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I get it..Your Aunt Jenny, Cousin Uma or Brother Sam just received their real estate license and you feel compelled to utilize their services in order to keep the peace within your family tree which happens to be shaped like a wreath.  STOP BEING A PLEASER as it is you who will be adversely affected by the negative outcome of utilizing an agent who is not at the top of his/her game.  Next Step…

You just located a Superstar Agent or team of agents but they are located over 30 miles away from you.

15 Years ago I would have recommended that you utilize the services of a location specific agent as they really had their finger on the pulse of print advertising. Today print advertising is simply a tool for agents to market themselves in an attempt…

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Being a real estate professional may be one of the toughest careers you can choose as your initial results are not directly correlated to your hard work but rather to the choices that you make.  I liken this profession to that of a gardener who initially works alone. 

Your first goal is to find a piece of ground that is rich in nutrients and near a sustainable water source.

Your second goal is find a few healthy seeds to start your garden.  Each customer that you are blessed to come in contact with is like a seed whose species is yet to be determined.  You must take extremely good care of each and every seed to make sure that they have a chance to mature and potentially bear fruit…… Not ever knowing if any of your seeds will make it to…

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These are the words that I continuously hear from consumers in the open market in regard to the real estate profession. Instead of pushing back and getting defensive I have chosen to look at the commonality of this mindset and find shared ground and ask “Why?”

Could it be that 80% of the agents in the marketplace turn over every 4 years?

Or that 94% of the work is done by 6% of the agents?

The 94% will handle only a handful or transactions and make many mistakes due to a lack of experience at the expense of the consumer. Everyone knows someone with a real estate license and feels that the license makes them all equal. Not True. Buying and Selling Real Estate is a huge investment and should not be entrusted to a novice. Long gone are the days of…

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Public Act 11-6

I am writing in an attempt to clear up any confusion about the current conveyance taxes in the state of CT.  There has been some confusion since the laws changed.

When you sell property in the state of CT you are taxed on both the Municipal and the State Level.

On the Municipal level you will be taxed at a base rate of .25% of the sales price plus up to an additional .25% in 18 “Targeted Investment” municipalities.  Towns that are eligible for the additional .25% are Bloomfield, Bridgeport, Bristol, East Hartford, Groton, Hamden, Hartford, Meriden, Middletown, New Britain, New Haven, New London, Norwalk, Norwich, Southington, Stamford, Waterbury, and Windham.  Unfortunately all of these towns have elected to embrace the .25%…

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Noank Village is not just a wonderful place to own a home, it is a special place to live. There is a quality of life and a quality to life here that is unmatched. Situated on a peninsula at the mouth of the Mystic River, the sun reflects off the water on three sides giving the village a special glow. Noank is also imbued with a unique community spirit that shines forth in the longest running continues annual Memorial Day Parade (since 1875) and the annual Holiday Carol Sing and Tree Lighting at the park.

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Noank’s history is reflected in the beauty of its homes. Because surrounding deeper waters were advantageous for shipbuilding, Noank developed several thriving wooden shipbuilding yards during the 19th century, including one of the largest in the…

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Over the last 6 years we saw rates on mortgages fall to a level not seen before. In 2007 the average rate for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage was 6.25%. In the Spring of 2013 that rate had fallen to an average of around 3.5%.  Let’s take a look at what that payment difference was in dollars on a $160,000 mortgage (all examples below are calculated based upon principal and interest payments only; tax and insurance escrows are not included):

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Rate                 Monthly Payment                             Payment Difference                          % Change in Dollars

                                                                                                                               

6.25%                    $ 985.15

…

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I am pleased to have the honor of introducing you to, Lincoln Lake Lodge located at 5 Levy Road in Colchester, CT. Located just .4 miles from exit 18 off Route 2. The Lodge is positioned in an R-60 rural residential District zone. In specific, the property is legally acknowledged as a nonconforming commercial multiuse facility that has been in continuous operation since the Davis Family took ownership in 1958.

Mr. and Mrs. Davis renamed the resort Lincoln Lake Lodge. A professional saxophone player in his youth, Mr. Davis developed The Lodge into a successful music venue where many stars performed.  The Lodge has hosted over 100 large events with 1000 or more attendees and more than 3000 smaller gatherings over the last 50 years. Attendance has…

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BUILDING DESCRIPTION

109 Water St is improved with a three story, wood frame building constructed in 1900. Although the property is not individually listed, the entire Borough is on the National Register of Historic Properties, which can provide protection from demolition and adverse impacts from federally-funded projects. The front of the building has clapboard siding. The sides and rear are covered with asbestos siding.

The gross floor area is approximately 2,706 square feet, with 868+/- square feet on the first and second floors, and 781+/- square feet on the third floor. The first floor is used as a retail store, with a display store window in front and a 1/2 bathroom in the rear. The retail space is essentially one room, with an area…

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Have you ever chosen a piece of fruit that looks amazing only to find that the insides are rotten? You are disappointed to say the least and left with a sour taste in your mouth. There is future hesitation when reaching for another piece that originated from the same place. I have found this to be very true in dealing with people and business. Perception is not necessarily reality. You have to get to know the person before becoming comfortable in referring their services to your sphere of influence. After all, your recommendation is a reflection of how you do business.

I am tremendously proud to say that I have created a network of individuals that are extremely talented, reputable, and place the interests of their clients before their own. Peter A.…

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(Written by Bob Ruth) The first step in buying a home is deciding how much of a payment you can afford. This is usually done with the help of a loan officer who will try to get you pre-qualified for the necessary financing to buy a house. Getting pre-qualified before you go and look at houses is the best option in my opinion for 3 reasons :


1 -  You'll go out knowing how much you can afford which saves time.

2 – You’ll be less likely to look at houses that are beyond your ability to purchase...nothing is worse than falling in love with a house only to find out that you cannot get the financing because it is beyond your means financially.

3 -  The Realtor will be able to negotiate more effectively for you due to the fact that you can tell…

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