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Prospect, CT Real Estate News

By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
Happy Birthday America   July 4th, Independence Day, is the traditional day of recognizing the birth of our country as the separation of the original 13 colonies from British Rule.  The Continental Congress in drafting its Declaration of Independence, sought to create the foundation of a country where freedom could be enjoyed without the interference of a foreign entity. All members of the Congress signed the document, with one member, John Hancock, deliberately writing in large script, so that ‘All those in England could read his name without use of opticals’ Over the years, we have evolved into the country of Liberty in the world, and defender of Democracy. We have sought to maintain our isolation and although we have been able to not interfere in the problems of other countries, we h...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
Man's Best Friends Memorialized Forever We recently played at Orange Hills golf course in Orange CT, which is ia challenging lay out but also a privately owned public course. We had not played there in a while, and as we approached the first green, we noticed that the large oak trees that used to shade the green were gone. Not unusual as too much shade affects the grass on the greens. As we did get closer, however, we noticed that each of the tree bases were still standing and each had a sentinel atop.       The owners had owned several dogs that were really well known on the course. Moose, AJ, and Augie. All gone, but memorialized on the course they roamed so freely. Carved with great detail, these sentinels were also securely bolted to the base’s and each stood over 6 feet tall to det...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say I had a closing today that I can attribute directly to an ActiveRain blog post and an agent that lost focus on their purpose, but first the whole story. I received a call from a potential client asking for a free market analysis. The caller had placed a few calls to other agents and when she explained that she was trying to sell the family home and had a buyer but needed to know the value of the home. She really needed an appraisal but was going about it the wrong way. The agents she had talked to all told her they would provide the market analysis but charged for that service if they didn’t get the listing. I asked the caller how they managed to find me and was told that it was from a blog post on a condo development for Active Adults. They expla...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
Foreclosure Filings Drop in Connecticut The trend for foreclosure filings in Connecticut is down and it has been falling for over a year. The number of Foreclosures was down 10 per cent from April and down 16 per cent from April of 2011. This placed Connecticut 36 nationally for foreclosure filings, which include default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions. Nationally, the rate of foreclosures was up 9 per cent over the April rates, but down 4 per cent for the same period last year. According to Realty-Trac, foreclosure filings have decreased on a year over year basis for 20 straight months. Banks have softened their positions on foreclosures, and have been more favorable to working with home owners to complete short sales. This has kept families in their homes longer; ...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
How Do I Fix Up a Home to Sell? Above all, most sellers find it difficult to remain completely objective and unemotional about the condition of their home, and how it will be perceived by buyers in the market, and this may have an effect on their judgment. For accurate information, it is best to obtain an impartial, third-party opinion by a professional in the field of home inspection. The first thing you need to do is stop thinking of your home as "home" and start thinking about it as a commodity that you want to sell. To be a successful seller you must detach yourself emotionally from your home and be brutally honest about how it should look in order to sell. Property condition and appearance play a much bigger part in home sales now than they did in the run-away seller's market of th...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
What can I expect to Pay for Closing Costs? After you have satisfied your contract contingencies, but before you close the sale, several tasks need to be completed. For example, lenders have requirements that must be met by the closing date. In addition, you will need to have title insurance and hazard insurance in place.   Closing Your Home Sale Buyers typically pay the following closing costs: fees charged for obtaining a mortgage inspection fees homeowner's insurance (must be prepaid for one year at closing) transfer taxes if there are any (although the seller may pay these or they may be shared 50-50 between buyer and seller) title insurance and escrow fees (depending on the location) and attorney's fees (where attorneys are involved in the transaction). Your real estate agent or mo...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
Household Electronic Disposal for Prospect CT   Saturday, June 9 is the collection date for residents of Prospect, along with other towns in their region to safely dispose of their Household E-Waste. E-waste, or electronic waste is considered to be those non functioning computers, televisions, printers old VCR’s and any other similar type of home device. The parking lot of the GE Co in Plainville CT, at the corner of Rt, 10 and Woodruff Ave, will be the location for drop off of residential E-waste for the following towns: Berlin, Bristol, Burlington, Meriden, New Britain, Plainville, Plymouth, Prospect, Southington and Wolcott.   Just load them up into your trunk or truck, and make the drive over. They will verify that it is allowable and unload into appropriate bins for disposal.   Add...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
