I had the opportunity to represent both the seller and the buyer on this one.  That can be tricky, but thankfully I had lovely clients on both sides and it was a true pleasure working with them all.  

I absolutely love this picture of Chris and Kelly, who are busy moving in to their new condo as we speak!  Look how happy they are!  Those smiles are the reason I do this work.  The ups and downs in real estate are no joke.  Every transaction has it's own set of challenges.  Days like today and smiling clients like these make me so happy to be doing what I do.  Thanks to Chris and Kelly for making work fun today!  

This was a super fun family to work with!  They were looking to transition from condo life to a single family home and at the same time get in a closer proximity to nearby family.  We found what they were looking for in Enfield!    

Allisen and Mike are home buying rock stars!  We sold their condo in record time because they were easy going, flexible and realistic.  Even when they were presented with multiple offers as sellers, they kept their cool and used logic to make the best choice possible.  In the end choosing the strongest instead of the highest offer.  I just love it when clients make smart decisions that serve them well!  When it was time for them to buy, they didn't waste any time and once again proved to be level headed negotiators who were easy to work with and who were not afraid to firmly put a foot down when they needed to.  Welcome to Enfield, guys!  I'm looking forward to seeing you around town now that we're neighbors!         

​Buying a home for the first time is a big deal.

To help you get ahead, we’ve outlined some first-time homebuyer tips by calling out six of the biggest mistakes that you should avoid going into the purchase of your first home that could end up saving you a lot of time, money, and frustration.

Mistake #1: Not getting pre-approved
Many first-time buyers make the mistake of thinking that they don’t need to get approved for a mortgage until they’ve found their dream home.  Unfortunately, that often ends up being too late.These days, most sellers require that pre-approvals be submitted along with any offer, and, since your finances need to be vetted before the lender will agree to grant you a loan, this process can take days or even weeks.  Instead, we recommend applying for a pre-approval before you even start looking at a available properties.  Doing so will give you extra time to work on your finances, if needed, and will ensure that you’re ready to submit an offer ASAP once you’ve found your perfect match.

Mistake #2:  Borrowing the maximum 
Once you have your pre-approval in hand, it’s time to decide how much you can afford to spend.  Many buyers mistakenly believe that the figure they’re given on their pre-approval letter should serve as their target sale price. However, make sure that this move won't leave you feeling “house poor.”  Instead, it’s better to think of loan amounts as a range. You have the ability to borrow up to the amount on your pre-approval, but you don’t necessarily have to go that far.  The better move is to do some budgeting of your own.  First, look at your income and expenses to determine how much money you’d feel comfortable putting towards a mortgage payment each month. Then, using that number, play around with a mortgage calculator until you land on a price of how much house you can really afford. 

Mistake #3:  Overestimating your abilities
Sometimes buyers are willing to take on any number of repairs and remodeling projects in exchange for for a low sale price.  Unfortunately, though, what ends up happening in many of these scenarios is that they end up finding that these properties were steals for a reason.  Often, the repairs require more time, money, and skills than the buyers can afford.  If you’re looking at fixer upper properties that require a lot of TLC -- especially foreclosures, short sales, or auctions -- you need to be honest with yourself about your abilities.  Do you have any previous remodeling experience? Can you afford to hire professional help? Are you prepared to cope with unforeseen problems and expenses?  Though some of these things may be hard to admit, doing so can end up saving you a lot of frustration in the long run.

Mistake #4:  Skipping the fine print
Yes, you should always read every contract you sign in full.  But, as anyone who’s ever sped through a “Terms & Conditions” agreement can tell you, that’s easier said than done.  While it might be tempting to simply skim your Agreement of Sale (and any addendums), resist the urge. This mistake could end up costing you.  Successful real estate transactions depend on each party fulfilling their respective contingencies by the deadlines specified in the agreement.  By signing, you’ve agreed to fulfill your end of the bargain. If you fail to meet those obligations, the seller may be entitled to take your deposit monies in reparations.  When you’re negotiating your offer, make sure you know exactly what you’re agreeing to before you sign on the dotted line.

Mistake #5:  Bypassing your inspections
Conventional wisdom states that skipping your inspections will put you in a better bargaining position. While this is true, the reality is inspections are for the buyer’s benefit.  They give you a realistic picture of what’s wrong with the property, so that you can either choose to buy it with eyes-wide-open and negotiate on repairs or walk away and find a more suitable option.  In contrast, when you choose to waive your inspections, you’ve agreed to take financial responsibility for any repairs that may come up, even if the problems pre-date your ownership of the property. Weigh your options carefully before deciding whether or not this risk is worth it to you. In some cases, just shortening your inspection contingency might be enough to make your offer more competitive.

Mistake #6: Forgetting about closing costs
Budgeting to buy a home isn’t just about figuring out how you’ll swing a downpayment and monthly mortgage amount.  There are also closing costs to consider.  Your closing costs will be paid at settlement. They will include any fees needed to facilitate the transaction such as deed-recording fees, title insurance, and appraisal costs.  The exact amount you’ll pay will depend on the specific services needed to close on your property. Realistically, however, you can expect to pay between 2%-5% of the home’s purchase price, and that needs to be factored into your overall cost of buying a place.  

Original article from www.openlistings.com

Thanks to our friends over at Deathwish Inc. our bees now have their very own exclusive web store!  You can click on the banner below to go straight to The Martin Hives webstore and see what our bees have for sale there.  We promised them we'd spend any money earned on their health and happiness so all proceeds will be reinvested in the hives.  Support The Martin Hives, support the honey bees!          

Congratulations to my buyers and my seller on this quick and easy closing!  The seller has been my client since the beginning of my real estate career.  She has treated herself to a move to a warmer winter climate in the southwest and wanted to release herself from some of her obligations back here in New England.  The buyers were her current tenants.  It turns out they were ready to buy but not ready to move!  This was a big win for everyone!    

I'm so happy for this growing family!  Meet the Dions!  These guys are so smart!  They did a little research and found out how they could own a home that was bigger than the apartment they were renting for LESS than they were paying in rent!  They opted for a USDA loan, so the areas and towns they had to choose from were limited but they didn't have to put any money down and got a great low interest rate!  With their mortgage now lower than the rent at their previous place, the family can afford for Mom to stay at home and raise her family.  What a gift!  I had such a good time working with this family!  Together, we learned a lot about the USDA loan process and their requirements.  We jumped through hoops when asked and they even bent over backwards to get through some of them!  I have so much respect for how hard these guys worked to get the house they wanted, I'm so proud of what they accomplished.  I'm very excited to see them again soon and meet their newest member, due any time!   

239 Hartford Turnpike
Tolland, CT 06084
4 bedrooms, 1.5 bathroom
​$140,000.00

​Work in real estate long enough and you'll have some tales to tell.  I think it's time I share some of mine.  Names and addresses withheld to protect the innocent.  

I think it's safe to say it can be universally agreed upon that "clowns are creepy"  Whether it was Stephen King's, Pennywise, serial killer John Wayne Gacy or the movie Killer Clowns from Outer Space that started people's unease, lots of folks hate and/or are terrified of clowns.  Thankfully, my clients from today belong to the minority group that think, "clowns are cool!".  

Today at their home inspection, my clients discovered this super cool clown attachment on the pull chain to the porch ceiling fan.  Rather than get the creeps or say "Ew!  A clown!", my clients saw this as positive sign that they were buying the right house.  One of my clients is a retired clown himself!  Shout out to the universe for the sign of the clown!