Blog Entries in April
Hey, It's Arbor Day!
By Chris Petry Arbor Day has a marketing problem. Think about it. Spirit Halloween begins opening their doors in August. Millions phone in dinner reservations and purchase heart-shaped chocolate boxes for their significant others on Valentine’s Day. Americans from the Atlantic to the Pacific and North to the Arctic Circle will let off fireworks on July 4th to celebrate their independence.
What Should First Time Buyers Know?
By Chris Petry Buying a home can be exciting and terrifying in equal measure. Of course, the only real reason to harbor any fear is because, by virtue of being a first-time buyer, it’s something of an unknown and thus frightening. What if I told you there was no reason to be frightened at all? What if I told you that buying a home was much, much easier than it seems? I know what you&rsquo
House Hunting is Just Like Easter Egg Hunting
By Chris Petry I spent the last couple weekends photographing Spring holiday-related events, both in-office and in public venues, sponsored by Berkshire agents. First, of course, there’s the infamous Easter Bunny photo. You know the one. You take your toddler, already wailing and thrashing about like a fish on the dock, and place them onto the lap of a giant anthropomorphic rabbit’s
Why Should You Use the Services of a REALTOR?
By Chris Petry So, you’ve decided to buy a home. Congrats! Or, no, wait. You’re selling? Ah, yes. Time to upgrade! Or downsize. Regardless of your real estate ambitions, having a well-informed REALTOR at your side is a must. The internet has revolutionized the way we shop, date, and do business. It’s tempting to treat a real estate transaction the same way. Which is t
April Showers Bring May Flowers... or Something
By Chris Petry Well, we’ve officially reached the month of April and you know what that means. Yes, it’s time to don a blue pinstriped suit and umbrella like Gene Kelley in “Singing in the Rain” and wrap yourself around a light post. If 1950s musical references are lost on you, let’s just say we’re in for a lot of rain. Probably. Or, maybe not? Despite the ol
Every Day is Earth Day
By Chris Petry On Monday, millions of conservationists, environmentalists and environmentally-conscious citizens celebrated Earth Day. On Earth Day you may have given extra consideration to you and your home’s carbon footprint. Maybe you finally made good on your promise to buy recycling bins, committed to reducing the amount of plastic waste in our oceans and landfills by buying locally
What's Trending in Landscaping Spring 2024
By Chris Petry You know how it goes. One minute you’re griping about the seemingly-endless rainfall and the next, you’re punching your steering wheel trying desperately to merge into one lane because the DOT thought 5:00 p.m. was the optimal time to fill potholes. Where does the time go? Don’t forget, somewhere between your 4th slice of pizza and your 50th binge watch
Why Spring is the Best Time to Buy & The Best Time to Sell
By Chris Petry Ah… Springtime. It’s a magical time, when the flowers bloom, the days grow both longer and warmer and the birds, bees, leaves and trees all awaken from their frozen slumber. Joining them, typically, is the housing market. After months of bitter cold, and with time to financially recover from the excesses of the holiday season, buyers and sellers alike emerge with a r
The Pests of Summer
by Chris Petry With April showers come… house centipedes? Yuck! It’s an inescapable fact: when the snow and ice melts and temperatures begin to reliably double the freezing point (32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius) bugs will become an unavoidable part of daily life. From warding off fruit flies to avoiding hornet’s nests in the corners of outdoor structures, you&r
Dig This! Gardening Tips Spring 2023
by Chris Petry Confession: I do NOT have a green thumb. I did at one time. Or perhaps it was the kind of pure dumb luck only an 8-year-old could muster that allowed me to grow a 40lb pumpkin one summer. Problem is, I never matched my efforts and I’m willing to bet there are a number of you reading this right now that fall squarely in my camp. Or worse, you scouted out the perfect plac
