Belchertown MA Home For Sale

H128472 - Classic Cape - Many Updates

• 1,600 sq.ft.
• 3 bedrooms
• 1.5 baths
• Beautiful lot

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

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What's So Great About Western Massachusetts?

I have lived in New England my whole life and for the past twenty years, Western Massachusetts has been my home. It's amazing how many people think that living in Massachusetts means living in Boston, or its many suburbs. Once, while traveling through Idaho, a woman saw my Mass license plate and asked, "Massachusetts....that's prairie, right?" Perhaps she was referring to the rolling hills! So much for geography class.

Here is just some of the reasons why I love living on "the other side" of Massachusetts:

1. Lifestyle: Small towns, slower pace, fresh air, town meetings
   
2. Easy commute: From my home I can walk to work, the corner store (yes, we really do have one), the bike path, the library, the elementary and the middle school
3. Location: In ten minutes I can be on the highway, headed for the beach (1.5 hrs), Boston (2 hrs.), VT ski country (1.5 hours) or NYC (2 hours).
4. Culture: Where do you think everyone in Boston wants to go to enjoy themselves? BSO summers in the Berkshires for a reason, folks.
   
5. Education: The Five College community - Amherst, U-Mass, Hampshire, Mt. Holyoke and Smith....no need for name dropping here!
6. Recreation: Too many options to think of - skiing, biking, kayaking, camping, horseback riding - a healthy lifestyle.

If you're tired of sitting in traffic, when you could be enjoying life, consider moving to Western Mass. Property values have held up well here during the recent real estate downturn. Buy in Western Mass and make the commute to the city only when you have to. Isn't that what FedX was meant for?

Commercial Condo For Sale South Deerfield, MA

H128465- Commercial Condo For Sale or Lease

• 3,000 sq.ft.
• 2 offices
• 2 baths
• Garage
• Warehouse

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

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Women Build 2008 - Springfield Habitat For Humanity

Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner is pleased to lend support to "Women Build 2008". The Greater Springfield Habitat For Humanity, in partnership with the Hampden County Women's Correctional Facility & Sheriff's Department, is sponsoring this year-long event and we will be providing periodic updates throughout the year. Be sure to follow our blog posts, website and Online Newsletter for more information on upcoming fund-raising events and learn how you can become involved.

My interest in Habitat For Humanity began a few years ago when introduced to me by my big brother, Bill. A retired English professor and long time Oregon resident, Bill is a Habitat volunteer and past-president of his local chapter in the Portland area. Over the years, I have listened to the many stories he told, of families who are now living in homes he helped build, of visits back to neighborhoods he helped create to see how new home owners were doing, of the day to day challenges of staying on budget, of tireless hours working with local housing agencies and building inspectors. In his "spare time" he also became a volunteer at his local Restore, which is run by the Habitat chapter in his area. Bill wears his Habitat For Humanity T-Shirt proudly when he visits. I hope that he will be proud of his "east coast" counterparts are doing.

Bad MLS Photos - A Little Real Estate Humor

When one of our home sellers decided to dump their real estate agent and sell on their own I asked her what had helped to make up her mind to sell "by owner". She said that it started when the agent put a horrible photo of her home on the MLS. Now, mind you, this seller had a drop dead gorgeous home in the $600,000 price range. The photo the agent used for the MLS prominently displayed four large trash barrels in the foreground. Hey, even high-end homes have trash!

Fortunately, when private home sellers and builders choose to advertise their properties with Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner, they know that we will do everything possible to help make their photos reflect their home's finer features. Free photo editing is part of our comprehensive service.

There are a number of websites that post bad MLS photos, but I really got a chuckle out of this one. The captions are great. You can link to it here. I tried to find a photo in our archives that was really bad and found the one above. My caption would be, "A little staging goes a long way".

Westfield MA Home For Sale Near WSC

H1157 - Downtown Colonial

• Near Westfield State College
• 4 bedrooms
• 1 bath
• Many updates

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

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Hardwick MA Historic England Cape Home For Sale

H128463 - Historic New England 18th Century Cape

• 2.3 acres
• Partially renovated
• 4 bedrooms
• 1 bath
• Stonewalls, orchard, barn & carriage house

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

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Pet Considerations When Selling A Home

Selling a home can be stressful and you're not the only one feeling the anxiety. Your pets can be affected too. Animals are very sensitive to subtle changes in our behavior and habits. If you don't believe me, just watch the family dog when you put on your sneakers by the back door. Walk, anyone? While the beta-fish probably won't care who is in your home, don't count on Fido having the same reaction. What will Fido's reaction be? Will he happily rush to greet visitors, knocking your potential buyer to the floor with enthusiasm, or could he show signs of more aggressive behavior? Will you know if you're not there?

When you list your property with a real estate agent, you won't be around when your property is shown. There may be a lock box on your door, allowing agents and their buyers to gain access to your property at all times of the day. Fido, who normally sleeps on the couch (we all know that's where he goes as soon as you leave) may need to be confined to another room every day, just in case. Worse yet, what happens if an agent comes unannounced and Fido goes berserk?

One of my dearest friends is "mom" to not one, but four German Shepherds. While they act very obediently when she is around, you couldn't pay me to venture into her home or back yard alone if she was not with me. What would a potential buyer do under that circumstance?

Dogs aren't the only ones who can act out during stressful times. Cats are notorious for making a run for a dark spot in which to hide when feeling threatened. Imagine Fluffy, alone under the bed after the real estate agent accidentally closes her in the room for the entire day, away from food, water and, well....you get the idea.

When you choose to sell by owner, you are not only making the selling process easier on yourself, but on your family members too, whether you have young children or pets. Knowing when potential buyers are coming to your home gives you time to plan for alternative pet care, or to move a pet into a more confined area for their own safety and that of your visitors. Maybe Fido will even get a well-deserved walk in the park with your teenager, blissfully unaware of the intrusion that took place during his normal afternoon nap time on the couch.

Hatfield MA Land (Building Lot) For Sale

H128458 - 11+ Acre Building Lot

• Sought after community
• Perked, approved
• 11+ acres
• 5 minutes to Northampton
• Ready to build

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

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Southwick, MA Home For Sale - Walk To Congamond Lake

SOLD - View more listings!

Walk To Lake Congamond

• State of the art gourmet kitchen
• 3 car garage
• 4,350 sq.ft.
• 2 master bedroom suites
• 4 bedrooms
• 6 baths