buying a home: Rent vs Buy...who do you believe? - 05/19/11 09:52 AM
There is so much being talked about today whether the owning real estate is the smart choice or if renting is wiser.  It's always been the American Dream to own real estate...not only for the quiet enjoyment of living in what you own, but also for the financial and tax benefits that home ownership affords us.
The past 5 years have been brutal...ask any homeowner who has tried to sell their home if they have owned for less than 10 years...or if they were caught up in the re-fi mania that enabled all homeowners to cash out, cash out and cash … (1 comments)

buying a home: The Wind At Your Back - 04/20/11 04:16 AM
Monday was the 115th running of the Boston Marathon.  It was a day filled with a unique combination...it was a perfect day for spectators and a ideal day for the runners.  When it's sunny and pleasant, thousands and thousands of spectators line the 26.2 mile route.  Those days are difficult for the runners because the winds are typically off the water and at their faces.  Additionally, if it's been a long, cold winter as this one was, the runners are training in adverse conditions.  The sunny, warm day of the marathon is a challenging day.If it's a cool, rainy day, it's … (4 comments)

buying a home: To Buy Or Not To Buy Now...Here are 4 Reasons To Consider Now - 04/12/11 02:52 AM
I subscribe to the KCM Blog.  The author, Steve Harney, is a market researcher.  Unlike some of the others, he has been a real estate practitioner for many years.  I have heard him speak on a few occasions and his understanding of the national, and more importantly, the hyper-localism, of the real estate market is impressive. 
Today's post talks about the 4 Financial Reasons to Buy Now.  Sitting on the sidelines will impact your buying power.  For example, for every 1% the interest rates rises, that decreases your buying power by 10%!  That means the $250,000 house you can afford now, … (4 comments)

buying a home: This Month In Real Estate, April 2011 - 04/04/11 04:28 AM
For an overview of what's happening in the mortgage and real estate markets nationwide, watch the April edition of This Month In Real Estate.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
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buying a home: The Pride and Cost of Homeownership - 03/21/11 03:58 AM
I was recently talking to my great-niece, on CO.  She and her boyfriend bought their first home last fall.  It was a short sale and they were very nervous.  The Realtor they used was the same one used by her boyfriend's parents. 
She consulted with me about a few things, and based on everything she told me about the advice and counsel the Realtor was giving them, it sounded like they were in good hands, and they felt very comfortable with the agent.
Buying a short sale is not for the faint of heart.  There are many things that can go … (1 comments)

buying a home: 5 Stages of Buying Your First Home - 02/22/11 03:23 AM
 
5 Stages of Buying Your First Home Real Estate is local.  By that we mean that what is going on in your local community or neighborhood, may not be reflective of what is happening in other parts of your town, county, or state.  Much of what we hear and read is based on national averages and trends.  That's a great benchmark, although you need your local market information to make informed decisions about the right next step for you.  The best way to get that is find a Realtor who is a full time professional and an expert in your … (0 comments)

buying a home: The Wait Is Over - 02/11/11 02:09 AM
One of my favorite blogs to follow is by Steve Harney, of Keeping Current Matters.  He is a real estate market researcher and presents his findings in an easy to understand way and uses great visuals to support his findings.  In today's post his message is something so important for the consumer to understand.  We as real estate professionals need to be able to make a compelling case as we advise and education our clients about the cost of waiting for prices to continue to drop.  The wait is over...between the rising interest rates and prices slowly on the climb, the … (1 comments)

buying a home: Shaq on Letterman talking about living in Sudbury, MA - 01/07/11 01:06 AM
Earlier this week, Shaquille O'Neal was on The David Letterman Show.  Shaq has such a great sense of humor...his timing and delivery is incredible.  He and Dave had a chemistry...pretty funny! 
So, when Shaq signed on to play with the Celtics this year, he said he Googled Big House Outside Boston.He came up with the 10 acre compound he purchased in Sudbury.  He loves it...wild turkeys, wild foxes, wild bears.  OK, well we can go with turkeys and foxes...bears are a bit of a stretch, but far be it from me to tell Shaq he doesn't see wild bears in Sudbury.I … (4 comments)

buying a home: Pending sales for December up in MA! - 01/04/11 08:36 AM
The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) reported today that the number of single-family homes put under agreement in December was up 5.3 percent compared to the same time last year.  This is the first significant increase in year-over-year pending sales in seven months.
This is truly exciting news.  Many of my colleagues  I spoke with reported December being their busiest month of the year.  These numbers support those claims.
Buyers are buying.  It seems they have gotten the message that in increase in the interest rate equals a decrease in their buying power.  Did you know that on the average for … (0 comments)

buying a home: Mortgage rates hit rock bottom in 2010 - 01/02/11 07:38 AM
The national average on a 30 year fixed rate mortgage dropped to 4.36% in August 2010-lower than it's been in the past half century.  Interest rates for the same time last year averaged 5.19%, representing a difference of $90 in the monthly payment on a $200,000 home with 10% down, as well as a savings of $32,460 over the life of the loan.
While interest rates have begun to climb, they remain at historic lows.  Like interest rates, the housing market will remain at the bottom only so long.  Every major price index points to a housing market that has hit … (0 comments)

buying a home: Buyers have the edge - 12/13/10 02:58 AM
According to Lawrence Yun, chief economist from the National Association of REALTORS, "Home buyers over the past year got a great deal, and buyers for the balance of this year have an edge over sellers.  Affordability could reach a generational high in the second half of this year because of rock-bottom mortgage interest rates, helped partly by the Fed's very accommodating monetary policy."  For more reasons why now is prime time to buy a home, contact me and I'll send you a free ebook.
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buying a home: Facts about Lead Paint that both buyers and sellers need to know - 12/08/10 11:52 AM
All sellers with homes built prior to 1978 are required to fill out a lead-based paint disclosure form and provide you, the buyer, with a lead-based paint educational booklet in any sale. Lead is a highly toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around our homes.
Facts about lead FACT: Lead exposure can harm young children and babies even before they are born.
FACT: Even children who seem healthy can have high levels of lead in their bodies.
FACT: You can get lead in your body by breathing or swallowing lead dust, or by eating … (4 comments)

 
Carole Helwig, Servicing Acton, Sudbury and Hudson, MA (Keller Williams Realty)

Carole Helwig

Servicing Acton, Sudbury and Hudson, MA

Concord, MA

More about me…

Keller Williams Realty

Address: 200 Baker Avenue, Suite 205, Concord, MA, 01742

Office: (978) 369-5775

Mobile: (978) 841-7683






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