to getting ready for the holidays, many people take a page out of Santa’s book: Make a list, then check it twice. It’s a strategy for success, according to entertaining and home-keeping experts. We want the holiday season to be filled with joy, but it also comes with a heavy dose of shopping, cooking, wrapping, hosting and no small amount of cleaning. All those things require planning and coordination.
“The easiest way to start is to think about what type of experience you would hope for if you were a guest,” says Lori Greeley, the CEO of Serena & Lily. We asked Greeley and other experts to share their best tips for getting ready for the most wonderful (or most stressful, depending who you ask) time of the year.
Prep the entryway
Start here, says home lifestyle expert Julian Thomas, to make a good first impression. Clear away clutter, add a mat for wet shoes and address any unpleasant odors. “The first thing people notice when they enter your home is how it smells,” Thomas says.
Create a drop zone
If you’re hosting a holiday gathering, no matter the size, Thomas says, “think beyond the menu.” Ask yourself where guests will put coats, bags, umbrellas, shoes and gifts.
He recommends setting up a garment rack or creating a designated space with hangers (a few adhesive hooks can work wonders here) “to keep your entryway from turning into a traffic jam.” Also consider a boot tray and/or an umbrella stand near the front door, which can be stowed in a closet when not in use. “It saves guests from having
to awkwardly ask, ‘Where should I put this?’ and keeps your space clutter-free without making permanent changes,” Thomas says. And don’t forget to have an answer ready for the age-old question: Shoes on or off?
Bring in the smells of the season
Scent is a powerful tool for creating a festive atmosphere. You can use wall plugs, candles and diffuser oils in holiday scents such as balsam fir, cinnamon or cranberry to set a festive mood, says Lindsey Pedersen, a seasonal content creator.
Get the bathrooms guest-ready
“You don’t need to reinvent your routine,” Thomas says, “just clean thoroughly and make sure all the essentials are visible and stocked: extra hand soap, rolls of toilet paper, feminine hygiene products and fresh towels. Nobody should have to go digging through cabinets.” And don’t forget a wastebasket, he says, preferably a lidded one that you keep lined.
Declutter and restock your kitchen
You’re going to need room for all that cooking. “Tackle the fridge, cabinets and pantry,” Thomas says, tossing expired items, condensing duplicates and taking stock of what you have. “Keep a running list as you go,” he says of items that need to be restocked. “It’ll save you from panicked grocery store runs later.”
Pedersen agrees: “The holidays can be stressful so setting yourself up for success in the kitchen is crucial.” Planning early, she says, reduces the risk that you won’t be able to find a crucial ingredient. It also allows you to take advantage of sales, helping to keep the cost of groceries down. Don’t forget to pick
up sparkling water, coffee and tea if you’ll be hosting overnight guests, Greeley says. “Make it easy for guests to know how to get a glass of water and to wake up and find a cup of coffee or tea. It’s also thoughtful to have a well-stocked bar and readily available snacks.”
Don’t forget the essentials
Now is the perfect time to make sure you have plenty of foil and parchment to get you through the holiday baking season, Thomas says. “This is also a good moment to think ahead with your clean-
ing supplies,” he adds. Stock up on dish soap, sponges and paper towels. And don’t forget the things you’ll need at the end of the festivities,
including heavy-duty trash bags, recycling bins, and storage bags and containers for packing up leftovers.
BLACK FRIDAY BLOWOUT
BATHS, SHOWERS, WINDOWS & DOORS
YANKEE HOME’S BIGGEST SALE OF THE YEAR!!!!
Dear Neighbor,
Black Friday isn’t just for TVs and toasters. This year, the biggest deal in town is happening in your own bathroom.
Right now – for a few short days only – you can save a staggering $999 on a brand-new bath or shower remodel from Yankee Home.
Black Friday isn’t just for TVs and toasters. This year, the biggest deal in town is happening in your own bathroom.
But here’s the kicker...
Right now – for a few short days only – you can save a staggering $999 on a brand-new bath or shower remodel from Yankee Home.
All work MUST be scheduled before year-end to qualify for these savings. Why? Because demand skyrockets before the holidays—and once our schedule is full, it’s FULL. No exceptions.
Right now, smart homeowners are booking ahead so their homes look great when guests arrive—and before prices inevitably rise in 2026.
50% OFF Installation Costs $0 Down, 0% Interest* $999 OFF YOUR PROJECT
All with NO pressure and a price locked in for a full year, even if you don’t buy on the spot.
But here’s the kicker...
But don’t wait—these savings disappear November 30th. Get ahead of the holiday rush today.
Helping you love your home, $999 OFF YOUR ENTIRE PROJECT
“Three years later, the brand new shower has been the greatest improvement in our house that we’ve ever done. Every day we say this was the best thing we did in our house. Totally worth the money! We’ve had a few things come up, and the service after the sale was superior!” -John & Debbie
All work MUST be scheduled before year-end to qualify for these savings. Why? Because demand skyrockets before the holidays—and once our schedule is full, it’s FULL. No exceptions.
“Three years later, the brand new shower has been the greatest improvement in our house that we’ve ever done. Every day we say this was the best thing we did in our house. Totally worth the money! We’ve had a few things come up, and the service after the sale was superior!” -John & Debbie
You’ll get:
Right now, smart homeowners are booking ahead so their homes look great when guests arrive—and before prices inevitably rise in 2026.
SPRINGFIELD Birding presentation
On Monday, December 1, at 7 p.m. the Allen Bird Club of Springfield, will host its annual “Members’ Night” featuring presentations from three club members sharing their experiences birding in widely different areas: the Berkshires, Iceland, and Monhegan Island, Maine. This presentation will be held in the Tolman Auditorium of the Springfield Science Museum, 21 Edwards Street, Springfield. It is open to the public free of charge.
The Allen Bird Club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing Greater Springfield area birders together since 1912. For more information, please visit www.AllenBirdClub.org.
STOCKBRIDGE
Class on essential plant care skills
Berkshire Botanical Garden presents the following upcoming program: Tuesdays, Dec. 2 through Jan. 6, “Plant Health Care,” 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Deepen your understanding of what keeps plants thriving and what threatens their health. In this comprehensive course led by horticulture expert Jen Werner on Tuesdays, you’ll explore the many factors that influence plant vitality, from pests and diseases to environmental stressors.
Learn essential diagnostic skills and discover how
thoughtful site preparation, smart plant selection and strategic placement can prevent common problems before they start. You’ll also gain practical insights into managing issues using biological, chemical and cultural methods, with an emphasis on sustainable, integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. Perfect for gardeners, landscapers or anyone looking to boost their plant care knowledge. Cost is $215 members, $240 nonmembers. For more information, visit www. berkshire botanical.org. Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 West Stockbridge Road.
