Home Field Advantage

Buying a home doesn't have to be scary. My name is Fred Mills of Bean Group, and I'm here to guide you with some simple tips and helpful advice.

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A man complained that [on] his way home to dinner he had every day to pass through that long field of his neighbor’s. I advised him to buy it, and it would never seem long again.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Don't be Doofus

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He is not a full man who does not own a piece of land.

Hebrew Proverb

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You earned this

Welcome home 182nd. Thank you for your service

Last month the President announced a broad program for veterans. You have worked hard and suffered much for those of us at home.  Over the last 10 years of conflict, the men and women of our armed forces have taken a large hit in the housing market.  I urge you to be proactive in getting what you deserve.  If you need any help, just give me a call.  978-500-7659

Here is a quick outline of the program:

The office of the President will

Conduct a review of every servicemember foreclosed upon since 2006 and provide any who were wrongly foreclosed upon with compensation equal to a minimum of lost equity, plus interest and $116,785;

Refund to servicemembers money lost because they were wrongfully denied the opportunity to reduce their mortgage payments through lower interest rates;

Provide relief for servicemembers who are forced to sell their homes for less than the amount they owe on their mortgage due to a Permanent Change in Station;

Pay $10 million dollars into the Veterans Affairs fund that guarantees loans on favorable terms for veterans; and

Extend certain foreclosure protections afforded under the Servicemember Civil Relief Act to servicemembers serving in harm’s way.

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The small landholders are the most precious part of a state.

Thomas Jefferson

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A good idea

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Boston Globe Magazine article entitled 'Real Estate Miracles.'

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I hear it is a buyers market...

For years real estate professionals have used the expression ‘Buyer’s or Seller’s’ market to describe price fluctuations. The phrase Buyer’s Market seems to imply that right now buyers have the ability to dictate price and to control the sales environment. I don’t believe that this is accurate. I am convinced that the only factor that gives a buyer an advantage in negotiation is knowledge. In today’s housing market most buyers are moving cautiously and as a result they are looking at a great many houses. Most of my buyer relationships can be measured in months, and many of my buyer clients will have looked at hundreds of homes on line and have visited 10 or 20 before identifying the home that they will purchase. This abundance of caution means that today a buyer knows what is on the market and understands the market accurate price.

When I am working on the seller’s side of a home sale, I often hear the phrase, “I need to get XX number of dollars for my home”. This is not my favorite phrase. The marketplace has no sympathy and no obligation to meet a specific price. Imagine walking into a market and discovering that they were selling frozen turkeys for $15.00 a pound. I don’t think you will buy one even if the store manager explains that the company needs to get that much if they are to achieve their sales targets. The same is true of your home. In order to get the market accurate price it is important for you to know and understand the marketplace. That means that prior to placing your home on the market identify a REALTOR® and signup to receive daily updates. These updates will tell you what homes similar to yours, and are in your community, are selling for. This is the best way to level the knowledge field and for buyer and seller to reach a mutually agreeable purchase price