Local Boston Chocolatiers for Valentine’s Day

January is almost over, and Valentine's Day is just around the corner! If you are looking to buy your sweetheart some chocolate they will truly appreciate, make sure to get the good stuff. And local is always better! Try some of these local chocolates, prepared right here in Boston, MA. Help support your community and chocolate cravings!

Phillips Candy House. Founded in 1925, Phillips Candy House is the oldest chocolatier in Boston, MA. Several delicious confections including truffles, fudge, and turtles are offered daily. Available online and in retail stores in Boston and Quincy.

Beacon Hill Chocolates. They are well known for their unique keepsake boxes, inspired by “rare lithographs, old postcards, photographs, and illustrations”, but the chocolate is really the star. Beacon Hill Chocolates source and import Artisan chocolates from around the world. Experience traditional and innovative chocolate making techniques. 91 Charles Street, Boston, MA

L.A. Burdick Chocolates. Making chocolates since 1987, L.A. Burdick Chocolates has plenty of choices for this Valentine’s Day. Boston’s shop is stocked with a complete array of fine gourmet chocolates. The Café has a full line of drinks and pastries to enjoy inside or to take home and share. 220 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA

I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day with your loved ones. Hopefully one of these chocolates will make your sweetheart smile. If you are traveling into Boston, MA to celebrate and are interested learning more about what this great city has to offer please contact a Boston real estate agent.

Without the guidance of a local expert, it can be tricky to cover all 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.

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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Winter in Boston

We are experiencing an unseasonably warm winter this year in Boston. Although we may have 40+ degree temps forecasted the next several days that doesn’t mean Winter won’t come back and hit us with its frigid temps again. Take the time now, while the weather is milder, to ensure that you have winterized your home properly and make your Boston, MA home is as energy efficient as possible.

Vents. Make sure to keep your vents clear and if possible, not blocked by furniture or rugs. This will keep your furnace from working overtime. If you must cover a vent with furniture you can buy plastic covers to help direct the air out from under the furniture. If you have rooms you don't use close the vents and shut the door, only heat the rooms you inhabit.

Doors. Similarly, doors that need repair or replacement are a leading source of heat loss. To prevent this from happening around your door, make sure that the perimeter around the door frame is insulated well. You can use weather stripping or foam tape to fill in gaps. You should also install new door sweeps to keep cold air from entering underneath the door. If your doors are past the point of repair, replacement doors may be in order.

Fireplace. When not using your fireplace be sure to keep the damper closed. All the heat being sucked out the damper can add up to hundreds of dollars in energy costs each winter.

Windows. You can check for drafts in your Boston, MA home by holding a candle near the frame to the door or window and watching to see if it flickers. Use rubber weather-stripping for large areas and use caulk for smaller areas to seal up any leaks. Underneath your doors a rolled-up towel or draft snake will help keep the cold air outside.

Power Outlets and Switches. Areas around power switches and outlets are also prime areas of heat loss. If the outlets aren't insulated well, heat may be escaping through the walls. However, adding insulation is usually a quick fix. If you're handy around the house, you simply disconnect the power, remove the face plates and carefully add on external outlets and light switches. If you aren't handy, enlist the help of an experienced electrician to avoid injury.

I hope you enjoy this winter season and can take advantage of some of these tips for your home. Should you decide you want to replace your drafty home with a more energy efficient model I'd love to help you find a new home in Boston, MA. Please contact a Boston, MA real estate agent when you are ready to start the process.

Lucas Garofalo

Keller Williams Realty

(617) 861-3631

Lucas@LucasBostonHomes.com

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Sell Your Boston Home This Winter

If you are looking to sell your Boston home you are going to want to get the best price for your Boston home and the quickest sale possible. Is there an optimal formula for ensuring your home will sell the fastest and for the best price? Some experts say yes and offer the following advice for selling your home for top dollar and as quick as possible.

Price it a little low. This may seem counter-intuitive to many Boston homeowners. Many think that pricing their home a little OVER market value will leave them room for negotiation. This just dramatically lessens the demand for your house.  Realtor.com, gives this advice:

“Aim to price your property at or just slightly below the going rate. Today’s buyers are highly informed, so if they sense they’re getting a deal, they’re likely to bid up a property that’s slightly underpriced, especially in areas with low inventory.”

Use a Boston Real Estate Agent.  This too may seem counter intuitive. The seller may think they would net more money if they didn’t have to pay a real estate commission. Studies have shown that homes typically sell for more money when handled by a real estate professional. Research posted by the National Association of Realtors revealed that:

“The median selling price for all FSBO homes was $200,000 last year. However, homes that were sold with the assistance of an agent had a median selling price of $280,000 – $80,000 more for the typical home sale.”

My Advice: Price your house at or slightly below the current market value and hire a Boston real estate agent. That will guarantee you maximize the price you get for your house.

I’d be happy to work with you to give you a comparative market analysis of your home and speak about timing your sale just right. A Boston, MA real estate agent will have their finger on the pulse of the market and know the best way to proceed. Contact a real estate agent about selling your Boston home today! I hope to hear from you soon.

Lucas Garofalo

Keller Williams Realty

(617) 861-3631

Lucas@LucasBostonHomes.com

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