Posts made by author ' Old Colony, REALTORS®'

Sometimes, realtors wish you knew what they knew. In some cases, it would help them help you more in the long run. So, here is some advice on how to think like a realtor. 

One of the first things to consider when putting your house on the market is the value and price of your home. As a seller, you are excited and optimistic but a buyer may not be of the same persuasion. You need to make sure you are aware of the price range of homes around you and price appropriately. Don't price it so far out of range that a potential buyer doesn't have a reason to even look. Also, the longer a house stays on the market the chance decreases that you will get fair value for the house. 

Just because you are pre-approved, that doesn't mean you can run up credit or open new lines of credit without suffering consequences. The closer you get to closing, finances and credit ratings are reviewed and if there is a negative impact the interest rate could or you could have your preapproval...

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Holiday time can mean lots of travel.  With lots of parties and family and friends to visit, chances are your home will be left quite a bit. To make the holiday travel schedule less stressful, here are some good rules to follow that will ensure your home is safe while you are out and about. And this means much more than simply locking those doors!

Appliances should be turned off and unplugged.
If a trip will be a long a one, turning off and unplugging them is a good idea and will take your mind off of how safe things are. If unplugging the fridge, make sure it is empty and clean. By unplugging these, the risk of electric fires is reduced and you can save money on the bill at the end of month. An extra precaution such as this can go a long way.

Leave the mail at the post office.
A shorter trip could call for simply having a friend or neighbor pick up the mail and newspaper while away. This can ensure any important pieces...

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Hosting a holiday party at your home can be a fun experience but can also be very stressful. Here is a checklist of tasks that can make it organized and beautiful!

A Few Weeks Before:

• Make an invite list. Remember that for a typical party, the attendance rate is 70 to 80 percent of those invited. Plan accordingly based on the space you have in your home.
• Pick a theme. This way you can focus on decorations, menu and music to help bring the theme together.
• Send invites. This can be done in a variety of ways. Traditional print invites or handwritten ones are always good but even phone and email invites are acceptable. Social media is another avenue as well, and Facebook is great for creating events, updating information and tracking the guest list.
• Plan the menu. Put together the menu and decide if it can be prepared at your home or if a caterer is necessary. Will it be a quick assemble or all day cooking event? What about...

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Winterizing Your Home on a Budget

It's starting to get darker earlier, cooler temperatures are in the air and the holiday season is just around the corner. This also means winter is approaching and as a homeowner, it is important to take some steps to winterize your home. Now, with that said, here are some ideas that can help protect your home and your wallet – by not costing you a fortune.

1. Clean out those gutters! Water needs to be able to flow through the gutters freely and leaves and sticks can cause major problems. The best part? The only cost to you will be time and effort.
2. Flush out the water heater. Sediment can build up in the bottom part of a water heater which can cause a unit not to work properly. Take some time to flush water through the drain valve to clear it out.
3. Did you know that changing the direction of your ceiling fan can help? If the ceiling fan is spinning in a clockwise direction, the hot air will be pushed down tow...

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Holiday light displays add so much beauty and excitement to this time of year. Holiday lights can also pose a danger and be a hazard if not handled properly. Here are some practices to follow to ensure a safe but brilliantly lit holiday season.

• Check light strands for any imperfections such as cords that have cracked or the ends have frayed.
• If using a real tree, make sure it is well watered. A dry tree combined with a short in a strand of Christmas lights can be deadly.
• New types of lights have fused plugs which help prevent sparking in the event of a light short circuiting. Take the time to dispense of older lights and invest in newer lights that are safer.
• Replace burnt out bulbs but ensure they are the right wattage. It's smart to keep a list of what wattage go with which bulbs.
• Outdoor lights have to deal with precipitation and debris that can get into the sockets so make sure that outdoor lights are plugged into...

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