Is Buying a Home Your New Year Resolution for 2011? We are snowed in here in the Northeast so it is a good day to stay inside and think about the upcoing new year.  What are your resolutions for the New Year? If you are considering buying a home in 2011, it is a good time of year to start planning for your home search.  If credit is a concern, Charita Cadenhead wrote a great post about steps to improve your credit.  If you have credit problems or even if you are not sure, follow Charita's advice by requesting copies of your credit report.  If there are problems or concerns, follow this step by step approach that will give you the tools to improve your credit.  That will put you in the driver's seat when it comes time to apply for your mortgage.  This should be done before you think abou... 12/27/2010

Sell a Home in Canton, MA - Buy a Home in Canton, MA - Live in Canton, MA! When you are ready to sell your home in Canton MA you'll want as many potential buyers as possible to come see it. Unfortunately, too many real estate agents today rely on sticking a "For Sale" sign in your yard, and posting your home's details to the Multiple Listing Service in the hopes that buyers or their agents will find your house. In a tough market like ours, it takes more than hope to sell your home in Canton MA. As your Realtor, I'll work with you to price your home correctly and make recommendations so that your home will stand out from the competition. When we're ready to put it on the market, I'm going to use a powerful hat-trick to market your home for sale in Canton MA. If you're a Boston Bruins fan... 12/22/2010

What kind of service are you getting for that condo fee? Buyers of condominiums know that there is a wide variety of fees charged by condo fees.  Sometimes they are just covering the basics - master insurance, landscaping & snow removal.  Sometimes, they cover much more including water, sewer and heat.  Maybe there is a pool and the fee covers the maintenance of that too.  A good REALTOR will make sure that the Buyer is aware of what the fee is, what is covered and what is not. Just knowing what the fee covers is only half of the information.  As I was driving around in the snow today for some showings, I encountered some properties where the snow had not been plowed or not plowed very well.  If you are paying a fee for that service, it should be done well and promptly.  So, if you are ... 12/21/2010

Sell a Home in Canton, MA - Buy a Home in Canton, MA - Live in Canton, MA! If you are thinking of selling your home in Canton, MA the first thing you'll want to know is its market value. The market value tells you what a buyer will pay for your home at a particular time in the market. It reflects a price range based on what houses similar to yours have sold for in the past few months. Determining this price range accurately requires your Realtor® to know the market and to know how to calculate this price range correctly. When you are ready to sell your home in Canton, MA please call me for a market analysis of your home. Happy Holidays!   12/21/2010

Attention local music lovers, the Canton High Winter Concert is Tuesday, December 21st at Morse Auditiorium in Canton High at 7 pm.  Admission is free! I have been touting the talent in the Canton Public Schools Performing Arts Department.  Now, in full disclosure, my oldest daughter is an active member in the Canton High Chorus, A Cappella and Drama Club.  However, the widespread talent in those groups, plus the Canton High Band and Jazz Band is truly quite impressive.  When she was a freshman & I dutifully attended my first concert at Canton High School, I was blown away.  It was a wonderful, entertaining night out - and you can't beat the price - free! Tuesday's concert will feature the wonderful sounds of the Canton High Chorus and A Capella group, directed by Performing Arts Direct... 12/20/2010

Consider the benefits of using me as your Exclusive Buyer Agent if you are looking to buy a home in Canton MA or a surrounding community. It's a Two for One Deal.  Not only am I a REALTOR® but I am also a practicing attorney, licensed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  All agents at Buyers Brokers Only LLC are both REALTORS® and Attorneys.  You get both expert real estate representation as well as legal representation through our separate law offices.  I have over twenty years of experience in the real estate field in various aspects from negotiating purchase and sale agreements to conducting closings to title review (and everything in between).  A purchase and sale agreement is a legal contract; no one should sign a legal contract without adequate legal representation. The Two for ... 12/14/2010

Sell a Home in Canton, MA - Buy a Home in Canton, MA - Live in Canton, MA If you are a looking to buy a home in Canton, MA or any other town, you may not know the benefits of working with a Realtor®. First off, there's no cost to you. In almost all cases, the seller pays the commission fee. Second of all, buying a home in Canton, MA or anywhere else, is not like buying a car. When you approach a car salesman, the salesman represents the dealership and tries to get the best price for the dealership. When you're working with a Realtor® that person is committed to representing your best interests throughout the transaction, resulting in you purchasing a house for the best possible price and terms. Your Realtor® is your trusted advisor from start to finish, and even long after you've purcha... 12/12/2010

