Selling Your Home

May 29 2013

The Western MA Real Estate Market Has Turned

Adorable! #westernma #westfield #realestate (Photo credit: LesleyLambert)

The average sale price of homes sold by Park Square this year to date has increased to $197,214. Last year in the same period, our average sale price was $173,739, so we are up $23,475.

In 2013, the average days on market for single family homes that have gone under agreement is down to 53 days, with many homes going under agreement in a matter of days and weeks.

The market has turned dramatically among all the price ranges which you can see with the list of Park Square listings below that are presently under agreement:

Single Family Homes

Status Address Price __

UAG 84 Spencer Street Agawam, MA $179,000

UAG 56 Emerson Road Agawam, MA $189,900

UAG 57 Hastings Street Agawam, $204,900

UAG 34 Corey Street Agawam, MA $225,000

UAG 7 Marla Agawam, MA : $278,000

UAG 15 Allison Lane Agawam, $299,900

UAG 20 Lenox Circle East Longmeadow, $315,000

UAG 59 Lynch Drive Holyoke, MA $169,900

UAG 2 Lynn Ann Drive Holyoke, MA $250,000

UAG 22 Fuller Ludlow, MA $129,900

UAG 124 Woodland Circle Ludlow, MA $369,900

UAG 71 New State Road Montgomery, $210,000

UAG 99 Richview Ave South Hadley, $157,900

UAG 3 Beach Road Southwick, $117,900

UAG 61 Long Pond Rd Tyngsborough, MA $238,500

UAG 31 Sunnyside Street West Springfield, MA $124,900

UAG 131 Queen Avenue West Springfield, MA $169,900

UAG 76 Greystone Ave West Springfield, MA $174,900

UAG 70 Nonotuck Road West Springfield, MA $248,900

UAG 22 Havenhurst Road West Springfield, MA $284,900

UAG 6 Madison Street Westfield, MA $113,000

UAG 7 Springdale Street Westfield, MA $144,900

UAG 46 Western Circle Westfield, MA $169,900

UAG 114 Joseph Avenue Westfield, MA $179,900

UAG 29 Joseph Ave Westfield, MA $183,500

UAG 120 Roosevelt Ave Westfield, MA $183,500

UAG 308 Northwest Road Westfield, $189,500

UAG 95 Honey Pot Road Westfield, $189,700

UAG 63 Robinson Dr Westfield, MA $199,000

UAG 38 Lindbergh Blvd Westfield, MA $199,900

UAG 175 Pontoosic Road Westfield, MA $205,000

UAG 45 Southview Terrace Westfield, MA $224,999

UAG 86 Pine Street Westfield, MA $275,000

UAG 119 Eastwood Dr Westfield, MA $289,900

UAG 83 Pineridge Dr Westfield, MA $374,900

Average Days on Market: 53 Days

Condominium Listings

Status Address List Price

UAG 80 Damon Road U:2207 Northampton, MA $85,000

UAG 52 Rosewood U:52 Southwick, MA $154,900

UAG 80 Brush Hill Ave. U:71 West Springfield, MA $89,900

UAG 324 Russell Road U:#103 Westfield, MA $59,900

UAG 362 Granville Road U:215 Westfield, MA $147,900

Average Days on Market: 64 Days

Multi-Family Listings

Status Address List Price

UAG 57 Northampton St Easthampton, $174,900

UAG 2 Pine Street Huntington, MA $199,000

UAG 23-25 Maple Ave. Northampton, $399,900

UAG 487-489 Kings Highway West Springfield, $149,900

UAG 17 Curtis Street Westfield, MA $99,900

UAG 10 Conner Avenue Westfield, $153,000

UAG 29 Woodmont Street Westfield, MA $172,000

UAG 5 Fowler Street Westfield, $179,900

Average Days on Market: 27 Days

If you are thinking of making a move, now may be the right time! We have buyers who have not been able to find the right home because there isn’t enough inventory out there. I specialize in marketing and selling residential real estate and would love to interview for the position of your real estate agent! Lesley Lambert, Park Square Realty 413-575-3611

Mar 19 2013

Thinking of selling your Western MA home? Give the buyers what they want!

Granite Installation, Santa Cecilia Countertop... — Granite Installation, Santa Cecilia Countertop, and Tile Backsplash Design (Photo credit: granite-charlotte)

Each year the National Association of REALTORS does a study to discover what today’s buyers are looking for in the next home they purchase.

This study gets boiled down into a list of home features with statistics on the level of importance to the buyers. This list can guide you in preparing your home for sale by alerting you to what areas of the home are most important to home buyers. Many home sellers make improvements to their home without considering what their potential buyers may want. This can lead to costly improvements with minimal or no benefit in the sale of the home.

What makes the most sense is to tailor your improvements to you Western MA home towards what today’s home buyer is looking for. For example: 65% of home buyers expressed that central air conditioning is important in the selection of their next home. Having a garage is a big asset as 78% of the buyers in the survey purchased a home with one. Granite countertops were important to 20% of those surveyed and 17% preferred stainless steel appliances, but more important to these buyers was that the kitchen have an eat-in space and new appliances. These are just a sampling of the total results. You can review and download the entire report here:

Home Feature Preferences Edited

You can also listen to an interview on this topic.

If you are considering putting your Western MA home up for sale this spring and want a professional and experienced education on how best to prepare and market your home, give me a call: Lesley Lambert of Park Square Realty 413-575-3611.

