stone’s throw from Bayview Beach this property offers an abundance of possibilities. With over 3,500 sq. feet you could continue to use it as the current owners do as an income producing vacation rental or convert it to a single family home or live in one side and rent the other! There are gleaming hardwood floors throughout. The home offers two kitchens, both of which offer granite counter tops. One side of this multi-family home offers a private master with office/sitting area on the second floor with a full bath. Enjoy watching your favorite team or program from the entertainment room with a gas fireplace. The three exterior decks are the perfect places to take in the Cape Cod air and enjoy the sea breezes off of the Bay! This home boasts a strong rental history and the furnishings are negotiable. Enjoy all that Dennis Village has to offer including Golf, shops, restaurants and Mayflower Beach all within minutes from the home! Call Foran Realty today for more information about this water view multi-family home listed at only $1,350,000! ]]>
Moving Can Be Stressful
60 Days Before You Move
- Sort and Purge-Go through every room, decide what needs to come with you and what can go. Make piles of things to throw away and things to donate.
- Plan a Yard Sale-Start planning a yard sale to reduce the amount of stuff you need to move. Some extra money for the move will also come in handy.
- Hire a Mover-Contact at least three moving companies. On-site estimates are better than over the phone or internet estimates. Get each estimate in writing, and make sure it has a USDOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) number on it.
- Create a Moving Binder-Store all of your move-related paperwork (checklists, contracts, receipts) in a binder. You may also want to inventory all of your items with photos or lists.
- Get Packing Supplies-Determine how many packing supplies you’ll need and designate a room where you can begin to store and organize.
- Take Measurements-If possible get room dimensions of your new home. Make sure large pieces of furniture will fit. Don’t forget to take measurements for appliances too.
- Confirm with Mover-Check with your mover the details of your move.
- Start Packing-Begin packing out-of-season clothes and unnecessary items.
- Label-Make sure to label boxes with what rooms the boxes will go in at your new home.
- Start/Stop Utilities-Make arrangements to connect and disconnect your cable, internet and utilities.
- Change your Address- Contact or visit your local Post Office to obtain a Change of Address form. You can also obtain this form online at http://www.usps.com.
- Make Notifications- Change your address to the following: registry of motor vehicles, banks, schools, friends & family, insurance companies, doctors and specialists, cell phone providers, credit card companies and magazine and newspapers.
- Contact Service Providers—Notify landscapers, cleaning services that you are moving, and look for new ones in your new hometown.
- Call Locksmith- Have your new home’s locks changed on moving day or before.
- Arrange Services- Have a cleaning company prepare the new home before you arrive and tidy the old home after you leave. Arrange for carpet cleaning too.
- Pack the bulk of your items.
- Start Cleaning-Begin cleaning any rooms in your house that have been emptied, such as closets, basements or attics.
- Pack Suitcases- Finish your general packing a few days before your moving date. Pack suitcases for everyone in the family with enough clothes to wear for a few days.
- Gather Keys- Organize all keys, alarm codes and garage door openers so that you can be prepared to hand them over to the new owner or real estate agent.
- Defrost the Freezer- Empty, clean and defrost the freezer at least 24 hours before moving day.
- Make Payment Plans- You will need to make sure you have made arrangements to pay the mover and have a tip (usually 10%-15%).
- List Contact Info- Write out a list for your movers of things they’ll need: phone numbers, exact moving address and maps.
- Take Inventory- Before the movers leave, sign the bill of lading/inventory list and keep a copy.
- Walk-Through- Do a walk-through of your new home with your real estate agent.
- Layout New Home- Tape names to doors to assist movers in placing furniture and boxes.
- Have Director- Arrange for someone to direct the movers at your new home.
Bay View Rental Still Has Availability!!
