Real Estate and *stuff *
A real person helping real people with real estate
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New listing in North Oxford – bring this newer colonial to the next level and realize value!
January 24, 2012
I am super excited about this new listing in North Oxford. Sitting on top of a hill, it has a sense of privacy but is very convenient to 20, 56, 12, 290 and 90. With the 4+ acres that backs up to conversation land – you wouldn’t know you were that close to the highways.
Solid construction with 2×6, Advantechsub flooring, full insulation – there wasn’t anything spared. Almost finished with hardwoods, granite, recessed lighting, french doors and surround sound wiring. You will not find particle board, plastic or laminate in this house! Just a few finishing touches and this house is DONE!
Top-10 List of New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home – Resolution #3
January 24, 2012
Oh yes – we still have a few more resolutions to keep up with! It’s still January! Based on the most-common top-ten resolutions gathered by “Time” magazine, USA.gov, and other sources, here is #3 on an inspiring list of home management goals.
3. Get out of debt (budget for improvements)
Creating a yearly budget for home improvement and maintenance helps prevent overspending, and encourages you to put aside money for major replacements — such as new roofing or a kitchen appliance — that come up every few years.
Protect your home finances by knowing how much you’ll probably spend each year. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau says that average annual maintenance and home improvement expenditures are about $3,300 per household. Leading lending institutions agree; HSH Associates and LendingTree.com place average costs of yearly maintenance and upkeep at 1% to 3% of your home’s initial price.
That means the owner of a $250,000 home should budget between $2,500 to $7,500 each year for upkeep and replacements. Have extra at the end of the year? Save it for more costly upkeep and replacement items down the road — you’ll probably need it then.
Unique and beautiful feature in this West Marlborough Colonial for sale
January 22, 2012
Check out the “sewing room” in 5 Pleasant Street in Marlborough! New to market and open this coming Sunday (1/29) 12pm to 1pm this is some beautiful wood work!
4 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, hardwoods, full pantry, first floor laundry, fireplace and full dry basement. Special incentive pricing and a great location. You can walk to the downtown area for dinner or shopping and still be moments from 495 for the Monday morning commute.
Want to this in person? Stop in the open house on Sunday 1/29 or contact me
Night and Sugar need a new home
January 22, 2012
Patriot Siberian Husky Rescue (www.pshr.org) have a new brother/sister pair that need a new home – they have lots of energy and want to be good dogs but have spent most of their 5 yrs outside. As you can see from the video below – they are not used to being inside. If you have lots of time and patience – please contact an adoption coordinator through http://www.pshr.org
Walk through presentation of 67 Laurel Hill Lane in Holden with one of the young family members
January 21, 2012
A family presentation! This whole family is together on the decision to sell their home and it shows!
67 Laurel Hill Lane in Holden is a new listing to the market and has so much to offer! Hardwoods throughout – fireplace – nice wooded back yard and a great neighborhood!
To see the whole house – call or email!
The whole family gets involved! Sneak peek video for a new listing in Holden!
January 16, 2012
This is the living room and kitchen of 67 Laurel Lane in Holden which is coming on the market this week! This 3 bedroom, 1 bath ranch offers so much with hardwood floors, large windows, wood burning or electric fireplace and fenced in yard with a view of the woods.
The basement is dry and has a finished family room and plenty of space for a workshop. Great neighborhood and priced right!
For more information or schedule a showing of the whole house (not just the kitchen and the living room):
Amy Mullen, Realtor CPA CDPE MBA
RE/MAX Professional Associates
508-784-0504
amymullen@remax.net
http://www.amymullenrealestate.com
Top-10 List of New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home – Resolution #2
January 15, 2012
When the new year arrives, promises and resolutions abound. Here’s the top-10 list of what the resolute home owner should accomplish this year. Here’s Number Two on the Top 10 List of New Year’s Resolutions for your Home…
2. Quit smoking (purify indoor air)
The EPA lists indoor air quality as one of the top environmental health hazards. That’s because indoor air is full of potential contaminants, such as dust, mold spores, pollen, and viruses. The problem is at its worst during winter, when windows and doors are shut tight.
