Bill Gassett's Real Estate Blog

Metrowest MA Real Estate Market Reports For 2011

2012-01-27T07:07:00.001-05:00

The following is a list of Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate market reports for a number of area towns. By clicking on the individual links provided, you will be taken to a detailed summary page of each of the respective towns. There you will find an analysis of the Real Estate market in 2011 compared to the previous two years, as well as a snap shot of how Real Estate sales looked December 2011.

The individual town report also will take a look at the current inventory of homes for sale in each of the towns with pictures and details of the properties. Click the links below to be taken to each of the towns Real Estate info for the past year. From these market reports a basic understanding of what has been happening in the Metrowest market can be achieved.

Hopkinton MA Real Estate Market 2011

Holliston MA Real Estate Market 2011

Ashland MA Real Estate Market 2011

Milford MA Real Estate Market 2011

Framingham MA Real Estate Market 2011

Southboro MA Real Estate Market 2011

Westboro MA Real Estate Market 2011

Shrewsbury MA Real Estate Market 2011

Northboro MA Real Estate Market 2011

Grafton MA Real Estate Market 2011

Northbridge MA Real Estate Market 2011

Medway MA Real Estate Market 2011

Franklin MA Real Estate Market 2011

Bellingham MA Real Estate Market 2011

Upton MA Real Estate Market 2011

Mendon MA Real Estate Market 2011

Sutton MA Real Estate Market 2011

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About the Author: The above Real Estate information provided on the Metrowest MA Real Estate market was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 25+ Years.

Top Massachusetts Home Selling Tips

2012-01-04T21:44:00.000-05:00

Original article Source: Top Home Selling Tips

After being in the Real Estate business for the last twenty five years I have been involved in all types of markets.

I have been through boom times and recently some of the most difficult times you could ever imagine.
With these experiences I have continued to learn what makes a home sell for the most money, in the shortest period of time, with the least amount of headaches.

When I interview with a potential client I like to share what works and what doesn’t.
I am also candid even if it is not what the seller wants to hear. A “yes” man will never be a great Realtor. Keeping this in mind here are the top home selling tips for Real Estate. The best piece of home selling advice I can ever give any client is to price the home properly coming out of the gate. Overpricing a home is one of the hardest things to overcome.

In fact I tell people all the time that the price you set on a home is 80% of the marketing. What do you mean by that Bill? If you set the wrong price all of your other efforts to sell the home will be meaningless. The best online marketing, fantastic photography, beautiful brochures and fancy video tours aren’t going to mean squat if you help sell the competition by overpricing YOUR home.

One of the sure fire ways to prevent your home from selling is to list it at a price that the market will not bear. Most people don’t like to overpay for any kind of purchase, never mind one as large as a home. Selling a property can become an emotionally charged event. Many people think of their homes as an extension of who they are and their life time memories. Our homes are places where some of the most important events and memories in our lives occur. From holiday gatherings, birthday parties, the baby’s first steps, to simple things like family meals. These are all special things to many of us.

When selling a home however, you need to take the emotion out of it and think of it strictly as a business transaction. Trust me I know this can be hard to do! Keep in mind that market value is determined by what a motivated and qualified buyer is willing to pay for your home, not simply what you feel it should be worth.

Carefully looking at comparable sales data is very important. The last thing you want as a seller is to let “the days on market” become inflated. I can tell you with certainty every buyer will ask their Realtor how long has the home been on the market. Buyer’s do this because they want to know how much they can negotiate.

To continue reading top home selling tips come take a look at my new blog over at Maximum Real Estate Exposure. If you like the article I would appreciate you sharing it in your social media networks!

Real Estate Mortgage Tax Deductions

2011-12-12T07:46:00.005-05:00

Original article source: Home buying tax deductions

If there is anything in this world that is certain it’s the fact that everyone likes to save on their taxes when April rolls around. If you have purchased a home in the last year you are going to want to make sure that you have remembered all the allowable tax deductions.

When taking out a mortgage to buy a home, there are certain deductions that the IRS allows that you are going to need to remember. The list below summarizes the deductions that many people forget about when buying Real Estate:

MORTGAGE POINTS
Points paid when taking out a mortgage are tax deductible if they are used to reduce the mortgage interest rate. In the event you don’t know, a point is 1% of the loan amount. For example on a $200,000 mortgage a point would equal $2000.00.

Typically most people would not want to pay points on a loan unless the expectation was to be in the home for a while to recapture the cost of such points in the form of reduced payments. In order to figure out if paying points makes sense, you need to calculate the mortgage payment amount both with and without points.

By looking at the spread between these figures you can determine how long you would need to be in the home before it would make fiscal sense. For a complete explanation see when to pay points on a mortgage. Points or origination fees paid when you buy a home or other Real Estate are generally tax deductible in full for the year that you pay them.

It should be made clear that origination charges from the lender that constitute a “service fee” are not tax deductible. Another method you could make is to amortize the points over the term of the mortgage. This choice is usually made only when your itemized deductions are less than the standard deduction for the year you purchased the home.

Additionally when you refinance a mortgage the points must be deducted over the term of the loan. If you deduct points over the term of the loan and sell the home or refinance it again before the loan expires, you can deduct in the year of the sale or refinancing any points that you didn’t previously deduct.

Keep in mind that you will be able to get the best mortgage interest rates when you have a great FICO Credit Score.See how to increase a credit score to help in your efforts to get a terrific interest rate.

To continue reading the full article see home buying tax deductions.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Real Estate mortgage tax deductions was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 25+ Years.

Homestead Protection Massachusetts Real Estate

2011-12-11T21:57:00.001-05:00

If you are considering purchasing a Massachusetts home one of the things you may be asked at some point, more than likely by your attorney or even possibly by the bank’s attorney, is whether you would like to have Massachusetts Homestead Protection.

Folks this is one easiest Real Estate decisions you could have make! Raise your hand immediately and say you want it.

What an estate of homestead does in protect a persons residence from most creditors. The Massachusetts declaration of homestead protects the equity in your property for up to $500,000 in the event a lawsuit is brought against you.

So if you are sued, $500,000 of your equity could not be touched by an attachment and subsequent levy on execution of sale. As most people realize, we live in a litigious society. The chances of getting into an accident and someone suing you should not be taken lightly! It happens to quite a few people everyday.

The Homestead protection document is filed at the registry of deeds in the county that your residence is located in. All that is needed is the preparation and recording of a Declaration of Homestead as well as the payment of a state recording fee. The total cost is usually only around $100 to prepare and record the document.

I am sure your attorney would be happy to prepare this document for you or possibly even the banks attorney if you don’t have legal representation at your closing. To see the full article visit homestead protection Massachusetts.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Massachusetts homestead protection was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 25+ Years.

Massachusetts For Sale By Owners Typically Fail

2011-12-04T20:24:00.001-05:00

The typical driving force behind most for sale by owner homes (FSBO) is to save a Real Estate commission. Even though I am in the business of selling Real Estate I can clearly understand a home seller’s motivation to save the kind of money that is handed out in a typical sale.

There are not too many people I know who don’t like to save money where ever they can especially in a tough economy. In a Real Estate sale saving a commission translates into a tremendous amount of money. It is hard to blame any home seller for their desire to save the type of dollars that are made when a Realtor sells a home or condo.

While commission rates are negotiable, in most parts of Massachusetts if you are selling a home you will more than likely be paying a Real Estate commission between 4%-6% on the sale price of your property.
On a $450,000 home a commission of 5% is $22,500. There is no doubt that is a lot of mullah! Selling a property for sale by owner however is not an a simple task and that is why most home owners end up hiring a Realtor.

Nationally the success rate of a for sale by owner (FSBO) is very low. Over 80% of all FSBO’S end up hiring a Realtor to get the job done after unsuccessfully trying on their own. Why is going the route of selling without a Realtor such a difficult task? There are quite a few reasons why selling FSBO is a difficult task to pull off. To continue reading the full article see Massachusetts for sale by owner.

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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Massachusetts for sale by owner homes was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 25+ Years.

Real Estate Title Insurance Explained

2011-11-30T10:21:00.000-05:00

When buying a home or other Real Estate one of the things that buyer’s will try to figure out is whether or not they should purchase Real Estate title insurance. Often times I find that some buyer’s really struggle over this decision because of the pretty hefty expense involved. Real Estate title insurance is certainly not inexpensive!

While title insurance is a one time expense, it can be tough for a buyer who lacks a lot of funds in reserve to come up with such a substantial expenditure at closing. Real Estate title insurance can easily run into thousands of dollars in a home purchase.

Real Estate title insurance policies however differ from other types of insurance as there is no monthly premiums .Title Insurance is a one time expense covering the owner until the property is sold to the next buyer. One of the questions I often get by my clients is “should I purchase title insurance’?

Let me first explain the definition of title insurance is and what this special insurance covers. Real Estate title insurance is an insurance that covers financial loss from defects in title to real property and from the invalidity of mortgage liens.

A title policy is put in place to protect an owner’s or lender’s financial interest in a property against loss due to title defects, liens or other matters. This type of insurance will defend against a lawsuit attacking the title as it is insured, or reimburse the insured for the monetary loss incurred, up to the dollar amount of insurance provided for in the policy. To see the full article with an in depth discuss on what Real Estate Title Insurance does click the link which will take you to the Massachusetts Real Estate Blog.
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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Real Estate title insurance was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 25+ Years.

3 Types of Home Equity Loans

2011-09-19T16:15:00.001-04:00

When looking to take money out of an existing home or other Real Estate borrowers often have a decision to make on what is the best method to do so. There are basically three financing options that are available to home owners. These include a cash out re-finance, home equity loan or a home equity line of credit (HELOC).

Determining which of these type of loan options will work best basically comes down to what purpose the money is going to be used for.
Unfortunately being in the Real Estate field, I often come across folks who have over extended themselves and find that they have created undue hardships .

Going back ten years ago this was not so much of a problem as Real Estate markets around the country were booming and a home was an investment windfall. Every few months the value of homes would continue to rise and did so for over a decade. Of course all good things must come to an end eventually and now we are left with property values decreasing in most areas.

When the economy and Real Estate values are soaring it is hard not to look at a home as a giant piggy bank from which you can tap at a moments notice. When times are tough however, you may regret taking your equity for granted by pulling it out of the home.

If you click on the link below you will find a guide to help you determine whether borrowing against the equity in your home via a home equity line of credit (HELOC), home equity loan or a cash out refinance makes the most sense. To continue reading see home equity loans.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on home equity loans was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 25+ Years.

Repairing Home Water Damage

2011-06-14T15:47:00.000-04:00

Original article source: Massachusetts Real Estate Blog

If you have ever been in the unfortunate position of having a pipe burst in your home, a washing machine hose give way while you were gone for the weekend, or a finished basement become flooded by a 100 year storm, you know what a royal pain in the $#@ it is to clean up and remedy water damage!

There are few things that can damage a home more than water. One of the most important things you can do when faced with a water damage problem is to tackle it right away. Without taking immediate action the threat of getting mold becomes very likely which can further increase an already expensive proposition.

If you can get take care of the water in under 48-72 hours you stand a much greater chance that you can keep the mold at bay.

If it all possibly the 1st thing that you are going to want to do is take everything out of the area where the water damage has occurred and get it into a warm and dry environment. Even if it means taking these things outside that is what you should do.

The next step will be to either get in touch with a water damage and restoration company or take the same steps they would make in getting the water re-mediated from the home.

To finish reading the article and to see all the ways to fix home water damage click the link.

Buying a Home After a Short Sale

2011-03-21T20:29:00.004-04:00

Original article source: Massachusetts Real Estate Blog

As a Realtor who has been heavily involved closing Massachusetts short sales over the last five years, one of the questions that I get asked quite often from home sellers is how long will it take before I will be able to buy a home again.

The answer to this question does not have any clear cut and dry answer. There are quite a few variables involved when trying to figure out when someone will be able to purchase a home after a foreclosure or short sale.

Going through either a short sale or a foreclosure has the potential to seriously impact ones credit. Government entities Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA do not directly loan money to individuals but are the governing body that work with lenders to guarantee loans and free up money to provide mortgages.

Banks typically have the authority to lend to whoever they want but will generally follow the guidelines set forth by these entities. There are some lenders of course that will take greater risks with some borrowers than others.

Below are the general guidelines that FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac follow when considering whether to fund a mortgage loan to a borrower after they have completed a short sale or foreclosure:

See Buying a home after short sale for a complete understanding of how your credit will be impacted, as well as the time period before a borrower will be able to get financing to purchase another home or other Real Estate.

There are different guidelines for getting a new mortgage based on circumstances as well as the type of mortgage loan.

In this article the time periods for getting a mortgage after both a short sale and foreclosure are discussed. On of the top concerns of any borrower after completing a short sale or foreclosure is how to increase a credit score.

If you are needing to complete a short sale of your home or condo in Ashland, Bellingham, Framingham, Franklin, Grafton, Holliston, Hopedale, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Hopkinton, Southboro, Westboro, Natick, Northboro, Northbridge, Whitinsville, Upton, Uxbridge, Shrewsbury, Worcester, or Douglas Get in touch! I would love to interview for the chance to represent your best interests.

Completing a short sale remains a much better option than letting a property go to foreclosure for a number of reasons centering around credit and your ability to buy another property in the future.

I am successfully completing short sales through out the Metrowest Massachusetts area as well as parts of Worcester County. As of this writing in almost four years, knock on wood, I have a 100% success rate for short sale approval!

I work hand in hand with a local short sale Real Estate attorney who knows how to get short sales done! I will admit there is some luck involved in my success rate but the team I have put together does a stellar job.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on buying a home after a short sale was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 25+ Years.

Home Finance Tips for Increasing a Credit Score

2011-03-07T13:25:00.000-05:00

Original article source: Massachusetts Real Estate Blog

Credit scores can have a dramatic effect on a borrowers ability to get the best rates for many types of financing including a home mortgage and a car loan.

If your credit score does not meet minimum standards you may not even have the ability to get a home mortgage period!

There are a number of factors that the credit bureaus use to calculate your credit score. One of the most important factors they use is your past payment history which generally accounts for 35% of your credit score. In the mortgage article how to improve a credit score, all the various ways you can achieve and maintain a great credit score are discussed. If you pay attention to these credit scoring factors you will be well on your way to achieving an exceptional credit score.

When it comes to your home there are ways to improve a credit score with specific home finance tips.

Pay Your Mortgage On Time

It goes without saying that paying your bills on time is a must if you want to have excellent credit. Above all else you want to make absolutely certain you pay your home mortgage when it is due. As mentioned above, past credit history is a critical factor on how you be viewed by a lender when applying for financing.

There is nothing that will hit your credit harder than a missed mortgage payment. Credit scoring agencies will look at a missed mortgage payment in a far more negative light than a missed car or credit card payment. If at all possible you should always consider making your mortgage payment before other bill that are due.

To continue reading and see all of the financial tips view increasing a credit score.

Location in Real Estate|How to Choose The Best Neighborhood

2011-02-25T18:05:00.000-05:00

When buying a home, it's important to keep in mind what the neighborhood has to offer just as much as the home itself. A great neighborhood can make the deal much more sweeter if it has the things you expected.
If you think about it, your home is like a spouse, and the neighborhood is like the extended family. You have to live with both so it won't hurt to take a good look at the bigger picture. Here are a few tips to become a neighborhood detective and find the perfect home:

What Do You Want In A Neighborhood?
Before you can scrutinize a neighborhood you have to scrutinize yourself. What do you want in a neighborhood? And what do you need? Of course, you won't be able to get everything you want, but having a list of your must haves and a list of your wants will help you make the right decision. Here are a few things you may want to consider for your list:

Do you have kids or are you planning on having kids in the future? As a parent, you'll probably want to choose a neighborhood with a great school system. Also, great schools also raise local property values, so even if you're single, choosing an area with good schools is a net positive. You'll also want to look for close proximity to local parks or community recreation centers to keep the young ones entertained.
What type of housing are you looking for? If you're looking for a condo or a townhome, you'll have to deal with a close proximity of neighbors. If this is you, be sure to walk around the neighborhood and see how the neighborhood interacts. If you're looking for a singe-family home, you'll have more freedom from neighbors, but you'll also have to deal with more maintenance issues. Is the neighborhood well maintained?
How's the commute? I've had clients find the perfect neighborhood but the drive to work was just to long. You don't want to buy a home and later regret it because the commute is killing precious family time. Do you have a car or do you need a home close to public transportation systems? Are you planning on walking to work? Knowing what you expect is good for you and your real estate agent.
Do you want new or rustic? Older neighborhoods are filled with character and can be closer to town. You'll also find older neighborhoods may need more upkeep and maintenance. Newer neighborhoods are usually cleaner and require less up-keep, but you may not be able to find one close to town. Also, new neighborhoods may still be under construction which could cause a headache. Be sure to weigh both options and determine what will work for you.
What do you hate about the neighborhood you're in? With the experience you've gained in your current neighborhood, I'm sure there are a few things you'd like to change. Don't move to a neighborhood you already know you won't like.

Choose Your Favorites And Dig Deeper
Using your list of must haves and wants, you should be able to narrow down to a few specific areas. Choose the ones that have your needs and the most wants. Now choose the neighborhoods that meet the criteria we outlined above. Here are a few more things to help you hone in on the perfect neighborhood:

Schools - Take a list of schools your kids would attend even if you don't have kids. Remember, good schools increase property values. You can find many great websites online with parent reviews and test scores.
Crime - Crime rates have a cause and affect on neighborhood values. You can get crime stats online or call the local police station for up to date information.
Parks - Parks are great if they are well maintained. You don't want a neighborhood that houses the local drug cartels. A good park close to your home is an excellent feature for re-sale and will help maintain your properties value.
HOA's - A homeowners association can be both good and bad. Find out the monthly fees and what type of restrictions they enforce. An overbearing HOA can be a nightmare so research carefully.
Attractions - What type of attractions does the neighborhood have? You can check with the local tourism and chamber websites to find out what tourism and business are in the area.
Busy Streets - A busy street can kill a properties value. Be sure to check with local transportation authorities on any planned of future projects in the area. A busy road can reduce your properties value up to 20% depending on the traffic and noise.

