Massachusetts Real Estate

As a Realtor you are able to get on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) everyday and see countless homes that have "expired".

The number one reason why any home expires and does not sell is because of an improper price. Unfortunately, this is the hardest obstacle in Real Estate to overcome.

In today's challenging Real Estate market, the price that is set on your home can be more  than 75% of the marketing. What do I mean by that? Simply, if you come on the market at the wrong price, the best Realtor in the country with the most sophisticated marketing will not be able to get the job done.

There is no easy way to say this. Pick the wrong price and you will be doomed to languish on the market. All the marketing and advertising will be wasted along with a lot of time.

Time, as in "time on market", is one of the most important Real Estate statistics. This is the one piece of data that every buyer asks for when viewing a home. In fact I can't ever remember a buyer not asking me "Bill how long has this home been on the market?" Every buyer wants to know this because if the home has been on the market for a long time, the buyer feels like there will be more room to negotiate. It is just human nature. Buyers also may feel there could be something wrong with the home when it has been on the market for an usually extended period of time.

The way the MLS system works in Massachusetts prevents a Realtor from re-listing a home to set the days on market back to zero. This used to be a common practice before the MLS board got smart. This change was made a few years ago in order to make market statistics actually valid and not allow a Realtor to deceive the public by manipulating market data. In order for a homes days on market to be reset to zero it now must be off the market for 91 days.

As far as negotiating, sellers are in the drivers seat when a home comes on the market.

See also Selling your home does not have to be a mystery. 

                                                                

This leads me to the next most important consideration. Do not pick a crappy Realtor! Picking a poor Real Estate agent and proper pricing in many cases go hand in hand.

There is a dirty little practice in Real Estate known as "buying a listing" that many Realtors employ as part of their business practice.

You see in many cases when a seller is interviewing multiple agents, a lesser skilled agent resorts to telling a seller what they want to hear in order to get the listing.

We all want to believe our homes are better than Mr. & Mrs. Jone's home that just sold down the street. This is just human nature at it's finest. A poor Realtor knows this and uses it to their advantage.

With a long term contract in hand and not much activity on your home, the Realtor starts to beat you over the head to reduce your price.

Folks the Real Estate data never lies but Real Estate agents do! Avoid falling into this trap at all costs. Being tied to this kind of agent is the pits. You may be able to drop your price but you signed a contract and will be stuck with this agent until the contract expires. 

 

What can you do to avoid getting stick with a less than stellar Realtor? Ask smart Real Estate interview questions! One of the best pieces of information to find out about the Realtor you are thinking about hiring is their list price to sale price ratio from the original list price and their average days on market.

You should be looking for an agent that beats the averages for your area. It goes without saying that a Realtors previous track record is an important consideration.

Just like in any other good interview process, the agent you select should have an excellent resume.

Actually this is a funny subject because most Realtors have their past client list already typed up and ready to hand to you. I admit it I do too.

The thing is nobody is going to give you a list of clients that are going to say things like "Bill was awful to work with", "Bill's service sucked", "Bill never returned calls".

Remember anyone that is on the list is probably the Realtors best clients. The agent has probably asked the client if they could be included on the reference list. What you are going to hear are the finest compliments about the Realtor. I have always thought this was really hokey.

Believe it or not I don't even ask permission for the people I have on my list. I take a leap of faith that they were happy with my services. Another way around this is to ask the agent for a list of homes that they have sold and just do your own home work. If the agent asks why you want a list you should just tell them you want to see what kind of homes they have sold. Pick up the phone and call a few people. It certainly can't hurt!                                                                                                                                               

Look for A Realtor that is Internet savvy and has a social media marketing strategy. The majority of all buyers find their home online. You need an agent that knows how to make your home the center of attention online.

When looking for an internet savvy Realtor you should do a few things....Google the agents name, an address of a property they are marketing, and a very competitive term like the town, state and Real Estate as keywords.

An Internet savvy Realtor will have pages and pages of results for their name. You may also learn things that could be important about this agent.

If you Google the address of a home they are marketing you will see all the places on line where your home will be found.

There should be a mix of websites, blogs, and videos.  Searching for a term like "Hopkinton MA Real Estate" for example, which buyers will do by the way, will show which agents have a real strong website.

If you can get on the 1st page for this kind of search term when you are competing with the big boys like Realtor.com, Homes.com and Trulia.com you have found an agent that knows their way around the net or at the very least their web provider does.

 

See also Social marketing blogging short sale and the seller I never met and

Selling your home in a buyers market

Pricing your home incorrectly and picking a Realtor with poor business skills are the two most likely reasons why your home has expired. There are however, a few other reasons that can contribute to the possibility of making your sale more difficult to achieve.

Other reasons include a home that does not show well. At the very least your home should be neat and clean.

