1. Go with the low flow
If you’re tired of watching money go down the drain, invest in the latest low-flow showerheads. Old showerheads (pre-1992) can pump out 5 gallons of water per minute. Newer showerheads, while more efficient, still use 2.5 gallons per minute. But the latest low-flow showerheads use up to 50% less water than even the newer showerheads, yet technological innovations make it seem as if you’re bathing under the same amount of water.

The latest low-flow showerheads run between $50 and $200 apiece, but the payback can be quick. Swapping out old showerheads can reduce your home’s water-heating costs by about $150 a year. If your showerheads are already updated, but you’re still looking for ways to save on water, install a low-flow toilet. One of these efficient flushers can shave $90 off your annual water bill.

2. When it rains, it pours
Homeowners insurance is critical, but it’s not comprehensive. Most policies offer limited liability protection that could prove inadequate if someone gets hurt on your property and you get sued. Umbrella insurance offers liability protection beyond the limits of your homeowners policy. An extra $1 million in umbrella liability coverage, which extends to your cars, too, typically costs about $300.

If your liability insurance is sufficient, then consider flood insurance instead. Floods can affect homes in all 50 states, yet fewer than 1 in 5 homeowners have flood insurance. Typical homeowners policies exclude floods. The average flood policy costs $540, according to the National Flood Insurance Program; the average flood claim totals more than $33,000.

3. A model of energy efficiency
A typical homeowner spends an extra $350 a year on heating and cooling due to air leaks. Gaps, even small ones, around doors, windows, and recessed lights waste energy and raise utility bills. You can conduct your own energy audit and try to seal air leaks yourself, but the result will vary wildly depending on your DIY skills.

A better option might be a professional energy audit, which can cost between $400 and $600 for a full diagnostic inspection. Expect the use of sophisticated equipment like thermal or infrared scanners, blower door testers, and smoke puffers that can pinpoint energy leaks. A visual-only inspection by a pro costs less—about $150—but the findings won’t be as accurate.

4. Lightning only needs to strike once
A power surge, whether caused by a lightning strike or some other fluctuation in your supply of electricity, can wreak havoc on home electronics. Thousands of dollars’ worth of computers, appliances, and entertainment equipment can get fried in the blink of an eye. If you’re lucky, perhaps some of your electronics are plugged in to surge protector power strips. Most probably aren’t.

Although homeowners insurance offers peace of mind that your possessions will get replaced, a smart way to prevent damage in the first place—and avoid the hassle of filing claims and paying deductibles—is investing in a whole-house surge protector. For about $300, an electrician can install the device at your breaker box. It only takes an hour or two. Keep surge protector power strips in place for an added layer of safety.

5. Roll out the rain barrel
Why pay for water when nature supplies it free of charge? The typical homeowner spends about $140 annually on water used outdoors. Meanwhile, an inch of rain dumped on the roof of a 2,000-square-foot house produces 500 gallons of runoff. It makes sense to harvest that rainwater to nourish plants and rinse off patio furniture. Enter the rain barrel.

A rain barrel is much like it sounds: A large container hooked into a downspout that stores rainwater for later outdoor use. A basic commercial rain barrel can cost as little as $50; a more sophisticated system with multiple barrels, pumps, and spigots can run as much as $600. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that a rain barrel can save 1,300 gallons of water during peak summer months.

Elegant Queen Anne Victorian Gleams with Orginal Beauty & Charm!

This proud home is a perfect example of the Richard Norman Shaws Queen Anne Victorian. If you are looking for a home with original character, this the right home. Oak molding details & lavish flow of the wood floors will warm your guests heart. This home is a walk to schools, close to commute, community college, recreation & shopping.

Over the last several years a lot of buyers have bought homes, intending to live in them for many years, then something happened – maybe good, maybe bad, but regardless – they don’t have a choice. Some owners have to move.

When most homeowners move, they sell their house. Usually, that’s not a problem. For some people nowadays, it is a problem.

Because of the easy financing, rampant speculation, flipping, and sometimes fraud, home values skyrocketed most everywhere. That came to an end recently and values plummeted in some areas. Even when values are stable, sometimes there just isn’t enough money in the property to pay off the mortgage, then pay all the selling costs and moving costs.

What happens then?

Default, sometimes bankruptcy, and maybe even foreclosure.

Or a short sale.

