September 2014 Single Family Sales Report - Pioneer Valley, Ma

Sales Report for Single Family Homes - Month of September 2013 vs. 2014

Pioneer Valley

Sales up 9.8%

2013 - Number of units closed - 406

2014 - Number of units closed - 446

2013 - Average Sales Price - 221,491

2014 - Average Sales Price - 215,097

Franklin County

Sales up 48.6%

2013 - Number of units closed - 35

2014 - Number of units closed - 52

2013 - Average Sales Price - 216,687

2014 - Average Sales Price - 208,499

Hampshire County

Sales down 9%

2013 - Number of units closed - 100

2014 - Number of units closed - 91

2013 - Average Sales Price - 278,457

2014 - Average Sales Price - 266,251

Key Points - Pioneer Valley Single Family Homes

• Sales - Up 9.8 percent from 406 in September 2013 to 446 September 2014

• Median Price - Up 2.5 percent from 190,000 in September 2013 to 194,700 in September 2014

• Inventory of available property - Inventory is up 11.9 percent from 2714 single family listings at the end of September 2013 to 3,036 single family listings at the end of September 2014.

• Supply - At the end of September 2013 there were 6.7 months of supply at the current rate of sale.  At the end of September 2014 there were 6.8 months of supply at the current rate of sale.

• Days on Market - The average days on market is down 1 percent from 105 days in September 2013 to 104 in September 2014.

• A Six-Year View - The median price is up 2.5 percent from $190,000 in September 2009 to $194,700 in September 2014

• Mortgage Rates - 30 year fixed rate mortgage averaged 4.20 percent with an average of 0.5 points for the week ending September 25, 2014.  Last year at this time the 30 year FRM averaged 4.32 percent with an average 0.7 points.

Information provided by the REALTOR Association of Pioneer Valley, Inc.

20th Annual Franklin County Cider Days October 31 - November 2, 2014

CiderDays is a community event celebrating all things apples in Franklin County, Massachusetts. 2014 marks the 20th year of this event and there will be three days (Friday night October 31st and two full days on November 1st and 2nd) of orchard tours, cidermaking and tastings, workshops and much more. This year, to celebrate twenty years of CiderDays, we're adding a Special 20th Anniversary Reception featuring Western Massachusetts hard ciders on Friday night.

CiderDays is for all who love apples, fresh or hard cider, apple cuisine, apple orchards or just being in New England in the fall. There is a charge for some of the activities but there is no admission for many of the activities at local orchards or for the workshops or Marketplace at the Shelburne Buckland Community Center in Shelburne Falls (from 10 AM - 4 PM on Saturday).

Click here for the 2014 schedule

Click here for the Cider Days website!

Shelburne Falls Art Walk is this Saturday - November 1st starting at 4:00 p.m.

Shelburne Falls Art Walk

Experience the Art Walk in the charming Village of Shelburne Falls and follow the “decorated shoes” throughout the Village.  

Mingle with local artists, view demonstrations, enjoy live music, participate in community art projects, and ride Trolley No.10. 

Perfect time to get a jump start on your holiday shopping!!

Click here for more information about this fun event.

Looking for large parcel of land? 87 Wooded Acres - Peaceful & Private Location of Buckland, Ma

87 Wooded Acres - Passed Perc Test - Peaceful and Private Location

Looking for acreage to build that special home in the country? Check out this 87 acres of mixed woods with approximately 1200ft of road frontage! It is the perfect spot to build a home and have all the firewood you need. It is located on a quiet country road and in a desirable area of Buckland. It is all wooded and there is power at the street. Plenty of recreational activities nearby and you are not far from Shelburne Falls or Ashfield. Grab a map and go for a hike! $210,000

Rustic Cabin on the Water in Mohawk Estates in Heath, Mass

Cottage on the Water located in Mohawk Estates in Heath!

