Improve Curb Appeal on a Budget

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.  According to the National Association of Realtors, 63 percent of home buyers will drop by after they see a home the like online. What they see online is the home's exterior, including entry, yard and driveway.  Here are some simple ways to spruce up your curb appeal without breaking the bank.

Curb Appeal Starts Online

Quality photos are crucial to getting home buyers to the front door.  Real estate related searches on Google have grown 253% over the past 4 years.  Those searches make up 90% of home buyers who searched online during their home buying process.

Rely on Your Agent for a Second Opinion

Homeowners often get used to certain defects like chipped paint on the front door, cobwebs, cracked or stained steps.  Real Estate Agents know what buyers want to see.  They can help prioritize what needs to be fixed and cleaned up

Clean Up

Pressure-washing siding, decks, walkways, and driveways is a cost-efficient way to increase your home's curb appeal.

Feature Colorful Landscape

Clean up planters, window boxes and flower beds with colorful flowers for the season.  Make sure that you aren’t portraying an upkeep nightmare for future homeowners

Let in the Light

Homes that are brighter inside sell faster.  Clean windows inside and out, open all curtains and shades.   

Outdoor Lighting

Highlight your homes best features with lighting.  Solar lights are inexpensive and easy to install. 

Finishing touches

Paint is only about $25 per gallon, and painting the front door, trim and shutters is a great way to polish the look of your home. Other inexpensive fix-ups: a new mailbox, a new porch light fixture, shiny new house numbers and a cheery new welcome mat.

Call The Beatty McGovern Group to find out what we do to put more money in your pocket.

PAUL BEATTY

DACEY McGOVERN

- - - -

BROKER/PARTNER

KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY

- - - -

774.268.9012 | 617.312.2787

BEATTYMCGOVERN@KW.COM

WWW.BEATTYMCGOVERN.COM

- - - -

1600 FALMOUTH ROAD, SUITE #2

CENTERVILLE, MA 026323

Swim Safely on Cape Cod this Summer

Keep Your Family Safe at the Beach with these Swimming Safety Tips

Summer on Cape Cod attracts swimmers looking to beat the heat. 

While swimming is great exercise and fun for all ages, safety must be a priority.  Swimming injuries, drowning and deaths can be prevented by following simple safety rules. By following these rules, you can make sure that a day at the beach is safe and fun.

Read and obey signs – Be aware of water conditions and  rip tides.

Pool Safety - Walk, do not run and be careful getting in and out of the pools.  Slip and falls can cause serious injury.

Look before you leap or dive in - Diving head first can cause serious injury. Always check for rocks and depth before diving by entering slowly and feet first.

Do not go beyond your abilities - Swim only where you feel comfortable. Swim parallel to the shore, and stay inside roped-off areas.

Never swim alone – When no lifeguard is present, always use the "buddy system".

Play carefully - Wrestling and tumbling while swimming can be very dangerous.

Stay hydrated - Drink plenty of water regularly, even if you’re not thirsty. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them.

Never leave your child alone - If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.  A child can drown in just a few minutes and in a few centimeters of water. Young children need constant supervision by an adult when they are in or near the water. Beaches have so many hidden dangers, such as underwater logs, sudden drop offs, or tidal currents. Stay with your children. Obey any posted warnings about currents or dangerous areas, and ask other people if they know of any trouble spots in the area.

Never let children play in hot tubs - The hot water can quickly affect a child's small body.

Use sunscreen - Protect your skin. Limit the amount of direct sunlight you receive between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and wear waterproof sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 15. Check expiration dates and apply sunscreen often.

Life Jackets - Children should always wear a life jacket when they are swimming or in a boat. Check the label to make sure that your child's life jacket is government approved and that it is the right size for your child's weight.

Be prepared - Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit. Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

5 Must Dos for Cape Cod Family Vacations

Looking to keep the kids entertained on your summer getaway?

Our shores are lined with beaches that bring families and couples to Cape Cod looking to relax and cool off.  But the beaches are not all we have to offer.  Here are just 5 of the many things to keep you busy for days on Cape Cod.

