George's Blog

Free SEO Software

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:19:46 -0500

I recently came across a site - www.webceo.com, where you can download a free version of their SEO software. The software is Web CEO and has some great tools to do the following:

Keyword research
Search engine optimization
Web page editor
Search engine submission
Link partner finder
Managing paid search campaigns
Ranking checker
Link popularity analyzer
Web analytics
Upload HTML and other files to your server
Website quality audit - pinpoint broken links and other errors on your site
Website monitoring to keep track if your website is up or down

I just started using this software to help me in SEO of my site. Has anyone had experience with this software?

PRICE REDUCTION-CONDO IN BROOKLINE, MA-36 WINCHESTER ST.-UNIT 7-$299,900

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:02:41 -0500

The price has been drastically reduced for this wonderful 1 bedroom condominium in Coolidge Corner in Brookline, Massachusetts. Also, a $1,200 BUYER INCENTIVE at closing toward Rental Parking. This lovely unit is located on a tree lined street. Enjoy the high ceilings, hardwood floors, lovely mouldings, eat in kitchen and large bedroom. Each room has tall windows. There is a laundry in the basement, bike storage and abundant storage space in the unit. Walk to the "T", shops and restaurants.Go to my website to see info and photos of this condo. If you would like more information on this condo or would like to see it call George Koppel at 617-413-6321.

More Schools, Schools, Schools!

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:14:10 -0600

In my blog "Schools, Schools, Schools When Looking For A Home" I described two sites ( GreatSchools.net and SchoolMatters.com) where you could obtain great information on schools in an area. This is particularly useful when you want to learn about schools in an area where you are thinking of buying. I have since come across a third site, which is still a Beta site and only includes at this time ten states:

Education.com - In their schoolfinder section you can enter the zip. code, city/town, school or school

in these ten states and find and compare public and charter schools from

elementary through high school. The ten states so far included are: CA, FL, GA, IL,

MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA and TX.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

New England Home Show

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:41:52 -0600

The New England Home Show will open this coming week at the Seaport World Trade Center in South Boston, Massachusetts. The show will have the following hours:

Wednesday-Feb. 27: 5 pm - 9:30 pm

Thursday-Feb. 28: 10 am - 9:30 pm

Friday-Feb. 29: 10 am - 9:30 pm

Saturday-March 1: 10 am - 9:30 pm

Sunday-March 2: 11 am - 7 pm

The price for the home show is $11 for adults, $4 for children 6-12 and free for children 5 and under. If you buy an adult ticket on line it is only $9. Exhibitors include contractors, mortgage brokers, architects, etc. You can get more info on the show at their web site.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE -www.georgekoppel.com

New Tax Relief for Homeowners

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:23:47 -0600

Now that its tax time I thought I would describe two new tax changes that could give tax relief to many homeowners:

Mortgage Insurance- This is a new deduction that will help some people who purchased and paid for mortgage insurance during 2007. Not everyone is eligible for this new deduction. The deduction begins to phase out once your adjusted gross income exceeds $100,000 (or $50,000 for married people filing separately). The new deductions also doesn't apply to mortgage insurance contracts issued before 2007.
Mortgage debt relief- This law, which was passed late last year, was designed to help homeowners with mortgage debt that was partly or completely forgiven by lenders. In the past the debt that was forgiven was considered taxable income. Under the new law, taxpayers may exclude debt forgiven on their principal residence if the balance of their loan was less than $2 million (or $1 millions for married person filing separately). There are more details in IRS publication 982. The new law applies to debt forgiven in 2007, 2008 or 2009.

These two new tax changes should be very helpful to many homeowners.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE -www.georgekoppel.com

Best Cities For Seniors

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:02:08 -0600

A new study from Sperling's BestPlaces identifies those cities which do the best job of caring for its elderly population. The "Best Cities for Seniors" study examined the state of senior care in the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the United States.

This new study was produced in partnership with Bankers Life and Casualty Company. The study identifies cities that offer the best resources for less active seniors. The study analyzed nearly 50 categories such as various senior living facilities, comprehensive medical care, specialized transportation services, and a significant senior population.

The following are the top ten cities for seniors:

Portland, OR
Seattle, WA
San Francisco, CA
Pittsburgh, PA
Milwaukee, WI
Philadelphia, PA
New York, NY
Boston, MA
Cincinnati, OH
Chicago, IL

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

20,000 Point Milestone Reached

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:26:29 -0600

Yea! I have to congratulate myself for reaching a milestone today; I reached 20,000 points. I joined ActiveRain in mid-October, 10/16/07 to be exact. During that time, just about four months, I posted 83 blogs. I now rank as #3 in Newton, MA; #8 in Middlesex County in Massachusetts and #24 in Massachusetts. The more important thing so far about joining ActiveRain is all the great ideas I've gotten from reading blogs. I've also received three leads, all in the last months, as my points have increased. This is invaluable!

