Posts made by author 'Badger Peabody & Smith Realty'

I think many first timers are dipping their proverbial toes in the real estate waters simply because of the current (nutso!) interest rates. I can't blame them one bit. Three of my friends have already refinanced and a couple others are getting closer to putting in offers on homes they are interested in. It really is an amazing time to buy real estate. That said, there are a few tips that first timers might take note of that could help keep them on the straight and narrow. Let's dig in.

One tip that we've encouraged folks to take over and over again is getting their finances in order. If you are saddled with some blemishes on your credit report/history, now is the time to get them remedied. Specifically what you are looking for are actual mistakes. Whether someone used your credit card to ring up a bunch of purchases or there...

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As I sit and type this article, the snow is lightly falling outside our condo right next to the slopes of Vail Resort in Colorado. We have some VERY generous friends that let us crash here for a few days this week. It feels very similar to the handful of condos I have visited and/or taken pictures of (for the sellers) in the Loon Mountain area. Dated appliances and cabinets are the main staple throughout. It feels like a throwback to the 80's. The owner's son remodeled both bathrooms so those stand out from the rest of the place. It also sports a heavenly propane fireplace in the middle of the living room.

You quickly realize what's important when it comes to a vacation (ski) home. In reality, having a place to lay your head, make some food, and take a shower are really all that's needed. Of course, walking around Vail vi...

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Looking back, I have lived with around 14 different people in my life. That includes family, friends, girlfriends, and roommates (who became friends). Recently my current roomie and I were having a conversation about the layout of the house (as well as other houses we have lived in) and came up with an interesting conclusion. Bigger is not always better and "open" is not always the best option. Today I'm going to ramble on a bit about the ideas (pros and cons) of the open-concept floor plan. Perhaps it will give you some points to ponder if you're considering knocking down that wall.

In the 80's and before, homes tended to have lots of separation throughout the floor plan. I recall growing up in our standard "cape" home and was always (slightly) annoyed that there was this big "thing" right in the middle of...

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I read this morning that Marty, the Maine Coon cat that lived atop Mt. Washington, passed away. Since a mountain-top feline has been a tradition since the observatory's beginnings in the 1930s, they will find a replacement in the coming months. Mt. Washington is one of my favorite mountains to play. The winter's inclement, nearly prohibitive, weather makes it all the more exciting for folks like me. In the spirit of the home of the world's worst weather, it is time to talk about selling your home in winter. Let's dig in to some of the things you should avoid as well as some solid recommendations to keep those buyers streaming in.

First and foremost, do lots of stretching and get busy with that shovel or snow blower of yours. I trust you are not one of those morons who only clears a small pocket of their windshield befor...

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My friends in Colorado just got a healthy foot of snow (even in town!) so the idea of moving right now is not the least bit attractive. The last couple times I have moved, we have been super fortunate with decent weather and relatively easy access to the house/garage. A couple "moves" ago, we hired a company to do the moving and I can't express enough how magical that whole experience was. Simply filling our car with some "breakables" and waiting for the truck to arrive at the new house was sublime. Let's take a look at some of the things you should keep in mind when planning (or executing) your move.

Since we're currently living in "crazy time", I recommend you check with the building or neighborhood where you are moving to. Some of these HOAs and condo associations have silly (IMHO) rules about which days you can move....

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