7 Mortgage Interest Deduction Myths
Think losing the mortgage interest deduction would be no big deal? We bust seven myths to show why the cost is bigger than you think. Read
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Facts About The Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID)
Are you running an Open House this weekend? Are you a potential Buyer and you're considering making an offer on a home? Here are some facts about the Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID) that you should know:
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Be on the Lookout for Con Artists Knocking on Your Door
From the Massachusetts office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, comes this warning:
Attention Homeowners!
Be on the Lookout for Con Artists Knocking on Your Door
Individuals looking to steal or con people out of money may work in pairs and pose as utility workers in order to enter a home. While one distracts, the other robs. Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable to these types of scams. An elderly Braintree couple was recently robbed by a North Carolina pair posing as state electrical inspectors in order to gain access to their home.
When people show up in person claiming to represent a state agency or other organization, it is always best to err on the side of caution; don’t let strangers enter your home without first asking for identification; and, when in doubt, call the police. State electrical inspectors will always carry identification, badges, and business cards and usually drive marked vehicles.
In Massachusetts, all electricians must be licensed by the Board of State Examiners of Electricians. The Board examines and licenses candidates and enforces the regulations and general laws relative to electrical installations in Massachusetts. The Board also prosecutes those found to be working without a license, either through the Division of Professional Licensure (DPL) Office of Prosecutions, the Attorney General’s Office, or directly in the courts of the Commonwealth. Many other professions such as plumbers, realtors, and home inspectors are also licensed by DPL and should provide identification prior to entering your home.
Consumers are urged to visit the Division of Professional Licensure’s website at http://license.reg.state.ma.us/loca/locaprof.asp to determine whether a professional they are considering doing business with is licensed and in good standing.
If you have concerns about a licensee that you are considering, the DPL Office of Investigations can be reached at (617) 727-7406.
Attention Homeowners!
Be on the Lookout for Con Artists Knocking on Your Door
Individuals looking to steal or con people out of money may work in pairs and pose as utility workers in order to enter a home. While one distracts, the other robs. Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable to these types of scams. An elderly Braintree couple was recently robbed by a North Carolina pair posing as state electrical inspectors in order to gain access to their home.
When people show up in person claiming to represent a state agency or other organization, it is always best to err on the side of caution; don’t let strangers enter your home without first asking for identification; and, when in doubt, call the police. State electrical inspectors will always carry identification, badges, and business cards and usually drive marked vehicles.
In Massachusetts, all electricians must be licensed by the Board of State Examiners of Electricians. The Board examines and licenses candidates and enforces the regulations and general laws relative to electrical installations in Massachusetts. The Board also prosecutes those found to be working without a license, either through the Division of Professional Licensure (DPL) Office of Prosecutions, the Attorney General’s Office, or directly in the courts of the Commonwealth. Many other professions such as plumbers, realtors, and home inspectors are also licensed by DPL and should provide identification prior to entering your home.
Consumers are urged to visit the Division of Professional Licensure’s website at http://license.reg.state.ma.us/loca/locaprof.asp to determine whether a professional they are considering doing business with is licensed and in good standing.
If you have concerns about a licensee that you are considering, the DPL Office of Investigations can be reached at (617) 727-7406.
Barbara Anthony, Undersecretary 10 Park Plaza Suite 5170 Boston, MA 02116
Hotline 617-973-8787 888-283-3757 www.mass.gov/consumer
Friday, April 01, 2011
Do You Have a Blockbuster Gift Card?
If you have a Blockbuster Gift Card, you need to know that as of April 7 it will expire. For more information, please read our Consumer Advisory. The Advisory is in PDF format so you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open the file. If you already have Acrobat Reader you will be able to open the advisory without any problems. If you do not have it, you can go to the link below and download it. There is no fee associated with downloading Acrobat Reader.
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation
10 Park Plaza, Suite 5170
Boston, MA 02116
www.Mass.Gov/consumer
News & updates at http://consumer.blog.state.ma.us/blog
and follow us at www.twitter.com/Mass_Consumer
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation
10 Park Plaza, Suite 5170
Boston, MA 02116
www.Mass.Gov/consumer
News & updates at http://consumer.blog.state.ma.us/blog
and follow us at www.twitter.com/Mass_Consumer
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Beating the June 1st Change
Starting June 1st, candidates for the Massachusetts Real Estate Salesperson license examination will need 40 hours of classroom instruction. This is an increase from the current requirement of 24 hours of classroom instruction. People who are thinking about getting their license in the near future are signing up for classes, such as those at Annex Real Estate School to meet their required time.
