Shop Small is this Saturday, November 29th

Do you know what Shop Small means?

The American Express company started the Shop Small movement to help small businesses get more customers.   Since 2010, their goal was to encourage people to shop at small businesses the Saturday after Thanksgiving.    This has grown into a nationwide event and more people are participating than ever before.  

Don't forget this Saturday, November 29th is Shop Small day!!  Support your local businesses.  It is so important.

Moonlight Magic in Shelburne Falls this Friday November 28th!

On Friday, November 28^th, starting at 4:00 PM, the annual Moonlight Magic in Shelburne Falls will be kicking off the holiday season!  Join us for the lighting of the Village where stores, galleries and restaurants will stay open late for special holiday promotions.  Vendors will be offering a rich assortment of items, including baked goods, crafts, delicious food, hot drinks and entertainment!

At 5:15pm, the annual Parade of Lights will cross over the Iron Bridge spanning across the Deerfield River from Buckland to Shelburne.  Mole Hollow Candle Co. will again be providing 1,200 luminary candles which will line both sides of the streets throughout the village as Santa, Shriners Clowns, the Grinch, the Snow Princess, Sparky the Fire Dog and many more make their way through town. 

Many local vocalists and instrumental groups will perform at designated sites and roaming along the streets.  To date, some of the artists that will be performing will be:  The Magic Guy, Mega Dance Zumba, Ageless Waves of Rhythm and Pamela Means! At Memorial Hall Theater, children and their families can watch cartoons on the big screen from 5:00-8:00 pm courtesy of the Memorial Hall Association and Pothole Pictures.  The Shelburne Falls Women’s Club will hold their annual cookie shop at the Visitor’s Center and Santa’s Workshop with the Shriners Clowns will be in full swing at the Shelburne-Buckland Senior Center. There will be the opportunity to meet the Snow Princess and ride one of her ponies. And to remember this fun event, have your photo taken in a FREE photo booth at Greenfield Savings.

Another highlight will be a chance to ride the brightly lit and beautifully restored trolley after dark.  A ride on Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum's 1896 wooden, electrically powered trolley car brings back the nostalgia of an early+ 1900's holiday season and is worth a trip from anywhere in New England!  Full of artisan shops, galleries, restaurants and attractions such as the historic Bridge of Flowers and the Glacial Potholes of the Deerfield River, come and see what the talk is all about.

Thanks to the Academy at Charlemont, a shuttle service will be provided with stops at, Christopher’s Grinders, Salmon Falls Artisan Showroom, Lamson & Goodnow Factory Outlet, Village Information Center, and Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School from approximately 4:00-9:00 PM. Attendees are encouraged to park at the Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School.  The Iron Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic so that folks can safely stroll back and forth enjoying events and open shops on both sides of the river. 

Thank you to our generous sponsors for making this event possible: Greenfield Savings Bank, TransCanada Corporation, Greenfield Cooperative Bank, People’s United Bank, The Academy at Charlemont and Mole Hollow. This event is hosted by the Greater Shelburne Falls Area Business Association.

Hilltown Harmony Community Choir perform on Saturday November 22nd 3:00 p.m.

HILLTOWN HARMONY COMMUNITY CHOIR 

presents

 their Fall Concert featuring the Mohawk Trail Regional High School Select Chorus and a special performance by Christ Donelan.

Donations to support the work of the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and Quabbin Region.

The concert begins at 3:00

Trinity Church

17 Severance Street, Shelburne Falls

Real Estate Predictions for 2015

5 Real Estate Predictions for 2015

"The good news for 2015 is that the U.S. economy appears well-poised to sustain about a 3 percent growth rate in 2015 — only the second year in the past decade with growth at that pace or better," says Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac's chief economist. "Governmental fiscal drag has turned into fiscal stimulus; lower energy costs support consumer spending and business investment; further easing of credit conditions for business and real estate lending support commerce and development; and consumers are more upbeat and businesses are more confident, all of which portend faster economic growth in 2015. And with that, the economy will produce more and better-paying jobs, providing the financial wherewithal to support household formations and housing activity."

Freddie Mac economists have made the following projections in housing for the new year:

1. Mortgage rates: Interest rates will likely be on the rise next year. In recent weeks, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has dipped below 4 percent. But by next year, Freddie projects mortgage rates to average 4.6 percent and inch up to 5 percent by the end of the year.
2. Home prices: By the time 2014 wraps up, home appreciation will likely have slowed to 4.5 percent this year from 9.3 percent last year. Appreciation is expected to drop further to an average 3 percent in 2015. "Continued house-price appreciation and rising mortgage rates will dampen affordability for home buyers," according to Freddie economists. "Historically speaking, that's moving from 'very high' levels of affordability to 'high' levels of affordability."
3. Housing starts: Homebuilding is expected to ramp up in the new year, projected to rise by 20 percent from this year. That will likely help total home sales to climb by about 5 percent, reaching the best sales pace in eight years.
4. Single-family originations: Mortgage originations of single-family homes will likely slip by an additional 8 percent, which can be attributed to a steep drop in refinancing volume. Refinancings are expected to make up only 23 percent of originations in 2015; they had been making up more than half in recent years.
5. Multi-family mortgage originations: Mortgage originations for the multi-family sector have surged about 60 percent between 2011 and 2014. Increases are expected to continue in 2015, projected to rise about 14 percent.

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

Source: Freddie Mac

Crafts of Colrain, Mass - Open Studio Tour - Saturday & Sunday 11/8 & 11/9

The Crafts of Colrain is a self guided tour of talented Artisans located in Colrain, Massachusetts.

It is a great event that happens every year.  You will enjoy a drive along the beautiful countryside.  

Studios are open Saturday and Sunday (November 8th and 9th) from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Click here for more information.