WILBRAHAM Holiday floral techniques
The Wilbraham Garden Club will meet in the St. Cecelia Parish Center at 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4. Lee Lyon, a florist from Wilbraham Flowers, will demonstrate his techniques for creating holiday arrangements with greens, flowers and other materials. These arrangements will then be raffled off at the end of the program.
A light luncheon will be served. There is a $10 guest fee for this festive meeting and registration is required. Contact Lisa Lafteur, Treasurer at 413-596-9539 by Monday, Dec. 1 to secure your reservation. Unfortunately, they will not have room for walk-ins at this popular event.
Send items for Garden Notes to pmastriano@repub.com two weeks prior to publication.
“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
HOW TRUE, ALSO IN gardening. Not to mention the emotional and intellectual gratification, the “companion-
ship with gently growing things ... [and] exercise which soothes the spirit and develops the deltoid muscles” (C. D. Warner, 1870).
Let’s take teaching the man — or woman — to fish one step further, gardenwise. Lot’s of people wow others with the expertise they have allegedly
accrued as evidenced from the mere fact that they’ve spent a number of years, perhaps decades, with their hands in the dirt. I roll my eyes. Flowering plants originated at least 130 million years ago, which is plenty of time to let the trial and error of evolution teach
Reich | In the Garden
them to grow. Tuck a seed into the ground and it will probably grow.
Better gardening comes from having some understanding of what’s going on beneath the ground and up in the plant. This comes from growing and observing a variety of plants growing in a variety of soils and climates — which is more than is possible in a lifetime.
There’s a shortcut: books, a nice adjunct to getting your hands in the dirt. All of which is a roundabout way of my offering recommendations for books about gardening. The right book is also a great gift idea.
Growing fruits and vegetables (and soil care) are my main interests in gardening.
For a book chock full of all sorts of information on growing vegetables, go to Catherine Osgood Foster’s “The Organic Gardener.” It’s an old book, published in the 1970s, back when the organic gardening movement was picking up steam. It’s packed with solid information still useful and true today.
Despite its title, J. M. Fortier’s “The Market Gardener: A Successful Grower’s Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming” provides much that can be applied on a garden scale also. After all, J.M.’s farm is only an acre and a half. Two reasons his farm has been able to provide his family’s livelihood are his good organization skills, all clearly spelled out, and his appreciation of biological systems.
Eliot Coleman’s “Four-Season Harvest” is not a book on which to cut your teeth about vegetable growing. But once you have the basics down, this is a book to turn to for learning how to grow vegetables year round, even in cold climates. Eliot’s farm is in Maine!
I’ve also contributed to the lexicon of vegetable growing, with my book “Weedless Gardening.” Yes, it is about weed-lessness, via a four-part system that emulates Mother
Nature, but it’s also full of details such as specific timing for planting and cultivation of various vegetables; also, lots of stuff on related topics like drip irrigation, composting, and use and selection of cover crops.
Man [and woman] can’t live
by bread alone, but we men and women can, figuratively, have our cake and eat it too. The concept of edible landscaping was formally borne about 40 years ago, and its doyenne, Rosalind Creasy, has updated her original book “Edible Landscaping.” In ad-
dition to all the good information, the book is replete with photos of luscious landscapes. Rosalind’s book embraces growing fruits and vegetables decoratively; my contribution, here, digs more deeply into doing this only with fruits, with the aptly titled book
“Landscaping with Fruit.” (One problem with landscaping with vegetables is that eating a vegetable can mess up the design; not so with fruit trees, shrubs, and vines.) A good companion to both mine and Rosalind’s books is
Reich
Want to buy a home?
It’s OK to wait till you’re 40
By A llison S chrager Bloomberg
IF OWNING A HOME IS STILL THE American dream, then it is increasingly out of reach for many young Americans. The average age of a first-time homebuyer is now 40, up from 33 just a few years ago and 29 in 1981.
To which I say: It’s just as well. Buying a home in your 20s is not the best financial goal, nor should it define the American dream of financial success.
I am not here to minimize the housing affordability crisis, which is driving economic populism on the left and the right. And I acknowledge that homeownership has a special value in the US, both psychically (it is associated with “making it”) and financially (it has tax benefits, in the form of the home mortgage deduction, and real estate is seen as a good investment).
But owning a home does not always make financial sense. First, with taxes, HOA fees, insurance and maintenance, homeownership incurs costs above and beyond a monthly mortgage payment. It is also a risky financial bet. It requires a large down payment — tying up assets in something illiquid. That carries an opportunity cost, especially for young people, who may be better off investing that down payment in a well-diversified market fund. True, a home can be sold, but that takes time and involves substantial transaction costs — and depending on the real-estate market, could result in a loss.
In short, buying a home is a concentrated bet that is highly correlated with your job prospects, since local real estate markets tend to be tied to the health of the local economy. That’s why most young people would be better off renting. They have less job stability and require more financial liquidity and less debt. And if they do buy, they are more likely to need to sell within a few years.
If you don’t have enough capital to buy a home in your 20s, it’s OK — in fact, it’s normal. And even if you do have enough money, buying real estate is not necessarily your best financial option.
All this said, 20-somethings have good reason to feel like they can’t get ahead, and the cost of housing is a big reason. While Generation Z does have more wealth than their forebears — median net worth (in 2025 dollars) for households aged between 22 and 30 was about $25,000 in 2022, compared to $14,200 in 1989 — they tend to have more student debt.
And money does not go as far as it once did. Buying a home used to be easier. In the 1980s, home prices were lower, though mort-
Most young people would be better off renting because they have less job stability and require more financial liquidity and less debt. (ADOBE STOCK IMAGE)
gage rates were about three times higher. Back then, people in their 20s tended to live in cheaper, less dense areas, and were more likely to be married with children.
None of this is much comfort in a brutal housing market that is the result of some misguided policies, about everything from building regulations to land use to interest rates. There simply isn’t enough housing being bult in the US, and there are other distortions. The age of first-time buyers shot up after 2022, when interest rates increased. Now buyers are facing both high mortgage rates and high prices — and many existing homeowners, who refinanced when the Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing policy helped mortgage rates go below 3%, aren’t selling.
Unfortunately, the rental market is not much better. This is especially true in New York City, where the average rental in Manhattan has increased 64% since 2021. Again, that increase was due, in part, to nonsensical regulations, which benefit people in rent-stabilized housing but decrease inventory and increase prices for everyone else.
Housing is so expensive in America because politicians and other officials, at the local and national levels, do all they can to limit supply and boost demand. And why do they do that? Because they believe that homeownership is, as the real estate lobby puts it, “the cornerstone of the American dream.”