Sell a Home in Canton, MA - Buy a Home in Canton, MA - Live in Canton, MA Remember when you were in high school? It seemed like your parents were always telling you a whole litany of things you needed to do. "Clean up your room," "hang up your clothes," "put away your bike," "take out the trash," "hang up your wet towel," "put away the milk." What phrase do you remember most from that time in your life?  The thing is, Mom and Dad were just preparing you for when you would have to take care of your own home in Canton, MA. As a parent, I can see the value of having my kids do these things. As a Realtor®, I know homeowners benefit from taking regular care of their homes, too. I'm not talking about the decorative things that people do for their own pleasure, like new cabinets, new flooring ... 12/11/2010

Sell a Home in Canton, MA - Buy a Home in Canton, MA - Live in Canton, MA! If you are planning to buy a home in Canton, MA or sell your home in Canton, MA this monthly market report will give you the information you need to know about local market conditions. Whatever you read about the real estate market on a national level, remember that real estate is a very localized market. What's happening in other parts of the United States, even other cities in Massachusetts, is not necessarily the same thing that is happening here in Canton. Single Family Homes and Condominiums On Market At the end of November, there were 83 single family homes for sale in Canton, MA. This is a decrease of 10% since the end of October. That change is not so surprising for this time of year. A large number of pe... 12/08/2010

Like politics, all real estate is local. I know, I know.......people are looking for homes and real estate information on the internet, perhaps giving a new meaning to it being "local."  But, when it comes down to it, people are researching the towns and communities where they are thinking of moving to because they want to find out more information about that town.  They want the local scoop - how are the schools? What are the neighborhoods like?  How is the traffic in the morning? What kinds of amenities are available? A Google® search will pull up all kinds of information for them, some of it accurate, some of it not.  A local REALTOR® can be a valuable source of local information as well.  We live, work, volunteer and raise our families in our communities so we know, from the inside,... 12/04/2010

Last weekend, I was fortunate to be overwhelmed by the generosity of strangers. Yes, I know that I am a little late for a Thanksgiving post but I was busy last weekend and I think it is always a good time to be thankful.  One Saturday a month, our church is responsible for bringing and serving food at The Mainspring Shelter in Brockton, MA.  There are other groups from other communities that handle the other Saturdays & Sundays so that the burden is shared.  Each group has its signature meal.  St. Gerard Majella's signature meal is meatloaf & mashed potatoes.  The way it works is that people bring uncooked meatloaf or mashed potatoes or vegetables or dessert to the church hall on the fourth Saturday of the month.  Then, members of the church community sign up in advance to volunteer to ... 12/02/2010

There are many holiday happenings in Canton Massachusetts. The festivities start this week.  On Thursday, December 2nd at 6:30 p.m., there is the Tree Lighting at the Canton Town Hall.  There will be caroling by the Canton High Chorus and a capella group, as well as the Canton Community Theater.  I even hear that Santa Claus may even take time out from his busy toy making to make an appearance!  It is always a fun event for the kids and the singing groups always do an outstanding job.     On December 3rd at 6:15 pm, Temple Beth David is holding its Hanukkah Supper and Service as Hanukkah makes an early visit this year.  The supper is followed by Friday evening services.  Bring your own menorah! Reservations are required. The Canton Garden Club is holding its annual Holiday House Tour on... 11/30/2010

You will always find neighbors helping neighbors in Canton Massachusetts.  The community volunteer efforts at the Canton Food Pantry are just one example. Several years ago the Canton Food Pantry was without a home.  It had been located in different buildings throughout town where one business or another was willing to donate space.  However, when the buildings were sold or renovated, the Pantry had to move.  Everyone knew that the pantry needed a permanent home.  The School Department offered to give the Pantry a permanent home in the school administration building, located adjacent to the high school.  Custodians and other workers from the school department donated their time and talent to renovate the space to accommodate the pantry's needs while others in town donated supplies.    A... 11/23/2010

