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Sterling, MA

A Sterling MA Home Inspector

Jim Mushinsky: Real Estate Trainer in Framingham, MA

A home inspector working in Sterling MA is required to perform a home inspection to the Massachusetts Home Inspector Standards of Practice. A copy of the standard will be provided to the client by the home inspector.

Massachusetts Home InspectorThe MA Home Inspector Standards of Practice is written for the professional home inspector. United Inspection Service has created some easy to read Consumer Information Sheets illustrating what is included and excluded in a Standard MA home inspection. Clear client communications (3c) are one of our core values. See the easy to read one page consumer information sheets for each of the systems in a MA Home Inspection.

Visit the Sterling MA Home Inspection web page from United Inspection Service for some useful information about homes in Sterling MA and the Massachusetts Home Inspection.

  • Massachusetts Home Inspector Standards of Practice
  • Recommended Questions to Ask the Seller/Seller's Representative
  • Home Inspection Photographs
  • Flood Zones
  • Lead Paint
  • Hazardous Waste Release
  • Check the Sterling MA Home Inspector web page for consumer information links ...

Pet Sitting & Dog Walking in Sterling, MA & Surrounding Towns

11-15-11
Pat McQuaid
Pat McQuaid: Real Estate Agent in Sterling, MA

Welcome to Pet Buddies Online.com

At work all day?

Going Away for Vacation or Business?

A few days or a few weeks?

Are you hesitating to leave home because you can't find the proper care for your pets? Discover the difference with Pet Buddies Pet Sitting Service. We have solutions for every situation.

Pet Buddies - Dog Walking & Pet Sitting Service is just what you've been looking for.


If you need a pet sitter or a dog walker and live in Central or Northern Worcester County, you've come to the right place. We will come to your home and care for your precious pets just like they were our own.

Your pets deserve a Pet Buddy! Call on us, and you will experience the secure and happy feeling of leaving your pets in our care.

Thank you for consideringPet Buddies !

Moving Your Pets

05-17-11
Pat McQuaid
Pat McQuaid: Real Estate Agent in Sterling, MA

Get Along (with your) Doggy:


Smoothly introducing your dog to your new home

Moving into your new home is very exciting, for your entire family!! But did you know that introducing your dog into a new home can be incredibly stressful for them? Fortunately, there are a lot of things that we can do to make this transition easier on them, which in the end makes it easier on us!

There are a lot of things that you can do to make the move less stressful on your pet. When moving, if possible, it would be a good idea to leave the dog with a friend they know. This will keep the dog out of your way when you are moving furniture, and decrease the chance that any accidents may happen. You can also leave the dog in the backyard while you move, as long as it is fully fenced and they cannot escape! Can't do either? Well then, the ‘least worst' scenario is to crate your dog while moving the furniture into the home. Make sure the crate is large enough that they can stand up, turn around and lay down comfortably, and be sure to give them access to water and let them outside to ‘do their business' every few hours. Doors will be left open, items will be dropped, there will be a lot of commotion, and the best way to keep your pet safe during this time is to keep them out of the way!

During the packing process, you can actually plan ahead to make this as smooth a transition as possible for your four legged friend. Instead of trying to cram the packing into one or two days, planning to pack over a longer period of time can reduce the stress on your dog (and probably yourself as well!). Make sure that you pack their water and food bowls, toys, and blankets/beds in a separate box that will be easily accessible once you are at your new home. Dogs do not like change, so the more familiar the setting, the better! One easy trick is to make sure that they have belongings that smell like you, their people! Having a familiar scent in a strange place can make the transition easier. All you would need to do is put their toys in your laundry hamper for a few days, and they will smell just like you!! And don't feel embarrassed, this is like the sweet smell of roses for your dog. These are as important to your dog as your child's teddy bear is to them.

For more great tips on a successful move with your pet, please visit The Humane Society of the United States.

