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86 Hillside Rd This home is full of fabulous features: hardwood floors, open floor plan, finished space in the basement, large lot and a great deck for summer cookouts! |
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Whatever Happened to the Starter Home?
This was a question posed to me recently by a work associate. It took me back because of the simple truth behind it….people don’t start small and build up anymore, they want the whole enchilada from day one.
When I started on home ownership it took several steps to get to where I am…well more like six steps really and every step was an essential growing point.
I have a client, one of my best repeat clients, who has now bought and sold 9 properties through my mother or I my mom, now retired, was my first real estate broker). I want to use them as an example:
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They bought their first home years ago. It was an 800 sf ranch on a postage stamp lot. My mother told them it was better than rent because it had equity.
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They stayed there for a little while and then bought a Colonial home with more room and a larger lot.
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Following that property they purchased a larger contemporary home on a private lot with acreage.
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The next home was a large custom built colonial in a premier area.
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They loved it there, but when a lot with a view opened up they built a home of considerable size.
Now, their real estate history continues beyond that, but for the sake of this demonstration, we can pause at this juncture.
It wasn’t until their FIFTH home that they were in their dream property. They leveraged their equity time after time to increase their buying power and built themselves up one step at a time. Had they tried to buy at their maximum at any point earlier, they could have stalled out and slowed their growth.
If you are a new homeowner or thinking of buying your first home, I hope you will give this some thought. It takes time to get to your dream or “forever” home. You need to be willing to work towards it and you need a realistic approach. Most of the time it is smart to purchase something very affordable first and spend the time investing and re-investing in yourself.
If you would like to discuss buying a first, second or tenth home in Western MA
I hope you will call me: Lesley Lambert of Park Square Realty.
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The one where I talk about glass balls, paraphenalia and headstones.
This week on the Abouthom.es Girls video thread the main question was about finding balance in the hectic life of a full time REALTOR. I answered about how I try to prioritize and find balance by using my glass ball analogy. Another topic was about the weirdest things we have seen while showing homes. I am going into my 25th year as a Western MA real estate agent and I have seen some REALLY strange things…watch the video to hear about some of them.
Also, I this weekend is St. Patrick’s Day and I LOVE St. Patrick’s Day in Western MA. We have a huge weekend here and I can’t wait to enjoy it with my family and friends!
PodCamp Western MA 5? How can this be my FIFTH?
In several weeks I will attend my favorite social media event of the year:
PodCamp Western MA.
I am stunned to contemplate that it is my fifth time attending this event, it seems incredible that It can be so many years since my first.
Here is a list of my previous experiences:
- My first PodCamp: A PodCamp Virgin Tells All
- My 2nd PodCamp: This One Time at PodCamp
- My 3rd PodCamp: More PodCamp Fever
- My 4th PodCamp: Where The Geeks Were
Whether you take the time to read all of these posts or not, I hope you will appreciate my fervor for this event is not exclusive. There are so many other people that I have met and befriended who feel the same way, which is really the greatest part of the function.
If you have never been to an un-conference event before, then you owe it to yourself to make this your first. If you have, then you owe it to yourself AND all the other attendees to come and share! These events are only as good as the people who show up and decide to open up their expertise and learning with others who crave the same learning.
Some of my favorite moments at PodCamps have been totally spontaneous and exciting because of the unplanned nature of the sessions. We won’t spend much time laboring over slide shows (although there may be some), but you can bet that we will have a lot of question and answers and open circle discussions. There will be laughter, eye-opening learning and networking of the very best kind.
We are blessed here in Western Massachusetts to have this simmering little hot bed of technology lovers (geeks) who really love to get out in the late winter and share, share, share!
SIGN UP FOR PODCAMP 5 HERE
Don’t miss out on what is truly the most special social media event of the year! You can follow the fun on Twitter with the hashtag #pcwm5. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention to you kind readers that PodCamp Western MA was a pivotal event for me since the start. I met two friends who ended up being very close friends and associates at the first event, not to mention Morriss (my boyfriend of going on 4 years) and so many special friends. I can’t wait to see who I will meet this year (hopefully YOU!).
Don’t forget to add a sign up for the after party at Slainte’ in Holyoke which is sponsored by YOURS TRULY, Julianne Krutka and Ted Cassell of Park Square Realty!
Could it be true? Is the Western MA real estate market heating up? I think so.
This year has started out busier than any I can
remember in recent history.
Typically January and February are pretty slow in Western MA home sales as people avoid the nasty weather, but not in 2013! Agents all around Western MA and even the entire country are sharing with me that they are out there running like they can’t remember in recent history.
Well priced listings in desirable areas aren’t lasting very long before getting reasonable and realistic offers, sometimes even multiple offers in a bidding war. Last weekend THREE of my listings had accepted offers and another is expected tomorrow to make four homes for sale under contract in one week.
All of this is great, but there is another side to the situation: not enough inventory. Simply put, we don’t have enough homes on the market to satisfy the buyers who are shopping.
Waiting for Spring
Many home sellers in Western MA think that they should wait for “spring” before they list their home. I have heard so many times that the homeowner feels the home will show better with spring blooms or they feel that there are more buyers in the spring. Here is my answer…don’t wait. Firstly, we have buyers whose wants are not being met RIGHT NOW and secondly, if you follow the logic that all other home sellers are using then you end up with more competition for the same buyers.
Your best chance of getting top dollar for your Western MA home may be right now, BEFORE spring and more importantly, BEFORE all those other homes join the party. There are more buyers with less homes available NOW.
If you are considering putting your Western MA home on the market, I would love to interview for the position of your REALTOR. Give me, Lesley Lambert of Park Square Realty, an opportunity to show you how I differentiate not only myself, but my homes for sale in this real estate market. I am not your “traditional” agent, but rather an agent with 25 years of solid professionalism and experience. Pair that with my love of technology and internet marketing and you really have something to consider.
Don’t Miss Your Best Opportunity!
Don’t wait for spring to get your Western MA home on the market. Let’s get together and get you moving!
