Style and elegance in downtown Andover

In the heart of downtown Andover, this charming Victorian home is sure to capture your attention. Handsomely appointed with rich millwork and exquisite craftsmanship, this home also features lovely kitchen and baths, a stunning grand foyer and staircase, two beautiful fireplaces, hardwood flooring, 9 ft. ceilings, central A/C, storage and 2 off street parking spaces.  Surround yourself with incomparable style and elegance in a classic New England town.  Offered at 429,000.  Ask me about this and other condominiums for sale in Andover, or search the MLS for free.

I went to a cook out in Andover recently.  Because of the threat of thunderstorms our host had some of the food set up in the garage–yes, the garage.  Strange as it sounds, my friend’s garage was a hot topic of conversation, the guests–especially the men–were enamored by this garage.  It was spotless….seriously, it was cleaner and more free of clutter than some homes I’ve toured.  The tools and contents were stored neatly on shelves or hung carefully on the wall. Yes, this garage was clean enough to serve food.  Homeowners often use garage space to store items as they prepare for a move.  Remember, buyers are turned off by clutter no matter where it is found…even in basements and garages.  Purge the junk and move the rest to a borrowed or rented storage space.  A well maintained garage is a big plus when selling your home! For more tips on staging your home check out New Light Redesign and remember my seller services package includes home staging consultation.

Thursday, July 29 Andover’s Memorial Hall Library will be hosting it’s 5th Annual Vehicle Night from 6-7:30PM. Vehicles from the department of public works and the fire and police departments will be available for viewing and visiting in the library parking lot. What do trucks have to do with Andover Real Estate?  Choosing where to live has as much to do with choosing lifestyle as it does with choosing a homestyle.  The activities and amenities a community has to offer are important factors in deciding where to live.  Many residence of Andover choose to live here because of the activities and services provided for our children both in and out of the classroom.  Vehicle night is just one more example of the fun family activities we enjoy here in Andover.  And be honest…haven’t you ever wondered what it would be like to drive a big red firetruck?

Sales of single family homes for the first half of 2010 continue to improve when compared to the first half of 2009. With home sales trending upward and  mortgage interest rates historically lowsnow is a great time to buy a home.  See what’s selling in your neighborhood.

Keeping your home ready for potential buyers to tour is not easy.  Homes that show well are so neat and tidy that it almost looks as though no one lives there.  There are no dishes in the sink, no shoes by the door, no newspapers on the coffee table. There aren’t even hairbrushes or toothpaste tubes by the bathroom sink or towels hanging up to dry.  Clothes and linen closets are neatly organized–shoes, belts and pocketbooks lined on shelves, desks organized…even the tools in the garage and basement are in order.  Outdoors, leaves and grass clippings are swept and patios are decorated with flowering pots and outdoor furniture.  WHO LIVES THIS WAY EVERYDAY?  The answer is–no one—well, no one I know anyway.  As difficult as it is to tidy up everyday your efforts will pay off.  Nothing is more appealing to a potential buyer than a home that is clean and tidy. A clean and well staged home communicates a message to visitors that the home is well maintained and a well maintained home alleviates a buyer’s natural worries.  Looking to sell your home in Andover or North Andover?  Take time to prepare well…and enjoy the wonderful comments and offers your efforts will generate.

Have you ever seen the phrase “sold as is” in a description of a home for sale? What exactly does that mean and why write it into the property description?  In my opinion all homes are offered for sale  in “as in condition.” While many sellers make repairs and improvements to their homes before listing them for sale I have yet to find a PERFECT home. If you’ve ever shopped for a home you’ll know there is quite a range in the condition of homes offered for sale. An important step in the home buying process, therefore, is the home inspection.  Once a buyer negotiates a contract to purchase a home, it’s recommended that he or she hire a professional home inspector to assess the condition of the home.  If the inspection identifies unexpected  defects or problems with the home, the buyer has several options….proceed with the purchase under the initial agreed upon contract, ask the seller to make repairs, ask the seller to renegotiate the price with the buyer assuming responsiblity for making repairs, or give written notice to the seller that he will not be proceeding with the sale, cancel the contract to purchase and request that his or her deposit be returned.  In each of these options, the seller has the right to say no. If he or she  does and the buyer still wants the home, the buyer purchases the home in “as in condition.”  While it be more prudent for the seller to negotiate to make repairs  than to insist on the home being sold in “as in” condition the seller is under no such obligation.  As you can see the home buying process can become complicated as the process unfolds.  The consequences to both  the buyer and the seller during this process can be quite serious. As your REMAX real estate agent I am trained to guide you through the home buying and selling process. I can save you time and money and help you with all your real estate needs.

We closed!   98 Haverhill St. Unit B Andover, MA   Sold May 28 after only 57 days on the market.  Congratulations to the new home owner.  See what homes are selling in your neighborhood by logging on here!

We closed on a home yesterday–well, my buyer clients did. It’s their first home and as you can imagine they were thrilled with their new home and excited to move in, unpack and make it their own. When we went to  the final walk through the sellers were still in the process of moving out.  Packed boxes, furniture and some wayward toys remained strewn throughout the home.  The moving company had been delayed, so the move wasn’t going according to schedule. The sellers were doing their best, sincerely apologized for the state of affairs and knew they were in for a very, very long day.  Of course, we always prefer to have everything completely moved out–in fact the sales contract clearly spells that out.  Thus, the  buyers could have postponed the closing until all the belongings were removed and everything was in order.  To their credit they understood the situation and closed on schedule.  A little risky? Perhaps—but they were planning on painting the walls anyway so a little spackle would take care of any bumps in the walls.  Also, during the previous months both parties had been respectful and cooperative negotiating  a sales agreement that was fair to both parties therefore a level of trust had already been nurtured.  A happy ending was the result—-and a good night’s sleep for both buyers and sellers! Congratulations Daniel and Shannon on your new home!

Sales of single family homes continue to improve in Andover and North Andover MA .  Median sales prices and number of homes sold are up this year when compared to the same period in 2009. Whether or not this  improvement in the housing market will continue now that the home buyer tax credits have expired remains to be seen.  Never the less the news is clearly good for the housing market in the  Andovers!