Wilbraham MA Home For Sale

H128437 - Easy Access To Springfield or Worcester
• Private back yard
• Well maintained
• 1,404 sq.ft.
• 3 bedrooms
• 2 bath

.... visit our website and call the owner direct to request a private showing today!

View Now!

Springfield, MA East Forest Park Home For Sale

H128450 - Classic Cape/East Forest Park
Motivated Sellers!

• Walk to schools/park
• Well maintained
• 1,380 sq.ft.
• 3 bedrooms
• 1 bath

.... visit our website and call the owner direct to request a private showing today!

View Now!

Southampton, MA 01073 Colonial Home For Sale

H128452 - To Be Built!
The Settlement at Sheldon Estates

• Country setting
• Seven home community
• 2,400 sq.ft.
• 4 bedrooms
• 2.5 baths

.... visit our website and call the owner direct to request a private showing today!

View Now!

5th Annual Derrill's Race - Coming May 4th

The crocuses are up, I can see some bare grass and it's time to dust off those sneakers in time for Derrill's Race. Word has it that local teams are already forming and as the race's webmaster, we are receiving email requests for information and registration. Derrill's Race is a 5K Run-Walk charitable event held on the Manhan Rail Trail, right behind our office in Easthampton, Massachusetts. To my knowledge, the use of the rail trail (Easthampton's five mile bike path) as our race route is unique and its hard for participants not to take in the beauty of the Nora Valdez mural and sculpture as they begin their run. I love having my office border the bike path. Haley (my loyal office dog) and I are often found taking a noon walk.

I love the sense of community that living in a small town brings and Derrill's Race is a perfect example of why Easthampton, along with other small cities and towns in Western Massachusetts, is now being looked at as a highly desirable area in which to live and work. When I chose Easthampton as home almost twenty years ago, it was based upon location - 16 miles from Amherst, where I worked at the time, and 16 miles to Springfield, where my husband worked. Easthampton was the logical choice for us. A lot has changed in the community over the years - we became a city, electing a mayor to replace our Board of Select"men". We reinvented our downtown, now home to nationally known artisans and renovated long-idle factory buildings into incubators for many small businesses, restaurants and artists.

If you are new to the community, join us at the race and meet new friends! You don't have to be a runner - we have many walkers as well.

More Home - Less Money - Tips For Massachusetts Home Buyers

In many parts of the country property values have tumbled in recent months. Western Massachusetts, however, seems to be holding its own. Buyers who have been waiting patiently, hoping for prices to drop more, may be disappointed. Recent reductions in mortgage interest rates mark the start of the spring real estate season and will be welcomed by many potential home buyers. With prices remaining stable, how can buyers s-t-r-e-t-c-h their buying power further? Here are a few helpful ideas:

• Cast a wider net. Rather than looking for a home in a specific city or town, think about looking within a radius of your work. Pinpoint your place of employment on a map and draw a radius that represents a reasonable commuting distance you are willing to consider. You may be surprised that your area includes additional living opportunities. You can even search for real estate online using a radius option. Often you will find a lower cost community. If schools are a major reason for choosing a community, you may want to weigh other educational opportunities available in Massachusetts - including public, private, regional or charter schools. Many communities participate in school choice, where students in one district may attend school in another district if space is available.
  
• Make it pay. Consider purchasing a two-family home, letting your tenant help pay your mortgage. In the future you can keep the home as a rental property or sell it in favor of purchasing a single family residence. Be sure to consult with your attorney and/or CPA about the pros and cons of becoming a Massachusetts landlord.
  
• Under-size. Just how big a home do you really need right now? There are advantages to looking at smaller homes with good "add on" potential. Look at neighborhoods where ranches are becoming two-story homes, etc. If you haven't had a chance to read Sarah Susanka's "The Not So Big House", try to do so. It may change the way you think about what a house needs to be in order to be "home".

One of the smartest ways buyers can be assured of getting the most home for the money is to purchase directly from the owner or builder. Remember, agents commissions are added onto the sellers asking price, so buyers lose by paying more for the property.

A Buyer's Guide To 4 Sale By Owner & Builder in Western Massachusetts

We are very excited to announce our BRAND NEW publication, available for the Spring '08 real estate season. "A Buyer's Guide To 4 Sale By Owner & Builder" is a 'must have' guide for anyone thinking about relocating to Western Massachusetts, or for local buyers who are looking for a new home in their own back yard.

This comprehensive buyer handbook will acquaint consumers with information specific to Massachusetts, an area map and localisms, articles on a variety of subjects important to the home buying process, plus helpful tips about our ground-breaking laws affecting new residents to our area. We will feature a few of our newest properties on the Internet, plus help buyers find new developments, retirement housing and local resources.

Consumers will find the guide locally in over 250 high-traffic locations throughout the greater Pioneer Valley and it will be available to view and download in its entirety directly from our website, 24/7. Guides will also be available as a free subscription by mail to out of area buyers.

We welcome inquiries from builders & developers, buyer's agents and others who are involved in the local housing market as we prepare our first issue for press. Contact us for more information, including a "sneak preview" of the premier issue.

Easthampton, MA 01027 New Construction Home For Sale

SOLD!

H128447 - New Construction!

• Rural setting, close to town
• 1935 sq.ft.
• 4 bedrooms
• 2.5 baths

.... visit our website for more listings!

South Hadley, MA 01075 Home For Sale, Possible Bed & Breakfast

H128448 - B&B Potential with Indoor Pool

• Stunning custom built home
• 850 sq.ft. professional office suite
• 6 bedrooms
• 3.5 baths
• 1.5 story barn - store your classic cars
.... visit our website and call the owner direct to request a private showing today!

View Now!

Conway, MA 01341 Land For Sale

H128446 - Over 5 acres

• Rural community
• Ready to build
• 400' frontage
• Great location
.... visit our website and call the owner direct to schedule your showing today!

View Now!

Chicopee MA 01020 Home For Sale

H128417 - Weathering Heights Colonial

• 4-5 bedrooms
• 2 baths
• In ground pool
• Great location
.... visit our website and call the owner direct to schedule your showing today!

View Now!

Amherst, MA 01002 Condo For Sale

H128444 - Eaglecrest Condo -

• 2 bedrooms
• 1 bath
• Great rental or primary residence
• Balcony - great views
.... visit our website and call the owner direct to schedule your showing today!

View Now!

Springtime In New England

I'm looking out my office window today, watching the snow come down and asking myself that age-old New England question, "Will spring ever come?" March is notorious for packing some major snow punches, in between which there are glimmers of spring to come. I think we had about 9" last night, but it's pretty light -- easy shoveling. Growing up in Vermont we referred to "sugar snow", big thick flakes that came straight down, often heavy, slushy stuff that was apt to break an old shovel. Of course, the "sugar snow" was also a sign that the sugar houses would be opening up soon, and that meant fresh maple syrup and sugar-on-snow parties. Sugar snows gave way to "spring mud season", Vermont's official fifth season and for some, the most treacherous.

Spring in Western Massachusetts is pretty mild in comparison with what I remember as a youth. While we have almost a foot of snow on the ground today, by next week it could all be gone -- just a distance remembrance of a beautiful New England winter. The crocuses bloom quickly by my front door and the robins never leave for the winter.

The real estate market is usually very slow in the winter. We are starting to see signs of life once again, with more open houses each weekend and the promise of an early spring. Don't let a little snow stop you from house hunting!