Our Topsy Turvy Tomato Experiment

Kyle and I are both originally from Vermont. I think this means that we are supposed to have green thumbs. My theory comes from the fact that when I was in college just about every person that learned I was from Vermont asked “Did you grow up on a farm?” To set the record straight, neither Kyle nor I grew up on a farm. Perhaps as a tribute to our “heritage,” each year we try

Mortgage Rates Increasing on Inflation Fears

Mortgage rates have ticked upward over the past few days in response to market activity around the 10-year Treasury Bond. According to BankRate.com, the average interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage has increased from 5.00% to 5.39% in just a few days. An article in today’s Wall Street Journal goes so far as to proclaim that “Mortgage Rates Surge, Sap Hopes.” They cite similar interest rate figures from a different source and quote two

Change to Tax Exclusion on Sale of Primary Residence

The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 changed the tax rules around the sale of primary residences in a way that has not been widely discussed. Homeowners may no longer be able to claim a full $250,000 (or $500,000 for married filing jointly) capital gains exclusion for a primary residence despite living there for 2 of the past 5 years. The new rules, which went into effect at the beginning of 2009, still use

How Much is the Other Offer?

The past few weeks have been busy. More multiple offer deals. So far this year I’ve sold 13 houses. Of those transactions, 9 of them have been multiple offer situations. In some cases I represented the sellers. In others, the buyers. The houses have been priced anywhere from the mid-$200Ks to the mid-$500Ks. Whenever I let my buyer clients know that another offer has been submitted on the property that they’re interested in, the first

Knox Parks Foundation Plant Sale- May 29-30

We’re entering into the perfect time to be working on your gardens and the perfect time to support a great organization! The Knox Parks Foundation will be hosting its annual plant sale next Friday and Saturday at 75 Laurel Street in Hartford. Stop by between 9:00am-6:00pm on Friday, May 29 or 9:00am-2:00pm on Saturday, May 30 to purchase annual, perennial, herb, and vegetable plants for your gardens. Knox Parks works in partnership with residents, businesses