Use Your Senses
You can research a neighborhood all day online but nothing compares to talking a walk through the area. Visit the neighborhoods that stand out in your initial findings. You may find that the neighborhood you thought was perfect just doesn't stack up. Using your senses to choose a great neighborhood:

Sight - When you first visit the neighborhood, what's your first impression? Are the homes well maintained? Does the curb appeal make you excited to live there? Can you see yourself living in the neighborhood and being happy with your decision? Lookout for homes in foreclosure or in dire repair, abandoned warehouses and buildings, and vandalism.
Sound - Listen to the sounds of the neighborhood. Are there kids playing in the streets and birds singing in the trees? Or do you here industrial buildings and cars? Are there nearby train tracks? Do airplanes fly low close by? Talk to the local residents. If they're rude and don't want to talk, you may not want to live there. Ask where they hang out and how they like the neighborhood. People like to know who's moving into their neighborhood and is usually welcome a chat with potential neighbors.
Smell - How does it smell? Can you smell fresh air or is it close to a chicken farm? You can't tell if a neighborhood smells bad until you get out of your car and walk the sidewalks. If there aren't any bad smells, be sure to ask the locals if it changes during the different seasons. During winter, smells may not be present, but come spring, a neighborhood with melting snow could be quiet different.
Feel - Does it feel right? Many buyers out there will buy a home because as soon as they walked in, it just felt right. How does the neighborhood feel? If it feels right, it probably is. Don't ignore your initial feelings as they are usually your best.
Taste - Does the neighborhood match your taste? No, I don't want you to lick the street signs! Are you high and classy? Is the neighborhood full of classy amenities? Are you simple and old school? Is the neighborhood nice and quiet? Are you into the night life? Does it have the local hot spots you're looking for?

Close The Deal
Once you've gone over your checklists, taken a walk through, and used your senses; it's time to make close the deal. Buying a home can be really fun or extremely stressful. Using these tips to ensure your neighborhood is the perfect place for your new home will help you enjoy the experience. All you have to do now is close the deal:

Figure Out Your Financing - When you feel you're getting close to finding the best neighborhoods, it's time to get your financing options in order. Great houses in the best neighborhoods sell fast no matter how bad the real estate market is. If you're not ready to write an offer, there's a good chance someone else was already waiting for that home to come on the market and will swipe it right from underneath your feet. You should get pre-approved as son as you know decide you want to buy a home.
Find A Realtor - You may not want to work with a Realtor, but they are invaluable to a real estate transaction. Yes, I am a Realtor myself, but even before I became an agent, I tried it both ways. I bought without an agent and the stress was almost unbearable. I ended up hiring an agent and everything changed, it was black and white. As a buyer, the commission is already priced into a home when it's listed, so even if you don't have an agent, you'll still be paying the same amount.
Don't Hesitate - You know the neighborhood you want to live in. You know the type of house you want your family to grow up in. You feel comfortable with your lists and have narrowed down the best choice. When that perfect home pops up on the market, whether it's next week, or next year, be ready to pounce. One of the biggest regrets of buyers is missing out on the home they really wanted. If the home fits your criteria and priced affordably, write an offer. You can always negotiate, but you can't buy a home if you don't give it your best shot.

Real estate should be a fun and exciting experience. Some say the American dream of home-ownership is dead, but I disagree. The smile on my buyers face when they walk into their new home they've been waiting for is the most rewarding experience I have as an agent. Their eyes get big and they tense up, and I can tell that this is the one. When you do your homework, find the great neighborhood, and put together all the pieces necessary, buy your dream home and never look back.
About The Author: Lisa Udy is a Logan real estate professional providing expertise for home buyers and sellers in Norhtern, Utah. If you want to learn more about Lisa, you can read more articles about buying Logan short sales and Logan foreclosures.

Tax Law Changes For Rental Property

2011-02-23T16:47:00.000-05:00

Here Ye Here Ye “Rental property tax law changes go into effect this year” Yes more great news for those who own Real Estate – NOT!

If you are the owner of rental property there is a pretty significant tax law change going into effect for 2012. As of this year anyone who owns rental property must now report all vendors doing work that exceeds $600. For the landlord that holds multiple rental properties this really is nothing new as they have been required to report this to the IRS.

Last year however, the Federal Government enacted the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (H.R. 3297) that expanded the reporting requirement to include ANYONE who owns rental property. To put it bluntly the little guy is now required to send a 1099 to contractors working on their homes.

Rental Owner Tax Obligations

If you are the owner of rental property it means you now have a legal obligation to collect information from contractors doing work at your property including their name, address, tax identification number or social security identification. You must also keep a detailed record of what you pay them through out the year. Again at the end of the year you are obligated to send them a 1099 form.

To continue reading see Tax law changes for rental property.

Massachusetts Short Sale Pitfalls

2010-11-07T18:26:00.000-05:00

Over the last four years I have been diligently helping Massachusetts home owners successfully complete a short sale. If you look at the national success rate of these distressed properties you may be surprised to find out that many of them do not reach the closing table. The other day I was reading that less than 30 % of all short sales actually close!

Why does this happen? Often times it is because the Realtor who is working with the seller does not understand the short sale process. Unfortunately many Massachusetts home owners who need to short sell their home do not realize that you can't just hire any Real Estate agent and expect a short sale approval.

The Realtor you hire to complete your short sale needs to know what they are doing or more than likely you will find yourself facing a foreclosure. It is really aggravating to see Realtors who don't know what they are doing taking listings from home owners who will are trying to avoid losing their home. Watch the quick video below.

Trust me it only touches the surface on some of the foolishness that you see from agents handling these transactions. I will also emphasize that not all RE/MAX agents have short sale expertise. It just so happens that this short sale video does a nice job portraying the lack of knowledge of some of the Realtors listing these homes.

So what are some of the biggest Massachusetts short sale pitfalls that I see from Real Estate agents that don't know what they are doing? Here is a run down on a few of them:

Underpricing or overpricing the short sale property ~ Pricing a short sale is really an art that should not be taken lightly. If you overprice the home and do not find a buyer in a timely fashion the seller is going to be that much closer to getting a foreclosure notice. On the other hand if a Realtor under prices the home the lender probably will reject the short sale. When a short sale contract is submitted to a lender, they will send out an appraiser or a Realtor to do a BPO (broker price opinion) in order to establish the value. The contract price accepted is going to need to be in close proximity to actual market value.

Another common pitfall I see often is Realtors sending multiple unsigned offers to the lender. Remember the seller still owns the property. The lender is only there for one thing and that is to accept or deny the short sale terms submitted. When a seller does not sign a Real Estate contract the buyer can walk anytime. As a seller this is the last thing you want! Making sure the contract locks in the buyer is essential. In all of my Massachusetts short sale contracts the buyer's have to wait 90 days or they won't be buying the home!

Having the seller sign a contract with terms that do not make sense. A short sale contracts terms should be set up the same as any other Real Estate sale. For example the short sale home inspection should be done right away NOT after short sale approval. A listing agent that allows a home inspection to occur after short sale approval is clueless!

The rest of the terms like the signing of the purchase and sale and the time allowed for a buyer to get financing approval are like any other transaction. There are buyers agents that think they are saving their buyers some money by doing a home inspection after approval in the event the short sale does not happen. The problem with that is if there are issues there are NO negotiations after approval. What would you rather do save a few hundred dollars or give up the chance to potentially negotiate thousands of dollars?

It is quite possible that your Realtor will be approached by an investor who wants to purchase your property. On many occasions the investor will ask to take over negotiations with the lender. Realtors should never let a short sale investor negotiate with a lender. Why a Realtor who has been hired to help a seller with a short sale would ever do this is beyond me.

Another common pitfall is a Realtor not explaining that when you short sell a home in Massachusetts there can be short sale tax ramifications. If you are selling an investment property and not a primary residence you will more than likely get a tax bill.

One of the biggest considerations when doing a Massachusetts short sale is the debt removal. One of the things that whoever you have hired to negotiate your short sale should be doing is to make sure the negotiate the best terms possible regarding the short sale deficiency. Make sure you read the article I have written on short sale debt removal.

Here are some other short sale articles that I have written that are worth taking a look at:

If you are needing to complete a short sale of your home or condo in Ashland, Bellingham, Framingham, Franklin, Grafton, Holliston, Hopedale, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Hopkinton, Southboro, Westboro, Natick, Northboro, Northbridge, Whitinsville, Upton, Uxbridge, Shrewsbury, Worcester, or Douglas Get in touch! I would love to interview for the chance to represent your best interests.

Completing a short sale remains a much better option than letting a property go to foreclosure for a number of reasons centering around credit and your ability to buy another property in the future.

I am successfully completing short sales through out the Metrowest Massachusetts area as well as parts of Worcester County. As of this writing in almost four years, knock on wood, I have a 100% success rate for short sale approval!

I work hand in hand with a local short sale Real Estate attorney who knows how to get short sales done! I will admit there is some luck involved in my success rate but the team I have put together does a stellar job.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Massachusetts short sale pitfalls was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Getting a Massachusetts Home Mortgage

2010-10-26T20:50:00.000-04:00

Getting a mortgage in Massachusetts or anywhere else for that matter is a lot more difficult today than it used to be. With the financial turmoil and Real Estate melt down that has taken place over the last five years mortgage lenders are far more cautious.

You can expect that when you do apply for a new mortgage or are even refinancing a mortgage you will be asked to jump through hoops. The amount of paperwork and background checks you will go through is endless. It can be a very difficult process but unfortunately is a necessary evil to make sure the right borrowers are selected to get loans.

As a 1st time buyer one of the things you may want to investigate before you actually apply for a loan is to check on your credit report. Often times you may find something that is not correct and may need to fix a credit report error. This becomes incredibly important because if there are credit report errors they can have a negative impact on your credit score. One of the factors in determining what interest rate you will get for you mortgage is the FICO credit score.

FICO scores can range from a low of 300 to a high of 850. Anything over 800 is considered exceptional and would put you into a select group of individuals with outstanding credit. According to the FICO scoring system there are five factors that determine a borrowers score. The factors include a borrowers payment history which carries the most weight, a borrowers credit utilization, the length of credit history, types of credit used and lastly a recent search for credit or amount of credit obtained recently.

If your credit report history check out with no errors you will want to find a reputable lender to work with. Of course looking around for an attractive program should be at the top of your list of priorities. A word of caution though don't be fooled into thinking the lender who has the best rate is necessarily the best option.

What you need to pay close attention to in addition to the interest rate is the fees, points and closing costs that you are going to be charged! Getting the best mortgage loan often times depends on really analyzing all the charges and costs of obtaining the mortgage.

If you need a recommendation on a terrific mortgage broker who has competitive rates and exceptional service don't hesitate to get in touch as I would be happy to provide his contact information.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Getting a Massachusetts Home Mortgage was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge, Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham and Uxbridge MA.

Shrewsbury MA Home For Sale 42 Saybrook Road

2010-10-08T11:17:00.000-04:00

Are you looking for a Shrewsbury Massachusetts home for sale that is located in a great commuting location and has been well maintained by the owner? Look no further than this adorable ranch located at 42 Saybrook Road in Shrewsbury. Located just off of Rte 9 this home offer the perfect location for those that need convenient highway access.

There are three bedrooms and two full baths.With the finished lower level the home is 1900 plus square feet of living area. This Shrewsbury home is listed at $289,900. For much greater detail on this property visit 42 Saybrook Road Shrewsbury Massachusetts. You can also see a slide show video tour of this home below.

To sign up to have MLS access to view all home and condo's on the market in Ashland and surrounding towns see Shrewsbury MA Homes For Sale.

Helpful home sale articles:

Staging a Massachusetts home
Handling Real Estate offers

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 42 Saybrook Road Shrewsbury Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge, Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham and Uxbridge MA.

Village of Americas 121 America Blvd Ashland Massachusetts

2010-10-07T16:11:00.000-04:00

Are you looking for a great Ashland Massachusetts townhome? Look no further than this beautiful condo at The Village of Americas! This condominium located at 121 America Blvd is listed for $329,900.

As you step inside you will be immediately greeted by an upgraded kitchen with granite counters and stainless steel appliances. The kitchen flows right into the fireplace family room with bay window. The unit is positioned to get great sunlight.

The 2nd floor has two outstanding bedrooms including a master that is fit for a king! You will find a 2nd fireplace along with a lavish bath and vaulted ceilings! To continue reading see 121 America Blvd Ashland Massachusetts. You can also see a slide show video tour below as well.

To sign up to have MLS access to view all home and condo's on the market in Ashland and surrounding towns see Ashland MA Condos For Sale.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 121 America Blvd Ashland Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge,Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham and Uxbridge MA.

Finding a Top Metrowest Massachusetts Realtor

2010-10-07T15:40:00.001-04:00

Original Source: Massachusetts Real Estate Blog

Carefully interviewing a Realtor should be one of the most important things any home seller does when considering selling their home yet many do not.

Having been in this business for almost twenty five years I have found this to be pretty fascinating. There are lots of folks that will make contact with a Realtor from any number of sources including seeing a for sale sign in their neighborhood, visiting an open house, getting a post card in the mail or maybe even from a recommendation from a friend or relative.

One of the problems I have found is that many consumers think that all Realtors do the same things to sell homes. This could not be further from the truth!

In most businesses 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people. The old 80/20 rule. In Real Estate it is a mind boggling 94% to 6% ratio! That is just an amazing statistic. Given these figures is there any wonder why there is so much dissatisfaction from consumers? It is really easy to get stuck with a Realtor who does not do much business or have a great work ethic.

Unfortunately getting into the Real Estate industry is very easy. Take and pass a Real Estate test and you have made it. It shouldn’t be that easy but that’s the way it works. So how do you avoid getting stuck with a poor Real Estate agent? Ask great Real Estate interview questions! Trust me when I tell you, these questions will make an unskilled Realtor very uncomfortable.

There is no better recommendation than a track record of success. As a home seller you will be paying a Realtor quite a bit of money to sell your home. Why not work with a top producing agent? There is a reason most agents continue to be successful year after year.

In most circumstances it does not cost you anymore to work with a terrific agent than someone who does very little Real Estate business. To continue reading and see all the questions visit Real Estate interview questions for Realtors.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on finding a top Metrowest Massachusetts Realtor was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge, Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham and Uxbridge MA.

4 Fox Lane Milford Massachusetts Real Estate For Sale

2010-06-30T10:18:00.001-04:00

Are you looking for a good size home in a fantastic neighborhood? Do you have an interest in cars or have a large family and need an extra garage bay? This Milford Massachusetts home at 4 Fox Lane would be perfect! There are four bedrooms and 2.5 baths. The kitchen and master bath have been remodeled and show beautifully. The home is listed for $355,000 and is located in Milford's finest area with an easy commute to 495 and the Mass Pike. For more information see 4 Fox Lane Milford Massachusetts.

For a quick look at the interior see the slide show video presentation below.

To sign up to have MLS access to view all home and condo's on the market in Milford and surrounding towns see Milford MA Homes For Sale.

Helpful home sale articles:
Staging a Massachusetts home
Massachusetts home buyer turn offs
Sold in 70 days
Handling Real Estate offers

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 4 Fox Lane Milford Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge,Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham and Uxbridge MA.

Chapel Hill Condo's Framingham Massachusetts

2010-06-23T14:13:00.001-04:00

Are you a 1st time buyer and looking for a condo with a fantastic commuting location? You need to come check out this condominium at the Chapel Hill complex in Framingham Massachusetts! The formal address is 1550 Worcester Road unit #201 Framingham.

This 2nd floor condo is in outstanding shape. The owner has completely remodeled the interior with updated kitchen and baths including Corian counters, NEW vanities and marble flooring, NEW Lighting, Berber carpets and paint. This condo has an outstanding 2nd floor location overlooking the woods with private balcony area! This unit gets loads of great natural light and shows outstanding! The condo fees include heating, AC, electric, pool, security, fitness center and billiards. The unit is listed at $214,900 and is one of the best values in Chapel Hill. For a complete description of the unit see 1550 Worcester Road #201 Chapel Hill Framingham MA.

*** Update - this condo was sold on 9/1/10 for $195,000. ***

See the slide show video tour below of condo's interior.

To sign up to have MLS access to view all home and condo's on the market in Framingham and surrounding towns see Framingham MA Homes For Sale.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 1550 Worcester Road Unit #201 Framingham Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge,Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham and Uxbridge MA.

23 Devon Drive Northbridge Massachusetts Real Estate

2010-05-24T14:49:00.001-04:00

Are you looking for a well maintained home with a farmers porch in a private cul-de-sac neighborhood? Look no further than this Northbridge Massachusetts home at 23 Devon Drive. It has just been put on the market for $339,900.

This property has lots of great features and amenities! One of the unique aspects of the home is the flexibility in the floor plan. There could be multiple uses for a few of the rooms due to the family/great room addition that was put on the back of the home.

The kitchen is well appointed with Oak cabinetry, granite counters and stainless steel appliances. You can see from the kitchen right into either a family room or dining room depending on how you like to live. These rooms take up the entire back of the home. Adjoining both of these rooms is the younger addition. This room is awesome with cathedral ceilings, skylights, bead board wainscoting and a view of the in-ground pool.

