Quincy MA Homes for Sale - Home Buying Guide Purchasing a home can be a very stressful and complicated process especially if you are a first time buyer. It is advisable to utilize the services of real estate related professionals who can offer client level services to assist you in purchasing Quincy Massachusetts homes for sale. Buyers often interview lenders, Realtors, attorneys, home inspectors, accountants and financial advisors. Financing a Quincy Home Purchase Most home buyers will finance the purchase of their home and there are various first-time home buyer financing programs offered by state agencies, local banks and national lenders. A common source for mortgage funding is the FHA (Federal Housing Administration). The major benefits of their programs include low down payment op... 09/25/2010

Are Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water covered by my condominium master insurance policy? EARTH - The earth violently shakes: earthquake. Your standard condominium association master insurance does NOT cover damage caused by earth movement. However, your association is able to purchase earthquake coverage. Since the northeast does not experience earthquakes all that often, the coverage is priced accordingly. FIRE - Your standard condo association insurance WILL cover damage caused by fire. The condo's master insurance policy will pay to have a building restored to its condition before the fire occurred. The common causes that ignite fires are older or faulty electrical wiring, a candle, or a space heater.  WIND - Wind storms and hurricanes that cause damage to your condo's building WILL be a ... 09/24/2010

Is water damage covered by our condo association's master insurance policy in Boston, MA? The answer...it depends. We know this is not the answer people are hoping to read, but this explanation should clear the muddy water. If you have further questions call me for clarification.FLOOD or GROUND WATER are a couple of the UNCOVERED causes of water damage. A condo association would have to purchase flood insurance to cover the water damage sustained by flood or ground water. Coverage for BACK-UP of SEWERS and DRAINS maybe purchased or included within a condo's master insurance policy. The term back-up of sewers and drains refers to water that backs-up through your sink, bathtub, shower, or drain etc and causes water damage within your condo complex or unit.BROKEN or FROZEN PIPES that cause... 09/24/2010

One of the most interesting developments that came out of the Quincy City Council hearing last night was that the city is again considering buying the street lights from National Grid in order to save on maintenance costs.  Jack Gillion (City of Quincy) told the Council that other communities including Randolph Stoughton & Worcester have gone ahead and purchased the street lights and have seen cost savings. This plan was previously suggested back in 2008 but never got off the ground. I believe that with the new economic climate the timing for the purchase would be perfect IF the City can prove to us that it will indeed save us money. 09/21/2010

Art and entertainment fill the park at ArtsFest from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at the Koch Park & Recreation Complex, One Merrymount Parkway, Quincy. There will be live entertainment, children’s activities, demonstrations and more than 400 exhibitors. The event is free. If you would like more more information, go to www.quincyma.gov/Government/PARK/Artsfest.cfm. 09/18/2010

The South Shore Performing Artist Series will open September 17 with a benefit performance by pianist Sarah Troxler and musicians from the Longy School of Music.The concert will be held at Central Baptist Church, 67 Washington St., Quincy, MA beginning 7:30 p.m. A $10 donation is suggested , with proceeds to benefit Angles Voice Orphanage in Haiti.The series focuses on  classical chamber music. The concerts are sponsored by Amaral Musical Services.Other concerts include the Chamber Singers of Eastern Nazarene College, violinist Jin Hee Kim, and pianist and baritone Michael Amaral.For more information, call 617-479-6512. 09/09/2010

The American Red Cross has several blood drives planned for Quincy during September. Here’s a list of some of them:   2-7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 14. Cliffwalk Luxury Apartments, 790 Willard St., Quincy   8 a.m.-1 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 26 Pageant Field at Merrymount Park, 100 Merrymount Parkway, Quincy   1-7 p.m., Monday, Sept. 27 Quincy Sons of Italy, 120 Quarry St.   To schedule an appointment to donate blood, call 1-800-Red Cross. 09/04/2010

Quincy and North Quincy high schools are seeking families to host Spanish exchange students from Sept. 8 to 23. The students, from a high school in Vila Real, Spain, need a safe place to sleep and to practice English with their host families. The host families must have a student at one of the city’s high schools and would be responsible for providing all meals and planning weekend activities. People who don’t have a child in one of the city’s high schools can host a teacher from Spain. For more information, call Jane Scorza at 617-281-4545. This is a great way to learn about Spanish culture.   08/31/2010

Stambry’s Crescent Moon Soap Company has opened a store at 1359 Hancock Street. The shop sells bath and beauty products, aromatherapy products made by co-cowner Pamela Tand, arts and crafts item, aprons, jewelry, paintings, photos, note cards and baby gifts. For more information, call 978-973-4155 or visit the company's websitee at www.scmsoaps.com. Welcome to Quincy! 08/31/2010

Like most of the good things in my life, I literally "stumbled" over David Flannery of Dave's Auto Services, 636 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA 02170. A friend of mine, who was also a friend of David's, suggested that David needed some help with a Lease renewal on his premises in Quincy. I reviewed the proposed Lease, added a few clauses for David's protection, and a strong professional relationship began. Our family has three cars,  the extra one because my daughter at Catholic University in Washington, DC, convinced us that it was "more practical" for her to drive herself to school and back than take public transportation. None of our cars are new, and so we experienced the usual repair and maintenance issues that any family with older vehicles experiences. We went through the normal prog... 08/30/2010

Signup for the third annual Officer Jamie Cochrane Memorial Road Race in Quincy, MA is under way. The race, which raises money for scholarships, is held in the memory of Cochrane, who was a lifelong Quincy resident and a Quincy police officer for eight years. He was killed in a motorcycle crash on Sept. 10, 2006, while off duty. Race proceeds go annually toward six $1,000 scholarships for high school students living in Quincy. The recipients are chosen for academic achievement and service to the community. In addition, donations have been made to charitable groups including Toys for Tots, Dove Inc., the Salvation Army and The Patriot Ledger’s Lend a Hand program. The Jamie Cochrane race replaced the former U.S. Marshal William F. Degan Road Race, which took place in Quincy for 15 years... 08/29/2010

