Special Offers for New Homeowners

Every time a mortgage closes, marketers line up to pitch all sorts of fabulous offers and opportunities to new homeowners. Nearly all arrive via mail so they are, fortunately, easy to sort through and discard. On occasion a company will dispatch their best door-to-door salesman to pay the buyers a visit and congratulate them on their purchase – thankfully they are few and far between. The special offer bounty covers a wide spectrum. Some is

Did You See That?

Last evening was a nice night for real estate. Temperatures were in the mid 50s, which is unseasonably warm for late November, and quite pleasant for looking at houses. But it wasn’t a perfect night. The problem? It got dark before 5:00! So our buyers really couldn’t see the fantastic architectural details or the brand new roof. The lack of light at this time of year makes evaluating houses more challenging. Most buyers work during

Buyers: Don't Forget to Have Fun

Buyer’s Week has been an exciting ride here at the Greater Hartford Real Estate Blog. We covered the current opportunity, the importance of talking to a mortgage professional, the benefits of trading up in a down market, and buying when you also have a house to sell. Fond memories… Buying a home is a process punctuated by events. We think that buyers should understand what they are getting into at the start, and hope that

Buyers: Trade Up in a Down Market

Buyer’s Week continues at the Greater Hartford Real Estate Blog, building on Monday’s look at the current opportunity and Tuesday’s suggestion to start with the mortgage. Check back each day for another post specifically for buyers. A real estate market with falling prices is actually a very good environment for trading up to a larger home – if you can overcome your fears. Consider a simplified example. Suppose home prices have fallen 10% from their

West Hartford Center's Single-Family Homes

West Hartford is nationally recognized as an excellent place to live, receiving kudos from Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine twice this year, for being one of the 10 Best Cities for the Coming Decade and 10 Great Cities for Raising a Family. Within West Hartford, The Center is always mentioned as a primary attraction. Visitors and residents converge for the diverse mixture of work and play, with numerous restaurants, unique shops, and energy that complements the