Park Square Realty Blog

Feeding Hills Office Holiday Party

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:13:00 -0500

The Feeding Hills office held its annual Holiday Party on December 16, 2011. It was a great party with delicious food, fun secret Santa presents swap and ugly sweater exhibition. Several Park Square agents and staff worked feverishly to prepare a one of a kind holiday sweater for Ted Cassell – Office Manager. Fun was had by all!

Park Square Realty Agents Recognized at RAPV Holiday Luncheon

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:53:00 -0500

Park Square Realty Agents Recognized at RAPV Holiday Luncheon

Agawam, Massachusetts. The Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley held their annual Holiday Luncheon at Chez Josef on Tuesday, December 13, 2011. Several Park Square Realty agents were recognized for their years of continuous service as Realtors.

Ted Cassell, President of Park Square Realty, is pleased to announce that the following agents in the Feeding Hills Office were honored for their years of continuous service to the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley. They include Shirley Kibbe for thirty years of service, Pam Savioli and Joanne Kean were each honored for twenty-five years of continuous service. Dee Cyr and Ericca Herbert for their ten years of continuous service.

Barry Boccasile, Director of Growth and Development for Park Square Realty is proud to announce that Peg Lis-Barone from the Westfield office was honored with twenty-five years of continuous service and Paula Waldroup was honored for ten years of service as a Realtors with the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley.

Park Square Realty is a locally owned residential real estate company with offices in Westfield (413-568-9226) and Feeding Hills (413-789-9830) and can be seen online at parksquarerealty.com

Park Square Realty Adopts a Family

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:06:00 -0500

Park Square Realty was pleased to adopt a family again this Christmas. This year we adopted a family of six and it was really great as everyone pitched in to give the family a great Christmas!

60 Day Guaranteed Sale Program for Home Sellers

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:11:00 -0500

ATTENTION HOME SELLERS! Park Square Realty is excited to announce the 60 Day Guaranteed Sale Program for Home Sellers. At Park Square Realty, we are confident that we can get you an offer within 60 days of listing your property. Whether your property failed to sell in the past or this is the first time the property is being offered on the market, please give us the opportunity to show you why we are #1 in our market and why you should sell with Park Square Realty. Contact a Park Square Agent today so we can meet with you to discuss the program details. Certain conditions apply.

10 Great Reasons To Sell Your Home During the Holidays & Over the Winter Months

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:36:00 -0500

1. People looking are more serious buyers.

2. Serious buyers have fewer houses to choose, so you have less competition.

3. Houses “show better” with Holiday decor.

4. Buyers are more emotional.

5. Buyers have more time to look during the holiday.

6. Many people will buy by year-end for tax reasons.

7. January is the month for transfers. Transferees cannot wait until spring; you must be on the market!!

8. Western Massachusetts sold listings have proved to be up August – December.

9. You can sell now, but specify a delayed closing or extended occupancy until Early next year if you desire.

10. By selling now you have an opportunity to buy during the spring, when Many houses are on the market.

BOTTOM LINE:

By having your property on the market now, you may have fewer actual showings, but more qualified buyers. THE REASON: You have less Competition.

Ted Cassell, Broker/Owner

Claire Kenna Joins Park Square Realty

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:24:00 -0500

Ted Cassell, President of Park Square Realty, is pleased to announce that Claire Kenna has joined Park Square Realty’s Westfield office as a Sales Associate.

Barry Boccasile, Director of Growth and Development, is excited to have Claire as part of the growing Westfield Office team. Claire will be specializing in residential listings and sales and can be reached at 568-9226 or 485-7403.

Having graduated from Berkeley Business School, Claire obtained the background for establishing her own business, Good Scents Garden Corp which she has owned for the past 15 years. Claire’s previous experience includes being a buyer for C&S Wholesales and a customer service representative for Imperial Nursery.

Claire’s community involvement includes implementing the beautification program for Westfield which entailed designing, growing installing and maintaining all hanging flower baskets and bridge plants in the city. Claire has also been on the Board of Directors for Grandmothers Garden.