Sell a Home in Canton, MA - Buy a Home in Canton, MA - Live in Canton, MA! Living in Canton, MA - If you are a looking to buy a home in Canton, MA or any other town, you may not know the benefits of working with a real estate agent. First off, there's no cost to you. In almost all cases, the seller pays the commission fee. Second of all, buying a home in Canton, MA or anywhere else, is not like buying a car. When you approach a car salesman, the salesman represents the dealership and tries to get the best price for the dealership. When you're working with a real estate agent that person is committed to representing your best interests throughout the transaction, resulting in your purchasing a house for the best possible price and terms. There are a ton of real estate websites, some more... 11/20/2010

Sell a Home in Canton, MA - Buy a Home in Canton, MA - Live in Canton, MA! If you are looking to buy a home in Canton, MA or sell a home in Canton, MA, this monthly market report will give you accurate information about the current market conditions. You can use this information to make an informed decision whether you want to buy a home in Canton, MA or sell a home in Canton, MA. Here is a summary of the Canton real estate market for single family homes and condominiums for the month of October 2010. This is based on information provided by MLS Property Information Network (private sales are not included). This data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. Sales volume declined significantly since September, however average sales prices increased. Active Listings: At the end of Octobe... 11/18/2010

  Just a reminder to homeowners and soon-to-be homeowners with home improvement projects on their list, the Federal Energy Tax Credit will run out at the end of this year.  Someone told me today that it was 6 weeks until Christmas (sorry!) so that means you only have about 7 weeks left to take advantage of this tax credit. Installation of new energy-efficiant Biomass Stoves, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Equipment, Insulation, Roofs, Water Heaters, Windows and Doors may qualify homeowners for a tax credit of up to $1500.00.  The following conditions apply: The tax credit is for up to 30% of the total cost, with a limit of $1500.00; Installation must be on your principal residence; and The installation must be complete by December 31, 2010 - this means that the product must ... 11/16/2010

Everything's coming up Roses in Canton Massachusetts because the Canton High Drama Club will present "Gypsy" this weekend, November 19 & 20, 2010 at Morse Auditorium.  "Gypsy" is a musical based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease dancer.  The show is the culmination of months of rehearsal that started right after school opened in September.  Canton High Drama always puts on excellent productions and this year is shaping up to be no different. Canton, Massachusetts is fortunate to have such a strong performing arts department in its high school and in all of its public schools, in fact.  While budgets are tight everywhere, the parents and community members in Canton MA have made a commitment to maintaining a strong performing arts department throughout the district. ... 11/15/2010

Yesterday I was "fortunate" enough to attend an informative continuing education class that reinforced all the environmental perils of buying and owning a home.  While the class caused me quite a bit of anxiety and sleeplessness, I decided it was best to use that pent-up energy to blog about what I learned (better than putting my own house on the market and looking for a new line of work at least!).  Information is power, right? This information is not meant to scare buyers out of purchasing a home or to scare them about home inspection results.  Most of these issues can be dealt with if you are aware of their existence. Asbestos is a heat-resistant material that was used in building materials, like ceiling and floor tiles, insulation, pipe coverings and outdoor shingles.  Asbestos has ... 11/11/2010

In October of 2010 there were 5 homes that closed within the month  for Canton, MA. this was an decrease of 7 units as there were 12 homes that closed in October of 2009. The Average list price for the homes that closed in Canton for October 2010 was $682,760 The Average list price for the homes that closed in Canton for October of 2009 was $414,833 The Average sale price for the homes that closed in Canton for October of 2010 was $633,000 The Average sale price for the homes that closed in Canton for October of 2009 was $393,875 The Average Market time for the homes that closed in Canton in October of 2010 was 153 days. The Average Market time for the homes that closed in Canton October of 2009 was 223 days.   15 homes went under agreement in Canton, Massachusetts for the month of Oct... 11/07/2010

This past summer, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts released a list of 1000 Best Places in Massachusetts. To those of us who call Canton MA home, it is no surprise that five places in Canton made their way to the list. The five places in Canton on the list are the Irish Cultural Center, the Massachusetts Audubon Visual Arts Center, Signal Hill, the Bradley Estate and the Ponkapoag Pond Trail. The Irish Cultural Center was established in 1989. Its mission is to promote Irish culture, education, social and sporting events. Every summer they host the annual Irish Festival right here in Canton. It’s not just St. Patrick’s Day anymore; events are ongoing all year round relating to Irish culture and heritage. Visit the Irish Cultural Center website to see what is going on! I wrote about the M... 11/01/2010