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Open Houses Saturday (tomorrow) & Sunday ONLY 12pm-2pm at 40 Burbank Ln., Lancaster!
February 12, 2016
(MLS: 71957451). Newer colonial in a premier setting at 40 Burbank Lane in Lancaster!
Cul-de-sac location and set back from the road to maximize the privacy of the 3.62 acres. 4 beds, 2.5 baths and nearly 3000 sq feet that includes a full Master Suite with private bath, first floor office, formal dining room and family room. Large kitchen features a center island that can seat 6 people. This custom kitchen with granite counters has expanded features to include a pantry, wine rack and china cabinet. Additional seating area with wood burning fireplace with easy access to the back deck through the sliders really makes this a space to be in! The upper level features generous bedrooms with a full Master Suite that includes a walk-in closet and private bath with Jacuzzi tub. Additional space can be had in the unfinished walk up attic or unfinished walk out basement. Central a/c, workshop and 2 car garage! Don’t miss this short sale opportunity!
***Viewings during open houses THIS WEEKEND on Saturday (tomorrow) 12pm-2pm and Sunday 12pm-2pm ONLY***
Open Houses Saturday & Sunday ONLY 12pm-2pm at 40 Burbank Ln., Lancaster-$500,000!
February 11, 2016
(MLS: 71957451). Newer colonial in a premier setting at 40 Burbank Lane in Lancaster!
Cul-de-sac location and set back from the road to maximize the privacy of the 3.62 acres. 4 beds, 2.5 baths and nearly 3000 sq feet that includes a full Master Suite with private bath, first floor office, formal dining room and family room. Large kitchen features a center island that can seat 6 people. This custom kitchen with granite counters has expanded features to include a pantry, wine rack and china cabinet. Additional seating area with wood burning fireplace with easy access to the back deck through the sliders really makes this a space to be in! The upper level features generous bedrooms with a full Master Suite that includes a walk-in closet and private bath with Jacuzzi tub. Additional space can be had in the unfinished walk up attic or unfinished walk out basement. Central a/c, workshop and 2 car garage! Don’t miss this short sale opportunity!
***Viewings during open houses on Saturday 12pm-2pm and Sunday 12pm-2pm ONLY***
7 Steps to Take Before You Buy A Home!
February 11, 2016
***By doing your homework before you buy, you’ll feel more content about your new home.***
Most potential home buyers are a smidge daunted by the fact that they’re about to agree to a hefty mortgage that they’ll be paying for the next few decades. The best way to relieve that anxiety is to be confident you’re purchasing the best home at a price you can afford with the most favorable financing. These seven steps will help you make smart decisions about your biggest purchase.
1. Decide how much home you can afford.
Generally, you can afford a home priced two to three times your gross income. Remember to consider costs every homeowner must cover: property taxes, insurance, maintenance, utilities, and community association fees, if applicable, as well as costs specific to your family, such as daycare if you plan to have children.
2. Develop your home wish list.
Be honest about which features you must have and which you’d like to have. Handicap accessibility for an aging parent or special needs child is a must. Granite countertops and stainless steel appliances are in the bonus category. Come up with your top five must-haves and top five wants to help you focus your search and make a logical, rather than emotional, choice when home shopping.
3. Select where you want to live.
Make a list of your top five community priorities, such as commute time, schools, and recreational facilities. Ask a REALTOR® to help you identify three to four target neighborhoods based on your priorities.
4. Start saving.
Have you saved enough money to qualify for a mortgage and cover your down payment? Ideally, you should have 20% of the purchase price set aside for a down payment, but some lenders allow as little as 5% down. A small down payment preserves your savings for emergencies.
However, the lower your down-payment, the higher the loan amount you’ll need to qualify for, and if you still qualify, the higher your monthly payment. Your down payment size can also influence your interest rate and the type of loan you can get. Finally, if your down payment is less than 20%, you’ll be required to purchase private mortgage insurance. Depending on the size of your loan, PMI can add hundreds to your monthly payment. Check with your state and local government for mortgage and down payment assistance programs for first-time buyers.