Access to your home should not be difficult. If you place a bunch of restrictions on when your home can be shown you will increase the likelihood that your home will take a lot longer to sell.

Lastly you should make sure you get out of the house when it is being shown. This is Real Estate 101. A buyer and their agent should be able to walk around the home freely and speak their thoughts without worrying about the seller lurking around the corner.

Here is a neat little video that summarizes some excellent home selling tips.

The following Real Estate articles cover a variety of topics including short sales, loan modifications, deed in lieu of foreclosure, USDA Loans, tips on selling your home, tax deductions, internet and social marketing, plus many others.

I hope a few of them you may find useful for your particular circumstances. Hopefully some of the articles may teach you a good tip that you may not have thought about or even cause you to think differently.

Working as a Metrowest Massachusetts Realtor for the last twenty three years I have learned quite a bit. Real Estate is a field where you can learn something new almost every week! Real Estate is one of my passions...enjoy.

 

 

 

Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Your Massachusetts Home

There are a miriad of mistakes you can make when selling a home in Massachusetts. This article details some of the top mistakes and offers suggestions on how you can avoid them. Topics include pricing your home properly, selecting an excellent Realtor, and staging your home to sell among others.

 

 

 

Assessed Home Values Rarely Fair Market Value

This article details one of the top misconceptions in Real Estate. Assessed Home values rarely are the same as fair market value! In fact assessed values are nothing more than a yard stick for a municipality to collect an appropriate amount of taxes to sufficiently cover the state a local appropriations to the city and town.

 

 

Best Remodeling Projects Cost V.S Value For Your Home

There are many improvements that you can make to your home that have very little return. Other home improvements can have a real impact. This article details the average rate of return from around the country for various remodeling projects. The statistics are taken from the annual National Association of Realtors report.

 

 

 

Tax Deductions To Remember When Getting A Home Loan

When getting a mortgage to buy a home there are certain deductions that you are afforded by the Internal Revenue Service that you should be aware of come tax time in April. The article details some of the deductions you may forget about when buying a home.

 

 

 

Selling Your Home In A Buyers Market

There are quite a few people who have thought about selling their home but have not due to the steep decline in market values over the last few years. This is understandable UNLESS you are going to be buying another home under the same market conditions! Sure you will lose some of the equity that was in your home but you will make it up on the other end. Read further for an example as well as some tips on making your home sale go smoother.

 

 

Social Marketing, Blogging, Short Sales and the seller I Never Met

A run down of picking a Realtor with a social media marketing strategy combined with a strong internet presence, can be a tremendous assistance in getting a home sold in today's challenging Real Estate market. Covers an important tip on why your should "Google" the agents names you are interviewing to sell your home.

 

 

Energy Saving Tips For The Winter Months

In this article you will find a number of tips in order to make your home more energy efficient especially in the Winter months. Who doesn't want to save money on their home? Come and take a peak.

 

 

 

Foreclosure Avoiding It Through A Short Sale Or Loan Modification

The last thing anyone wants is to lose their home to foreclosure. There are other options available including a Short Sale and loan modification. Each of these concepts are explained in detail. There are advantages for both the home owner and the bank. Find out why short sales have become a common term in Real Estate.

 

 

 

Deed In Lieu Of Foreclosure And Short Sales

The terms deed in lieu of foreclosure and short sales are both explained as a means for a home owner to avoid the costly and embarrising foreclosure proceedings. Banks are not in the business of owning Real Estate and would prefer not to be a home owner.

 

Selling Your Home Does Not Have To Be A Mystery

Selling your home should not be a mystery when you have it priced properly and have selected a Realtor that knows how to create an online presence for you. A proper price according to comparable market data and a coordinated marketing effort are the two most important factors that will lead to a successful sale. Come in and take a look....let me read your mind.

 

 

USDA Loans Mortgage Option For Low To No Down Payment

With a USDA loan a borrower can do 100% financing! These loans are given to those that live in a rural area. The term "rural" has loose definitions but generally speaking areas with under a population of 20,000 qualify. USDA loans (US Department of Agriculture) aka Section 502 loans are an excellent mortgage vehicle for those who do not have money to put down but have decent credit ratings

 

 

Real Estate Capital Gains When Selling Your Home

There are many who do not realize the current capital gains laws when selling a home. The current capital gains tax law when selling your personal residence allows for an exclusion of up to $250,000 in profit if you are single and $500,000 if married. In order to be eligible you must have lived in your home for two of the last five years. The property must be your personal residence and can not be an investment property. As of January 1st 2009 there is a new modification that eliminates a tax loop hole for the rich. Read further to see how the law has changed.

