Boston, MA – What to do Before the End of Summer

With September 1^st fast approaching, we are quickly getting into the last leg of our Boston, MA summer. Here are some reminders of what makes the Boston area so wonderful in the summer. Act like a tourist and enjoy your city and the surrounding area before the cold approaches. Or, if you are thinking of buying a home in Boston, MA, come explore our city and learn more about your future home!

Berry Season. Escape the city for a bit and live the farm life for a day. Cherries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, and blueberries are ripe for the picking at the end of summer. Spend a day at a local farm. There are many pick-your-own options nearby.

Explore the Harbor Islands. Hop on the ferry and take a tour of the 30 islands that make up the Boston Harbor Islands, just off the mainland. Take in a bit of Boston, MA history exploring Fort Warren on George's Island.

Take a Stroll Down Comm. Ave.  Known as one of the most beautiful streets in America, get lost in the architecture and the central mall and trees.

Hop in a Kayak.  Paddle or canoe around some of the rivers and waterways Boston, MA has to offer. Get a workout while taking in the sights around Hingam, Magnolia or Thompson Island.

Dine Al Fresco.  Boston, MA has a plethora of tasty restaurants to enjoy. Pick an old favorite, or a new one, and take a table outside. Sit, relax, and enjoy this beautiful city.

If you're visiting us in hopes of buying a home in Boston, please give a Boston real estate agent a call in between checking out our city. Without the guidance of a local expert, it can be tricky to cover all of the city's vibrant neighborhoods! My services extend beyond helping buyers and sellers through their transactions. I thoroughly enjoy getting prospective residents familiar with their surroundings and exposing them to the best of everything Boston, MA has to offer. I hope to speak with you soon!

Lucas Garofalo

Keller Williams Realty

(617) 861-3631

Lucas@LucasBostonHomes.com

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Boston, MA – How to Choose the Right Neighborhood

Any good Boston, MA Real Estate Agent will share the mantra, “location, location, location” when talking about the attributes that help a home hold its value and potentially appreciate. However, no one neighborhood is right for every Boston, MA homebuyer. Determining which neighborhood meets your needs and your budget requires research and some soul searching about your priorities.

Establish Your Priorities
Before a I can begin to help you look for a Boston, MA home, you should develop a list of needs and wants. For some buyers, the home itself is of paramount importance: they want a particular style or size. For others, the neighborhood is more important. If you have an unlimited budget you may be able to find the perfect home in a perfect neighborhood, but since most buyers need to meet a budget, you may have to compromise on either the house or the neighborhood.

Schools Matter – Even If You Don’t Have Kids
If you have children or are planning to have a family in the future, buying a home in a community with good schools is already likely to be a priority. Even if you don’t have children to educate, though, you should be aware that homes located in a good school district typically hold onto their value better than those in less highly regarded districts. The Fair Housing Act prevents a Boston Real Estate Agent from providing information directly to buyers about specific schools, but I can share links to websites that rate schools and to local school systems.

Transportation Issues
A major consideration for most home buyers when it comes to choosing where to live is how they’ll get to the places they go regularly. Map out your route to work and other frequented places to ensure the commute is doable for you. 
 
How to Compare Neighborhoods
It’s important to visit a prospective neighborhood at various times of day and on both weekdays and weekends to get a feel for what it would be like to live there. Look at how the homes are maintained to see if they meet your standards. Finding the right neighborhood takes some legwork, but it’s important to choose a place to live where you want to come home every night.

When you are ready to purchase in Boston, MA look to an experienced Boston Real Estate Agent. I'm committed to providing you with the highest quality buyer service. When making the type of investment that buying a home requires, you deserve to have all the latest market information and the very best advice, both of which I can provide you with. I am always here should you have a question on a Boston, MA neighborhood such as South End, Fenway, Beacon Hill, or any other. I hope to speak with you soon!

Lucas Garofalo

Keller Williams Realty

(617) 861-3631

Lucas@LucasBostonHomes.com

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Sell your Boston Home this Fall

The kids are getting ready to go back to school soon and the cooler weather of fall in Boston, MA is just around the corner. If you are thinking of selling your Boston home, fall is only second to spring as the best time to put your home on the market. With the impeding fall season, now is the time to prepare your Boston home for going on the market.

Mortgage rates recently went up and greater mortgage increases are expected in 2015. This means that your Boston homebuyers are out there now, ready to buy before the winter holidays and the interest rate increases in 2015. Here are some tips for preparing your Boston home. 

 

Meet with a Real Estate Professional

A qualified Real Estate Professional can help you decide what your Boston home is worth via a comparative market analysis. Only a true professional who is familiar with your specific neighborhood can price is correctly so that it not just sells, but sells on time and doesn’t leave you with a home for sale during the winter months. 

 

Conceal and De-Personalize

A prospective buyer wants to be able to imagine themselves in your home and that is hard to do when there are personalized knickknacks, family photos, and general clutter. As a general rule, get rid of a third of your stuff or more and put it into storage. Remove family photos, collections, and other personal items. Maximize closet space by also diminishing by a third and organize neatly what remains. If your furniture is oversized, consider putting some pieces in storage to make your room sizes appear larger. 

 

Curb Appeal

The first impression is the only impression that matters to your prospective buyers. Before they reach the interior they have already judged your home by the way it looks on the outside. If necessary, spruce up your exterior with new paint on the front door or seasonal décor added to your porch or front door.

When the time comes to sell your Boston Home please look for a professional, someone well-versed in all aspects of the sale process. From strategic marketing to negotiation, a qualified professional is a home seller's best asset. Your satisfaction is the key to my success. Don't sell your home without the help of an experienced agent. Contact a Boston Real Estate Agent when you are ready. I look forward to hearing from you!

Lucas Garofalo

Keller Williams Realty

(617) 861-3631

Lucas@LucasBostonHomes.com

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Boston, MA – Labor Day 2014

Last week on my blog I listed several Boston, MA local events taking place this August. As summer winds down, we have a nice long Labor Day weekend to bring the summer to a close. Boston, MA has plenty to keep you busy on this three day weekend, here are a few!

Mass Brewers Fest. Taking place on Friday, August 29^th is the 5^th Annual Mass Brewers Fest. Located at the The World Trade Center Head House Concourse on Boston's historic waterfront, featuring more than 100 styles of local beer from around Massachusetts. 6-9:30pm, get your tickets for the Mass Brewers Fest soon as this event does sell out!

National Bacon Day! August 31^st is National Bacon Day so why not “pig out” this Labor Day and enjoy a bacon-heavy meal at one of Boston, MA's great restaurants and/or food trucks.

• Picco's - unbelievably wonderful bacon-laden Alsatian pizza - 513 Tremont Street, South End
• B&G Oyster's has a mouth-watering Lobster B.L.T. - 550 Tremont Street, South End
• Roxy's Food Truck has a grilled cheese green muenster with bacon, guacamole, and cheese – yum!

Fireworks! Wrap up the holiday weekend with some fireworks on Boston Harbor on Saturday, August 31^st as part of the Boston Arts Festival taking place the same weekend.

If you are traveling into Boston, MA this Labor Day and are interested in learning more about what this great city has to offer please contact me.

Without the guidance of a local expert, it can be tricky to cover all of the city's vibrant neighborhoods! As a Boston real estate agent, my services extend beyond helping buyers and sellers through their transactions. I thoroughly enjoy getting prospective residents familiar with their surroundings and exposing them to the best of everything Boston, MA has to offer.

Please contact me when you decide to start your home search.

Lucas Garofalo

Keller Williams Realty

(617) 861-3631

Lucas@LucasBostonHomes.com

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