Amherst, MA:
This Condo in Amherst, MA recently sold for $169,000.
This is a Townhouse style home and features 5 total rooms, 1 full bath, 2 bedrooms, and was sold by
Office - South Deerfield - Coldwell Banker Upton Massamont REALTORS

Here are some other properties available in Amherst,MA you may like:
Amherst
$185,000Amherst
$179,900Amherst
$249,900Amherst
$154,900

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Deerfield, MA:
This Multi-Family in Deerfield, MA recently sold for $120,100.
This is a

This property features 8 total rooms, 2 full baths, 2 bedrooms, 0.58 acres, and was sold by
Office - South Deerfield - Coldwell Banker Upton Massamont REALTORS

Here are some other properties available in Deerfield,MA you may like:

Easthampton, MA:
This Multi-Family in Easthampton, MA recently sold for $230,000.
This is a

This property features 11 total rooms, 2 full baths, 1 half bath, 6 bedrooms, 0.12 acres, and was sold by
Office - South Deerfield - Coldwell Banker Upton Massamont REALTORS

Here are some other properties available in Easthampton,MA you may like:
Easthampton
$279,900Easthampton
$179,900Easthampton
$310,000Easthampton
$179,000

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Goshen, MA:
This Land in Goshen, MA recently sold for $27,000.
This is a

This property features 0.50 acres, and was sold by
Office - South Deerfield - Coldwell Banker Upton Massamont REALTORS

Here are some other properties available in Goshen,MA you may like:
Goshen
$125,000Goshen
$59,900Goshen
$45,000Goshen
$99,500

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Northfield, MA:
This Single-Family in Northfield, MA recently sold for $212,000.
This is a Colonial style home and features 7 total rooms, 1 full bath, 1 half bath, 3 bedrooms, 0.61 acres, and was sold by
Office - South Deerfield - Coldwell Banker Upton Massamont REALTORS

Here are some other properties available in Northfield,MA you may like:
Northfield
$145,000Northfield
$239,000Northfield
$249,900Northfield
$299,900

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You think you live in a palace. Your home is your kingdom but when it comes to selling your home buyers may not be in agreement. In today's market, buyers are pickier than ever and may be literally turning their nose up at your home.

Here are a few things that buyers hate about homes:

1. Smells

Buyers don't like homes that have a strong smell especially bad smells. Make sure to get rid of any source of odor. The biggest culprits of strong smells are smoking, pets and cooking with strong odors. If you have pets or smoke have the carpets, drapes and all professionally cleaned. If you have a cat make sure the litter box is clean and kept out of the way. You will also need to refrain from cooking things with strong odors. Stay away from strong spices like curry and foods like fish.

2. Bathrooms and kitchens.

They say bathrooms and kitchens sell homes, just as easily they can prevent a sale. Concentrate on keeping the bathrooms and kitchen spic and span. Keep the floors vacuumed, the counters clear of clutter, and make sure the sink is free of dirty dishes. Keep freshly cleaned towels available for the showings.

3. Clutter

Keep the clutter at bay by investing in some inexpensive wicker baskets. Putting clutter in baskets can be a quick way to pick up toys, store laundry and catch all the mail on the kitchen counter.

4. Poor lighting

Who wants to live in the dark? Replace all burnt out bulbs with high efficiency, bright bulbs. Buy some lamps to bring light into poorly lit rooms. Make sure to open all the blinds and pull back the drapes and let as much natural light in as possible. Cleaning the windows will also help show off the light. If you are able turn on all the lights in the home before a potential buyer walks through.

6. Bold colors and wallpaper

You may love the bright pink room or the living room clad in wallpaper but chances are a buyer does not share your style. Try to neutralize rooms with creams and off-whites. These colors can also make a room feel larger and brighter. If your home is covered in wallpaper consider removing it. Buyers are often deterred by the thought of having to remove wallpaper.