To see a complete description of this home see 23 Devon Drive Northbridge MA Real Estate. You can also view the video tour below to get an idea of all the great features of this home.

To sign up to have MLS access to view all home and condo's on the market in Northbridge and surrounding towns see Northbridge MA Homes For Sale.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 23 Devon Drive Northbridge Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge,Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham and Uxbridge MA.

82 East Main Street Hopkinton Massachusetts

2010-04-29T14:04:00.002-04:00

Are you a building contractor or someone that needs a place to put your horse? This home at 82 East Main Street in Hopkinton would be the perfect solution! The home needs some renovation work but has excellent curb appeal and the charm of yesteryear inside. Attached to the main home is a barn as well as a two car garage. The space lends the perfect opportunity to multiple uses.

The interior of the home has plenty of space including large kitchen with plenty of cabinetry. There is a formal dining room with beamed ceiling and colonial wainscoting. Adjacent to the dining room is a formal living room with corner fireplace, tall windows and a beamed ceiling. Most areas of the home have hardwood flooring.

Adjoining the house and barn is the addition of a family room or potential bedroom if needed in a pinch. There are built-in bookcases and atrium doors to a patio and deck.

The 2nd floor consists of 3 very good size bedrooms and a full bath. Look at the slide show video tour below to see the interior of this Hopkinton home. The home is listed for $299,900.

To sign up to have MLS access to view all home and condo's on the market in Hopkinton and surrounding towns see Hopkinton MA Homes For Sale.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 82 East Main Street Hopkinton Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge,Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham and Uxbridge MA.

Getting Massachusetts Short Sale Debt Released

2010-04-19T21:20:00.000-04:00

Original Source: Hopkinton MA Real Estate

If you are an avid reader of my Massachusetts Real Estate blog you probably have guessed that one of my passions is to help out those that are in need of completing a short sale.

Massachusetts home owners struggling to make mortgage payments are often turning to doing a short sale as a means of escaping their debt.

If you are not familiar with the term, a short sale is when a bank or mortgage lender agrees to discount a loan balance because of a financial hardship on the part of the borrower. The home owner sells the mortgaged property for less than the outstanding balance of the loan, and turns over the proceeds from the sale to the lender.

One of the most important considerations when pursuing a short sale of your Massachusetts home is to make sure that the debt has been canceled!

There are Realtors that are handling short sales that don't know the 1st thing about debt removal. Don't be caught owing money years later! Continue reading the article at make sure your get your Massachusetts short sale debt released!

Milford MA Home For Sale 47 Grove Street

2010-04-09T11:51:00.001-04:00

When you enter this home at 47 Grove Street Milford you are not going to want to leave! The owner is a building contractor and has completely remodeled the home. There are so many updates that will make you feel like you are in a newer home. There are new walls, doors and wood work. Other major renovations include a new kitchen, new baths, new hardwood floors throughout the 1st floor, new lighting and new paint. There is also additional living space from an unheated porch that was finished. This Milford home is listed at $239,500.

*** Update - this Milford home closed on 5/27/2010 for $233,500 ***

For more information and pictures see 47 Grove Street Milford Massachusetts. You can also watch the video tour below.

To sign up to have MLS access to view all home and condo's on the market in Milford and surrounding towns see Milford MA Homes For Sale.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 47 Grove Street, Milford Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge,Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham, Douglas and Uxbridge MA.

17 Metropolitan Avenue Ashland Massachusetts

2010-03-26T10:46:00.001-04:00

If you have been looking for a home that offers the potential for an in home business come check out the property at 17 Metropolitan Avenue in Ashland. This home features a 2 car attached garage that has high ceilings and a finished room on the upper floor. It is currently being used as an art studio but could be used for just about anything. The interior of the home features a large great room with fireplace. It is listed for $325,000.

*** Update - This Ashland home closed on 6/3/2010 for $314,000 ***

The home has a terrific location right off the center of town and just a short walk down to the Ashland Reservoir. For a full description of this home with pictures see 17 Metropolitan Avenue Ashland MA.

You can also watch the slide show video tour below.

To sign up to have MLS access to view all home and condo's on the market in Ashland and surrounding towns see Ashland MA Homes For Sale.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 17 Metropolitan Avenue Ashland Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge,Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham and Uxbridge MA.

7 School Street Hopkinton Massachusetts

2010-03-24T11:24:00.001-04:00

Have you been looking for the perfect lot that has an enormous amount of privacy and just can't seem to find it? You need to come check out this Hopkinton Tudor that is set on a magnificent 10 acre plus lot in one of Hopkinton's finest areas off of School Street. Set hundreds of feet of the road you will feel right at home in this luxury property.

Some of the highlights on this home include a beautiful two story entry foyer with marble flooring, a two story library with floor to ceiling stone fireplace and built-in bookcases, a large cherry kitchen with new granite counter center island and a huge entertainment sized great room! This Hopkinton gem is listed for $749,900. For additional information see 7 School Street Hopkinton Luxury Home.

You can also see the slide show video tour below as well.

To sign up to have MLS access to view all home and condo's on the market in Hopkinton and surrounding towns see Hopkinton MA Homes For Sale.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 7 School Street Hopkinton Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge,Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham and Uxbridge MA.

8 Aris Way Granite Woods Milford Massachusetts

2010-03-02T14:07:00.003-05:00

Come take a look at this terrific town house in the Granite Woods neighborhood in Milford Mass! The condo is located in a perfect commuting location just off of RTE 109. The property is in exceptional condition. Some of the highlights include an open floor plan, Maple cabinet kitchen, two large bedrooms with cathedral ceilings and a 1 car attached garage. The condo is listed for $229,900. For more information see 8 Aris Way Milford MA.

You can also see a slide show video tour of the home below.

To sign up to have MLS access to view all home and condo's on the market in Milford and surrounding towns see Milford MA Homes For Sale.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 8 Aris Way, Milford Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge,Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham, Douglas and Uxbridge MA.

164 Olive Street Ashland Massachusetts

2010-02-22T21:54:00.003-05:00

Come check out this awesome home I just put on the market in Ashland Massachusetts at 164 Olive Street! The home is set on a gorgeous piece of property and is located very close to the Hopkinton town line. If you like a really open floor plan I bet you will love this Ashland home. The 1st floor has a fabulous family room with a floor to ceiling brick fireplace and beautiful wood floors as one of it's many highlights. It is listed for $279,900.

For a complete run down on this home with photos and descriptions see Ashland MA Home for sale 164 Olive Street. Also take a step inside by watching the slide show video tour below.

*** Update - this home sold on 9/28/2010 for $260,000 *** This was another successful Ashland Massachusetts short sale closing!

To sign up to have MLS access to view all home and condo's on the market in Ashland and surrounding towns see Ashland MA Homes For Sale.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 164 Olive Street, Ashland Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge,Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham, Douglas and Uxbridge MA.

12 Sunset Drive Douglas Massachusetts

2010-02-22T12:40:00.002-05:00

Come check out this Douglas Massachusetts home that just hit the market at 12 Sunset Drive in Douglas! The location of this home is just terrific as it is located right off Route 16 near the town center. It is listed for $314,900.

Some of the outstanding features include a very large great room that will blow your socks off! There is a beautiful floor to ceiling brick fireplace and a deep bay window that brings in plenty of natural light. The kitchen is also quite large and has attractive white cabinetry. For a complete run down on this Douglas property you can see 12 Sunset Drive Douglas MA Real Estate. Below please enjoy the slide show video tour for this home.

**** Update - this Douglas home sold on 6/23/2010 for $300,000 ****

To sign up to have MLS access to view all home and condo's on the market in Douglas and surrounding towns see Douglas MA Homes For Sale.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 12 Sunset Drive, Douglas Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge,Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham, Douglas and Uxbridge MA.

97 Front Street Hopkinton Massachusetts

2010-02-02T15:55:00.003-05:00

In Hopkinton there are some types of properties that you know will have a high interest level. As of January 2010, there is a lack of good housing inventory in the 400k price range. When a well maintained colonial in a good area comes on the market you know it will not last. This home at 97 Front Street is no exception.

There have been quite a few updates done to the home over the last few years including a new Maple kitchen with granite counters and stainless appliances. Most of the flooring on the 1st floor is new along with updates to the bathrooms.

Check out the slide show video tour below that will take you through most of the home. The property is about 2050 square feet and is on the market for $419,900. There is public water and sewer and the home is located only a few miles from town center.

**** Update - this Hopkinton home sold on 5/5/2010 for $390,000 ****

To sign up to have MLS access to view all home and condo's on the market in Hopkinton and surrounding towns see Hopkinton MA Homes For Sale.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 97 Front Street Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge,Northboro, Shrewsbury, Bellingham and Uxbridge MA.

Creative Hopkinton Massachusetts Real Estate Advertising

2010-01-11T13:49:00.000-05:00

Working as a Realtor for the past twenty four years one of the things I have always been passionate about is marketing. Whether it is marketing one of my clients homes or my own personal abilities as a top agent.

Over the last week my creative juices have been flowing and I have decided to create some ads to promote the fact that I am one of the top RE/MAX agents in Massachusetts. Below is an add that is going to run in the Hopkinton Independent newspaper in the middle of January.

This is one of many ads that is going to be run over the course of the year. The theme of the ads is basically "something different" than the run of the mill Real Estate advertising you normally find. I am excited to see the kind of response I am going to get from Hopkinton residents.

About ten years ago I did something similar and the results were spectacular. I got away from doing the advertising because my partner at the time, Chuck Joseph did not care for it. Well the big news here is that I am not longer partners with Chuck Joseph and Mary Korbey so any marketing decisions I make will be completetly my own. I'll be back pounding the pavement as an individual and not part of a team. I am already excited about the Real Estate prospects for 2010. It is going to be a great year!

The ad is missing my Hopkinton work number (508-435-5356) but that was corrected for the final version that will go to print in the newspaper.

No doubt there will be snickering from some of the local Realtors when they see my advertising campaign. Oh well...I have never given a hoot what my competition thinks:)
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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on creative Hopkinton Massachusetts Real Estate marketing was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.
Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!
For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Hopkinton MA Homes for sale. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.
I service the following towns in Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Douglas, and Framingham MA.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24 years.

Cost V.S Value for Remodeling Massachusetts Homes

2010-01-11T13:43:00.005-05:00

Cost V.S Value For Remodeling Massachusetts Homes 2009

Every year Remodeling Magazine does a great report on what you can expect to see as a return on your investment for various projects around the home. The report does an analysis between a specific projects cost and what you can expect as the resale value or what you would re-coup when selling.
This year was no different as Remodeling Magazine sought out Realtors across 80 Metropolitan areas around the United States.

I was fortunate enough to be one of the Realtors interviewed for the article by Jim Corey. Here is an excerpt from the story which discusses how properties that are in turn-key condition fair much better in the current Real Estate environment.

"What is high up on that list is move-in condition. In a booming real estate market, marginal locations move because buyers are willing to invest the time and money into customizing. They think of the investment as part of the long-term cost of the transaction. In lean times, the opposite psychology holds sway. Marginally maintained houses get house hunters’ short shrift."
Bill Gassett ought to know. The Hopkinton, Massachusetts market where he has sold homes for 25 years hit its pricing peak in 2005 and is down about 25% since that time.
“The houses that get most significantly hurt by the market,” Gassett says, “are the ones that haven’t been cared for.”

You can see the full article at Curb Appeal is King. I would like to thank Jim Corey again for the opportunity to be interviewed as getting quoted in a National magazine is always nice:)

Topping the list in 2009's cost v.s value report were items that were most practical. Given the state of the economy people seemed to be more frugal with their money and invested in more of the necessities.
Interestingly enough seven out of the top 10 value-yielding projects of the 33 projects ranked by Realtors in this year’s Cost vs. Value Report were exterior projects!

In the charts below you are going to see cost v.s value data for the New England region for both mid level and upscale projects. Some areas of the country will see a difference is in the value recouped for certain projects.

One of the biggest reasons for the popularity of exterior replacements is energy efficiency and tax credits! Introduced this year was the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act tax credit which is available for energy efficiency upgrades, including qualified roof and window replacements. That has helped boost homeowners including buyers and sellers awareness of such improvements.

You will notice below that none of the upscale projects for 2009 had a positive return v.s 2008.

Looking over the data it is safe to say that other than some of the exterior projects shown, kitchen and baths tend to be very good places to invest your money in a home. Just remember even in these high return places you will not be getting back a 100% or more return!

As a Realtor selling homes all over the Metrowest Massachusetts area for the past twenty four years it is amazing how often I meet sellers who believe there is a one for one return on every dollar they invest in their homes. Some even believe it is more.

The most common things I hear are "how can my home only be worth X when I just spent $60,000 on my new basement" or "I just added this swimming pool for $50,000 my home has to be worth more."
In these examples people believe you can just tack on the amount you spend to the existing value of your home. Well maybe in Florida if you invest $50,000 in a pool you will get it back completely. Here in Massachusetts you would be lucky to get a small percentage of it back.

One of the best way to think about home improvements is not so much the exact dollar you will recoup but your own personal enjoyment from these items. When it comes time to sell, there are plenty of buyers that will appreciate the improvements you have made if they are tasteful and fit what the general population is looking for.

Now more than ever if you are going to be selling your home it makes sense to put money in places that are going to improve the general appearance of your property. Buyers are very unforgiving today and the homes that are in less than stellar condition are the ones that get punished the most.

If you are thinking of selling your home be sure to read the top ten mistakes to avoid when selling a Massachusetts home. The article gives pointers on such things as staging, taking care of necessary repairs, along with a host of other issues that you can prepare for.

*** According to the survey home owners recouped an average of 63.8 percent of their investment in 33 different home improvement projects, according to REALTORS® who responded to the survey. The expected cost recoup was generally down from previous years in line with the drop in home prices nationally. The return on home owners investment in remodeling projects has declined an average of 3.5 percentage points between 2008 and 2009. That’s down from the 2.7 point drop between 2007 and 2008 and much less than the 5.5 point drop between 2006 and 2007 and the 10.5 point drop from 2005 to 2006.
Click here to see Best remodeling projects cost v.s value 2008.

Related Real Estate articles:
Metrowest Massachusetts home staging
Duration paint Sherwin Williams
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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on best remodeling projects cost V.S value for Massachusetts 2009 was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.
Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!
For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Massachusetts Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.
I service the following towns in Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Douglas, and Framingham MA.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24 years.

Selling a Massachusetts Home

2009-12-25T10:06:00.000-05:00

Selling a home today is not like it used to be back in the middle of this decade. Quite honestly when you needed to sell a home back then it was as easy as selling an ice cream cone to a kid on a warm Summer day. Boy has the landscape changed!

When you are selling a home today in Massachusetts you better be darn sure you do your homework on who will be representing you. Selecting a great Realtor to market your home should be one of your 1st considerations.

As someone who has been selling Real Estate for the last twenty four years, I can tell you with certainty that the agent you select will have the greatest bearing on whether you will be happy and successful. In Real Estate there are some very good agents and some that are not so good.

In my eyes there are three traits that you should looking for when selecting a Realtor. These traits include the ability to price a home properly, a well designed marketing plan, and someone with effective communication skills.

Lets face it we all want our homes to sell for the most money. It is human nature. We all think our home is better than the guy that just sold down the street. Many home owners make the biggest mistake by going with the agent that gives them the highest price.

Guess what...there are unprofessional agents that know some people make decisions based on emotion and not logic. They tell you what you want to hear to get your business. Once they have you under contract and the home has been on the market for a while they start to badger you for price reductions or worse say nothing. You may be thinking what is the point of having an overpriced home? Some agents just don't care because they are drawing calls from buyers that could be making them sales elsewhere.

So how do you avoid making a poor decision picking a Realtor? Here are three tips:

Ask good Real Estate interview questions. Look for a Realtor that has a good track record. Past success is usually a good indicator of future success. Ask for references from the agent. I would suggest asking for some of their most recent sales and not from some hand picked list that you know is going to give them glowing reviews.

Look over the market evaluation very closely. Do the comparable sales look similar to your home? Remember you need to be looking at this information through the eyes of a buyer. If a similar home down the street had a brand new top of the line kitchen and your home does not, don't expect to be getting the same price.

Picking a Realtor based on the price they give you is really double trouble because more often than not you are stuck with a lousy agent and an overpriced home. Even an outstanding agent will have difficulty selling an improperly priced home. See why Massachusetts homes expire.

The 2nd trait that most good Realtors have is the ability to market well. Today this includes the ability to market online. The days of people finding homes by looking in the classifieds and the local magazine rack are over! Almost 90% of all buyers find their homes by doing some kind of online search.

As a home seller you should be looking for a agent that has a very strong web presence. By web presence I don't mean putting it into the Multiple listing service (MLS) and Realtor.com. While these things are important they are what every Realtor does. The Realtor you select should have their own website and it should come up in local Real Estate searches. The ability for the site to come up in searches is of the utmost importance. An agent can have the most gorgeous website out there but if it does not come up in searches it will not help YOU sell your home.

For example if I am a buyer and I am going to be looking for homes in Hopkinton, Holliston and Westboro. I am probably going to go to Google and punch in something like:

Hopkinton MA Real Estate
Holliston MA homes for sale
Westboro MA homes

Or something similar. An agent that can come up on the 1st page of Google for these terms knows what they are doing, as these are the most competitive terms to rank for.

When doing these kind of searches today you will also notice that the agents that really know their way around the web 2.0 have started a Real Estate blog to market their properties. Google loves blogs because they are not static like websites. The best blogs are updated on a weekly basis and because of this get quite a bit of "Google juice". Here is what one of my Massachusetts Real Estate blog looks like.

