WEEK 50
DON'T RUIN YOUR CHANCE TO BUY A HOME WITH HOLIDAY SPENDING! If a new home purchase is in your future, or you're currently under contract to purchase a new home soon, please read this! 'Tis the season to spend, spend, spend. It's hard sometimes not to get overwhelmed with the Holiday gift giving spirit. Shoppers…
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WEEK 48
Maynard wants to restore luster to its downtown MAYNARD — After renting in Somerville for a year, Dan Cirillo and his fiancé, John Pilosi, were ready to buy, but soon found that prices in the red-hot real estate markets in Somerville and surrounding communities were beyond their reach. Then, about 20 miles from their apartment,…
Read More WEEK 47
Why did foreclosures spike in October? It is possibly the nastiest consequence of the holiday season. Foreclosures rise now, as banks try to get ahead of the traditional December moratoriums, when they suspend all foreclosures due to the holidays. No lender wants to take a house back during the holidays, but it appears to be…
Read More WEEK 46
STRATEGIES FOR FACING REAL ESTATE PROBLEMS HEAD ON Recently, in two separate incidents, parked police cars were hit by passing cars. News of these coincidental accidents started me thinking about how often the very things we try to avoid, we don't. The two offending drivers hit parked police cars (with officers inside) because the drivers,…
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WEEK 45
APPLYING FOR A MORTGAGE? KNOW YOUR NUMBERS When you buy a home, it's all about the numbers. Your mortgage rate is based on your credit scores, debt-to-income, and how much of a down payment you can afford. Know your credit scores: Your credit scores can fall between 300 and 850. Lenders use these numbers, which…
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WEEK 44
PACE LOANS: THE GOOD AND THE NOT-SO-GOOD Recently, the Legal Department of the California Association of REALTORS® (CAR) issued an up-dated version of its question-and-answer memorandum regarding PACE loans and solar leases. Real estate agents will do well to familiarize themselves with its contents. Here, we will consider some of the matters related to PACE…
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WEEK 43
DOES YOUR HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE COVER WATER DAMAGE? Many a distraught homeowner has had to deal with water damage only to find out that their home insurance policy does not cover the damage. Here's how to make certain that you are not caught in that position. Avoid water damage Proper home and appliance maintenance is the…
Read More WEEK 42
BREAKING DOWN REAL ESTATE TERMS We saw an ad today for an acreage community in Texas offering barndominium shells during their Grand Opening special. That's right, barndominium shells.Don't know what that is? Yeah, neither did we (they're apparently structures built with prefabricated materials like metal shells, which can then be customized to individual specifications.Because much/most…
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