Four Columns Realty Blog

Four Columns Realty #1 Office in North Quabbin Region Last Year

Four Columns Realty was the #1 real estate office in the North Quabbin Region in 2010, according to the MLS Property Information Network, based on the office's dollar volume of real estate sales in the region.

In today's market, real estate agents work hard for their clients. Deb and I congratulate our hardworking agents: Liza Hurlburt, Rachelle Knight, Paul Riendeau, Bill Rogers and Richard Sheridan.

Offices are rated on the total dollar volume in 2010 of real estate sales by office in the 9 towns of the North Quabbin Region of Massachusetts (Athol, Orange, Erving, New Salem, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, Warwick and Wendell), based on information provided to and compiled by MLS Property Information Network, Inc., covering the period from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010.

3 Reasons to Use Four Columns Realty for Better Real Estate Searches

Would you like to see more information about the properties you're interested in?

Now you can. The North Quabbin Region's Best Real Estate Search (TM) just got better.

Four Columns Realty has added over 35 new pieces of information to each single-family home listing on FourColumnsRealty.com. Each listing for land, multi-family homes, condos, mobile homes, commercial property and industrial property also shows added information. And Four Columns Realty now gives you information about sold properties, too.

Here's what you get:

1. More Information. Days on market. Original list price. Interior and exterior features. Descriptive remarks. You get over twice as much information about a home or other property after you log in.

2. Multiple ways to search. While many people like the easy to use map search, you may prefer to search by town, zip code or address. To do so, click City/County or Address/Zip just below the Active Listings tab. In the City/County search, you can add and remove the towns listed in the right-hand box to target the towns you want.

If you know an MLS number, just insert it into the Listing Number box in the upper right and hit Go.

3. Sold Properties. If you are thinking about a house, wouldn't you like to know how much buyers recently paid for similar houses? Let Four Columns Realty tell you. After you log in, click the Sold Properties tab and use any of the multiple ways to search. For each sold listing, you can find out the sale price, original list price, days on market and more.

How to Get It All

To gain free unlimited access to all this information, log in. If you have not yet set up your account, it only takes a couple of easy minutes. Just enter a valid email address and create your password. Click to submit and follow validation instructions. Don't fret, we will not spam you or disclose your email address to others who might spam you.

After you log in, whenever you search for real estate in Orange, Athol, the North Quabbin Region or anywhere in Massachusetts, you can count on Four Columns Realty to show you more information.

Armed with all this information, you will be ready to make your choice. But how can you tell if you're making the right choice? Simple. Call or email a Four Columns Realty agent. We know the community. We know the real estate market. And we are happy to talk with informed buyers like you.

Homes Are Sensibly-Priced in the North Quabbin Region

People ask how they can find a good home they can afford. It turns out the key is knowing where they look.

A recent Four Columns Realty study shows that homes in the North Quabbin Region are more affordable than homes in nearby areas.

I wrote about this in today's Athol Daily News Spring Real Estate Guide:

Look east, west, north or south from Athol and Orange. Home prices are higher in every direction. A recent Four Columns Realty study of single-family home prices over the past 12 months found that the North Quabbin Region is a pocket of opportunity for sensibly-priced real estate.

This pocket of opportunity is a mixed blessing. Athol-Orange area sellers find that their house sells for less than the price it might sell for in other parts of the state.  As investors say, you make your money when you buy.

There is some good news for local sellers. Since the previous Four Columns Realty study last summer, average sale prices in the North Quabbin Region have moved up a bit. Still, by comparison, homes in our area remain a bargain.

The bottom line: Buyers searching for sensibly-priced homes should search in the North Quabbin Region.

Get the facts in the latest Four Columns Realty study.

Read the March 30, 2010 Athol Daily News article.

Lean about the Buy North Quabbin Now program.

Search for homes in the North Quabbin Region.

Sheridan Re-Elected Orange Selectman

Richard Sheridan, incumbent Selectman and Four Columns Realty agent, has been elected to another 3-year term as Selectman in the Town of Orange.

In the March 1 election, Sheridan received more votes than the combined total of the second and third place finishers. Apparently the voters of Orange, Massachusetts still appreciate Dick's common sense approach to local government.

Congratulations, Dick.

Let's also applaud Chelsea Autio, who ran a spirited campaign and finished second in her first try for the Selectboard. I hope Chelsea stays active in Orange. The town needs the enthusiasm of young people like Chelsea.

Congress Enlarges Homebuyers' Window of Opportunity

 

This week, the extended and expanded Homebuyer Tax Credit streaked through both houses of Congress like a greased pig. The President is expected to sign the bill into law on Friday. Update 11/6/09: The President signed the bill as expected.

The bill enlarges the window of opportunity for first time homebuyers to take advantage of the $8,000 income tax credit when they buy a home. The November 30th closing deadline is history. To claim the tax credit, eligible homebuyers will now have until April 30, 2010 to enter into a binding contract and until July 1, 2010 to close on their transaction.

In another big change, the bill broadens the tax credit beyond first time homebuyers. Certain existing homeowners who buy a home to move to will now be eligible for a $6.500 income tax credit. The same time limits apply.

Here's a chart (pdf) showing the key changes in the law. For more information on how homebuyers in Orange, Athol and the North Quabbin Region can take advantage of this program, contact your Four Columns Realty agent.

News from Four Columns Realty

Time to get blogging again. Much has happened.

You may be interested to know that Four Columns Realty ranked #1 in Orange for the first half of 2009, just as we did in calendar year 2008.

Thanks to our loyal friends and clients, Four Columns Realty sold more Orange MA real estate than any other real estate office, based on information provided to and compiled by the MLS Property Information Network, Inc., covering the period from January 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009.

Here's something else that might interest you. Four Columns Realty has launched a mobile real estate search app.

Our new app lets you to search for property from an iPhone, Blackberry or just about any other smartphone. If you want instant info about a home you're standing in front of, just bring up our app. Install it today!

We're working on new ways to meet your needs. The new Four Columns Realty Twitter feed on our home page gives you our latest updates, plus another way to communicate with us. Follow us on Twitter now.

Finally, we have some interesting market research on how real estate prices in Orange and the North Quabbin Region compare with prices in nearby areas. I'll be blogging and twittering about that soon.

Office Open House Saturday

Four Columns Realty Open House

Saturday, May 2, 2009

11 AM - 2 PM

Stop in... Say Hello... Join the Discussions

11 AM
 For Sale by Owner? Learn Insider Tips

12 PM
 Ins and Outs of Buying Bank-owned Property

1 PM
 First Time Homebuyer Credit: How You Can Qualify

Find out more...

Paul Riendeau Ranks #1 in Real Estate Sales

Paul Riendeau of Four Columns Realty in Orange ranked #1 in 2008 for real estate sales in the nine-town North Quabbin Region, topping a list of local agents released last week.

Among active real estate agents, Riendeau sold the most North Quabbin Region property and was involved in the most North Quabbin Region transactions during 2008, based on information provided to and compiled by the MLS Property Information Network, Inc., covering the period from January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008 for the Massachusetts towns of Orange, Athol, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, Warwick, Wendell, New Salem and Erving.

Read the full announcement...