Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival in Boston


Looking for something to do this weekend in Boston? Jazz and music lovers unite this weekend at Boston's biggest block party, The Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival, taking place this Saturday, September 29th, from noon to 6pm on Columbus Avenue between Massachusetts Avenue and Burke Street in the Boston's South End. The jazz festival is a perfect way to spend a long afternoon enjoying this beautiful Boston autumn weather. 

For years the Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival has delighted concert-goers with a bevy of jazz, Latin, blues and groove acts. The Boston community comes out to enjoy the music on three stages, the awesome food, and good times. The littlest concert-goers are also included with several kid’s activities including face painting, an instrument petting zoo, and KidsJam, led by Berklee's Education department.

Performances on Saturday include Darcel Wilson and Diego Joaquin Ramirez and SULA. Come out and celebrate Boston's diversity through music, food, and more! Admission is FREE!

If you're visiting us in hopes of buying a home in Boston, please give me a call during your stay. 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 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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Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Home Gains Slowing in Boston

As a home buyer in Boston, are you wondering how the market is doing? The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index results just came out and there is good news for home buyers.  Home buyers have been pulling back over the last several months, and prices are finally following. Boston home prices are still rising, but the gains are shrinking. In June, prices nationally rose 6.2 percent year over year, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index. That is down from the 6.4 percent annual gain in May.

“We’ve been running faster than we should be able to sustain for quite some time,” said David Blitzer, managing director at S&P Dow Jones Indices.  Mr. Blitzer said that, over the next year or so, price gains are likely to ease until they are more in line with wages and inflation.

Home prices in the nation's 10 largest housing markets rose 6 percent annually, down from 6.2 percent in the previous month. In the 20 largest markets, prices were up 6.3 percent, down from 6.5 percent in May.  Home-price growth slowed in June for the third straight month, this is welcome news for new Boston home buyers

The housing market has been slowing in recent months, a result of rising mortgage rates, a lack of inventory and a run-up in prices that has strained affordability. Existing-home sales have declined for four straight months, the National Association of Realtors said last week. Sales of new homes declined for the second straight month in July, the Commerce Department said Thursday. You can read more about these results at the Wall Street Journal.

Don’t let today’s market scare you off. When you are ready to start searching for your home, contact an experienced Boston, MA real estate agent. I am 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 hope to speak with you soon!

Lucas Garofalo
Keller Williams Realty
(617) 861-3631
Lucas@LucasBostonHomes.com

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Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Boston Home – Get Your Credit Score Ready


The process of buying your Boston home starts long before you start searching the internet for the perfect home. One of the first steps is to organize your finances and understand your credit. Because of stricter rules governing mortgage applications, having good credit has become a crucial factor in purchasing a home. If you happen to need to improve your score, or you are wanting to keep the good score you have, follow these steps to strengthen and solidify your credit score, before you start scouring the internet for your dream Boston home.

Get your credit report. If you don’t already have a credit report in hand, then get one now. You are entitled to a free credit report from each of the three credit bureaus once a year so make sure to take advantage.

Fix any mistakes. If you have any errors or inaccuracies on your credit report you need to start that process now to fix them as it could take several months or more. There are step-by-step guides on the major credit bureau websites, follow the guide and keep a good record of your dispute.

Stay current. Never miss a payment, ever! Even one missed payment will affect your credit score negatively. Paying on time will help increase your score over time and keep it in a steady upward climb.

Low balances. Keep your balances low and if possible less than 50% of the limit on your revolving credit. Paying more than the minimum each month also helps build better credit, even if you are paying just a bit more than the minimum.

Keep your old car. When in the market to purchase a new Boston home, it is best to avoid any big changes to your finances. That means no big purchases like new cars.

When you are ready to start searching for your home, contact an experienced Boston, MA real estate agent. I am 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 hope to speak with you soon!

Lucas Garofalo
Keller Williams Realty
(617) 861-3631
Lucas@LucasBostonHomes.com

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