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

More Foreclosure Help

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 16:27:24 -0600

In my blog "Sevaral Ways To Get Mortgage Foreclosure Help in Massachusetts" I gave a number of methods to get foreclosure help in Massachusetts. Here is another way to get help, but this is available nationally. If you remember, back in mid-December President Bust announced a relief program The initiative is called Hope Now and is a voluntary accord entered into by lenders, loan servicers and mortgage investors to help borrowers who face default when their subprime adjustable-rate mortgages resets= at a higher rates. The number to call is 888-995-4673 (888-995-HOPE). It is available on a 24/7 basis. When calling this number you are put in contact with a HUD-approved counselor affiliated with the non-profit Homeownership Preservation Foundation.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

New England REALTOR(R) Conference

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 20:44:20 -0600

The 2008 New England REALTOR(R) Conference (NERC) will take place at the Charles Hotel at 1 Bennett St. in Cambridge, MA on March 2 - 4, 2008. The general sessions of the conference will include:

New England Town Forum
New England State's Legislative Update
National/Regional Economic Briefing
Legal Update
Under 30's Panel

For more information on the conference go to this web site.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

Your Neighborhood's Environment

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:17:55 -0600

If you are considering buying a home it is worthwhile to check to see if there are any envionmental problems in the area. A great site is the U.S. E.P.A. site Where You Live. At this site you can check out any neighborhood (by zip code) in the U.S. as to environmental problems. When you go to Where You Live you can check out the following by zip code:

Envirofacts: You can check out permitted discharges to water, toxic releases, hazardous waste handled, superfund site and air releases.
Enviromapper: "Live" and customizable computer-generated maps of regulated sites in your area. In addition to regulated sites the maps show impaired streams and other bodies of water in the area.
Surf Your Watershed: Environmental conditions and activities in watersheds for your area
UV Index A daily forecast of the expected intensity of Ultraviolet radiation from the sun. You can see a map for the entire U.S. and can input zip code or city/town for local information.

I would recommend that anyone buying a home or their agent check out the area on this site.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

Kazork.com

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 12:08:40 -0600

I thought I would share an interesting site, which matches real estate agents and sellers. I haven't yet used Kazork.com because they have had only one listing so far in my home state of Massachusetts. The sellers are primarily banks selling REO or doing loss mitigation, and corporate relocation departments. The great thing about Kazork.com is that the real estate agent who brings a buyer gets the full commission minus a transaction fee paid at closing. Buyers actually bid through their real estate agent on houses listed on Kazork.com.

Kazork.com currently quite a few listings in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, with a few listings in Arizona, Connecticut, Michigan and Ohio. They currently have a total of 241 listings. In the past they have had listing in other states, such as Massachusetts, Texas, Nevada, Missouri, etc.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

40K Price Reduction-Single Family Home on Extra-Large Lot in Newton, MA-151 Jackson St.-$699,000

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:30:52 -0600

PRICE REDUCTION of $40,000. Price is now $699,000. This is an unusual opportunity for expansion, for a developer or for a new custom built home. This is a rarely available level, almost half acre (19,980 sq. ft.) lot in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. The existing house on this lot is a 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath Colonial with 2200 sq. ft. of living area. The house has a detached 1-car garage. The basement of the house is finished. This existing house needs TLC.

To see more information on this property go to my website.

If you need more information on this property or would like to see it, call George Koppel at 617-413-6321.

The Home Show At The Rhode Island Convention Center

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 19:26:56 -0600

The Home Show at the Rhode Island Convention Center will be held at the following dates and times:

Wednesday - March 12: 2 pm - 9 pm

Thursday - March 13: 2 pm - 9 pm

Friday - March 14: 2 pm - 10 pm

Saturday - March 15: 10 am - 10 pm

Sunday - March 16: 10 am - 6 pm

The Home Show is sponsored by the Rhode Island Builders Association. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors(65 and older) and $3 for children 6-12. Childre 5 and under are free. For information on the show go to their web site.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

North American Home Show

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:34:15 -0600

The 26th Annual North American Home Show 2008 will be held at Gillette stadium Expo Center in Foxborough, MA on the following days and time:

Saturday - Feb. 16: 10 am - 9 pm

Sunday - Feb. 17: 10 am - 7 pm

Monday - Feb. 18: 10 am - 6 pm

There will be over 500 exhibitors at the show. For a listing of exhibitors, ticket prices, directions, et. go to the show web site.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

Newton, Massachusetts Bucks The National Trend

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:20:38 -0600

I just took a look at the MLS statistics for 2007 compared to 2006 for single family, condos and multi-family homes sold in Newton, Massachusetts. Here they are:

2007 2006

Total Sold 964 915

Avg. Days on Market 108 110

Avg. Sale Price $804,681 $784,769

Median Price $681,875 $647,500

As you can see from 2006 to 2007, the total number of single family, condos and multi-family homes sold in Newton, MA increased, the average days on market slightly decreased and both the average sales price and median prices increased. Thus Newton seems to be bucking the national trend.

