Here is what the EPA says should be done for a correctly administered radon test. You will see some parts are hard to control if you are not in control of the activity at the property. When I spoke to Roger Parras at the MA Department of Health, he stated that if you aren't living in the home, you can't control the conditions that will produce the best test results. These EPA instructions can be found on the EPA website: When You Place The Radon Test Kit(s) Yourself For a short-term test (less than a four day period):- close all windows and outside doors at least 12 hours before beginning the test- keep all windows and doors closed for the duration of the test period (except for normal entry and exit)- do not conduct a short-term test during severe storms or periods of high winds - foll... 06/24/2010

Falmouth Massachusetts Real Estate and Homebuying Guide How to Buy Real Estate in Falmouth, Massachusetts Purchasing a home can be a very stressful and complicated process especially if you are a first time buyer. Enlisting the services of experienced real estate related professionals will provide you with the information and advice to make sound decisions in buying Falmouth MA real estate. Buyers often interview mortgage loan officers, Realtors, attorneys, home inspectors, accountants and financial advisers during the process of purchasing a property. Information regarding the home buying and selling process, demographics, commuting, school and relocation information can be found by visiting Falmouth MA Real Estate and Homes for Sale  Financing  Most home buyers will obtain a mortgage ... 06/06/2010

Falmouth MA Short Sales - Buying a Home at Pre-Foreclosure How to Buy a Falmouth, Massachusettts Short Sale  As a home buyer looking for value in the purchase of real estate you may consider a "short sale" as a viable option. The process of finding and buying a Falmouth MA short sale is not a typical real estate transaction. To have success, you must work with qualified professionals and understand the process. Utilize the services of Realtors, attorneys, accountants, mortgage lenders and home inspectors as they all provide expert advice.  What is a Short Sale?  Homeowners that have financial hardships may pursue a short sale prior to foreclosure. This process may be a preferable option to preserve their credit and limit their debt exposure. In Massachusetts, the laws governing foreclos... 05/31/2010

In the past a borrower would have their credit scores checked once during the application process to see if they qualified for a loan. The credit report was generally good for 60 days. Now the law has changed and the lender will pull the borrower's credit report right before closing. So tell your customers not to put any unneccessary expenses on their credit cards until after the closing. The new appliances and furniture will have to wait. Here is copy of the post from the Massachusetts Real Estate Law Blog: ________________________________________ New Fannie Mae (LQI) Rules: Lenders Likely To Order Last Minute Credit Reports On Borrowers Posted: 25 May 2010 02:52 PM PDT Fannie Mae’s new Loan Quality Initiative (LQI) mandates become effective on June 1, 2010, and this will definitely cu... 05/29/2010

I have recently been involved with a bank owned property representing the buyer as a buyer's agent.  The listing agent assured me during the home inspection that the utilities would be accessible for the home inspection.   When the home inspector inspected the furnace which had a tankless hot water heater and serviced by an oil burner he realized that the old furnace, which was obviously obsolescent, was out of oil. I spoke to the listing agent after the home inspection was over and told her that she had overlooked this item in preparing the house for the home inspection.  She said she was aware of it but it wasn't a big deal.  The tenants who had previously occupied the house assured her the furnace worked.  I told her that it was important because the client who was making a decision ... 05/24/2010

Each year for the last 16 years, Falmouth resident Sandy Cuny and many volunteers and contributors have produced an all night party for juniors and seniors at Falmouth High School. The post-prom celebration is an all-night safe haven for teens in Falmouth where they can eat, create, play games and enjoy entertainment at no cost. All the decorations, food, games, and entertainment are provided by local businesses and individuals. For three days, teams of parents decorate the inside of the Gus Canty Community Center in a theme that is picked at the annual Celebrations meeting. This year they chose "Holidays/Festivals" as their theme. There was a sports room for Fathers' Day, a Valentine Cafe, and the Casino Room was modeled after New Orleans and Mardi Gras! Planning and fund raising goes ... 05/23/2010

Here are two market reports that show the number of days a house has been on the market from 2006 to 2009 has increased from 116 days to 152 days in 2009.  Essentially it is taking 5 months to sell your house given the current market condition. In addition, the number of houses sold in 2006 was 427 homes.  This number was down to 387 homes in 2009.  It is interesting to see the same number sold in 2008.  Does this indicate that we have reached the bottom?   The average home price in 2006 was $581,703 the average home price in 2009 was $457,006.  This is down 27% from 2006. 05/20/2010

