Massachusetts Home Buyer Guide

Tips For Preventing And Removing Mold

The following eHow video provides some quick tips on preventing and removing mold in your home. The video is one minute and 57 seconds long.

Obviously, you should call a professional for more serious mold problems.

 

Don't Ingore Your Gutters

When your gutters are free of dirt, debris and leaves, water flows away from your house and reduces the chance of leaks to your roof and walls. Properly functioning gutters also keeps water away from your foundation.

Even if you don't have trees near your home, you might be surprised at the amount of dirt and debris building up in your gutters.

The following video explains how to clean gutters yourself, but there are companies that will take care of your gutter cleaning for a reasonable price. I just had my gutters cleaned in the fall, and was please with the outcome, so don't hesitate to contact me for a referral.

 

What You Should Know About Landscape Architects

The design and functionality of your outdoor space can be as important as the inside of your home. 

In the eyes of a landscape architect the exterior of the home is not simply the plot of land on which your home sits, but an extension of your home. The outdoor space in which people live, work or play, should be tailored to compliment the design and feel of the home and at the same time achieve harmony with the surrounding environment. 

Landscape architects help design and construct areas as small as private gardens to as large as full cities. Their knowledge of the environment, design process, engineering principles, soil science and construction practices allows landscape architects to shape and protect the outdoor environment and best accommodate all of its inhabitants while maintaining a high quality of life.

Many homeowners choose to consult a landscape architect when stumbling upon unusual issues that need to be resolved, such as issues with drainage, grading, or wind considerations. In addition, many people turn to a landscape architect to help maximize potential by finding aesthetic and practical solutions for projects such as outdoor pool areas, specialized gardens, terraces, parking and walkways.

Landscape architects must be licensed in Massachusetts, and their practices are regulated by the Board of Registration of Landscape Architects. You also can find information about landscape architects on the American Society of Landscape Architects Web site.

The following three-minute video from HGTV should give you some inspiration.

HGTV Dream Home 2011

HGTV's 2011 "Dream Home" is located in picturesque Stowe, VT, near magnificent Mt. Mansfield. Check out the 90 second tour below.

 

House Hunters Suburban Boston

In this June 2009 episode of House Hunters, a young engaged couple wants to leave their Dorchester apartment and find a home in either Mansfield, MA or Foxborough, MA.

House Hunters Boston

In this 2008 episode of House Hunters, a young woman searches for her first home in Boston

How Does Your Man Cave Compare?

Hosts Jason Cameron and Tony "The Goose" Siragusa design and build a Boston Garden-inspired wet bar with a surprise gift from Boston Celtics legend JoJo White.This episode of Man Caves from 2007 takes place in North Reading, MA. 

How Much Living Space Do You Need?

Ten years ago, Jay Shafer downsized to an 89-square-foot house and reinvented both his lifestyle and career in the process. The video below shows the tiny home.

Home Inspections 101 - What To Expect

In the following video my business partner Dave Kres discusses the basics of what to expect at a home inspection.

Find more videos like this on Massachusetts Home Buyer Network

Why An Exclusive Buyer Agent?

The following video is from the Lifetime television show The Balancing Act. The guests from the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents do a nice job explaining the importance of having an exclusive buyer agent in your corner.

About The 2010 Home Buyer Tax Credit [Video]

My business partner Dave Kres discusses the 2010 extended and expanded home buyer tax credit, which now not only makes first-time home buyers eligible, but existing home buyers are eligible as well. First-time home buyers are eligible for up to an $8,000 tax credit, and existing homeowners who buy a home are eligible for up to a $6,500 tax credit.

Fox Biz News Video On $8,000 Tax Credit

Rebecca Diamond on Fox Business News' "Happy Hour" discusses whether to extend the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit that is set to expire November 30, 2009.

Massachusetts Short Sales 101

The following video contains a basic tutorial on short sales in Massachusetts. It is presented by my business partner, Dave Kres. Many short sales are in pre-foreclosure status, and completing a short-sale transaction typically takes from two to six months. Buying a short sale requires a great deal of patience.

Robert J. Shiller On The Housing Market [Video]

Yale economist Robert J. Shiller, the co-founder of the widely followed Case-Shiller housing index, discusses the future of the U.S. housing market with SmartMoneyTV on September 25, 2009.

Despite Overall Market, Luxury Condos Profitable

This September 21, 2009 NECN video discusses the luxury condo market with Boston Business Journal real estate reporter Michelle Hillman.

"Smaller luxury condo projects, surprisingly, have done well. Selective discounts and better negotiations have helped the developers of these projects."