We’ve been receiving many different questions regarding buying and selling property. One question came from Joe E. who lives in Greenfield. He wrote “my neighbor and I both listed our homes for sale about the same time. My neighbor’s house went under deposit fairly quickly but my house is hardly getting any showings – why?”

The first thing that comes to mind is the ‘curb appeal’ of your home. How does your property look from the street compared to your neighbor’s? Is your lawn mowed and bushes trimmed? Is the yard free of debris and clutter? Do you have any damaged or cracked windows that need repair? Does the exterior of your home have chipped or peeling paint? Are the steps and front door in good condition?

Remember: you only get one chance to make a good first impression. When potential buyers are driving past your home, they may not want to even bother seeing the inside if the outside has been neglected.

Email info@cohnandcompany.com and we’ll do our best to answer your real estate questions.

The Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley, Inc. has released sales figures for the Pioneer Valley for April 2012.

• Inventory: Rose 1.4% from 2,887 single family listings at the end of April 2011 to 2,928 single family listings at the end of April 2012.
• Supply: At the end of April 2011 there were 11.4 months supply of inventory at the current rate of sale. At the end of April 2012 there were 8.9 months of supply at current rate of sale. The market is considered balanced when there is between 7.5 and 8.5 months of supply.
• Days on market: The average days on market for single-family homes dropped 16.3% from 177 in April 2011 to 148 in April 2012.
• Value – An eight year view: The median price dropped 17.2% from $196,950 in April 2005 to $163,000 in April 2012.
• Previous month comparison: Single family home sales rose 3.4% from 319 in March 2012 to 330 in April 2012. However, median price dropped 6.8% from $175,000 in March 2012 to $163,000 in April 2012.
• Morgage rates: 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.88% for the week ending April 26, 2012.

Taylor Davis Landscape Company (TLC) has been a family-owned business since 1986 serving Amherst and the surrounding areas. Their staff of trained professionals teamed with some of the most advanced landscape equipment in the industry enables them to provide their customers with high quality work in an efficient manner. Taylor Davis Landscape provides:

• complete landscape design and installation
• all types of walks, patios and fences
• wood, block, and stone retaining walls
• lawn mowing, spring and fall cleanup
• automated bark-mulch installation
• site work, driveway repair and installation
• commercial and residential asphalt paving
• tree work, tree and shrub pruning
• winter snow and ice services

For a complete list of services provided visit them online at www.tlc-nes.com or call 413-256-0870 to arrange for a free estimate.

Are you moving, downsizing or simply doing some spring cleaning? If you’re looking for a way to dispose of old furniture, carpeting, mattreses, dead appliances and other large items including tires, construction debris, electronics and more, the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District is having a bulky materials collection day on Saturday, May 12 from 9am-noon.

The three drop-off sites are: the Buckland Regional Facility on Route 112, the Northfield Highway Garage on Caldwell Road, and the Whately Transfer Station at 73 Christian Lane.

District residents are from the towns of Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Conway, Deerfield, Erving, Gill, Hawley, Heath, Leverett, Leyden, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Rowe, Shelburne, Sunderland, Warwick, Wendell and Whately.

Residents do not need to pre-register for the collecion, however, you do need to bring cash as there are fees for item disposal. A complete list of prices for the most common items can be found at the district office. Call 413-772-2438 for for information.

The Greenfield Department of Public Works reports the average daily consumption of water is 1,750,500 gallons! Greenfield has three sources of drinking water. The Millbrook Wellfield supplies 50% of water to the town. The Leyden Glen Reservoir, which supplies 30% of water to the town, and the Green River, which supplies 20% of water, are both filtered through slow sand filters at the Oak Hill Filtration plant. 

On August 28, 2011, high flows caused by Tropical Storm Irene overtopped the Gree River dam, and caused the failure of the core wall and the loss of the transmission line that delivers water from behind the dam to the Green River Pump Station. The water line was reestablished in October and the permanent repair to the dam will be completed this spring. The other two sources of drinking water were not impacted by the storm.