Claire was born and raised in the New York City area and has been a resident of Western Mass for 20 years.

Park Square Realty is a locally owned residential real estate company with offices in Westfield and Feeding Hills and can be seen online at parksquarerealty.com

Park Square Realty Top Producing Agents for Third Quarter 2011

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:52:00 -0500

Ted Cassell, President of Park Square Realty and Manager of the Feeding Hills office, is very pleased to announce the Feeding Hills top producing agents for the third quarter of 2011. The agents to gain this recognition for the months of July, August and September are Dee Cyr, Kim Landry and Jeffrey O'Connor.

Barry Boccasile, Director of Growth and Development and Manager of the Westfield office is pleased to announce the Westfield office top producers for the same time period. The 2011 third quarter standouts in Westfield are Sue Bergeron, Luiza Berman and Kris Cook.


Dee Cyr	Kim Landry	Jeffrey O'Connor

Sue Bergeron	Luiza Berman	Kris Cook

These special agents can be reached at 789-9830 in Feeding Hills or 568-9226 in Westfield. They can also be contacted by clicking on their name or photo to get to their personal web page. From their web page, you can contact them via email or via the Park Square web page, parksquarerealty.com. Park Square Realty is a locally owned company with over 50 agents and 2 locations in Feeding Hills and Westfield.

Heather Bosworth Joins Park Square Realty

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 08:38:00 -0500

Ted Cassell, President of Park Square Realty, is pleased to announce that Heather Bosworth has joined Park Square Realty's Westfield office as a Sales Associate. She comes to Park Square Realty with experience from another local company.

Barry Boccasile, Director of Growth and Development, is excited to have Heather as part of the #1 Westfield Office team. Heather will be specializing in residential listings and sales and she can be reached at 568-9226 or 485-7371.

Heather currently resides in Westfield and is originally from the Hilltowns. She is a graduate of Gateway Regional High School in Huntington, MA. Her past experience includes seven years in the customer service field.

Park Square Realty is a locally owned residential real estate company with offices in Westfield and Feeding Hills and can be seen online at parksquarerealty.com

Why You Should Buy Rental Property Now

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:29:00 -0500

Why You Should Buy Rental Property Now

For most people, their home represents their single largest asset at retirement. How many times have you heard someone say, “I bought this house thirty years ago for $50,000 and now it is worth $250,000”? Think for a minute if that person had bought one more single family house and rented it out. At their retirement, they would have a second asset that would also be worth $250,000 that would have been paid for in large part by their tenants. That asset also generates regular income which would be great for your retirement.

Owning property does require more involvement and management than a stock, bond or certificate of deposit. There is the widespread perception that being a landlord is that you receive endless calls in the middle of the night about clogged toilets. Speaking from experience, you do receive calls as a landlord about necessary repairs but the majority of calls come during the day. The perception that you need to fix every problem yourself is not true either. The other perception is that dealing with tenants is a nightmare. While there are certain documented cases of bad situations, there are many, many good tenants out there who want a clean, safe place to live and raise their family.

Good landlords become educated as to their rights and responsibilities. (Call my office for a free Massachusetts consumer guide to Landlord Rights and Responsibilities brochure) There are also great websites that allow landlords to check tenant’s credit and criminal background so property owners can make a wise tenant selection. The website I use is called www.registry-saferent.com which is run by a company called Core Logic Safe Rent.

As a landlord, you want to have a list of trusted contractors that will help you when repairs are necessary at your property. These contractors include plumbers, electricians, carpenters, painters, exterminators, an attorney and a handyman. The handyman can do a variety of small repairs that other contractors don’t want to do and the handyman will save you a lot of money as well. Developing a relationship with these contractors by using them regularly and paying them quickly will pay dividends when you need their help. While paying contractors does take away from the profits, most smaller landlords often have other careers, family and other obligations. So it makes sense to pay someone who is good at the given repair get the job done quickly and effectively. And it is a business expense as well.