 

When To Lock Your Mortgage Interest Rate

One of the considerations when applying for a home loan is when to actually lock the mortgage rate. Of course those that do not lock right away are gambling with their future loan payment. More often than not the best time to lock a rate is right away.    

 

 

 

Massachusetts FHA Morgage Loans

An explanation of FHA mortgage loans and why they can be beneficial to those that do not have a large down payment. Currently you need a down payment as low as 3.5% with an FHA loan.

 

 

 

Buying a Bank Owned Home

The opportunity to buy a bank owned home is one that many buyers often consider due to the fact that there is a prevailing belief that you can buy them for 50 cents on the dollar or less. While as a general rule many bank owned properties do represent a good Real Estate value, you are more likely to be able to purchase one for around 5-20% less than the going rate for a similar comparable property.

 

Buying a Foreclosed Home or Potential Foreclosure Property

Are you considering buying a foreclosed property? Why not after all there are plenty of them all around the country and they can typically be bought at a discount to the present market value.

Buying a foreclosed home however, is not for the timid at heart and there are many things that buyers need to consider.

 

 

   Massachusetts Title V Septic Systems and Selling a Home

When selling a home in Massachusetts and your property is being serviced by a septic system, one of the most important considerations is getting your Title V certification done. The last thing you want is a problem with your septic system!

 

 

  Massachusetts Short Sales Realtor

For those that have been hearing the term "short sale" and don't quite understand what it means, a short sale is a legal lender approved solution designed to assist those home owners who are financially strapped to get out from under their mortgage debt.

A short sale is negotiated through the mortgage holder of an owners home where by the mortgage holder agrees to take less than what home owner owes on the property.

 

 

 

***Comments are welcome and can be done within each individual post at the comment box on the bottom of each article.

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About the Author: The above Real Estate articles worth reading was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. 

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise! 

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Metrowest Mass Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Douglas, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

 

 

 

 

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Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.

Hopkinton Mass Real Estate - Just listed 32 Apple Tree Hill Hopkinton Massachusetts. Listed at $244,900. Listed by Bill Gassett RE/MAX Executive Realty.

*** Update - Sold on March 30, 2009 for $235,000. Sold by Bill Gassett, RE/MAX Executive Realty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This townhome condominium at Apple Tree Hill in Hopkinton has been wonderfully remodeled and upgraded by the current owner. The kitchen shows outstanding with NEW Maple cabinetry, Silestone counters and new appliances.

The 1st floor has a very open floor plan with the family room and dining room adjoining each other. The family room has a wood burning corner fireplace and sliders to a decent size deck with great views out to a large backyard and woods. Both the family room and dining room are complemented by hardwood flooring which the owner has added.

One really terrific feature of this condo is the brand NEW finished walk-out lower level. Most of the units at Apple Tree Hill do not have basements and were built on slabs. This awesome space adds an additional 550 square feet that could be used for a 2nd family room, exercise room, or large office space.

The 2nd floor has two very good size bedrooms and a full bath. In total there are six rooms, 1.5 baths, and just under 1800 total square feet. The condo fee at the present time is $260 per month. The condo is maintained by a professional off site condo association. Apple Tree Hill has a very convenient location within close proximity to 495 and the Mass Pike Exits. You can learn more about Apple Tree Hill Hopkinton Massachusetts by clinking the link.

Watch the video slide show presentation of this Hopkinton townhome here.

 

Thinking of selling your home in Apple Tree Hill or other Metrowest/Hopkinton neighborhood? Call or email me...I would welcome the opportunity to show you how my online marketing can get your home SOLD!

One of the things I do with all the properties I market is create an online presence. Over 85% of all buyers find their home online. These posts and my blog are highly indexed by Google...in fact this may be how you arrived here? You can see a sampling of my Apple Tree Hill Condo marketing here.

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About the author: The above Real Estate information on Apple Tree Hill was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Hopkinton MA and other Metrowest towns for the last 23+ Years. 

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise! 

For Massachusetts and Hopkinton MA Real Estate and homes see Hopkinton Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

 

 

 

 

Subscribe in a reader

 

SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.  

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.

Hopkinton Ridge is a decent size Hopkinton Massachusetts  neighborhood consisting of 31   homes situated on the West side of Hopkinton off of Lumber Street. The Streets in Hopkinton Ridge include Glen Road and Whirty Circle.

The homes built in this Hopkinton subdivision were built by well known national home builder, Pulte Corporation. Pulte builds homes all over the US and has a fairly solid reputation for delivering a quality product.

Their home designs are well laid out for today's life style. Most of the home plans have dramatic two story entry ways and spacious adjoining kitchen and family rooms. The typical design will usually include a 1st floor study in addition to the standard formal living and dining rooms.