A home can be an important asset. But it can also be a bad financial investment, especially for the young. The idea that homeownership is a prerequisite for success in America is not only demoralizing. It is also making homeownership more expensive.
This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.
Robert Kourik’s “Designing And Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally.” All three books lead you along the path to an edible landscape starting with site evaluation, moving on to design basics and creating a plan. From there, the books veer away from each other, with Rosalind focusing more on the art while Robert’s focus is on soil, plant roots, and irrigation, and mine on details of feasibility and growing of the specific fruits in specific regions. The books complement each other. Armed with pruning tools, from loppers to shears to thumbnails (for pinching shoot tips), let my book, “The Pruning Book,” guide where to cut and pinch to keep fruit and vegetable plants trim and productive. Speaking of soil (the word “soil” is two paragraphs up, in case you were speed reading and missed it), one of my favorite books, soil-related, is “The Humanure Handbook” by Joseph Jenkins. Humanure? Yes, it’s just what it sounds like. Besides providing a system for composting/recycling human waste, “The Humanure Handbook” also offers abundant information about pathogens involved and their survival, and practical information about composting. Also, lots of humor, both graphic and verbal. Speaking of manure, there’s a lot of bs around, even in the world of gardening. Cut through that bs (which is not the compostable kind) with Robert Pavlis’s “Garden Myths.” As an iconoclast, I made notes over the years with the idea of writing such a book; now I don’t have too. As a skeptic, it’s too bad that I agree with 99 percent of Robert’s myth-busting. There’s enough gardening bs around these days to fill more than one volume. Robert has obliged us with two volumes, “Garden Myths, Book 1” and “Garden Myths, Book 2.”
Five more books are not necessarily practical but are well worth reading if you have any interest in gardening or agriculture. “Principles of Gardening: The Practice of the Gardener’s Art” by Hugh Johnson covers
the science, the art, the plants, planting systems, the seasons, the history, the design — just about everything garden-related — I could think of with engaging text and oodles of illustrations and photographs. Read it piecemeal, jumping around within according to your interests of the moment.
You could read individual entries in my book, “A Northeast Gardener’s Year,” in a similar fashion. This one covers what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. Topics range far and wide, all dictated by the progress of the seasons, which the book follows month by month. But you don’t have to.
“Farmers of Forty Centuries,” by soil scientist F. H. King relates his travels to China more than a century ago. It offers food for thought about the possibility of truly sustainable agriculture (forty centuries worth) in the past and the future. The agriculture in China that King describes is far different from what’s going on in contemporary China.
And finally, two books only tangentially related to gardening.
Mostly an art book, “Fruit: From the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection,” melds art, along with some history and botany, into a pocket-sized folio that’s a miniature coffee table book. My writing covers the history and botany of fruit growing. Most of the book is illustrations, 250 of the 7500 that I selected from watercolor depictions of various kinds and varieties of fruits that were commissioned by the U. S. Department of Agriculture between 1886 and 1942. Charles Dudley Warner’s “My Summer in a Garden” is not really a gardening book. This is prose at its best, a humorous book that chronicles the highs and lows in the author’s garden, often — still with a smile — with philosophical, moral, or political implications. The remark “Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” That was Charles, although often attributed to Mark Twain, a good friend, and a neighbor of Mark Twain, with whom he wrote “The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today.” Very au courant, both his books.
Terry & Kim Kovel | Antiques & Collecting
Cranberry glass evokes Victorian Thanksgiving
CRANBERRIES ARE A familiar sight at the Thanksgiving table. Cranberry glass? Maybe not so much. Pinkish-red glass with a yellowish tone was part of the Victorian era vogue for colored glass. Cranberry glass was made into decorative art glass pieces, like this centerpiece with multiple flared flutes and applied leafy trim, which sold for $250 at World Auction Gallery.
This glass color was first made about the time of the Civil War; coincidentally, about the time Thanksgiving became the annual holiday we observe today.
Cranberries, a native plant of North America, were a well-established part of the American diet by then. Native Americans enjoyed their astringent flavor and many health benefits, including an abundance of vitamins and disease-treating properties. Historians recorded that they made the berries into a sauce to accompany meat.
English colonists quickly adapted them for the same reasons, calling the plant “craneberry” because the curving branches reminded them of cranes’ long, thin necks.
English naturalist John Josselyn wrote in his important 1671 work New England’s Rarities, discovered in Birds, Beasts, Fishes, Serpents and Plants of that Country that they help prevent scurvy (we now know that one cup of raw cranberries has 25% of the daily recommended value of vitamin C) and are good as a sweetened sauce or in tarts. The first American cookbook, “American Cookery” by Amelia Simmons, published in 1796, encouraged serving cranberry sauce with turkey. Some things never change!
Q. I have an old print of a scene with wild game on a table. I looked it up and found out it was a copy of a painting by Joseph Jambor from 1921. How can I find out if it is worth anything?
A.Joseph (sometimes spelled Josef) Jambor was a Czech artist who lived from about 1887 to 1964. He is known for oil on canvas paintings of landscapes and still lifes. Most of his paintings date to the 1920s or later, so your print cannot have been made before then. There is a Josef Jambor Society in the Czech Republic (josefjamb or.cz) that may have more information about the painting. Check your print for any information like the type of print, copyright dates or the name of the printmaker or publisher. An art museum or library in your area may have online or print references to help you. Without further identifying information, your print is probably worth under $50.
Q. We have discovered a couple of boxes of Wedgewood dishes in the basement of my grandmother’s home. Who would we speak with about ascertaining the value
of these dishes and how would we find collectors?
A. Wedgwood, founded by Josiah Wedgwood in Burslem, Staffordshire, England in 1759, is one of the world’s most successful potteries. Today, the brand is part of Fiskars Group. Generally, contacting an antiques or consignment shop or a pattern-matching service is a good way to find out the value of a set of dishes, but, because Wedgwood has been around for so long and produced a wide variety of pottery and porcelain styles, we recommend starting with a little research to narrow down the category. If your dishes date to the 1800s or earlier or have a very rare pattern, you may want to contact an auction house instead of a consignment shop. First, look for a mark on your dishes. This will give you important clues to their age and may include helpful information like the material or pattern name. There are many online
sources, like the “Look for Your Mark” section of Kovels.com, and books, like “Wedgwood, Guide to Marks and Dating” by David Buten, that can help you further identify your dishes. There are some Wedgwood collectors’ clubs that may help you find more information or connect with buyers. There are regional Wedgwood Societies in different parts of the United States, like Boston and Washington, D.C. Wedgwood also produced some specific types of dishes that have their own collectors’ clubs, like tea leaf ironstone (Tea Leaf Club International, tealeafclub. com), flow blue (Flow Blue International Collectors’ Club, flowblue.org), and transferware (Transferware Collectors Club, transferwarecollectors club.org).
