Time again for my twice-monthly Pinnacle Report covering the Weston, MA real estate market.  And since I wrote this report while in Martha’s Vineyard for the Memorial Day weekend, I thought I would share some Vineyard humor with you (and if your dog has ever been skunked, especially in Martha’s Vineyard as mine was, you will completely relate to this) as well as some beautiful Vineyard Haven window boxes.  Enjoy….

And now, to the Weston real estate market…. Another two weeks of solid market activity in Weston – 8 single family homes came on the market, and 10 sold.* For the first time since early February, the number of solds* has outpaced the number of new listings. And once again the activity is taking place at a variety of price points. All good, healthy market news. Our inventory (101) has dropped since my last report (106) and is much less than where it was this time last year (123). We hope that the positive activity, which we have experienced this Spring, continues despite the fact that Memorial Day traditionally marks the unofficial start of summer.

To get the details on the market stats, please click Weston-Pinnacle-Report-5-14-2012-5-27-2012. And for more information about the real estate market in Weston, Wellesley, Wayland and the surrounding towns or if you are considering selling your home, please contact me, Lisa Curlett (781-267-2844 or www.homesalesbylisa.com), to answer any questions or for a complimentary home appraisal.

* Sold means pending/under agreement and not yet closed.

This was posted earlier today on Facebook by Sue Brady Hartigan, and it’s awesome so I wanted to share it with you! Happy Memorial Day to all, and thanks to those who have fought and sacrificed in the name of our country….

I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him. ~Abraham Lincoln

I would love to take credit for this next post, but alas, it was written by Elaine Bannigan, the owner and founder of Pinnacle Residential Properties in Wellesley, MA, which is also my place of employment. Elaine, who has been selling homes in Weston, Wellesley and the surrounding towns for over 30 years, wrote this for those who have lived in their houses for many years and are contemplating their next step in life. I thought it was quite pertinent, informative, well-written and poignant, and so I wanted to share it with you…..

One of the most difficult decisions you often have to make in life is to sell your home. This means, among other things, leaving the house where you’ve raised your family, entertained your friends, decorated with your own personal style, created your garden and established neighborhood relationships. (Buyers note that these are the reasons that selling a home is often much more emotional than buying one.) While many are content to remain in their homes throughout their retirement years, sometimes the appeal of streamlining and living a simpler life motivates us to sell. Here are some questions and thoughts to consider when determining the best strategy to follow:

• Is the upkeep of your home becoming too challenging?
• When it comes to the costly endeavors of painting, reroofing, general maintenance, etc., is it often difficult to find qualified people to do the work as well?
• Is the size of the house manageable?
• Are the taxes, utilities, maintenance on the space you no longer use wasteful of your resources?
• Are there too many stairs?
• Could cashing in on the substantial equity you’ve built provide a good deal of security?
• Have your friends moved and neighbors changed? Sometimes remaining in your home after your neighbors have changed (e.g., your area has a new influx of young families) gives you less opportunity for socialization than before.

Moving can be a complex and difficult decision to make.  It is almost always stressful, and the older we get, sometimes the more difficult change can be. You may want to consult with family, friends or other advisors for help with this decision. And if you would like a complimentary market analysis of the value of your property in Weston, Wellesley or the surrounding towns so that you can make a more informed decision from a financial perspective, please contact Lisa Curlett (781-267-2844 or www.homesalesbylisa.com) and Elaine Bannigan as we would like to help as you weigh your options about selling your home. And we would also love to answer any other questions you may have…..

I am so excited to be featuring a Q&A session on the subject of simplifying spaces with my friend, client and colleague, Tracy Mayo. A resident of Wellesley, MA, Tracy has created her new company, Simplified Spaces, based on her passion to help people “create living spaces that are comfortable, organized and functional.” She has been doing these tasks informally for years and has now decided to start a business based on her talents, passion, creativity, thoughtful ideas and more….. So without further ado, here are some “Questions” from me and “Answers” from Tracy about her fabulous new business:

What or whom inspired you to start Simplified Spaces?

Launching this business has evolved over the past 8 years. It started when my kids became toddlers and our house became exponentially more chaotic. No one task was difficult, but they weren’t linked together in any linear fashion so I was constantly feeling overwhelmed. I started designing systems to keep my family organized and moving forward. Those tasks evolved into designing spaces and closets for new homes, which then expanded into helping friends and family solve their organizational dilemmas. So, in reality, Simplified Spaces has been in existence for quite some time, but took on its “official” moniker this past spring.

Who are your primary clients?  And what kind of services do you provide for them?

My primary clients are stay-at-home moms and busy professionals, who are always long on what needs to get done and short on time. I also work with teenagers (and their parents), who are looking for assistance in transitioning their spaces during the “tween” to teen time and then again from high school to college. All of my clients are people who want to get organized and streamline an aspect of their home, life or office. I recognize that this process can look different for each person. For that reason, my services range from basic de-cluttering of a space, to designing and implementing filing systems, editing closet spaces, re-purposing rooms or areas that need to fill a new role, packing up homes and staging homes to sell.

