Dowload Article "Every House Tells A Story" by John Torsiello here:
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Exceptional Properties Digital Magazine
Below is a link to Raveis' winter issue of Exceptional Properties Digital Magazine. Several of The Matthews Group's Exceptional Properties were chosen to be featured in the magazine.
NYTimes Article Worth Reading for Sellers
Some interesting ideas for sellers to consider ... the details really can make a difference!
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/nyregion/22appraisal.html?src=me&ref=general
Puppet Show and Everything Kids Expo at WMS on Saturday 2/26!
Tomorrow is a day replete with great, entertaining activities for your children at the Washington Montessori School. Start or end with The Sunrise Puppet Theater's presentation of "Dr. Dookickey's Monster Machine" (hysterical!). Puppeteer Brad Shur is currently Artist In Residence at Boston's renowned Puppet Showplace Theater--a clear indication of his talents. As always, our shows are at 10:00AM and 11:30AM, and all seats are just $8.50 per person. And next week, Philadelphia's Steve Petra will be offering a sensational (and even educational) show on the human body, called "It's Alive!", featuring an ensemble of puppets assuming the roles of the heart, lungs and more.
Additionally tomorrow, from 9:00AM until 2:00PM, there will be the "Everything Kids Expo"--an opportunity to talk to area vendors, and learn about what's available for your children, including summer camps, sports camps, art and music studios, theater groups, gymnastics programs, after school programs, swimming classes and more! Plus, there will be costumed characters, face painting, a rock wall to climb, make-your-own pet rock, bouncy house, lego fun and more.
The Washington Montessori School is located at 240 Litchfield Turnpike (Route 202) in New Preston, CT.
Local Restaurant, Community Table, Earns Accolades
It's been a good week for Connecticut chefs, but especially for our very own Joel Viehland of Community Table in Washington. Not only has Community Table been named as a James Beard Foundation Award semi-finalist in the "Best New Restaurant" category, but chef Joel Viehland is one of ten finalists in the New England region up for Food & Wine Magazine's "People's Best New Chef" award.
If you have experienced one or two of Joel's fine meals at the Community Table and would like to support a local talent, you have until March 1st to cast your vote for him for the Food & Wine Magazine award. It's easy and only takes a minute! ... visit: http://eatocracy.cnn.com/foodandwine/
If you haven't been to the Community Table yet, you can see what it is all about in this slideshow presentation on Courant.com: http://www.courant.com/health/connecticut/hc-sustainable-fare-pictures-0217,0,1883646.photogallery
You can also learn more about the James Beard Foundation Awards at jamesbeard.org.
The Matthews Group's Searles' Castle Featured on MSN
Ice Dams
Sometimes the snow is fun, but when its created an ice dam on your roof its a real drag. This is truly a plague this winter. After we had the first storm of almost 2 feet of snow, we then had a day where it rained hard for hours. All that rain stayed on top of the roofs and sank to the bottom of the snow. Then it froze. Now it hassettled down by your gutters and can cause your roofing to seperate and then...leaks. I have had calls or frantic e-mails from at least 2 dozens clients about this so far. So keep an eye out for any water stains in your ceilings. My gutters have taken on so much ice weight that they are all bent and going to need major repair come Spring. The roofing experts should be fully employed fixing these problems for the next 6 months!
Lake House in Rue Mag!
Visit the new Rue Mag (link below), page 202, for a fabulous look inside Susanna Salk's home. It was a very satisfying to have found thiscottage for the Salks, and then watch it being transformed into a much larger home.I thank Susanna for the shout out in the article. Discover howshe masterfully transformed her summer lakehouse into a family-friendly full time residence right here on Lake Waramaug.Most lake houses are on postage stamps sized lots, but this onehas over 3 acres with lots of flat land, a dock, pool and tennis. A rare find!Article: Love At First Sight
CNN and Wall St Journal Picking Bottom in Second Home Market!
I thought it was interesting thatI woke up to Clark Howard (who seems to always be telling people to save and not spend anything) telling people that now is the time to buy vacation homes!
HLN's Clark Howard says if you can afford a second home, buy now while the prices are hot!
I agree with Clark and with the gist oftoday'sWall St Journal article.
WSJ Reports "Market for Vacation Homes is on the Rise"
We are seeing a lot of inquiries and I think there will be a lot of deals done this Spring. Buyers are looking for deals and getting them!
Enhanced Conservation Easement Tax Incentives Enacted for 2011
A provision of the tax bill signed into law by the President last week increases the tax benefits for qualifying conservation easements placed in effect between January 1st of this year and December 31st of next year.
These temporary incentives increase the amount of income that can be shielded from 30 to 50 percent (100% for farmers and ranchers), and they extend the carry-forward period for any unused portion of a deduction from 5 to 15 years.
These enhanced incentives are scheduled to expire automatically at the end of 2011, and, with mounting concern about Federal debt levels, it may be many years before the incentives are again made this attractive.
If you are looking for a tax deduction, please note these new provisions. This a great time to buy and conserve land. For more information, please contact me matthews@raveis.com.
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