Maggie's Farm

RE: Residential real estate.... a bit o/t but, sign or no sign, almost all is potentially available with the question,"How much"?

Have a friend who recently bought a nice early 60's suburban brick ranch,on a quiet street, about a 20 minute commute from her work. The neighborhood is mostly older Italians. Nice neighbors who send over gifts from the garden and have their 60 year old sons mow grass and shovel snow when they notice she could use a bit of help.

Not many overbuilt houses like they did. Her house has a covered front porch and wrought iron rails, an attached garage and mudroom. All closets are cedar lined, has a screened porch with a slate floor, the half-finished walk out basement has a summer kitchen and leads out to a nice back yard with fruit trees and garden, appliances all stainless, showers all tiled, etc. etc.etc. Biggest problem was decor. Purple to the max. Had purple wool carpets all through, purple fixtures and wallpaper! Had to go (too bad) but underneath carpets was hardwood.

The house has never been listed. Friend liked it and the neighborhood and stopped and rang bell. Told the young man who answered she loved the house and if it was ever for sale please call. Turned out his Grandma was living in Fla. and Grandma wanted to sell and she wanted the house to go to someone who loved it like she did. Some very good houses never list.

Yup, some good homes will never list and some bad ones will go on the market more than once.