Besides a website and a blog you want to make sure that your home is found in the places where the most consumers visit. One of the things I am most proud of as an agent is my ability to have my clients homes or condo's all over the place online. Here is a list the most visited Massachusetts Real Estate sites for selling a home.

Of course the Realtor is going to need your cooperation as well. In a competitive market you want to make sure your home stands out from the competition. Homes that are in less than ideal condition will take a much bigger beating in a buyers market. At the very least you want to be making sure the place is clean and uncluttered.

Lastly, you want a Realtor who communicates with you on a consistent basis. Most sellers want to know what is going on with the process of selling their home. Who wouldn't! Make sure the agent has a plan to keep you informed. Do they call every agent after the home is shown to see what are the agents/buyers thoughts?

How is this information relayed back to you? One of the things I do for my clients which they love is a feedback report that can be viewed online. We give the client a password to the site and they are the only ones besides us that can see it. It keeps them in the loop on what buyers are saying and they appreciate it! It helps us as well because if we see a pattern in the comments we can make suggestions to address the issue.

In conclusion, I am going to leave you with a compilation of the top ten tips for selling a Massachusetts home. What you will be reading is a list of things to consider that I have already mentioned here, along with others that are expounded upon in much greater detail.

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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on selling a home in Metrowest Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24+ Years.

Bill services the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Mendon, Upton, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Grafton, Northbridge, and Uxbridge MA.

Top Massachusetts Building Contractors

2009-12-03T12:18:00.001-05:00

Whenever buying or selling a home there are many times that certain issues can arise where you are in need of a professional Real Estate related contractor. Maybe you are getting ready to put your home on the market and realize in order to get the maximum return you need to spruce the joint up a bit?

By clinking the following like you will be taken to some of the best Massachusetts Real Estate vendors and general contractors that I have personally done business with over the years while selling homes and condo's in and around the Metrowest area.

All of these folks deliver exceptional quality work. During a Real Estate transaction it is quite common that one of these trades people will be called upon for their expertise or to perform work in a home or condominium that I am marketing.

What you will see below is a list of top quality contractors including lawyers, mortgage brokers, home inspectors, pest inspectors, septic inspectors, well testing, radon removal companies, mold remediation, home stagers, home insurance, movers, plumbers, electricians, painters, carpet and tile installers, roofers, handy men, junk removal, storage companies, crack repair, oil companies, propane gas, locksmiths, landscapers, driveway seal coating, land surveyors, and general carpentry.

1301 Windsor Drive Framingham MA condo for Sale

2009-12-03T11:55:00.000-05:00

Looking for a nice townhome in a great neighborhood setting? Look no further than this condo at Windsor Green in Framingham. The property has been well maintained and has had recent updates in the last few years including a new Maple kitchen with granite counters, new tile entry, new hardwood stairs and updated bath.

The asking price is $169,000. This property is a Massachusetts short sale and does need lender approval. See 1301 Windsor Drive Framingham MA for more information. The slide show video below will also take you on a quick tour.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 1310 Windsor Drive, Framingham Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Also visit Framingham MA Real Estate.

Milford MA Duplex Townhome 14 West Maple Street

2009-10-07T17:12:00.006-04:00

Looking for an affordable duplex townhome that looks like a home? Come check out this great looking condo at 14 West Maple Street Milford Massachusetts. The home is located in a terrific location in a quite neighborhood setting! This great looking townhome is listed at only $224,900. If you click the link you will see some of the interior photos and description. Also see the video slide show presentation below to get a feel for the interior layout.
** Update this Milford condo sold on 11/30/09 for $221,500 **

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 14 West Maple Street, Milford Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Also visit Milford MA Real Estate.

168 Upton Street #9 Grafton Massachusetts Condominium

2009-10-07T17:02:00.006-04:00

You have to see this place to believe the kind of detailing and quality craftsmanship! This townhome at Laurel Hills is like nothing else in the complex. The unit has been remodeled from top to bottom. What really makes this condo special is the amazing amount of woodworking that has been added. When you step inside you will feel like you have entered a $600,000 home!

To see all the details visit 168 Upton Street unit #9 Grafton Massachusetts. You can also see the slide show video below which will give you a little flavor for this awesome home. It is listed at $259,900.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 168 Upton Street Unit #9, Grafton Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Also visit Grafton MA Real Estate.

39 Shore Road Ashland Massachusetts Starter or Investment Home

2009-08-12T14:38:00.008-04:00

Attention 1st time buyers and those looking for a good long term Real Estate investment! This Ashland Massachusetts ranch home at 39 Shore Road is located in a terrific neighborhood setting off of Greenwood Road on the Ashland/Framingham line. It is listed at $184,900.

For futher details on this home see 39 Shore Road Ashland Massachusetts.

*** Update ~ This Ashland home sold on 10/7/2009 for $130,000. The large gap in the list and sales price was due to structural issues. ***

Thinking about selling a home in the Metrowest Massachusetts area? Here are a few articles worth reading:

Massachusetts Title V and home selling
Massachusetts smoke detector laws changing
Costs involved with selling a Massachusetts home
Interview questions for Realtors

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 39 Shore Road, Ashland Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Also visit Ashland MA Real Estate.

Milford MA Home For Sale 84 Beaver Street

2009-08-11T15:02:00.004-04:00

Looking for a home with fantastic curb appeal and plenty of space? Come see this awesome Milford Massachusetts home with over 2800 square feet of living space! Highlights include a super sized kitchen with Oak cabinetry, stainless appliances, granite counters, and a large "keeping" area! The family room and dining room are both entertainment size. The home is listed at $419,900.

For more information see 84 Beaver Street Milford MA and watch the side show video of this beautiful home.

Thinking about selling a home in the Metrowest Massachusetts area? Here are a few articles worth reading:

Massachusetts Title V and home selling
Massachusetts smoke detector laws changing
Costs involved with selling a Massachusetts home
Interview questions for Realtors

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 84 Beaver Street, Milford Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Also visit Milford MA Real Estate.

Milford MA Home For Sale 15 Tanglewood Drive

2009-08-11T14:39:00.009-04:00

Are you a 1st time buyer looking for a well maintained home in an excellent neighborhood with a terrific commuting location? Look no further than this home located in the "Tanglewood" neighborhood on the Hopkinton town line at 15 Tanglewood Drive. This Gambrel Cape is listed for $309,900. Interesting features include a spacious open floor plan with bright white cabinet kitchen, fireplaced dining or family room and three very large bedrooms!

For more information on this Milford Mass home see 15 Tanglewood Drive Milford MA and watch the slide show video below.

*** Update ~ This Milford home sold on 10/29/2009 for $300,000. ***

Thinking about selling a home in the Metrowest Massachusetts area? Here are a few articles worth reading:

Massachusetts Title V and home selling
Massachusetts smoke detector laws changing
Costs involved with selling a Massachusetts home
Interview questions for Realtors

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 15 Tanglewood Drive, Milford Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Also visit Milford MA Real Estate.

Money Magazine Says Hopkinton Mass Kicks Butt

2009-07-15T11:12:00.006-04:00

The accolades continue to roll in for Hopkinton Massachusetts! The latest being Money Magazines prestigious award as one of the best towns in the country. You can see the full article at Hopkinton Massachusetts named to Money Magazine Best Places to Live 2009. This is the latest in a string of recent awards including being included in Boston Magazines Best places to live 2009.

Hopkinton High School was also recently named as one of Newsweeks top 500 schools for 2009 as well.

As a resident in the town for the last 42 years as well as having been a Realtor in town for the last 23 years, I can vouch for what a great place it is to live! The schools are terrific which always have a direct correlation to housing values. Although the Real Estate down turn over the last few years has effected home values all over the Metrowest area, Hopkinton has faired better than many towns.

Over the years Hopkinton has grown in popularity and is now considered a destination point for many looking for a property in the Metrowest area. The Money Magazine recognition is only going to further an already strong reputation.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Hopkinton named to Money Magazine best places to live 2009 was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Also visit Hopkinton MA Real Estate.

Hopkinton Mass Home For Sale 3 Pond Street

2009-07-01T13:45:00.009-04:00

Looking for an exceptional Hopkinton Massachusetts home that is in outstanding shape? Come see this home located on Pond Street! The home has an art/deco styling and is loaded with quality features. Some of the highlights include a Cherry cabinet kitchen with Corian counters, a family room with floor to ceiling River Stone fireplace, 2 story foyer with beautiful split staircase, full finished walk-out lower level and a really nice master bath with a unique custom shower!

For more details on this Hopkinton home see 3 Pond Street Hopkinton Massachusetts. You will see more descriptions and photos of the property. The home is listed for sale at $544,900. See the video tour below to take a quick peak inside.

*** Update ~ This Hopkinton home sold on 8/21/2009 for $521,500. ***

Thinking about selling a home in the Metrowest Massachusetts area? Here are a few articles worth reading:

Massachusetts Title V and home selling
Massachusetts smoke detector laws changing
Costs involved with selling a Massachusetts home
Interview questions for Realtors

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 3 Pond Street, Hopkinton Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Also visit Hopkinton Real Estate.

11 Forest Park Drive Mendon Massachusetts Home For Sale

2009-07-01T13:29:00.008-04:00

Come see this terrific home in Forest Park one of Mendon's top established neighborhoods! If you have the need for an in-law suite this home could be perfect as there is a finished walk-up 3rd floor with a full bath. There are a total of 10 rooms, 4 bedrooms, and 3.5 baths. The gross living area of the home is approximately 2800 square feet. The home is listed at $437,900.

For additional information on this Mendon Mass home see 11 Forest Park Drive Mendon Massachusetts. Here you will see home descriptions, photos, and links to a video tour.

Thinking about selling a home in the Metrowest Massachusetts area? Here are a few articles worth reading:

Massachusetts Title V and home selling
Massachusetts smoke detector laws changing
Costs involved with selling a Massachusetts home
Preparing to sell a Massachusetts home

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 11 Forest Park Drive, Mendon Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Also visit Mendon MA Real Estate.

Hopkinton Mass Townhome 4 Highcroft Way

2009-06-10T16:33:00.007-04:00

Unique opportunity awaits a buyer looking to finish a beautiful townhouse at The Village at Highland Park Hopkinton! The condo had a burst pipe in January which caused water damage throughout the unit. The unit will need to be finished as it is being sold "as is". What you will end up with, however, is a mostly NEW townhome in one of the best condominium neighborhoods in the area! This townhouse is listed at $235,000!

For a complete run down of this condo including pictures, descriptions and a video link see 4 Highcroft Way Hopkinton Massachusetts. The chance to get into Highland Park and finish a unit to your own custom tastes is a very rare situation!!

*** Update ~ This Hopkinton townhome sold on 9/24/2009 for $150,000. ***

Thinking of selling your home in the Metrowest Massachusetts area? Here are a few Real Estate articles worth reading:

Top ten tips for selling your Metrowest Massachusetts home
Preparing your Massachusetts home for sale
Picking a top producing Massachusetts Realtor

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 4 Highcroft Way, Hopkinton Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Also visit Hopkinton MA Real Estate.

38 Huckleberry Road Hopkinton Mass Home For Sale

2009-05-14T16:53:00.010-04:00

Great new property available in Oak Hill Estates Hopkinton Massachusetts. Huckleberry Road is a well know Hopkinton Street that is home to some exceptional properties. Most of the homes on Huckleberry Road have a value in excess of $600,000.

This home at 38 Huckleberry Road is a terrific value with 3633 square feet of total gross living area. It is priced at $549,900. It does border 495 and has highway noise and because of this offers a discount to the pricing you would normally experience in this Hopkinton subdivision. For all the details you can visit 38 Huckleberry Road Hopkinton Mass and also watch the video tour below.

Thinking of selling your home in the Metrowest Massachusetts area? Here are a few Real Estate articles worth reading:

Top ten tips for selling your Metrowest Massachusetts home
Preparing your Massachusetts home for sale
Picking a top producing Massachusetts Realtor

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 38 Huckleberry Road Hopkinton Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Also visit Hopkinton MA Real Estate.

Upton Mass Real Estate Lookout Point 8 Acre Estate Home

2009-05-08T12:02:00.007-04:00

If you are looking for an incredible private setting this property at 4 Chapin Road Upton Massachusetts offers one of the top home sites in the area! Follow the long drive at the end of a cul-de-sac up to your own 8 acre oasis. Not only does the lot offer unmatched privacy but exceptional views for miles.

This Upton home is on the market for a very reasonable $850,000! There is almost 7000 square feet of living space.

For all the details on this magnificent home click the link 4 Chapin Road Upton Mass Luxury Estate.

Get a small glimpse of the interior by watching the video slide show below.

Thinking of selling your Home? Here are a few Real Estate articles that may be of interest:

Top ten mistakes to avoid when selling your Massachusetts home
Preparing your Massachusetts home for the Spring selling season
Selling your home does not have to be a mystery

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 4 Chapin Road Upton Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Also visit Upton MA Real Estate.

10 Alfalfa Drive Hilltop Farms Grafton Massachusetts Townhome

2009-05-03T14:47:00.011-04:00

Looking for a young 3 bedroom townhome in mint condition? You need to see this awesome condo at the Hilltop Farms neighborhood in Grafton Massachusetts. This townhouse is in pristine condition and has approximately 2030 square feet. There is a 1 car attached garage. The property is listed at $294,900.

You can learn much more about this Grafton townhouse condominium by visiting 10 Alfalfa Drive Grafton Massachusetts. Take a look at the slide show video to see the bright and neutral interior!

*** Update ~ This Grafton townhome sold on 10/20/2009 for $290,000. ***

Thinking of selling your Home? Here are a few Real Estate articles that may be of interest:

Top ten mistakes to avoid when selling your Massachusetts home
Preparing your Massachusetts home for the Spring selling season
Selling your home does not have to be a mystery

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 10 Alfalfa Drive Grafton Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Also visit Grafton MA Real Estate.

2 Summit Way Estates at Highland RIdge Hopkinton Massachusetts

2009-04-29T13:31:00.006-04:00

Looking for a luxury home is a terrific neighborhood in Hopkinton Mass? This home at 2 Summit Way in the Estates at Highland Ridge neighborhood could fit the bill. The home is located on a cul-de-sac and has a fantastic lot set way off the road. If you are looking for a large home with dramatic open spaces this could be the one! There are 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths and 1st and 2nd floor master suites. It is just short of 4700 square feet. This home is listed at $950,000. To see the interior of this fine Hopkinton home watch the video below.

For more information of this home visit 2 Summit Way Hopkinton Massachusetts.

Thinking of selling your Home? Here are a few Real Estate articles that may be of interest:

Top ten mistakes to avoid when selling your Massachusetts home
Preparing your Massachusetts home for the Spring selling season
Selling your home does not have to be a mystery

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 2 Summit Way Hopkinton Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Also visit Hopkinton MA Real Estate.

Buying a Metrowest Massachusetts Bank Owned Home

2009-04-22T15:31:00.003-04:00

Buying a bank owned home usually triggers visions in buyers heads that they will be coming a way with the deal of a life time. Instant equity and even the opportunity to turn around and flip the home for a profit. More often than not these are pipe dreams.

Bank owned homes in many cases do represent a solid value but nothing like you see in late night tv where the purchaser has already retired to a tropical island because they have bought and sold a few bank owned homes.

Here in Metrowest Massachusetts there are a lot more bank owned properties hitting the market. If you are considering buying a bank owned home there is quite a bit you should brush up on 1st. While these transactions do provide the possibility for good long term value, getting to the point where you actually own the property is not without it's headaches.

For a complete understanding of buying a bank owned home click on the link. This article will give an in depth discussion on things you need to be on the look out for when buying a bank owned property in Metrowest Massachusetts.

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on buying a Metrowest Massachusetts bank owned home was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Visit his website at Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate.

Kingson Lane Townhomes Medway Massachusetts

2009-04-07T14:19:00.006-04:00

Looking for a townhome in the Medway/Metrowest Massachusetts area? This townhouse condo at 2-1 Kingson Lane Medway in the Woodside neighborhood is just exceptional! This townhome feels more like a home than a condominium. There are 1st and 2nd floor master suites. One of my favorite features is the two story family room with the balcony overlook. It offers a terrific value at $344,900. See the slide show video for a sneak peak at the beautiful interior. *** Update ~ This home was sold on 6/2/2009 for $305,000. ***

For additional information click the link 2-1 Kingson Lane Medway Massachusetts.

For other local Real Estate information visit Medway Mass Real Estate

Thinking of selling your Home? Here are a few Real Estate articles that may be of interest:

Top ten mistakes to avoid when selling your Massachusetts home
Preparing your Massachusetts home for the Spring selling season
Selling your home does not have to be a mystery

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 2-1 Kingson Lane Medway Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Laurelwood Condos Hopedale Massachusetts Unit #160

2009-04-07T13:21:00.006-04:00

The Laurelwood Condos in Hopedale Massachusetts remain one of the areas better values. This townhome at 160 Laurelwood Drive is an end unit and is in terrific shape with numerous upgrades. There is a finished lower level and a 1 car garage. It is priced very well at $249,900.

Watch the slide show video tour to see the exceptional interior.

Click the link for more information on 160 Laurelwood Drive Hopedale Massachusetts

For other local Real Estate information visit Hopedale Mass Real Estate

Thinking of selling your Home? Here are a few Real Estate articles that may be of interest:

Top ten mistakes to avoid when selling your Massachusetts home
Preparing your Massachusetts home for the Spring selling season
Selling your home does not have to be a mystery

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 160 Laurelwood Drive Hopedale Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Forest Hills Grafton Mass Condos

2009-04-07T12:29:00.007-04:00

Interested in purchasing a townhome in Grafton Massachusetts? This town home at 43 Lincoln Lane in the Forest Hills neighborhood is just spectacular. This Amherst design is the former model home for the development. It is loaded with upgrades and extras. It is listed at $364,900 and is a short sale.