Starter condo at 21 Edinboro Road in Quincy MA 02169. The seller of this condo will entertain offers between $160,000 and $185,000, so let's make a deal.  Completely updated with a new kitchen, granite counters, breakfast bar, tile backsplash and stainless appliances, this two bedroom condo is a perfect way to start home ownership. The condo fee is a very low $120/month and the seller will negotiate.  Bring in the offer.  Call Susan Morrision at 617-686-8178 for a private showing.      08/20/2010

The Boston Landmarks Orchestra's "Classical Gems" neighborhood concert series will come to Quincy on Thursday, Aug. 26. The orchestra, led by conductor Charles Ansbacher, will give a free performance at 7 p.m. at Adams National Historic Park, 135 Adams St. The concert will feature music written by Beethoven, Haydn and Prokofiev. In the event of rain, the concert will be held at North Quincy High School, 316 Hancock Street. The concert is one of three free neighborhood concerts the orchestra is giving this year. For more information, call 617-520-2200 or visit www.LandmarksOrchestra.org. 08/13/2010

 How to save money on your Condo's Master Insurance policy: 6 Ways to save money on a master insurance policy for a condo association in MA.  Receive a discount when you combine more than one line of insurance coverage with the same company: example: Purchase your Condo's Master Insurance Policy along with an umbrella policy with the same company.  Have your insurance agent run a cost estimator which will determine the cost to reconstruct your building: Next, look at how much building coverage you currently have. If the cost estimator projects the amount to rebuild is lower than the current coverage amount you maybe over insured. This means you are paying more than you need to be and could lower the cost of your Condo's Master Policy. Examine the savings from carrying higher deductibles... 08/09/2010

 There are many parts of a Garage Insurance Program. For example, Garagekeepers’ coverage provides financial protection for loss or damage to a customers’ vehicle while it is in your possession. You may ask: Why do I need this type of coverage? You should have this because if you or an employee damages a customer’s car while it in your possession a general liability insurance policy will not pay for this mishap.  Let me give you an example that happened to my family. Our Mitsubishi Montero Sport SUV was in for an oil change and routine service. The SUV was not put on the lift correctly, slipped off, and ended up on its side wedged between the lift and ground. This caused four or five thousand dollars in damage to our vehicle. If the auto service station had not purchased Garagekeepers L... 08/08/2010

The 15th annual Quincy, MA's Marina Bay Art Fair will be held this weekend, August 7-8. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Corporate Park, 500 Victory Road. Works on display will come from 15 regional art associations. Parking and admission will be free.  Make it an afternoon affair by stopping by one of Marina Bay's famed restaurants for lunch or dinner. For more information, call 781-961-2378 or visit www.artsaffair.org. Melissa A. Juarez ~ Owner MBBA, LLC 617-633-1686 ~ majesq82@yahoo.com www.massachusettsbuyersbrokeragency.com   08/05/2010

Here are 5 simple ways to save money on Pest Management Services' Insurance! Combine multiple lines of insurance (General Liability, Business Auto, Property Coverage, etc) all with one company to generate discounts Examine the savings from carrying higher deductibles Risk Management - look at risks and past losses and determine how to avoid claims in the future. Fewer claims equal a lower cost of insurance Place your insurance with an admitted carrier Pay the premium in full or ask for free financing If you want more info about saving money on your PCS insurance program or want a quote call: AJ Marchionne: M-F 9-5 at: 617-471-5010Written by: AJ Marchionne Insurance Agency Inc. Website: www.marchionneinsurance.com Our Blog: http://massbusinessins.com/ Become a fan on Facebook: Marchionne... 08/04/2010

I previously wrote about Quincy, MA's two-year plan to replace every residential water meter.  As part of the initiative, the city will hold a community meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 19.  The meeting will take place in the second-floor conference room at city hall. The public works department, city consultants and project contractors will give a presentation on how the replacement project will work and the need for public cooperation. Replacing meters will require contractors to enter homes. Workers will be in pairs, wearing badges and traveling in marked vehicles. Photos of authorized personnel will be available on the city's website, all contractors will undergo background checks, and the Quincy police will be notified when contractors are in specific neighborhoods. The new meters will have ... 08/04/2010

Looking for a way to start homeownership? Look no further.  The totally renovated condo at 21 Edinboro Road in Quincy MA is the perfect first time buyer home.  Boasting two spacious bedrooms with a beautifully updated kitchen that includes stainless appliances, granite counters, breakfast bar and updated fixtures, this kitchen is a cook's delight. The condo has hardwood floors throughout and plenty of storage space.  Offered at $160,000 and the owner will accept offers from $160,000 to $185,000.  Call Susan Morrison at 617-686-8178 for a private showing. 08/03/2010

Condo Docs are not as confusing as they might appear. In many cases your local insurance agent can interpret them for you! Condominium associations usually have questions when it comes to insurance and would appreciate simple, but correct answers. Condo associations, in Mass, help direct their unit owners on what insurance to buy for their individual unit. At AJ Marchionne Insurance Agency Inc, we simplify this process by sending a letter to each unit owner describing the basics of what is and what is not covered under their master insurance policy. In the same letter we will recommend what type and amount of insurance they should purchase (personal condo insurance policy aka HO6 policy) to dovetail with condo's master insurance policy. Not only do we send out a letter, but at each unit... 08/03/2010