Kristen Ziter Taylorwashonored in 2018asRemarkableWomenEntrepreneurofthe year.Recognizedfor integrityand dedication,Kristen’sfirm, Brattleboro Area Realty,since1973,hasconsistentlybeen votedBestRealEstateAgencyandO icebyboththe Reformer’sReadersChoiceandMarketSur ve ys ofAmerica.Duringthese many challengingmonths,BAR ’s dedicatedteamhasworked, withoutexception,to ensurethe safetyandwell-beingoftheir clientele.BuyersandSellerscan beassuredofheragency’suncompromisedadherencetoVT’sstrictregulationsandrequirements,withthe safetyofall astheir highest priority.SinceKristen took ownership in 2011,hercompanyhas grown from an o iceof4toateamof13agents.BAR iscommittedand dedicatedtoour professionlike no other,andwe absolutely love whatwe do.Letus prove thistoyou
If you arethinkingof buying or sellingthisspringpleasegive us an oppor tuni ty to assistyou.We’llhelpyou take thosef irststeps.Itwouldbe our pleasure!
Contact Sallyat 802-380-8272 or sallyfegley@masiello.com Better Homes and Gardens RealEstate–The Masiello Group |masiello.com”
As the COVID-19 pandemic stretched on, families had to adapt to changing situations. Quarantine proved challenging even for the most resilient people, and families sharing close quarters had to find ways to stay calm and comfortable under one roof.
During the pandemic, families have spent more time together thanks to school closures, remote working and social dis-
tancing restrictions that limited contact between people who live in different households. The home improvement resource BobVila.com says that the average home in the United States is around 1,760 square feet, but when everyone is clamoring for a spot to spend most of their days, even the most expansive home can be gin to feel a bit too confined The following are some ways
families can live comfortably when sharing close quarters for extended periods of time.
Designate personal spaces
Bedrooms can be private respites, but they’re not necessarily the best places for people to spend the majority of their time Try to create nooks that family members can call their own, like a man
Sally Fegley
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cave in the garage or a desk in a spare room for school lessons
Designate times for common areas
Make a schedule that designates spaces for specific times, particularly for those who may need uninter rupted study or work periods.
Establish defined routines
Stick to a routine so that everyone at home knows what to expect and when Parents can work around children’s school schedules when they know how school days are ar ranged. Children can avoid inter rupting
meetings if they realize that meetings occur at the same time each day
Set break times for meals so everyone can take a break and spend time together each day
Keep communication open
Family members should be able to freely express frustrations, anger or even fear of situations without being judged, according to the wellness resource Step to Health
Make sure everyone in the home recognizes others’ feelings are valid.
Get
out when you can.
Family members can opt for safe interactions
with friends or peers when needed. Engaging in conversation or getting a perspective from someone outside of the home can be beneficial Even a short stroll alone outdoors can help to reduce stress Parents of young children may want to establish a “quaranteam” with other care givers so they can get a respite outside the home and leave the kids with trusted help.
Use this as an oppor tunit y to grow
Spending more time together can be beneficial
Use the time together to make meals as a family, talk more, engage in family game nights, and build stronger relationships.
Robert Doyle
Realtor
Rober thasbeen in real estate since1985 and is consistently one of the top producersfor southern Vermont in both listings and sales. He is always among the highest producing agents in Windham Count y achieving an impressive salesvolume currently in excess of $188 000,000 and counting. In 2013, ‘14, ‘15 and ‘16 he was the top producing agent for Berkley&Veller GreenwoodCountr yRealtors and currentlycontinuestobe among the top producing agentscompanywide.Rober thasbeen named the 2020 Top Agent in Vermont ,byRateMyAgent .Rober treceived only the highest ratingsfrom his customers and clientstogain this recognition.
Contac tRober t at Berkley&Veller GreenwoodCountr yRealtors O ice: 802-254 -6400 ext.133•Cell: 802-258-1101 O iceFax: 802-254 -6403•Email is rober t .doyle@berkleyveller com
METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS
T he benefits of work i ng w ith a n i nter ior desig ner
Home is where the heart is, and it’s also where homeowners express their style. Though interior design may come naturally to some homeowners, many more can benefit from a little help defining their style and translating that style into a beautiful home In such instances, interior designers can be the most valuable investments homeowners make in their homes.
Homeowners may hear “interior designer” and immediately hear the sound of cash re gisters ringing in their heads. However, many interior designers of fer various services, including hourly consultations, that can make them cost-ef fective, especially for homeowners who are still trying to define their style and decide just how they want their homes to look. That’s just one of the many benefits of working with interior design professionals.