And be careful: The English pottery William Smith & Company made dishes marked “Wedgewood” from about 1826 to 1848. This is not the same company as the one Josiah Wedgwood started, and the English courts ruled that the “Wedgewood” mark infringed on rights.
TIP: Cranberry juice will stain stone, so be careful if you have marble-top tables. Other liquids will stain, but cranberry juice stains are especially bad. Kovels answers readers’ questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures: the object and a close-up of any marks or damage. Be sure your name and return address are included. By sending a question, you give full permission for use in any Kovel product. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We do not guarantee the return of photographs, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. Questions that are answered will appear in Kovels Publications. Write to Kovels, The Republican, King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th Street, 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019, or email collectorsgallery@kovels. com.
CURRENT PRICES
Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions. Glass-midcentury, tumbler, swirl, teal blue, opaque white rim, flared, 3 1/2 inches, six pieces, $50.
Sewing, pin cushion, figural, bird, perching, holding berries in beak, articulated wings, red, glass beads, date on tail, Iroquois, 1903, $75. Pencil, slate, paper wrapping, American flag, box, Civil War era, c. 1860, 29 pieces, $80.
Porcelain-Asian, platter, oval, four shaped panels, figures alternate with flowers, center medallion, red, orange, blue, green, blue and white exterior, marked, Japan, 12 1/2 x 15 inches, $130. Jewelry, bolo tie, figural charm, bird, stylized, inlaid beak, feathers and wings, turquoise, red, black, white, Zuni, 19 inches, charm 2 inches, $150. Corkscrew, figural, golfer, carrying bag on back, brimmed cap, stylized, bottle opener, art deco, signed, W.H.W. Hgenauer, Austria, leather case, $250. Candy container, turkey, standing, wings down, tail fanned, painted, iridescent green, blue head, red, brown, white, papier-mache, Germany, 1920s, 8 1/2 inches, $325.
Furniture, cabinet, spice, Federal, pine, two rows of three short drawers over two columns of five graduated drawers, turned wood pulls, shaped bracket base, c. 1830, 27 x 20 1/2 inches, $375.
Trunk, travel bag, monogram canvas, center green and red vertical racing stripe, brown leather trim, top handle, zippered pockets, beige canvas interior, label, Gucci, 1980s, 12 x 21 inches, $450. Box, lid, oval, quilled, multicolor, geometrics, chevron base, birch bark, Micmac, late 1800s, 5 x 8 inches, $1,235.
A cranberry glass centerpiece like this one adds a beautiful Victorian touch to a dinner table but wouldn’t be practical for serving cranberry sauce. (PHOTO COURTESY WORLD AUCTION GALLERY)
Average long-term US mortgage rate rises to 6.26%
Rate rises for third straight week
By A lex Veiga Associated Press
The average rate on a 30year U.S. mortgage edged higher for the third week in a row, though it remains close to its low point this year.
The average long-term mortgage rate ticked up to 6.26% from 6.24% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.84%.
Three weeks ago, the average rate was at 6.17%, its lowest level in more than a year.
Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also inched up this week. The rate averaged 5.54%, up from 5.49% last week. A year ago, it was 6.02%, Freddie Mac said.
When mortgage rates rise they reduce homebuyers’ purchasing power. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage has been stuck above 6% since September 2022, the year mortgage rates began climbing from historic lows.
That’s helped kept sales of previously occupied U.S. homes stuck at around a 4-million annual pace going back to 2023. Historically, sales have typically hovered around 5.2 million a year.
While sales have been sluggish this year, they received a boost this fall as mortgage rates eased. The average rate on a 30-year home loan has stayed below 6.4% since early September. Last month, home sales accelerated to their fastest pace since February.
Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions
Deeds
AGAWAM
Debra A. Collins to Kelly Cronin and Patrick Cronin, 22 Beech Hill Road, $400,000.
to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.
The 10-year yield was at 4.10% at midday Thursday. That’s down slightly from from a week ago, but up from around 3.95% on Oct. 22.
Mortgage rates began declining this summer ahead of the Federal Reserve’s decision in September to cut its main interest rate for the first time in a year amid signs the labor market was slowing. The Fed lowered its key interest rate again last month, although Fed Chair Jerome Powell cautioned that further rate cuts weren’t guaranteed.
Wall Street traders have reduced their bets that the Fed will cut its main interest rate at its next meeting in December, now giving it a roughly 44% probability, according to data from CME Group. That’s down from nearly 70% a couple of weeks ago, but better than the 30% chance before the release Thursday of the delayed September jobs report.
The central bank doesn’t set mortgage rates, and even when it cuts its short-term rates that doesn’t necessarily mean rates on home loans will necessarily decline.
Last fall after the Fed cut its rate for the first time in more than four years, mortgage rates marched higher, eventually reaching just above 7% in January this year. At that time, the 10-year Treasury yield was climbing toward 5%.
Recent forecasts by economists at the National Association of Realtors and First American call for the average rate on a 30-year mortgage to drop to around 6% next year.
Ellsworth W. Smith, trustee, Tara J. Ruiz, trustee, and Ellsworth W. Smith Family Trust, trustee of, to Robert Taupier and Lisa Taupier, 236 South Westfield St., $379,900.
Kathleen Marie Poggi and Kristine Ann Nicholls to Jeffrey Seibold and Stephanie Collins, 92 Highland St., $345,000.
Michael Sullivan to Louis Bonavita, 418 Meadow St., Unit E-1, $140,000.
AMHERST
Reza Ardestani-Shafie, trustee, Shohreh Shafie, trustee, and Shafie Family Trust to Stephanie Weaver, 24 Greenleaves Drive, $319,900.
Margaret Lowance Rorick, trustee, and Susan Coltrane Lowance Trust to Ryo Mochido and John A. Hill, 12 Chadwick Court, $289.500.
Louise A. Herrmann to Laura Kallio Neill and Robert Lee Neill, 25 Greenleaves Drive, $30,000.
BELCHERTOWN
Warren R. Barrett, trustee, Timothy D. Barrett, trustee, Warren P. Barrett Living Trust, Louise M. Barrett, trustee, and Louise M. Barrett Living Trust to Louise M. Barrett, 68 Maple St., $100.
Louise M. Barrett to Louise M. Barrett, trustee, and Louise M. Barrett Living Trust, 68 Maple St., $100.
Carol E. St. Amand to Kristen D. Hoag, 312 Allen Road, $333,000.