This only goes to show that all real estate is local. There are many hot spots nationally that are bucking the national trend in real estate. Newton, MA seems to be one of them.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

10K Price Reduction-Single Family Home on Extra-Large Lot in Newton, MA-151 Jackson St.-$739,000

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:54:53 -0600

PRICE REDUCTION of $10,000. Price is now $739,000. This is an unusual opportunity for expansion, for a developer or for a new custom built home. This is a rarely available level, almost half acre (19,980 sq. ft.) lot in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. The existing house on this lot is a 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath Colonial with 2200 sq. ft. of living area. The house has a detached 1-car garage. The basement of the house is finished. This existing house needs TLC.

To see more information on this property go to my website.

If you need more information on this property or would like to see it, call George Koppel at 617-413-6321.

Western Massachusetts Home & Garden Show

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 08:33:25 -0600

The Western Massachusetts Home & Garden Show will be held at the Eastern States Exposition, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Sringfield, MA on the following dates and times:

Thursday - March 27: 2 pm - 9 pm

Friday - March 28: 1 pm - 9 pm

Saturday - March 29: 10 am - 9 pm

Sunday - March 30: 10 am - 6 pm

The show includes exhibits for remodeling & additions, builders, banks, credit unions, mortgage brokers, etc. For a completed list of exhibitors, directions, ticket prices, etc. go to their web site.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

2008 Center of New England Home Show

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 21:42:52 -0600

The 2008 Center of New England Home Show will be held at the Host Hotel in Sturbridge, MA on the following dates and times:

Saturday - Feb. 24: 10 am - 6 pm

Sunday - Feb. 25: 10am - 5 pm

General admission is $6, Senior Admission (60+) is $3 and children under 16 are free. Go to their web site to get more information on the show.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

Southern New Hampshire Home Shows

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:09:13 -0600

There will be two home shows in southern New Hampshire in February. The Greater Nashua Home Show will be held at the Radisson Hotel (formerly Sheraton Hotel) in Nashua, N.H. on the following days and times:

Saturday - Feb. 16: 10 am - 6 pm

Sunday - Feb. 17: 10 am - 5 pm

The Southern New Hampshire Home Show will be held at Rockingham Park (opposite mall). This is off of Exit 1 of I-93 in Salem, NH. The show will be held on the following dates and times:

Friday - Feb. 22: 1 pm - 9 pm

Saturday - Feb. 23: 10 am - 6 pm

Sunday - Feb. 24: 10 am - 5 pm

Information of ticket prices, exhibitors, directions, etc. can be found at this web site.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

Getting Mortgage Foreclosure Help in Massachusetts

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 13:25:08 -0600

There are a number of ways anyone facing foreclosure in Massachusetts can get help. Here are some of them:

Always contact your primary lender to see if a payment plan can be worked out. It is usually in the lender’s best interest to avoid a foreclosure.
Check out the Mortgage Relief Fund organized by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The program is aimed at helping homeowners who have at least some equity in their homes and have generally made their mortgage payments on time. Information can be found at www.mortgagerelieffund.org. So far, the participating banks include Bank of America, Citizens Bank, Webster Bank, Sovereign Bank and TD Banknorth. It looks like fairly soon many other Massachusetts banks will be joining this program.
Check out MassHousing’s “Home Saver” program. The quasi-public agency in December changed the standards to make it easier for homeowners to refinance through the program. Information can be found at www.masshousing.com or by calling the agency at 617-854-1000.
Call the “Hope line,” a national hotline set up to help connect borrowers with local counselors. The number is 888-995-HOPE (or 888-995-4673).
Keep an eye out for local workshops organized by politicians and community groups. For example, the Brockton Housing Partnership has scheduled a workshop at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 12 at St. Patrick Church on Main Street in Brockton.

