This is a good question to which I am going to post a series of answers…supplied by my own past customers. Let them tell you why they worked with me and why it worked FOR them.

Let’s start with Christopher Stolar. Chris is an entrepreneur at J.Stolar Insurance in Palmer, MA. Last year he was researching buying his first home on Google and he found my blog. We met over coffee for an interview and began our search. We found his home in Palmer, MA and he was a home owner a few months later. This is Chistopher’s comment card:

“Lesley did an excellent job explaining this process and making sure I felt comfortable.”

I am so glad you feel that way!

Thank you to Christopher for his trust, business and kind words. I hope he has many happy years in his new home!

If you or someone you know is looking to buy your first home in Western MA, please reach out. My cell is 413-575-3611 and my email: therealestatenatural@yahoo.com.

I happen to know first hand that a full time real estate agent works a lot more hours than most people realize. In addition to going on showing and listing appointments we have a lot of running around, phone calls and computer time that can absorb a day. I thought I might use my day today as an example of what a full time, hard-working real estate agent goes through.

8:30 am – coffee while reading emails and real estate news
9:00 am – gather up my kids (it is school vacation) and head to the office. Thankful that Park Square Realty in Westfield is family friendly!
11 am – drop kids at play date and head out to deliver purchase and sale agreements to listing in Chicopee for signature
1 pm – present marketing and pricing plan to potential listing client in Westfield, MA
3 pm – back to Park Square Realty’s office to check messages, emails and prepare for evening showings
4 pm – pick up my kids and work from home for an hour. Work on website marketing for listings and start editing video for a virtual tour.
5:30 pm – head back to Chicopee to show three properties to some first time home buyers
8 pm – home to research recent comparable sales because buyer is considering making an offer, write this blog post, write a blog post for my column at Masslive and another for Agent Genius Magazine.
10:30 pm – finish emails and blog posts – ran out of steam and will have to finish that virtual tour tomorrow.

During the course of the day I am answering calls and emails on the go…thank goodness for smart phones!

All of this costs my household something though, and I know other agents pay the same toll….

The laundry is piled up, the dishes need doing, dinner is late and sometimes not so healthy and don’t even get me started on the garden!

Ah well, it is all worth it when a buyer signs for a house that they love and a family selling their home is able to make their next move!

photo courtesy of Robbert van der Steeg on flickr

Are you a first time home buyer looking for an affordable home in West Springfield, MA ? This map shows the homes for sale and available between $100,000 and $200,000 in West Springfield, MA.

I love working with first time home buyers and have a series of videos available that help explain the process of buying your first home in Western MA. To see the videos visit my YouTube Channel.

If the search shown above doesn’t fit your needs, I can help you to get the information you need to find your Pioneer Valley home. Please don’t hesitate to ask, I am here to help! You can call me at 413-575-3611 or use the interactive card below to reach me via social networks, email and more!

That is when the home buyer tax credit expires. No kidding. No rumors of extensions.

GONE.

If you are a first time homebuyer, you must close on your new home by April 30, 2010 to collect up to $8,000 in tax benefits.

Other buyers who may qualify for the “Step Up” Home buyer credit must be in contract by April 30, 2010 with a closing no later than July 1, 2010 to collect up to $6,500. My blog post on the tax credit extension has a complete guideline for your review.

Get in touch with me today to discuss your moving plans!