This Bay view rental in Dennis has breath taking views! This 3 bedroom 3 bath home is located on Cape Cod Bay. The beautiful private sandy beach is perfect for relaxing on those warm summer days and going for a swim. The home is only a short walk to the Surf Side Grill on Corporation Beach. Enjoy magnificent sunsets right from your deck. It is only a short drive to golf, fishing and a wide selection of restaurants. Amenities include WiFi and a window a/c unit, not that you will need it with the refreshing summer sea breezes off of Cape Cod Bay! Additional amenities include: Outdoor Shower,Ceiling Fans, house phone, patio, deck furniture, dishwasher, microwave, lobster pot, blender, food processor, window a/c unit, coffee maker, vcr, dvd player, cable tv, iron, ironing board, vacuum, washing machine and dryer, a gas grill and other fans. If you are still looking for your Cape Cod Summer Vacation Getaway this home is for you! Call Foran Realty today for availability or visit the website at www.rentcapecodproperties.com and look for property PMA83. We look forward to helping you plan your Cape Cod Summer Vacation at this Bay view home!
Sell Your Home
has changed how a buyer shops for a new home. According the National Association of Realtors and their most recent “Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers” for the past 3 years, 92% of all buyers have used the internet to search for a home. The report also revealed that 95% of those buyers shopping online for a home actually purchased their home through a real estate agent/broker or from a builder of builder’s agent. A minimal 2% actually purchased the home directly from a seller, without knowing them ahead of time. The buyers are searching online for their new homes, but still rely on the agent to find that specific home that fits their needs, negotiate the terms of the sale, negotiate the price and to help guide them through the process. There is so much information now available for a buyer to check out, research and read online, that the buyers are finding that they need to reach out to a real estate professional in order to sort through it all and connect the relevant dots! This is obvious as the percentage of overall buyers who used an agent to buy their home has steadily increased from 69% in 2001 to 95% in 2015. The bottom line is clear….if you want to sell your home, don’t underestimate the role a real estate agent/broker can play in the process. They will be there to help you price the home, show the home, market the home and finally guide the seller through the offer, the purchase and sale and finally the closing. Having an agent/broker by your side has become crucial to the speed and efficiency in which your home can sell. Foran Realty can help! Foran Realty is a local Cape Cod real estate office that employs the latest in technology to help with the sale of your house. Call us today to find out how we can help you get your house sold! ]]>
How NOT to Negotiate a Home Purchase
When you are looking at buying a home there are don’ts you should be aware of. Many times the handling of the negotiation can mean the difference in huge amounts of money. This is why it is vital to have an experienced agent on your side. Here are just a few common pitfalls to avoid. Not doing your homework Doing your homework is important in such a large purchase. Ask your agent for a list of comparable homes recent sale prices. Look to see how long comparable listings have been on the market and what the average sale to list price ratio is. This will give you the information you need when making an offer and negotiating a final sale price. Not understanding the seller Try to look at the deal from the opposite side of the table. A sale is typically emotional for a seller. When making an offer try not to insult the seller, offering a fair and realistic offer to purchase will typically get you further in the negotiations. If you know the seller’s motivations for selling you may also be able to offer terms that might be more attractive like a quick close or inspection. Showing your cards While you want to know as much about the seller as possible divulge as little about yourself in the negotiation as possible. Any knowledge the seller has about your motivation can be used as leverage in the negotiation. Getting your heart set Buying a home can often be an emotional process. Identify several properties you’d be happy with as well. Be careful not to get your heart in the way of your head as it can sometimes hinder the deal. Trying to win In a sale there needs to be two ingredients: a seller who wants to sell and a buyer who wants to buy. Try not to getting caught up in the game. Ultimately it is about buying a home and not winning a negotiation.]]>
What to Ask Before You Add On
If you are thinking of adding an addition to your home there are some things you will wants to be aware of. If you decide to add a new space, ask yourself the following questions: * Can I finance the home improvement with my own cash or will I need a loan? * How much equity is in the property? A fair amount will make it that much easier to get a loan for home improvements. * Is it feasible to expand the current space for an addition? * What is permissible under local zoning and building laws? Despite your deep yearning for a new sunroom or garage, you will need to know if your town or city will allow such improvements. * Should I make the improvement myself or hire a contractor? Many homeowners consider going to job alone to save money. Consider how much time you have, your level of expertise or willingness to handle the job, amount of help from friends or relatives, and how much you want, or need, to save by doing the job yourself. You could save up to 20 percent of the project cost through your own hard work. Be aware, however, that you may need to call in the pros. Going it alone can sometimes lead to spending more time and money. if problems arise. Most home improvement experts suggest that homeowners who do not have a lot of experience should stick to painting, minor landscaping, building interior shelving, and other minor improvements.]]>
Join Our Team!