Warren R. Barrett, trustee, Timothy D. Barrett, trustee, Warren P. Barrett Living Trust, Louise M. Barrett, trustee, and Louise M. Barrett Living Trust to Louise M. Barrett, 70 Maple St., $100.
Louise M. Barrett to Louise M. Barrett, trustee, and Louise M. Barrett Living Trust, 70 Maple St., $100.
Patti A. Calarese to Christopher Masterman and Miriam Plavin-Masterman, 180 Ware Road, $625,000.
Jonathan A. Szwajkowski and Lynsey Szwajkowski to John Patrick Rivera Balo and Julia Balo, 255 State St., $340,000.
BRIMFIELD
Guan Sen Liang to Rehab Home Buyers LLC, 139 East Hill Road, $300,000.
Jonas Vandebroek to James M. Hurley, 1154 Dunhamtown Brimfield Road, $425,000.
Katherine E. Poirier to Robert Volesky and Courtney Volesky, 44 Little Alum Road, $475,000.
Paul E. Surprise and Velzora M. Surprise to Keith Williams and Arlene D. Williams, 10 Hillside Drive, $420,000.
Timothy M. Ryan and Christine D. Ryan to Katherine Poirier, Carly Winer and Michael Christopher Woll, 61 Apple Road, $549,000.
CHARLEMONT
Elliot J. Henry and Jacqueline T. Henry, “fka” Jacqueline T. Proctor, to Hailey D. D. Klein, 8 North St., $375,000.
CHESTER
Justin Cwalinski to Kimberly Bissonnette and Joseph Bissonnette, 76 Hampden St., $270,000.
CHICOPEE
Angela M. Denehy, representative, Catherine T. Pickul, estate, and Catherine G. Pickul, estate, to Kathleen M. Beresky, 69 Daley St., $260,000.
Anthony G. Smigiel and Jeanne B. Smigiel to David R. Gagne and Krissy J. Gagne, Blanchard Street, Lot A, $10,000.
Brenda M. Bak and Brenda Depot to Matthew Hester, 76 Montgomery St., $180,000.
Darren E. Wuensch to RRR Holdings LLC, 158 Narragansett Boulevard, $450,000.
Dennis L. Brantley Jr., to Sean Caron and Jessica Barlow, 80-82 Orchard St., $420,000.
Drew S. Degree and Emily Conroy to Patrick M. Brown, 65 Woodbridge Road, Unit 6232A, $229,900.
Eric L. Reisbig and Tracy A. Reisbig to Dianne S. Appleton, 61 Abbey Memorial Drive, Unit 151, $247,000.
Francis A. Fleury to Danielle Ribeiro, 289 Grattan St., $303,000.
Grace E. Szydziak, Grace E. Paulo and Myles Paulo to Jacek D. Orlowski, 10-12 Rivest Court, $429,000.
Gregory Roy, Greg Roy and Stacey Roy to Drew Degree and Emily Conroy, 45 Guerin St., $400,000.
Heather M. Peek and Brad Walulak to Marisari Rosario, 8 Oxford St., $301,000.
Jebb Investments LLC, to Round Two LLC, 805 Chicopee St., $1,600,000.
Jody Peltier to Scott Family Properties LLC, 103 Catherine St, $199,000.
Phillip R. Labrie, trustee, Phillip R. Labrie Revocable Indenture Of Trust Of, trustee of, Gary R. Labrie
and Michael R. Labrie to Quebec LLC, 639 Grattan St., $600,000. Timothy J. Wrona and Tianna M. Wrona to Alexander Figueroa Sr., 861 Prospect St., $425,000.
CONWAY
W. D. Cowls Inc., to Lyme Quabbin LLC, Maggie Bean Road, Old Cricket Hill Road, Bean Road, Johnny Bean Road and Cricket Hill Road, $1,955,287.
CUMMINGTON
Ursula M. Hannon to Jonathan William Lynch and Darcie Brown, 177 Porter Hill Road, $80,000.
Jason Joel King and Margaret M. King to Jason Joel King, Life Estate, and Cara M. King, 148 Berkshire Trail, $100.
DEERFIELD
Constance P. Krejmas, “aka” Constance P. Vitale, “fka” Constance P. Kozlowski, to Pamela A. Scott and Ronald M. Scott, 608 River Road, $150,000.
James K. Edzwald, trustee of the James K. Edzwald Investment Trust, and Joan C. Edzwald, trustee of the Joan C. Edzwald Investment Trust, to Barbara A. Skibiski and Michael R. Skibiski, trustees of the Revocable Indenture of Trust of Barbara A. Skibiski, 4A Gray Lock Lane, Unit 31A Sugarloaf Condominium, $525,000.
EASTHAMPTON
William P. Roeder and Diane M. Roeder to Payal Patel, 104-106 Everett St., $439,000.
Christopher A. Cockshaw and KJ Nichols to Melissa Pierson-Buell and Mardi Pierson-Buell, 38 Clark St., $637,000.
Marianne LeBlanc, Donna Christensen and Donna Simpson to Francis E. Collins, trustee, Donald W. Abel Jr., trustee, and Michael R. Abel Trust, 102 Lovefield St., $399,000.
Julie E. Chandler to Healthy Neighborhoods Group LLC, 20 Meadowbrook Drive, $261,000.
Bator Family 2017 Living Trust, Ronald T. Bator, trustee, and Mary R. Bator, trustee, to John R. Bator, 1 Bay Ave., $45,000.
GOSHEN
Trustees of The Smith College and Smith College to Mary Chicoine and Glen Ayers, 181 Cape St., $475,000.
Eli Pease and Erin Pease to Jonathan Szwajkowski, 106 Shaw Road, $400,000.
SEE DEEDS, PAGE F9
Deeds
GRANBY
Lissa A. Cloutier to Donna G. Kmelius, 18 Smith Ave., $100. GC & RK LLC, to Mark A. Rosienski and Deborah R. Rosienski, Chicopee Street, $75,000.
GREENFIELD
Eric C. Brown and Meredith Brown to Nathan Ryan and Christina Tomasik, 10 Laurel St., $298,500.
Charles W. Saunders Inc., “fka” C.W.S. Realty Inc., to KB&B LLC, 377 Main St., Units 4, 5, 13 & 14, 377 Main Street Condominium, $300,000.
Venture Community Services Inc., to Servicenet Inc., 449 Country Club Road, $565,950.
Joanne C. DiSciullo to Michaela R. Elliott, 22 Pine St., $300,000.
Benjamin Goody and Megan Goody, “fka” Megan Millard, to Ashley Gough and Bobbie Gough, 250 Plain Road, $449,900.