I just received a call from the Falmouth fire department informing me that smoke detector inspections in the town of Falmouth MA cannot be scheduled until after June 16 because all the slots are full. On the one had this is good news, because that means that there are lots of closing happening! On the other hand it means that offers have to carefully written. This may be a temporary blitz because of the end of the tax credit. Or, it could be a good sign that the real estate market has at least stabilized in Falmouth. Or, it cold be the fire departments way of telling the public that they are short staffed. For what ever reason, if you are buying property in Falmouth, make sure you are writing your offer with the understanding that scheduling a smoke inspection could be a problem. A smok... 05/20/2010

The latest verification strategy for landlords is to search social media sites for information and pictures about tenants. Social media sites are a source of what people are like at home, work, and play. Many people place pictures that help describe their lifestyle, interests, and hobbies. There are many examples of how social media pictures and posts have changed celebrity endorsements and public impressions for many publicly notable people. That has evolved into tech savvy landlords researching their prospective tenants to see what social media sites display. Sometimes the info is reassuring and sometimes it is enlightening. If you are a tenant or a prospective tenant, the next time you are tagged in a picture, or referenced in a blog or post, consider how a landlord might contemplate... 05/07/2010

Here is a simple, five question test. These questions not only test what you know, they test how well you pay attention. Sometimes it is not what we know but how we respond to what is being asked. It is amazing how the mind works. How well does yours work? Here is a warm up to get you started: What is the opposite of black?What color is snow?What color is a polar bear?What do cows drink?     Cows dring water. Ready?   FIRST QUESTION: YOU ARE A PARTICIPANT IN A RACE. YOU OVERTAKETHE SECOND PERSON. WHAT POSITION ARE YOU IN?     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~        ANSWER:  IF YOU ANSWERED THAT YOU ARE FIRST, THEN YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY WRONG! IF YOU OVERTAKE THE SECOND PERSON AND YOU TAKE HIS PLACE, YOU ARE IN SECOND PLACE! TRY TO DO BETTER NEXT TIME.NOW ANSWER THE SECOND QUESTION, BUT DON'T TAKE AS M... 05/06/2010

Falmouth, Massachusetts Real Estate and Homes for Sale - Direct MLS Access The Falmouth MA real estate and home buying process can be complicated and you will benefit from the guidance of industry professionals. A real estate buyer's agent, mortgage lender and an attorney are the primary advisers in the purchase of property. If you are a first-time home buyer or an existing owner, you may qualify for a tax credit and could be eligible for special financing programs. Start your search be determining your price range, housing needs and lifestyle you desire. Falmouth MA real estate will assist you in finding the right property to meet your needs from local area homes for sale, foreclosed listings (bank-owned), land, condominiums,  all through the MA Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Request ... 05/03/2010

Map based search will locate all available listings or specifically FORELCOSURES in Falmouth on a map. View listings by street, neighborhood, commute, satellite view and listing density. Go to: FALMOUTH FORECLOSURES MASHPEE FORECLOSURES SANDWICH FORECLOSURES BOURNE FORECLOSURES You will see located on the map: All foreclosures listings currently on the market Search criteria options List and thumbnail pictures of the listings Select FALMOUTH, MA WATERFRONT under Popular Searches to view waterfront homes on the map. Virtual Homes agents will provide follow up assistance. 800-856-2479. Visit the following web sites for additional resources on Cape Cod. FALMOUTH REAL ESTATE CAPE COD REAL ESTATE Go to MA MLS SEARCH if you would like a map search of all listings in the Massachusetts MLS Vis... 04/27/2010

Laurie C. Bailey-Gates | Virtual Homes Real Estate | 508-265-6722 00 West Falmouth Highway, West Falmouth, MA 2.25 Acres located on the scenic west falmouth highway with 150 feet of frontage on 28A. 97,923 sqft Vacant Land offered at $359,000 Lot Size 97,923 sqft DESCRIPTION This a 2.25 acre lot with 150 feet of frontage. see additional photos below LOCATION FEATURES - Rectanglular, wooded, sloping lot ADDITIONAL PHOTOS Photo 1Photo 1Photo 1Photo 1 Contact info: Laurie C. Bailey-Gates Virtual Homes Real Estate 508-265-6722 For sale by agent/broker Equal Opportunity Housing Posted: Apr 26, 2010, 1:15pm PDT 04/26/2010