Watch the slide show video to see the gorgeous interior of this townhome.

See 43 Lincoln Lane Grafton Massachusetts for additional information.

*** Update ~ This Grafton townhome sold on 10/28/2009 for $350,000. ***

For other local Real Estate information visit Grafton Mass Real Estate

Thinking of selling your Home? Here are a few Real Estate articles that may be of interest:

Top ten mistakes to avoid when selling your Massachusetts home
Preparing your Massachusetts home for the Spring selling season
Selling your home does not have to be a mystery

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 43 Lincoln Lane Grafton Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Fannie Mae Says No More Reduced Short Sale Commissions

2009-03-15T12:37:00.011-04:00

If you are a Massachusetts Realtor or even someone who is selling a home and needs to do a short sale, the fact that Fannie Mae has dropped the hammer on banks trying to reduce a Realtor's commission is welcome news!

Short sales require much more work from the Real Estate agents involved than a traditional sale. To read the complete story see on why this is such a victory for those that need to do a short sale in Massachusetts see Fannie Mae Short Sale Commission No Longer Reduced.

Need to do a short sale in the Metrowest Massachusetts area? Having good representation is real important. Here are a few other articles I have written on the subject.

Avoiding foreclosure by a short sale or loan modification
Deed in lieu of foreclosure and short sales
Massachusetts short sales information

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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Fannie Mae short sale commissions no longer reduced was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Metrowest Mass Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Douglas, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

Subscribe in a reader

SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.

Hopkinton Makes Boston Magazine Best Places To Live 2009

2009-03-07T16:26:00.005-05:00

Hopkinton Massachusetts has won the coveted award from Boston Magazine as one of the best places to live in 2009. According Boston Magazine's article Hopkinton was grouped into the "The Teflon Ten" which is the ten towns that are perceived according to statistical analysis to be primed for take off once the market starts making it's way back up again. These ten towns supposedly have not dropped in value like other towns have.

Having been a resident for 42 years and a Realtor for 23 I can vouch for the fact that Hopkinton is a terrific place to live and work. Hopkinton should be one of the towns that has a better than average appreciation rate when the Real Estate market does finally turn around. I do take exception to the statistics in the article though. I do not think they are accurate. According to the article Real Estate values since the peak in 2005 are only down -.40%.

I can tell you for certainty that market values have dropped in Hopkinton by more than around 1%. To read the full article see Boston Magazine names Hopkinton One of Best Places To Live.

Highland Park 4 Edge Hill Road Hopkinton Massachusetts

2009-03-03T17:54:00.013-05:00

Looking for a terrific home in Highland Park Hopkinton Massachusetts? This Tudor home at 4 Edge Hill Road is exceptional. In case you are not that familiar with Hopkinton neighborhoods, Highland Park has always ranked among the best.

The home is listed at $659,900. For a complete break down of all the particulars on this Hopkinton home you can visit 4 Edge Hill Road Hopkinton Massachusetts. Here is a slide show video of the home.

**** Update ~ This Hopkinton home was sold on 8/14/2009 for $627,000. ****

For other local Real Estate information visit Hopkinton Real Estate

Thinking of selling your Home? Here are a few Real Estate articles that may be of interest:

Top ten mistakes to avoid when selling your Massachusetts home
Preparing your Massachusetts home for the Spring selling season
Selling your home does not have to be a mystery

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on 4 Edge Hill Road Hopkinton Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Metrowest Massachusetts 1st Time Home Buyer Tax Credit

2009-02-24T14:34:00.030-05:00

The American Recovery and Investment act has been modified as of February 2009.

The new 1st time buyer stimulus package has been changed to give a home buyer a tax credit of up to $8000 for the purchase of a home.

The chart above gives a complete summary of the key points of the in the American Recovery and Investment Act.

Some of the most frequently asked questions on this new stimulus package can be found at The National Association of Home Builders website under the frequently asked questions about home buyers tax credit.

Frankly this is the best resource on the 1st time home buyer tax credit I have seen. The questions answered at the site include the following.

Who is eligible to claim the tax credit?
What is the definition of a first-time home buyer?
How is the amount of the tax credit determined?
Are there any income limits for claiming the tax credit?
What is "modified adjusted gross income"?
If my modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is above the limit, do I qualify for any tax credit?
Can you give me an example of how the partial tax credit is determined?
How is this home buyer tax credit different from the tax credit that Congress enacted in July of 2008?
How do I claim the tax credit? Do I need to complete a form or application?
What types of homes will qualify for the tax credit?
I read that the tax credit is "refundable." What does that mean?
I purchased a home in early 2009 and have already filed to receive the $7,500 tax credit on my 2008 tax returns. How can I claim the new $8,000 tax credit instead?
Instead of buying a new home from a home builder, I hired a contractor to construct a home on a lot that I already own. Do I still qualify for the tax credit?
Can I claim the tax credit if I finance the purchase of my home under a mortgage revenue bond (MRB) program?
I live in the District of Columbia. Can I claim both the Washington, D.C. first-time home buyer credit and this new credit?
I am not a U.S. citizen. Can I claim the tax credit?
Is a tax credit the same as a tax deduction?
I bought a home in 2008. Do I qualify for this credit?
Is there any way for a home buyer to access the money allocable to the credit sooner than waiting to file their 2009 tax return?
If I’m qualified for the tax credit and buy a home in 2009, can I apply the tax credit against my 2008 tax return?
For a home purchase in 2009, can I choose whether to treat the purchase as occurring in 2008 or 2009, depending on in which year my credit amount is the largest?

If you have been thinking about buying a home in the Metrowest Massachusetts area now my be the time. Interest rates are near historic lows, home values in many locations have dropped by as much as 25% from the peak, and the tax credit is only around till the end of the year. $8000 is not chump change for most looking to buy their 1st home.

Want to work with a top Realtor? Visit my website at Metrowest Mass Real Estate or my blog at Westboro Real Estate.

Milford Mass Homes For Sale 277 Central Street

2009-02-24T10:58:00.006-05:00

Looking for a home in Milford Massachusetts that is in outstanding shape? Look no further than the property I just put on the market at 277 Central Street. (Click the link for greater details) This Milford home is listed at $334,900. There are 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. There are a ton of great features including a large kitchen with new Corian counters and loads of cabinets, a spacious fireplaced family room, central air, security system, Bose surround sound, and much more. Take a look at the slide show video for a sneak peak at this home. *** Update ~ this Milford home sold on 4/30/09 for $328,000. ***

For more information visit Milford Mass Real Estate.
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About the Author: This Real Estate marketing piece for 277 Central Street, Milford Massachusetts was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Milford MA and other Metrowest towns for the last 23+ Years.

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Massachusetts and Milford MA Real Estate and homes see Milford Mass homes for sale. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile

Subscribe in a reader

SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.

Selling Your Metrowest Massachusetts Home

2009-01-30T11:05:00.013-05:00

As a Realtor covering Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate for the last twenty three years, it is my job to educate my clients on how they can get the maximum return out of selling their homes. This is a really simple video that explains some of the common pitfalls of selling a home and how you can avoid them.

In addition to the video I have left some links to articles I have written that explain in detail how you can increase the chances you will have a successful and timely home sale.

Topics include pricing your home properly, picking the right Realtor, staging your home, and a wealth of information about how to go about marketing your home for maximum exposure online.

I hope you enjoy reading these articles as much as I enjoyed writing them!

Why Your Metrowest Massachusetts Home Expired

Selling Your Home In A Buyers Market

Selling Your Home Does Not Have To Be A Mystery

Social Marketing Blogging Short Sales and The Seller I Never Met

Top Ten Mistakes to Avoid Selling Your Massachusetts Home

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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Selling your Metrowest Massachusetts home was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.
For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Metrowest Mass Realtor. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.
I service the following towns in Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Franklin, Uxbridge, and Framingham MA.
Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

Subscribe in a reader
SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.
Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.

Hopkinton Mass Condo For Sale 32 Apple Tree Hill

2009-01-21T21:27:00.009-05:00

Looking for a condo in the Hopkinton Massachusetts area that is in excellent condition? This condo in Apple Tree Hill has been remodeled with major upgrades including a brand new maple kitchen with silestone counters and a recently finished full walk-out basement. Other terrific features include newer hardwood floors, a fireplaced family room and two spacious bedrooms. It is listed at a very reasonable $244,900.

**Update this condo was sold on 3/30/09 for $235,000. The town home was on the market for 26 days!

Watch the slide show video below to see the interior of this unit.

Click here for more information on Apple Tree Hill Hopkinton Massachusetts.

Real Estate Articles Worth Reading

2009-01-18T16:47:00.012-05:00

Like reading about Real Estate? The following articles are some of the better Real Estate posts I have created at my other Real Estate blog Massachusetts Real Estate Voice.

Top Ten Mistakes To Avoid When Selling Your Massachusetts Home
This is one of my favorite Real Estate articles. An in depth explanation is given on some of the most common pit falls to avoid when you are selling your home in Metrowest Massachusetts or anywhere for that matter.

Real Estate Capital Gains When Selling Your Home
The article explains the most up to date laws surround selling your home and the Capital Gains tax laws.

Selling Your Home Does Not Have To Be A Mystery
The article explains how properly pricing your home is the most important consideration for achieving success with your home sale.

Social Marketing, Short Sales, And The Seller I Never Met
An explanation of how properly using social networking along with having a strong internet presence can go a long way in helping your clients sell their homes.

Assessed Home Values Rarely Equal Fair Market Value
An explanation why the assessed value of your home has very little correlation to the fair market value.

USDA Loans Mortgage Option For Low To No Down Payment
What is a USDA loan? Who Qualifies? Why is the USDA loan a good mortgage option for those with little or no down payment.

Energy Saving Tips For The Winter Months
A guide to some of the best things you can do to save money around your home in the Winter months.

Deed In Lieu Of Foreclosure and Short Sales
An explanation of how a deed in lieu of foreclosure and a short sale can help a home owner avoid foreclosure.

Foreclosure Avoiding It Through A Short Sale Or Loan Modification
This Real Estate article gives the definition of a short sale and also how a loan modification can help a home owner avoid foreclosure.

Selling Your Home In A Buyer's Market
Tips on selling your home in a buyer's market including picking the right Realtor who will create a dominating online presence, pricing your home property, and making sure that it is in tip top showing condition.

Best Remodeling Projects Cost V.S Value For Your Home
A look at some of the best projects you can do to your home and what the projected return on your investment will be. The data is taken from the National Association of Realtors.

Tax Deductions To Remember When Getting A Home Loan
Just purchased a home? These tips will help guide you to make sure you remember the possible tax deductions come April 15th.

Massachusetts FHA Mortgage Loans
A review of the FHA loan program in Massachusetts and why it is a good loan program for those that do not have a large down payment.

When To Lock Your Mortgage Interest Rate
There are always decisions to be made when buying a home. One of them is when to lock your mortgage rate. The article gives some opinions on when it makes sense.

5 Surefire Ways To Turn Off A Home Buyer
A look at some of the things that can prevent you from selling your home and how you can avoid them.

Handling Multiple Offers For A Seller In Real Estate
Negotiating multiple offers can be a tricky subject. The goal is to get the best terms and conditions for you seller clients. Here is a look at how it is down and some of the important considerations.

Preparing Your Massachusetts Home For The Spring Selling Season
A look at some of the better things you can do to get your home to stand out from the competition in a competitive Real Estate market.

Buying a foreclosed home or potential foreclosure property
Are you considering buying a foreclosed property? Why not after all there are plenty of them all around the country and they can typically be bought at a discount to the present market value.

Low cost home improvements when selling your home
In a very competitive Real Estate market one of the things that is vital to your success is how well your home shows in relation to the rest of the inventory for sale. There are quite a few simple things that you can do to improve your chances and maybe put a few extra dollars in your pocket at the same time.

Massachusetts Short Sales
Everything you need to know as a buyer or selling regarding short sales in Massachusetts.

I hope you have found some of these Real Estate topics interesting.

Have a question about Real Estate? Feel free to shoot me an email and I will try to help if I can or point you to someone who can.
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About the Author: The above Real Estate articles were provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Metrowest Mass Realtor. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

Hopkinton Massachusetts Neighborhood Reviews

2009-01-18T13:18:00.011-05:00

Hopkinton Massachusetts is the starting place for the world famous Boston Marathon. Although the marathon put Hopkinton on the map as a very well known town, it has become one of the most popular destination spots for those relocating to the Metrowest Massachusetts area because of it's great schools, terrific access to major highways, a home town "feel" and excellent housing stock.

Below is a review of some of the more popular Hopkinton subdivisions. Click the link and it will bring you to the respective neighborhood review. I hope to be reviewing more neighborhoods in the future and will continue adding them to the list.

Valleywood Estates Hopkinton Massachusetts
Cranberry Cove Hopkinton Massachusetts
White Oak Estates Hopkinton Massachusetts
Highland Park Hopkinton Massachusetts
Ravenwood Hopkinton Massachusetts
Alprilla Farm Hopkinton Massachusetts
Olde North Mill Hopkinton Massachusetts
Wildwood Glen Estates Hopkinton Massachusetts
Hearthstone Hopkinton Massachusetts
Canterbury Hopkinton Massachusetts
Forestside Estates Hopkinton Massachusetts
Hopkinton Ridge Hopkinton Massachusetts

Hopkinton Condominium Neighborhoods

Pinecrest Village Hopkinton
Apple Tree Hill Hopkinton
The Preserve Hopkinton
The Village at Highland Park Hopkinton
Indianbrook Hopkinton Massachusetts

Hopkinton Indianbrook Condo for sale Just Listed 14 Weybridge Lane

2009-01-06T11:31:00.008-05:00

Looking for a nice townhouse in outstanding shape with an excellent commuting location? Look no further than this beautiful condo at Indianbrook in Hopkinton Massachusetts. This townhome at 14 Weybridge Lane in Hopkinton is listed at $279,900. The owner has put an enourmous amount of effort into remodeling the entire interior! Below you will find a presentation on this Hopkinton gem.

Thinking of selling your condo at Indianbrook or other Metrowest/Hopkinton neighborhood? Call or email me...I would welcome the opportunity to show you how my online marketing can get your home SOLD!

You can see a sampling of how I create a dominant online presence for all my clients. Click on the link to see a sample of where my Hopkinton Mass condominium marketing takes place.

Massachusetts Short Sale Realtor

2008-12-18T14:48:00.012-05:00

Do you own a home in the Metrowest Massachusetts area and are considering a short sale? Working with someone or even a team of people that know how to successfully complete a short sale is very important. There is no room for error in picking a Realtor to work with when doing a short sale because you are very likely not to far away from having to deal with a foreclosure.

The last thing you want as a homeowner is to experience a foreclosure. Besides the fact you are losing your home, your credit will be damaged for years. Here are a few articles that I have written that will explain short sales, a deed in lieu of foreclosure and also a loan modification. These options are all a means of avoiding a foreclosure and getting you out from under your mortgage debt.

Avoiding foreclosure by a short sale or loan modification

Deed in lieu of foreclosure and short sales

Picking a Massachusetts Short Sale Realtor

Massachusetts short sale debt removal

Questions to ask a Massachusetts short sale listing agent

I have been successfully completing short sales and would welcome the opportunity to help you escape your debt. In most cases the options available to you will be far better than losing your home. For a complete explanation on the whole short sale process see Massachusetts Short Sales.

Uxbridge Mass Real Estate 5 Henry Street Duplex Condo

2008-10-28T10:49:00.008-04:00

This duplex condo at 5 Henry Street is an incredible value! This Uxbridge home is listed at $239,900. The identical unit just closed next door for $259,900 on October 15, 2008. There are no condo fees!! Below is a marketing presentation on this unit:

For more information please visit Uxbridge Massachusetts Condominiums.

*** Update this Uxbridge townhome is now under agreement.

Have a home or condo to sell in Uxbridge or other local town? Visit Uxbridge Mass Real Estate to see how I market homes online and give my Real Estate clients maximum exposure!

Hopkinton Real Estate Sold 4 Wyman Lane

2008-10-28T10:33:00.006-04:00

In a challenging Real Estate market the keys to selling a home are pricing properly, and picking a Realtor that knows how to market homes online well. This home at 4 Wyman Lane in Hopkinton was just sold on October 15, 2008 for $1,145,000. It was listed and sold by my team mate Chuck Joseph. You can read more about this Hopkinton home here:
Hopkinton Real Estate 4 Wyman Lane

One of the marketing avenues that is very important when selling a home today is video. It is a fact that a home with a video will receive about four times the traffic online than a home without one. One of the sites we feed our video slide shows to is Youtube. See the video at Youtube for 4 Wyman Lane below.

Thinking of selling your home in Hopkinton or other Metrowest town? Call or email me...I would welcome the opportunity to show you how my online marketing can get your home SOLD!
One of the things I do with all the properties I market is create an online presence. Over 85% of all buyers find their home online. These posts and my blog are highly indexed by Google...in fact this may be how you arrived here? You can see a sampling of my Metrowest home marketing here.

Hopkinton Community Endowment (HCE)

2008-10-09T17:31:00.007-04:00

The 6th annual Hopkinton Community Endowment telethon will take place on October 19th. The telethon will take place at the HCAM studios located in the lower level of 77 Main Street Hopkinton MA. Approximately sixty callers will take 90 minute shifts soliciting pledged donations. During the telethon there will also be taped talent acts and live interviews.

