Open House Sunday, October 3rd

October is the perfect time of year for Open Houses....just an extra excuse to drive around and take in all of the beautiful foliage that Vermont is so well-known for! This Sunday, October 3rd, I will be hosting an Open House at this 3 bedroom ranch home at 335 Plains Road in Westford. This house is situated on an acre lot complete with fire pit and a veggie garden. The meticulously maintained home boasts a remodeled kitchen, finished basement with 3/4 bath, open floor plan, oversized 2-car garage & more! Stop by this Sunday anytime from 1:00- 3:00 and see this terrific property for yourself!

If you can't make it to the Open House, but would still like to see the home, feel free to contact me to schedule a showing. You can always take the visual tour for this home just by clicking here....but trust me, you WANT to see this one in person!

-Jamie Wright, Realtor
Jamie@BurlingtonVermontHomes.com
(802)846-9530

How to obtain the best mortgage rate

I am sure you have heard over and over how incredibly low mortgage interest rates are right now. (In fact, you have probably heard this more than once from yours truly. Remember a couple of months ago when I highlighted how much a change of one point in your interest rate can save/cost you [in this blog post]?)

At any rate (no pun intended), some buyers are surprised to find that when they speak with their lender about getting pre-approved to purchase a home, they are quoted a higher interest rate than they expected (or that they have been hearing in the news). The reason for this? The interest rate that a buyer qualifies for is dependent on a number of factors. Therefore, interest rates aren't a "one size fits all" type of thing. However, there are actions that you can take to ensure that you get the lowest interest rate possible.

I found this great article from Inman News, "Meet 4 criteria for best interest rates" that outlines the most crucial factors that lenders are looking for in order to quote you the best possible interest rate! Even if you aren't in the market for a home at the moment, this article is still worth taking a look at, as the financial actions you take now can impact your purchasing power for quite a while!

If you are thinking of purchasing a home, and haven't yet spoken with a lender about getting pre-approved, feel free to contact me and I would be more than happy to put you in touch with a fabuous local lender!

-Jamie Wright, Realtor
Jamie@BurlingtonVermontHomes.com
(802)846-9530

WEDNESDAY Open House....Stop by on your way home!

This WEDNESDAY, August 11th, I will be hosting an Open House at this 2 bedroom and 2.5 bathroom carriage-style condex at 914B North Avenue in Burlington from 4:30- 6:00 p.m. Please feel free to stop by and see this truly unique property for yourself! You'll love the open floor plan with exposed beams and cathedral ceilings. The spacious back deck just off the kitchen is perfect for bbq'ing. Convenient location- close to the beltline, North Beach, the bike path, and downtown! Offered at $230,000!

Directions: Drive north on North Avenue, property on the right hand side (tucked back) just after access to the beltline and immediately before Saratoga Avenue. PLEASE PARK AROUND THE CORNER ON SARATOGA AVENUE.

If you can't make it to the open house, please feel free to call or e-mail me and I will gladly arrange a showing! You can check out the rest of Hickok & Boardman's Wednesday evening Open Houses just by clicking here.

-Jamie Wright, REALTOR
Jamie@BurlingtonVermontHomes.com
(802)846-9530

Don't Make the Mistake....

Yahoo! Real Estate just posted an article: 10 Worst First-Time Homebuyer Mistakes 2010 (which I would be willing to bet looks quite similar to the same list for 2009). At any rate, while the article does bring up some very good points, it doesn't by any means pertain solely to first-time homebuyers! Purchasing a home (whether your first or your tenth) can be overwhelming, and being informed going into the process can definitely ease some of the stress.

A couple of my favorite points brought up in the article are:

Mistake #2- Skipping Mortgage Qualification. It is SO devastating to buyers when they walk into a property that they love, only to find out that they can not afford it. Trust me, skip the heartbreak, and get pre-approved before you get emotionally vested in any property!

Also, Mistake #9- Not Choosing to Hire an Agent! The fact that some buyers try to take on such a huge endeavor AND investment without representation baffles me! That would be like me to trying to replace the engine in my car...by myself! The results could be disastrous- and potentially costly! (Besides, any Realtor will help you through the process so that you avoid the other nine mistakes mentioned in this article- it's a no-brainer!)

