In 2009 ASHI became the first inspection organization to become the only truly certified home inspector program in existence. What does this mean? Many Home Inspectors say they are "certified" in something or by some organization. The real difference is that when an institution certifies you, it indicates that you have met a certain standard for that establishment. For example, many Home Inspectors are...
Real Estate
On a recent winter night in Wallingford, 350 people gathered at Zandri's Stillwood Inn to raise money for the Wallingford Emergency Shelter. At the helm of the event were Karen Pomarico of our Cheshire office, and Linka Lewis of our Hamden office. Karen has served as Treasurer for Wallingford Emergency Shelter, Inc. for the past year. She joins Linka, a veteran of the...
Here is an interesting article we came across on WSJ.com... “'Tis the season of giving. But if you're tired of the offerings at the mall, why not consider giving your children something grander, like the gift of a down payment to buy a home—or even a home itself? Uncle Sam encourages such generosity, at least within limits (the IRS site has details). You and your spouse are each allowed to give...
Seasonal changes can create inherent risks especially amongst those of us who are looking to save some money during difficult economic times. As such, when we think about cold weather hazards, it usually pertains to the impact of snow and ice. The winter months are a good time to take inventory of our own personal safety and consider the potential concerns regarding indoor air quality during the heating...
Calcagni Associates President Steve Calcagni recently announced that the company has added a Real Estate Owned Services Division to its already full suite of real estate services. “As the real estate market has changed over time, so has our need for a comprehensive division to administer the amount of REO properties we’re handling.” said Calcagni. “We’ve been involved in REO properties for...
Our Hamden Office Sales Manager, Joan DiVincenzo, just got back from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) conference in sunny San Diego, CA. The conference hosted some great sessions on social media, the Web, and technology. We can’t wait to have Joan share with us what she has learned and to put all this new knowledge to action! Another of the many ways Calcagni Associates strives to remain at the...
CHECK OUT THESE RATES! Rates ended the week finally back in the 4's. The 30 year fixed closed the week at 4.500% with 2 points and 4.875% with 0 points. The last few times that the rates have been this low it did not last too long, so with the extension and expansion of the Tax Credit and the rates, now is the time to act. Next week the rates will be influenced with many high impact reports, including...
It's no secret that home staging can play a huge role in how much you get for you house. Sometimes it feels like you have to renovate the whole place to make it presentable, but it's not true! I know I've had great success with these three simple tips. 1. Get Rid of Your Clutter The best thing you can do for your home isn't in buying fancy new things, it's about getting rid of some. This includes...
After the Senate gave final approval last night without a dissenting vote, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly this afternoon to pass legislation containing an extension and expansion of the homebuyer tax credit, completing Congressional action and sending the tax credit to President Obama for his signature, possibly as early as tomorrow. The $8,000 homebuyer tax credit...
What can you tell me about Chinese drywall? That’s the question I have been asked a handful of times over the past couple of years, usually by a client who works in the insurance industry; but most recently by non- trade related clients. Concerns regarding imported drywall have been on the public’s radar for some time now. Not typically associated with New England, the concern has primarily been...