The South Coast Real Estate Round-Up


Don't forget to factor in closing costs when considering a home sale or purchase. EZ Home Search is experienced at assisting both buyers and sellers when it comes to closings. E-mail or call me today at (508) 646-4777 if your needs include a professional REALTOR® ready for the business side of buying and selling.


Expected closing costs

There are certain basic expenses accompanying closing the sale of a house. These expenses are usually split between the buyer and seller, as directed in the sales contract. Many are conventional, but there are nuances to each, so you'll want a real estate expert in Massachusetts to help guide you through the transaction.


Costs pertaining to your loan to be paid at closing    (Click here for more information)

  • Points (optional)
  • Appraisal Fee
  • Credit Report
  • Interest Payment
  • Escrow Account

At closing, the following taxes are usually paid    (Click here for more information)

  • Property Taxes
  • Transfer Taxes and Recording Fees

Insurance fees due at closing    (Click here for more information)

  • Homeowners Insurance
  • Flood or Quake Insurance (optional)
  • Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) (optional)
  • Title Insurance


Sellers: As we get through the details of your deal, I'll not only work to get the optimal sales price, but I'll also advocate for reduced closing costs. And once we've reached an agreement, I'll walk you through the closing costs so you know exactly what you're paying for.


Buyers: If you're buying a house in Bristol County, you will be given a "Good Faith Estimate" (GFE) of closing costs within three days of submitting your loan application. The estimate is based on the loan officer's prior experience and is required to be within a suitable range so you're not startled when you come to the closing table. I'll be willing to look at the GFE with you, answering your questions and highlighting any estimates that are uncertain.

Posted by Christopher Terry on July 17th, 2021 12:38 PM

May Sellers: Don’t Wait—You Can Still Tackle A Home Sale During a Pandemic

The coronavirus may have transformed life as we know it, but the business of buying and selling homes? That’s still going strong.

It’s true that selling a home looks very different during COVID-19 than it does in normal times. However, that doesn’t mean that sellers need to wait until the pandemic has passed in order to sell their home and move on to their next one. 

In fact, according to a HomeLight survey of top real estate agents shortly after the pandemic struck in March 2020, more than 60 percent of agents still characterized their local housing markets as sellers’ markets.

So how do you tackle a home sale during a pandemic? Here are some selling tips to help you during the coronavirus.

Get creative with virtual showings and tours. 

While in-person showings are greatly reduced due to concerns about spreading the virus, video tours and virtual walk-throughs can give potential buyers the information they need to either move forward or look elsewhere. 

Invest in a video tour by hiring a real estate video company. Ensure that the company you work with takes safety precautions, like having any videographers wear a mask, gloves, and booties while they’re in your home. 

If you’d rather not have someone else in your home, work with your agent to record your own video on your phone—it’s not ideal, but it’s certainly permissible in this environment! Buyers want to be able to tour homes during coronavirus from the safety of their devices, so anything you can do to make that easier will help you immensely. 

Ask your agent to carefully screen buyers. 

Sight-unseen home purchases are occurring, but they’re still very few and far between. Most buyers will still want to see your home in person before making an offer. 

The difference now is that most agents are screening buyers very carefully before granting any in-person showing requests. This could mean requiring that buyers be pre-qualified for the amount of the mortgage they’d need, and have a pre-approval letter or proof of funds they can show you, as well as having buyers do a “preliminary showing” by driving or walking by the home and exploring the surrounding neighborhood or environs.

Take safety precautions at all times. 

Exercise social distancing from your agent and anyone else you need to engage with during the process at all times. This may mean doing things a bit differently, like driving in a separate car from your agent while looking for your own new home.

If you’re allowing people into your home for a showing, do whatever you can to reduce the need for them to touch anything: turn on all lights, open all doors, and ask that buyers wear gloves, masks, and booties. You or your agent should disinfect everything before and after the showing, and wear your own protective gear if you’ll be on the property while anyone else is.

Selling your home during coronavirus will be different, but it can absolutely be done. By working with a great real estate agent and taking the right precautions, you’ll be placing a “Sold” sign in your yard in no time. 



Posted by Christopher Terry on May 18th, 2020 5:21 PM
Each year, the National Association of Realtors survey home buyers and sellers to provide insights and details of their experiences. The 2014 Survey of Home Buyers and Sellers revealed some interesting results:
  • On average, home buyers viewed 10 properties over a 10 week period before making a choice for their new home. This is TWO WEEKS shorter than last years report.
  • First-Time home buyers only represented 33% of all sales. This is down from the average of 40 percent. 
  • 90 percent of home buyers surveyed said they looked online in some way during their search and 50% used mobile friendly websites or a mobile app.
  • 98% of home buyers reported that real estate professionals were an important resource during their home search.
  • Less than 10% of sellers successfully sold their home without help from a real estate professional. 44% of the home sellers who did successfully sell without help from a real estate professional sold their home to a family member, friend or acquaintance.
  • 70% of seller contacted only one real estate professional before listing their home.

This years survey shows that technology continues to play an important role in the home buying process.

Christopher Terry is a licensed real estate broker in Ma and RI, has completed the Accredited Buyer Representative Certification, is a graduate of the Certified Distressed Property Institute, holds the prestigious CDPE designation, is a 4-Time winner of the Master Sales Society's 5/50 Award and is the founder of EZ Home Search Real Estate Inc.
Posted by Christopher Terry on April 27th, 2015 11:28 AM

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