Real Estate

U.S. borrowers can get the cheapest mortgages this year, thanks to worries over European debt, and that could keep homebuyers active even after the expiration of a tax credit designed to lift sales. Mortgage rates fell to their lowest level of the year this week as yields on U.S. government securities fell, Freddie Mac said Thursday. Fixed mortgage rates tend to follow the yield of 10-year Treasury...

We were pleasantly surprised to see New Haven, CT, featured in a segment on the TODAY Show, as one of the top 10 cities where you can find a good value on a home.  Real estate expert Barbara Corcoran talks to TODAY's Ann Curry about the top 10 cities where you can get the most bang for your buck. Check out the video link...

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...

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...

When a buyer views a property, observations are made with all five senses, which in turn creates an emotional response.  Sellers need to be aware of the sensory responses their home may evoke from a buyer and how these responses may contribute to the perceived value of their home and ultimately how long it may take to sell. The visual reaction to the home begins with its location, develops with the...

We have seen pending home sales activity remain strong- Calcagni has had 151 pending sales so far for the month of June. This shows a sustained uptrend, rising for four consecutive months with favorable housing affordability and the first-time buyer tax credit boosting activity. To learn more about the First-Time Buyer Credit, visit:...

Is this a Seller’s Market or a Buyer’s Market? As REALTORS, we are often asked, "What market are we in?" The answer is somewhat simple, but it really depends upon the market conditions. Right now for instance, there are many homes for sale, including foreclosures and "short sales." On average this equates to about a 10-month supply of housing, which would classify this market scenario as a “buyer’s...

 Prior to legislation creating Buyer Representation, the adage ‘Buyer Beware’ was in full force. When a Buyer was shown a property by a real estate Agent, the Buyer may have assumed that the Agent was working for him; in fact, the Agent was looking out for the Seller’s interest.    On June 1, 1997 Connecticut Real Estate Agency law changed to address this fundamental inadequacy of the existing...

In our current economy, with consumer spending down- more people seem to prefer to stay close to home and view their homes as a retreat, a sort of haven… If the place you call home needs a bit of TLC, or you’re looking to increase its value, there are ways to do so while staying within your budget. There are many payoffs - the obvious one being that you will enjoy living in your house, and another...

I am currently working with a wonderful couple who are first time buyers. They entered the Real Estate market thinking that they would quickly find their first home. What a surprise they had when they were out-bid on 6 different houses! . You might think this is because they "low balled" each offer they put in, and in fact they did on the first one, but they quickly realized that the homes for sale in...