This is a real estate intervention! 5 common obstacles that get in the way of you buying your first home.

February 17th, 2012

#1 I don’t have the money. Well, is that true? The best part about this time in the market is that you can still buy a home with little to no money down. Mass Housing and FHA loans are still being offered for those that qualify. You can usually put as little as 3% down. So if you have a tiny bit saved, contact a reputable mortgage rep today to find out if its in the cards for you. Sherry Keenan from NE Moves Mortgage in our office has some amazing programs for first time buyers. She an be reached at 617-293-5098.

#2 I’ll never find the perfect home in the perfect location. If everyone could find their “perfect” home, then the rental market would be in the dumps. If you adjust your expectations just a hair, then you could be in the “I own my home” club in no time. You may start off by saying you want a 2-car garage, and 2 baths, but maybe you can live a 1-car garage, off-street parking or 1.5 baths instead.

#3 The market is going down, so I am going to wait and buy when it hits the bottom. If only we had a crystal ball! Its no surprise that we’ve been in a somewhat receding market in the past few years. The best part about now is that when the market shifts, and it always does, you will be in a great spot. I don’t know about you but I’d rather buy now then when the market is going up. An appreciating market means appreciating home prices.
#4 The home inspection is going to present really bad news. Unless your buying new construction, and even those properties have their faults, most likely you are buying a home that is 50-100 years old. Every home is going to need some work and whatever it is can be fixed. The best thing you can do is look for a home that has a good track record of the owner keeping up with the maintenance of the house. If the owner hasn’t, what a great opportunity for you to get in there and give it what it needs. Just make sure that you are comfortable with the where the price point is so it can allow for some extra room to make the necessary repairs.

#5 I hate negotiating. You either fall into two categories: Those that love to negotiate and those that don’t. Lucky for you, you can hire an experienced real estate agent that will be your advocate though the home buying process. We do the hard work for you. Its our job to make sure you get the home of your dreams for the price point that the market dictates. So leave it to us. WE LOVE TO NEGOTIATE!

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Superbowl Hangover? Ok got it, time to move on!

February 13th, 2012

The cure for your hangover is to get moving, whether its time to move up, down, sideways or out of state. This is the time of year when making moving plans will set the stage for a successful transition to your new home. Starting in just a few weeks there will be more folks out looking for a new home than any other time of the year. The majority of home sales occur between March and the end of June in any year. If your going to move this year the time is now to get going. Give us a call (781-728-9092) or send an email (mark@marklesses.com) and we’ll be happy to give you our no-nonsense opinion of the real estate market.

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What questions do you ask your potential real estate agent?

February 2nd, 2012

Are you looking to buy or sell your home? If yes, your first step is to find an honest and knowledgeable real estate agent!

Some agents work on a team and others work on their own. A team approach such as the “Mark Lesses Team” has many advantages. The Mark Lesses Team has four members, and together provide a wealth of experience to their clients. Even though you may work with one agent from the team, the genius of the team approach is that each agent is backed by the whole team. This is a huge advantage to you as a buyer or seller because you are the recipient of a breadth of knowledge, experience, and support from the team.

When looking for an agent or a team, be sure to ask questions about
the process. Here are some potential questions:

* Is the agent knowledgeable about the market? Are they good at
explaining the market conditions to you?

* Do you feel comfortable working with the agent? Does the agent look
you in the eye? Does he or she seem trustworthy?

* What is his or her (or the team’s) negotiation experience?

* Is the agent assertive? Pushy? Passive?

The bottom line is when you are getting serious about about buying or selling your largest investment, you want to make sure that your agent is working in your best interests. After all, in the length of time it takes to sell your home or to purchase a new property, your agent will fill many roles (consultant, negotiator, friend, and believe it or not, therapist). Doesn’t it make sense to choose a real estate agent you trust?

Written by: Laurie Crane, The Mark Lesses Team Laurie@marklesses.com

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The Spring Market has Sprung!

January 27th, 2012

Despite the snow and Pat’s games, the Spring market is here!