Interior designers can save you money
Much like it’s best for homeowners with no DIY experience to hire professional contractors when renovating their homes, paying an interior designer when you have little experience with design can help you avoid potentially costly mistakes Interior designers are skilled at transforming homeowners’ visions into finished products, and that’s a valuable skill homeowners don’t necessarily have. Trial and er ror when designing a home’s interior can be costly, even if you’re not knocking down any walls or swinging any hammers. For example, after renovating on their own, homeowners may find they need to replace a
new couch or dining table that they realize contradicts their design scheme. Interior designers can help homeowners avoid such costly mistakes and get it right the first time
Interior designers are well-connected
Interior designers often collaborate with contractors Those professional relationships can help homeowners avoid the headaches of finding the right professionals to work with when renovating their homes.
Interior designers can help you coordinate your st yle
Each and every component of a home’s interior says something about its owner Whether it’s their choice of lighting fixtures, furniture or even appliances, homeowners make a statement any time they choose a design component for their homes. Interior designers can help home-
owners coordinate their styles so each room seamlessly transitions to the next one. An ultra-modern living room may stick out like a sore thumb in a home that’s predominantly rustic, and interior designers can help homeowners avoid such mistakes
David Brown
For 34 years, Davidhasalwaysenjoyed workingwith buyersandsellerstobest meettheir needs and developinglong termrelationships in the process. Commentsfrom pastclient s: “David Brown is awonderful agent!Friendly, courteous,helpful &knowledgeable.I couldn’t imagineworkingwith another agent.Thankyou!”Jennifer H.; “David is The Best!Whocouldask for anythingmore?” RonaldW. Hiscommunity involvementshave includedserving on theSouthernVermont BoardofRealtors,BrattleboroArea A ordableHousing,RSVP,past Realtor ofThe Year,CourtDiversionPanelMember,and on theBoardof Youth Ser vices.
Interior designers know what’s trending
Interior designers tend to be up-to-date on the latest trends That can be incredibly valuable, especially for homeowners who are anticipating putting their homes on
the market in the near future. In such instances, designers can help homeowners invest in updates or renovations that will appeal to today’s buyers, increasing the likelihood that their homes will sell more quickly, and potentially for more money.
Multi-functional spaces figure to be hot commodities in the years ahead
Home renovation trends are ever-changing. Renovations that might have been de rigueur 20 years ago may seem dated now
Recognizing the potentially popular trends of tomor row is a g reat way for homeowners to give their homes a fresh new
look and put themselves in position to capitalize on popular trends when they put their homes on the market That’s especially so after 2020, a year when millions of people spent more time at home than ever before All that time working from home
and relaxing at home gave millions of homeowners ideas about what they like about their homes and what they hope to change. The following are some renovation trends that various experts suspect could emerge in 2021
Christine Lewis
Iloverealestateandthe community we live in and how it hassupported me for over 30 years.
Ipracticewithpassionandrepresent my buyersandsellerswith unmatcheddedication.Enthusiastic,loyalcustomerandclient supportkeeps me #1 in localsalesmostyears.
My personalgoal is to helpbuyersandsellersfulfilltheirdreams. Iwouldlove to haveyoucall me whenyouareready to make yournextmove in realestate.
VotedBestRealEstateAgent2020 by BrattleboroReformersReadersChoice.
ChristineLewis,Broker 802-380-2088
chris@brattleboroarearealty.com
Licensed in Vermont&NewHampshire 402CanalSt,Brattleboro, VT 05301 www.realtyvermont.com
Eco-friendly living
Climate change, and how to combat it, was a hot button issue during the 2020 presidential election in the United States
So it should come as no surprise that urdesignmag com, a web magazine that showcases creative trends in design, architecture, art, technolog y, and fashion, predicts that ecofriendly living solutions figure to be hot commodities in 2021. Eco-friendly appliances, furniture and designs can help to conserve energ y and reduce waste, which environmentalists and government agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency note are two critical components in the fight against climate change.
Large windows
Large windows can provide stunning views of the outdoors and allow ample natural light into a home
Emily Zak Webb
Realtor
“Home is where the hear t is,” and I love envisioning how toturna house intoa home I grew up in Dummerston VT in a home built bymyparents.As an adult,Ihave ived all over the US, and abroad and am thrilledto once again ca l southernVermont my home There is a wealth ofhistoric architecture and details in homes n this area,and myexperiencesupdatingmy own1880’s farmhousecanhelpyou imaginethe possibilities.Ihaveawiderangeof professional experienceandconnections in thereal estateindustr y, mostrecently focusing on managementofmulti-family proper ties.
Listening to your needs is keyto me, and mybackground in marketing gives me a constructive critical eye when helping you sell your home.Iunderstand what apersonal and emotional experience homeownership can be and I would loveto help you find a smooth pathwayto your next home!