What do you hope to achieve for your clients?

Of course I want my clients to enjoy their houses and work spaces because they are organized and functional, but even more I want them to experience the peace of mind that comes with having that more functional space. (See the “Before” and “After” photos here.) When systems run smoothly, we have a strong sense of control, increased confidence, higher productivity and far less stress. All of these positives translate to more time and energy to do the things we really love.

What kinds of business advice would you offer to buyers?  And to sellers?

To buyers AND sellers, I would say a move is a perfect time to get organized. Why expend the time, energy and money moving things you don’t need? See your move as a clean slate and use the opportunity to streamline areas that have been bothering you.

And to all the sellers out there, studies have shown that de-cluttering your house before putting it on the market is one of the most savvy and cost-effective ways to help your house sell faster and at a better price.

Given all that you do in your business, is there one piece of advice you give to all clients no matter what the task at hand?

My advice to all my clients is “chunk it down.” If something is overwhelming to you or you don’t know where to start, break it down in to smaller parts. When tasks seem too big or complicated we go to great lengths to avoid doing them. But, unfortunately, we don’t stop feeling guilty that we need to get them done. So, start with something small like cleaning out one drawer or committing 10 minutes per day to one area. You will be surprised how quickly those small tasks and time commitments add up to something bigger!

How much do you charge, and what is the process?

First and foremost, through July 1, I would like to offer a free assessment and a credit towards one hour of my services for those who mention this blog when contacting me. But generally, when taking on a new client, the first step is an on-site assessment of the area that needs work. This initial assessment is charged at my hourly rate of $65 but is credited toward the client’s account if he or she commits to using my services to complete the project(s). Based on the assessment, I compile a detailed proposal that maps out the time and supplies needed to complete the work. From there we schedule a series of 2-3 hour appointments. I only charge my clients for time spent working with them on-site and for the supplies used; I do not charge additional fees for shopping time and off-site work that is sometimes done to maximize the appointments.

What is your favorite room in the house and why?

Hands down, my favorite room in the house is my living room. I call it the “mom cave” because I decorated it to my liking in bright, fun colors that always lifts my spirits, even on a rainy day. In addition, it does not house a TV or toys and there is a strict “no food” policy (my cup of coffee being the exception) so it never gets cluttered or taken over by my little people.

Thanks so much, Tracy (pictured here), for sharing your thoughts, ideas and perspectives about simplifying spaces. To contact Tracy and Simplified Spaces, please call her at 617-877-7239 or email her at simplifiedspaces@me.com. And don’t forget Tracy’s generous offer through July 1, 2012 that if you mention this blog when you contact her, she will give you a free assessment and a credit toward one hour of her services….. So use this opportunity to have some fun simplifying spaces, de-cluttering, getting organized and much more!

And for additional information about the real estate market in Weston, Wellesley, Wayland and the surrounding towns or if you are considering selling your home, please contact me, Lisa Curlett Williams (781-267-2844 or www.homesalesbylisa.com), to answer any questions or for a complimentary home appraisal.

This is a question I ask myself frequently…. My house in Weston, MA was built in 1972, and the bedrooms all have popcorn ceilings, defined by Wikipedia as “a spray-on or paint-on ceiling treatment used from the late 1950s into the 1980s in residential construction. Cheaper than painting, it could be quickly and easily sprayed on in new construction….”  It is “also known as an acoustic ceiling…as it was the standard for bedroom and residential hallways ceilings for its noise reduction qualities.”

When we bought this house 10 years ago, there were popcorn ceilings in all of the bedrooms on the second floor and the family room on the first floor. Since that time, I renovated the family room and therefore resurfaced the ceiling in that room, but the popcorn ceilings still exist in the four bedrooms. Hmmm – what to do?  When I asked my painter about re-surfacing the ceilings, he said it was expensive and a big mess. He also added that the “popcorn” on my ceilings was not really so bad (see photo of the ceiling with the pink walls). And he’s right – the ceilings aren’t so swirly. That being said, I have several friends who have redone the popcorn ceilings in their homes. In fact, they had such a distaste for them that they removed the popcorn before moving in.

From a re-sale perspective, popcorn ceilings aren’t usually the deciding factor about whether buyers purchase a home or not. At least I have never experienced that kind of response from buyers when I have showed them homes with swirly ceilings. They generally consider this aesthetic fix an easy one and one that is not super costly, especially vis-a-vis kitchen or bathroom renovations.

The truth is I am on the fence about this. When it comes right down to it, I would rather spend the money needed to fix the ceilings elsewhere – on a new vanity, appliance or piece of furniture for example. What are your thoughts? If you were about to repaint your bedrooms with popcorn ceilings, would you use that opportunity to resurface the ceilings or keep them as is? I can’t wait to hear….

For more information about the real estate market in Weston, Wellesley, Wayland and the surrounding towns or if you are considering selling your home, please contact me, Lisa Curlett Williams (781-267-2844 or www.homesalesbylisa.com), to answer any questions or for a complimentary home appraisal.