Prospect CT Real Estate Sales Report for May 2012       Currently in Prospect CT there are 62 active residential listings for sale, with 10 new listings being added in May. The homes for sale in Prospect CT range from an 810 square ft, 1-bedroom REO cape, listed at $80,000 to a 3,086 square ft, 4-bedroom colonial listed at $579,900. The average list price of the homes currently available for sale in Prospect CT is $313,523. The average days on market for these homes are 172 days.       There are 7 homes under contract in Prospect CT. The average list price for these homes is $266,866 with an average day on market of 96 days.   There were 6 home sales recorded in Prospect CT in May. They ranged from a 1,527 Sq ft 3-bedroom raised ranch, which sold for $197,175 to a 2,700 sq ft, 4-bedroom...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
What Golfers Will Do for a Better Score     Monday Funnies A golfer is in a competitive match with a friend, who is ahead by a couple of strokes. The golfer says to himself, "I'd give anything to sink this next putt."A stranger walks up to him and whispers, "Would you give up a fourth of your sex life?"The golfer thinks the man is crazy and that his answer will be meaningless. At the same time he thinks this might be a good omen, so he says, "Okay," and sinks the putt. Two holes later he mumbles to himself, "Boy, if I could only get an eagle on this hole."The same stranger moves to his side and says, "Would it be worth another fourth of your sex life?" The golfer shrugs and says, "Sure." He makes an eagle. On the final hole, the golfer needs yet another eagle to win. Though he says noth...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
What is a home inspection? A home inspection is an objective visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a house, from the roof to the foundation.   Why do I need a home inspection?Buying a home could be the largest single investment you will ever make. To minimize unpleasant surprises and unexpected difficulties, you’ll want to learn as much as you can about a newly constructed or existing house before you buy it. A home inspection may identify the need for major repairs or builder oversights, as well as the need for maintenance to keep it in good shape. After the inspection, you will know more about the house, which will allow you to make decisions with confidence. What does a home inspection include? The standard home inspector’s report will cover the condition of the...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
What happens after an offer is accepted?       Congratulations! You’re on our way to getting your new home. But you’ve still got a way to go before we reach the closing table. Buyer’s remorse – you’ve just purchased your dream house. Your offer was accepted. Now, in the middle of the night, you start worrying. Was this a good decision? Can I afford it? Excitement ??  You’ve got your dream house. Now let’s decorate! There are simple measures I recommend to handle both scenarios. Buyer’s remorse is a very normal reaction. The best suggestion is to write down on a piece of paper all of the positive things about buying this house. Next list all of the negatives. You will see in black and white that buying this home is a really good decision. And, I would be with you every step of the way to...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
Can You Help Us Find a Home to Fit Our Lifestyle? Buyers searching for an affordable home, have many important factors to consider: Their work commute, How quickly can you get to and from work?  How much traffic will you encounter? Is access to public transportation an important feature?   Access to shopping: How important is having easy access to a shopping center? What about grocery stores?  Utilities: Is there access to cable or high-speed Internet? Medical services:  Is distance to the nearest hospital important to you? Parking: Do you want a garage? Is street parking available for guests? Recreation: Do you need close proximity to parks, lakes, beaches or ski slopes to accommodate your hobbies and interests? Finding the right neighborhood is just as important as finding the right h...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
What’s the First Step In the Home Buying Process? Home buyers are so anxious to get into homes as a way of starting their purchase process and often don’t do the main stage that controls the transaction, which is finding how much home they are capable of buying. A presumption of value based on how much rent one may be paying each month is not the same as the payment of a mortgage. Rental payments do not have interest attached, escrowed taxes or insurance. Having an idea of the amount one feels would be the maximum they can afford on a monthly basis is not the same as the value for which you may be qualified. A sit down with a lender is the real start of the purchase process. Knowing how much you can afford and starting the search for homes on that range saves time and frustration and so...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