NAR Dues Increase
There is a lot of buzz online about the proposed $40 increase in dues of the National Association of Realtors.
Nobody represets the interests of all real estate licensees, Realtors and non Realtors, more or better than NAR. And nobody does a better job at representing the interests of the average buyer and seller of real property than do the Realtors.
With discussion, we can see where the proposed increas will be spent and whether it is justifiable in these times.
I have no doubt that there will be a dues increase. It's just a matter of how much and what it will be used for.
What's your opinion on this?
Friday, October 15, 2010
Century21 Annex Realty Agent's Summer Contest Ends in a Tie and a Dinner!
A friendly summer contest amongst the Century21 Annex Realty agents ended in a tie so all the agents were invited to an evening out at a local restaurant and the broker/owners picked up the tab ; )
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Rescheduled: Crane Library hosts Vintage Car Show and Songs of the Sixties - Quincy, MA - The Patriot Ledger
Due to the rainy day forecast for Saturday, the Quincy High Car Show, on the lawn of the Thomas Crane Library in Quincy, has been rescheduled to Sunday, October 17th. The show hours are 10am to 2pm. Crane Library hosts Vintage Car Show and Songs of the Sixties - Quincy, MA - The Patriot Ledger
Friday, September 24, 2010
Poll of Quincy Real Estate Agents
In a recent poll of Quincy Real Estate agents to determine their opinion of the local market, 68% said that the prices of existing single family home was still dropping, and the other 32 % said that prices a\have stabilized. When it came to estimating the sale activity, 88% responded that the market is still slow and only 12% answered that the market had finally stabilized.
The view of the multi-family was slightly more optimistic. 53% of those who answered the surveyed felt that sales were still dropping, 33 % and 14% saw a slight improvement in prices. This optimism was also reflected in viewing market activity, 13% seeing an improvement in sales, 27 percent saying that sales levels are relatively stable and 60% still seeing a decline in the market.
What's happening in your town?
The view of the multi-family was slightly more optimistic. 53% of those who answered the surveyed felt that sales were still dropping, 33 % and 14% saw a slight improvement in prices. This optimism was also reflected in viewing market activity, 13% seeing an improvement in sales, 27 percent saying that sales levels are relatively stable and 60% still seeing a decline in the market.
What's happening in your town?
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Don't Throw Away The Snow Boots and the Wool Hats
Who are we to believe? The old Almanac or the Weather bureau? Watch this video for their predictions.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Your Real Estate Listing and Rain on the Lawn
After many dry days, it rained here last night. "Weather dot com" data shows that the last significant rainfall of 0.49" was 11 days ago. Not a flood and not just a light sprinkle, but almost 3/4 hour of moderate to light rain. More rain is expected this week.
If the lawn on any of your listings looks like mine, it is mostly brown with patches of green. Last nights rain and today's possible thunder showers are to be followed by two dry partly sunny days, a rainy Thursday and sunny Friday.
This mixed bag of weather may awaken the lawn so that by the weekend and your next Open House, it will show new signs of life. This might be an opportunity to get some fresh out door pictures for your listings. And, if the lawn and shrubs respond vigorously, look to see if they neeed a trimming!
Good luck in changing your listing to 'Under Agreement'.
If the lawn on any of your listings looks like mine, it is mostly brown with patches of green. Last nights rain and today's possible thunder showers are to be followed by two dry partly sunny days, a rainy Thursday and sunny Friday.
This mixed bag of weather may awaken the lawn so that by the weekend and your next Open House, it will show new signs of life. This might be an opportunity to get some fresh out door pictures for your listings. And, if the lawn and shrubs respond vigorously, look to see if they neeed a trimming!
Good luck in changing your listing to 'Under Agreement'.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
What Does Your Lawn look Like? Welcome to Green Aches -
I'm beginning to like the color of my brown lawn! I have two neigbors with in-ground watering systems. Dutifully, at 6 am, their lawns get watered. Because one neighbor's lawn is three large pine trees, as well, neither the water or their lawn service have made much progress in improving the lawn.
Another neighbor's lawn , gets the afternoon sun, that doesn't seem as intense as the sun in the morning. It is also watered automatically and is routinely professionally serviced. That must cost big bucks! And then my third neighbor does his own watering and has a lawn service. That lawn is 50/50, green and brown.
