Sell Your Boston Home During the Holidays?

We will be entering the holiday season soon; November is just days away. Do you need to sell your home asap?  Selling your Boston home before the end of the year means selling during the holidays. It can be tougher than other times but it is certainly doable and shouldn’t turn you off from having your Boston home on the real estate market now. Selling during the holidays does have one advantage – the holiday cheer and décor helps to stage your home if you are keeping it minimal and tasteful. But what else can you do? We all know of the old trick of baking cookies before a showing or an open house, but, what else can you do to freshen your home and complement the holiday season? Why not skip the chemical laden sprays and plug ins and go for something more natural?

DIY Air Freshener. You can eliminate unwanted home odors with spray air freshener, and it is simple to make your own. Easy to come by ingredients such as citrus, water, baking soda, and a spray bottle are part of many of the DIY air freshener recipes on Pinterest.

Simmer Pots. Bypass baking cookies and instead put a simmer pot on the stove full of nutmeg, cinnamon, and other seasonal herbs and spices. A few minutes of simmering will have your home smelling just like the holidays!

Tea Bags. Tea bags can be used similarly to baking soda to absorb unwanted smells. A few leaves in the cat litter box or some tea bags hung in a musty closet can do wonders to freshen up your space.

Deodorize the Disposal. Drop in a few ice cubes and a cut-up lemon into the disposal and give it a whirl. The lemon will sanitize, and the ice cubes help to remove any old food particles.

When you are ready to put your Boston home on the market please contact a Boston real estate agent. I’d be happy to talk you through the selling process and can help you get your home sold, even during the holiday season. I hope to hear from you soon!

Lucas Garofalo

Keller Williams Realty

(617) 861-3631

Lucas@LucasBostonHomes.com

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Bidding Wars in Boston, MA?

The Boston real estate fall market is in full swing and because of the low inventory there is an abundance of home buyers out there! If you are anxiously waiting to find the perfect Boston home to make an offer on, you may soon find yourself in the middle of a bidding war. To compete in a bidding war, Boston home-buyers need to prepare financially for the home purchase, know the property values in their target neighborhood, and know exactly what they want. Most importantly, you need to be ready to act right away, if the perfect Boston home comes on the market. Here are some tips to increase your chances of making the winning offer in a bidding war on the Boston home of your dreams.

Get everything financial all in order. Don't wait till you are already looking to start talking to a mortgage lender. Know who you will use, what you can afford, what rates you can get, and get that signed pre-approval letter before seriously looking at homes. If you are a cash buyer have it ready to move and the paperwork to prove it.

Make a fast, personalized offer. Have your Boston Real Estate agent tour you through homes the day they come on the market. With this strategy, you may be first in line for offers. Your agent can also work with the other agent to see what is motivating the sellers. Maybe it is all about the numbers, or maybe flexibility is more important to them, such as a quick closing or rent-back options. Making it as easy as possible on the sellers could make your offer chosen above the others.

Be ready to act quick. Be ready to move, not only on that offer, but to also have your inspector on alert and ready to view the home as soon as the sellers allow. Quickness also applies to contingencies. Most certainly do not add any contingencies about needing to sell your home first if you expect a bidding war. A stronger offer would also not include home inspection, financing or appraisal contingencies, but understandably these contingencies do protect buyers and it is hard to give up that protection.

And above all, make sure you are working with a qualified professional! A Boston Real Estate agent who has the experience to help you compose the perfect offer to get that Boston home of your dreams! Please contact a Boston Real Estate agent when you are ready, I cannot wait to earn your business!

Lucas Garofalo

Keller Williams Realty

(617) 861-3631

Lucas@LucasBostonHomes.com

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Kid-Friendly Halloween Fun in Boston

One the best times of year for a kid (of any age!) is coming up soon – Halloween! Kids enjoy dressing up as their favorite princesses, superheroes, monsters, and more and of course - collecting all the candy! Halloween doesn't have to be all about trick-or-treating though, there are several fun Halloween-themed events in Boston, MA and the surrounding area. Here are a few of the highlights for this year.

Pumpkin Patches. Kids of all ages will love going to the farm to pick out a pumpkin and enjoy some fall fun. The Boston, MA area has several farms with all sorts of activities from rides, farm animals, pick your own, and hay rides. Turn your pumpkin hunt into a full day pumpkin patch trip around Boston, MA.

Boo at the Zoo. Stone Zoo invites families for a weekend of Halloween-themed activities including crafts, scavenger hunts, mazes, and costume contests. October 19-20^th . Stone Zoo, Stoneham, MA.

Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. At the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, visitors experience the glow of thousands of pumpkins and feast their eyes on hundreds of artfully carved jack-o-lanterns. It's like strolling through an outdoor art gallery, with pumpkins as the medium. Roger Williams Park Zoo, Providence RI, now - November 3^rd. 

If you're visiting us in hopes of buying a home in Boston, MA, please contact a Boston, MA real estate agent between your Halloween fun. Without the guidance of a local expert, it can be tricky to cover all 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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