Real Estate - Gridlock and Bridges

As someone who relates just about everything to real estate, reading the headlines about the gridlock that happened on GW Bridge last fall got me thinking about how many people are "gridlocked" out of the current housing market and how they need a bridge!

As the media continues to report about higher housing prices and bidding wars, they sometimes neglect to mention how few houses there are for sale. You can see the latest market updates for Concord, Wayland, Sudbury, Maynard, and Stow at www.marilynmessenger.com.

Why is inventory so low? It easy to blame the weather, but we always have winter in MA, so why else? More money: people think if they wait they'll sell for more money. While that may be true, they will also pay more when they buy their next home, and if interest rates go up they will end up with less money in the end.  

Another reason is "gridlock." Most homeowners who would like to move need to sell their current home before they can buy another place to live. Because there are so few houses for sale they are afraid and that if they sell they may not have anywhere to go. So they wait for more houses to come on the market; with so many people waiting, we up end with gridlock.  

A bridge loan might be the solution to get people moving because it enables them to buy a new home without having to sell first! 

   

Here is a flyer from one of my loan officer friends with an example of how a bridge loan would work. If you think it might fit your needs, check it out. Call all me anytime at 508-596-3501 to learn more about the home buying and selling process or click here to request a home valuation report. 

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About the author: Marilyn Messenger has been selling real estate in Wayland, Sudbury, Concord, Maynard, Stow and the towns west of Boston for the past 20 years. As a Certified Residential Specialist and Accredited Buyer Representative/Agent, she has a proven track record of providing efficient and cost effective solutions to help her clients save money, time, and stress during the home buying and selling process. Visit www.marilynmessenger.com or call 508-596-3501 to talk about planning your next move.

Interviewing a Mover

“I’d wish I’d know that before I made a decision.”  If you’ve ever regrettably said this to yourself, having a checklist might have prevented the issue in the first place.  This list of questions can provide you with things to discuss when interviewing a moving company.

 Fees

• What is the charge for packing?
• Does it include boxes? If not, what do they cost and will you deliver them?
• Is there an additional charge to deliver some items to a storage unit?  

Insurance

• How is a damage claim handled? 
• What insurance do you provide and is there a cost? 
• Does the insurance cover items packed by the owner? 
• Can additional insurance be purchased? 
• If items are covered by my Homeowner’s insurance, whose insurance pays first?

Unusual Items

• Can you ship my car(s)? Will they be in the moving van or towed? 
• What are the charges for shipping cars, lawn tractors, etc? 
• What items cannot be shipped? 
• If a shuttle truck is needed because of the location of my house or size of the drive way, is there an additional charge? What about stairs?
• If packing and loading are on different days, can you leave the beds and other basics out for us to use?

Dates

• What dates are available for our move?
• What date will you pack and how long will this take? 
• What date will you load the van? 
• What date will the van arrive at my new location? 
• If my new home is not ready for delivery, how many days can it be delayed before there is a charge? 
• What is the charge for additional days or weeks?

Terms

• Are there any additional fees that I’m responsible for that have not been discussed? 
• What are the terms of payment? 
• Is a down payment required? 
• When will the balance be due and who is authorized to accept it?