Western Mass Homes Lesley Lambert

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Mother’s Day Reflections on How Being a member of the MuthahoodChanges You

I work hard all week long as a REALTOR in Western MA, but the job that is most important is my job as a Mom.
I am the proud mother of a 10 year old and 6 year old girl. These two ladies light up my life, and bring me much joy, but as I reflect upon my decade as a mom, well…I see some pretty big changes.
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#1- FREE TIME: While fairly minimal at all points in my life, free time has become one with the dinosaurs. When I am not working as a REALTOR, I am helping with homework, driving, cleaning, doing laundry (dratted laundry), cooking, grocery shopping, taking out the trash, watching yet another iCarly (barf), reading a cute book with the girls (yay!), helping with homework (because it still isn’t finished!), issuing a grounding, fetching a snack or any other in the number of “normal” activities that moms do.

#2- CLEAN: I have discovered that clean is relative. Clean before kids was white glove stuff. Clean now is,well…let’s just say an ever changing barometer is used to determine the proper level of clean. There is “I am fried this is clean enough clean”, “It is cleaner than it WAS clean”, “I will finish cleaning it tomorrow clean”, and the ever amusing “I am cleaning this until it shines clean and you will all help me goshdarnit clean”.

#3- PHONE TIME: There is no way to make a phone call when there are kids around. They can be napping, watching TV in the zone, playing contentedly but as soon as they see a phone in your hand they are needy , loud and insistent.

#4- ENTERTAINMENT: You used to see R rated sexy movies. You used to see mature comedy. You used to go to grown up concerts. Now you watch Disney movies and are grateful for the peace and quiet and the last concert you attended was the Wiggles or maybe Hannah Montana, if you were lucky.

On the flip side, you never realized how much you really really really need:

#1- HUGS: given for no reason, at a moment’s notice or upon request, there is nothing sweeter than a hug from your child.

#2- UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: What is better than “Mommy, you are so pretty, I love you”?

#3- PURPOSE: There is nothing more motivating than children. Each day I think I might give up and then I don’t. They are why.

#4- BEAUTY:Children slow you down and force you to see the beauty in things you would overlook. Suddenly you are peering at a caterpillar in a whole new light.

#5- PRIDE: I know, this is meant to be a sin, but I am so darn proud of my kids and that makes me happier than anything.

My mothering is imperfect and flawed, but I am happiest when working as a mother. I learned from the best of the best…my mother: Shelley (Sheila) who learned from her her mother and my kindred spirit: Myrtle Ryan.

These women sculpted me and are with me always. When I struggle as a mother I do one of two things: I call my mother or I ask myself, “What would Grandma Myrtle do?”.

Often I find the answer within myself, but I know who planted the seed of that answer…Shelley and Myrtle.

So, they weren’t perfect, but they loved me and did a great job. I am really, really not perfect, but I hope I will, too.

Enough with the deep , here is a bit of Mother’s Day Fun for you:

So, Happy Mother’s Day all you members of the “MUTHAHOOD”. Keep busting caps on the toothpaste!

By the way, if you were having a hard time deciding what to get me for Mother’s Day, I can help out….send me a referral! I love helping new people buy and sell their homes in Western MA!

Home Ownership Matters : In Western MA and Beyond

The American Dream. Home Sweet Home. Home is where the heart is.

There are so many iconic phrases that have to do with our homes. Home is the one place that is totally our own. It is a space where we build memories, traditions and mold our family. In a survey held by Harris and the National Association of REALTORS, 96% of home owners said that owning was a better financial decision than renting and 71 percent of renters agreed with that.

It is no secret that the housing market has taken some hits, but that can be a huge benefit to many buyers as they get in a house at market low values with the lowest interest rates available and before the mortgage industry changes and 20% down becomes standard and required.

There are many benefits to home ownership, such as tax benefits, and the National Association of REALTORS has done a great job of providing resources to consumers. A visit to this page will tell you why Home Ownership Matters.

If you are looking for a real estate agent in Western MA to help you with your next move, I would like to interview for the privilege. Click the green contact me button on the left.

Here is a field guide from the National Association of REALTORS

Field guide to home ownership

View more documents from Lesley Lambert.

On Juggling and Happy Birthdays

Today was my daughter’s tenth birthday and I found it very poignant to think that I have spent a decade with this amazing girl.

I also needed to send off my video chat to my friend Diane and got to thinking about an adage that I learned years ago about juggling.

I also made a special video for my daughter as a virtual and everlasting birthday greeting.

My job as a REALTOR in Western MA requires a lot of juggling, but it is so gratifying and allows me to be flexible for my children.

Happy Birthday to my sweet ten year old!

REALTOR Safety in Western MA and Beyond

realtor safetyOn my drive into work today I listened to a story on NPR’s Marketplace about real estate agents attending courses to carry concealed weapons. In this day and age a large number of the properties that a REALTOR goes through are vacant and oftentimes not very secure. These properties are inviting to animals and worse yet, vagrants.

When entering a distressed property, I am always nervous and make sure that someone knows exactly where I am. I haven’t yet run into a circumstance where I have met a person squatting in a property, but often when doing occupancy checks on foreclosed properties the immediate past owners are still there and can be hostile.

I don’t feel a pressing need to carry a firearm in Western MA, but I can understand why a real estate agent in other parts of the country might have a higher concern.

Fellow REALTORS in Western MA and beyond, remember to stay safe.

If you want to listen to the story that I heard this morning it is here.

photo courtesy of floodllama on flickr

Why Should You Work With REALTOR, Lesley Lambert?

Choosing a Western Massachusetts REALTOR is a process that should be done after you have researched the agent’s abilities and heard what other customers have had to say about their experience working with this real estate agent.

I had the pleasure of helping a great couple who was relocating to Western Massachusetts this month. Their college friend is a real estate agent in Chicago and he used Facebook to post his referral and read this blog to research me before sending his friends to work with me. I love when a fellow REALTOR sends me a referral because other agents are very often more critical than clients.

These buyers, Doug and Judy were living in temporary housing hours from work and without their pets. We spent some time searching and negotiating, but last week we closed on a terrific house that they were very excited to move into.

Here is what Doug had to say the day of the closing: