Date Archives: July 2019

It's no secret that selling a home is stressful. You feel pressured to sell your home fast and get top dollar for it. You'll have a lot of decisions to make, and there are so many uncertainties that you're likely to turn to anybody who's sold a home before for their opinions and advice. 

While this is common practice, it can often do more harm than good. That's because the real estate market changes quickly. What might have been great advice just a few months ago could be the completely wrong thing for you now. Unless you're dealing with a real estate professional you trust, it's best to take most of the advice you hear with a grain of salt. 

Our real estate agents are constantly helping sellers sort through misinformation and make smart decisions. Here are some of the most common home selling myths you really should ignore. 

1. You Can Make More Money Selling By Owner
   Some people will tell you that foregoing a realtor and selling your home yourself will save you money. While it's true that you'll avoid the cost of a commission, studies have found homes sold directly by owners net a significantly lower price.
   
   You'll also need to factor in the time, effort, and cost you'll incur while selling the home. This includes marketing expenses and the cost of taking time away from work to show the home. Don't forget to factor in the stress of trying to navigate the complexities of the sales process by yourself!

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With the total amount of student loan debt in the United States topping out at over $1.53 trillion, it's no surprise that many college graduates are concerned with how their debts will impact their ability to achieve their other financial goals. 

After finishing college and landing a great job, purchasing a home of your own is often the next logical step, but will you be able to do it if you're debt-strapped?

The answer is yes! Our real estate agents help new college graduates find their dream homes all the time. It will take some planning and preparation, but it's entirely possible. Start by following these five tips. 

1. Evaluate Your Current Financial Situation
   Before you consider committing to a mortgage, it's essential to take an honest look at your current finances. Do you have enough cash set aside to cover emergency expenses?
   
   Do you have enough consistent, reliable income to pay your monthly bills and cover your mortgage, taxes, homeowners insurance, and other expenses related to owning a home? Once you can confidently answer "yes" to these questions, you're ready to start getting serious about buying a home.

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We all tend to accumulate too much "stuff," especially when we've lived in the same place for a while. If you are gearing up for a move to a newly purchased New England home, now is the perfect time to start decluttering. Why waste the time and money packing and moving things you don't need? If you aren't sure just where to start, our real estate agents have some ideas for you. Here are tips on decluttering to lighten the load before you move to your new home.

Start early, and with a plan
Decluttering usually takes longer than we expect, so if possible, start at least 6 weeks before your moving date. Make a solid plan to devote an hour or two a day to thin out your stuff, and stick to it. Even if you start small, just clearing a couple of cabinets or drawers each day, a little daily progress will add up to a lot less clutter by the time you move.

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Hi Folks,

For many years now it has been a tradition to share with our TMG/Great East family, our business partners and friends the largely forgotten history surrounding our founding fathers and the meaning of July 4th.

Courage is not glamorous in the moment when all is being wagered on an uncertain outcome, only with hindsight does it get appreciated. We owe much to a small number people who had the leadership and vision to see a different world.

This is a wonderful piece to share with the kids so that they can appreciate what was consecrated on their behalf so many years ago.

Have a safe and fun holiday!

Christopher J. Masiello, President and CEO

Price of Freedom- 56 Men Who Signed

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence? They gave us a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot of what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't just fight the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government! Some of us take these liberties so much for granted...We shouldn't!!! So, take a couple of minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid....

• Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, another had two sons captured.
• Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
• They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they?
• Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.
• Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts and died in rags.
• Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.
• Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.
• At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.
• Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.
• John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.
• Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more.
• Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged:

"For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

"MAY ALL WHO COME BEHIND US FIND US FAITHFUL"