Real Estate and *stuff *
A real person helping real people with real estate
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New listing in Marlborough!
August 2, 2014
 
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REMAX Prof Assoc : 246 Boston Turnpike Road – Shrewsbury, : 617-899-2146 |
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NEW website!
April 1, 2014
Oh yes! It was TIME to change my site and I am very excited! Easy to read, tablet and mobile ready and packed with information! Check it out and let me know what you think!
http://www.amymullenrealestate.com
Yes, You Can Recycle Those Campaign Lawn Signs
November 8, 2012
You’ve seen them sprouting like weeds across lawns, or maybe you’ve sported one or two in your yard: those political signs that don’t do much for curb appeal, but are a benefit to our political process. After the election, don’t throw away those eyesores. They are made of corrugated polypropylene plastic and metal, which are recyclable. Separate the metal stakes from the plastic signs, and either add them to your recycle bin or drop them off at your town’s recycling center.
And it’s an opportunity to be a good neighbor. If you see some old signs still dotting the landscape, offer to recycle them, too. Does anyone have some creative ideas for them?
New listing in Hudson for the holiday weekend!
September 2, 2012
This is a beautiful contemporary colonial at the end of the Falls Brook Road cul-de-sac. Named after the water fall that you can walk to from the backyard!
Backing up to conversation land – it offers an easy 4 minute drive to the highways but quiet neighborhood privacy at the end of the day! Fantastic upgrades have already been done including a full finished lower level with streaming natural light for a great in-law or returning from college space – includes a large sitting room with patio sliders, full bedroom with closet and full bathroom.
Take a look at the great room! The open floor plan allows everyone to be together with an eat-in kitchen, formal dining room and 3 season screen porch off the kitchen. No details have been spared with the granite counters, hardwood floors, stainless appliances or skylights.
But wait…there’s more! First floor office with built in desk offers light streaming french doors, first floor laundry and full master suite including master bath with tub and double vanities.
New to the fall market and available for rent also! Get creative! Occupancy is mid September so we can work a short term occupancy agreement while you are waiting for closing! Watch a quick video tour here on my youtube page.
For more information or a private showing:
Amy Mullen, Realtor CPA CPDE MBA
RE/MAX Professional Associates
508-784-0504
amymullen@remax.net
Google’s Goats and 13 More Amazing Home Facts from Around the World
August 3, 2012
Some stunning trivia about home and habitat…
A slide connects all three stories of this house in Japan. Image: LEVEL Architects
1. Google rents goats to do its mowing.
Rather than use gasoline-guzzling, noisy mowers at its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters — the Googleplex — Google has been known to keep its lawn coiffed with rent-a-goats.
Image: Sebastian Bergmann/Flickr
Google rents goats from a cool company called California Grazing, which swears it can maneuver a herd of goats through crowded city streets. It’s an eco-friendly approach to landscaping — and you can’t beat the cute factor.
2. Swedes and Danes use dead bodies to heat their homes.
Image: Ole Jais
It’s an idea that makes a lot of sense when you think it through. Crematoriums heat up to 2,000 degrees, which is a lot of energy that was going to waste — until someone got the bright idea to pump that heat into local energy companies, where it’s used to warm homes.
3. In parts of Germany and Poland, when a couple marries, guests break a whole lot of porcelain.
And leave it to the couple to clean up. They do this right in front of the bride’s home, usually the night before the wedding. It’s called “Polterabend” and it’s meant to symbolize the struggles the new couple will face as they build a home together, with an emphasis on working together through those struggles.
If you’re invited to participate, make sure you break only porcelain (old toilets welcome) and not glass, which stands for happiness, and therefore should never be broken.
4. Brass doorknobs disinfect themselves.
It’s called the oligodynamic effect: The ions in the metal have a toxic effect on spores, fungi, viruses, and other germs — eliminating the nasties within eight hours.
5. The original housewarming party was — literally — a housewarming.
Guests brought firewood as gifts and lit fires in all the fireplaces in the home. Obviously this warmed up the place for the family, but it was also believed to ward off evil spirits. Uninhabited homes were thought to attract roaming ghosts, so a new home would have to be rid of that bad energy before it could become a happy abode.
