Best Real Estate Articles For June 2014

Excellent Real Estate Content Worth a Look

As a Real Estate agent who spends a lot of time on the internet I am in the fortunate position to get to see a lot of well written, quality real estate articles. Through my participation in a number of social media channels it is actually pretty easy.

One of my favorite places to find great real estate content is on Google Plus. Not only are there a number of terrific Realtors who share top notch content on their profile pages, there is also some fantastic material within the Google Plus Real Estate communities. One of the best features of Google Plus is the ability to readily have some awesome content to digest and share on a daily basis. There is always something good cooking at Google Plus. This is why it is by far my favorite social media channel for real estate.

Over the past month I have come across some really helpful real estate information. These are just superb pieces of content that can really help out either a home buyer or seller. I am going to share with you what I feel are the best of the best.

The first article is something that every seller should read titled things you should do before selling your home. These are really simple home sale tips that frankly don't cost a lot of money but can pay tremendous dividends when you are finally ready to put the for sale sign in your yard. There are ten great pieces of advice that you should consider if you are going to be selling your home in the near future.

The next great article comes from Joe Manuasa down in Florida who shares how a Realtor figures out real estate market value. This was an interesting article because Joe actually asked me to participate by asking me a series of questions about how to go about not only picking the right comparable sales data but then also analyzing it to come up with an accurate value for the home. This is where many real estate agents make mistakes and do not give home sellers information they can rely on. This can cause serious problems for a seller especially when they need to make price reductions.

Lynn Pineda another real estate agent from Florida also does an exceptional job of taking us through the home selling process from start to finish. Many of us Realtors take for granted what we do on a daily basis selling homes. Often times we forget that those outside our industry may not know some of the things we think they should. Lynn's article takes you through the home selling process from start to finish and she does a brilliant job with it.

Kyle Hiscock a real estate agent and blogger from up in New York steps up to the plate and delivers some terrific advice on staging a home. In Kyle's article he gives five staging tips to maximize a homes price and also the time on the market. We are both on the same page when it comes to staging. While it is extremely important for a home to look it's absolute best before it hits the market, what is just as critical is hiring the right real estate agent who is skilled in pricing and marketing homes.

In fact I had written an article a while back about how staging does not sell homes and it ruffled quite a few home stagers feathers. The point of the article was not that professional home staging does not work but that picking a real estate agent just because they offer staging is a poor way to choose the best representative for your home sale. The best way to choose a Realtor is based on past success not because they are going to bring in a stager and not charge you for it. How does that speak to the agents skills in selling a home? It doesn't!

Another superb article comes all the way from Vegas from Debbie Drummond who offers up some really good tips on how to deal with a low real estate appraisal. Anyone who is in the business knows that when a home does not appraise it creates quite a bit of stress for all the parties involved including the buyer, seller and Realtors. Debbie offers up some excellent tips on how to fix appraisal issues if you are unfortunate enough to find yourself in that position.

Another topic that is often discussed quite a bit online and also among the general public is whether to buy or rent a home. There are of course advantages and disadvantages to each. This article sums it up pretty well without being completely biased towards buying a home which is what often times happens when Realtors are writing the articles. I was actually interviewed for this one and tried to be as straight forward and honest with my opinions.

All of these real estate articles I though were very helpful. They answer questions that a lot of consumers often ask and seek answers for. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

78 South Mill Street Hopkinton MA Home For Sale

78 South Mill Street Hopkinton is the kind of home that will have appeal to a large set of home buyer's. This is due to the fact that there is a very popular floor plan that works on a day to day basis. Combine this with the fact that the home is as close as you are going to get to new construction then you have something special. The current owner just moved into the home six months ago but has been relocated.

The home was built by Ron Nation who is a very well respected Hopkinton Builder that is the developer for Springwood Estates and Connelly Hill Estates, two neighborhoods which are located only a few miles up the road. Ron is currently still building there and the homes are over a million dollars. The great thing about 78 South Mill Street is that you will see many of the same quality finishes he provides in his million dollars homes right here as well.