This neighborhood was built between 1998 and 1999. The homes range in size from 2600 square feet up to 3900 square feet, exclusive of finished basement space. The bulk of the homes, however, are in the 3500 square foot range.                                                                                                                                 

Most of the homes have four bedroom, 2.5-3.5 baths and two car garages. There are a few homes that have three garage bays. Some of the home owners have also created additional living space by finishing their lower levels.

The majority of the lots are an acre in size although there are a few that are slightly larger.

The one defining characteristic of most of the Pulte neighborhoods in Massachusetts is the lack of variety in the housing styles.

While driving through Hopkinton Ridge you will notice that there are only about a half dozen different home plans. Many of the homes also have the same floor plan with just a slightly different exterior elevation.

If your looking for a highly customized home with a distinctly different look than your neighbors property, this is not the place.

 

 

One confusing aspect of the Hopkinton Ridge neighborhood is that it adjoins with the Hopkinton subdivision known as Wildwood Glen Estates. The neighborhoods are tied together via Glen Road and many people mistakenly believe they are one subdivision. There are no landmarks telling you otherwise.

If you look closely you will see that the Wildwood Glen neighborhood has a much greater variety in housing styles as there were multiple builders who developed the property.

At Hopkinton Ridge you can expect to purchase a home that will have good re-sale value as the floor plans will not go out of style. I have enjoyed marketing homes in this neighborhood as they have a broad appeal to a lot of folks.

As of January 2009 the homes have a market value in the range of high 500's up to the 700's depending on the size of the home, the lot and amenities.

Hopkinton Ridge has an excellent commuting location as the 495 exits are only about 1.5 miles down the road off of West Main Street. The 1st exit North on 495 is the Mass Pike. Boston is only about 35 minutes away!

If you have a family one of the considerations when selecting a community is usually the quality of education the town provides. You can be confident knowing the Hopkinton Mass Schools are highly rated and among the best in the area!

 

Thinking of selling your home in Hopkinton Ridge or other Metrowest/Hopkinton neighborhood? Call or email me...I would welcome the opportunity to show you how my online marketing can get your home SOLD!

One of the things I do with all the properties I market is create an online presence. Over 85% of all buyers find their home online. These posts and my blog are highly indexed by Google...in fact this may be how you arrived here? You can see a sampling of my Hopkinton home marketing here.

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About the author: The above Real Estate information on Hopkinton Ridge was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Hopkinton MA and other Metrowest towns for the last 23+ Years. 

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise! 

For Massachusetts and Hopkinton MA Real Estate and homes see Hopkinton Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

 

 

 

Subscribe in a reader

 

SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.  

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.

As a Realtor working in Metrowest Massachusetts for the last twenty three years, it surprises me how often people do not realize the current tax laws regarding capital gains when selling their home.

The new capital gains tax law actually went into effect in 1997 and is known as the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997.

The current capital gains tax law when selling your personal residence allows for an exclusion of up to $250,000 in profit if you are single and $500,000 if married. In order to be eligible you must have lived in your home for two of the last five years. Again it must be your personal residence and can not be an investment property.

You can use this capital gains exclusion as many times as you like as long as it meets the above criteria. As an example lets say you were fortunate to purchase your home for $400,000 and it is now worth $700,000. Your $300,000 in profit or gain would not be taxed.

So what happens if you are going to make more than $500,000 in profit? Under the current tax plan you would be taxed at a 20% capital gains tax rate on the amount over the $500,000 threshold.

As far as living in the home for two out of the last five years there are no hard and fast rules regarding this. You could have lived in the home the 1st year, rented it the next three, and lived in it again in the last year and you would be fine as far as the exclusion goes.

There is a new law that just went into effect as of January 1st 2009 that closes a tax loop hole in the Capital Gains law. The recently signed 2008 Housing and Economic Recovery act has placed new restrictions on wealthy home owners who own two or more homes and plan to hop from one home to another to avoid paying capital gains.

Some home owners have avoided paying the capital gains tax by selling their primary home, claiming a full tax exclusion and then moving to a second or third home that they have owned for some time, making it their primary residence and then turning around and selling the home paying little or no capital gains tax.

The new modification says that the gain may not be excluded for periods of "non qualified use", basically the period of time when the home was not used as the taxpayer's primary residence.

 

While being married does offer the benefit of a larger tax exclusion, couples also have some other considerations when it comes to determining whether the home sale is tax-free or not.

Under the law, either spouse can meet the ownership test. For example, the IRS says it's OK if you owned the home for the last two years, you get married and you decide you want to add your spouse to the title. In this case, lets say the marriage is a year old.                                                                                       

Since one of you owned the residence for the required time, as joint filers you have no problem meeting the ownership test even though your spouse wasn't an official owner for that long.