6. A man started with one red paper clip and traded his way to a home.
Image: www.redpaperclip.com
Kyle MacDonald made his first trade — one red paperclip for a fish-shaped pen — in July of 2005. Less than a year and several trades later, he finally traded a film role for a two-story farmhouse in Saskatchewan. Who knew that bartering could be so lucrative?
7. In Scotland, home owners paint their front door red when they pay off their mortgage.
Image: kayugee/Flickr
Throughout history, a red front door has symbolized many things — the ancient Hebrews believed it would protect firstborn children from the angel of death; in the early days of America, it meant the home was a safe place for travelers to stop for the night. And according to Feng Shui, a red front door invites positive energy into a home.
8. You can buy a missile silo.
The most popular use is to turn the old silo into a home. It might be an ugly home, but a little nonconformity never hurt anyone.
9. There’s a chain of bathroom-themed restaurants.
Image: 1v0/Flickr
At Modern Toilet, a restaurant chain based in Taiwan, patrons sit on toilets, sip soup from sinks, and wipe their mouths with toilet paper. While the latrines aren’t functional (except in the actual bathroom, we hope), you’ll certainly have something to talk about until the food comes.
10. Here’s a house you wish you grew up in: The slide house.
Image: LEVEL Architects
The slide goes down one side of the 3-story Nakameguro house, while a staircase on the other side lets you climb back up. If that’s not enough of a dream-come-true for kids, the house also features a ball pit!
11. There’s a garden in England dedicated entirely to plants that can kill you.
Image: Jax60/Flickr
And apparently, it’s kid-inspired, too. Alnwick Garden’s founder, the Duchess of Northumberland, said:
“I wondered why so many gardens around the world focused on the healing power of plants rather than their ability to kill … I felt that most children I knew would be more interested in hearing how a plant killed, how long it would take you to die if you ate it, and how gruesome and painful the death might be.”
No wonder it’s nicknamed The Poison Garden. It features 100 famous killers such as hemlock (which killed Socrates), strychnine, and nightshade.
12. According to an old superstition, if a bird flies into a home, death is soon to follow.
Long before “put a bird on it” became hipster décor, birds were thought to symbolize imminent death for the home’s occupants. People have long connected birds to the spirit world, and it’s evident in our culture — just think of Edgar Allen Poe’s poem “The Raven” and Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds.”
13. There’s a house that levitates.
A Japanese company has developed a residential earthquake-proofing system that raises a house off of its foundation as far as 3 cm using just air pressure.
When an earthquake hits, compressors activate, forcing an immense amount of air under the home. The house will levitate there until the earthquake ends, then be placed gently back on the foundation.
14. The people of Easter Island have a word, “tingo,” which literally means “to take objects one desires from the house of a friend by gradually borrowing all of them until there’s nothing left.”
We suspect they may not stay friends for long.
Which one surprised you the most?
Should you ignore housing data?
May 31, 2012
National data on home prices are sometimes contradictory — should the numbers be factored in to your decision to buy or sell a home?
This post comes from AnnaMaria Andriotis at partner site SmartMoney.
Data released Wednesday morning shows U.S. home prices continue to fall — a stark contrast with a Realtors’ report released last week. Which numbers should home buyers and sellers believe?
S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices reported today that U.S. home prices fell nearly 3% for the three months ending in March compared with a year prior. Nationally, prices hit new post-crisis lows with average home prices in five cities — Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, New York and Portland — reaching a new bottom.
In contrast, the National Association of Realtors‘ data for March showed that median prices for existing-home sales rose 2.5% from a year prior. Last week, NAR released its April report, which showed prices spiked 10%.
Much of the discrepancy comes down to how the two groups measure sales. The NAR tracks existing homes that sell each month, while the S&P/Case-Shiller looks at repeat sales, meaning the price a home recently sold for compared with what the same property fetched its previous sale.