7. Man's best friends

You love Fido the dog and Mittens the cat is just so cute but buyers may have allergies or even be afraid of your pets. Keep the pets away from the home or crated when buyers are looking at your home.

8. You

Believe it or not you do not help the sale. The buyer wants to be able to view your home without feeling watched or pressured. If you are in the home or the driveway the buyer will not take the time they need to view the home properly. Leave the selling to the professional.

Our Coldwell Banker agents have the experience and know-how to get your home sold.  Spring is here and listing season is about to begin.  Call your Coldwell Banker Upton-Massamont Agent today to get started on your real estate goals.

Saturday, March 23rd, 2013 the Berkshire Highland Pentathlon went off without a hitch.  Enjoyed by all, this event is not for the faint hearted.  A 10k trail run, 23 miles of road biking, 5 miles of kayaking, a mile to the top of the mountain and a downhill ski to the finish.

The Pentathlon participants were on teams or completed the course as individuals.  Some people participate for the stiff competition, others just enjoy completing the course.

Our CONGRATULATIONS goes out to all who participated in this years event.  Here are few of the top winners.

Individual competitor Kristian Whitsett from Shelburne Falls completed the course in 3hrs, 13min, 42sec., just behind him John McCarthy from Ludlow finished in 3hrs, 18min, 14sec.

In the 2-People Team catagory "Team T-Rex Lighning" from Chester, Vermont finished in 3hrs, 19min, 42sec.  "Team Thunder", a team of 5 from the Whately and Amherst area finished in 3hrs, 1min, 52sec.  Then we come to our own Phil Pless, one of the over 50 team named "West County Old Stars", finishing the course in 3hrs, 20min.

It was great to see people from near and far attend an athletic event that can only happen in an area like Charlemont, MA.  Congratulations to all and hope to see you next year.

For a complete listing of competition times click here.

 

Conway, MA:
This Single-Family in Conway, MA recently sold for $100,000.
This is a Farmhouse style home and features 7 total rooms, 1 full bath, 2 bedrooms, 1.94 acres, and was sold by
Office - South Deerfield - Coldwell Banker Upton Massamont REALTORS

Here are some other properties available in Conway,MA you may like:

Greenfield, MA:
This Single-Family in Greenfield, MA recently sold for $147,000.
This is a Other style home and features 7 total rooms, 1 full bath, 1 half bath, 4 bedrooms, 0.14 acres, and was sold by
Office - South Deerfield - Coldwell Banker Upton Massamont REALTORS

Here are some other properties available in Greenfield,MA you may like:
Greenfield
$119,900Greenfield
$189,000Greenfield
$130,000Greenfield
$187,000

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Whately, MA:
This Single-Family in Whately, MA recently sold for $225,000.
This is a Ranch style home and features 6 total rooms, 1 full bath, 3 bedrooms, 1.60 acres, and was sold by
Office - South Deerfield - Coldwell Banker Upton Massamont REALTORS

Here are some other properties available in Whately,MA you may like:

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Last night Coldwell Banker | Community Realtors took part in The Annual Table Top Event.  This event is organized by 5 area chambers, from Hampden and Hampshire Counties.   It was extremely well attended, with over 500 in attendance.

Coldwell Banker Upton-Massamont was represented by Christine Aubrey (Owner/Broker), Mike Packard, Dave Ryan and Maureen Borg.  This is a great event to make business acquaintances and learn about our local companies.   Our team enjoyed meeting many people, sharing about our company and handing out recycle  bags.  Our raffle of a $50 Northampton Gift Card was won by Sarah Etelman of Girl's Inc. of Holyoke.

The event was enjoyed by all and we look forward to attending again next year.

 

The 2nd Annual Berkshire Highlands Pentathlon will be held on Saturday, March 23rd in Charlemont, Massachusetts.

The five events - a 10k trail run, 23 miles of road biking, 5 miles of kayaking, a mile to the top of the mountain and a downhill ski to the finish - can only happen on the same day at the turn of the seasons.  It may be a bit cold for road biking and kayaking and a bit warm for skiing, but where else can you do it all on the same day?