If you have questions regarding water quality, call the Greenfield Water Facility at 413-772-1539. For leaks, low pressure, meter problems or billing information call the DPW at 413-772-1528.

Please join us on Saturday, May 5th at the Franklin County Technical School from 8-11am for the 20th annual walk for Meals on Wheels. Cohn & Company Real Estate is proud to support this dedicated and hard-working organization. All money raised goes to provide home delivered food AND a well-being check for homebound elders in 30 towns including all of Franklin County and North Quabbin.  The Franklin County Home Care Corporation is now delivering over 120,000 meals a year!

Win prizes for: top fundraiser (Individual, Group, Church, Teen Group, etc.), the oldest and youngest walkers, most unique costume, and more!

Enjoy free entertainment and free food. Every walker gets a free t-shirt too! Free FRTA bus service can be scheduled to bring you to the 2012 Walk for Meals on Wheels.

Join us this Saturday and Sunday, April 28 & 29, for National Open House weekend. Cohn & Company Real Estate is taking part in this national event by hosting 14 open houses throughout Greenfield, Sunderland, Deerfield, South Deerfield, Northfield and Bernardston. You’ll find all the details including addresses, dates and times on our website.
Please contact us for information on any house in Franklin or Hampshire County you may be interested in. We can provide you with a complete list of all homes that will be open in your area this weekend. Happy house hunting!

Greenfield Savings Bank is inviting all prospective homebuyers to a free Home Buyer’s Fair on Monday, April 30th from 5:30 – 7:30pm at Chandler’s Restaurant in South Deerfield, MA.

There will be onsite pre-qualifications for buyers, brief educational sessions about the lending, inspection, and legal aspects of purchasing a home. Cohn & Company, along with several other real estate companies will have current listings on display for you to view and their will be a post-session Q&A time to answer all of your homebuying questions. Light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served. 

Please join us for this fun and informative event! There will be a grand prize drawing for two gift cards, $500 each, winner’s choice of Cowl’s Lumber, R.K. Miles, Home Depot, or Lowe’s.

We’re just 23 days into the month of April and already there have been 79 new properties listed for sale in Franklin County according to the Multiple Listing Service Property Information Network.

Near the bike path in Turners Falls, a 6 room, 3 bedroom, 1 bath home with 1,058 square feet just listed for $99,900. On Franklin Street in Greenfield, a well maintained Cape with 6 rooms, 3-4 bedrooms and 2 full baths is on the market for $179,900. Desirable Montague Center has a charming 7 room, 3 bedroom, 2 bath Colonial for sale for $285,000 and last but not least is a 9 room, 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath contemporary newly listed in Leverett for $725,000. 

Buyers have been busy viewing and comparing homes for sale. If you are interested in purchasing a home or have any real estate questions, give us a call. We’ll be happy to assist you!

The Franklin County Fairgrounds is the place to be this Saturday and Sunday, April 21 & 22, for the Franklin County home show and green fair. The economy is improving and people are looking for ideas on how to fix up their homes. This is a great way to meet and talk with over fifty vendors that will be in attendance, many offering discounts and show specials on their products.

Plan on attending any of the multiple workshops being offered to homeowners, renters and contractors. In just 20 minutes, the ‘Green Energy Workshop’ will help you learn how to find free energy assessments, free mone and 0% interest loans to help you do an energy upgrae to your home and make it more comfortable while cutting the cost of your heating bills. There is a program for everyone living in Massachusetts. Special programs that offer assistance to Greenfield residents, elders, and people with disabilities will be discussed.

A special treat for the kids will be the New England Center for Circus Arts from Brattleboro, VT. This circus school attracts students locally and from around the world, and they will amaze and entertain you with acrobatics, juggling and aerials. Show times will be 11am, 12pm and 1pm.

The home show is Saturday and Sunday, April 21 & 22, rain or shine from 10am to 5pm. Admission is free.