In other words, the S&P is looking at how the price of a specific home changes over time, while the NAR is looking at the prices of homes sold in one month versus previous ones. If more large, expensive homes sell during one month, that will push the median price the NAR tracks up, but it may not mean prices overall are rising.
On top of that, the NAR’s data is monthly while the S&P/Case-Shiller is based on a three-month moving average.
For homebuyers and sellers, the two reports make it difficult to discern if the housing recovery is gaining steam or if home prices will continue to tread along the bottom for some time. “Because of the peculiarities of the housing market, trying to gauge it on a monthly basis is very hard,” says John Vogel, adjunct professor of real estate at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business
For homebuyers and sellers, the two reports make it difficult to discern if the housing recovery is gaining steam or if home prices will continue to tread along the bottom for some time. “Because of the peculiarities of the housing market, trying to gauge it on a monthly basis is very hard,” says John Vogel, adjunct professor of real estate at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. (Post continues below.)But experts say the national data impact buyer and seller psychology. For instance, when home prices stay low, fewer sellers are willing to sell their homes on the cheap. As of April, for-sale listings of existing homes were down 22% from a year prior, according to the NAR.
While rising sales have pushed inventory down, housing analysts say listings are dropping because homeowners are choosing to wait until the housing recovery gains momentum and their homes can sell for more money.
National data is less important than local information
The NAR, however, says individual buyers and sellers shouldn’t pay much attention to the national data. “These numbers are meaningless to people making buying and selling decisions in local markets,” says spokesman Walter Molony. Instead, he says, they should be viewed as a broad indicator.
Maureen Maitland, vice president of S&P Indices, says people shouldn’t take one month of data as the story for the year but should look over several months of data.
Rather than tracking national data, home buyers and sellers should focus on data within their local housing market, says Jack McCabe, an independent housing analyst in Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Consumers can find out what prices homes in the neighborhood have been selling for by searching listing sites such as Trulia and Zillow that show recent purchases prices for homes. They can also speak with independent housing experts in their market or with real estate agents.
For those who choose to pay attention to the national data, experts recommend digging deeper into the reports. For instance, the NAR tracks home prices for up to 156 metro areas on a quarterly basis. Beyond that, its associations in larger states, including California, New York and Illinois, go further, providing data (on its website) on even more cities and towns.
In high-priced markets in large cities, the S&P Case-Shiller is a helpful starting point, experts say: It offers buyers and sellers data on how higher-priced homes are performing compared with the other price points in the same city.
Gas Grill? Which one?
May 24, 2012
There may be no home cooking appliance with a wider price range than the outdoor gas grill. With models starting as low as $29 and climbing to $5,000 and higher, it is an understatement to say there’s is a model for every budget. When shopping for a gas grill, the motto “You get what you pay for” is especially fitting, explains Dan Marguerite, owner of Backyard Barbecue Store in Wilmette, Ill. Basement models, he says, offer poor performance, are cheaply constructed, and often fail to survive two summers.
Cost range: $29-$5,000 and up
Likely additional costs: Assembly, natural gas hookup or propane tank, cover
Average life span: 2-16 years
Sub-$50 range
Grills in the sub-$50 range are often of the tabletop propane variety. These units are constructed of thin painted sheet metal and cheaply fabricated components, all but guaranteeing a short lifespan. Brief 90-day warranties don’t offer much of a safety net.
When it comes to power, these grills are positively entry level, says Marguerite. The single, 12,000 BTU burner is satisfactory for grilling hamburgers and hot dogs but will be far less successful at charring a thick porterhouse. Still, when it comes to portability, these grills have no equal. If you are looking for a highly mobile tailgating grill, look to this sector of the market.
$50-$150 range
The biggest differences between a $50 gas grill and a $150 grill will be size and fuel source. Boasting cooking areas over twice that of their less expensive counterparts, these grills are the most economical options for families.
Models in this price range run on liquid propane stored in large refillable tanks (as opposed to the small disposable cylinders). Construction quality is moderate, featuring lightweight steel or aluminum bodies. However, the boost in price over the cheapest gas grill models yields an extra burner (albeit a low-powered one). Most are furnished with thin, steel-rod cooking grates that may warp from exposure to high temperatures, such as those from flare-ups.