Jeanne E. Minetti, trustee of the Jeanne E. Minetti Trust, to Peter A. Garbus, 104 Deerfield St., Unit 104 Green River Commons Condominium, $254,000.
Robert E. Shave to William Pielock, 16 Coolidge Ave., $330,000.
Fred H. Secore Jr., to Willow Raven Parker and Fairin Woods, 11 Beech St., $197,500.
Mark A. Shulenburg, trustee of Shulenburg Investment Trust, to Carl W. Johnson and Harriett Wilby, trustees of the Johnson/Wilby Revocable Trust, 44 Wildwood Ave., $295,000.
HADLEY
Stephen G. Kotfila, Regina J. Kotfila, Meaghan Loughran, Meaghan T. Loughran, Molly Tudryn, Regina J. Kotfila, personal representative, Regina Josephine Kotfila, personal representative, and Thomas R. Tudryn, estate, to Barry Roberts, 394 River Drive, $410,000.
HAMPDEN
71/ 75 North Road Realty Trust, trustee of, and Brian M. Weston, trustee, to Healthy Neighborhoods Group LLC, 75 North Road, $290,000.
HATFIELD
Michele L. Kirouac to Susan M. Yurik, trustee, and Susan M. Yurik Revocable Trust, 115 Elm St.,
$460,000.
Cheryl A. Nicholas and Bryan O. Nicholas III, and Bryan Nicholas to Bryan O. Nicholas III, trustee, Cheryl A. Nicholas, trustee, and Nicholas Family Trust, 435 Main St., $100.
Mary R. Barry to Mary R. Barry, trustee, and M.R.M.B. Family Trust, 58 Pantry Road, $100.
HAWLEY
Mary Anne A. Zeller, Personal Representative of the Estate of Jane Marie O’Connor to Elliot J. Henry and Jacqueline Therese Proctor Henry. 4 Plainfield Road and East Hawley Road. $395,000.
HOLYOKE
Adelia E. Re and Judith Re Morgan to Ashley Zimmerman and Elisa Dacunha, 211 Pleasant St., $430,000.
April Choiniere, April Monfett and Charles Monfett to Eric Johnson, Caitlin Harrington and Linda Johnson, 0 Westfield Road, $394,000.
Claire L. Grenier to Jason Owen and Katelyn Owen, 86 Lynch Drive, $310,000.
Eleodoro Martinez and Maria Del Carmen Martinez to Xiomara Rivera and Moises R. Reyes, 996 Dwight St., $255,000.
Fab Holdings LLC, to Marissa Beaulieu, 887 Main St., $544,000.
Jennifer E. Daly and Kari Daly to Jennifer Lund, 43 Woods Ave., $275,000.
Jose A. Vazquez-Garcia and Ramona Vazquez to Eric Koloski, 56 Laurel St., $303,000.
Lauren Fitzgerald, Lauren MacDonald and Liam Fitzgerald to Yuneiry Medrano and Yoseline Monegro Mejia, 155 Huron Ave., $375,000.
Madeline H. Ross to Abdeljalil Eljaoual, 494 Maple St., $185,000.
Congregation Sons of Zion of Holyoke Inc., to Templo Pentecostal La Hermosa Inc., 378 Maple St, $550,000.
Pah Properties LLC, to Emma Ursula Lao and Karl Felton Miller, 25 West Glen St., $299,000.
Reina L. Cruz to Monique Lariviere and William Burke, 187 Walnut St., $346,000.
Urbanist Capital LLC, to Principia Holdings LLC, 121 Newton St., $142,400.
LEVERETT
Ursula P. Humphrey to Charlotte Ezrol and Sean Ezrol, 45 Cave Hill Road, $560,000.
LONGMEADOW
925 Williams Street LLC, to Jodee McCarthy Giroux, Steven Norman Giroux and Joanne Grenier Mahaffrey, 925 Williams St., $505,000.
Chunlin Wang and Ruifeng Zhou to E. David Wilson and Marcelle Wilson, 592 Willaims St., $521,000.
Donald E. Kelley Jr., James R. Kelley and Joseph A. Kelley to Brian H. Kelley, 29 Cobblestone Road, $409,687.
Frank J. Sterba Jr., trustee, and Frank J. Sterba Jr. Revocable Trust Agreement, trustee of, to Jeffrey Leonard and Katie Leonard, 120 Northfield Road, $704,000.
Jeffrey M. Leonard and Katie Marie Leonard to Aimie Alicea and Nelson Lopez Aviles, 1705 Longmeadow St., $290,000.
Jennifer M. Cohen to Christa Margaret Relyea, 82 West Road, $460,000.
L. Jeffrey Meehan and Mary J. Meehan to Devin Kelly and Maura Kelly, 92 Eton Road, $866,500.
LUDLOW
Christopher Napierski, Mathew Napierski and Martha Napierski to Kevin T. Brolin, 167 Alden St., $255,000.
Kyle A. Bernard and Michelle Elizabeth Bernard to Carol E. St. Amand, Albert L. Eldridge and Joanne C. Eldridge, 34 Williams St., $400,000.
Mark Rogers and Laura Rogers to Rachana Kothari and Paras Doshi, 90 Atlantic St., $414,000.
New England Equities LLC, to Karakartal 28 LLC, 313-319 East St., $650,000.
MONSON
Beri A. Recher to David Nascembeni, trustee, and Arlene M. Favreau-Pysher Irrevocable Trust, trustee of, 6 Gates St, $435,000.
James Babcock to 269 Hovey Road LLC, Hovey Road, Lot 8, $200,000.
Melissa H. Raymond to Rodrigo Abreu Guzman, 14 Hampden Ave., $430,000.
MONTAGUE
Brianna Christine Doxzen, “nka”
Briggs Christopher Doxzen, to Briggs Christopher Doxzen and Rhylissa Doxzen, 6 11th St., $100.
Stephen G. Kent to Cathleen Eastman, 10 Emond Ave., $315,000.
W. D. Cowls Inc., to Lyme Quabbin LLC, Highland Ave., $185,314.
Walter A. Rodovich Jr., to Colby
Ryan Bartos, 6 Warner St., $285,000.
MONTGOMERY
Joseph G. Lafreniere and Maria Lopriore to Brett Trumbauer and Adrianna Colona, 58 North Road, $575,000.
Joseph G. Lafreniere and Maria Lopriore to Claire Tyminski, 0 North Road, $5,000.
NORTHAMPTON
Jeremy Durrin and Gabriella Day to Rocket Property Group LLC, 22 Hockanum Road, $100.
Lisa M. Kirouac to Cameron Paleologopoulos and Carley Paleologopoulos, 447 Ryan Road, $425,000.
