franklin county homes for sale: The Escalation Clause... - 04/20/22 08:52 AM
In an ultra-competitive Real Estate market such as one we are experiencing; prospective buyers are looking for ways to be the one the seller chooses when competing with multiple offers.
Buyers are looking to get a leg up on their competition trying to be the winning bid. One way to achieve this is to add an escalation clause to their offer. It states that the buyer is willing to pay a specific amount over the highest bonified offer up to a certain amount. An example of this is a buyer who offers $200,000 and willing to pay $1,000 over the highest bonified … (0 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: Being Competitive - 04/12/22 08:12 AM
In this ultra-competitive Real Estate market, buyers are often competing with multiple offers, and some have lost out numerous times. If you want to purchase a home, a few things could help you.
First, be sure you have representation. Having a buyers' agent representing you is highly recommended. It will give you the best opportunity to get the advice and guidance you need to make a solid offer. Next, make sure you are set up on the Auto email program in MLS. The market is moving very fast. With this program, you will receive an email within a minute of the home … (3 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: Trees... - 03/14/22 07:42 AM
You may wonder what trees have to do with buying and selling a home, but they are an essential part of real estate and should be considered when purchasing a home. In the winter months, especially, they tend to be given less thought, mainly because all but the evergreens are without leaves and it’s hard to visualize what the trees will look like with leaves. Once Spring and Summer come around, those bare trees will have leaves and can affect the lighting into the home, and when Autumn rolls around, those leaves will fall and you should know what fall cleanup … (2 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: Selling your home in the winter... - 03/11/22 09:17 AM
Selling a home in the winter can be beneficial. There are benefits of putting our house on the market in the winter and some tips to help you reach your goal of selling your home in the next few months.
Some believe selling your home is best in Spring and summer. Some will hold off putting their house on the market until Spring. Yes, Spring offers more cheerful surroundings. The grass is green. Trees are full of leaves and bushes, and flowers begin to bloom, adding much-welcomed color after the gray, brown, and while monotone of winter. Days are longer, the sun … (0 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: New Year's Resloution Continued... - 01/14/22 07:54 AM
If your goal is to purchase a home in 2022, what steps should you take in preparation for that move?
If your home purchase requires a loan, the first step should be to get pre-qualified to know what price point you should be looking in and have a clear understanding of what to expect and feel comfortable with your monthly payment.
Once you know the price range you are comfortable in, you should start thinking about what you want in a home, things like how far from work, your family & friends, and places you frequent to choose the locations/towns in your search. … (1 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: New Year's Resolution - 01/10/22 07:54 AM
If you think that you would like to make a move in 2022 and selling your home is part of your plan, what steps can you expect to take to reach that goal?
Being prepared and starting the process as soon as you decide to go in that direction is highly recommended, if possible, as it usually will result in a much smoother process with minimal stress. Let's face it, moving is a daunting experience for most people. Just the thought of it can cause stress.
The first thing you should do is set up an in-person meeting with a Real Estate professional, … (3 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: The Gift That Keeps Giving... - 12/23/21 06:55 AM
Most people say home ownership is one of the most important things to them only second to a child's birth, their partner, and marriage. In many cases, getting to the point of purchasing a home takes time and money, especially their first home. The ability to qualify for a loan to buy a home is the first step in the process.
First-time buyers sometimes find it challenging to save enough money to have what they need for a down payment and closing costs. There is good news for those who would like to help a loved one purchase a home if they … (3 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: Preparing to close... - 12/13/21 08:21 AM
Once all the contingencies in the contract are met the last part of the buying and selling process is preparing to close. If the buyer is financing their purchase, they will receive a commitment letter from their lender outlining any final conditions to get the "clear to close."
A lot is going on behind the scenes. The buyer's attorney will order the title search to make sure the chain of ownership is clear. They will be preparing the settlement statement with the buyer and sellers expenses. They will order the payoff figure for the seller's mortgage, the final water reading, the (MLC) … (1 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: Pending... - 12/02/21 07:19 AM
When a seller accepts an offer from a buyer,  they do not just agree to the price. They also agree to the dates and conditions spelled within the agreement. Once the seller accepts an offer from the buyer, the property is considered under agreement, or sometimes you will see "Pending", which means it is pending conditions of the sale. It could be pending home inspection, financing approval or other conditions like the sale of the buyers home.
During the pending process, the buyer is following through with the conditions of the sale. If they require a loan to purchase the home, they … (1 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: Time to sell... What's next? - 11/22/21 09:07 AM
You decided to sell your home, what's next? The first question on most prospective sellers minds is, what can I sell my home for? So, that is usually the first place we start.
In the initial meeting, we gather the information on the house and property, talk about any planned changes or suggested improvements to maximize the value if the homeowner is looking for that information, and set up another appt to go over the market data to establish the recommended list price.
Time to Sell? What’s next
Once the homeowner is on board with selling, it's time to move toward the pre-listing phase. … (0 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: The Perc Test - 10/01/21 08:37 AM
If you own a home with a private sewer system and the system fails the Title 5 inspection because of the leach field, it will require a new one. The next step is a Perc Test to determine the location, size, and type of system needed to replace the old system.
"Perc" test is short for a Percolation Test. The purpose of the Perc Test is to allow the fluid's safe distribution to dissipate into the ground preventing it from entering any water supply.  To that end, it must also be placed over 100' from you and your neighbors well/water supply.
The Perc … (1 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: More Resources... - 08/26/21 08:24 AM
You can find just about anything you are looking for by searching on the internet. Real Estate is no exception. Many websites offer the ability to search for homes that provide pictures, maps, taxes, and other information pertinent to the home search. There are so many to choose from. You can also find other information surrounding buying and selling homes and home buying and selling tips. They are also readily available on the internet if you know where to look.
On our website, FITZGERALD-RealEstate.com, we also have a 'Community Info' section in addition to homes for sale, setting up home searches, and … (0 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: Resources... - 08/18/21 08:19 AM
Whether you are a homeowner, soon-to-be homeowner, thinking about being a homeowner, thinking of selling your home, in the process of selling, or just sold your home, most likely, you will need the help of some type of contractor or service provider.
There are the more commonly used providers such as electricians, plumbers, heating and cooling technicians, inspectors, mortgage lenders, attorneys, painters, landscapers, house cleaners, and movers to the more specialist type like environmental consultants, structural engineers, architects, well drillers, and water testing and septic installers and title 5 inspectors. There are many more.
Since the pandemic, with more people at home, there … (0 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: Gutters or No Gutters... - 08/04/21 10:32 AM
....That is the question. For the most part, the professionals say, Yes. Over the years, I've been at close to if not more than a thousand home inspections. During the home inspection, inspectors usually will talk about the gutters or lack of them. They talk about their purpose and the reason for having them.
 