What is the Agent Value in a Real Estate Transaction?     Many clients will question the need to use a real estate agent in their transaction, and for a portion of the deal it may be right. The value of an agent is demonstrated most when the deal takes an unexpected turn. Anyone can search for homes online and drop in on open houses to see them. Even a contract can be prepared by the buyer’s lawyer, but the lawyer would not be capable of determining the value of the home. They would not know if the buyer was getting a good deal or even paying a fair amount. A lawyer’s job is to make sure the transaction has no legal complications.   A buyer needs to have their own advocate, their own agent who’s there to make sure they buy properly and fairly. The seller already has an agent that is the...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
Should I Buy Now or Wait to Save a Larger Down Payment? Coming up with enough cash for a down payment and closing costs to make that purchase of a Central Connecticut home can be a hurdle for many buyers, particularly first-time home-buyers. If you are a first time buyer, there are several programs that can assist you including a first time buyer, or CHFA loan that carries a reduced interest rate. We have several qualified lenders that can discuss this option with you.  Many first-time buyer programs will only give loans to borrowers whose income is below a certain level. That level is often so low that many first-timers with high incomes can't qualify. For first time homebuyers with higher than normal income levels, it is often possible to set up the loan with a buy down feature, which...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
When Creativity Imitates Life One can Only be Amazed While traveling through the Ct airport at Bradley Field recently, I came upon a piece of work that forced me to stop and admire the creativity. It was a table sized replica of the Mark Twain house in Hartford Ct, made entirely of Legos. Connecticut is the US home for Lego Systems, US, and as a way of showcasing two of our prominent entities; someone took a great deal of time and effort to assemble the scale model. Samuel Clemens, more commonly known as Mark Twain enjoyed his most prolific writing years as a resident of Hartford Ct, not very far from the down town area. His Hartford home is now a museum devoted to his life and works. A most impressive display it was. When Creativity Imitates Life One can Only be Amazed
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
Prospect CT Town Wide Tag Sale  Saturday May 19   There are treasures to be found and they are all over town in Prospect CT today. The official town wide tag sale is today and they roads in town will be packed with bargain hunters. Tables were going up early in the morning, and tents were put up over the night. It has often been said that one persons trash is another persons treasure, and that will be the case today. Furniture, children's toys, nick Knacks, household appliances, you name it you are quite like to see it. So come out, drive the streets, and find a bargain. If yiu like the streets and homes in town and think it would be a great place to live, then I can help you find a house to buy in Prospect CT as well. Prospect CT Town Wide Tag Sale  Saturday May 19    
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
Skipping Church  Wednesday Humor   Father Norton woke up Sunday morning and realizing it was an exceptionally beautiful and sunny early spring day, decided he just had to play golf. So...he told the Associate Pastor that he was feeling sick and persuaded him to say Mass for him that day. As soon as the Associate Pastor left the room, Father Norton headed out of town to a golf course about forty miles away. This way he knew he wouldn't accidentally meet anyone he knew from his parish. Setting up on the first tee, he was alone. After all, it was Sunday morning and everyone else was in church! At about this time, Saint Peter leaned over to the Lord while looking down from the heavens and exclaimed, "You're not going to let him get away with this, are you?”The Lord sighed, and said, "No, I ...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
Mother’s Day, A Day when all They Want is a Thank You It’s a simple request and a few choice words will certainly bring joy to their hearts. Mom, Happy Mother’s Day, and I Love you.   Mothers nurture, care, love.They feed us, and clothe us, wipe our running noseStay up with us when we are sick.They try to make us good people by teaching us right from wrong.They help us to understand how telling the truth is always the right thing to do.Mothers never judge and always carry hope. Today was a day to pay back just a bit by giving them a special day. I am blessed that my mom, Laura is still able to be at my table at 89 years young. Things aren’t what they used to be, but taking care of herself is a plus.               And, the other number 1 in my life had a great day as well.               ...
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By Ed Silva, 203-206-0754, Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally
(Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 )
Walk Against Hunger, A Great Way to Spend a Sunday       Times are tough and with lost jobs, hours cut people are getting stressed. The priorities have to be met: electricity, heat, pay the rent or mortgage  and food, but some people are having a hard time keeping up.     This past Sunday, in Hartford CT volunteers gathered for the 28th FoodShare Walk Against Hunger. Pledges were obtained, and off they walked. My wife and Grandson Raphael also took the walk along with other of her co- workers from USBank. A representative amount of money was raised, which will be used to buy food for the Hartford Food Pantry. If you missed this, then take advantage of another opportunity with a food donation for the Stamp Out Hunger Drive this Saturday, coming to a mailbox very close to you. Food Share’...
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