$150-$350 range
Marguerite says buyers in this price range can expect to get “middle of the road” power, with burners putting out around 20,000 BTUs. Shoppers should expect a three- or four-burner grill, a roomy cooking surface, and perhaps even a storage cabinet and side burner—a separate burner used for boiling water or other independent cooking chores.
With widths of 20 to 24 inches and boasting around 400 square inches of grill surface, these units can simultaneously cook about two dozen burgers. Homeowners in cool climes who grill year round likely will lament the thin-body construction, says Marguerite. “These grills do a poor job of retaining heat in cold weather,” he says. At this price range, expect less-expensive porcelain-coated steel cooking grates that tend to chip, rust and need replacing at a cost of $30 to $60.
$350-$600 range
Constructed of heavy cast-aluminum or thick-gauge steel, and utilizing high-quality stainless steel burners, these units are built to last. Parts that do fail will be covered by five- to 10-year warranties.
Averaging between 400 and 500 square inches of cook surface, these units are not substantially larger than those in the $150-$350 category. But they are constructed of heavy cast aluminum or thick-gauge steel and utilize multiple high-quality stainless steel burners. Heavy-duty castors and solid-built carts make it easy to move these grills from spot to spot.
Grills in this category can handle enough food for 15 to 18 people. Buyers are urged to select a burner configuration that appeals to them as some models arrange them front-to-back versus side-to-side, which can complicate indirect cooking.
$600-$1,500 range
Units starting around $600 feature burners that reach 40,000 BTUs, power that will make short work of even the largest barbecue payloads. Precision controls and even heat distribution give home cooks the ability to simultaneously sear, cook, and keep food warm. To step up to a 36-inch grill that approaches 900 square inches of cook space, a shopper should expect to spend at least $1,000.
Constructed of high-quality stainless steel throughout, these grills will weather years of use. These first-class rigs often include heavy cast-iron grates, side burners, under-grill storage, and even a rotisserie spit and motor. Buyers also get the peace of mind that comes with improved customer service and best-in-class warranties that range from 10 years on burners to 25 years on the body.
$1,500 to $5,000 range
When you spend upwards of $2,000 on a grill, you’ll get a host of features and quality construction. These appliances boast six or more top-of-the-line burners. Almost standard issue these days is an infrared sear burner that can reach temps topping 700 degrees.
Most include a rear-mounted rotisserie burner with motor, interior and exterior lighting, and even a spring-assisted lid for effortless opening. With the best grills also come the best warranties, typically covering most components for 10 to 25 years.
Propane vs. natural gas
Homeowners should decide before buying a grill whether they intend to fuel it with propane or natural gas, says Marguerite. While many grills can be converted for around $50, it is best to buy one factory engineered for one fuel type or the other.
Owners of built-in units typically choose natural gas as there are no tanks that need filling and the cost to operate is roughly half that of propane. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s most recent figures, propane costs $20.47 per million BTUs compared to natural gas’s $12.18. Assuming a homeowner grilled once a week, he or she can expect to pay about $40 per year for propane and $24 for natural gas. Marguerite says that his company charges $150 plus $7 per foot to connect a grill to a natural gas line.
Suggested extras
A good-fitting cover will extend the life of any outdoor appliance. Expect to pay between $30 and $50. Owners of propane powered grills should consider purchasing a $20 back-up tank so that a fully charged spare is always on hand. A $20 gas gauge will take the guesswork out of estimating a tank’s contents.
National Open House Weekend…here’s your free pass
April 24, 2012
Well…they are all free open houses but here is your way to go through the houses without being stalked by the listing agent. Print off this flyer and hand it to the agent as you sign in. Make sure you include your name as they do need to track who is in their client’s homes. You’ll be able to freely view the house at your own pace and enjoy your time!
If you have additional questions afterwards or would like a free list of the open houses in your target area – just let me know!
National Open House Weekend…it’s THIS weekend!
