We are so proud to once again support Community Servings annual "Pie in the Sky" fundraiser. Team Lynch joins Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Cares in providing a $35,000 sponsorship for this year’s Pie in the Sky.

What's the secret ingredient? Our talented bakers! This year 150 of Greater Boston's best chefs will generously donate their time, talent and resources to bake 18,000 delicious Thanksgiving pies. For every pie they bake, a family of five will be able to sit down to a nutritious Thanksgiving dinner - a meal they may not otherwise have had. 

As a valued Team Lynch/Coldwell Banker client, we would like to give you a Thanksgiving pie on us!  It's our way of saying "Thank You" for trusting Team Lynch for all your Real Estate needs. Check your email for directions on ordering and picking up your pies....and remember, if you have a family member or friend that would like to order a pie, they can do so by purchasing their favorite pie for $25 which goes directly to the Community Servings Fundraiser.

To learn more about this great event, check out this video.

Home Warranties are a service contract to complete future repairs/ or replacement on household appliances and systems. The interest in Home Warranties seem to go in cycles, but bottom line- they do help both the seller and buyer. Once misconception about Home Warranties is that they are only available for "single family" homes. Untrue- they can also be purchased to protect appliances and systems in condo's, townhomes, vacation homes, multi-family homes and rental properties.

What do Home Warranties typically cover? Most policies cover the cost to repair/ or replace the following:

*Furnaces

* Air Conditioning Systems

* Plumbing & Electrical Systems

* Dishwashers

* Ovens

* Garbage Disposals

* Refrigerators

* Water Heaters

and so much more.

Because these items are not typically covered in a Homeowners Insurance Policy, the cost to repair/replace even one item, more than pays for the cost of the warranty itself.  And having one in place gives your buyer an added level of protection and comfort knowing that if something should go wrong with any of these....that it will be covered.  This is another enhancement to the Homeowners Insurance Policies.

If you're a seller, you should know that research from the National Home Warranty Association estimates that, on average, listings with home warranties sell 50% faster than homes without warranties. And Business Week Magazine indicated that homes with home warranties sell at a premium of 3% in higher price.

Even better...these claims are extremely easy to use! Here are the simple steps you would take to file a claim:

* When a covered appliance or system fails, the home owner calls the Home Warranty company.

* The Home Warranty company then confirms that the failure is on a covered system or appliance.

* If the system is eligible, the home warranty company selects a pre-screened service provider from its roster and asks them to make an appointment with the homeowner.

* When the service provider arrives at the home they will diagnose the problem and call the Warranty company who will then authorize the claim.

* The homeowner usually pays a service fee to the contractor, and the Home Warranty company pays for the balance of the repair.

​For more information on Home Warranties or any of your Real Estate questions or needs, give us a call and we'll be happy to assist you!
 

Any homebuyer or seller who peruses news outlets for information can become quickly confused by the news headlines regarding real estate.  There is no doubt that conflicting information about the industry is reported on a daily basis.

The reality is real estate is a very local business. What is happening in regards to sales, pricing, and inventory nationally or even state-wide, may not be happening in your local community.

Understanding how the information you read impacts you directly can also be difficult to navigate.  Do interest rates impact the buyers looking to purchase in your neighborhood? Do inventory levels impact housing prices in the community you want to move to? Can you qualify for a mortgage? What is the optimal price that your home will sell? 

Working with Team Lynch real estate professionals can provide you with the solid facts that are relevant to you in your local area, and can guide you through the glut of information. 

Team Lynch sales professionals not only have the professional experience and knowledge to assist, but they deal in their local marketplaces every day and have access to pertinent local data that can help you make sound home buying and selling decisions.

Your Team Lynch agent can help you analyze the market data and explain explicitly what it means to you. They can provide you with a competitive market analysis and give expert guidance on current market conditions that impact you and your neighborhood directly. 

Whether you are home seller who needs professional guidance to price a property appropriately, or a home buyer who needs a responsible representative who will lead you through the process, your Team Lynch Realtor expert can advise you, dissect those national headlines, and give you the right kind of information to help you make the decisions that are right for you.

Be prepared. While it might seem smart to lay your offer on the table right away, don't do so unless you are fully prepared, pre-approved for a loan, and have all your paperwork and finances in order. Otherwise the seller won't take you seriously and will pass your offer over for someone who has completed their homework.

Be quick. This may sound counterintuitive to being prepared, but it's important to act fast when you see a home you like, or it will go to another bidder.  This is why it's important to get your finances in order before you even begin searching. That way, you can put in an offer right away when you find a good fit.

Don't overbid.  Offering more than the home is listed for may seem like a way to get a leg up on the competition, but overbidding and exceeding the home's appraised value can decrease your chances of a loan-- and the seller (or their agent) knows that. If you overbid make sure, be sure you can afford the excess cost flat out.

Don't underbid.  In a bidding war, your offer needs to be just right.  Just like the seller won't take you seriously  if you overbid too much, they surely won't consider your lowball offer if they have offers from many other buyers. To find your "Goldilocks" price point, figure out the maximum you can afford, and then offer that.

Get under their emotional skin. Last year, everyone was back to writing "love letters" to the seller of a home they were crazy about. Now, you can one-up everyone and really stand out from other offers by making a video of you and your family talking about why you love this home, and why you can see yourself in it.  Does that third bedroom look perfect for your new baby?  Then get her on the camera!  Is that basement office perfect for running your business?  Talk about that.

As a team, we have a wealth of  real estate and homeownership  information that may be of help to you.  Feel free to contact us any time, to learn more about this important information, and be sure to forward this article on to any friends or family that may be interested as well.