A short sale is when the lender agrees to accept a mortgage payoff that doesn’t cover the outstanding loan.

Why do lenders accept short sales? Lenders almost always lose money when they foreclose on property. In many cases, they will lose less money through a short sale than they would by foreclosing on the home and selling it as a bank-owned property.

However, there are rules.

The borrower must experience a genuine financial hardship. Talk to customer service or the collection department and let them know what is going on. That way, knowledge of your hardship is communicated to the lender and becomes a part of their files. Keep your own communication log.

Eventually, you will have to document the hardship and your inability to deal with it financially by disclosing all your assets. Bank statements, stocks, bonds, tax returns, pay stubs — the lender will want to see everything that may document that you are not hiding assets or income.

The lender will not make a commitment based solely on your hardship. You’re also going to have to put your home on the market and sell it.

Once you sell the property, you have to supply additional documentation. When the property is listed, your real estate agent prepares a comparative market analysis. You’re going to need that and you will need to supply a copy to the lender, along with your hardship letter, the documents mentioned above, a copy of the purchase agreement, and a “net sheet” showing how much you will net (or lose) from the sale of the home.

It may be that you actually want your real estate agent or some other professional such as an attorney to negotiate with your lender. If so, you need to prepare an authorization letter. That letter includes your name, property address, loan number, your representative’s name, the date and your notarized signature. Your agent will know almost all of this and have the proper format.

Then your agent submits it all to your lender and…you wait.

Normally, your lender can’t make the decision to accept a short sale on their own. Your mortgage has an investor. The investor gets a say-so.

If the deal “makes sense”, they believe your hardship is genuine, and you do not own any other property — you may get a “yes” decision. Your chances go up markedly if you have someone experienced negotiating for you.

Oh yes! If your lender does forgive part of your debt, there is something you should also know. Debt forgiveness is taxable income. The IRS will require you to pay taxes on that income.

This is based on Residential Sales

15 homes were sold.  The median selling price was $196,250.  3 of those sales were over asking price,  3 sales were paid for asking price and the other 9 were under asking price. Here is the chart showing how much.

Buyers are not running out the door with a deal, but at least they are running with maybe 2-5% below asking price.

Is the market improving? Let’s see how many days on market homes are taking to sell in a 3 month span. See the chart below.

30 Day Span February 1, 2010-March 4, 2010

For the 30 day span, the average day on market is 95 days for active homes…for sold homes..106 days.

Looking at a 3 months span average active days on market is holding steady at 95 days, but the average days on market for sold homes is higher..at 124 days.

3 Month Span Dec 1, 2009-March 4, 2010

Now this can be many reasons…Winter in New England tends to be a slower season for Real Estate and that is def a HUGE reason for the slow down in a three month period. Homes that are under 200K though have decreased in days on market to average 67 days. That is a huge difference. Homes under 150K are on the market average of 45 days.  The tax credit is also a HUGE incentive for first time and second home buyers. Find info about it here

Really depending on what price range you shop in or live in, tells a different story. Enfield though is improving slowly. I do not think we will see prices as they were back in 2005-2007 for many years to come. Those were artificial prices and an artificial economic bubble.  The median home price in Enfield is $185,000.  56% of the residents have been here 5 plus years.

For marketing stats on your home in detailed to get a better picture of what is going on in YOUR neighborhood, visit

www.homevaluesinEnfield.com If you are a buyer, use it if you are shopping in a neighborhood and want to get quick stats, including info on the community & school system in your neighborhood.

Don’t live in Enfield, Ct? Check out your value at www.homevaluesinconnecticut.com

The reason they are doing this is because of the high amount of FHA loans that existing owners have in the complex & also the owner occupant ratio versus the investor (renter) ratio. Currently a condo complex must be more than 51% owner occupied. Best advice. Check the list & with your Realtor. It is not pleasant when you are half way through your home buying process and you find out after you pay all your loan fees that the condo you are purchasing does not qualify.  Or, you fall in LOVE with a condo, and then you find out you cannot get approved….do your homework! It will be well worth it.

You can check the list here

If you are looking for a fixer upper, then this home is calling your name! 4 bedrooms 2 baths 1700 square foot home is just a walk from shopping, freshwater pond, park. Close to commute. New paint, kitchen, carpets are already done! A little elbow grease will be needed to bring this baby back.

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