The hopkinton Community Endowment fund was created in 1997 as a means to lessen the tax burden of Hopkinton Mass residents. The concept came about due to the construction of the new Hopkinton High School at the time. There were many residents of the town that wanted to vote in favor of the new high school but in the process knew they would be voting themselves out of town due to the increased taxes.

According to Chuck Joseph, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Endowment, this group was formed to bring tax relief to Hopkinton's townspeople. Joseph said "that they knew there was no means to funnel money to individuals. But, with the concept of the Endowment, they could look at the towns capital projects, and through private fund raising, cover the costs of certain projects, thus clearing them off the debt and lowering people's tax burden."

The fund was put to good use by presenting $29,000 to the Hopkinton Police Department for a new police cruiser. The police cruiser, once a budget line item, can now be removed from the tax debt.

After five years of telethons and Hopkinton business commitments, the endowment has reached $400,000 of direct charitable contributions. The original goal was to hit a million before a disbursement was made but the group decided it was a good time to show the power of the endowment by purchasing the cruiser.

This years telethon will have a very entertaining and meaningful format. There will be a Hopkinton trivia contest where callers can venture guesses at answers and win prizes. For example did you know that Edward Hopkins after which the town was named never came to Hopkinton? Who built the Hopkinton Reservoir and why? These are the tupe of questions that will be asked.

Folks this is a great cause and tax deductible too! Any donations you can make would be great. You are helping the current people in Hopkinton as well as future generations! " Give a gift leave a legacy!"

RE/MAX Executive Realty Real Estate market share leader through August 2008

2008-09-02T17:13:00.007-04:00

Through August of 2008, RE/MAX Executive Realty continues to dominate the Hopkinton Massachusetts Real Estate market share. By clicking the small graph above you will see a blown up readable version of the chart.

These statistics are taken from The MLS Property Information Network. The statistics include market data of homes, condos, multi family's, and land sold. When you look at the chart you will notice at the top that there are three categories of transactions. Listed & sold - meaning the company was involved as both the listing broker and selling broker. This by the way is the goal of every Realtor but happens much more often with a RE/MAX company. For an understanding of why this is the case see RE/MAX Executive Realty Hopkinton The other two categories are listed but sold by another company, and sold another companies listing.

You will notice by that in all three categories RE/MAX Executive Realty is the leader. RE/MAX Executive Realty has a sizable lead in the number of units sold as our nearest competitor, Century 21 Commonwealth. We are ahead by 20 in the number of transaction sides. (There are two in every sale...the listing side and selling side.)

The market share drops off dramatically after the top two companies with Star Realty only capturing 5.31% of the market share.

If you look closely at the chart you will see that our offices in Holliston and Medfield are also ranked #6 and #7 in Hopkinton market share.

The Real Estate market in Massachusetts has become very challenging. While selecting a good company with market share is important, selecting a good Metrowest Realtor to represent you is vital.

One of the more important factors today in selecting a Realtor is how well they market online. You want to have an agent that will create an online presence for your home. Over 85% of all buyers find their home online and the number is growing!

When considering who to choose to represent you in your home sale try using Google as a tool. Google the agents name you are considering. If you don't see pages and pages of results, you have found yourself a Realtor with very little to no internet presence.

I would ask yourself this question: If a Realtor does not know how to promote themselves online how could you possibly expect them to promote your home well?

Holliston Real Estate 152 Stagecoach Road

2008-08-28T15:14:00.013-04:00

I just listed a terrific home in and outstanding Holliston neighborhood at 152 Stagecoach Road. The home has gone through quite a bit of renovating over the last three years including a new striking white cabinet kitchen with granite counters, stainless steel appliances, and tile flooring. The living room gets loads of natural light and has a beautiful fireplace with marble surround and built-in bookcases.

The family room is quite spacious and also is appointed with a brick fireplace. The list of amenities is long including: Central Air, security system, updated bath, hardwood floors throughout, New windows, New interior doors, Newer heating system, awesome corner lot, and exceptional landscaping.

This Holliston property has three bedrooms, one full bath, 1394 square feet, and a two car attached garage. You can see a terrific marketing vehicle that I use to market all my homes below. Come take a look this Holliston home shows mint!!

You can see some other homes I am marketing with a slide show video presentation at the Metrowest Real Estate shows.

**** Update - This home sold on 12/4/08 for $353,000. ****

Thinking of selling your Holliston Home and want to work with a top producing Realtor that gives you a dominant online presence? Visit Holliston MA Real Estate.

Hopkinton High School Makes Newsweek Top 500 List

2008-08-19T12:23:00.008-04:00

Hopkinton High School has made Newsweeks annual list of top the top 1300 High Schools across the United States. According to the ranking method developed by Jay Mathews, the number of Advanced Placement, Intl. Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school in 2007 are divided by the number of graduating seniors.

All of the schools on the list have an index of at least 1.000; they are in the top 5 percent of public schools measured this way.

Hopkinton actually came in ranked in the Newsweek top 500! Other local schools ranking well in the Metrowest Massachusetts area include Medway, Ashland, Westboro, Holliston, and Framingham.

Hopkinton has also done quite well in the yearly MCAS testing. You can see Hopkinton's MCAS test results here. You can also look at other Massachusetts towns and local MCAS results here.

The Hopkinton schools have had an excellent reputation for many years and are one of the factors that has driven Hopkinton's Real Estate values. The school itself was built in 2001 and is just incredible.

Visit Hopkinton Real Estate for Real Estate information on Hopkinton and other Metrowest towns including market reports, featured homes, and video tours.

Good Local Real Estate News Ahead?

2008-08-18T13:13:00.009-04:00

The Real Estate market here in Metrowest Massachusetts has been in a slump for a good 3 plus years. The peak in the Real Estate market was in the Spring of 2005. Since then things have been marked by declining home values, extended market times, short sales, foreclosures, and in many areas a rise in housing inventory. Not a lot of fun if you need to sell your home here in Massachusetts.

Is it possible this could all be a distant memory in the near future? According to a news story in Banker and Tradesman it may be. The article suggests that the worst housing market market in the United States since the Great Depression may be nearing an end.

The strongest indicator that the market may be changing is the fact that the pace at which housing values have been dropping has slowed. There are also certain pockets in the US where home values have actually already started to increase.

“Anybody who tells you they know when the housing market will bottom is delusional, but anybody who denies there are some positives out there that could make the housing market bottom fairly soon is equally delusional,” said Karl Case, the co-developer of a widely watched gauge of the housing industry and an economics professor at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.

The Standard & Poor's S&P/Case-Shiller home price indices, which case co-developed, has shown a slow down in the downward trend in home prices in recent months.

There is also other data that has shown signs that we could be in for a recovery sooner rather than later.

New housing starts fell to 975,000 in April from a peak of 2.27 million in January of 2006. In the past 35 years, the three other times that housing starts fell from more than 2 million to under 1 million, housing market activity rebounded within a quarter.

One of the states to watch is California which has been battered by foreclosures. The California Real Estate market has taken quite a hit. In fact prices have dropped so much in California that the cost of a mortgage and taxes is the same as rent in many locales. If California starts to recover it is a good bet that the rest of the country will follow suite shortly thereafter if history is any indicator.

While I am the furthest thing from a pessimist and always look to see the bright side of things, it is hard to imagine the Massachusetts Real Estate market recovering in the next 6 months. Unfortunately here in Metrowest Massachusetts we have just started to see more short sales and foreclosures. This will have a further impact on home prices.

There are other factors in place as well that will prevent the Real Estate market here from all of sudden just turning around and heading back up. These factors include:

1.) More people leaving Massachusetts than being transferred in.

2.) A much tighter mortgage market.

3.) Sky high energy costs. (Certainly makes people more conservative).

4.) Inventory levels in some communities that are higher than six months.

I don't pretend to have a crystal ball but logic and the fact that I see what is going on the Real Estate market everyday leads me to come to this conclusion.

So for now if you are thinking of selling your home make sure you price it properly and work with a Realtor that will create an online presence for your home. These two factors will go a long way in determining how successful your are.

Short Sale Scammers We Buy Houses

2008-08-14T14:52:00.012-04:00

Have you ever seen the signs posted on telephone poles in the Metrowest area that says something to the effect "We buy houses". The headline usually reads do you need to sell your home quick? Are you in financial trouble? Do you need cash fast?

These companies are almost always looking to buy your home at 50 cents on the dollar. They are not going to give you anywhere close to the fair market value of your home!

Well there is a new twist to this predatory business that you really need to be on the look out for. There is a group in the Metrowest area that has been preying on people who call them to sell their home.

The Real Estate market in Massachusetts has been on the down turn for the last three plus years. Most recently there have been more and more short sales coming on the market. A short sale occurs when the value of the property is less than the mortgage balance and the lender agrees to let the home close for less than the mortgage balance owed. (Click the link for a complete explanation).

So here is what I just ran into. A client of mine who lives in Milford Massachusetts had gotten herself into financial difficulty and was having trouble making her mortgage payments. I had actually spoken to her about doing a Short sale but she did not act on my advice. She ended up seeing one of those We Buy Houses signs and decided to call them. What a mistake!

These people had her sign an agreement that locks her into being involved with them for a year.
To make a long story short these people had her sign an option contract. They then proceeded to act on their OWN behalf to submit a short sale offer to the bank.

The value of this property is in the low 200's. These predators submitted an offer to the bank for $131,000!!!. You can probably already see this picture very clearly. God knows if they get the bank to accept an offer like that the home will be right back on the market and these people will have put some good money in their pocket.

The bank did not except their offer but this story continues to get worse. The owner never signed a listing agreement with these people but now her house is on the market and listed with an affiliate of this company!

The home was listed for $240,000 in the Greater Boston multiple listing service. The owner discovered the home was listed and questioned these people and they said - why do you care you need to sell the home anyway. The owner never authorized this company to sell the home. She did not sign a listing contract. Her expectation was they would be buying it.

A few weeks later the property was reduced to $225,000 with out the owners consent! No price reduction signed. Nothing...not even a verbal request for a reduction. It was just reduced period.

One of the terms of the agreement that the home owner signed says " I have agreed to sell the property to the buyer and am now bound by the terms and conditions described in this agreement. I further understand that can not continue to market the property to any other party, except as provided herein.

So as it stands this home owner is locked into an agreement whereby this entity does not care for what the home sells for and is working on their own behalf to get the home as cheap as possible for their own benefit. It makes me sick!!!

The listing company who is affiliated with these people has it in MLS has 2 pictures. The Real Estate company sure looks like they are going to be giving it their best effort (laughs).

Sounds like the attorney general would like to hear about this. I have told this woman to contact her attorney immediately.

This is the perfect example of why you should have an attorney look over important Real Estate documents. The fine print and terms of this agreement have completely locked the seller into a terrible situation.

Another short sale situation that has become quite common lately is short sale investor fraud. If you need to do a Massachusetts short sale I would encourage you to read this article. The last thing you want to have happen to you is be involved in a short sale scam where you end up in foreclosure. There are lots of people preying on others misfortune! Don't get caught with your pants down.

I would encourage you to read a few articles I have written about short sales. The 1st link is a complete overview of numerous short sale articles that cover everything you need to know about completing a successful short sale transaction.
Massachusetts short sales

Avoiding foreclosure through a short sale
Short sales and deed in lieu of foreclosure

If you are listing your home as a short sale in Metrowest Massachusetts make sure you hire a Realtor who has knowledge of short sales and has the experience to get the job done. I am doing successful short sale packages . I work with a local attorney who has success getting short sale approval. Call me at 508-435-5356 to find out more about Metrowest Massachusetts Short Sales. You will get honest advice from someone who cares.

I cover Real Estate Sales in the following towns: Hopkinton, Milford, Ashland, Holliston, Westboro, Southboro, Medway, Upton, Mendon, Bellingham,Northboro, Shrewsbury, Natick, Framingham, Grafton, Douglas, Northbridge, Hopedale, and Uxbridge.

Visit my website at Metrowest Massachusetts Short Sales.

Real Estate Listing Agents and What Not To Do

2008-08-08T18:04:00.008-04:00

I recently was working as a buyers agent showing property in Franklin Massachusetts. I have been working with this particular buyer for a while as I sold their condo at Indianbrook in Hopkinton back in the winter. They have been renting since then, waiting for a good home that fits their needs to come on the market.

Well I found these buyers a home and wanted to explain the listing agents mistake in negotiations.

The buyers looked at a number of homes and found one that matched their criteria and decided to make an offer. As Murphy's law goes, when I called the listing agent to let him know that I would be submitting an offer he informed me that there was already another offer on the table that he had been negotiating for the past two days. He told me they were close to putting it together so I needed to act right away.

I explained the situation to my buyers and told them that if they really wanted to get this home they would probably need to start a little higher than they had planned to. This particular home had value range pricing of $489,900-$539,900. Value range pricing is a range in which the seller will consider offers. I am not a big fan of this marketing concept but won't get into those details here.

We submitted an offer for $500,000. The listing agent told me he would speak with the seller about the offer and get back to me. The agent called me back later in the day and asked me if my clients were 1st time buyers. I explained to the agent that they had sold their condo in Hopkinton and had been renting. He wanted to make sure that the buyers were not going to "nickel and dime" the sellers after the home inspection. He futher went on to say the "offers were very close" and the seller was weighing everything carefully.

This was the agents 1st mistake. As a listing agent, you never ever reveal any information about a competing offer on a property. The fact I knew the offers were close would completely change our negotiating strategy. Fortunately for the buyer and myself the agent made mistake #2 which was even bigger.

He called back and said the seller accepted our offer! What? Did I hear that correctly? No counter offer?

Here is the big mistake - We were in a multiple offer situation. The correct course of action on the listing brokers part would have been to tell me he was giving both buyers the opportunity to come back with their best offer. This did not happen and by doing so the listing agent cost his seller client about $10,000.

My buyers fully expected to come up at least 5-10k from their initial offer of $500,000. It is hard to imagine what the listing broker was telling the seller behind the scenes but it could not have been good advice. My buyers really wanted this home and in the end got it for less than they expected to because of the agents careless actions.

A good seller's agent will always be looking out for the best interest of their clients. Of course a large part of that is getting them the most money possible!

Although I will work with some buyers, most of my work is with sellers. I enjoy the marketing aspect of being a listing broker. This is done in large part through the internet and creating an "online presence for my seller clients.

RE/MAX Executive Realty Dominates Hopkinton Market Share Through July

2008-08-04T10:59:00.005-04:00

Through July of 2008, RE/MAX Executive Realty continues to dominate the Hopkinton Massachusetts Real Estate market share. By clicking the small graph above you will see a blown up readable version of the chart.

These statistics are taken from The MLS Property Information Network. The statistics include market data of homes, condos, multi family's, and land sold. When you look at the chart you will notice at the top that there are three categories of transactions. Listed & sold - meaning the company was involved as both the listing broker and selling broker. This by the way is the goal of every Realtor but happens much more often with a RE/MAX company. For an understanding of why this is the case see RE/MAX Executive Realty Hopkinton The other two categories are listed but sold by another company, and sold another companies listing.

You will notice by that in all three categories RE/MAX Executive Realty is the leader. We are almost double the number of units sold as our nearest competitor, Century 21 Commonwealth. We are double in the number of transaction sides. (There are two in every sale...the listing side and selling side.)

The market share drops off dramatically after the top two companies with Star Realty only capturing 6.55% of the market share.

The Real Estate market in Massachusetts has become very challenging. While selecting a good company with market share is important, selecting a good Realtor to represent you is vital.

One of the more important factors today in selecting a Realtor is how well they market online. You want to have an agent that will create an online presence for your home. Over 85% of all buyers find their home online and the number is growing!

When considering who to choose to represent you in your home sale try using Google as a tool. Google the agents name you are considering. If you don't see pages and pages of results, you have found yourself a Realtor with very little to no internet presence.

I would ask yourself this question: If a Realtor does not know how to promote themselves online how could you possibly expect them to promote your home well?

Framingham Massachusetts Short Sale 78 Fenwick Drive

2008-07-29T11:44:00.009-04:00

78 Fenwick Drive in Framingham Massachusetts has been reduced to $569,900 and is now a short sale. This Framingham MA home is only one year old and was the builders personal residence. Below you will see a slide show presentation on this property. Some of the nice features of this home include a two story foyer and family room, beautiful Cherry kitchen with granite counters, a front to back living/dining room, and a nice master suite with lavish bath. The home offers 2790 square feet and sits on a half acre in the Fenwick Farms neighborhood.

This Framingham short sale is an exceptional value. For more information see Framingham Real Estate

*** Update...Another successful Short Sale completed. This Framingham Short sale closed on November 21, 2008 f0r $555,000. Considering a short sale on your home? Get in touch I would welcome the opportunity to help you out. ***

Holliston Home For Sale 1035 Highland Street, Holliston MA

2008-07-27T14:00:00.008-04:00

Terrific new construction in Holliston Massachusetts being built by Rinaldi Corporation Inc. This new home has a dramatic open floor plan by well known architect Frank Betz. There are nine rooms, four bedrooms, 3.5 baths and a 3 car garage. There is approximately 3100 square feet and the lot is 2+ acres. There are very few new homes for sale in Holliston. Come see this new home and you will not be disappointed with the quality! The home is listed at $674,900. There is still time for a home buyer to customize.

Visit Holliston Real Estate for more information.

What is a Short Sale?

2008-07-20T14:30:00.013-04:00

I have been getting this question asked quite often lately with Real Estate in Massachusetts taking the proverbial "big hit".

For those that have been hearing the term "short sale" and don't quite understand what it means, a short sale is a legal lender approved solution designed to assist those home owners who are financially strapped to get out from under their mortgage debt.