Both parties however must pass the use test. Each of the spouses must live in the residence for two years. One thing to note is that the shared use doesn't have to be while you file jointly. If you and your spouse shared the home for one and a half years before getting married and then six months as newlyweds, the IRS will allow you to claim the exemption. But if your spouse did not move in until the wedding day, you're out of tax-exclusion luck.

One other thing to keep in mind under this couple requirement is that if either spouse sold a home and used the exclusion within two years of the sale of any jointly-owned property, the couple can not claim the tax exclusion. This means if your new spouse sold their home a few months before the wedding, then you will have to wait two years after that property's sale date before you can sell  your shared marital residence tax-free.

Even if you don't meet all the home sale exclusion tests there are certain circumstances where you still may be eligible for a tax break. When you need to sell your home because a change in health or a long distance relocation, you may be be able to get a pro-rated tax deduction. If you pass the requirements of this kind of case, you would calculate the fractional time your were in the home. For example if you were in the home for half the time and were relocated to another state you would be able to claim 12 out of the 24 months of exclusion or half the amount of the exclusion ($125,000).

If you are in the armed services there is also a special provision regarding the capital gains law as well. A law instituted in 2003 now exempts military personnel from the two-year use requirement for up to 10 years, letting you qualify for the full exclusion whenever you must move to fulfill your service commitments.

The information contained here in is believed to be accurate, however every person's individual tax situation may be different, therefore before acting on the information contained herein, the reader is urged to consult a qualified tax accountant or attorney.

Home ownership certainly has tax advantages. When completing the purchase of a home there are other  deductions you need to remember.

See also:

Massachusetts Capital Gains Tax

Tax deductions to remember when getting a home loan.

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About the Author: The above information on Real Estate capital gains when selling your Massachusetts home was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. 

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise! 

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Metrowest Mass Realtor. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Douglas, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

 

 

 

 

Subscribe in a reader

 

SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.

Selling your home should not be a mystery when you have it priced properly and have selected an agent that knows how to create an online presence for you. A proper price and a coordinated marketing effort are the two most important factors that will lead to a successful sale. Have fun while I read your mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know you either but I would be willing to bet if you are thinking of selling your home in Metrowest Massachusetts you would like to sell it for the most money, in a reasonable amount of time, with the least amount of headaches to you! You see just like David Copperfield I can read your mind too.

It's great to work with a Realtor like myself because when it comes time to negotiate with the buyer, I already know what they are willing to pay. Well I guess I am being a little silly here but not really.

The buyer is going to be looking to pay the FMV for your home (Fair Market Value). Fair market value is what other similar homes have sold for. Not what you need or want to sell your home for.

In today's challenging Real Estate market, the price that is set on your home is about 75% of the marketing. What do I mean by that? Simply, if you come on the market at the wrong price, the best Realtor in the country with the most sophisticated advertising you have ever seen will not be able to help you.

I am not going to sugar coat it. Pick the wrong price and you will be doomed to languish on the market. All the marketing and advertising will be wasted along with a lot of time. In Real Estate time = your money.

What is the one piece of information buyers always ask for when looking at a home? If you guessed the days on the market you are 100% correct. You see when the days on the market goes up so does the gap between the list and sale price.

Yet as Realtors we see this same mistake repeated over and over again. Come on admit it...if you see a home that has been on for 14 days and another for 214 days which one do you feel like you have more bargaining power on? It's just human nature.

Over and over again statistics show that homes priced properly out of the gate sell for more than those who believe a higher list price leads to a higher sale price.

As the graph on the right shows, the further you get from market value, the percentage of buyers dwindles.

So what about the other 25% of the equation? Picking the right Realtor is very important. Just like in every other business, you should be looking for the best professional to represent your interests. Most would agree that selling a home is a fairly large decision in life.

As an agent that has been in the business for 23 years, it never ceases to amaze me how little thought goes into picking a Realtor. Why is it that if you are having surgery or you are involved in a lawsuit or you need a tooth pulled there is conscious effort to make sure you are using the creme of the crop? Is there any wonder why there is so much disappointment in the Real Estate industry?

The barriers to becoming a Realtor are way too low. There are far too many unqualified Real Estate agents running around. This is why as a consumer it is important to go through the interview process. Alright I am digressing here:)

So what should you be looking for in a Realtor? I would put Internet Savvy at the top of the list along with someone that has a previous track record of success!

In the article top ten mistakes to avoid when selling your Massachusetts home you will note that overpricing your home and picking the wrong Realtor are up near the top of the list. Read further for eight additional obsticles and tips to avoid them.

Some other articles offering home selling advice include:

• Selling your home in a buyers market
• Great Real Estate interview questions for Realtors
• Sold in 70 days

No magic or mysteries just sound advice.

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About the Author: The above information on Selling your home does not have to be a mystery was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. 