And then there is my lawn. All spring it's very, very green and very, very tall. I have read that the blades of grass don't obsess over their looks! Besides, that lets the roots go deep (?). Right now, it's mostly brown except for a few patches of hardy weeds and dandelions. In September, as the rains return, so will the green color and by the late fall, just as the leaves begin to fall ( ;-D it will have greened out again!
Now read about someone who is obsessed about his lawn: Welcome to Green Aches - The Boston Globe
Another neighbor's lawn , gets the afternoon sun, that doesn't seem as intense as the sun in the morning. It is also watered automatically and is routinely professionally serviced. That must cost big bucks! And then my third neighbor does his own watering and has a lawn service. That lawn is 50/50, green and brown.
And then there is my lawn. All spring it's very, very green and very, very tall. I have read that the blades of grass don't obsess over their looks! Besides, that lets the roots go deep (?). Right now, it's mostly brown except for a few patches of hardy weeds and dandelions. In September, as the rains return, so will the green color and by the late fall, just as the leaves begin to fall ( ;-D it will have greened out again!
Now read about someone who is obsessed about his lawn: Welcome to Green Aches - The Boston Globe
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Homeowner Oil Heating System Upgrade and Insurance Law - Extended
Do you have oil heat in your home? Then you should know that the date for compliance with the new Massachusetts Law "Homeowner Oil Heating System Upgrade and Insurance Law" has been extended until September 30, 2011. Insurance companies must have had the optional insurance available as of July 1, 2010. To learn more of the fine details, check out the site of the Mass DEP that has information about exemptions, approximate costs as well as a sketch of an upgraded system.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Sales Class Studies Income Approach to Real Estate Appraisal
Sales Class at Annex Real Estate School studies the Income Approach to Real Estate Appraisal
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Surprising Demographic
Last weekend, we had an accelerated Real Estate Salesperson Class at Annex Real Estate School This class is a pre- requisite to taking the Massachusetts state Real Estate Salesperson exam.
We discovered that the mean age for approximately 71% of the students was 24 1/2 years old! With essentially none of the students in the 30 's, the other 29 percent of the students were approximately 44 1/4 years old. So much for the theory that only old retired people are going into real estate now.
Realtor.org provided the following statistic:
Looks as these new salespersons should be able to relate to their potential customers and clients
We discovered that the mean age for approximately 71% of the students was 24 1/2 years old! With essentially none of the students in the 30 's, the other 29 percent of the students were approximately 44 1/4 years old. So much for the theory that only old retired people are going into real estate now.
Realtor.org provided the following statistic:
- Median age of first-time buyers: 30
- Median age of repeat buyers: 47
Looks as these new salespersons should be able to relate to their potential customers and clients
Surprising Age Demographic of Real Estate Salesperson Class
Last weekend, we had an accelerated Real Estate Salesperson Class at Annex Real Estate School This class is a pre- requisite to taking the Massachusetts state Real Estate Salesperson exam.
We discovered that the mean age for approximately 71% of the students was 24 1/2 years old! With essentially none of the students in the 30 's, the other 29 percent of the students were approximately 44 1/4 years old. So much for the theory that only old retired people are going into real estate now.
Realtor.org provided the following statistic:
We discovered that the mean age for approximately 71% of the students was 24 1/2 years old! With essentially none of the students in the 30 's, the other 29 percent of the students were approximately 44 1/4 years old. So much for the theory that only old retired people are going into real estate now.
Realtor.org provided the following statistic:
- Median age of first-time buyers: 30
- Median age of repeat buyers: 47
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Real Estate Class Enrollment Reaches Max!
Here it is, the first week of summer, and we have a Massachusetts Real Estate Salesperson Class scheduled for this weekend. This class will be held at Annex Real Estate School, in Quincy, MA. What is amazing as well as gratifying, is that we've had to cut off the enrollment!
Observing and talking to the students, I estimate that their average age is in the mid 30's. This is good match to the average age of the first time home buyer in the U.S.
We hope the weather will cooperate and will not max out the air conditioning!
Observing and talking to the students, I estimate that their average age is in the mid 30's. This is good match to the average age of the first time home buyer in the U.S.
We hope the weather will cooperate and will not max out the air conditioning!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Loan modification scams - Boston, MA - AmericanTowns.com
The Massachusetts AG has posted a very informative article on avoiding loan modification scams on her blog.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
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