For the most part, they all agree that having gutters on the house is important. The main reason is to capture the water from the roof and help divert it away from the foundation, preventing any water penetration to the basement. Keeping rain from falling at the house … (1 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: Rainy Days - 07/19/21 10:15 AM
With all the rain we have seen this summer, showing property tends to be less fun and takes longer than sunny days. Rainy day, especially long spells, like we have been experiencing lately, requires us to be more cautious about tracking water and mud into the homes prospective buyers view in the warm months and snow in the winter. A lot of times, buyers will walk around the house and yard before going inside. It's fair to say at that point, it would be easy to track in dirt, water, snow, or worst of all, mud.
So, what is the proper etiquette … (5 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: Pool or No Pool? - 07/12/21 08:12 AM
Pool or no pool, that is the question. Homebuyers historically either look for a house with a pool or do not want a home with a pool. It is rare to find a buyer that is lukewarm about it. However, last summer, with the pandemic in full force, vacations canceled, and people were staying home, pools were in high demand to the point that the pool companies could not keep up with the demand. Many were on backorder, and it seems to have carried over to this year for many folks.
 
This year the sediment about pools also seems to have changed … (1 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: Winter on your mind **even when the sun shines** - 06/18/21 10:09 AM
In the summer, it's safe to say that people are not thinking about getting ready to heat their homes in the colder months soon to come. We New Englanders tend to like to stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and though the seasons change every few months, we tend to live and enjoy the season we are in, especially those warm summer days and cool summer nights. Thinking ahead to the next season, especially winter while in the summer, is usually not top of mind. 
However, when you own a home, you should think about a few things … (0 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: The Pressure - 05/21/21 09:53 AM
The competitive real estate market that we are experiencing here in the Valley, across the state, and much of the country has created incredible pressure on all participants in the real estate transaction. In any part of the real estate cycle, whether it be a seller's market or a buyer's market, there typically is pressure and competition on one side. But, in this market, the pressure has been building and is now being felt on all sides.
It's fair to say that we are still in a seller's market—low inventory and an abundance of qualified buyers. Some are local, and some are … (4 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: Percentages can be misleading... - 04/21/21 12:57 PM
Every month, the Realtor Association both local and State releases the monthly single-family and condo sales report. Among other statistics it covers the number of sales and the median price compared to the previous year. It is presented by county and the entire Pioneer Valley as a whole, covering all three counties.
The percentage posted can differ significantly from month to month. As a result, it may give a misleading picture of the market, especially in Franklin County, where the number of homes that sell in any given month is modest. For example, in February, the numbers show that Franklin County saw … (0 comments)

franklin county homes for sale: The Escalation Clause - 04/17/21 05:51 AM
In an ultra-competitive Real Estate market such as one we are experiencing, prospective buyers are looking for ways to be the one the seller chooses when competing with multiple offers. Some situations cannot be avoided, such as a cash buyer being chosen over a buyer with a low-down-payment requiring PMI. Most sellers will choose a cash buyer over one needing financing, especially loans that will require the seller's house to meet specific standards of loans requiring FHA, USDA, and VA backing, which adds another layer to the loan approval. Buyers are looking to get a leg up on their competition trying to … (4 comments)