Be "Cool"....Save Money!

July is almost here- time to break out the air conditioners!! Yesterday I actually broke down and turned on the A/C for the second time this year. As much as love I good, cool night's sleep, those little buggers can certainly jack up the energy costs! Here are some quick tips I found on Yahoo! Finance on How to Reduce Your Cooling Costs, that I thought I would pass along! Aside from programming your air conditioners, there are lots of other (EASY) ways you can slash your cooling costs! You can click here to view the video version of this article.

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

What a Charmer!!

From the moment you step onto its welcoming front porch, this South Burlington home just oozes charm! The 3 bedroom Cape features an open floor plan with maple hardwood floors and original woodwork and doors. The sunny kitchen features a breakfast bar and opens to the dining room. Just off the spacious living room, you'll find a lovely screened-in porch. This home is situated on a beautiful lot and conveniently located close to downtown Burlington, the lake, I-89, & more! Offered at $259,900. For more information on this fantastic home, please click here ,or feel free to contact me to schedule a showing.

Make sure to check out Hickok & Boardman's website to see of all the latest listings!

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

Just Listed! Turn-Key Townhome in Colchester!

New to the market: This 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath Creek Farm condo is absolutely move-in ready...all you have to do is unpack! Recent updates include: new carpeting, fresh paint throughout, new flooring in both the full and half baths, new windows in the bedrooms, new electric range/oven, new Corian countertop in the full bath, & more! This condo complex is nestled in a peaceful, residential setting- surrounded by both woods and gorgeous, open green space. The association pool and tennis court provide the perfect retreat for these fabulous summer days (that are gracing Vermont at long last)! Enjoy the bike path just steps from your door- this location has it all: the perfect balance of privacy and convenience! Offered at $169,900. If you are interested in more information on this wonderful property, click here- or feel free to contact me! I would be happy to show you this property in person!

If you want to view all of Hickok & Boardman Realty's listings, make sure to visit our website.

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

Protect Your Home's Value!

Sure, everyone knows that the number one rule of Real Estate is "location, location, location" and we don't see too many people renovating their homes with lime green shag carpet these days- but did you know that hanging a clothesline could impact the value of your home?! That's right- according to this article from MSN Real Estate, "13 Big Threats to Your Home's Value", having a clothesline in your backyard can decrease (however minimally) the value of your home. Whether you are a current homeowner thinking of selling your home, or in the market to buy a home, you may want to take a look at this list of items to avoid!

Remember, you can search all of Hickok & Boardman Realty's newest listings right here.

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

Colchester Open House this Sunday, May 15th

This Sunday, May 15th, I will be hosting an Open House at 14 Logan Drive in Colchester from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Please stop by and see this wonderful 3 bedroom and 2.5 bathroom Colonial style home for yourself! Situated on a quiet cul-de-sac, this house is close to both Colchester village and Essex Junction. Featuring over 2100 square feet of living space, the home has a spacious eat-in kitchen, wonderful 3 season sunroom, large master suite, and a great back deck complete with a hot tub for endless relaxation! For more information on this property, click here.

Directions: From Colchester Village take route 2A towards Essex Junction. Logan Drive will be on your left, first house on the right. Look for signs! Hope to see you there!

To see all of Hickok & Boardman's Open Houses for Sunday, May 15th, click here.

Get out of town!! Buyers think the mortgage process is confusing?!

Please DO note the sarcasm in that title! The Wall Street Journal published an article today with results from a recent survey that was conducted by Mortgagematch.com. Amongst the findings: almost one third of American homebuyers reported that understanding the mortgage process was the most difficult part of the homebuying process. I find that even buyers who have bought property before are overwhelmed by the mortgage process, as requirements have changed drastically in the last few years. In fact, the WSJ's article states, "While anyone who applied for a loan during the middle of the last decade probably found that the process was a breeze, lenders have ratcheted down not only their lending requirements since the collapse of the housing market four years ago, but they’ve also become far pickier about documentation requirements." Not that this is a bad thing- additional documentation requirements (though sometimes a pain to track down) means that buyers are not purchasing homes that they can not realistically afford.

Who can blame these overwhelmed buyers (first time or repeat); mortgage applications are 40+ pages...that's A LOT of information to digest! HOWEVER, an experienced and knowledgeable lender can alleviate A LOT of the confusion! It is absolutely critical that you feel comfortable with your lender and he/she are there to answer your questions in a timely manner.

What did some of the other two-thirds of buyers surveyed say they thought the most difficult part was? Well, OVER HALF (54%) stated that finding the right home was the hardest part of the process. Solution: find yourself a Realtor who is familiar with the area(s) in which you are interested and that listens to both your wishes and needs! Another 25% of those surveyed expressed that negotiating the right price for the home was the most difficult aspect of the process. Enter, once again, your experienced Realtor. Of course every seller wants top dollar for their home and every buyer wants to pay the lowest possible amount for a home. Working with an experienced agent can bring both of these parties to a mutual understanding and facilitate a conflict-free transaction.

Bottom line: If you are thinking of purchasing a home, it is absolutely crucial that you pair yourself with both a savvy Realtor (ahem!) AND a trusted lender. Now that the spring months are somewhat within our sights, a lot of homebuyers are starting to crawl out of the caves that they have been hibernating in these last couple of months. If you are one of these buyers and you haven't spoken to a lender about getting pre-approved and what the mortgage process will entail on your end, please call me today and I can suggest some WONDERFUL local lenders that will break down the process for you and put your apprehensions at ease!

Make sure to check out the entire article from the Wall Street Journal!

Feel free to contact me today if you are considering purchasing a home and would like to disuss the homebuying process! Remember, you can always search all of our newest listings by visiting Hickok & Boardman's website!

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

Another DELICIOUS reason to love B-town!

Mmmmmm!!! Burlington, VT has made yet another "top ten" list...and this one I can personally attest to! Sperling's "Best Places" recently named America's Best "Foodie" Cities, and lil' ol' BTV made the #3 spot on the list (just behind Santa Rosa/Napa, CA and Portland, OR)! To read the article on Burlington's latest accolade that was featured in the Burlington Free Press this morning, click here.

In compiling the "ten best", Sperling's Best Places looked at 379 metro areas across the U.S. Not suprising to locals, Burlington had a high ratio of local eateries in comparison to chain restaurants; 84.5% of our restaurants are local eateries! CNBC- which features Sperling's list- cited favorites such as American Flatbread (the perfect place to grab a bite after a day on the slopes), Penny Cluse Cafe (I can taste the biscuits and herb gravy now), and the Bluebird Tavern. In addition to restuarants, Sperling also took into account the presence of breweries, brew pubs, wine bars, farmers markets, and community supported agriculture.

To see the entire list, and find out more about how Sperling compiled the list, check out Sperling's Best Places. My stomach is officially growling now...I think it's time to grab some lunch....maybe a little something from The Spot??!

Feel free to contact me if you are looking to buy or sell your home in the Burlington area...or even if you just need a restaurant suggestion!

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

photo credit: thespotvt.com