Mortgage Rate Forecast for Falmouth MA for April 15, 2010 Here are some of the events affecting mortgage rates today in Falmouth, MA: What Mortgage Backed Securities Are Doing Today: The price of the FNMA 30-Year 4.5% MBS coupon opened at 99.97 this morning - the same as yesterday's close. At 9:30 AM, the 4.5% MBS coupon was trading at 99.94 - down 1/32 from its opening. Price Trend in Mortgage Backed Securities: The chart below shows the price trend of the FNMA 30-Year 4.5% coupon over the past 30 days from 3-16-2010 to 4-15-2010: Remember, on mortgage backed securities (MBSs), as the price goes up, the yield comes down - and so do mortgage rates. However, mortgages rates are up from early yesterday's trading. I expect that mortgage rates will be about the same in price this morning as... 04/15/2010

Update on Home Sales in Falmouth MA Through March 2010 According to Trulia.com, sales prices of homes in Falmouth and have increased 10.3% over the past year. The current average listing price of homes for sale in Falmouth, MA is $638,352, while the current median sales price is $430,000. The median sales price is the price at which one half of the homes sold above that amount, and one half of the homes sold below that amount. Below is a chart of the trend of median sales prices of homes in Falmouth, MA, in the past year through March 2010: Falmouth Recently Sold Homes Below is a chart of the trend of home sales in Falmouth, MA, in the past year through March 2010: Falmouth Recently Sold Homes If you're looking to buy a home or condo in Falmouth or in the surrounding area, then search t... 04/14/2010

These links and phone numbers were corrected on April 22, 2010.  The Call Center can only handle 125 calls at a time so the web site is probably better. Click here. If you are thinking about new appliances, don't just throw the old ones out! For a limited time you could get an "incentive" from your utility when you get new appliances. Utilities push energy saving appliances, partly by regulation, partly for PR, and partly for business reasons. The "incentives" or rebates, are available for a limited time period. They are starting Earth Day, April 22, 2010 at 10:00 AM and running through May 5, 2010. There is a reservation required in order to get the incentive or rebate. There is a web site that gives more information. You may click here, or copy and paste the link at the end of this po... 04/07/2010

Falmouth, MA Foreclosures, Short Sales and Bank Owned Real Estate for Sale Purchasing a home at a Falmouth MA foreclosures auction has many risks to a potential buyer and in most cases the bank will bid and take possession of the property at auction. The property is then referred to as bank owned, REO (real estate owned) or foreclosed property. To search the MA MLS listings visit Falmouth MA MLS listings. A home owner may attempt a "short sale" whereby the bank agrees to accept less than the mortgage balance based on the owner's hardship and financial status. Obtaining approval can be a long and difficult process. Additionally, there is no assurance that the lender will accept an offer at or above the listed price. Bank-owned and short sale listings are often marketed with a real estate... 04/04/2010

Home Value Update for Falmouth MA 02540 Through February 2010 According to Trulia.com, the current average listing price of homes for sale in Falmouth, MA is $409,000, while the current mean sales price of homes is $260,000. Sale prices of single family homes in Falmouth, MA have declined 1.3% in the past year through the end of February 2010. Below is a chart of the trend of listing prices of homes for sale in Falmouth, MA, in the past Falmouth Recently Sold Homes If you're looking for a home or condo to purchase in Falmouth or the surrounding area, then try this home search. 03/23/2010

Mortgage Rate Forecast for Falmouth MA for March 23, 2010 Here are some of the events affecting mortgage rates today in Falmouth, MA: What Mortgage Backed Securities Are Doing Today: The price of the FNMA 30-Year 4.5% MBS coupon opened at 101.06 this morning - the same as yesteray's close. At 9:30 AM, the 4.5% MBS coupon was trading at 101.09 - the same as its opening. Price Trend in Mortgage Backed Securities: The chart below shows the price trend of the FNMA 30-Year 4.5% coupon over the past 30 days from 2-21-2010 to 3-23-2010: Remember, on mortgage backed securities (MBSs), as the price goes up, the yield comes down - and so do mortgage rates. I expect that mortgage rates will be the same in price this morning as compared to yesterday. Economic Reports, News, and Events Affecting Mor... 03/23/2010

Oh My Goodness! Last night the Falmouth boys' basketball team was firing on all cylinders, and they had a nitro conversion kit that kicked in after the first basket! The link above goes to the Cape Cod Times article, written by Russ Charpentier, who captures the amazement of all the people who were there. Even the Whitman-Hanson coach said that Falmouth was in a different league last night. It was fun to watch and got embarrassing at the end as Falmouth, who hasn't been this far in the state playoffs in 30 years! There is no one player who ran the show - they all passed, shot, stole, rebounded, moved, and encouraged each other to the 87 - 50 victory. Of course I was glad to be there to watch my nephew do his part!  We will be saying, "Remember that game!" for years to come. 03/01/2010