The way a lot of people get started is they buy a home and live in it for several years. By living in the property as a primary residence, you can lock in a lower 30 year interest rate and come up with a minimum down payment at time of purchase. When they are ready to purchase their new home, rather than selling their first home, they convert it to a rental property. Some lenders may require experience in renting properties and there are landlord classes available that would help meet that requirement. Lenders will want you to be able to afford both mortgages and they will take the rental income into consideration. It is recommended to have reserves available if there are vacancies and repairs on the property. A good Realtor, lender and attorney can help guide you through the process and make sure the numbers will work for you.

As far as choosing the type of property you want to rent, there are a lot of different options. Due to many people losing their homes to foreclosure or short sale, there is a strong demand for single family housing. Single family homes are manageable for most people. Others choose a condominium unit but you need to make sure the Condominium Association allows units to be rented. The benefit of the condo is you pay the condo fee and all the exterior maintenance is taken care of for you. Some people choose multi-family properties. It really comes down to personal preference and considering what the rental market is like in your area.

There has never been a better time to get into rental property. Prices are attractive and should continue to be in the short term. Interest rates are also very low right now. They key is to do your homework, put a game plan together and go for it!

Ted Cassell

Rental Property Owner

Broker/Owner

Park Square Realty

Lindsey Hewins Receives 2011 Park Square Realty Scholarship

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 11:27:00 -0500

Lindsey Hewins (center) was the 2011 Park Square Realty Scholarship winner awarded by Westfield’s Citizens Scholarship on May 18^th at the South Middle School. Lindsey is a sophomore at The University of Connecticut with a major in pre-pharmacy. Pictured with Lindsey are Barry Boccasile (left), Director of Growth and Development and Ted Cassell (right), Broker/Owner of Park Square Realty.

Ted Cassell, President of Park Square Realty, is pleased to announce that Augusta Taylor has joined Park Square Realty's Westfield Team as a Sales Associate.

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 10:37:00 -0500

Ted Cassell, President of Park Square Realty, is pleased to announce that Augusta Taylor has joined Park Square Realty's Westfield Team as a Sales Associate. Augusta comes to Park Square Realty with real estate sales experience from another local real estate firm.

Barry Boccasile, Park Square’s Director of Growth and Development said, “We’re very excited to have Augusta as a new member of the Park Square Westfield Office team which is currently the #1 office for sales in the Westfield area. Augusta will be specializing in residential listings and sales and will also be adding to our already strong statistics. Augusta Taylor can be reached at 568-9226 or 263-0313.

Augusta graduated from Springfield Technical Community College with an Associates Degree in Business and prior to real estate was employed by Holyoke Medical Center in the Emergency Medical Services Department.

Augusta is a lifelong resident of Western Massachusetts and has been a resident of Westfield for 36 years. In addition to real estate, one of her greatest joys is supporting her granddaughter in the USTA Junior Team Tennis Competitions. Augusta has also a hosted for foreign exchange students from Denmark and Germany through the Youth for Understanding Student Program.

Park Square Realty is a locally owned residential real estate company with offices in Westfield and Feeding Hills and can be seen online at parksquarerealty.com

Awards and Recognition Breakfast

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 10:16:00 -0500

The 2010 Park Square Realty Awards and Recognition Breakfast took place on February 24, 2011 at Tucker’s Restaurant in Southwick. The event is an opportunity to recognize the efforts and accomplishments of the Park Square Realty agents and staff in both the Feeding Hills office and the Westfield office. Park Square Realty had an impressive year in 2010 despite the challenging real estate market, much to the credit of its hardworking team of agents and staff.

“The Platinum Club is reserved for the top 20% of Park Square Realty’s Agents who produced over 2 Million in sales volume in 2010”, according to Barry Boccasile Director of Growth and Development. Platinum Club award winners are Jeremie Faria, Judy Gearing, Kristine Whitehouse, Jeanne Garvin, Joanne Kean, Kate Cheever, Paula Waldroup, Pam Savioli, Lesley Lambert, Jan Szemela, Kim Landry, Tom O’Connor and Sue Bergeron.