This rustic cabin is situated right on Papoose Pond and has nice water views right from the front deck! It is located in the Mohawk Beach Estates that offers all kinds of summertime fun like fishing, swimming and kayaking. It is also located near many other recreational activities including skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, fishing, white water rafting, and more! Features include a kitchen dining and living area with woodstove and sleeping loft. This property will not pass most lending regulations, cash buyer is needed or substantial down payment. $70,000

Well Maintained and Spacious Greenfield, Ma Home For Sale

Well Maintained and Spacious Greenfield Home


This charming home has been well maintained, located minutes to downtown and has a country feel with farms and vegetable stands along the road. The first floor includes a fabulous eat-in kitchen w/ plenty of attractive cabinetry, dining room, a gracious living room w/gleaming wood floors & fireplace, master bedroom w/full bath & walk-in closet, bedroom, full bath, and laundry room. Looking for an in-law space or extra bedrooms? The finished lower level offers a full kitchen, living area and 2 bedrooms. The partially finished space offers a large workshop, storage and utility room w/ washer & dryer connections. This home is well insulated, easy to heat and has a Buderus Gas Heating system, hot water superstor and many built-in’s and closets for all your storage needs. The custom deck has 3 levels leading to an in-ground pool overlooking the private back yard. Whether entertaining by the pool or in front of the warm glow of the fireplace, you will call this one home! Call today.  $296,000

Looking for a commercial venture?

Affordable Commerical Building - Perfect Sunderland Location - Only $95,000

If you are looking for a commercial space of your own, check out this affordable and easy to maintain building. It is in the perfect location near the center of Sunderland and across from the post office and Buttonball Condos! It was once a hair salon and now empty ready for a new business. Ideal for a professional or artist's studio. It is 400 sqft and has a large room, handicap accessible bathroom and entrance, full basement, washer and dryer hookup, wall air conditioner, electric heat and 5 parking spaces. Seller has rented the building for $700/month. It has been updated over the years and is well maintained.

Invest in Charlemont - Home of alpine slide, zip-lines, skiing, fishing and more!



Dreaming of owning your own business? Come to Charlemont, a year round recreational destination famous for white water rafting, zip-lining, skiing, fishing and more.  Great location with high visibility and easy access to all the area has to offer.  Multiple levels with 4400 sqft open space make this a unique opportunity for the investor or business owner. The lower level has a 28x40 open room, office with a sink, full kitchen and 2 handi-cap bathrooms. The upper level has 28x40 open room, entry foyer and office. The 3rd floor offers finished space and presently used as an office.  This property is currently used as a church but offers a multitude of uses. Call today to open the door to your new venture. $235,000

Beautiful Antique Homes for Sale in the Hilltowns of West County!

BEAUTIFULLY MAINTAINED & LOVINGLY RESTORED SHELBURNE FALLS ANTIQUE

If you are looking for that special antique home that is located along the picturesque Main Street of Shelburne Falls, this is the one for you!  The owners have loved and cared for their home and it shows.  It is meticulously maintained, south facing, sunny and bright. The spacious yard is your outdoor sanctuary & has gorgeous perennial gardens, raised bed vegetable gardens, garden shed and a stone patio.  The 1st flr features a large mudroom, wonderful country kitchen, dining room, den or bedroom, living area with pellet stove, and full bath.  The 2nd flr has 3 bedrooms, walk-in closets, 1/2 bath and 3 unfinished rooms. This home also has a separate room that would make a perfect studio or office space and an attached barn.  In addition it offers beautiful woodwork, attractive staircase, many closets, wood floors and an enclosed porch. There is a dog kennel and the entire yard has underground fencing.  Come live in the village and experience what the charming downtown has to offer! $299,000

1860 GREEK REVIVAL IN PUMPKIN HOLLOW NEIGHBORHOOD OF CONWAY

Beautifully restored 1860 Greek Revival in idyllic Pumpkin Hollow neighborhood of Conway. Attractive woodwork and charming details are pronounced throughout the home. It has a delightful front porch that overlooks preserved and scenic setting that includes open meadows and rolling hills. The first floor features a wonderful Kitchen with handcrafted cabinets, modern appliances and walk-in pantry, welcoming front foyer with curved staircase, dining room, formal living room, office or bedroom with new full bath, sitting room with woodstove, laundry and mudroom. The second floor has 2 bedrooms, full bath, and 3rd bedroom with private full bath. The 1.6 acres has a small Barn, matured maples, stonewall, fenced-in yard, invisible fence and its the ideal setting for gardens. This home is a successful B & B and located near Conway swimming pool, new recreation area with soccer field & tennis court, town center and elementary school. It is 6 miles to I-91, 30 min Amherst/Northampton. $345,000

