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Straight Talk!

Blog by Judy Moses
Newton Centre, Massachusetts

Straight talk about Real Estate from Judy Moses, queen of no nonsense, tell it like it is, advice that you will really use when making the biggest purchase of your life.

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Straight Talk!

Places to go and things to do in Boston!

Jul. 8, 2008
Categorized in: Places to go, things to do

Hi again!

How about a list of activities and things to do around Beantown? Ask and you shall receive!

Newbury St is great for shopping and strolling, of course, but did you know there are many art galleries you can visit? Newbury-st.com is the place to go to search for restaurants, shopping, art and nightlife on what is perhaps Boston's most famous street.

A trip to Fanueil Hall marketplace may tickle your fancy. You can pick up some souvenirs, take your photo with Red Auerbach (you'll see what I mean) or just window shop!

Want to go to a museum?  We've got plenty!  From the Museum of Science to the Museum of Fine Art, there is sure to be something oof interest. Boston-online.com  offers a list of local museums and their websites.

How about a trip to the New England Aquarium? You can visit shark, ray, seal and penguin exhibits!

Take a trip to the Boston Public garden and ride the swanboats!

The City of Boston site has a visitors area with loads of information!

Below is a list of activities with websites and phone numbers (in case you want to print a copy to take with you!)

Enjoy your stay in Boston and let me know if you have any questions.

 

List of activities with web address and phone numbers
Swan Boats www.Swanboats.com 617.522.1966
Boston Harbor Cruises www.bostonharborcruises.com 617.227.4321
Duck Tours www.Bostonducktours.com 617.267.DUCK
Visit the USS Constitution www.ussconstitution.navy.mil 617.242.5601
Walk the Freedom Trail www.thefreedomtrail.org 617.357.8300
Boston University Observatory (wed eves, weather permitting) http://www.bu.edu/astronomy/opennight.html 617.353.2630
John F Kennedy National Historical Site www.nps.gov/jofi 617.566.7937
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreational Area www.nps.gov/boha 617.223.8666
The Museum of Fine Arts www.mfa.org 617.267.9300
The Museum of Science www.mos.org 617.723-2500

Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum

www.gardnermuseum.org 617.566.1401
The JFK Library Museum www.jfklibrary.org 617.929.1200
The New England Aquarium www.neaq.org 617.973.5200
Newbury St activities www.newbury-st.com  
Faneuil Hall Marketplace www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com  
The Children's Museum www.bostonkids.org 617.426.8855
The Museum of Afro American History www.afroammuseum.org 617.725.0022
Boston Public Library www.bpl.org 617.536.5400
     
City of Boston Visitors Area www.cityofboston.gov/visitors 888 SEE Boston

 

 

 

 

 

Judy's newest listing

Feb. 28, 2008
Categorized in: Pathway Home Listings

 

Hi there

I thought I'd share the video of Judy's newest listing in Newton Highlands. It's a 2 bedroom condo in move-in condition. Lots of good stuff like central air and garage parking, plus it's just a stone's throw (I'm not exaggerating) to the Newton Highlands T, shops, restaurants. It's a truly great location.

Let us know if you have any questions!

 

Preparing your home for Sale

Feb. 20, 2008
Categorized in: Articles by Judy Moses
Hi everyone,
Judy has compiled some tips for getting your home ready to market for sale. If you would like more information, please call Judy at 617 734 6188 or send an email to JudyMoses@JudyMoses.com.
Preparing Your Home for Sale….So It Sells!   (Part One)
 
Preparing the Interior of Your Home for Sale
 
A common dilemma that prospective sellers often face is how much or little to do to make their home ‘market ready’. 
 
It is important to remember that you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. So, the day your home hits the market, it must show at its best. Here are some guidelines that hopefully will help you through the process to a successful sale.
 
Step One: Pack early....because you will be moving! I suggest moving room to room and creating three categories: items you will give away, those you will throw away, and those you can sell. Next, set about disposing of each of these categories: maybe you donate items to a local charity, post others on Craig’s list or ebay, and dump the rest.
 
Step Two: Evaluate what is left and minimize! Do you have loads of books? Family photos galore? Or a beautiful porcelain collection? I suggest you pack these early. First off, you don’t want to jeopardize the safety of your cherished possessions. People may touch….or break…your things. Remove the temptation and make it a non issue. Also, buyers must be able to mentally move into your home before they will make an offer. When you weed out your personal items, you neutralize the property so buyers can imagine themselves in the home.
 
Step Three: Make sure everything is in working order. Now that you have removed most of the clutter, you should be able to make a good visual inspection of the property. 
Is the paint cracked, peeling, dirty or discolored? Clean and/or repaint. Are all windows and storms in good repair and operating properly? Are all sash cords working? Do all doors open and close correctly and easily-including closet doors? Is all your plumbing operating correctly? There should be no leaky faucets or slow drains. I also recommend that you service your heating and air conditioning system-including changing filters. In addition, all your appliances should be in working order. If you have an element on your   stove that is slow or broken, fix it.  
 
A general handy man should be able to tackle most of these projects. It will be money well spent. When items are in poor repair or broken, buyers assume that the property has not been maintained.   This could inhibit them from making an offer on your property. Or, they may make a very low offer, because they may guess that the situation is more serious than it is and overestimate the cost of repair. 
 
Step Four: Organize all your storage areas. Buyers do open closets, kitchen cabinets, and medicine chests. They look in basements and attics. These areas should be neat and roomy. You want the appearance of ample storage. Overcrowding of items makes even the largest storage area appear inadequate. If you still have too many items, rent a storage area off site and move your boxes there. 
 
A good Realtor should be able to guide you and connect you with service professionals to help you through this process.

Shameless plugs

Dec. 3, 2007
Categorized in: Pathway Home Listings

Hi everyone!

I just wanted you to know that all my listings are featured on YouTube. If you know someone who may be interested in any of my listings, email me.

Click here to see some other listings on youtube.

This featured listing is a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo at Newfield Woods in West Roxbury, right on the Chestnut Hill line. It has been meticulously maintained, has garage parking and an elevator for added convenience! Really pretty setting with easy access to shopping, restaurants, Medical area, Boston and major highways.