April 24, 2012
What is going on this weekend? NATIONAL OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND! The 2012 event will be bigger and better than ever, with hundreds of thousands of Open Houses across the nation and currently in 13 other countries… It’s gone global! RE/MAX Professional Associates is taking a huge part in this (inter)national weekend with many of our available listings. Please see below for a brief list but be sure to send me an email or give me a call to find out everything that is open in your area. I would be happy to provide you with a complete list of homes with times!
Saturday April 28th
77 Congress St, Fitchburg: 12pm – 2pm
Classic Victorian! Short sale opportunity with over 2700 sq feet!
39 Tannery Road, Sturbridge: 11 am – 1 pm
Beautiful newer colonial with all the extras – hardwoods, maple cabinets and granite!
240 Dudley-Southbridge Road, Dudley: 2pm – 3:30 pm
So many updates and so affordable! Title V in hand! NOT a short sale or bank owned so quick close!
5 Pleasant Street, Marlborough: 12pm – 2pm
Classic west side Victorian with double French doors to the sun porch and four bedrooms! Walk up attic – so much space and so well cared for!
24 Wales Street, Millbury: 12pm – 2pm
Easy to own and easy to update! Great price on this 3 bed/1.5 bath with 2 car heated garage that is in a great commuter location but with a private yard!
12 Cottage Street, Ware: 2pm – 4pm
HUGE updated Victorian in a great location off Church Street! 6 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and 4,400+ sq feet! 2 story barn and 2 car garage! NOT a short!
101 Temple Street, West Boylston: 11am – 1pm
Newer construction with full in-law and 2.9 acres right by the lake! Great commuter location and this house has all the extras – granite, hardwoods, solid cabinets, TWO master bedrooms with private baths!
6 Carol Lane, Blackstone: 11am – 12:30pm
Great price on this newer colonial on a quiet street! Updated kitchen with ceramic tile and granite – new roof, new siding, new deck, refinished hardwoods. 4 beds/2.5 baths/2 car garage
1565 Main Street, Holden: 1pm – 3pm
NEW construction with a flair! 4 beds/3baths and location location location! All the extras are here PLUS some you didn’t know you wanted!
374 Mashapaug Rd, Holland – 12pm – 2:30pm
Charming 2BR Ranch, fantastic lot, inground pool w/patio, rustic stone fireplace in walkout basement, cathedral ceilings in living room
7 Knollwood Rd, Brimfield – 2:30pm -4:30 pm
New construction w/hdwd flrs, ss appls, cntr islnd, 1car gar, opn flr pln, deck, near Lake Sherman.
Sunday April 29th
13 Leisure Drive, Holland: 12pm – 1:30 pm
WATERFRONT with 3 beds and 1.5 baths! Over 50 feet of frontage and triple sliders to enjoy it!
17 Forrest St, Brookfield: 12pm – 2pm
WOW! Cedar log home! Private lot with 3 bed/2 baths/2 car garage! Must see!
9 Ansonia, Worcester: 12pm – 2pm
3 bed/1.5 bath with a fireplace and near UMASS! Great price and great alternative to renting!
45 Channing St, Worcester: 12pm – 2pm
Charming turn of the century cape with 4 beds/2 baths and priced to make you move!
17 St. John St, North Brookfield: 12pm – 2pm
All the major updates are DONE in this colonial! Bonus is 500 gallons of FREE OIL! 5 bed/2.5 baths
57 Old Webster Rd, Oxford: 12pm – 1:30pm
Old meets new in this 4 bed/3 bath home that appears to be out of Old Sturbridge Village! Come see the distressed pine floors and claw foot tub!
33 Mendon, Worcester: 2:30pm – 4pm
Huge yard and easy in-town location! Perfect dollhouse and SO affordable!
6 Brown Street, North Brookfield: 2:30pm – 4pm
Retiring builder has offered up this unfinished new construction! Great price to get in and finish it off as YOU want!
39 Wilson St, Spencer: 2:30pm – 4pm
REAL country living with this home! NOT a short NOT bank owned NO septic issues! WOW!
82 Saundersdale, Charlton: 1pm – 3pm
Great location off of Dresser Hill with a full in-law! Land, 3 car garage and two living levels are highlights to this newer home. NOT a short sale!