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise! 

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Metrowest Mass Realtor. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Douglas, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile

 

 

 

Subscribe in a reader

 

SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.

Hopkinton Real Estate - Just listed 14 Weybridge Lane Hopkinton Massachusetts in the Indianbrook neighborhood. Listed at $274,900. Listed by Bill Gassett, RE/MAX Executive Realty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking for a townhome that sparkles? This Indianbrook condo sure does fit the bill! The home is a middle unit townhome and is in MINT condition! The sellers efforts in fixing this place up are noticeable the minute you walk through the door. The entire home has been re-done including a beautiful sleek kitchen with painted black cabinetry with Stainless appliances/hardware and SILESTONE counters. Both baths have been updated with NEW Granite and tile floors.

One of the things that will really catch your eye is the stunning hardwood floors throughout the 1st floor. The hardwood flooring is all new and really adds a touch of warmth to the home.

 The entire condo has received a fresh coat of paint in pleasing earth tones. Additional improvements include New lighting & plumbing fixtures. Both bedrooms are spacious and have vaulted ceilings. The  finished lower level with family room & office area add additional "flex" space for whatever you need. In total there is about 1800 square feet of living space. There are two bedrooms and 1.5 baths. The condo fee for this unit is $308. Indianbrook has great access to 495 & MA Pike for those commuting into Boston!

Here is a link to see the video tour of 14 Weybridge Lane Hopkinton Mass.

Want to learn more about why Indianbrook may be a great place to call home? Click on the link below to learn more about this Hopkinton condominium neighborhood.

Indianbrook Condos Hopkinton Massachusetts

Thinking of selling your home in Indianbrook or other Metrowest/Hopkinton neighborhood? Call or email me...I would welcome the opportunity to show you how my online marketing can get your home SOLD!

One of the things I do with all the properties I market is create an online presence. Over 85% of all buyers find their home online. These posts and my blog are highly indexed by Google...in fact this may be how you arrived here? You can see a sampling of my Indianbrook condo marketing here.

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About the author: The above Hopkinton Real Estate information about 14 Weybridge Lane in the Indianbrook neighborhood was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.comor by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Hopkinton MA and other Metrowest towns for the last 23+ Years.

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise! 

For Massachusetts and Hopkinton MA Real Estate and homes see Hopkinton Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Metrowest Real Estate profile

 

 

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Knowing how to market your services online can be very powerful. In the Real Estate field it can certainly be the difference maker in whether or not a client chooses to hire you or NOT! Anyone who is in the Real Estate field knows that Realtors are a dime a dozen.                                                                                                    

Unfortunately, there are very low barriers to entry for becoming a licensed Real Estate agent. When the market was booming every Tom, Dick, Harry and Mary wanted a license into the promised land of easy money. They came in droves hoping for that rags to riches story.

THEN THINGS CHANGED....The 3 P's of Real Estate no longer worked. Put a sign in the yard, put it in MLS, and pray. This marketing strategy used to work for many agents when the Real Estate market was booming.

Real Estate was Easy Street. Multiple offers and home values rising by the month. There was much less marketing skill involved in the business. Commission checks were easy to come by.

Heck you could price a home improperly and a few months later it wouldn't matter because the market would have caught up to your mistake. An inexperienced Realtors blunders could suddenly turn genius. Those were the days.

 

The Real Estate market today is much different. Terms such as recession, short sales, mortgage meltdown, foreclosure, and stock market crash are all common terms we deal with on a daily basis. There are no lines forming at the door to the division of Real Estate licensure anymore.

In fact the Real Estate business is going through a consolidation at the moment. Many of the agents who didn't realize that you need to invest a serious amount of time and energy in actually working your tail off are getting out just as fast as they entered.

There is also another set of agents that just don't know what you need to do in order to be successful in a challenging market. Up until a few years ago, a Realtor that entered the business in the last ten years had not seen a down Real Estate market. Times have changed and so should your thought process about picking a good Realtor.

If you were looking for skill sets of the best Realtors it would be those that know how to price homes accurately and those that have a strong grasp of online marketing.

The Internet has grown by leaps and bounds. Survey after survey says that over 84% of all buyers find their home from an online search!

If your considering selling your home would you not want to be with the Realtor who provides a dominate online presence for their clients? The agent that is not going to tell you what you want to hear in order to get the listing?

I have mentioned this on many occasions so I may be preaching to the choir but using Google as an interview tool can be very important.

Here are two tips...Google the agents name you are considering and also ask them for an address of a home they are marketing.

You should Google both of them. If the agent knows anything about Social marketing there should be pages and pages of results for their name! You should be able to quickly get the picture as to whether or not this agent is Internet savvy.