You can help eliminate harmful lung irritants in your home with these maintenance and improvement tips:
- Maintain your HVAC system and change furnace filters regularly. Use the highest-quality filters you can afford ($10-$20) and change every month during peak heating and cooling seasons.
- Keep indoor air pristine by using low-VOC paints when you remodel your rooms.
- Use localized ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms to remove cooking fumes, smoke, and excess humidity. Make sure ventilation systems exhaust air to the outside of your home, rather than your attic crawl space or between ceiling joists.
- In fireplaces and wood stoves, burn real firewood rather than pressed wood products that may contain formaldehyde.
- Use a portable air cleaner to help cleanse the air in single rooms. Portable air cleaner types include mechanical air filters, electrostatic precipitators, ion generators, and ultraviolet lamps.
Note that each type of air cleaner is designed to remove specific pollutants; no portable air cleaner removes all pollutants. Be wary of air cleaners that generate ozone — a known lung irritant.
Top-10 List of New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home – Resolution #1
January 14, 2012
This time, it’s going to be different. A brand new year, brimming with possibilities, and you’ve resolved to move through your house like a whirling tornado of can-do, fixing and painting and organizing. This year, nothing will stop you.
Welcome to your home improvement New Year’s Resolutions.
Based on the most-common top-ten resolutions gathered by “Time” magazine, USA.gov, and other sources, here is an inspiring list of home management goals.
Ready for 2012? Here it comes the first of the top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for your home:
1. Lose weight (cut energy use)
Your house is a glutton, gobbling energy like a starved elephant. Gain control by trimming energy use.
A good place to start is your HVAC ductwork. Ducts are notorious energy-wasters, leaking your heating and cooling air through holes and loose connections.
Sealing and insulating your ductwork can improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system by as much as 20%, saving you $200 per year or more, according to Energy Star. You’ll make your home more comfortable, and a more-efficient system helps extend the life of your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump.
Because ducts are usually hidden inside walls, ceilings, attics, and crawl spaces, sealing and insulating them may be a difficult and time-consuming DIY job. If you can’t reach all your ducts, concentrate on those that are accessible.
Use duct sealant — called mastic — or metal-backed tape to seal the seams, holes, and connections. Don’t use the confusingly named “duct tape,” which won’t provide a permanent solution. Be sure to seal connections at vents and floor registers — these are likely places for leaks to occur.
After sealing your ducts, wrap them in fiberglass insulation. Most hardware stores and home improvement centers have insulation wrap products made for ducts.
A professional heating and cooling contractor will charge $1,000 to $4,000 for the work, including materials, depending on the size of your home and accessibility to your ducts.
Insulating your ductwork may qualify for a rebate from your state or local municipality. Check the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency.
1565 Main St Holden Open House for today…RESCHEDULED
January 12, 2012
I hope everyone is warm and safe today! We have rescheduled the open house that we had planned for today at 1565 Main Street in Holden to Wednesday, January 18th at 5pm.
1565 Main Street is brand new from the studs forward and is a masterpiece of luxury, upgrades and flexbility. This multi-level contemporary offers a first floor master, in-law suite and the possibility of commercial zoning.
We are open this Sunday, January 15th 1:30 to 3pm and also open Wednesday January 18th 5pm to 6:30pm with special guest Dan Woznicki from Wells Fargo. Dan will be available to discuss upgrade opportunities and financing options with Wells Fargo.
Don’t miss out on this house! Check out the pictures or watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCfm2H4V2cw
Freddie Mac Announces Up to 12 Month Forbearance for Unemployed
January 11, 2012
Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae postponed foreclosures through the holidays but things are back on schedule now. Freddie Mac has announced a forbearance if the home owner is unemployed. This video explains how to obtain that:
Not sure if Freddie Mac owns your loan – visit their site here: https://ww3.freddiemac.com/corporate/
If you are struggling with your mortgage or know someone who is, please find out all your options. This site will give you several different options depending on where you are in the foreclosure process: www.dontforeclosenow.com