5. Ask about all the costs before you sign.
A down payment is just one home buying cost. A REALTOR® can tell you what other costs buyers commonly pay in your area — including home inspections, attorneys’ fees, and transfer fees of 2% to 7% of the home price. Tally up the extras you’ll also want to buy after you move-in, such as window coverings and patio furniture for your new yard.
6. Get your credit in order.
A credit report details your borrowing history, including any late payments and bad debts, and typically includes a credit score. Lenders lean heavily on your credit report and credit score in determining whether, how much, and at what interest rate to lend for a home. The minimum credit score you can have to qualify for a loan depends on many factors, including the size of your down payment. Talk to a REALTOR® or lender about your particular circumstance.
You’re entitled to free copies of your credit reports annually from the major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Order and then pore over them to ensure the information is accurate, and try to correct any errors before you buy. If your credit score isn’t up to snuff, the easiest ways to improve it are to pay every bill on time and pay down high credit card debt.
7. Get prequalified.
Meet with a lender to get a prequalification letter that says how much house you’re qualified to buy. Start gathering the paperwork your lender says it needs. Most want to see W-2 forms verifying your employment and income, copies of pay stubs, and two to four months of banking statements. If you’re self-employed, you’ll need your current profit and loss statement, a current balance sheet, and personal and business income tax returns for the previous two years.
Consider your financing options. The longer the loan, the smaller your monthly payment. Fixed-rate mortgages offer payment certainty; an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) offers a lower monthly payment. However, an adjustable-rate mortgage may adjust dramatically. Be sure to calculate your affordability at both the lowest and highest possible ARM rate.
Commercial & 6-Unit Residential Pairing at 647-649 Main St., Clinton, MA. – Only $675,000!
February 8, 2016
Searching for an excellent, combined commercial AND residential listing? Your search ends here! As depicted above, this listing includes a local landmark bar (at 649 Main St., Clinton, MA – on the right in the photo above) AND the 6-unit residential property (at 647 Main St., Clinton, MA – on the left in the photo above), all for just $675,000! The residential covers 4,181 square feet and the bar covers 4,833 square feet and sits at the intersection of Routes 62 and 110. Ample parking for both properties. Interested? Questions? Give us a call! This pair will not last!
Two Family House at 353 Parker St., Gardner – Only $139,999!
February 8, 2016
Looking for a super affordable 2-family house? Well, look no further! This two family house is located at 353 Parker Street in Gardner and comes with a sizable driveway and a yard. Both units include 2 or 3 bedrooms, open floor plan and hardwood floors. This house is entirely move-in-ready and has been updated in terms of gas heat, electrical, plumbing and roof. Not a short sale, but looking to close quickly, all this and more for only $139,999! Call us today!
Short Sale Cape-style at 14 Marcam Village Rd., Unit 14 in N. Oxford – $140,00!
February 8, 2016
This is an excellent short sale property ready to move at $20,000 *BELOW* what it was assessed at. A true steal at just $140,000! This property is at 14 Marcam Village Road, Unit 14 in North Oxford. 6 rooms, 3 bedrooms and 1.5 baths, open floor plan with a finished basement. Located in a super quiet community and has 4 parking spots available. Call us today!
Stunning Antique Colonial Farmhouse at 83 Central St. in Millville – $749,499!
February 8, 2016
Where to begin with this staggeringly beautiful property..! Located at 83 Central Street in Millville, MA, this house comes with 15 rooms, 4 beds and 3 bathrooms, sits on 1.28 acres of land, 3308 square feet of living space and is situated only minutes from routes 495, 146 and 122 in one of the safest suburbs. 3 car garage attached. All granite and stainless steel appliances in a gorgeous kitchen made for entertaining! An additional 4 acres of land is available for sale. This property is listed at $749,499! Call us today!
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Offer Troubled Home Owners New Foreclosure Alternative
April 9, 2013
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will offer a new, simplified loan modification program to help troubled borrowers avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes.
Beginning July 1, borrowers who are at least 90 days delinquent on a Fannie Mae- or Freddie Mac-guaranteed mortgage will be allowed to lower their monthly payments and modify their mortgage without having to fill out financial or hardship documentation.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guarantee about half of U.S. home mortgages.