Contac tEmily at BrattleboroAreaRealty L icensed
It may not be a coincidence if large windows prove to be a hot trend in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic that dominated much of 2020 forced many people to spend considerably more time at home Darker homes without much natural light can adversely af fect mood, especially when people are spending more time at home. HGTV predicts that homeowners will seek ways to bring more natural light into their homes in 2021, and large windows naturally brighten homes while making rooms appear bigger, helping people feel less cramped. That’s an especially beneficial characteristic when spending more time indoors at home.
Minimalism
The anticipated popularity of minimalism in 2021 may also be connected to the pandemic. As professionals were forced to work from home and many families spent more time together inside their homes then ever before, they may have recognized a need to cut back on clutter, including extra furniture A minimalist approach is both simple and clean, which can make homes feel less claustrophobic.
Multi-functional spaces
Homeowners asked a lot of their homes in 2020, as rooms were transformed into multi-functional spaces seemingly overnight HGTV notes that spending more time at home showed homeowners that it may not make sense to dedicate entire rooms of a home to a single purpose
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Amy Powling
AmyjoinedSkiHomeRealty inMayof2016.Sheisanative, born andraisedsouthernVermonterwithstronglocal ties. Amystudiedcriminal justice and psychologyaswell asthecreative artsatGoddardCollegein Plainfield,Vermont.
Af teroveradecadeofpayroll processingfornumerouslocal businesses,andworkingforthe local ChamberofCommerce, shehasmovedontomarketing andreal estate sales.
Sheenjoyswritingpoetry and hasauthoredchap booksinher sparetime.
Homeowners know that the process of buying a home can be both exciting and nervewracking. The anxiety associated with buying a home has hit new heights during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Historically low interest rates and limited inventory has made 2020 an especially unique time to buy a home. It's also a competitive and potentially expensive time to buy a home. While the economic consequences of COVID-19 have been severe, the Federal National Mortgage Association, also known as Fannie Mae, forecasted a significant increase in median home prices in March 2020. City dwellers have scrambled to buy homes
Prema Fitzpatrick
Prema grew upr ght here in Southern Vermont , and has great familiaritywith the local market. She movedaway in 1998 to attend college at Boston University, graduating with a degree in Business Administration, with afocus n Finance.Over the last20 years, she has enjoyed iving n many places, ncluding New York City, where she pursued her career n Finance.From there she relocatedtobeautiful Honolulu, Hawaii and in 2004,Prema obtained her real estate license and launched her career in Real Estate inc uding residential real estate as well as working for two For tune 500 companies,Marriott and Disney respectively. While living in Hawaii she met her husband Adam and star ted the r family.
After their son F nn wasborn, theyfeltitwas the right time to moveback to the EastCoastto live closer tofam ly.Prema, her husband Adam and son Finn returnedback to her home in the beautiful stateofVermont , where theyhavesince grown their familywith their second child,Sawyer.With abackground n finance real estate and mor tgage lending Premahas the knowledge and experienceto help guide you and yourfamily in finding the per fect home to create your memories.
outside of cities, where social distancing is more dif ficult and the risk of getting COVID-19 appears g reater than it is in suburban or rural settings That's led to a lot of competition among prospective buyers
Prospective home buyers willing to enter the hectic fray and shop for a home during the COVID-19 outbreak may benefit from knowing what to expect as they search for their next home.
Get ready for vir tual tours.
Buyers might once have scof fed at the notion of buying a home they'd only seen in videos, but virtual tours have become the new normal in the wake of the pandemic. An April survey from the National Association of Realtors® found that home tours had declined shar ply. While 98 percent of realtors reported taking clients on home tours as recently as February, that number had declined to 63 percent by April As many re gions pause their reopening plans, prospective home buyers should ready themselves for virtual tours as opposed to in-person home tours.
E xpect limited inventor y.
While home prices are up, many people are holding onto their homes. The NAR reports that total housing inventory at the end of May 2020 was down nearly 19 percent from the end of May 2019
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Buyers will have less inventory to choose from, so those intent on buying may need to prioritize what they need in a home and focus on finding properties that can fulfill those needs.
E xpect to move quickly.
Realtors have seen homes sell within days of being listed, and that has put pressure on buyers to move quickly. It also highlights the importance of finding a home inspector before your search begins as well as a lender who can handle quick closings. Ask around for recommendations, but make sure you have these two important professionals lined up before beginning your search. Doing so will give you a better chance of buying in an unusual time.
Make the best down payment you can a ord.