Mar 19 2013

Happy St. Joseph’s Day! Will St. Joseph help you sell your home?

Planting St. Joe (Photo credit: Jeff Hester)

Today is St. Joseph’s Day, a celebration of the husband of the virgin Mary and step father of Jesus.

Joseph was a carpenter and also the patron saint of home and family in the Roman Catholic religion, which is presumed to be the reason he is now connected with real estate.

It is said that burying a statue or medal of St. Joseph in your yard will help to move the sale of the home along. This practice is a fairly recent tradition which hit a peak in the 1990’s. Legend has it you should bury a statue of St. Joseph upside down in your front yard. Recommendations for placement vary: some say in the corner of the yard, others in the center facing the house and some say near the real estate sign.

I have never tried this out, but in researching this topic online I see that many people have sent their desires to move to St. Joseph and were met with success. As with all things prayer related, the actual prayer itself has great importance. There are prayers offered as suggestions, such as:

Prayer To St. Joseph to Sell House

O, Saint Joseph,
you who taught our Lord
the carpenter’s trade,
and saw to it
that he was always properly housed,
hear my earnest plea.

I want you to help me now
as you helped your foster-child Jesus,
and as you have helped many others
in the matter of housing.

I wish to sell this [house/property]
quickly, easily, and profitably
and I implore you to grant my wish
by bringing me a good buyer,
one who is
eager, compliant, and honest,
and by letting nothing impede the
rapid conclusion of the sale.

Dear Saint Joseph,
I know you would do this for me
out of the goodness of your heart
and in your own good time,
but my need is very great now
and so I must make you hurry
on my behalf.

Saint Joseph, I am going to place you
in a difficult position
with your head in darkness
and you will suffer as our Lord suffered,
until this [house/property] is sold.

Then, Saint Joseph, i swear
before the cross and God Almighty,
that i will redeem you
and you will receive my gratitude
and a place of honour in my home.

Amen.

Many sources, however, state that the homeowner can simply make an earnest and heartfelt plea to the Saint in their own words. There are a lot of options in purchasing a statue of St. Joseph online. I did a quick search on Amazon and found very affordable options.

Now, I am not Catholic myself, but for about $5, I would be willing to give this a try! Have you done this? How did it work for you?

Mar 07 2013

Could it be true? Is the Western MA real estate market heating up? I think so.

Snow day. #weather #instaweather #instaweather... — Snow day. (Photo credit: LesleyLambert)

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.

Taught Facebook for Real Estate today — (Photo credit: LesleyLambert)

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!

Jan 12 2013

Getting the best remodeling “Bang for the Buck” when renovating your Kitchen and Bath

kitchen and bath remodeling in Western MA — Photo credit: sideshowmom from morguefile.com

Everyone knows that kitchens and baths are two of the places that home buyers look for quality finishes and having these rooms in tip top shape can help improve your home’s value. With this in mind I asked by Frank Nataloni of Kitchens and Baths by Curio to give some tips on how you can improve these spaces without breaking the bank. Here are his thoughts:

More than ever, homeowners are looking at focused budgets for their kitchen or bath renovations. The best way to ensure that you get the most out of your budget is to plan first. How you select and install your critical items matter just as much, if not more, than the extra features or brand names you install. A good plan can focus your spending, make your project look great, and keep you from learning “the hard way” that the bitterness of low quality remains long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten.

Step # 1
Consult a Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD) or Certified Bath Designer (CBD) to create a personalized plan.
The process of analysis should be your first step. Start thinking about the who, what, where, when, why and how of your project, so that you have an idea of what you want. Knowing what you want out of your project will help to create the framework for an individualized plan. Your CKD should be able to design a new and better look while suggesting where to invest and where to save. Once you have created a working plan, use it to make cost effective changes before you start building.
OK , so now you have a plan.

Step #2
A CKD will help you create a balanced budget for each product used.
A CKD can help you decide what a reasonable allowance is for cabinets, counter tops, back-splashes, appliances, lighting and flooring. As you work through your budget keep in mind that every dollar you save in one area is a dollar that can be used somewhere it will have even more impact.

Step #3
A Specification sheet should be part of your contract.
Specification sheets list detailed information about all aspects of your project such as the makers, quantities, styles and colors of cabinets and appliances. Don’t forget to write who’s responsibility it is to supply and perform the labor. The clearer it is on the specification sheet the fewer gray areas and unexpected expenses you will have later.

Step #4
Installation and production.
In today’s market, quality is expected. If you are going to pay for it, the installation should be correct. During construction, it is important to maintain communication with all involved about what to expect. In almost any job, from time to time “things” will come up. It is how these “things” are dealt with that counts. Finding someone who you can work with when things aren’t going as planned is very important. Anyone can talk a good game when things are going right, it is when the cart is upside down that you really need someone you can trust and feel comfortable with to discuss the solutions while keeping your best interest in mind.

There is nobody who knows more about getting the most “bang for your buck” than a CKD or CBD. If you would like information on any aspect of this, contact Frank Nataloni CKD/ CBD at 413-783-0913. Mention this article and receive a free gift during your showroom visit.

Kitchens and Baths by Curio
1045 Boston Road, Springfield, MA 01119

Frank’s insights are a great place to get started on your home improvement plans. If you are making improvements in preparation of selling your home, give me a call to discuss what improvements will help you to get the most in the sale of your home. Lesley Lambert, Park Square Realty 413-575-3611