The Importance of Technology in Real Estate. This week our special guest is Director of Information Technology at Movementum Realty, Brian Franzen. Brian is responsible for the day-to-day operations making sure that the agents and clients both have a smooth transaction when buying or selling a home. Having an in-house technology professional is key to immediate changes in processes instead of having to be on hold for hours talking to 3rd party support. Our technology department supports each transaction from start to finish and ensures that our agents are prepared for the next steps with their clients. Thank you to Brian Franzen for joining us this week.

Repairs You Should Make Before Selling a Home. We get a lot of questions regarding what a homeowner can do to the home before they sell it. This week on the podcast we touch on some of the tasks you can do on your home to make it more presentable and possibly get you a bit more money at closing. A few of the items to help make your home more presentable are mowing the lawn, edging the walkways, pulling weeds from beds, trimming the bushes, and cutting back some low tree branches. Inside the home you want to make sure the doors and windows are in working order and clean. Painting rooms, ripping up old stained rugs, sanding and finishing hardwood floors, and making sure the basement is clean if applicable. Some sweat equity in the long run will show the the new buyers that you took care of the house. Other task included in the podcast are what about kitchens and bathrooms. Our agents are here and are more than happy to help you get the home ready to be sold. Contact us today if you are looking to sell your home we can tell you what is going to help get your home sold.

Should I List My Own Home. In this weeks podcast we go over For Sale By Owner or FSBO homes and what the difference is between selling yourself and using an agent. There are some good tips in here if you are brave enough to sell your own home. We discuss what is needed to sell a home and what you can expect to pay when you sell your own home without an agent. Our advice is always to find an agent, but if you are going to sell your own home then this podcast will get you started in what is to be expected. If you have any questions or would like to talk to an agent to sell your home please visit us at movementumrealty.com

Condo Financing. Today we are joined by special guest Chris Devin from the Devin Group and Cross Country Mortgage. Chris brings mortgage expertise about condo buying and selling. We talk about financing when it comes to buying a condo and what the difference is between buying a regular home and a condo. Thank you to Chris Devin for joining us today. If you  would like to contact Chris you can visit his website at chrisdevin.com

Home Buyers Frequently Asked Questions. Today we go over a list of questions that most commonly come up from buyers during a home purchase. We go over these common questions and talk a little about each one. Some of the questions we go over include what is the first step, how much do I need for a down payment, what is PMI, and more. All these questions and answers can also be found on our website at https://www.movementumrealty.com/buyers-frequently-asked-questions

Mold in the Home. Today's special guest is Mold Professional Al Hall from Baystate Mold Advisors. Al joins us and shares with us his knowledge on mold inspection, abatement, and assessment. When owning, buying, or selling a home mold might be found somewhere. Mold can be seen and smelled. There are many types of mold in the environment and some are dangerous. To prevent mold in the home you must control humidity and moisture. Dehumidifiers and humidistats can help when controlling the environment. The basement is one of the areas where mold can grow due to moisture and humidity. If you think you have mold it is always best to contact a certified professional like Al to asses if there is mold and what type. Since some molds are dangerous it is always best to be cautious when dealing with mold. Thank you to Al Hall for joining us, you can reach Al by phone at 508-930-7326 or on the web at baystatemoldadvisors.com

Lawn Care Guide for Homeowners. This episode is geared towards the homeowners, recent home buyers, and anyone who wants more information on growing that nice green lawn everyone wants. Having previously owned a landscape business broker owner Shawn Moloney talks about achieving that nice green lawn. From seeding to watering, and taking care of the grass there are a few things Shawn talks about that a homeowner should follow. While we could go into this subject even further, this should get you started on caring for your lawn, garden, bushes, and trees.

Understanding Appraisals for Buyers and Sellers. This week we go over the home appraisal and the value that is determined by them. There are some risks involved that the appraisal may come in under offered price. We go over what this means from setting the home sale price to giving an offer on a home. Single family homes and Condos are a bit different, and we quickly touch on this today and will go over this a bit more in detail on a later podcast. If the appraisal does come in lower than offered price then there are a few ways to deal with the issue without canceling the sale. We go over the options to keep that deal alive and moving towards closing. Today we also go over some of the particular points of the appraisal from conventional loan, portfolio lending, and government backed FHA or VA loans.

This is a continuation of last weeks podcast with Patrick Queally from Hancock Mortgage Partners about Buying & Selling a Home with a VA Loan. This continuation touches on the VA appraisal and the misconception the appraisal is the most scariest thing in the world. We also discuss what happens if the veteran gets deployed during payment and the assumption of a loan from a veteran. Thank you again to Patrick Queally for joining us for this helpful podcast the last few weeks. You can contact Patrick directly at 781-888-5678 with any questions on VA Loans.

Buying & Selling a Home with a VA Loan with special guest Patrick Queally from Hancock Mortgage Partners located in Rockland, MA. Patrick joins us this week as a VA Loan specialist to talk about VA Loans and answer some common questions and concerns with a VA Loan. If your buying or selling a home the VA Loan is offered to members of our military service as a benefit to own a home. We go over who is eligible and what it means to the seller looking at a VA Loan offer. Thank you Patrick Queally from Hancock Mortgage Partners for joining us this week. You can contact Patrick for any questions or concerns at 781-888-5678.

Stay tuned for next weeks episode where we will continue talking with Patrick and go over the myth of a VA Loan appraisal and get in a few more questions about VA Loans.