When you Google an address of a home they are marketing, you will be able to see all the sites that the home is being marketed on. Think about this for a moment...if you Google a homes address and don't come with anything you have found a Realtor that follows the 3 P's of marketing. Run for the hills Amigos this is not what you want!!

Besides Real Estate, one of my passions is SEO (search engine optimization). When a client hires me to sell their home it will be found everywhere online.

My clients home becomes front and center for those buyers looking to make a move.

A good Real Estate professional understands the importance of implementing a social media strategy into their marketing plan.

The goal is to provide the greatest exposure to my Real Estate listings, while also generating worth while hyper-local, geo targeted content that can be found through the search engines.

So how is this accomplished? Well 1st let me tell you it now takes days to get the marketing set up for clients home I am representing! I am not going to go into great detail, as I do not want my competitors trying to duplicate my efforts but will give you a small glimpse.

The 1st thing that is done is getting the listing into my website that covers Real Estate sales in Metrowest Massachusetts. This website is highly indexed by Google and will usually come up on the 1st page for anything related to Real Estate in the towns I cover.

This is important because if the site can not be found what good is it? My knowledge of search engine optimization has allowed me to have a top ranked Real Estate site. One of the amazing parts of my site is the ability to syndicate the listing to some of the most heavily traveled Real Estate sites at the click of a button. The graphic above shows the power of what I am talking about. Some of the best sites include Zillow, Trulia, Cyberhomes, Google, and Yahoo.

The next thing I do is create a blog post of the listing. There will be pictures, descriptions, links and possibly an imbeded video tour. Again, my Active Rain blog is highly indexed in Google (what you are reading). It comes up all over the place for any kind of local Real Estate search. I also have two other blogs that widen the net for even more visability at Bill Gassett's Trulia Blog and Metrowest Real Estate Blog.

One of the most important consideration for any Real Estate marketing campaign is the use of a video presentation. I will use the Real Estate Shows and have a video slide show sent to Realtor.com, MLS (multiple listing service) and also YouTube! Here is a sample of a home I just sold at 152 Stagecoach Road Holliston Mass using the Real Estate Shows.

This is just scratching the surface of what I provide my seller clients. The fact that my sites come up all over local Real Estate searches has brought a fair amount of business my way. In fact this week I will be closing on a Short sale and I never even met the seller!

He happened to read an article I wrote about short sales and also found my Real Estate website while doing a local search. He interviewed me over the phone. He had been transfered out of the area and was renting his home. The tenants moved out and he needed to sell it or he would have ended up in foreclosure.

Fortunately for me I get leads like this all the time. Lately I have even been getting calls for advice from people located in other parts of the country about the possibility of doing a short sale. This happens because they read my articles which come up in the search engines.

Foreclosure Avoiding it Through a Short Sale or Loan Modification

Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure and Short Sales

Sometimes they can be helped and other times it is too late as foreclosure has reached their door step. The point is the internet is a powerful sales tool for those that use it. Having a Realtor with a social marketing strategy in your corner is a smart move!

Caution...Realtor above that could not spell commission might not be your best bet.

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About the Author: The above information on social marketing, blogging, short sales and the seller I never met was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. 

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise! 

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Metrowest Mass Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Douglas, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

 

 

 

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SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.

                                    Westboro Massachusetts Real Estate Market Report for December 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In December of 2008 there were 4 homes that closed within the month for Westboro Massachusetts. This is a the same amount of units as there were 4 homes that closed in December of 2007.

The Average list price for the homes that closed in Westboro for December of 2007 was $790,900

The Average list price for the homes that closed in Westboro for December of 2008 was $447,213

The Average sale price for the homes that closed in Westboro for December of 2007 was $727,250

The Average sale price for the homes that closed in Westboro for December of 2008 was $428,625

The Average Market time for the homes that closed in Westboro in December of 2007 was 52 days.

The Average Market time for the homes that closed in Westboro December of 2008 was 61 days.

 

7 homes went under agreement in Westboro Massachusetts in the month of December. The average list price of the homes that went under agreement was $498,856. The average time on the market for these Westboro MA homes were 112 days.

                                    January - December Market Statistics for Westboro Massachusetts

In Westboro MA for the period of January to December of 2007 there were 164 properties sold.

In Westboro MA for the period of January to December 2008 there were 130 properties sold.

In Westboro MA for the period of January to December in 2007 the average list price was $511,977 the average sale price was $493,296, and the average market time was 138 days.

In Westboro MA for the period of January to December in 2008 the average list price was $464,290 the average sale price was $444,367 and the average time on the market was 97 days.

** The above statistics are for single family homes only and do not include condo's or Multi-family homes in Westboro Massachusetts.

