Deerfield Forest Natick 2 Bed/2 Bath For Rent

Billionaire Says Real Estate is Best Investment Possible

by The KCM Crew on March 19, 2015 in For Buyers

Billionaire money manager John Paulson was interviewed at the Delivering Alpha Conference presented by CNBC and Institutional Investor. During his session he boldly stated:

"I still think, from an individual perspective, the best deal investment you can make is to buy a primary residence that you're the owner-occupier of.”

Who is John Paulson?

Paulson is the person who, back in 2005 & 2006, made a fortune betting that the subprime mortgage mess would cause the real estate market to collapse. He understands how the housing market works and knows when to buy and when to sell. What do others think of Paulson?
According to Forbes, John Paulson is:

“A multibillionaire hedge fund operator and the investment genius.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, Paulson is:

“A hedge fund tycoon who made his name, and a fortune, betting against subprime mortgages when no one else even knew what they were.”

Why does he believe homeownership is such a great investment?

Paulson breaks down the math of homeownership as an investment:

"Today financing costs are extraordinarily low.”

The latest numbers from Freddie Mac show us that you can still get a 30-year mortgage for under 4%.

“And if you put down, let's say, 10 percent and the house is up 5 percent,” as many experts predict, “then you would be up 50 percent on your investment."

How many are seeing a 50% return on a cash investment right now?
Paulson goes on to compare the long term financial benefits of owning verses renting:

“And you’ve locked in the cost over the next 30 years. And today the cost of owning is somewhat less than the cost of renting. And if you rent, the rent goes up every year. But if you buy a 30-year mortgage, the cost is fixed.”

Bottom Line

Whenever a billionaire gives investment advice, people usually clamor to hear it. This billionaire gave simple advice – if you don’t yet live in your own home, go buy one.

Home Upgrades That Pay Off

Remodeling Projects: Evaluating Cost vs. Value Home renovations can be tricky. You want to improve your space (and the way you live in it). But you don't want to end up in the red when it comes time to sell. Before you splurge on that chef's kitchen or a steam shower in your bath, make sure your projects enhance your home in the eyes of future buyers as well. Here are few improvements that Remodeling magazine says will return the most on your renovation dollars. (The examples below reflect 2014 numbers.) Under $5,000: Functional, secure and energy-efficient entries are chief priorities in this price range. Your best bet is replacing your front door with a sturdy steel unit. Finish it with an antique brass lockset, and you can expect to recoup 96.6 percent of your investment. A garage door replacement offers an equally respectable 82.9 percent return. Between $5,000 and $25,000: A wooden deck is tops for a mid-range budget, recouping 87.4 percent of the $10,000 you can expect to spend. A minor kitchen remodel also fares well: Budgeting $18,000 for fresh paint, a new oven, new floors, fixtures, countertops and new doors on existing cabinetry typically results in recouping 82.7 percent at resale. From $25,000 and $100,000: An attic bedroom is a romantic notion, and it offers the best return at this price range. Converting the space into a bedroom and bathroom (with shower) will get you back 84.3 percent of your spend. Likewise, a newly finished basement returns 77.6 percent. Have other plans in mind? Read Remodeling's summary on cost vs. value trends, and jump into your home improvement projects more informed.

Interesting Real Estate News Link

Boston Agent Magazine

New England Home Show

Title:	New England Home Show
Date:	3/20/2015 - 3/22/2015
Address:	Gillette Stadium , One Patriot Place, Foxborough, MA
Location:	Foxboro, MA
Hours:	Friday 2PM - 9PM, Saturday 10AM - 9PM, Sunday 10AM - 6PM
Cost/Cover:	Adults: $10, 17 and under: Free, Buy tickets online and save $2
Web Page:	http://www.gillettestadium.com/calendar
Contact Info:	(800)543-1776; (508)384-4389

Details:

From lighting to flooring to siding for your home, from techniques to tools, over 500 experts are on hand to answer your burning DIY questions! Located at the Dana Farber Field House at Patriot Place. Bring the kids and enjoy live cooking demonstrations, furniture building zone and a craft and specialty food area.  Now in its fifth year at the New England Home Shows, the Craft Pavilion is an amazing aisle of handcrafted products made by talented artists and artisans from the northeast. Their creations include furniture, jewelry, pottery blown glass, stained glass. clothing, photography, paintings, sculpture, metal, crafts form other media, and specialty foods. The artists and artisans are the actual makers of their goods and they are in their booths selling directly to the public. So, while at the Show, take the time to meet the artists, view their works, and support locally made handmade products.

Agent Snapshot

 

 

Agent Snapshot: Ed Hughes, Realtor, Andrew Mitchell & Company, Natick

by James McClister March 16, 2015

Ed Hughes is a Realtor with Andrew Mitchell & Company working in Natick.

What was your first job in the realty industry? After working in senior management for 25 years in several high tech/start ups, I decided to get into real estate. My first job in real estate was as a Realtor with Dewolfe Realty. Within a year, Dewolfe was bought out by Coldwell Banker Residential Realty. This was particularly disturbing to me because all of the high tech companies I had worked for were ultimately bought out by a larger company.

Where did you grow up? Natick, Mass.

Growing up, what did you want to be? My father was a sales vice president, so I always thought I would become some kind of business person.