Housetraining is always a big issue, and even well-trained dogs may not know where to ‘go' in a new home. When you bring them to your new house, make sure that they are taken into the back right away, where they can ‘do their business'. It may sound silly, but it is always a good idea to reward them with praise, so that they know they did something good! It may seem odd to your new neighbors that you are congratulating your dog for successfully going to the bathroom (you may become the most talked about person on your street), but your dog will think that they just won a gold medal for it!! You will want to keep en eye on them to make sure that they are able to find the back door (or front door depending on the home) whenever necessary. Here is a good rule of thumb to remember: let them out after playing for a period of time (15-30 minutes depending on age), after they wake up, and after they eat!

For puppies, the rules need to be modified slightly. You still want to show them where the door is, and give them lots of praise when they go where they should (this should be a very exciting event for them, and remember that the gold medal they are winning can come in the form of a treat!). Be sure to let them outside as often as possible, especially immediately after they eat, wake up, and every 10-15 minutes during playtime! There will be accidents, no puppy is perfect (adorable yes, perfect no!), so be patient and keep it positive!

Another point to keep in mind is that a puppy can ‘hold it' for approximately 1 hour for every month they are old. For example, a puppy that is only 2 months old, can generally ‘hold it' for approximately 2 hours at a time! This may not apply to every puppy, as they are just as different from each other as we are from other people, but it does give you an idea of what to expect.

For other great tips on housetraining your pet, please visit The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or The Humane Society of the United States.

365 things to do in Worcester County - Enjoy good food, good friends, good wine at Chocksett inn in Sterling

Jane Becker CRS,ASP,ABR,CBR,CDPE,LMC,E-PRO,GRI: Real Estate Agent in Worcester, MA

365 things to do in Worcester County - Enjoy good food, good friends, good wine at Chocksett inn in Sterling. What a lovely evening. I spent several hours relaxing with my husband and our friends at Chocksett Inn. I just came back from the evening's festivities and wanted to share my experience with everyone and tell you why I recommend this as one of your 365 things to do in Worcester County - Enjoy good food, good friends, good wine at Chocksett inn in Sterling.

The meal was delicious. My husband had fish and I had scallops. They were large, succulent and lightly breaded with bread crumbs. Mashed potatoes and cole slaw complimented the palate. Since I prefer my wine as sweet as possible, the wine I had complimented the sea food perfectly. For desert, I had a hard time to decide whether I wanted coffee Connolly or my old stand by, lava cake. I opted for the lava cake which certainly melted in my mouth.

Nestled within the scenic countryside of Central Massachusetts. Since 1989, the Chocksett Inn has been setting the standard for New England hospitality with our luxurious accommodations, charming facility and welcoming staff.

Whether you are planning your wedding, enjoying a delicious dinner in the Restaurant, experiencing one of the Inn Events or staying overnight in one of 25 guest suites, is the establishment's goal to make you feel at home.

(And the only criticism I have is that they really go out of their way to make you feel at home. As we were dining in one of the intimate rooms that had may be 6 tables, the waitress came over with Windex and washed the empty tables as we were enjoying our dinner. The pungent ammonia smell broke a very relaxing and otherwise enjoyable atmosphere.)

On the whole I recommend the Chockset inn restaurant and would welcome the opportunity to go again. I give it a four out of five stars for food, ambiance and value.

Sterling, MA Public Schools Get High Ratings!

05-10-11
Pat McQuaid
Pat McQuaid: Real Estate Agent in Sterling, MA

Sterling, MA Public Schools Get High Ratings!

Looking for a home in Sterling, MA? Call me. You do deserve to work with the most knowledgeable Realtor and Sterling resident! I'll be proud to be your neighbor!

Education.comTestRating

Click on the link for more information.

The Education.comTestRatingis a number (1-10) calculated by Education.com that provides an overview of a school's test performance for a given year, by comparing the school's state standardized test results to those of other schools in the same state. For Massachusetts, the TestRating is calculated using a school's 2010 MCAS Results for all subjects tested.

Wachusett District Spending

$10,881 Per Pupil

The Wachusett spends $10,881 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 66% on instruction, 32% on support services, 2% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.