For a great read on how the Berkshire Highlands Pentathlon got its start and reviews on last years event check out John McCarthy's blog post.   For details on this years event click to the Berkshire Highlands Pentathlon website.

Spectators can also enjoy the event by cheering on our local teams.  Check out the course map and find the best place for you to watch your team Course Map.

GOOD LUCK! To all of this years participants.

Before you decide to buy a house, it is crucial that you consider various factors beforehand. Some of these factors can be as straightforward as making sure to choose a home in a good area (links to Hampshire & Franklin County towns), and making certain that the property is also in good condition. However, it is also important to consider the housing market, because it is imperative that you buy a house at the right time. For example, if you are in a market where there is a huge demand for homes for sale, then the prices of houses will generally be high, and so if you are buying a house for investment purposes, this wouldn't be the right time for you to make that purchase. With the market starting to creep back up (post shared the begining of March updates market conditions), buyers will be looking to get a good deal before demand goes back up so selling a home right now can bring great results.

On the other hand, if there is less demand for buying houses, then the price of property will generally be very low, thus making it the perfect time to buy. Right now is a fantastic time to buy a home with the slower market and interest rates at the lowest in years. Buying a home in a down market can become a great investment down the road. You can consider it like a savings account. Buy the property in a down market, and watch your money grow.

Contact one our full-time, experienced agents to see how they can help you with your next real estate decision.

 

Is there really a secret to saving money? It may seem as though it is mystery how your bank account ends up empty every month but there is no mystery to it. While it may be no secret there are three important tips you can follow to help you put more money in your pocket. The challenge is to follow the tips in order to be successful at saving money. The rest is up to you.

1. Create a Budget

You need to know where your money is going. Once you have established where you spend your money you will be able to find places to make cuts. The first thing to do is figure out how much is being spent on housing, utilities, groceries, debt, and entertainment. Once you know where the money is going you will be able to set limits for problem areas. This is the money that you will apply to secret #2.

2. Pay Yourself First

This is a huge secret, pay yourself first. Yes, before you dole out money for bills as soon as your paycheck hits your account; deposit a specified amount into savings. It doesn't matter how small the amount is, at least you are saving.

Even better , create an automatic savings plan that will automatically deposit money into your savings account before you even have a chance to spend it. This can be done right through your employer's direct deposit or with a recurring transfer with your bank.

3. Spend Less Than You Earn

If you don't learn to obey this rule you will never be able to save money. You simply have to spend less money than you earn and there's no way around that. If you are spending more than you earn you are borrowing money and thus putting yourself into debt.

 

Is your kitchen a headache for you?  Thinking on a style upgrade?  Many people want to make their kitchens more comfortable to be in, but don't have the first clue where to start.  Here's a few ideas.

Hide your garbage can - One of the first projects that you can undertake is moving your kitchen garbage can to an out-of-sight place, like under your sink.  This is a simple project that you can undertake yourself, and will help simplify your kitchen's look, on top of increasing your floor space.  You can also take this as an opportunity to consider whether or not you'd like to try your hand at going green.  Consider making a separate hidden bin under your sink for recycling.

Under-cabinet lighting - Under-cabinet lighting is an easy way to add some ambiance to your kitchen.  You can install strip-lighting under your cabinets yourself, or hire a contractor to install a few.  This will serve to highlight certain aspects of your kitchen, which can't really be done by relying solely on overhead lighting.

Tile backsplash - Installing tile in the area between your cabinets and cupboards will make cleanup nice and easy, while adding a bit more style to your kitchen.

Solid surface countertops - This is one of the big remodels, but it is also one of the most beneficial.  If you live in a home with laminate countertops, then it may be time to consider upgrading to something a little more style-conscious and useful, like granite or marble.

For more ideas, visit http://www.houzz.com/photos/kitchen.