In comparing year over year longer term data for Westboro Massachusetts, the average list price and sale price both went down year over year from January to December. This can be attributed to the on going weakness in the real estate market in Metrowest MA. There was however a decrease in the days on the market for the same period in Westboro MA. This is indictive of sellers becoming more realistic in pricing their homes properly. The number of sales so far year to date is down substantially from last year.

These statistics are similar to many of the towns in Metrowest MA. Most of the surrounding towns experienced a decrease in the average list price and sale price for the January to December time frame. 

 

Selling a home in Westboro Massachusetts or other Metrowest town is heavily dependant on pricing your home properly and picking an agent that will create an "online market presence" for your home. As a home seller, you need to be aware that the market in Westboro and many other Metrowest communities has changed over the last three and a half years. We are no longer in a seller's market. When selling a home in Westboro Massachusetts, it pays to have a pro in your corner representing you.

 When selling a home in Westboro MA, it pays to have a pro in your corner representing you. Here are some excellent questions  to ask when interviewing your agent, that will help you determine if you are hiring a top producer or not!

** 85% of all buyers are finding their homes on the Internet. See where I advertise on-line to give my clients dominant internet exposure at Metrowest MA Homes ~ How to effectively market to the masses on-line. **

 

Market reports for Hopkinton 

Market reports for Holliston 

Market reports for Milford 

Market reports for Southboro 

Market reports for Upton 

Market reports for Ashland 

 

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About the Author: The above Westboro Massachusetts Real Estate market report was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Westboro Massachusetts and other Metrowest towns for the last 23+ Years. 

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Massachusetts and Westboro MA Real Estate and homes see Westboro Homes For Sale Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

 

 

 

 Subscribe in a reader

 

SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.  

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.

                                           Milford Massachusetts Real Estate Market Report December 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In December of 2008 there were 9 homes that closed within the month for Milford Massachusetts. This is the same amount of homes sold, as there were 9 homes that closed in December of 2007.

The Average list price for the homes that closed in Milford for December of 2007 was $291,936

The Average list price for the homes that closed in Milford for December of 2008 was $301,367

The Average sale price for the homes that closed in Milford for December of 2007 was $277,767

The Average sale price for the homes that closed in Milford for December of 2008 was $285,333

The Average Market time for the homes that closed in Milford in December of 2007 was 201 days.

The Average Market time for the homes that closed in Milford December of 2008 was 306 days.

 

3 homes went under agreement in Milford MA in the month of December. The average list price of the homes that went under agreement was $226,567 The average time on the market for these Milford homes were 108 days.

                                    January - December Market Statistics for Milford Massachusetts

In Milford MA for the period of January to December of 2007 there were 130 properties sold.

In Milford MA for the period of January to December 2008 there were 195 properties sold.

In Milford MA for the period of January to December in 2007 the average list price was $344,279 the average sale price was $333,875 and the average market time was 142 days.

In Milford MA for the period of January to December in 2008 the average list price was $291,792 the average sale price was $279,800 and the average time on the market was 165 days.

** The above statistics are for single family homes only and do not include condo's or Multi-family homes in Milford MA.

In comparing year over year longer term data for Milford Massachusetts, it appears that there is still a downward trend in the average sale price for homes, as well as an increase in the days on the market for the same period in Milford MA. There was however, a substantial increase in the number of properties sold in the January to December time frame in Milford MA year over year! Milford is one of the few towns in the area that has had substantially more homes sold in 2008. This is due in part to prices dropping rapidly along with a good stock of affordable homes.

Click here to see previous Milford MA Real Estate Market reports.

Market reports for Hopkinton 

Market reports for Holliston 

Market Reports for Mendon

Market reports for Hopedale

Market reports for Southboro 

Market reports for Upton 

Market reports for Ashland 

Market Reports for Westboro

Selling a home in Milford Massachusetts or other Metrowest town is heavily dependant on pricing your home properly and picking an agent that will create an "online market presence" for your home. As a home seller, you need to be aware that the market in Milford and many other Metrowest communities has changed over the last three and a half years. We are no longer in a seller's market. When selling a home in Milford Massachusetts, it pays to have a pro in your corner representing you.

 When selling a home in Milford MA, it pays to have a pro in your corner representing you. Here are some excellent questions  to ask when interviewing your agent, that will help you determine if you are hiring a top producer or not!

** 85% of all buyers are finding their homes on the Internet. See where I advertise on-line to give my clients a dominant interner presence at Metrowest MA Homes ~ How to effectively market to the masses on-line. **

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

About the Author: This Milford Massachusetts Real Estate market report was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of Milford MA and other Metrowest towns for the last 23+ Years. 

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise! 

For Massachusetts and Milford MA Real Estate and homes see Milford Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile

 

 

 

Subscribe in a reader                                                                 

 

SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.  

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.