Posts in category 'Buyers'

I know I've talked about the cool little (300 sq. foot) cabin I lived in over in Lincoln before. It was basically meant for summer use, but got converted to year-round so someone could make a buck (and I could have a neato place to live). It was up on blocks and had minimal insulation. I even had a chipmunk poke his head up through a hole in the floor once! It also had abysmal windows as far as insulation is concerned. I put that plastic on the inside of the windows (that you heat with a hairdryer) and added another layer of plastic to the outside of the windows as well. It made a huge difference, but felt a bit like living in a poorly lit cave all winter.

If someone were interested in buying that place, the plastic would be a dead giveaway that the home was basically a sieve. As a seller, there are a handful of t...

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I've been deep-sea fishing off the coast in Portsmouth and even enjoyed a whale watching cruise (where we actually saw some whales!) in Hawaii. Outside of that, my life has been relegated to freshwater fun. We grew up water skiing and swimming at Kennebunk Pond in Lyman, Maine and visiting my dad's family camp on Sebago Lake. Aside from that, I've been on terra firma. Skateboarding, BMX riding, hiking, skiing, and road cycling have been the mainstay of my outdoor life. For most of us, land is where it's at!

A few years ago I was very fortunate to be able to purchase an acre of land in Lincoln with a good friend of mine. We split up the lot into 3 parcels and one of those is where I built my house. The land purchase was a life saver for me. It provided the equity needed to get a construction loan. And beyond any fiscal o...

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As I mentioned last week, we're doing some renovations around the house. Our new front door and entry door to the garage are just awesome. They no longer bleed precious heat or scrape across the mud room floor. We also replaced a half-wall between the main stairway (it's a split ranch) with a simple railing allowing more light throughout that entire area. All in all the changes brought more light in and are keeping the cold out. It's great.

The next project will be a bit more aggressive. The goal (still in the planning stages) is to bump out the wall in the mud room (that backs up to the garage) and build a little bench with cubbies above and below the seating area. This will help remove the shoe caddy that takes up floor space there and give a spot for coats as well. As we were preparing for this, we realized it w...

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I think many first timers are dipping their proverbial toes in the real estate waters simply because of the current (nutso!) interest rates. I can't blame them one bit. Three of my friends have already refinanced and a couple others are getting closer to putting in offers on homes they are interested in. It really is an amazing time to buy real estate. That said, there are a few tips that first timers might take note of that could help keep them on the straight and narrow. Let's dig in.

One tip that we've encouraged folks to take over and over again is getting their finances in order. If you are saddled with some blemishes on your credit report/history, now is the time to get them remedied. Specifically what you are looking for are actual mistakes. Whether someone used your credit card to ring up a bunch of purchases or there...

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As I sit and type this article, the snow is lightly falling outside our condo right next to the slopes of Vail Resort in Colorado. We have some VERY generous friends that let us crash here for a few days this week. It feels very similar to the handful of condos I have visited and/or taken pictures of (for the sellers) in the Loon Mountain area. Dated appliances and cabinets are the main staple throughout. It feels like a throwback to the 80's. The owner's son remodeled both bathrooms so those stand out from the rest of the place. It also sports a heavenly propane fireplace in the middle of the living room.

You quickly realize what's important when it comes to a vacation (ski) home. In reality, having a place to lay your head, make some food, and take a shower are really all that's needed. Of course, walking around Vail vi...

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