“There were several agents in the company who broke their all time sales records in 2010. They were able to accomplish this by going above and beyond for their home Buyers and Sellers” according to Ted Cassell President of Park Square Realty.

Park Square Realty is a locally owned real estate company with offices in Feeding Hills (413-789-9830) and Westfield (413-568-9226) and can be seen online at parksquarerealty.com.

Jeff Dubiel Joins Park Square Realty

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 03:40:00 -0500

Ted Cassell, President of Park Square Realty, is pleased to announce that Jeff Dubiel has joined Park Square Realty's Feeding Hills office as a Professional Sales Associate.

Jeff specializes in residential sales and assisting home buyers with the purchase of their new homes. He can be reached at 789-9830 or 263-0322.

Jeff is an experienced real estate professional with over seven years of experience. In addition to his success selling real estate, Jeff also holds a contractors license and is a Certified Architectural Draftsman. He also has 10 years of hands on sales and marketing experience while previously working for the Callaway Golf Company.

Born and raised in Western Mass. He resides in Agawam with his wife and 2 daughters. Jeff also enjoys outdoor sports including golf, skiing and is an avid boating enthusiast.

Park Square Realty is a locally owned residential real estate company with offices in Westfield and Feeding Hills and can be seen online at parksquarerealty.com

Mary A. Callahan Memorial 5K Race

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:03:00 -0500

It was a chilly morning at Stanley Park but perfect for the 4^th Annual Mary A. Callahan Memorial 5K to benefit Alzheimers Research. It was a fun race with over 50 people competing over a course through the field and the nature area behind the park. Park Square agents Dona Kane and Kathy Ackley volunteered as spotters to guide runners and cheer runners on. Park Square agent Aimee ThompkinsEngley baked cookies for the events successful bake sale.

Tim Mahoney won the race in a very fast 15 minutes, 58 seconds. Tim is the son of Park Square Realty’s Westfield Operations Manager, Carlene Mahoney.

It was a great event that was sponsored by Westfield Bank and Park Square Realty.

Park Square Realty is Sponsoring the 4th Annual Mary A. Callahan Memorial 5K

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 09:21:00 -0500

Park Square Realty is Sponsoring the 4^th Annual Mary A. Callahan Memorial 5K Run which benefits the Alzheimer’s Association for Alzheimer’s Research. The race is set at scenic Stanley Park in Westfield on November 6^th at 11 a.m. Come out and enjoy a great run and support a great cause! Walkers are welcome too!

Download PDF registration form

Park Square Pumpkin Party

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 09:25:00 -0500

On September 30, 2010,

Park Square Pumpkin Party

Park Square Realty purchased 600 Pumpkins and 600 Candy Packets so each Park Square Agent would receive a dozen pumpkins. Then Park Square Agents went out on Pumpkin Patrol in the community to spread positive news about the real estate market. Low interest rates, attractive home prices and larger inventory are three reasons why now is a great time to buy real estate! Despite the pouring rain, the Park Square Team loaded up their pumpkins and headed out to spread the good word. Special thanks to Paula Waldroup and her Dad, Ed, for picking the Pumpkins up at Bilton’s Farm. Tireless Support Staff members Jackie Banks and Mickey Bandarra assembled the candy packages that went with the pumpkins. This was a fun event and will hopefully get people to see the opportunities in today’s real estate market.

Westfield Office

Feeding Hills Office

Julianne Krutka joins Park Square Realty

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:45:00 -0500

Ted Cassell, President of Park Square Realty, is pleased to announce that Julianne Krutka has joined Park Square Realty's Westfield office as a Sales Associate.

Barry Boccasile, Director of Growth and Development, is excited to have Julianne as part of the growing Westfield Office team. Julianne will be specializing in residential listings and sales and he can be reached at the Westfield office at 568-9226 or call or text at 297-6718.

Julianne is licensed in both Massachusetts and Connecticut which allows her for help Buyers and Sellers in both states. In her real estate career, Julianne has received advanced training in several areas including short sales and foreclosures, Senior Real Estate Specialist designation and she is an accredited Buyer Representative. