Real Estate & More!

Open House in North Brookline on Wednesday

Susanna Stiefel — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 03:20:00 GMT

North Brookline, Brookline - Broker Open House 43 Crowninshield on March 7 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Accompanied Buyers welcome!

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Early Morning Open House

Susanna Stiefel — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 03:20:00 GMT

It's the early bird who catches the worm and it's the early buyer who'll come by the Open House to see this potenial-full home in need of rejuvanation!

Tuesday March 6th 8:45-10:15 AM. Buyers welcome. Agents - feel free to send your clients.

Wednesday March 7th 11:00 AM-12:30 PM Brokers' Open House. Accompanied Buyers welcome.

Open House in North Brookline on Tuesday

Susanna Stiefel — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 03:19:00 GMT

North Brookline, Brookline - Public Open House at 43 Crowninshield on March 6 from 8:45 AM to 10:15 AM. Great Street, Great House with details from yesteryear - needs rejuvination!

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Open House Jan. 30th 2-3:30 10 Vernon #304

Susanna Stiefel — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:23:00 GMT

Don't Miss this stylish open layout 1 BR that offers the best of Coolidge Corner. Stunning Kitchen is the hub of the Great Room for entertaining inside or out on your private 34' terrace. High ceilings and crown moldings add elegance to throughly modern construction that adds safety, sleekness and convenience. Separate heat, a/c, hot water & laundry lets you be in control of your life! Garage parking, security & professional management. Coolidge Corner at your doorstep!

Open House in Coolidge Corner on Sunday

Susanna Stiefel — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 17:38:00 GMT

Coolidge Corner, Brookline - We invite everyone to visit our open house at 301-75 Winchester Street on December 5 from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM.

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Open House now showing the Lap of Luxury in Coolidge Corner

Susanna Stiefel — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 17:38:00 GMT

Comments: In the Lap of Coolidge Corner Luxury! Elegant and spacious 2 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath condo. Your guests will be impressed from the moment they walk into the welcoming entry Foyer that sets the stage for the fireplaced Living room. Beautiful moldings and columns will catch their eyes. Dining area tucked into bay windows off the granite and maple kitchen keeps the cook in the action. Private balcony, extra storage, 2 garage spaces & more.

Close before the New Year to get the Homeowner's exemption.

Sunday December 5th 11:30-1:00 75 Winchester Street # 301 Brookline, MA 02446 off Beacon Street two blocks west of Harvard Street.

Want to Have it All?

Susanna Stiefel — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 21:11:00 GMT

If you want a 2 BR, 2.5 Bath condo with all the goodies like a gas fireplace for cozy chats, a fully equipped granite/maple kitchen that keeps you in the action, a private balcony for evening drinks, two separate garage parking spaces so you never get wet or have to dig out your car, a steam shower and Jacuzzi to wash away the stresses of the day all wrapped up in shiny hardwood floors, high ceilings and classic detailing, in the heart of Coolidge Corner, Brookline then get yourself to the Open House on Sunday November 14th from 1-2:30 and come see for yourself how it can be yours.

Open House in Coolidge Corner on Sunday

Susanna Stiefel — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 21:10:00 GMT

Coolidge Corner, Brookline - We invite everyone to visit our open house at 301-75 Winchester Street on November 14 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM.

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Gleaming floors are just the start

Susanna Stiefel — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 03:21:00 GMT

The hardwood floors have been refinished and are gleaming in the sunlight! Come see this generous sized 2 BR 2.5 BATH condo that let's you downsize in style. Built in 2004, it boasts an efficient and open Kitchen you'll be proud to display. Stay warm and dry no matter the weather when you pull directly into one of your the 2 garage spaces. Then let the elevator whisk you upstairs. Or go for a stroll through the heartbeat of Coolidge Corner! Open House on Sunday October 31, 2010 from 12:30 -2:00.

Tree-top Retreat

Susanna Stiefel — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:03:00 GMT

No appointment, no hassle. Just stop by between 11:30 and 12:30 on Sunday July 18th and check out this sunny condo before you head to the beach.

You'll be planning the parties you can host in the extra-large LR/ DR or dreaming of relaxing to the smooth whirr of the ceiling fans in the Bedrooms.

The Kitchen needs a bit of a pick-me-up but boasts a big window and gas-cooking. Transform the white walls with just a bit of color into a stylish abode. The association has a high owner occupancy rate which means they care about the way the lobby looks and lenders will be more willing to give you a mortgage.

When you come home tired at the end of the day, step into the elevator, and let the burdens fall as you are taken up to your home.

Agents, please feel free to send your clients.

Open House in Brighton on Sunday

Susanna Stiefel — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:02:00 GMT

Brighton, Boston - We invite everyone to visit our open house at 51-1662 Commonwealth Ave on July 18 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM.