Join Our Team! Foran Realty is Cape Cod’s Premiere Independently Owned Real Estate Firm. Our firm specializes in Residential and Commercial Sales, Vacation Rentals and Property Management in the Mid and Lower Cape regions. We are currently looking to add select Professionals to our Team, and would love the opportunity to learn more about you! Founded in 2005 by Patrick Foran on the premise of delivering “old fashioned customer service”, combined with today’s modern technology creating the ultimate experience for our customers, our growth has been consistently strong. In 2015, Peter McDowell Associates of Dennis, MA merged with Foran Realty, and in 2016 Dubin Associates of East Dennis also joined forces with Foran Realty. Both McDowell Associates and Dubin Associates have deep roots in the mid-Cape Real Estate community and recognized the value Foran Realty brought to its Clients and both Principals wanted to become part of our exciting future. Patrick works with each agent in the office to help them achieve their individual goals. Our Client centric culture removes competition from our office, and all of our agents work together and help each other succeed in our colloquial work environment. We are currently looking to add a few select professionals to our Team. We are most selective in who we bring onto our Team, as we want to be certain our culture and Client focus remain intact. Unlike other real estate firms (especially the franchises and “box” firms), we do not hire everyone who walks through our door! Our agents must be Client focused, self-starting, tech savvy, able to resolve problems and satisfactorily address challenges, and also be a “people person” who loves his or her career and interacting with people. Foran Realty offers an attractive compensation package, with no hidden fees. Foran Realty also offers a great referral program to select licensed agents who do not want to be involved in day to day business activities, but still want to earn commissions. We offer progressive commission splits, free office space and each agent has access to a computer. We also provide the most up to date professional training and office technology. If you feel your experience, talent and vision match our Culture of Excellence and you are considering a change for self-improvement and desire the opportunity to become an integral part of a locally owned growing firm, please forward a letter of introduction along with your resume to Hiring Manager. All submissions will be held in strict confidence. You can also apply by clicking the link below and watching the video or copy and paste the following into your browser: http://accurecruiter.com/Candidates/Application.aspx?o=10308&j=61&jr=61 Learn a little bit about us, while we learn a little bit about you.
At Foran Realty, we love what we do and our results prove it!]]>Advantages of Owning a Home
Living in an apartment can sometimes be a frustrating experience. Paying rent every month makes you feel like you are throwing money away. Today’s housing market makes it a great time to buy and in some cases you can buy a home for less money than you are paying in rent. Living in an apartment with tenants above or below you in some older apartments can be noisy. Single family homes do not have this problem, as none of the walls in your home will be attached to any other home in your neighborhood. This in turn means that you will have more privacy, and more importantly, there will be less noise coming from your neighbors, no matter what time of the day it is. Another reason why owning your own home is so great is because you will generally have your own yard, allowing you to have outside furniture, gardens and entertain which can be harder to do in an apartment When it comes to shopping for a home, it is important that you do a good amount of research beforehand. While single family homes do have a lot of advantages, you have to make sure to take your time and find that perfect home for you. Some things to think about is location, neighborhood, schools, and being close to amenities like shopping, restaurants or other places that may be important to you. One of the best ways to research for homes is on this website. This website is updated every 15 minutes with new listings, price changes, back on markets and open houses. This will allow you to easily browse through homes for sale until you find the perfect home for your needs. Bottom line is buying a home today can be a great invest down the road and can come with a lot of benefits over renting. Feel free to call if you would like help in buying or selling your real estate.]]>
City's Quality of Life
The State of American Well-Being: 2015 Community Rankings annually weighs each City’s quality of life in five categories– purpose, social, financial, community and physical–to determine the happiest and healthiest places in America.Choose to live in one of the 10 cities for overall well-being! Guess what our very own Town of Barnstable is number five on the list! Soak in the sun on some of the Cape’s best beaches, like Craigville Beach and smell the salt air as the sea breezes sail in through the harbors. Take a scenic drive down Route 6A or visit the Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary. Take in some history and visit the Kennedy Museum and the US Coast Guard Museum. Barnstable is the largest community on Cape Cod and in 2010 had a population of just over 45,000. The Town of Barnstable is made up of several villages including Hyannis, Centerville and Osterville. To the north of Barnstable lie the dunes of Sandy Neck along Barnstable Harbor shines Sandy Neck Light. The central part of the town is dominated by the pines and oaks around Wequaquet Lake. The south is where the bulk of the population lives, many along the beaches of Centerville and Hyannis Harbors. When it comes time to choose where you would like to live full time or part time, wouldn’t you want to live in one of the top 5 cities for overall well-being in the US?! Let the staff at Foran Realty help you find the home of your dreams in one of the happiest and healthiest areas in the country! Here are the top 10 cities for overall well-being:
- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, Florida (Pat Foran’s favorite vacation spot!!!)
