I was visiting some clients last week to advise them about readying their house to potentially sell.  They wanted advice about any work I might recommend they do before listing it.  The house is a well-kept single-floor home (ranch-style), with some very nice attributes:  wider hallways (custom designed to accommodate a wheelchair) which [...]

We are happy to announce that we have a new realtor!  Susan Mayhew, of Northampton, has joined our team.  She is available to represent both buyers and sellers in the sale of residential and commercial real estate.

Susan grew up in New Hampshire, and is a graduate of Hampshire College.  She has lived in the Pioneer Valley off and on since [...]

March is here!  But spring still seems a long way off.  My driveway is a sheet of ice, it's too cold to be outside for any length of time and remain comfortable, the skies are grey... and buyers are wondering - [...]

I find myself in the interesting position both of being a realtor and being in the market for a new home!  Our house is under agreement.  This means we now have a finite period in which to find a new place to live.  I spend a lot of time contemplating what it is we want in a house.  I know how many bedrooms, how much land, how many [...]

As realtors, we may have concern on behalf of our clients when we see terms associated with a listing such as "seasonal water in basement" or "some seasonal seepage" or, "history of water in basement".  We may be concerned for our [...]

There are a number of home related blogs out there that really float my boat.  Today a friend sent me a link to an Apartment Therapy blog post outlining the 10 Things You Should Check Before You Buy.  This is timely, given my last 3 blog posts targeting buyers and sellers.  The spring market is almost upon us (though looking out the window [...]

It has been an interesting process to find myself in the role of client for a change, since I am also my own realtor!  We have recently gotten our house under deposit (with the help of a great Maple and Main Realty buyer's agent, as it turns out), here in Northampton.  It has been on the market for almost two years.  It's a big house, and it's beautiful, but it is (and was) expensive, especially by [...]

It is cold out there!  But, believe it or not, we at Maple and Main Realty are gearing up for the spring market!  Does this mean that the rest of the winter will be mild and we will have a long, balmy spring?  No, unfortunately it doesn't.  But it does mean that if you are thinking of selling your home, now is a good time to reach out to [...]

Ok, not really.  But we realtors are starting to  feel the stirrings of eager buyers and sellers.  The holidays are behind us, and people are thinking about houses again.  So, what does that mean specifically for buyers?  How does a person ready themselves to start looking for a home?

1.  Connect with a buyer's agent.  What some people don't understand is that the fee for a buyer's agent is built into the commission structure of any house being listed by a [...]

So, we were out of town over the holidays for a few days.  While we were away, the temperatures in Western Mass dropped to the lowest we have seen yet this winter.  My husband -- the kilowatt kop -- had turned the thermostat down to 50 degrees in our absence.  Well, the betta fish survived, but our kitchen pipes froze!  Luckily, our plumber [...]