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Open House 75 Winchester Street Brookline Sunday July 11th 11:30-1:00

Susanna Stiefel — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 20:27:00 GMT

This elegant 1700 sf condo in a small association boasts the features of the bigger buildings: elevator, professional management, roof deck and garage parking. In-unit laundry, master bath with steam shower, gas fireplace and private balcony on the quiet side of the building. This could be your new home if you absolutely must have 2 garage parking spaces, love to whip up a dinner for 8, can't decide if you want a steam shower or a Jacuzzi ( you get both) and want to be in the heart of Coolidge...(read more)

Recommendation

Susanna Stiefel — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:36:00 GMT

I like to think I do a good job. My clients think so too. I received this note on May 18, 2010:

Memo from Harold Wasserman, MD
Dear Susanna,
I want to thank you for making a difficult situation as painless as possible. You were beyond professional, you were thoughtful, tenacious and a mensch. You were always there and never let us down. We will wholeheartedly recommend you for any real estate business that we can.
Harold

Extended Tax Credit

Susanna Stiefel — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:32:00 GMT

Congress has extended the $8,000.00 tax credit for first-time home buyers and the $6,500.00 tax credit for repeat buyers, but before you get your hopes up, this extension is only for those who had a property under contract by April 30, 2010.

Originally, buyers had to have a contract in place by April 30th and close by June 30th. But even though everyone knew the rules, all the bankers and all the mortgage lenders couldn't get all the financing in place to close by the deadline. The closing date has ben extended to September 30th.

In addition, some of the properties simply were not ready to close - homes under construction that were not finished being built. Short sales - where the mortgage holders agree to take less than the full mortgage amount owed without having to foreclose, are also notorious for their dragged-out processing.

According estimates by the National Association of Realtors®, up to 180,000 buyers would have been cut off if the closing deadline were not extended, including more than 3,900 here in MA.

So let's give a cheer that Congress acted with good sense and timing to smooth the way for many happy buyers and of course, the sellers as well!

How to Use an Open House

Susanna Stiefel — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:33:00 GMT

So, what's an Open house for, anyway?

For a buyer, an Open House is a quick, no-strings-attached way to see if a place might fit your needs and wants. Just remember, it's much easier to know if a place is completely wrong for you from a quick look, than to know if it's just right! So,eliminate the places that are missing a crucial NEED them right away. Flush them out of your mind so they don't take up your valuable attention and move on to the next place. Just jot down somewhere that you've seen the home and eliminated it, or it will keep catching your attention.

But for the places that may, possibly, but you can't be sure yet, work to house you and your family and possessions, and try to set up an appointment to view it in a more leisurely mode.

I'm making it easy for you to check out 75 Winchester Street # 301, in Brookline.Come by for a quick look late Sunday afternoon between 3-4 and then come back for a serious look with significant and supportive others Monday evening between 5-7.

Of course, if you love it on Sunday and know it's just perfect... I'll be happy to present your offer right away!

Broker Open House 75 Winchester Street Brookline Wed June 23rd 11:30-1:00

Susanna Stiefel — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:29:00 GMT

I'll be serving my very own refreshing gazpacho made with fresh ingredients and herbs I grow on my porch to the Agents and Buyers who come to see this like-new Extra large 2 BR condo. Grand entry foyer sets the stage for wonderful entertaining space with great flow from the fireplaced LR to the private balcony to the cook's kitchen and back again. Kitchen boasts the best of both with gas cooking for quick action on the stove top and steady electric for the double ovens. Each BR has a private bath - one with steam shower the other with a Jacuzzi. In-unit laundry of course and two garage parking spaces!

Mortgages: Now & Then

Susanna Stiefel — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:43:00 GMT

Way back when I started out as a real estate agent in 1985, we didn't have cell phones, we didn't have faxes, and when you wrote out an offer you really wouldn't know for several weeks if the buyer would be approved for a mortgage or not. I did the "pre-qualifying" by asking the buyer for his/ her income and plugging in the current interest rate, loan amount and number of payments on my HP calculator and solving for the monthly payment. If that plus the taxes and insurance on the property (and condo fees if the property was a condo) amounted to less than 30% of the borrower's gross income, we were good. I explained to buyers that the lenders would take a risk on the buyer or the property, but not both at the same time. If the buyer had good income, a low debt level, and a downpayment of 20% or more, then the lenders were less concerned about the property. But if the buyer had less than 20% for a downpayment, and high debt levels, then he/she had to pay extra for PMI (private mortgage insurance) and the condo had better have a very high owner occupancy and adequete reserves.

All that changed along the way. Someone got the bright idea to pre-approve the buyers and gave them certificates that stated how much of a mortgage they were good for, long before they found a property. With a rise in concern for buyer financial privacy, since almost all agents were working for the sellers at that time, anything an agent found out about a buyer's financial situation, was required to be reported to the seller, "pre-approvals" from a professional in the lending business, kept the agent and the seller out of the buyer's finances. Trouble was, there were pre-approvals and pre-approvals. Some weren't worth the paper they were written on.