Mary J. Pelis, Mary J. Persaud and Andrew S. Pelis to Shani Ofrat, Julia Wahl and Alexander Roseman, 133 Cardinal Way, $900,000.
Jason Berg and Laura B. Berg to Christina Lauren Rucinski and Thomas Stephen Mooseker, 48 Dunphy Circle, $425,000.
Christopher M. Cote and Linda M. Cote to Evadne Friedman Hull and Teofil Hull, 206 Prospect St., $475,500.
Terry A. Liebl, Terry A. Liebl, personal representative, and Victor Skubiszewski, estate, to DayByDay LLC, 59 Day Ave., $280,000.
ORANGE
M. Ann Hastings, Donald G. Richardson and Gerald C. Richardson to Colleen Richardson, 90 Ward Road, $290,000.
Dennis B. Mitchell and Pamela B. Mitchell to Lisett M. Comai-Legrand and Raymond F. Legrand II, 75 East Myrtle St., $285,000.
Fred L. Maguire III, to Cynthia Adams and Nathan J. Boudreau, 30 Enfield Drive and 72 East Road, $560,000.
PALMER
Brian T. Griffith and Julie L. Griffith to Sean Cipro and Sarah Cipro, 2045 Calkins Road, $338,000.
Luke Paull and Erika A. Paull to Arthur Alves, Arthur R. Alves, Arthur Rodrigues Alves and Chloe Laduke, 3162-3162 High St., $308,000.
Reanagen LLC, to Rehab Home Buyers LLC, 63 Charles St., $160,000.
PLAINFIELD
Lyn A. Gelinas, personal representative, Judith Ann Gelinas, estate, and Judith A. Gelinas, estate, to Joseph R. Mara and Joseph
K. Henderson, 80 River Road, $359,500.
SHELBURNE
Carmen E. Tedesco, trustee of Tedesco Investment Trust, to Timothy Joseph Murphy, 50 Old Village Road, $415,000.
SOUTH HADLEY
Stay in Motion LLC, to NextDoor Holding LLC, 318 Newton St., $540,000.
Katharine G. Bryda to Debra Lee Lauder, 41 West Summit St., $230,000.
William F. Burke and Monique E. Lariviere to Katharine G. Bryda, 30 Pine Grove Drive, $315,000.
Daniel P. Covington, Alyssa A. Covington and Alyssa A. Sawyer to Matthew May, 30 Yale St., $375,000.
SOUTHAMPTON
William F. Czelusniak, trustee, Susan P. Mutti, trustee, and 2015 Czelusniak Revocable Trust to Nancy Jean Carrier, trustee and Nancy Jean Carrier Inheritance Revocable Living Trust, 154 Pomeroy Meadow Road, $575,000.
John Banas, trustee, and Shirley A. Szczypta Living Trust to Eddieberto Acevedo Jr., and Edwin Jesus Acevedo, 68 College Highway, $325,000.
Deborah E. Reidy and James R. Reidy to Michael J. Bozik and Danielle Bozik, 39 Cook Road, $730,000.
SOUTHWICK
Bruce K. Jackson and Gerrilyn P. Jackson to Jon Christian Ventulett and Jessica Applin, 11 Ed Holcomb Road, $460,000.
Duane Torlish and Thomas Torlish to Castle Pines Realty LLC, 32 Sheep Pasture Road, $145,000.
Zachary Smith and Kelsey Smith to Xavier R. Curtis and Regina E. Curtis, 37 Summer Drive, $330,000.
SPRINGFIELD
Adrian D. Andrews and Dalyn E. Andrews to Amanda J. Montes, 60-62 Desrosiers St., $400,000. Anh H To to Bongavi LLC, 0 Main Street, $214,900.
Real Estate Investments
Northeast LLC, to G & D Enterprise LLC, 30 Berkshire Ave., $300,000.
Barbara Lewko and Alejandro Contreras to Victor Jadiel Colon, 100 Champlain St., $295,000.
Holidays
Perform crucial home maintenance tasks …
Thomas suggests taking care of some basic home maintenance tasks ahead of the holidays, such as checking your smoke detector batteries, replacing burned-out lightbulbs and testing the heating system, “so you’re not caught off guard once guests arrive.” Pedersen would add checking air filters and indoor air quality to that list. “Ensuring the comfort of your guests begins here,” she says.
… And small, cosmetic fixes
“Touch up wall scuffs and scrapes,” Pedersen says. “The holidays are a time for memories! When looking back at photos, you want to focus on family and friends, not the ding on the wall behind them.”
Deeds
CONTINUES FROM PAGE F9
Beris Gouldbourne to Beris Gouldbourne, Aiyana F. Hart, Makaila O. Hart and Gabriel D. Hart, 115 Princeton St., $100.
Brian L. Maryott and Michele L. Maryott to Daniel Michael Rosa and Daniel Michael Rosa Jr., 6 Sparrow Drive, $379,990. BRVS LLC, to Mirta Perez Jimenez and Maria Paredes Veliz, 156 Knollwood St., $275,000.
Carolyn A. Belanger and Thomas J. Belanger to Siobhan Passmore, 115 Caseland St., $371,000.
Cheryl Anne Guillette, Cheryl Anne Bolton and Dale Harry Bolton to Daniel Brzycki, 22 Colorado St., $330,000.
Cindy A. Regnier to JJJ17 LLC, 7880 Johnson St., $200,000.
Corey Fisher, Aaron Posnik & Co Inc., Zahn Properties LLC, Martin O’Connell, trustee, Salvatore Cangialosi, trustee, Ama Kyereme, trustee, 155 Maple Condominium Trust, trustee of, and Daniel Cohen to Western Mass Home Health Services Inc., 155 Maple St., Unit 209, $44,100.
Cynthia D. Miller to Jose Eugenio, 53 Holden St., $238,000.
Daniel Medina to Jansel Echavarria and Carol Mateo, 842-844 Carew St., $392,000.
Geecaa Investments LLC, to Elise Gonzalez, 52-54 Narragansett St., $360,000.
Check your tech
“Double-check your WiFi, reset the password to something simple and easy to share and, if the TV is a big gathering spot, make sure your streaming apps are updated and the remotes have fresh batteries,” Thomas says. “It wouldn’t hurt to sanitize those remotes while you’re at it.”
Freshen up the guest room
If you’re hosting overnight guests, Greeley says, “Always, always make sure the room is clean: clean floors, surfaces and freshly laundered sheets.” To get air flowing, “leave the door open so it’s not sealed off from the rest of the house,” she adds. “A few days before guests arrive, consider opening windows to let some fresh air in and maybe even light a scented candle well in advance of their arrival.”
