With simple fixes and a little elbow grease you can add thousands to the value of your home and cut down on your selling time.

The attached article gives you 8 tips to add curb appeal and value to your home. These tips are not only for the person selling their home but great hints to keep your house from costly repairs in the future.

We hope you find this article helpful. If you have any questions regarding this article or any other real estate question please call us @ 781-643-7478 or contact us by email anytime.

• Today the walls will be prepped and primed to get them ready for a fresh coat of paint. 
• We anticipate the Hardwood floors and tile to be installed very soon after the painting gets done.
• The renovations to the new office are coming along but are taking a  little longer then we anticipated.  As of today it looks like we will be in the new office at the beginning of May instead of the middle of April.  Sweeney and O’Connell Agents are very excited and look forward to getting into the new office.
• Because we will be getting new furniture for the office we will be selling some of our old workstations.  If you in the market for any used office furniture please call Elaine at  781-643-7478 or email me @ eacopithorne@hotmail.com   

 Sweeney and O’Connell’s  New office is not far from our current location. It’s actually in the same building just a few store fronts away. When the store front came available earlier this year we knew it would be a perfect fit for us.  The corner store front is brighter and sunnier and offers us everything on one floor.   Along with the new store front we will have many new offerings for our customers to make their real estate experience a more pleasant one.

• Our New Address will be 1189 Massachusetts Avenue, MA 02476
• Our Phone Number (781-643-7478) and Website Sweeneyandoconnell.com will stay the same.
• While the New office is being renovated we are still open for business at our current location 1191 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington,  Massachusetts.   

With the Arlington  housing market continuing to be a strong one & with interest rates still at a record lows its a great time to buy or sell a home in Arlington. If you are thinking of Buying or Selling call one of our agents at 781-643-7478 or visit our website  sweeneyandoconnell.com  for all your real estate needs

	Your REALTOR: Bill Copithorne January 2012 The House Man! Copyright © 2012 Realty Times All Rights Reserved. Which Home Improvement Projects Offer the Best Returns? When it comes to remodeling, exterior replacement projects have routinely rewarded home owners with more bang for their buck. This year is no different: REALTORS® recently rated many exterior improvements as among the most valuable home investment projects as part of the 2011-12 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report.  “This year’s Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report shows the value of putting your home’s best façade forward, so to speak,” said National Association of REALTORS® President Moe Veissi. “Inexpensive exterior replacement projects are not only crucial to a home’s regular upkeep, but are also expected to recoup close to 70 percent of costs. Specific exterior projects such as siding, window and door replacements are part of regular home maintenance, so many homeowners are already undertaking them. These projects also do not require expensive materials and they have the added bonus of instantly adding curb appeal.” HouseLogic.com, NAR’s consumer Web site, includesdozens of remodeling projects, from kitchens and baths to siding replacements, which indicate the recouped value of the project based on a national average. According to the Cost vs. Value, seven of the top 10 most cost-effective projects nationally in terms of value recouped are exterior replacement projects. REALTORS® judged an upscale fiber-cement siding replacement as the project expected to return the most money, with an estimated 78 percent of costs recouped upon resale. Two additional siding replacement projects were in the top 10, including foam-backed vinyl siding, expected to return 69.6 percent of costs, and upscale vinyl siding, expected to recoup 69.5 percent of costs. Three door replacements were also among the top exterior replacement projects. The steel entry door replacement is the least expensive project in the report, costing little more than $1,200 on average and expected to recoup 73 percent of costs. The upscale garage door replacement jumped seven spots to number six this year, primarily due to the average cost of the project declining more than 15 percent nationally. The upscale and midrange garage door replacement projects are expected to return more than 71 percent of costs. One window replacement project – upscale vinyl – rounded out the last exterior replacement project in the top 10, expected to recoup 69.1 percent of costs.   The 2011-12 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report compares construction costs with resale values for 35 midrange and upscale remodeling projects comprising additions, remodels, and replacements in 80 markets across the country. Data are grouped in nine U.S. regions, following the divisions established by the U.S. Census Bureau. This is the 14th consecutive year that the report, which is produced by Remodeling magazine publisher Hanley Wood LLC, was completed in cooperation with NAR. January 3, 2012  Wondering What Your Home Is Worth? — Let me show you. - Back - Bill Copithorne, ABR,CRS,GRI E-mail: Bill@BillCopithorne.com Web: http://www.billcopithorne.com 781-643-7478 781-583-4011 Sweeney & O’Connell Real Estate 781-643-7478 1191 Mass Ave. Arlington, MA 02476 Equal Housing Opportunity

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Open houses are a great way to preview properties but not always convenient to your schedule.  At Sweeney & O’Connell Real Estate we understand that time is a very precious commodity and a Private Home Tour may be a better option for you. To schedule a private home tour Contact Sweeney & O’Connell RE or Call 781-643-7478 to talk to a Sweeney & O’Connell Agent today.