A short sale is negotiated through the mortgage holder of an owners home where by the mortgage holder agrees to take less than what home owner owes on the property.

An example of a short sale would be if a home owner owes $400,000 on their current mortgage and their home is only worth $375,000. The lender in this example would agree to take a short fall of $25,000 at closing. In many cases the mortgage holder may completely wipe out the debt and the home owner does not have to repay the 25k.

The home owner benefits in this situation because they get out of a sticky financial mess without going to foreclosure which can seriously damage your credit.

You may be thinking why would a mortgage holder want to allow a short sale? There are a number of reasons, most notably the cost involved for the lender going through a foreclosure proceeding. The mortgage holder when all is said and done can easily spend $40,000-$50,000 going through a foreclosure. This avenue can save the lender money they would otherwise lose.

With property values continuing to drop in Massachusetts there are many more lenders who will consider the short sale route.

As a Realtor representing a seller in a short sale scenerio there some issues you need to be aware of. See Ethics in a short sale for an explanation.

When selling your home and you know you are going to be faced with a short sale make sure you choose to work with a good Realtor who has some working knowledge of short sale procedures! A good Real Estate lawyer in your corner who has worked with short sales would also be an important consideration.

For a more in depth view of some of the other things worth mentioning regarding short sales see Massachusetts Short Sale Realtor.

Here are a few other short sale articles worth reading:

Avoiding foreclosure through a short sale or loan modification
Short sales and deed in lieu of foreclosure
Massachusetts short sale problems to avoid
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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on what is a short sale was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.
Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!
For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Metrowest Mass Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.
I service the following towns in Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Douglas, and Framingham MA.
Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

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Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.

Milford Real Estate 20 Free Street Milford MA

2008-07-14T10:39:00.009-04:00

This home at 20 Free Street in Milford Massachusetts was just reduced by 40k and offers an excellent value at the current list price of $299,900! This Milford home is now a Short Sale and is subject to 3rd party approval for all terms and conditions. The home is only 4 years old and is located in a quite neighborhood near the center of Milford. There are 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, and a two car garage. Some of the many highlights include a beautiful kitchen with Granite counters, Cathedral family room with fieldstone fireplace, and finished lower level with 2nd fireplaced family room. The home shows mint! See the RealBird listing presentation below.

For more information on this home and others visit Milford Real Estate

**** Update - this Milford Short Sale closed on 12/11/08 for $299,900. Another successful Short sale completed. If you are considering a short sale and would like to speak to a Realtor that has experience with closing short sales please get in touch. ***

Here are two articles worth reading:

Foreclosure Avoiding it Through a Short Sale or Loan Modification

Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure and Short Sales

RE/MAX Executive Realty Dominates Hopkinton Market Share

2008-07-09T17:19:00.005-04:00

Through June of 2008, RE/MAX Executive Realty continues to dominate the Hopkinton Massachusetts Real Estate market share. By clicking the small graph above you will see a blown up readable version of the chart.

These statistics are taken from The MLS Property Information Network. The statistics include market data of homes, condos, multi family's, and land sold. When you look at the chart you will notice at the top that there are three categories of transactions. Listed & sold - meaning the company was involved as both the listing broker and selling broker. This by the way is the goal of every Realtor but happens much more often with a RE/MAX company. For an understanding of why this is the case see RE/MAX Executive Realty Hopkinton The other two categories are listed but sold by another company and sold another companies listing.

You will notice by that in all three categories RE/MAX Executive Realty is the leader. We are almost double the number of units sold as our nearest competitor Century 21 Commonwealth.

The market share drops off dramatically after the top two companies with Star Realty only capturing 7.29% of the market share.

The Real Estate market in Massachusetts has become very challenging. Selecting a good Realtor to represent you is vital. One of the more important factors today in selecting a Realtor is how well they market online. You want to have an agent that will create an online presence for your home. Over 85% of all buyers find their home online and the number is growing!

When considering who to choose to represent you in your home sale try using Google as a tool. Google the agents name. If you don't see pages and pages of results, you have found yourself a Realtor with very little to no internet presence.

I would ask yourself this question: If a Realtor does not know how to promote themselves online how could you possibly expect them to promote your home well?

Forestside Estates Hopkinton Massachusetts

2008-07-09T15:44:00.010-04:00

Forestside Estates in Hopkinton Massachusetts is one of the better more established luxury subdivisions in town. One of the things that is unique about the Forestside neighborhood is that there are no two homes that are alike. Unlike many of the newer Hopkinton neighborhoods that have five or six designs that are repeated multiple times, Forestside is characterized by homes with architectural distinction.

This neighborhood which was started back in the early 90's had a developer who did not build homes himself. He sold lots to local builders who then constructed the homes. There are probably close to a dozen different builders who built homes in this Hopkinton subdivision. Forestside Estates is located off of School Street on the west side of Hopkinton. It is located a few miles from the 495 interchange.

One of the beauties of Forestside is the spectacular views afforded by the homes along John Matthew Road and Gina Drive. You can see for miles. The views are especially terrific in the fall when the leaves change...it is breathtaking! You can see all the way out to Westboro and can also see Lake Whitehall in Hopkinton.

The price point in Forestside ranges from about $700,000 to $1,000,000 for the majority of the homes. There have, however, been a few custom built residences that would commend far in excess of that. There is one home that is built on three separate lots and is rumored to cost in excess of 4 million to build. Most of the lots range in size from 1 -1.5 acres.

I just sold the residence pictured above at 6 John Matthew Road on July 10th for $945,000. The home was on the market for a little over a year and dropped substantially in price, as the local Real Estate market continued to correct from a run up in prices over the last 10 years.

I actually had a few offers on this home that were substantially higher along the way. The sellers, like a few of my clients, did not want to come to grips with the reality of the Real Estate market. Sometimes even the best advice is not listened to. Oh well, if we all had crystal balls we would never make a bad decision!

I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my internet marketing expertise! I would welcome the opportunity to earn your business.

For Massachusetts and Hopkinton MA Real Estate and homes visit my website at Hopkinton Real Estate .

Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Douglas, and Framingham.

Springwood Estates Hopkinton Massachusetts

2008-07-07T13:42:00.010-04:00

Springwood Estates in Hopkinton Massachusetts is one of the more popular neighborhoods in town. One of the big attractions with Springwood Estates is that it is the largest subdivision in Hopkinton. When people relocate from other parts of the country they are not used to our smaller neighborhoods in Metrowest Massachusetts. In other areas of the country it is not unusual to have 300+ homes in a neighborhood. Most of the subdivisions in the Metrowest area have 50 homes or under. The relocating buyer is able to take advantage of the larger neighborhood that they are accustomed to at Springwood.

The home pictured above is a resale that my team just sold at 15 Gibbon Road in an older section of the Springwood neighborhood. The home sold for 5k over the asking price of $729,900.
You can read more about this Springwood Estates Hopkinton home and view interior photos by clicking the link. The price point in Springwood ranges from the 600's all the way up to a million+ for the new homes that are presently being built by Ron Nation of 20th Century Homes.

Thinking of selling your home in Hopkinton or other Metrowest town? Visit Hopkinton Real Estate

My website is highly indexed by google and is set up for the marketing of my clients homes.
Here are some of the Metrowest Real Estate shows for properties I am currently marketing.

Hopkinton Massachusetts Homes Just Sold 12 Claflin Street

2008-07-02T11:57:00.004-04:00

Going against what typically happens in this crazy upside down Real Estate market my team mates Chuck Joseph and Diane Corsi, just closed on this home at 12 Claflin Street in Hopkinton Massachusetts for full price. The home closed at $360,000 on June 26.

This home was a rare find for Hopkinton as it was in the down town area on a side street with no traffic. It was not your typical village colonial but a well maintained ranch with three bedrooms and 2.5 baths. The home was situated on a 3/4 acre private lot which is also difficult to find.

Homes that sell at full price or close to it are harder to find in this market but it can be done! Having a good Realtor or even better a team representing you can go a long way towards a successful sale.

Marketing a home to the masses is critical in this market. Proper pricing and a high level of exposure online are the two biggest factors in getting your home sold today. Over 85% of all buyers find their home online and the percentage continues to grow.

You can see all the exposure I give to my clients at Real Estate marketing in Metrowest Massachusetts.

Thinking of selling your home in Hopkinton Massachusetts? Check out my highly indexed Real Estate website at Hopkinton Massachusetts Real Estate. You will find the site on the 1st page of Google for most Real Estate search terms related to Hopkinton and many other Metrowest Massachusetts communities.

Home Foreclosures Hitting Record Highs in Massachusetts!

2008-07-01T22:16:00.008-04:00

The number of foreclosed properties in Massachusetts hit a record high in May! According to the Warren group, a publisher of Real Estate information, foreclosure deeds jumped by 107.5 % from May of 2007 to May of 2008. The number of foreclosure homes went from 677 to 1405.

Below are the statistics for a few of the towns in the Metrowest and Greater Worcester area:

Milford

YTD petitions to foreclose 2007: 57

YTD petitions to foreclose 2008: 90

* A jump of 57.89%

YTD foreclosure deeds 2007: 5

YTD foreclosure deeds 2008: 42

* A jump of 740%

Medway

YTD petitions to foreclose 2007: 11

YTD petitions to foreclose 2008: 14

* A jump of 27.27%

YTD forecosure deeds 2007: 2

YTD foreclosure deeds 2008: 6

* A jump of 200%

Northbridge

YTD petitions to foreclose 2007:

YTD petitions to foreclose 2008

* A jump of 31.82%

YTD foreclosue deeds 2007: 11

YTD foreclosure deeds 2008: 15

* A jump of 36.36%

Hopkinton

YTD petitions to foreclose 2007: 17

YTD petitions to foreclose 2008: 19

* A jump of 11.76%

YTD foreclosure deeds 2007: 1

YTD foreclosure deeds 2008: 5

* A jump of 400%

Most people are aware that the local Real Estate market peaked in the Spring of 2005. Since that time we have seen the local Real Estate market continue to slide. This is know as a "buyers market". There are many home sellers today that have still not come to the realization that their home is not what it was worth a few years ago. Unfortunately, most peoples homes are not worth the same as they were 6 months ago! Market values have not hit bottom either. If I were a betting man, I would venture to guess we have a ways to go before we hit the bottom.

We have been lucky locally as there really has not been that many foreclosed homes. With the number of foreclosed homes on the rise and home values continuing to drop, it really makes sense as a home seller to be smart when you get an offer on your home. Losing a deal over a few thousand dollars is usually a big mistake.

If the foreclosure market does increase to the point where there are many more bank owned homes hitting the market, we will see a bigger drop in home values. When a similar or better bank owned home down the Street is on the market for X, don't expect that you can put your home on the market for X + 20k and expect to sell it. It is not going to happen. Short sales can also drag the Real Estate market down as well and we will be seeing more of that too.

The take home message is to make sure you make a wise decision when you think about holding out for a few extra $$$. Don't cut off your nose despite your face in this challenging market.

Samreen Villa Upton Massachusetts

2008-06-26T15:36:00.007-04:00

Samreen Villa In Upton Massachusetts is a terrific neighborhood of three bedroom, 2.5 bath townhome condominiums. There are 52 units in this complex. The condo fee is a very reasonable $195.00

These condos are one of the better values in the area. It is hard to find a three bedroom condo with a garage in Metrowest Massachusetts.

I just sold the unit above at 7 Knowlton circle, Upton MA on 6/26/08 for $303,000.

You can see photos of the interior of 7 Knowlton Circle, Upton MA here.

Interested in what is going on in Upton Massachusetts Real Estate? Check out my month to month Upton Massachusetts Real Estate Market Reports.

Selling a home or condo in Upton Massachusetts or other Metrowest town is heavily dependant on pricing your home properly and picking an agent that will create an "online market presence" for your home. As a home seller, you need to be aware that the market in Upton and many other Metrowest communities has changed over the last three and a half years. We are no longer in a seller's market. When selling a home in Upton Massachusetts, it pays to have a pro in your corner representing you.

** 85% of all buyers are finding their homes on the Internet. Far too many Realtors put your home in MLS, Realtor.com, and possibly their website if they have one, and consider that good marketing. Don't sell yourself short. The current Real Estate environment is extremly challenging. Pricing your home properly and marketing to the masses is critical for your success. Check out the Real Estate marketing I provide to all my clients - Metrowest MA Homes ~ How to effectively market to the masses on-line. **

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The above Upton Massachusetts Real Estate condo information was provided by Bill Gassett, the team leader for the #4 RE/MAX Team in Massachusetts in 2007. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Upton Massachusetts and other Metrowest towns for the last 22+ Years. Bill's office is conveniently located in the center of Hopkinton MA at 77 Main Street. Bill also has a Real Estate office located in the center of Upton.

I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise! I would welcome the opportunity to earn your business!

For Massachusetts and Upton MA Real Estate and homes see Upton Massachusetts Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 22 years.

Indianbrook Townhomes Hopkinton Massachusetts

2008-06-26T14:04:00.006-04:00

Indianbrook in Hopkinton Massachusetts is a very nice condominium neighborhood located off Elm Street that has excellent access to 495 and the Mass Pike. The units in this complex are two bedrooms and either 1.5 or two full baths. The condo fees are around $350 per month.

I just sold the unit above at 13 Leman Lane for $265,000. It closed on June 26, 2008.

You can read more about Indianbrook and other Hopkinton Massachusetts Townhomes and Condo's here.

Interested in what is going on in Hopkinton Real Estate? You can view my month to month Hopkinton Massachusetts Real Estate Market Reports here.

Selling a home or condo in Hopkinton Massachusetts or other Metrowest town is heavily dependant on pricing your home properly and picking an agent that will create an "online market presence" for your home. As a home seller, you need to be aware that the market in Hopkinton and many other Metrowest communities has changed over the last three and a half years. We are no longer in a seller's market. When selling a home in Hopkinton Massachusetts, it pays to have a pro in your corner representing you.

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The above Hopkinton MA Real Estate condo information was provided by Bill Gassett, the team leader for the #4 RE/MAX Team in Massachusetts in 2007. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Hopkinton MA and other Metrowest towns for the last 22+ Years. Bill's office is conveniently located in the center of Hopkinton MA at 77 Main Street.

I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise! I would welcome the opportunity to earn your business.

For Massachusetts and Hopkinton MA Real Estate and homes see Hopkinton MA Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site .

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 22 years.

Hopkinton Real Estate

2008-06-18T20:24:00.008-04:00

One of the best Real Estate values in Hopkinton Massachusetts is located at 188 West Main Street. This split level home has 4 bedrooms and 2 full baths with nearly 1800 square feet of living space. You can read more about this property at my 188 West Main Street Hopkinton Blog post. See the RealBird slide show presentation here.

Douglas Massachusetts Homes for sale

2008-06-18T17:10:00.005-04:00

19 Linden Street Douglas Massachusetts ~ This home has 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, and approximately 3957 square feet. It is located in a private setting with 2 plus acres. It is listed for $519,900.

For more information of this home see Douglas Massachusetts Real Estate. Enjoy the slide show video tour of this home.

Read more about the local Real Estate market at Metrowest Massachusetts Homes Blog.

Milford Massachusetts Homes for sale

2008-06-18T10:47:00.007-04:00

This home in Milford Massachusetts at 34 Beach Street Extension is listed at $279,900. See the virtual tour below.

For other Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate shows click here.

Grafton Massachusetts Homes

2008-06-17T18:00:00.002-04:00

High Point Estates is a new subdivision in Grafton Massachusetts. There will be seventy five new homes located in this community. Below is a presentation on a home at 87 High Point Drive I just listed. The home is only 8 months old. The seller is being relocated and would like to move the home quickly. It is priced at $559,900 which is 30K less than what the home was purchased for only 8 months ago. This is a fantastic value for a NEW home in Grafton Massachusetts!

This was the second home purchased in High Point Estates. There are substantial upgrades in this home that are not part of the builders standard package. This home at 87 High Point Drive with all the present ammenities would sell for around $635,000. The home has 2891 square feet on the 1st two floors and approximately 1200 sq ft in the lower level for a total of about 4091 square feet. This Grafton MA home is a great value!

This presentation is an example of the RealBird marketing platform that I use for all the homes that I am marketing in and around Metrowest Massachusetts. The RealBird site does an excellent job of presenting a home. By clicking on the more information/maps link you will be taken to the main site. You will notice a nice slide show presentation, Large pictures, Descriptions, An Interactive Google map, as well as links back to my website and blog. There is even a good link to school information in the particular town the home is located in.

Having an online presence along with proper home pricing is the key to getting a home sold in a tougher Real Estate environment. Over 85% of all buyers find their home online. In Metrowest Massachusetts the statistics may even be higher given we are in a technology belt. All my clients homes have maximum exposure online. See this article on where I advertise on-line. Metrowest MA Homes ~ How to effectively market to the masses on-line.

When selling a home in Grafton or other Metrowest Massachusetts town, it pays to have a pro in your corner representing you. Here are some excellent questions to ask when interviewing your agent, that will help you determine if you are hiring a top producer or not!

Interested in working with a Realtor that will expose your home to the masses online? Get in touch - I would welcome the opportunity to interview with you.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The above Grafton Massachusetts Real Estate information was provided by Bill Gassett, the team leader for the #4 RE/MAX Team in Massachusetts in 2007. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Grafton MA and other Metrowest towns for the last 22+ Years. Bill's office is conveniently located in the center of Hopkinton MA at 77 Main Street. Bill also has a Real Estate offices located in the center of Grafton and Upton as well.

I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise! I would welcome the opportunity to earn your business!

For Massachusetts and Grafton Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Grafton Massachusetts Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

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Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 22 years.