If anyone knows of over avenues of help please post them here as comments.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

'08 Metrowest Home Show

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 09:19:40 -0600

The Metrowest Home Show will be held at the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough, MA on the following days and times:

Friday-Feb. 8: 4-9 pm

Saturday-Feb. 9: 10 am - 6 pm

Sunday-Feb. 10: 10 am - 5 pm

The home show has free parking. You can get a lot of information o building, remodeling and redecorating. Also, on insurance, mortgages, etc. More information on the show and on admission prices can be found on the home shows web site or by calling 978-534-0587.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

Suburban Boston Home Show

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:24:06 -0600

The Suburban Boston Home Show will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 1,2 and 3, 2008. It will take place at Shriner's Auditorium at 99 Fordham Road in Wilmington, MA. This is about 1/2 mile off of I-93 at Exit 39. The following are the hours for the show:

                                            Friday, February 1, 11am - 10pm
                                            Saturday, February 2, 10am - 10pm
                                            Sunday, February 3, 10am - 6pm

The admission for adults is $9.00. Children under 16 are free. Information on the show is available at their web site.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

Insulating Your Older Home

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:09:35 -0600

An interesting and informative workshop on "Insulating Your Older Home" will be held on Saturday, February 9, 2008 from 1 to 4 pm at the Newton History Museum at the Jackson Homestead, 527 Washington St., Newton, MA. The workshop will be presented by the Green Decade Coalition and the Newton Historical Society. Admission is $30 or $15 for Newton Historical Society or Green Decade members. You can registed at www.greendecade.org/events. For more info you can call 617-965-1995 or e-mail info@greendecade.org.

Insulating your home properly is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to minimize your energy waste and maximize your energy dollars. And despite what you may have heard, it is possible to weatherize your older home without compromising its historical character. This workshop will include hands-on demonstration of various energy-saving tools, such as blower doors and infrared cameras. The workshop will also take an objective look at the different products and techniques for increasing energy efficiency. Learn how you can stay warm this winter, save money, and reduce your ecological footprint at the same time.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

Newton, MA Homebuyer Programs

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:49:41 -0600

The city of Newton, MA has a First Time Homebuyer Program and a Newton Connection Homebuyer Program that offer up to $115,000 toward the purchase of a home. The programs are open to applicants who live or work in Newton or have children in school in Newton. The family income cannot exceed federal income limits. For example, a household of four people cannot have more than $66,150 grosss income. Applicants can select the home of their choice in Newton and then may receive up to $115,000 to buy down the price of the property. Homebuyers make no payment on the funding assistance. Homebuyers must execute a deed restriction that limits the amount of appreciation that may be earned upon resale. Go to city of Newton site for information on these programs.

GO SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com

Preparing A Home For The Buyer's Home Inspection

George Koppel (Weichert Realtors, Castles Unlimited) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:37:56 -0600

We recently had a presentation in our office by a Home Inspector on how to prepare a home for the buyer's home inspection. I thought it would be useful to present his suggestions:

Exterior Doors

All exterior doors should be made accessible
Be sure all door locks are operable
The keys for all locked doors should be made available to the inspector.

Interior Door - All areas of the home must be made accessible

Utility room area
Crawl space access - Remove most belonging, especially those on floor
Attic access - Make that any pull down access can be pulled down without endangering your belongs or anyone

Electrical -The inspector will want to remove the cover on the electric service panel to examine the electric wiring to be sure that the panel is accessible and that the cover can be readily removed.

Plumbing

If you have a leak, have it fixed before the inspector arrives, or let the inspector know. Otherwise he will be testing the functionally testing the plumbing and you could end up with a very wet mess.
Make sure plumbing under sinks is accessible.

Heating & Air Conditioning

If you have a forced air system, make sure the air filter is clean to ensure maximum air flow
Have all heating units serviced by a certified technician with the tag visible on the unit

Pets

Pets should be removed from the premises or placed in a secure area.
The inspector will need access to the entire home, including the garage, so having the pet in the garage in not a good idea.

Utilities

All utilities need to be on so the inspector can do a thorough inspection: electricity, water, gas
Have the heat and AC units on before inspection.

Replace any burnt out light bulbs

Foundation

Remove any wood debris or stores items away from the foundation. Otherwise, it can be a conductive condition on the termite report.
Have the pest control company visit before an inspection.

Septic Inspection

Do not pump the tank before the inspection.
Functional flow test will need to be done.
Have records available regarding service and pumping.

Safety Issue

Repair any holes in vents.
Secure open wells.
Multiple exposed wires are electrical hazards.
Make sure there are no unsafe steps or walking areas.

By doing all the above inspections will go faster and the inspector can do a more thorough job and questions can be eliminated.

SEE MY WEB SITE - www.georgekoppel.com