A high down payment makes buyers look better no matter the state of the economy An offer with a high down payment looks like a stronger offer, and that can make the difference between winning and losing a potential bidding war
Vermont real estate, by the numbers
Data published by the Vermont Association of Realtors shows that the number of available homes on the market fell significantly between January 2020 and January 2021 The house that did go on the market were, on average, more expensive and sold more quickly than the year before SO URCE: VERM O NT A S SO CIATIO N O F RE ALTO RS JANUARY INDICATO RS REP O RT
Active listing count 3,728 Jan 2020 -62.8% 1,388 Jan 2021
AJ Bellville
A.J. s the firste-PRO RE ALTOR® in the area and prides himself in the use oftechnology to not only improve the marketing of proper ties, but also in assisting buyersto find their next home as soon asit h ts the market. He also prides himself on fur thering his education byearning the CRS(Cer tified Residential Specialist), ABR®(Accredited Buyer Representative) e-PRO® EcoBroker ® , RSPS(Resor t and Second Home) and SFR (Shor tSale and Foreclosure) designations Previouslya il atedwith Coldwell Banker, A.J.earnednational salesawards with inclusion in the International Diamond Society,as well as the International Sterling Society.
Born and raised in Vermont ,A.J.took a seven year sabbatical from the areato attend college and work in the Washington, D.C. area While there he earneda double degree in F nance and Economicsfrom the UniversityofMar yland (“Fear the Tur t e”), while also managing stock market and bank accounts. After seven yearsof tra ic and the “big city”,A.J. decided to return to his roots.
Contac tAJ at Bellville Realty
O ice: 802-257-7979 x1 Cell: 802 .380 5514 Email: aj@ajbellville com Ser ving VT and NH
Average listing price $397,463 Jan 2020 +34.6% $534,910 Jan 2021
BellvilleRealty
“J m prides himsel on being the real estate agent that rea ly cares and puts the needs of h s cl entsfirst. He a so understands the power of on ine market ng, driving h m tohaveapersonal real estate website in addit on to us ng dozens ofreal estatepor ta s and launch sitesto market his l stings.
Anativeof the Brattleboro area,Jim grew up n Gu l ord, Vermont wander ng the woods and exp or ng the hi ls surround ng his home.As he got older, h s natural wander- ust kept him travelling the roads ofWindham and CheshireCounties,exploring p aces he hadn’tbeen and mak ng new fr ends along he way.
Jim attendedLeh gh Universitybefore trans err ng to the Un versityofVermon to double major n Engl sh and Technical Theatre. Wh le at UVM,Jim was proud to ser ve with several vo unteer organ zations, nc uding The Vermont Chi dren’sMagazine and Vo unteers in Action as wel as ser ving in severa leadership positions in the UVM chapter ofAlphaPh Omega,acoedcommunity ser v cefraternity.
After col ege Jim ser vedasSa esManager and SalesTrainer or severa nat onal compan es, including super v sing e even satel itestores throughoutVermont New York and Massachusetts dur ng the ho iday season Jim’s who e approach torea estate is to provide the best and mostcompletepossib e nformation to his c ients and to al ow them tomake the decis on bestfor them
ContactJim at BellvilleRealty Cell:802-380-0684Website: bellvillerealty.com
JimBellville
Real estate transactions often involve significant amounts of money. As a result, it's common for both buyers and sellers to enlist the services of a host of professionals with real estate experience.
Both buyers and sellers may work with real estate agents and/or real estate brokers en route to buying or selling their homes. Agents and brokers are not one and the same, and there are some important distinctions between the two
Real estate agent
According to Realtor com, real estate agents are professionally licensed individuals who can help both buyers and sellers. Agents also may help property owners rent their homes
The amount of training real estate agents need to earn their licenses varies by state Once individuals finish their required training, they must take a written exam that tests their knowledge of federal real estate laws and
general principles as well as the laws specific to the state in which they want to become licensed. Only after passing this exam do individuals become recognized real estate agents Investopedia notes that achieving agent status is the starting point for most real estate professionals
Real estate broker
Real estate brokers are those professionals who have continued their education past the agent
level and obtained a broker's license Each state has its own requirements in re gard to becoming a licensed broker, but education and examinations are necessary re gardless of where a person lives.
Realtor com notes that the extra coursework to earn a broker's license focuses on various topics, including ethics, contracts, taxes, and insurance. Agents may learn about these topics as well, but coursework for prospective brokers goes into more depth than it does at the agent level
Brokers also will study and learn about le gal issues in re gard to real estate The le gal issues brokers may learn about include brokerage
Voted BestMortgageLender 2020 by the BrattleboroReformerReadersChoice
on
operations, real estate investments, construction, and property management. Requirements vary, but Realtor com notes that brokers often must work as licensed real estate agents for no less than three years before they can earn their broker's license. There is more than one type of real estate broker. Principal/designated brokers oversee all agents at a given firm and ensure the agents act in compliance with all real estate laws. Managing brokers tend to focus on the hiring and training of agents. Associate brokers have their broker's license but work directly under a managing broker.
