Samantha Nichols - Massachusetts Real Estate Specialist

Your house has been on the market for weeks. Despite numerous ads, open houses and showings there were no offers. Now you are considering a price reduction. You want to get as much as you can for your home, but more important, you want it to sell!

This is the time to have a frank discussion with your REALTOR®. While price may be a major factor, it may not be the only consideration. Are you making your house easy for agents to show? Have you completed the necessary maintenance and cleaning so that your property is as appealing as possible?

Review with your agent the current market conditions, the prices of other homes currently on the market and most recent sales in your neighborhood to accurately determine that a price reduction is in order and what your new pricing should be.

The marketplace may be telling you that buyers just won't pay what you are asking. If all indicators point to a price reduction, it is better to do it sooner rather than later. Remember, your goal is to SELL!

For a professional real estate consultation with a friendly approach based on honesty, integrity and positive results, please contact Samantha Nichols direct at 508-726-1870 or email at Sam@SamanthaNichols.com. ERA Belsito and Associates is conveniently located at 100 Court Street in Historic Downtown Plymouth, MA 02360.

• For information regarding Massachusetts and the oceanfront community of Plymouth MA, visit Plymouth MA Real Estate.
• To search the MLS for homes, condos, land, multi family & commercial properties and view full listing sheets with property addresses, sign up with no obligation at my MLS information access site.

I provide services in the following South Shore and Cape Cod MA towns: Bourne, Carver, Cohasset, Duxbury, Freetown, Halifax, Hanson, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Raynham, Rochester, Rockland, Sandwich, Scituate, Taunton and Wareham.

Click here to view local Plymouth, South Shore & Cape Cod MA information.

The US Mint is now working with Governor Deval Patrick to select four (4) sites in Massachusetts to be featured on the reverse of the next in the series of America's Beautiful National Parks Quarter, to be released by the start of next year.

Beginning 2010, five (5) new quarter designs will be released every year including sites on the National Register of Historic Places, National Forests and the National Wildlife Refuges. The selections will be made based on the order of federal designation as national sites or federal parks. The National Monument to the Forefathers set atop Allerton Street and Plymouth Rock located on the Plymouth Waterfront are now being considered as two (2) of 100 sites from 14 Massachusetts counties.

The voting list may be found at www.mass.gov/governor/quarter. Votes may be cast until 5pm Thursday February 26^th. Voters may vote as often as they choose but may only vote for one site at a time. Call 800-227-6277 to vote for a site not included on the state's web site list.

For a professional real estate consultation with a friendly approach based on honesty, integrity and positive results, please contact Samantha Nichols direct at 508-726-1870 or email at Sam@SamanthaNichols.com. ERA Belsito and Associates is conveniently located at 100 Court Street in Historic Downtown Plymouth, MA 02360.

• For information regarding Massachusetts and the oceanfront community of Plymouth MA, visit Plymouth MA Real Estate.
• To search the MLS for homes, condos, land, multi family & commercial properties and view full listing sheets with property addresses, sign up with no obligation at my MLS information access site.

I provide services in the following South Shore and Cape Cod MA towns: Bourne, Carver, Cohasset, Duxbury, Freetown, Halifax, Hanson, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Raynham, Rochester, Rockland, Sandwich, Scituate, Taunton and Wareham.

Click here to view local Plymouth, South Shore & Cape Cod MA information.

When you are using the services of a professional REALTOR® to find a new home, good communication is crucial. A REALTOR® who knows your most significant criteria can work much more effectively to show you homes that will meet your needs.

Let the REALTOR® know the reasons that you are interested in a specific area. If there are no houses available in your price range, the agent may suggest alternate neighborhoods with the same amenities. Do you need 3 bedrooms, 4 or more? Is a home office important or do you have hobbies that you want to accommodate? Is there a particular style of house that you prefer over others? Looking for a formal living room or an extra-large kitchen? Do you want a fireplace? How about a whirlpool tub?

Real estate agents sometimes need to be mind readers when working with buyers. The more you can tell us about what you really need and where you are willing to compromise, the easier it will be to find the perfect house for you.

For a professional real estate consultation with a friendly approach based on honesty, integrity and positive results, please contact Samantha Nichols direct at 508-726-1870 or email at Sam@SamanthaNichols.com. ERA Belsito and Associates is conveniently located at 100 Court Street in Historic Downtown Plymouth, MA 02360.