Custom Open House Search Results

View all MLS upcoming Open Houses for Arlington & Arlington Area Towns by using our Quick Town Searches. If you would like to search open houses by a specific town or all towns use our MLS Advance Property Search

If you can not make an open house or if the home you are interested in viewing a home that does not have an open house,  contact us to make an appointment for a private showing.

With other towns in the United States having diffucult times in this current Housing Market,  Arlington, Massachusetts is doing well. Arlington has ranked 2 out of 5  for the best housing markets in 2011 according to the article by Venessa Wond, Blooberg Businessweek October 24,2011.  http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/americas-best-and-worst-housing-markets-2011.html. Instead of going down Home Sales in Arlington have increased in the last 4 years: According to Boston.com.  

Arlington History:
Arlington, Massachusetts was founded over 350 years ago, and remains proud of its history, even as it has grown into a thoroughly modern community. The birthplace of Uncle Sam, the location of the first public children’s library, and the site of most of the fighting when the British marched through it returning from the Old North Bridge at the start of the Revolutionary War, Arlington has preserved many of its historical buildings and even recreated its town common.

“When the Fed talks, people listen. And last week, the Fed made headlines when Fed Governor Daniel Tarullo called for the Fed to engage in another round of Mortgage Bond purchases…or in other words, another round of Quantitative Easing (QE3). Read on to find out what this could mean for the housing market and home loan rates.

In order to really have an impact on housing, the Fed would have to announce something significant to get people to buy a home. Why? Because even now, with rates at historically low levels and incredible affordability levels, the sales pace in housing is tepid, due to structural problems in the labor market, which the Fed can’t fix.

In fact, there is a lot to consider before the Fed starts expanding their balance sheet, and the biggest concern is rising inflation. Contrary to what the Fed has said about it moderating, year-over-year inflation is on the rise. The headline Producer Price Index (PPI) rose by a whopping 0.8% in the month of September, elevating year-over-year wholesale prices by a hot 6.9%. Meanwhile, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for September rose by 0.3%, and while this was in line with estimates it pushed the year-over-year number to 3.9%. This is significant because the year-over-year figure was just 1.6% in January.

Remember, inflation is the arch enemy of Bonds and home loan rates. The concept is very simple: If inflation rises, investors in Bonds demand a higher yield to offset the lost buying power inflation imposes on a fixed payment. And as home loan rates ar

 

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e tied to Mortgage Bonds, this would mean home loan rates move higher.

And let’s not forget the ongoing drama out of Europe. French and German leaders will hold two summits in the span of four days to come up with a resolution to the European debt crisis. Whichever way this news goes could have a real effect on the markets, including Bonds and home loan rates.”

by-Jeffrey Hutchinson

32 Kensington Rd Arlington (click for more)

Open houses are a great way to preview properties but not always convenient to your schedule.  At Sweeney & O’Connell Real Estate we understand that time is a very precious commodity and a Private Home Tour may be a better option for you. To schedule a private home tour Contact Sweeney & O’Connell RE or Call 781-643-7478 to talk to a Sweeney & O’Connell Agent today.

Custom Open House Search Results

View all MLS upcoming Open Houses for Arlington & Arlington Area Towns by using our Quick Town Searches. If you would like to search open houses by a specific town or all towns use our MLS Advance Property Search

If you can not make an open house or if the home you are interested in viewing a home that does not have an open house,  contact us to make an appointment for a private showing.

Tips for Selling Your Home Before the End of the Year

The fourth quarter of the year can cause some sellers to worry if their home hasn’t sold yet. But according to Trulia.com, there is still time to sell. 

