Happy Thanksgiving to my real estate clients, friends and family in Western Massachusetts and beyond!
The Greenest House
When you think of a “green” house, most people think of new, streamlined, energy efficient and angular. Most people imagine solar panels or elaborate water systems, but how many of you imagined an old home?
While driving to show a home in Springfield, MA tonight, I caught an interesting story on Marketplace about older green homes. I found it very interesting and it got me to thinking on this subject further.
Long a lover of old and historic homes, I have always felt that it is important for many reasons to leave property in place whenever possible. My reasons didn’t include the fact that this is the more green treatment, but it makes a lot of sense.
Discussing this topic with my boyfriend, Morriss, he pointed out a statistic that he remembered about land fills. He stated that we often hear negative statistics about the number of items like diapers that are filling landfills, but in reality it is construction debris that is a huge problem. Known as C & D Debris , it is a big problem in New England. In 2002, C&D debris accounted for 36 percent of all residential and commercial solid waste generated in Massachusetts.
With this knowledge in hand, it seems to make ultimate sense that renovating existing properties to be more efficient is the better route to take in most cases. Not only are you reducing the amount of debris that might be sent to a landfill, you are reducing the use of the existing resources like wood and you are taking a less efficient property and making it highly efficient.
I love the idea that a beautiful historic home could have added value by becoming “green” and efficient. I think that a home like that would appeal to a large number of home buyers in Western Massachusetts who love the charm and quality of an older home, but are energy and green aware and trying to reduce their footprint.
Interviewed in the story that inspired my train of thought was Emily Wadhams who said, “The greenest building is the one that’s already built.”.
photo courtesy of taberandrews on flickr.com
Disney Schwag for Having Klout
When I was first introduced to Klout, I wasn’t very intrigued. Yes, it is fun to feel like a “big shot” on Twitter, but what does a high score give you? Outside of a moment of ego, nothing that I could ascertain.
I was curious when I got an offer from Disney based on my Klout score. Because of my status in social media, Disney was offering to send me a free sample of products related to their new movie “Tangled”.
I filled out the form and wondered what type of things would come and then forgot all about it, until I found a box from Klout on my steps today.
Weeee! Goodies in a box. I love getting items in the mail, makes it feel like my birthday. Upon opening the box I was so impressed with the quality and quantity of the items included.
A t-shirt, a soundtrack, silly bands and a stuffed toy…wow! My daughters are going to be so excited about this stuff.
Disney, you get it. You really do. Because now I am writing this blog post that I will share with my social media sphere AND I will take my daughters to the movie because we are super excited about it now.
Hey, sometimes it pays to have Klout.
Giving Thanks
As we approach Thanksgiving in Western Massachusetts, it is easy to get caught up in the hustle, bustle and mania that surrounds holiday preparations. I want to pause for a moment before the grocery shopping, food preparations, intense cleaning and extended family descend upon us and reflect on what Thanksgiving is really all about.
Being Thankful.
It can be so hard to stop and remember to be thankful, especially when life isn’t going as smoothly as we hope. Financial worries, sickness, busy work schedules and the rigors of daily life can set us into a robotic spin where we forget to savor the goodness around us. I am guilty of this, although I strive to overcome that personal trait.
So I am Thankful for…
my daughters. They are lovely, smart, talented and spirited. I am so proud to be their mom.
my mom, who paves the way to goodness and generosity each day.
my sister, my first best friend.
my boyfriend, Morriss is there for me every day.
my circle of dear friends. They bolster me and love me as I am.
my work. It is a rare thing to have a career that impacts people’s personal lives in such a meaningful way. I love being a real estate agent in Western Massachusetts.
my hobby. Even though I teach dance as a job, it is really a paid hobby as it is so important and meaningful to me. It is my therapy, my exercise, my family away from home.
my condo. We love it here. It isn’t fixed up the way I want it to be (yet), but it is a lovely and safe place to raise my daughters.
my health. Aches and pains, sniffles and sneezes are all temporary. I am lucky to be well.
my cats. Their furry snuggles cheer and relax me.
my geography. I love living in Western Massachusetts.
So many things to be grateful and thankful for every day. Let’s try to remind each other to slow down and cherish these things more often.
What are YOU Thankful for?
How Much is one Short Sale Worth?
Last year I wrote this post about being hired by a woman who found me on Google while searching for a short sale REALTOR in Western Massachusetts and asked for my help with her short sale in Chicopee, MA. She had tried to hire other agents, and none of them would take the listing.
I took that listing and within six months, I had that home sold to a buyer who used me as their agent.
The seller had a friend who was also in danger of foreclosure and she gave him my name to try to sell his property, which is also in Chicopee, MA with a short sale. That home closed yesterday.
From a real estate agent’s point of view, those three closings took much more effort, time and patience than a “traditional” sale, but they were three transactions that I wouldn’t have had if I didn’t say that I would help that first client.
Like everyone else, I have to earn a living, but I get paid in better ways when I am able to help with a short sale. I get paid in gratitude and satisfaction. I get paid in the knowledge that I helped someone move on to the next phase in their life. I get paid in knowing that I am, in some small way, helping with the foreclosure crisis in America.
One short sale is worth a whole lot.
photo courtesy of Rachel Kramer Bussel on flickr.com