• For information regarding Massachusetts and the oceanfront community of Plymouth MA, visit Plymouth MA Real Estate.
• To search the MLS for homes, condos, land, multi family & commercial properties and view full listing sheets with property addresses, sign up with no obligation at my MLS information access site.

I provide services in the following South Shore and Cape Cod MA towns: Bourne, Carver, Cohasset, Duxbury, Freetown, Halifax, Hanson, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Raynham, Rochester, Rockland, Sandwich, Scituate, Taunton and Wareham.

Click here to view local Plymouth, South Shore & Cape Cod MA information.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection ("DEP") has established regulations governing on-site, subsurface sewage disposal systems, including septic systems and cesspools, that apply at the time of sale or transfer of a property served by an on-site subsurface system. (Title V of the Massachusetts Environmental Code, 310 CMR 15.3301 et seq.) The regulations require that septic systems and cesspools be inspected by a licensed inspector "at or within 2 years prior to the to the time of transfer of title" to the property to determine if the system complies with DEP requirements. (Greater Boston Board of Realtors Title V Addendum)

Through Plymouth's Office of Community Development, local homeowners are able to take advantage of a loan program to repair and/or replace failed septic systems so that they meet the state Title V requirements. Title V guidelines and regulations help to ensure effective septic systems that do not contribute to groundwater pollution.

This spring, Town Meeting will be asked to allow the Town of Plymouth to borrow $200,000 from the Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust. 130 local homeowners have already taken advantage of this loan program and there is a list waiting for the next round of funding.

Loans start at $5,000 for a 5 year term and range up to $15,000 payable over 15 years. For more information please contact Plymouth's Office of Community Development at the Plymouth Town Hall ( at 508) 747-1620.

For a professional real estate consultation with a friendly approach based on honesty, integrity and positive results, please contact Samantha Nichols direct at 508-726-1870 or email at Sam@SamanthaNichols.com. ERA Belsito and Associates is conveniently located at 100 Court Street in Historic Downtown Plymouth, MA 02360.

• For information regarding Massachusetts and the oceanfront community of Plymouth MA, visit Plymouth MA Real Estate.
• To search the MLS for homes, condos, land, multi family & commercial properties and view full listing sheets with property addresses, sign up with no obligation at my MLS information access site.

I provide services in the following South Shore and Cape Cod MA towns: Bourne, Carver, Cohasset, Duxbury, Freetown, Halifax, Hanson, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Raynham, Rochester, Rockland, Sandwich, Scituate, Taunton and Wareham.

Click here to view local Plymouth, South Shore & Cape Cod MA information.

House hunting can become overwhelming for many prospective buyers, especially with the current market conditions and numerous choices available. REALTORS® use a few tricks that can help you remember what you have seen.

You will usually be given a copy of the listing with all the pertinent information. Write down at least one distinctive feature on the listing sheet that will help you remember the house. Maybe the house had crown moldings in the dining room, a red door, or a room with unusual wallpaper. If the house was particularly interesting to you, put a big star on the top of the page to remind yourself that you would like to see it again or even perhaps make an offer on it.

If there are especially attractive features or if you eliminate a house from consideration for any reason, be sure to tell the agent your thoughts and why. Communication between you and your REALTOR® will save you a lot of time and effort. The more knowledge your agent has of your "likes" and "dislikes", the easier it will be to show you only the homes that meet your particular needs.

For a professional real estate consultation with a friendly approach based on honesty, integrity and positive results, please contact Samantha Nichols direct at 508-726-1870 or email at Sam@SamanthaNichols.com. ERA Belsito and Associates is conveniently located at 100 Court Street in Historic Downtown Plymouth, MA 02360.

• For information regarding Massachusetts and the oceanfront community of Plymouth MA, visit Plymouth MA Real Estate.
• To search the MLS for homes, condos, land, multi family & commercial properties and view full listing sheets with property addresses, sign up with no obligation at my MLS information access site.

I provide services in the following South Shore and Cape Cod MA towns: Bourne, Carver, Cohasset, Duxbury, Freetown, Halifax, Hanson, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Raynham, Rochester, Rockland, Sandwich, Scituate, Taunton and Wareham.

Click here to view local Plymouth, South Shore & Cape Cod MA information