What do you do to relax when you’re stressed? I do yoga and meditate. Although I was brought up Catholic, I enjoy the teachings of the Buddha.

If you could have lunch with a well-known figure (living or not), who would it be and why? I would love to have lunch with Jackie O. She had such a fascinating life, I would love to quiz her about all the people she knew and what she thought about them.

Where is your favorite place to hang out? My home.

What do you love most about the industry? It’s all about the people. I love meeting new people, listening to them and then developing a plan to meet their objectives, whether they are buyers or sellers. Then after a successful transaction, having them call me years later to help them with their next move!

How do you distinguish yourself from the crowd of agents? I find that many Realtors, even those with many years of experience, don’t understand business. They do what they have always done, treat every buyer and seller the same. I see each buyer and seller as individuals with individual needs. I tailor my service to the client’s needs…not the needs of previous clients or my own biases.

What is the most difficult aspect of your job? The three most important things in real estate are location, location, location. I think the three most difficult aspects of real estate are negotiation, negotiation, negotiation! Having both the buyer and seller (no matter who I am representing) complete a transaction and both parties feeling it was a win-win, fair deal. It isn’t an easy task. There is the first negotiation at the offer stage and then in many cases another negotiation after the inspection. Being able to negotiate a deal that is satisfactory to all parties can be difficult and is one of my major objectives.

Where do you go to network and meet new clients? I’m not great at networking through business associations. The way I prefer to network is through previous clients and with people I meet through the course of a normal day. I was having dinner at the bar of a local inn and struck up a conversation with the woman sitting next to me. To make a long story somewhat shorter, she had a child, was in a relationship with a man who also had a child. They both had homes and were wanting to live together. Neither of their homes were “right” for how they wanted to blend their families. Over the course of five years my meeting this woman resulted in seven transactions…and there will be more.

What has been your greatest accomplishment? I feel like there have been many. While I answered “negotiations” as being the most difficult aspect of being a Realtor, I feel my greatest accomplishments have been in my ability to keep deals together. Buying and selling property is so filled with emotion, it is critical for Realtors to maintain perspective. If a deal doesn’t make sense, I will be the first to make sure it doesn’t happen. But if I am working on a deal that does make sense but emotions have taken over, I do everything I can to help the buyers and sellers see this.

What was the last good movie you saw or book you read? “A Course in Miracles” by Dr. Helen Schucman.

What is your favorite restaurant? Tomasso’s Trattoria. It is a fantastic Italian restaurant in Southboro Mass. with “creative,” local, seasonal offerings with just about perfect wine pairings; some feel it’s “expensive,” but when factoring in portions that can be “shared,” the bright, trattoria-inspired atmosphere and knowledgeable staff, most find it well worth the price. This comment from a Zagat review.

What kind of car do you drive? Scion FR-S. It is a two seater sports car. After years of driving sedans and SUVs, I finally decided to get a car I enjoyed driving. The day of needing a big car to drive clients around is gone. I meet listing clients at their homes and typically buyer clients have children and prefer to meet at the home we are viewing.

Smartphone or paper? Smartphone.

What is your favorite city after Boston? San Francisco.

In 10 words or less, what is your advice for someone new to the industry? Develop a business plan that is Internet focused.

What’s your favorite real estate iPhone/Android app? My own.

Who are your favorite people to follow on Twitter? Depak Chopra, HGTV.

- See more at: http://bostonagentmagazine.com/agent-snapshot-ed-hughes-realtor-andrew-mitchell-company-natick/#sthash.MyPnDznA.dpuf

Travel & Taste of Newfoundland

Title:	Travel & Taste Newfoundland: Fins, Feathers and Fossils
Date:	3/26/2015 (Thursday)
Address:	280 Eliot St.
Location:	Natick, MA
Hours:	Dinner at 6:30 pm, Lecture at 7:30 pm.
Cost/Cover:	Dinner/Lecture: $26M;$32NM/Lecture only: $12M; $15NM (7:30 start)
Web Page:	http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/program-catalog#prog ...
Discounts:	http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/program-catalog#prog ...
Contact Info:	508-655-2296

Details:

Over a 5 week adventure in Newfoundland, from cute Atlantic puffins, terns, gulls and Leach’s storm petrels to the cliff nesting Northern gannets and only breeding colony of manx shearwaters in all of North America, Ed and Janet discovered Newfoundland was for the birds! On land, one can “travel back in time” from Viking settlements and beyond to evidence of continental collisions and Cambrian layers on “The Rock.” Here you can see folded rocks from continents colliding and million year old fossil layers. Newfoundland is only one of two places in the world you can see trombolites, the critically endangered flower-shaped mounds formed from algae & bacteria, the only known forms of life from 3.5 billion to 650 million years ago. Never more than 50 miles from the ocean, one can see much from shore including humpback whales and the largest animal in the world, the blue whale, while below the surface are slowly recovering populations of salmon and cod. Join us as we explore the nature of this ancient land. Location-themed buffet dinner and lecture or lecture only. Pre-registration required for dinner by 6pm Tuesday, March 24. Online registration available. Instructions and Directions: Location-themed buffet dinner and lecture: Dinner at 6:30 pm, Lecture at 7:30 pm.  Please let us know at the time of registration if there are any dietary restrictions.