Typically, many buyers are eager to move and get settled in before the school year and holidays begin but that doesn’t mean you should be discouraged. While the spring is considered a peak selling period, I recall looking for a home in the winter months and successfully closing just after the New Year. However, I am on the west coast and location does make a difference. Looking for homes in California doesn’t require driving around on icy roads, trudging through snow-covered walkways or stormy weather. Even if you’re not in more mild climates, there is still time to sell your home.

In fact, there are some key factors that may help sell your home. First remember that the number of buyers may be reduced as we head closer to the holidays. Many people simply don’t want to juggle the holiday rush and house hunting.

Make The Most of Every Home Showing

On the other hand, there will be some serious buyers looking for a very nice holiday gift for themselves. If they’re out shopping in dreary weather or nearing the holidays, it could be because they’re extremely serious about making a purchase before the end of the year. With this in mind, be sure to make the most of every showing. Don’t let things slide with the upkeep of your home because you are juggling selling a home, working, or taking care of the kids. Selling your home in the fourth quarter must be a priority and the closer to the beginning of the quarter the better.

When considering how long to keep your home listed through the holidays, experts suggest looking at the rates of sales activity in your market. Some areas can be pretty bleak, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no chance of selling. Remember, that some people may even have tax reasons and need to purchase before the end of the year.

Home Staging is Essential

Expert staging of your home will suit you well. This is a time of year when homeowners bring out a lot of stuff that may be very appealing to them–pumpkins, turkeys, holiday and religious ornaments–but those things don’t always impress buyers. In fact, they can annoy them and make the house seem cluttered. This is not to say you can’t have some nice seasonally appropriate decor. However, the fourth-quarter sale requires a good strategy like using an expert stager. If there are a a reduced number of buyers seeing your home, make the most of each showing by having a spectacularly staged and clutter-free house to show off. Staging provides a competitive advantage.

Another reason this fourth quarter may see more buyers is that interest rates remain historically low. The potential threat of a rise in mortgage rates could have more buyers eager to lock into an excellent rate, even if it means a move during the holidays.

However, you can also negotiate the sale and make arrangements so that you can still stay in your home for the holidays and make the move after the first of the year. Another effect of the holidays, buyers tend to be more emotional and may spend more during this time of year. Couple that with potentially fewer homes on the market and you may have the perfect setting for an ideal sale.

Written by Phoebe Chongchua
September 9, 2011

Contact Sweeney & O’Connell Real Estate Today for

A Complimentary Market Analysis of Your Home.

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Don’t miss out on the great home deals in Arlington MA especially with the Mortgage Rates at Record Lows.  Contact Sweeney & O’Connell Real Estate or Call 781-643-7478 to speak with one of our Real Estate Agents and be in your dream home by the end of the year.

Fixed-Rate Mortgages Lowest on Record

MCLEAN, Va., — Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), coming on the heels of the Federal Reserve’s recent announcements. The conventional 30-year fixed averaged an all-time record low at 4.01 percent; likewise the 15-year fixed averaged an all-time record low at 3.28 percent for the week. Of the five regions surveyed in Freddie Mac’s survey, the West region recorded the lowest average rate for the 30-year fixed dipping below 4.00 percent to 3.95 percent.

30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.01 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending September 29, 2011, down from last week when it averaged 4.09 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.32 percent.

15-year FRM this week averaged 3.28 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.29 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 3.75 percent.

5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.02 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, matching last week when it also averaged 3.02 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.52 percent.

1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.83 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, up from last week when it averaged 2.82 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 3.48 percent.

Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist at Freddie Mac, reports, “Fixed mortgage rates fell to all-time record lows this week following the Federal Reserve’s announcement of its Maturity Extension Program and additional purchases of mortgage-backed securities. Interest rates for ARMs, however, were nearly unchanged as the Federal Reserve plans to sell $400 billion in short-term Treasury securities, which serve as benchmarks for many ARMs.”

“Meanwhile, the spring and summer home-buying season gave a boost to a number of house price indexes. The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported that its National index (not seasonally adjusted) rose for the fourth consecutive month in July. Similarly, the S&P/Case-Shiller® 20-City composite index, which has a broader scope of properties, rose 0.9 percent between June and July with 17 of the cities experiencing positive monthly growth. Finally, CoreLogic® reported that its index, excluding distressed sales, increased at a 1.7 percent monthly rate for the same month.”

September 30, 2011

Contact Sweeney & O’Connell Real Esate or Call 781-643-7478 for All your Real Estate Needs.