PirateAdventures

Sailing Daily from Ocean Street Dock, Hyannis

Sailing Daily Memorial Day through Labor Day

The Hyannis Boat is ideal for everyone aged 1 - 99.

There’s underwater treasure and a secret map to follow. Help the crew fire the cannons in order to save the ship! Singing, storytelling and taking the Sea Gypsy Oath. It’s a gang effort to find the treasure, fend off other pirates and bring Sea Gypsy home to harbor. Every mate who makes it back will take along their share of booty!

Mini Golf

Mini Golf is a summer must for all Cape Codders and their yearly visitors.  Here are 3 Mid Cape favorite locations known for their water features and challenging courses.

Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf

728 Main St, Mid Cape South Yarmouth, MA

Skull Island Adventure Golf

934 Route 28, Mid Cape South Yarmouth, MA

Wild Animal Lagoon Miniature Golf

Iyannough Road, Mid Cape West Yarmouth, MA

Cape Cod Baseball League

The Cape Cod Baseball League has turned out some  favorite professional baseball players.    Among the Alumni are Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Varitek, Doug Mirabelli, Travis Shaw, Steven Wright and many more. 

Cape Cod Baseball Leagues goal is to provide affordable family entertainment.  All teams are non-profit and survive on the generous donations of spectators.  With a full schedule and many fields you can always spend sometime with the America's Pastime on Cape Cod. 

Whale Watching

Its been another amazing Whale Watching Season.  Take a trip out to Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary for an up close look at these amazing whales. Humpback, Finback, Minke whales and several dolphin species call this bank their home for the season. The waters around Cape Cod are ranked as one of the world’s top 10 whale watching locations.

Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises
Barnstable Harbor in Barnstable

Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch  

MacMillan Pier in Provincetown.

Wellfleet Drive-In Theatre

Wellfleet Drive-In Theatre, 51 Route 6, South Wellfleet

Sun kissed and ready for down time after a day on the beach head to the Wellfleet Drive-In Theatre for a double feature with the family.  Movies can be enjoyed in the night air or from your car.   Complete with a snack bar, a dairy bar and grill, and mini golf right nearby, so there is more than enough to truly make a night out of the experience. 

Beat the Heat at one of Cape Cod’s Best Ice Cream Spots

After a day of Sun and Fun who wouldn't want to cool off with an award winning Ice Cream? 

Your Cape Cod experience is not complete without a scoop or a sundae from one of these five tried and true spots loved by locals and visitors.

Four Seas Ice Cream

360 S Main St, Centerville

Beating the heat since 1934, Four Seas has been winning national and local competitions for a decade and has been named in top ten ice creams by national publications.

Cape Cod Creamery

5 Theater Colony Rd, South Yarmouth 645 Iyanough Rd, Hyannis

Enjoy scoops of creamy ice cream named after Cape Cod villages and attractions while lounging in Adirondack chairs in the shade.

Sundae School

381 Lower County Rd, Dennis Port 606 MA-28, Harwich Port 210 Main St, Orleans

With three locations you can’t go wrong with this tried and true treat to ease the summer heat.

Steve & Sue’s Par-Tee Freeze

455 W Main St, Hyannis

Ice Cream and a round of Mini Golf!

Katie’s Ice Cream

568 Main St, Hyannis

A Cape Cod homemade favorite made on premise, the perfect treat on the deck watching the main street crowds pass by.

Cape Cod's Newest Must See - Whydah Pirate Museum

 In 1984 a fully rigged galley ship was discovered off the coast of Wellfleet. Today the British built ship that traveled between Africa, the Caribbean and Great Britain can be explored at Cape Cod's newest museum, The Whydah Pirate Museum.

The Whydah sunk in the storm of 1717.  Since that time it treasure has been just 500 feet off the shores of Cape Cod.  This authentic treasure can now be seen at the Whydah Museum on Route 28 in Yarmouth.  Adults and Children of all ages will be enchanted by the authentic interactive pirate ship treasures.  The only display of its kind world wide it is a must see stop on Cape Cod!

Find out why Captain Samuel Bellamy entered the violent nor'easter on April 26, 1717, off the coast of Cape Cod that sent his pirates ship into a watery grave!  Climb aboard a Whydah ship replica and discover hands on the mysteries of the 300-year-old pirate treasures.