Most foreclosure avoidance programs, including the federal government’s Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), make you fill out financial forms documenting your income, expenses, and employment. Troubled borrowers say their lenders often lose that paperwork, while lenders often claim borrowers aren’t completing the paperwork.
The new Streamlined Modification Initiative program would also:
- Lower your interest rate close to current rates.
- Stretch out your mortgage to 40 years.
Those two changes will reduce the typical program participant’s monthly payment by about 30%.
If you owe more than your home is worth, you also won’t have to pay interest on as much as 30% of your outstanding mortgage amount.
Once you’re in the program, you’ll then have to make three on-time trial payments at the new rate. Do that and your mortgage will be permanently lowered under the new Streamlined Modification initiative.
If you opt for the program, you’ll be encouraged to document your income and financial hardship. That’s because the traditional foreclosure avoidance programs will likely net you a better deal.
The program, which expires Aug. 1, 2015, is open only to home owners with loans owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
If you qualify for the program, your lender must offer it to you. If you think you qualify and aren’t automatically offered the program, you can call your lender to ask about the program after July 2013.
To qualify:
- You must be at least 90 days delinquent, but no more than 24 months delinquent.
- Your mortgage loan amount divided by the current value of the property must be greater than or equal to 80%.
- Your mortgage loan has to be a first mortgage.
- You can’t have been 60 days late on a prior loan modification payment, or have failed at two or more prior modification plans.
- You must have gotten your loan more than a year ago
To see if your mortgage is backed by Fannie or Freddie, go HERE
Stunning Staircase make-overs…for pennies!
April 2, 2013
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These stair treads are MDF covered in stained brown paper, giving the overall effect of cork. All images in this post: Rachael from Lovely Crafty Home
When I first saw pictures of Rachael Evans’ stairway upgrade, I honed in on the textured wallpaper she applied to the risers beneath what looked like cork treads.
But as I read Rachael’s post, I realized the treads were not cork or burled wood. They were MDF covered with stained brown paper — a decoupage technique that made the plain treads look expensive and elegant. It’s faux flooring for less than $100.
Brown-Paper Stairs 101
This time-intensive but low-cost refinishing technique requires:
- Brown craft paper (the kind you wrap packages with; $20 for a 200-ft. roll).
- White glue ($12/gal. at craft stores).
- Dark walnut stain ($8/qt.).
- Floor-grade polyurethane, semi-gloss ($40/gal.). Look for water-based products to reduce your exposure to VOCs; it also dries quickly.
Rachael has printed a complete tutorial on how to lay down brown paper flooring. Here’s the basic process.
1. Remove carpet and padding.
2. Tape off baseboards to protect the paint.
3. Tear paper into 6- to 12-inch-diameter pieces; the smaller the pieces, the more leathery the floor will look. (Pieces with straight edges are good for applying next to walls.) Crumple into balls and toss into a contractor’s plastic bag until you need them.
4. Dilute glue with water using a ratio of 3 parts water to 1 part glue. Only dilute enough glue to use in one session.
5. With a paintbrush, brush treads with undiluted glue.
6. Dunk 5-6 balls of paper at a time into the diluted glue; squeeze out excess.
7. Lay paper on treads, overlapping a little. Brush the diluted glue mix over the paper to flatten and remove wrinkles.
8. Allow to dry for about 12 hours.
9. Apply stain, and let that dry for 48 hours.
10. Apply 12 coats of water-based polyurethane, sanding lightly between coats.
Wallpaper Risers
Once you’ve finished refinishing the treads, you can refresh the risers by applying paintable textured wallpaper. Rachael used an embossed print called anaglypta ($20 for 22 sq. ft.), which looks like vintage metal ceiling tiles.
To give the project a finished look, she glued a piece of trim onto the bottom of each riser.
Lessons Learned
1. Work on every other stair, so you can use the stairway while you’re refinishing. The project will take four days to complete, so you don’t want to be without your stairway for that long.
2. For best results, practice the technique on scrap wood before trying it on the stairs.
3. For a light, natural color, skip the stain.
4. Allow everything to dry completely before proceeding to the next step. Patience is key to good results!
Thank you Rachael!
Mass Saves Rate Page
February 18, 2013
Mass Save Deal on Energy Bills! facebook.com/amymullenremax
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Real Estate and *stuff * 