Adjust the layout
In your guest room and beyond, don’t underestimate the impact of simply moving things around.
Gemini Town Homes LLC, to Ernestina O. Duphey, 46 Central St., Unit 502, $227,000.
Hassle Free LLC, to Round Two LLC, 24-26 Pequot St., $187,500.
Ismael Acevedo and Fernando Acevedo to Jose Merced Lopez, 130 Eddy St., $270,000.
Jamison Carney to Mariah Pendleton and Nkechi Wamuo, 13 Granger St., $275,000.
JJJ17 LLC, receiver, Patricia Ann Ward and Springfield City to Bruce Brice and Joannie Brice, 325 Main St., $247,000.
Jose Boaventura to Pedro J. Ortiz Jr., 51-53 Lansing Place, $370,000.
Kristen D. Hoag to Peterina Hamilton, 135 Dayton St., $366,000.
Kristin A. Lambert, Mark Quiterio and Kristin A. Quiterio to Reina Cruz and Airiel Adorno, 98 Mildred Ave., $335,000.
Lori Hubbard and Lynaya Hubbard to Colondres+Co LLC, 34 Biltmore St., $263,000.
Maria Alban, Maria Marcano, Angel Albano and Angel Alban to Kieu Nguyen and Thao Phan, 89 Newhouse St., $370,000.
Moris Pardo and Isabel Pardo to Beauty In A Drip Studio By Edyta LLC, 299 Carew St. Unit 200, $63,000.
Naples Home Buyers Trust, trustee of, Lucas Giusto, trustee, and Dominic Santaniello, trustee, to Tejada Properties LLC, 87 Fenwick St., $190,000.
Napolitano Investments LLC, to Urban Impact Initiative Massa-
“Adjust the guest room or bathroom layout so that essentials like extra towels, pillows and outlets are easy to spot and use,” Thomas says. Pedersen agrees, saying you might want to consider adding storage to help keep the space tidy, upgrading your seating options or creating a feature wall that guests can use as a backdrop for photos.
Don’t overlook the basics
“Restock the basics: extra linens, tissues, toiletries, maybe even a spare phone charger,” Thomas says. And don’t overlook the towels. “Whether the bathroom is in the guest bedroom or not, leave no mystery around where towels are, and leave at least two towels per guest,” Greeley says.
Pedersen likes to keep some inexpensive buttoned hair wrap towels on hand. That way, you’ll have plenty of standard towels to go around. (Bonus: They take up less space in the wash than full-size bath towels.)
chusetts Nonprofit Corp., 473-477 State St., $110,000.
Nooruldeen Z. Alani and Kaiser Z. Alani to Fredrick Villegas, 145 Quincy St., $270,000.
Noreen Orinda and Thomas Carter to Luis Castillo Ruiz and Joel Gonzalez, 115 Abbott St., $290,000.
Opus Durum LLC, to Hoodoo Realty LLC, 122 Fort Pleasant Ave., $330,000.
Regina Hudson to Nathalie Thomas, 42-44 Narragansett St., $467,000.
SMPM LLC, to Pei Chen, 96 Chesterfield Ave., $325,000.
Tamatha L. Patterson to Tara E. Kyrios and Rebecca J. Kragt, 282 Nassau Drive, Unit 282, $220,000.
William E. Decoteau Jr., trustee, P&M Realty Trust, trustee of, and Kathleen A. Bonavita to Samantha Marchand, 238 Merrimac Ave., $265,000.
Yim Phong to JJJ17 LLC, 11 Ina St., $205,000.
SUNDERLAND
Mary Jane Canavan and Anne M. Paradis to Thomas Jeffrey Graham and Stacy Marie Lynch, 72 Reservation Road, $600,000.
Robert Anthony Petrizzi to Lauren Friedman and Thomas Friedman, 188 North Main St., $496,000.
TOLLAND
Justin Etting and Tyler Brooks to
Add a welcoming touch
While it’s not necessary, the experts I spoke to all suggested adding a personal touch to welcome guests.
“A handwritten note with tips on where to find things, an unopened sleep mask, or even a favorite snack shows your guests you went the extra mile, even if they are family,” Thomas says.
Greeley suggests providing what she calls “often-forgotten items” such as toothbrushes, toothpaste or chargers in guest rooms. Or, Pedersen says, “For added coziness, small touches of holiday decor and bath robes are inexpensive and make a big impact.”
And finally, add an easy and greatly appreciated show of holiday kindness: “Make sure guests know where the extra wrapping paper and ribbon are in the event they need to wrap something last minute,” Greeley says. “We’ve all been there.”
Mira Scarfiotti, 117 Beetle Road, $390,000.
WARE
Odette Luszcz to Odette Y. Luszcz, 98 West Main St., $100.
Joseph E. Barrett and Eleanor J. Barrett to Daniel J. Barrett, 281 Palmer Road and 287 Palmer Road, $100.
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Debra A. Whiting and Kenneth A. Whiting to Melissa Jo Losito, trustee, and M&M Perception Trust, trustee of, 95 Park Ave., Unit 1, $140,000.
Icarian Real Estate Advisors LLC, to Erin Theresa Panteleakis and Demetrios Panteleakis, 18 Shady Brook, $475,000.
WESTFIELD
Daniil K. Hatsitski and Ina V. Hatsitski to Tammi O’Brien, 138 Main St., Unit 11, $269,900.
Dmitriy Temchenko and Elena Temchenko to Tomasz Jan Szwedzki and Marlene Pelasik, 101 North Road, $670,000.
Jessi J. Duval, representative, and Bruce E. Duval, estate, to Stephen Roache, 28 Vadnais St., $250,000.
Kevin J. Fedora Living Trust, trustee of, and Susan Fedora, trustee, to Roseann Bonatakis, 7 Exchange St., $250,000. Nicole M. Sgrignari, representa-
tive, Ann Marie Sgrignari, estate, and Ann M. Sgrignari, estate, to Amy Lavoie, 148 Prospect St. Extn, $420,100.
Sharon A. Bolduc to Walter J. Tomala, 133 LaPointe Road, $120,000.
WHATELY
Jean W. Relation-Spinner and Darrell F. Spinner to Deborah T. McWilliams and Robert D. McWilliams, 26 Eastwood Lane, $840,000.
WILBRAHAM
2301 Boston Road LLC, to Dorothy Zenaty, 44 Ivy Circle, $475,000.
Norma B. Semle to John Sampson Jr., 14 Raymond Drive, $515,000. Viktor I. Meyko and Kristina Meyko to Henry Buckle and Jodiann Reid-Buckle, 3128 Boston Road, $800,000.
Young H. Rhie to Saul Gracia, 83 Mountain Road, $400,000.