Hopkinton Massachusetts Real Estate

2008-06-17T15:07:00.002-04:00

Interested in Hopkinton Massachusetts Real Estate? Check out this Real Estate show at 61 Hayden Rowe Street, Hopkinton MA.

For more information see 61 Hayden Rowe Street Hopkinton Massachusetts.

Southboro Massachusetts Real Estate

2008-06-17T14:18:00.000-04:00

Interested in Southboro Massachusetts Real Estate? Check out this home I am marketing at 34 Gilmore Road in Southboro MA.

This Southboro Massachusetts home has 8 rooms, 3 bedrooms, and two full baths. There is 1700 square feet of living space. The home is listed at $429,900.

You can view a virtual tour of this Southboro MA home and others Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate Shows here.

For more information on this home see 34 Gilmore Road Southboro Massachusetts

Bill's Gassett's Team earns #4 Real Estate Ranking in Massachusetts for RE/MAX

2008-04-09T19:03:00.002-04:00

RE/MAX Executive Realty is proud to announce that the My House Partners team, (consisting of Bill Gassett, Chuck Joseph, Mary Korbey, Diane Corsi and Eileen Sullivan) has placed number 4 for all RE/MAX teams in Massachusetts and placed number 7 for all of New England. This recognition is out of over 3,000 Sales Associates within the RE/MAX system in New England.

Bill, Chuck, and Mary are consistently top producers in the Hopkinton office and the entire RE/MAX Executive Realty organization. In addition to this recognition as a team, individually Bill and Chuck earned the Platinum Award for their outstanding performance in 2007 and Mary earned the 100% Club Award.

Bill Gassett and Chuck Joseph have also been awarded the RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award for their outstanding careers with RE/MAX. Bill, Chuck and Mary Korbey have all been awarded the Hall of Fame Award for their successful careers at RE/MAX.

"We are very pleased and proud to have Bill and Chuck and their Team as part of our organization" said Bill Wright, President of RE/MAX Executive Realty. "Their success is a direct result of their service to their clients and their contributions to the real estate industry and to RE/MAX. This is really an amazing accomplishment in a challenging year."

RE/MAX Executive Realty has seven offices and over 120 sales associates servicing Hopkinton, the communities of Boston Metrowest and Greater Worcester. It is a franchise of RE/MAX International with over 114,000 sales associates in 65 countries worldwide and is the leader in residential real estate sales.

Contact:

Bill Gassett, RE/MAX Executive Realty

Hopkinton, Massachusetts

508-435-5356

Hopkinton Massachusetts Real Estate

Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate

Mortgagefit.com ~ An Excellent Mortgage Website

2007-10-15T16:21:00.000-04:00

Have you ever stopped by the site mortgagefit.com the worlds largest mortgage community? If you haven't, you really should as it is an excellent resource for those in need of anything related to mortgages. You can get countless questions answered on a variety of topics as they relate to mortgages and real estate.

You can get your questions answered by some of the brightest minds in the mortgage industry "who have been there and done that". The site also provides resources to numerous lenders so that you can shop and compare rates. Lastly, while visiting and shopping for rates you can use some of the fantastic mortgage calculators they offer.

Below is a sample of some of the most recent question and answers at mortgagefit on a variety of topics.

I conducted initial legal research while the client was in m by angiedeangelis5 (Updated 8 hours ago)
caran please answer im in fla by sara m (Updated 13 hours ago)
Multi property owner. by gloria.shelton (Updated 5 hours ago)
simple assumption by waitesusie@peoplepc.com (Updated 1 hour ago)
Will a simple assumption loan relieve my husband of all fina by waitesusie (Updated 1 hour ago)
Verification Of Deposit by tatejrchaz (Updated 10 minuts ago)
Will by sjr (Updated 11 hours ago)
First time buyer penalty for buying parent home by Lee (Updated 7 minuts ago)
Should we get lower rates once FRM rates go down? by Rene (Updated 40 secons ago)
Credit Score by Jeff (Updated 2 hours ago)
quitclaim deed by robin collins (Updated 51 hours ago)
Are there legitimate sources for poor credit home loans? by schweds (Updated 5 hours ago)

RE/MAX Executive Realty Dominates Hopkinton MA Market Share through 8/31/07

2007-09-17T19:54:00.000-04:00

Below are the top ten offices ranked by position in Hopkinton. RE/MAX Executive Realty continues to hold the #1 position by a substantial margin. The information below represents the sales data from January 1st 2007 through August 31st 2007. The statistic that jumps out above everything else is that RE/MAX Executive has 14 in-house sales....meaning they were the listing and selling agent for the property. The next closest company has 4 (c-21 Commonwealth) This is extremely impressive information.

The other statistic that immediately jumps out is the fact that RE/MAX Executive has a substantial lead in the amount of transaction sides which totals 76! The nearest competitor (C-21) has 31 and Coldwell Banker is next with 14. Clearly RE/MAX Executive Realty dominates in Hopkinton Real Estate Sales. RE/Max Executive is doing double the business that Century 21 Commonwealth is doing.

Click here to see many of the reasons why RE/MAX Executive Realty is a dominate player in Hopkinton MA and other Metrowest towns.

For more Hopkinton MA Real Estate articles click here.

REMAX Lists and sells more homes than any agency in the world.

Market Share - All Offices

Report Run: 9/17/2007 7:57:16 PM Property Type(s): SF, CC, MF, LD, CI Start Date: 1/1/2007 End Date: 8/31/2007 Towns: Hopkinton, MA

Office
Listed & SoldUnits $ Vol
Listed/Not SoldUnits $ Vol
Sold/Not ListedUnits $ Vol
TotalUnits $ Vol
Sides%/$ Vol

1
RE/MAX Executive Realty Hopkinton, MA 01748

14 13,245,384
34 18,466,275
14 8,618,400
62 40,330,059
76 20.89

2
Century 21 Commonwealth Hopkinton, MA 01748
4 6,075,400
16 11,415,100
7 4,589,000
27 22,079,500
31 11.44

3
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Framingham Framingham, MA 01701
1 1,720,000
4 2,538,000
8 3,965,500
13 8,223,500
14 4.26

4
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Northborough Regional Office Northborough, MA 01532
--
6 3,205,905
6 4,502,000
12 7,707,905
12 3.99

5

STAR REALTY Hopkinton Hopkinton, MA 01748
2 2,247,000
6 3,456,500
3 1,641,500
11 7,345,000
13 3.81

6

Hallmark Realty Hopkinton, MA 01748
1 3,400,000
3 2,303,500
--
4 5,703,500
5 2.95

7

Berkshire Realty Group Southborough, MA 01772
3 3,136,000
3 2,219,440
--
6 5,355,440
9 2.77

8

RE/MAX First Choice R. E. Northborough, MA 01532
1 970,000
5 2,364,500
4 1,558,000
10 4,892,500
11 2.53

9

Carlson GMAC Real Estate Framingham, MA 01701
--
3 2,280,000
3 1,719,000
6 3,999,000
6 2.07

10

Prudential Town and Country Southborough, MA 01772
1 2,178,000
2 1,148,500
--
3 3,326,500
4 1.72

Total Listings Selected: 168 Unit Dollar Volume: $193,020,994.00 * Unit Dollar Volume calculated using double count method
©2007 MLS Property Information Network, Inc.

Bill Gassett is part of the #2 REMAX team in Massachusett's 2006. Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

Metrowest MA Home Sales ~ Marketing effort pays off BIG!

2007-08-26T14:23:00.000-04:00

In today's challenging real estate environment, the marketing effort provided in a home sale will make a big difference in the ultimate goal.....Getting the house SOLD! Selling your home in Metrowest MA is no longer a task that can be accomplished by throwing a sign out in the yard and putting it in MLS. Buyers are no longer lurking at every street corner waiting for the next house to come on the market. It takes a concentrated effort by the Realtor to get maximum exposure for your home.

The supply of homes in Metrowest MA has been growing along with the average days on the market. To see the statistics on some of the various Metrowest towns including Hopkinton, Ashland, Holliston, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Mendon and Hopedale click to look at the Metrowest MA market report.

There are a number of necessary things to do when selling a home in Metrowest MA. Selecting a good Realtor should be of the utmost importance. Here are some excellent questions you can ask that I outlined for someone selling their home in Hopkinton MA. Of course these questions would apply just about anywhere you are selling your home. These questions should go along way in at least helping you determine if you are hiring a pro or not.

One of the most important things to look for in the interview process is to see where the Realtor will be marketing your home on-line. You can no longer just rely on MLS, Realtor.com, and an agents website to be all that it necessary in the marketing effort to get your home sold.

I recently wrote an article called Metrowest MA Homes ~ How to effectively Market to the masses On-line. This article details a multitude of websites I am using when selling a home in Metrowest MA. This is the type of effort that will increase your chances of getting your home sold in a timely manner for top dollar.

The above information was provided by Bill Gassett, the team leader for the #2 RE/MAX Team in Massachusetts in 2006. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 21+ Years. Bill's office is conveniently located in the center of Hopkinton MA at 77 Main Street. RE/MAX Executive Realty also has an offices in Upton MA, Holliston MA, Grafton MA, Medfield MA, Franklin MA, and Natick MA.

For Massachusetts homes for sale and other Real Estate information see myhousepartners website or Sell my Home in Metrowest MA. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site. I have a passion for Real Estate and would love to help YOU accomplish your goals.

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

The Boston Marathon and Hopkinton MA....It all starts here!

2007-08-02T15:45:00.001-04:00

Hopkinton MA is a terrific place to live. I should know I have lived here for the last forty years. I have also been selling Real Estate in Hopkinton for the last twenty one years. What originally put Hopkinton on the map, so to speak is the fact that the Boston Marathon starts here in little ole Hopkinton MA.
The Boston Marathon is one of the most recognizable events. It has grown so large it is by and large the most covered marathon in the world. Last year there were over 20,000 runners! This day is very exciting here in Hopkinton MA. It is truly an experience with a circus like atmosphere. Helicopters, news trucks, reporters, vendors, and just tons of people, runners and spectators alike.Hopkinton, however, is more than just the starting point for the Boston Marathon. Hopkinton MA is a great place to raise a family. Hopkinton is located about 26 miles West of Boston which makes it an ideal location for people commuting to work everyday. Access to highways is great as the "Cross roads of New England", Route 495 and the MA Pike are right here.

Hopkinton has experienced tremendous growth over the last decade. Real Estate values in the town of Hopkinton have sky rocketed. It has become a "destination" town for people looking to settle down into a nice home.

There are many factors that contribute to Hopkinton being a great place to live besides the excellent commuting location. The schools in Hopkinton are very highly regarded. A new state of the art high school was just built a few years ago.
The athletic center know as the "Field House" in the new high school is close to what you would find at a small college. It is really impressive!

Hopkinton has many great neighborhoods. In fact, in relation to other neighboring towns there is much more variety and number of "subdivision" type neighborhoods. There is a variety of Real Estate choices in Hopkinton MA. Homes for sale in Hopkinton are priced from the mid 200's for a small starter home which most likely needs work to beautiful Multi Million dollar homes.

Some of the top high end subdivisions in Hopkinton include Highpark, Springwood, Forestside Estates, Ravenwood, The Highlands, and Circa 1700 Country Village. Homes is these Hopkinton neighborhoods start in the 600's and go up to a million plus.

The town does not have a big commercial base. Hopkinton has a very rural feel to it. You will not find establishments such as McDonald's and Burger King in Hopkinton. The residents of Hopkinton have wanted it this way, in keeping with the master plan. The town center has a very quaint feel to it. Large scale shopping for groceries and clothing is done in the neighboring towns of Milford and Westboro. There is a large scale mall located about 20 minutes away in Natick MA. There is a small super market in town center called Collela's Market for things needed in a pinch. For a better understanding of the demographics in Hopkinton MA Citi-data is an excellent resource.

One of the most visible companies that employs a number of people living in Hopkinton as well as other surrounding Metrowest towns is EMC Corporation. Emc is a computer data storage company with its main offices located on South Street in Hopkinton.

Hopkinton is going to under go some substantial future growth as one of the largest Nurseries in the united States known as Weston Nurseries, has sold off a large chunk of their land for future development. There will be an additional 940 units built at the Weston Nurseries site. You can read about the future development of Weston Nurseries here. It will be a mix of residential homes, condos, affordable housing, as well as commercial and retail space. The subdivision and the homes there will be be part of what's called Legacy Farms.

As a Realtor that has grown up here and gone through the Hopkinton schools myself, I can be an invaluable resource to my clients and customers. If you are thinking of moving to Hopkinton, MA, I would love to work with you and share my pride in this fantastic town.

If you do decide to move to Hopkinton MA or other Metrowest town, please feel free to visit my Metrowest MA MLS Property Finder website. You can also sign up to get MLS Access here.

Hopkinton MA Real Estate.....something I am passionate about.

Selling your home in Metrowest MA? It Pays to interview a Top Realtor!

2007-07-25T19:56:00.002-04:00

There are thousands of Real Estate agents that service the Metrowest Boston area. There are, however, vast differences in the skill level, services offered, and marketing efforts of the Realtors that cover towns in Metrowest MA.

Lets start by analyzing the many things a Metrowest MA Realtor can do for you to market your home besides putting it in MLS. The local newspaper used to be a good source for marketing homes. The Metrowest Daily News and Boston Globe were the dominant sources for for marketing homes in Metrowest MA over the last decade. Buyers however, don't frequent these sources like they used to when looking for a home in Metrowest MA. All the newspaper resources that used to be so successful in the past for advertising and marketing your Metrowest MA home, just don't work anymore. The volume of calls received from these sources has dwindled severely. The Boston Globe has seen the trend progress and because of this has started to put a lot of their resources into making the real estate section of Boston.com a better place for Metrowest MA Realtors to market their homes. The Boston.com website is owned by the Boston Globe.

It is clear that the Internet is where any good Realtor marketing homes in Metrowest MA should be putting their efforts. A year ago 70% of all buyers were beginning their search on the Internet. Now more than 85% are looking and finding their homes on the Internet. Hiring a Metrowest MA Realtor who is Internet savvy, has the technology in place, and can provide you with an abundance of Internet exposure has become an absolute necessity in todays market. Internet marketing has become one of the most effective means to sell your Metrowest MA home.

Some of the the sites to market a home on the Internet include Realtor.com. Realtor.com is a consumer friendly website that allows buyers to see homes that are on MLS throughout the country. Realtor.com has the largest volume of traffic for real estate related websites. While viewing homes in Realtor.com, you will notice big differences in how Realtors market their homes there. A good Realtor will take the time to "enhance" the listing. As a Realtor, you are allowed to add up to twenty photos of the property you are marketing. Survey after survey says that the photos are the most important tool to market a home. The phrase "A picture is worth a thousand words" is never more evident than in Real Estate. Realtors are also able to write their own custom text to help buyers understand what the best features are about the property. Many of the Realtors in Metrowest MA do nothing to "enhance" their properties. This is a big mistake!

The most heavily traveled real estate company website happens to be the company I work for RE/MAX.com RE/MAX.com is similar to Realtor.com in that you are able to see all the properties on the market from one website. When going to competing companies websites such as Coldwellbanker.com and C-21.com you are only able to view their respective company listings.

One of the latest sites to effectively market a Metrowest MA home is Zillow.com. Zillow initially was more of a site to get a quick evaluation of your homes value but is now being used as a site to market homes. As a Realtor, you are able to enhance listings with multiple photos and descriptions. A valuable tool in marketing your Metrowest MA home, as this is a heavily traveled site. Another site that is also starting to make some headway is Trulia.com. and yet another good site is listingvue.com.

Along with these sites you would think that all Metrowest MA Realtors would have search engine optimized, lead generating websites. Many Metrowest MA agents do not and rely on company websites. My personal website, myhousepartners.com allows buyers to sign up to receive MLS access as well as to get emailed daily when a new property comes on the market that matches their search criteria.

One of the newest and most important ways to market a home in Metrowest MA is through blogging. Blogs are an excellent means to get noticed by the search engines. Some of the best agents from around the country have figured this out and are now blogging like crazy. One of the best Real Estate platforms to blog on is Active Rain and Localism.com Both of these sites are very well recognized by the search engines such as Google and draw traffic to the Realtors who use them. Blogs are personal. Blogs provide buyers and sellers with great information, tips, advice, news, market reports, and promotion of properties. Here are examples of some of my recent blog posts:
Preparing your Massachusetts home for the Spring selling season
Attention Home Sellers - don't get sued because of bedroom misrepresentation.
Get your Title V done early
Metrowest MA Real Estate - why most companies don't offer Sub-agency
Top ten mistakes to avoid when selling your Massachusetts home
Why Your Massachusetts Home Expired
Selling your Massachusetts home is a buyers market

Social networking sites are also raising the bar on how a property can be marketed. For example see my Metrowest MA Real Estate site on Squidoo.com. This is an example of a site I created to draw additional traffic to my listings as well as myself. Some other important social networking sites are stumbleupon, digg, and del.icio.us These sites allows users to post their favorite Internet sites for others to see under different topics. Real Estate is always a popular topic. These sites allow your website to become more visible. As a top Metrowest MA Realtor, I like to take advantage of these sites. It does not pay to be a "secret agent" in Real Estate. Flickr is also a site where you can post photos. I use this site to market homes I am selling in and around Metrowest MA.

Thinking of selling your home in Metrowest MA? Want a top RE/MAX agent that knows how to market homes - Contact Bill Gassett, RE/MAX Executive Realty via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

I am the team leader of the #2 RE/MAX Team in Massachusetts. I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, and Framingham MA.

Want to sign up to access MLS and beat other buyers to new listings? Use my MLS property finder site with no obligation.