Enough of my rambling, take a look at the article yourself! If you are a first-time homebuyer and looking to start the homebuying process, feel free to contact me today, and we can get you started off on the right foot!

-Jamie Wright, REALTOR
Jamie@BurlingtonVermontHomes.com
(802)846-9530

Couldn't we all be a little Greener?

I recently found this new (well, new to me) blog that has some really great ideas for decorating your home in an eco-friendly AND stylish manner. From ideas on where to find "green" paint, rugs, and furniture, to tutorials on how to re-purpose old household items, this blog is with jam-packed recommendations and solutions for sustainable living. So, visit Green Your Decor sometime! If you're feeling extra crafty, make sure you check out the post 5 Awesome, Eco-Friendly DIY Projects for your Home. Enjoy!

-Jamie Wright, Realtor
(802)846-9530
Jamie@BurlingtonVermontHomes.com

Open House TOMORROW (Yes...Wednesday)! Move-In Ready in Essex!

Come join me tomorrow evening (that's right: Wednesday, July 21st) to celebrate the end of another work day, and check out this amazing Saxon Hollow end unit! This three bedroom and three FULL bathroom home boasts and open floor plan with three sets of french doors leading out to beautiful private decks- ideal for entertaining and outdoor enjoyment! This unit also features abundant storage, a spacious master suite with walk-in closet and full bath, slate-tiled entry, hardwood floors, gas fireplace, and attached one-car garage. Please feel free to stop by and see this fabulous home for yourself, tomorrow evening anytime bewteen 4:30-6:00 p.m. Offered at just $249,900!

For additional information on this property, please click here, or stop by the Open House tomorrow evening at 7 Saxon Hollow Drive, unit A-1 in Essex!

Directions: Sandhill Road to Allen Martin Parkway, left on Saxon Hollow, first unit on the right.

If you can't make it to the Open House but would still like to see the home, please feel free to call or e-mail me at 802-846-9530 or Jamie@BurlingtonVermontHomes.com. Remember, you can always browse Chittenden County's entire inventory of townhomes by visiting BurlingtonVermontHomes.com!

-Jamie Wright, REALTOR

Check out what Smart Money is saying!

A couple of months ago, our very own Coldwell Banker Hickok & Boardman Realty was selected by Smart Money Magazine (a publication of The Wall Street Journal) to participate in a story that they were writing about getting started in the Real Estate business. Enter Alyssa Abkowitz, a journalist from Smart Money who flew to Burlington from Manhattan and trailed myself, and several other fellow H&B agents, as we went about "business as usual" over the course of several days. On one such day, Alyssa came with me to host an Open House where we met (who would soon become) some of my recent buyers: soon-to-be newlyweds and recent transplants from Hawaii, Scott and Jessica! Alyssa and myself were both excited about Scott and Jessica's enthusiasm for finding their first home together, and Alyssa (a newly licensed agent herself) decided Scott and Jess were the perfect first-time homebuyers to work with for the (ever-evolving) story she was looking to write.

Scott and Jess were extremely gracious in allowing their house hunt to be followed, documented, and scrutinized. In the end, after several showings, a couple offers, and lots of time spent together in the car- Scott and Jess ended up finding what would be their new home together! Alyssa was able to aid in the offer-writing process, and as we submitted the offer all four of us kept our fingers crossed! Fortunately, the offer was (eventually) accepted, and so began the remainder of the homebuying process (all the fun stuff that buyers tend to forget about when they are caught up in house hunting: loan applications, financing contingencies, inspections, etc.).

At any rate, after several weeks of being under contract, Scott and Jess officially became homeowners a coupe of weeks ago! I LOVE working with first-time homebuyers, and Scott and Jess were no exception. It is so gratifying sitting at a closing table with buyers that are SO excited and eager to take on the joys of homeownership!

So, without further ado, I thought I would pass along the article from Smart Money: "Diary of an Undercover Broker: How We Sold A House". Thanks SO much to Scott and Jess for all of their cooperation...and I am so glad they wandered into my (and Alyssa's) Open House that afternoon!

If you are thinking of purchasing a home, feel free to call or e-mail me today and we can get your home search started (though, I can't promise you a mention in Smart Money)!

-Jamie Wright, REALTOR
Jamie@BurlingtonVermontHomes.com
(802)846-9530