some family photos is fine - having 100 of them is not!

5.) Cluttered - having too much stuff is never good because a buyer cannot get a good sense of space.

6.) Dirty and smelly - This should be a no-brainer but some people live differently than others.

7.) Mold - this one will scare away most buyers. If you got fungus growing in your home don't you think it would be smart to get rid of it?

8.) Choosing a bad agent - look all Realtors are not the same. Some are great and others not so much. If you want to have success in selling your home pick a winner.

Have a look as Kyle discusses these things and more in his excellent article.

The Metrowest Massachusetts belt is officially compromised of nine different towns that are located about 30 to 40 miles west of Boston. Although there are only nine officially towns there are a number of other communities in close proximity.

I am not sure that most people actually know what the towns are but that Metrowest is considered a general area near Framingham - Hopkinton.

If you are considering buying a home in the Metrowest region make sure you check out this comprehensive guide I have put together.

Reviews of quite a few towns have been provided. Some of the towns are part of the official nine and others are within a 10 mile radius of the area.

One of the unique things about our area is that towns can vary from one another quite a bit. Real Estate values fluctuate substantially from one community to the next. A large part of the real estate values depend on the towns school system and proximity to major highways.

You will see community reviews for Franklin, Framingham, Milford and Southborough in this review at Hulique News. Within the article however you will see quite a few other references to these other communities featured in a real estate guide at Bundlr and another at Storify. These two content sharing tools do the perfect job of showcasing numerous towns in the area.

If you have considered moving to this area of Massachusetts to purchase a home make sure you check out this information!

Given the fact I have been a real estate agent for almost thirty years I get to see first hand how the industry works. What I can tell you without is doubt is there are some excellent real estate agents but nearly twice as many that aren't!

This means the odds are stacked against you when you are buying or selling a home and need a Realtor.

So how can you avoid getting stuck with an agent you won't be pleased with? Interview multiple real estate agents! Yes that's right take the time to carefully select who you will be working with.

As explained in this excellent article there are certain traits you should be looking for in a real estate agent. These traits include:

1.) Expert knowledge about the local real estate market.

2.) Unwavering loyalty to your best interests.

3.) Honesty - the agent should be explicitly trustworthy!

4.) Available - you want an agent who is busy but not too busy.

5.) Confident - your agent should know their stuff inside and out.

6.) Principled - Integrity is important in any business and especially when it comes to picking a Realtor to work with.

7.) Unbiased -  The agents guidance should be based on reality not expectations that can't be met.

When you do your due diligence the chances of picking someone you are happy with increase exponentially. Look for an agent that has some experience and good reviews from other clients.

Once you have narrowed down to a few agents do some background work on Google and see what you can find out about the agent. You may find some things good or bad that you were not aware of.

Most people understand that radon is a poisonous gas that comes from the earth and seeps into our homes via a basement or slab floor. What lots of folks may not realize is that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind cigarette smoking.

If you happen to smoke and have unsafe radon levels in your home the chances of death go up substantially.

In my experience working as a real estate agent for the last twenty eight years lots of home buyers do not realize that radon can be found in a homes water as well as the air.

Yes you read that correctly radon can be found in water! What's worse is that many home buyers do not test for radon in water. They will test the well for quality but don't realize that the standard well test does not check for radon.

It is not surprising because a buyer shouldn't really know that unless informed by a professional. Unfortunately lots of real estate agents do not recommend getting their water tested for radon.

In lots of cases this is because the agent is not used to selling homes that are serviced by a well. At times it is just a case of negligence or laziness.  If you are buyer a home and it has a well checking for radon is a critical exercise in the home buying process.

So what happens if you find radon in the water? Removing radon from water is not that difficult. It is however very expensive when compared to removing it from the air. A standard radon mitigation system to remove radon from air costs around $1000. This of course can vary from home to home and state to state but that is a good ballpark figure.

Getting rid of radon in water is done by two methods. One is know as aeration and the other is called granular activated carbon. Not only are they very different from one another, the cost is also very different.

Most will tell you that aeration is a better way to remove radon from water but on average it will cost you from $3000 to $5000.

In the article you will see everything you need to know about removal of radon from water. If you are buying a home that has radon discovered it is not the end of the world! Don't back out just because you find radon. Get it corrected and you will be drinking water that is better than most homes.

If you have never owned a home before you may not realize that home ownerships offers some real tax advantages over those that are renting. These advantages can be received both at the time of purchase and long term as well.

In the article you will see all of the tax deductions available when buying a home. There are the immediate tax benefits you can take advantage of when filing in April. If you have bought a home in the past year this is a must read!

Obviously leaving money on the table is not smart. The deductions you may be able to take advantage of include:

1. Mortgage points.

2. Mortgage interest tax.

3. Real Estate taxes.

4. Mortgage insurance.

There are a few others as well you can see by reading the article. Keep in mind the long term deduction or mortgage interest that you can take each calender year as well.

Saving money is great. Losing money is dumb. Don't get caught not taking deductions you should be making.

There comes a point in time when you have owned a home and realize that it is too large for your needs. Usually life circumstances change and the need for a castle is no longer necessary.

It is at this time that downsizing starts to become a very important topic in your household. Downsizing is not easy. We all get accustomed to our surroundings and going backwards is sometimes not all that easy!

It can be done however if you have a proper plan in place. @Debbie Drummond  writes an excellent article about how to downsize. She provides actionable tips along with all the things you should be considering in your move.

Does it make sense just to go into a smaller home? What about condo living? Is owning a condo something I could do? Will I not like being under other peoples rules?

On the other hand owning a condo could free up more of my time as I will no longer have to think about maintaining a home.

These are all the things Debbie discusses and more in her terrific article. If you are thinking about heading to a small place or have thought about buying a condo, make sure you read Debbie's sound advice