67 Laurel Hill Lane, Holden: 12pm – 2pm
SO affordable with PRE-APPROVED short sale! Newer roof, newer windows, great yard and pool!
15 Canterbury Way, Marlborough: 1pm – 3pm
Beautiful end-unit in the 55+ community of Villages of Crane Meadow! One owner – all upgraded with fireplace!
275 Rumonoski Drive, Northbridge: 11am – 2:30pm
Great opportunity to own in a fantastic area! Comes with one year home warranty. Not a short sale or bank owned – just a solid house at a great price!
179 Rocky Road, Northbridge: 1pm – 2:30pm
Stunning colonial with massive family room on a beautiful tree-lined street. 15 mins to Worcester, 19 miles to Providence. Have it all for a great price on this 4 bed/2.5 bath/2 car colonial with custom build and first floor office.
39 July Road, Sudbury: 1pm – 3pm
So affordable for Sudbury and this charming updated home has a fantastic ½ acre wooded lot! Central a/c, updated kitchen, hardwoods, garage and finished area in basement. Own in Sudbury! Not a short!
10 Cranberry Meadow Shore Rd., Charlton: 12pm – 2pm
Brand new 2BR 2BA Ranch, open floor plan, granite counters, hardwoods all over, c-tile floors in kitchen & baths. 2 car attached garage.
1 Merrian St Auburn: 10:30am – 12pm
Reduced price on this charming cape on ¾ of an acre with a new Peerless Furnace! First floor laundry!
225 Highland Street, Holden: 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Fireplace…french doors…open family room…private wooded lot! This cape has it all with a great Holden location!
18 Nancy Drive, Rutland: 2pm – 3:30pm
10 room, 6 bedrooms and 2.5 baths in the colonial WITH an in-law! New roof, new windows, new hot water tank. Come see!
15 Laurel Dr, Ware –11:30am -1pm
3BR Ranch, lrg fenced private back yard.
13 Stony Brook Drive, Sturbridge – 11am – 1pm
Charming 3+BR center hall Cape w/2car gar, flat lot, granite, hdwds, multi-tierd deck on cul de sac.
217 Greenwich Rd, Ware – 10am – 11:15am
Beautiful brand new 3BR 2.5BA Ranch. Open concept kit/LR/DR, hdwds, fireplace.
77 Providence St, Mendon – 12pm – 2pm
4BR 2BA Dutch Col log home w/farmer’s porch, 3 seas sunroom, wide hdwd floors 2car gar
119 Stafford Rd, Unit 60, Charlton – 2:30pm – 4pm
Bright, light filled 2nd floor 2BR condo w/appl, w/d hkup in unit. Commuter friendly location & small pets allowed
“There’s a reason owning a home is called the American Dream,” says NAR President Ron Phipps. “Home ownership benefits individuals and families, strengthens our communities, and is integral to our nation’s economy. We hope that everyone who aspires to become a home owner will come out this weekend, not only to learn about the homes for sale in their local market, but also to find out more about how current and future public policies may affect their ability to achieve and sustain home ownership, now and in the future.”
Come out this weekend – take a peak! Not sure where to start – let me know and I’ll get you going. amymullen@remax.net, 508-784-0504, http://www.amymullenrealestate.com
Open Sunday…perfect West Marlborough location on this colonial…with a creative touch inside!
March 2, 2012
Open this Sunday 12pm to 2pm this colonial has a ton to offer in living space with its four bedrooms and oversized living room with fireplace. I wouldn’t want to overshadow the formal dining room that opens up to the screen porch through a set of double french doors…or forget to mention the full pantry with first floor laundry…BUT
Check out the hardwoods and stunning display of the entrance foyer and upper stair case! This is a true trip to the past and has been maintained throughout the years! The house itself has been brought forward to modern-day but it still looks like a grand West Side Colonial!
I wouldn’t want to forget the full walk up attic or the full dry basement either. Stop in Sunday and see!
5 Pleasant Street
Marlborough
Sunday, 12pm to 2pm
Real Estate and *stuff * 