SPACIOUS AND METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED ANTIQUE COLONIAL 6 OPEN ACRES

Charming and impeccably maintained antique Colonial home comes with 6+ beautiful acres of open meadows and a pond. It is the perfect landscape for having animals and gardens. The home is immaculate and tastefully decorated. It has a country style kitchen with Garland commercial grade gas stove, soapstone countertops and a fabulous walk-in pantry. There is a formal living room w/fireplace, family room, large dining area and a full bath. The second floor has 5 bedrooms and a full bath. There is a separate seasonal room that makes a perfect studio! Additional features include wood floors, outdoor wood boiler, oil heat, stone patio, attractive woodwork, wood floors and a relaxing front porch! The land across the road is preserved with an Agricultural Protection Restriction. This home is located on a quiet dead-end town road. The Town of Rowe offers it all - low real estate taxes, DSL internet service, access to pristine Pelham Lake, walking trails and a brand new Elementary School & more! $379,000

Time to check your Chimney!

Chimney Inspection Cost and Types

Article From HouseLogic.com

By: Wendy Paris

With an annual fireplace chimney inspection--and possible sweeping--you can improve fireplace performance, and snuff out chimney fire and carbon monoxide concerns. Here are the types and cost of each.  

The byproduct of enjoying a crackling flame is creosote buildup (the major cause of chimney fires) and soot, which can restrict air flow and damage the fireplace chimney. Even a gas fireplace chimney can become blocked by a bird's nest or other debris. Prevent problems with an annual chimney inspection.

What does a chimney inspection cover?

An annual chimney inspection looks for buildup and blockages, followed by sweeping to remove problems inhibiting performance.

Most chimney inspectors/sweeps offer three levels of service:

A level-one chimney inspection includes a visual check of the fireplace and chimney without any special equipment or climbing up on the roof.

The inspector/sweeper comes to your house with a flashlight; looks for damage, obstructions, creosote buildup, and soot; and tells you if the chimney requires sweeping. If so, the chimney sweep will use brushes, extension poles, and a vacuum, and do it on the spot.

Cost: $79 to $200.

A level-two chimney inspection is vital if you've experienced an earthquake or a dramatic weather event, like a tornado or hurricane; if you've made a major change to your fireplace; or bought a house.

This includes a level-one chimney inspection, plus the inspector's time to visit the roof, attic, and crawl space in search of disrepair as well as the use of video scanning and other special tools. It concludes with a sweep, if necessary, and information on what repair is needed.

Cost: $100 to $500.

A level-three chimney inspection is considered "destructive and intrusive" and can resemble a demolition job. It may involve tearing down and rebuilding walls and your chimney, and is usually done after a chimney fire.

Cost: $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the size and location of the chimney.

Check with your local chimney sweep and or mason to get an accurate estimate on any chimney repairs or cleaning.

                   

Chief economist for National Association of REALTORS visits with locals real estate agents

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS recently spoke to a group of local real estate agents about his thoughts on the economy and the outlook for real estate.   He is optimistic for many reasons including:  

• More jobs in the economy.
• The release of pent up demand from population growth and the large number of renters and of young people living with family. Both groups are going to start looking to buy soon.
• Increasing inventory. Yun said there are many housing markets across the country where Realtors could sell many more homes if only there were more  homes to sell.

He does expect interest rates to rise in 2015 which is all the more reason to buy or refinance now!   If you have interest in buying or selling, connect with a local realtor about the real estate market in your area.   

Click here and read more about the article posted on Mass Live site!  

Mortgage Interest Rates haven't been this low since 2003!

Rates Haven’t Been This Low Since 2003

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage took another dip this week, staying below the 4 percent threshold and keeping borrowing costs at the lowest rate in more than a year. It marks the fifth consecutive week that mortgage rates decreased.

Freddie Mac reports the following national averages with mortgage rates for the week ending Oct. 23:

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.92 percent, with an average 0.5 point, reaching a new low for the year and dropping from last week’s 3.97 percent. Last year at this time, 30-year rates averaged 4.13 percent.
• 15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.08 percent, with an average 0.5 point, dropping from last week’s 3.18 percent average. A year ago, 15-year rates averaged 3.24 percent.
• 5-year hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 2.91 percent, with an average 0.5 point, dropping from last week’s 2.92 percent average. Last year at this time, 5-year ARMs averaged 3 percent.
• 1-year ARMs: averaged 2.41 percent, with an average 0.4 point, rising from last week’s 2.38 percent average. A year ago, 1-year ARMs averaged 2.60 percent.

Source: Freddie Mac