- Salinas, California
- North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Florida
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- Town of Barnstable, Massachusetts
- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, California
- Boulder, Colorado
- Charlottesville, Virginia
- Anchorage, Alaska
- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, California
10 Steps to Buying Your Dream Home
- Save your pennies.You’ll need to come up with cash for your down payment and closing costs. Lenders usually like to see a minimum 20% of the home’s price as a down payment. If you can put down more than that, the lender may be willing to approve a larger loan or provide you with a better interest rate. If you have less, there are various private and public agencies — including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Federal Housing Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs that will provide low down payment mortgages through banks and mortgage companies. If you qualify, it’s possible to pay as little as 3% up front. Once you’ve considered the down payment, make sure you’ve got enough to cover fees and closing costs. These may include the appraisal fee, loan fees, attorney’s fees, inspection fees, and the cost of a title search. They can easily add up to $5,000 to $10,000 — and often run to 5% of the mortgage amount.
- Find an agent: Mostsellers will list their homes for sale through an agent. But be aware that those agents work for the seller, not you. You need a buyer’s agent. Get in touch with a Real Estate Agent that you are comfortable with and that can help you find the home that is best for your personal situation. A buyer’s agent has the same access to homes for sale that a seller’s agent does, but their loyalty lays with you not the seller. The agents at Foran Realty are always ready, willing and able to represent you as a buyer’s agent.
- Search for a home. Your first step here is to figure out what city or neighborhood you want to live in. Try also to get an idea about the real estate market in the area. For example, if homes are selling close to or even above the asking price, that indicates a desirable area. Consider house hunting in the off-season or during the colder months of the year. You’ll have less competition and sellers may be more willing to negotiate
- Make an offer. Once you find the house you want, it is time to make your bid. When working with a buyer’s broker, get advice from him or her on an initial offer. Try to line up comparable data on at least three houses that have sold recently in the area. If you really want the house, don’t lowball the offer. The seller may give up in disgust. Remember, that your leverage depends on the pace of the market. In a slow market, you’ve got muscle; in a hot market, you may have none at all. Once you reach an agreed upon price, the seller’s agent will draw up an offer to purchase that includes an estimated closing date (usually 45 to 60 days from acceptance of the offer).
- Enter contract. Have your buyer’s agent review this document to make sure the deal is contingent upon:
- Your obtaining a mortgage
- A home inspection that shows no significant defects
- A guarantee that you may conduct a walk-through inspection.
- Secure a loan.Now call your mortgage broker or lender and submit your formal mortgage application. Be sure to include the information from your preapproval as you want the process to be as streamlined as possible.
- Get an inspection: In addition to the appraisal that the mortgage lender will make of your home, you should hire your own home inspector. An inspection costs about $300, on average, and could cost up to $1,000. Be sure that you ask to be there during the inspection. This will allow you to learn a lot about your house. If the inspector turns up major problems, like a roof that needs to be replaced, then ask your buyer’s agent to discuss it with the seller. You will either want the seller to fix the problem before you move in, or deduct the cost of the repair from the final price. If the seller won’t agree to either remedy you may decide to walk away from the deal, which you can do without penalty as long as you have that contingency written into the contract.
- Close the deal. About a week before the actual closing, you will receive a Closing Statement from your lender that lists all the charges you can expect to pay at closing. Review it carefully as it will detail all of the closing costs you will be required to pay at the closing. It should also detail all expenses that you have already paid including inspections, application fees etc. The actual closing is somewhat anticlimactic, but your buyer’s agent can brief you on the particulars.