674 MA-28

West Yarmouth MA, 02673

Monday – Thursday 

10:00AM – 7:00PM

Friday – Sunday 

10:00AM – 8:00PM

Last entry to the museum is 45 minutes prior to closing.

Adult (Ages 18-64) $18.50

Senior (Ages 65+) $16.00

Youth (Ages 4-17) $14.50

Children (3 & Under) FREE

Do You Really Want To Be a For Sale By Owner?

Agents can save sellers time, money, liability and hassle

For Sale By Owner (FSBO) transactions are more costly than homeowners realize, they are complicated transactions that can put both buyers and sellers at risk. FSBOs take longer to sell costing sellers both time and money. Here are 11 reasons why for sale by owner is a terrible idea. Read full article.

1. Scams happen

FSBO scams happen to both buyers and sellers with little recourse besides hiring an attorney.  Common scams include fraudulent papers, foreign buyer, purchases through a third-party and asking for personal information.

2. Liability is all on the seller

Let’s face it: this is a litigious society, so what homeowner wants to be a target for lawsuits?  

Everyone makes mistakes. Licensed agents carry errors and omissions (E&O) insurance to protect against those mistakes.

3. Paperwork is daunting

The 2015 National Association of Realtors’ Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers showed that understanding paperwork was one of the most difficult tasks for FSBOs.

4. Sellers can get stuck in a bad deal

FSBOs that sign on the dotted line and then realize an error are stuck. They have to pay the buyer to get out of or just take the deal.

5. FSBOs sell for less

In 2015, FSBOs lost about 16 percent of the sales price with a median selling price of $210,000 (agent-assisted homes sold for $249,000).

6. FSBOs spend more time on the market

Unless the seller knows someone who wants to buy the home, FSBOs take longer to sell than homes listed with an agent. For the same reasons, they can’t get the right selling price.

7. FSBOs lack representation

There’s no one looking out for the homeowners who sell on their own. They have no one to call if they have a problem or a question.

8. Inspections are problematic

Sellers who don’t know the rules can get stuck with unnecessary and costly repairs.

9. Marketing is limited

FSBOs have limited resources to market their home.

10. Hidden costs add up

The mindset for most FSBOs is saving money. Chances are, these sellers are being nickeled and dimed into a pretty big chunk of change.

They’re paying for a lot of extras: signage, flyers, photography, MLS listing, attorney (required in multiple states for FSBOs), home warranty (optional but hard to sell without one), home inspection, a wood destroying pest inspection, credit report for buyers (if applicable), contracts and the list goes on.

11. Time costs the seller money

The biggest cost to a homeowner is their time. You might hear the argument that it doesn’t take an agent that much time to sell a house. And honestly, given the technology at our disposal, that’s true — to an extent.

But it will take a homeowner a whole lot longer. They don’t have the expertise or the access to the resources agents have. What is their own time worth to them? How much time will the seller spend researching the market and contracts? Is the seller going to leave work to unlock the house each time there’s a showing?

Call The Beatty McGovern Group 

to find out what we do to put 

more money in your pocket.

PAUL BEATTY

DACEY McGOVERN

- - - -

BROKER/PARTNER

KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY

- - - -

774.268.9012 | 617.312.2787

BEATTYMCGOVERN@KW.COM

WWW.BEATTYMCGOVERN.COM

- - - -

1600 FALMOUTH ROAD, SUITE #2

CENTERVILLE, MA 026323

   

Yarmouth Seaside Festival

Fireworks off of Seagull Beach on Sunday Night

Columbus Day Weekend is upon us, and in our town that means the yearly Yarmouth Seaside Festival.  Now in its 37th year, the festival draws scores of visitors to a variety of events.  There are festival grounds with crafters, exhibits, music, food, and amusements.  Off site, throughout the weekend you can find kayak races, a 5K road-race, fireworks, pie-eating contests, and a beach bonfire.  If you're planning to be in the area, stop by to check it out.  If you're not planning to come - think about it.  The forecast looks good, and fall on Cape Cod is a wonderful time of year.  

For more info about the Festival and a schedule of events, go to www.YarmouthSeasideFestival.com.