In my conversations with family, friend and neighbors, I’ve been noticing lot’s of curiosity about the Spring market. Many of that curiosity is now turning into action with people taking first steps to buying or selling.

For example, I’ve noticed an uptick in home owners requesting market analyses for their homes. Now is actually a good time for sellers to request a market analysis as the market data tends to reflect activity from the Summer and Fall markets. As such, they can get a clearer picture of where their home fits in the market. These sellers are that much more prepared to list their homes and get it competitively priced.

Buyers are also gearing up for Spring. Many of the buyers I’m speaking with are already pre-approved or are in the process of getting pre-approved. This is significant as it means they are ready to buy now and know how much they can spend.

There has also been more activity at our office front desk. Just the other day I had someone call in to request a market analysis for their home in Arlington. Another person saw a listing advertised in our office window. She walked in and asked me for help in buying her first home! As a Real Estate Agent, floor time can sometimes be slow in the winter. So, you can imagine how excited I was to have such a busy day!

How ready do you think people are to make their next move? Let me know what you think!

Written by David Lenoir david@marklesses.com

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The Real Estate Weather Forecast This Weekend… (Open Houses)

January 20th, 2012

Looks like our real estate forecast for this weekend is sunny and fabulous. Here are the open houses:

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What is Your Personal Real Estate Weather?

January 18th, 2012

Are you renting and thinking of buying or just staying put? or maybe you own a home already but think you may need more space. Whatever your personal forecast may look like, this is the time of year to shift towards finding your perfect home.

Why now?

You may still have your boots on when you go out the door, and the trees have no leaves, but that means its time to start doing your homework. The first step is to figuring out whether it makes sense for you to move by calling your real estate agent. The majority of calls that Mark Lesses gets this time of year is just that. “I speak to many of my clients who feel that the market begins in March and April, but the reality is, it starts right now”, says Mark. “I like to sit down with my clients who are thinking of making a move and help them determine whether it makes sense”. The more prepared you are, the more comfortable you will be in making the best decision for you and your family.

Once you’ve decided to move, now what?

Here comes the best part. Start looking at homes! An agent can help fine tune your search and help you really maximize your time to look at the homes that make sense for you. That is what professional real estate agents love to do. Besides negotiating like a rock star, Mark loves to get inside, check out the basement, see the updated features and really get the feel for a home.

So whether your looking in Arlington, Winchester, Lexington, Belmont or any other fine community, call us today to decide if your real estate weather forecast says to move!

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For Sale! Arlington, Belmont, Lexington & Winchester Homes for Sale

October 14th, 2011

Last week, we gave an inventory report on current ‘Active’ Listings in our area. At Mark Lesses Real Estate, we’re striving to be different, in an effective way that helps our clients net the most amount of money possible on the sale of their home. Sold information is very relevant for an appraisal, but pricing it so buyers will come and look at your home is vital to the sale. When we evaluate a final list price, we use the competing Active Listings as a strategy to gain attention for your home listing!

As of October 13, 2011, these are the numbers for Homes for Sale in Arlington, Belmont, Lexington, & Winchester.

If you would like a report with more information, such as Average List Price and Average Days on Market, please fill out this form, and we’ll get back to you!

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Arlington, Belmont, Lexington, Winchester Homes For Sale

October 6th, 2011

Anyone can view statistics on ‘Sold’ Real Estate in the Arlington, Belmont, Lexington, and Winchester areas by utilizing various web sites. When you are getting ready to sell, knowing what is for sale is just as important as recent sales information.

A good Real Estate Consultant will give you the basics, a fantastic Real Estate Consultant will give you the details. When selling your home, consider the competition!

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Coldwell Banker partners with Boston Globe – Real Estate Marketing

September 21st, 2011

Mark Lesses and Team are proud to announce the new exclusive partnership between our office, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, and the Boston Globe. This partnership will enable our listing clients to showcase their homes in ways that competing Realtors cannot offer, and our buyers will have first picks to the newest and best listings.