My favorite room in the home is the kitchen which is just spectacular. You will find custom Cherry cabinetry with granite counters along with a good size island, stainless appliances including a wall oven and gas cook top. There is a very large eating area that is flooded by natural sunlight from an over-sized slider. The kitchen opens onto an awesome family room that is comfortable yet big enough for entertaining quite a few guests. The room is proportioned well at 18x24 feet and has cathedral ceilings and a gas fireplace.

For a lengthy description of 78 South Mill you can visit the Maximum Real Estate Exposure website at  http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/listings/78-south-mill-street-hopkinton-massachusetts-01748/
which will give you all the information on this Hopkinton home that you could possibly need.

You will find that South Mill Street is conveniently located with easy access to major routes as well as only a few miles from the center of town. The home has just been listed at $699,900. If interested in a private viewing or have additional questions you can contact me at 508-435-5356.

What to Ask When Buying A Condo

There are quite a few things that buyer's should be considering when purchasing a condominium. The issues are far more complex in a condo purchase vs buying a home. Not to say that buying a home does not have it's challenges but with condo's there are far more things to worry about because you don't have complete control over them.

Here is an excellent article that discusses all the the questions a buyer should be thinking about when buying a condo: http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-condo/

The article goes into a detailed discussion of what you should be thinking about as a buyer including how much are the condo fees and what do they cover. Is the condo development run professionally through a management company or is it a home owners association. Does the condo complex have lengthy rules and what exactly are they? What is the parking situation for my condo unit? Is the condominium project able to be financed using an FHA loan?

These are just a few quick examples of the types of questions you will find in the article above.

4 West Main Street Hopkinton Massachusetts Real Estate For Sale

What most buyer's figure out after they have started to browse the local Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate market is that homes here are not cheap. If you are looking for a younger colonial in a destination town such as Hopkinton it is nearly impossible to find anything decent under $350,000.

Every now and then a diamond in the rough comes along. This home at 4 West Main Street Hopkinton certainly could be described that way. The property was bought by a builder around twelve years ago who completely gutted the property down to the foundation. Everything in the home at that time was new including the walls, windows, plumbing, heating, electric, roof and even the septic system. You might as well say it was considered new construction as almost everything was removed except for the old stone foundation!

Fast forward about twelve years to today and you have a young Hopkinton colonial that is on the market for only $309,900!

You can get a complete description of 4 West Main Street by clicking this link: http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/4-west-main-street-hopkinton-ma-01748/ 
but I will give you a quick summary of some of the best features. What I love about the property besides the fact that it is a young home is the fact it has a wide open floor plan. The minute you walk through the door you are able to see all the rooms on the first floor! It has a beautiful Maple kitchen, fireplaced dining room, central air and Hickory hardwood floors throughout.

The proximity to schools, town center and major highways is excellent. Come take a look you won't be disappointed!

31 Giacamo Way Uxbridge Massachusetts Real Estate For Sale

There are some homes that just stand out due to their curb appeal. This home at 31 Giacamo Way in Uxbridge is certainly one that fits the bill. This double wing colonial is set on a 1.54 acre lot at the end of a cul-de-sac in a popular neighborhood setting. The home sits perfectly on the lot with an abundance of both front and back yard.

The interior of the home offers three levels of excellent space. The total gross living area with the basement is about 3208 square feet. There are 10 rooms, 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths.

Some of the outstanding features include a large country kitchen with birch cabinetry, tile floors and sliders to a private deck. There is a spacious family rooms that is appointed with a brick fireplace, plenty of windows and cathedral ceilings. There is no doubt this is a room that will get a ton of use. There is also a formal dining and living room on the first floor as well.

The second floor offers four good size bedrooms including a very nice master suite that features a private bath and large walk-in closet.

What really completes this home however, is the large finished lower level. There is plenty of room for just about anything you have the need for. There is a large open room that would make a perfect place for a game room as well as a smaller room for either an in home office or exercise area.

For additional information on 31 Giacamo Way see the following link: http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/31-giacamo-way-uxbridge-ma-01569/

This Uxbridge home is currently for sale at $379,900 and offers an excellent value.

145 Hayden Rowe Street Hopkinton MA Real Estate For Sale

145 Hayden Rowe Street is the type of property that will have appeal to a few different markets including first time buyer's and possibly an empty Nestor. The home clearly shows pride of ownership as they current owners have made a ton of additions and improvements. All the major updating has been done including the roof, windows, electrical, plumbing and baths.

There is a spacious kitchen with hardwood floors and wood cabinetry that is the heart of the home. There is a nice sitting room with wood walls, ceilings and attractive built-in bookcases. A ton of glass floods this room with natural light. There is also a living room, 1st floor bedroom with sliders to a private deck and a full bath/laundry room combination.

The second floor is dedicated to an entire master suite. The owner added a full bath about eight years ago that shows terrific. There is a five foot shower, extra wide vanity and tile flooring.

My favorite feature of 145 Hayden Rowe Street is the back of the house. There is a large deck and brick paver patio for entertaining along with a beautifully manicured lawn. You will not want to leave when you see the backyard area. As an added bonus there is a two car attached garage.

You can see more information by visiting this link:
http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/145-hayden-rowe-street-hopkinton-ma-01748/

The home is being marketed at $264,900.

31 Overlook Road Hopkinton MA Luxury Real Estate

This home at 31 Overlook Road in Hopkinton Massachusetts is located in a prestigious area know as The Estates at Highland Ridge. It is located off of Cedar Street Extension and was developed by National builder Toll Brothers. It is certainly the kind of property that you will be saying WOW to yourself as you enter the home and start walking around. There really is nothing missing that a buyer would want in a luxury residence.

Some of the many highlights include a two story foyer with a sweeping staircase, a gourmet kitchen with Cherry cabinetry, granite counters/stainless appliances, and a two story family room with coffered ceiling and fireplace.

If you like to entertain the layout is perfect. One hard to find bonus is a very spacious room located over the garage that is perfect for large gatherings. The room is set up to be just about anything you have a use for. It has tons of glass and is wired for surround sound. The first floor also has a private study as well as a front to back living/dining room with attractive columns, hardwood floors and crown moldings.

The second floor features four good size bedrooms including a lavish master suite with sitting area, huge walk-in closet and a beautiful bath. The total gross living area of this Hopkinton home is 4250 square feet.

For a complete description of the property with additional details visit: 
http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/31-overlook-road-hopkinton-ma-01748/

The home is being marketed for $875,000. Hopkinton is well know for their outstanding school system as well as an easy commuting location for those traveling to Boston, Worcester or Providence.

46 Adin Street Hopedale MA Real Estate

There are some homes that naturally stand out in a crowd due to the appeal they have with a wide range of buyers. After looking at 46 Adin Street in Hopedale Massachusetts you can easily see why this Victorian property fits that description. Without question the current owners have done a fantastic job of blending the character of an older home with them modern amenities most buyer's expect.

Before even heading in the door what you will immediately notice are two things - how well the grounds are maintained and the striking front porch. Taking a quick stroll around the home you will notice a private garden area with a brick paver patio and an absolutely stunning backyard. The perfect word to describe the back of this Hopedale home is PARADISE!

If you like to entertain you won't want to leave this place. For starters there is an outdoor kitchen with stove, fridge and granite counters! A large brick patio houses a fire pit perfect for gathering around with friends and family. A Koi pond with a built-in waterfall adds to the ambiance of this perfect get away.

Heading inside your will find a six bedroom three and a half bath home with about 3250 square feet. There are three floors of quality living area. Some of the many highlights include a custom Birch kitchen with granite counters, stainless appliances and a huge eating area. There is a back staircase which most folks find attractive for easy access to the second floor. A spacious family room with handsome fireplace and walk-out bay window compliment the front of the home.

The second floor has four good size bedrooms including a terrific master with a private bath and walk-in closet that you seldom find in older homes. On really neat feature is the 4th bedroom has a built-in Murphy bed that folds into the wall and is surrounded by built-in. In a snap the room can go from a bedroom to a study!

Lastly the third floor offers a retreat that can be used for just about anything you would want. To see complete details of 46 Adin Street visit this link: http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/46-adin-street-hopedale-ma-01747/ The home is being marketed at $499,900 and is located in one of the most prestigious areas of Hopedale.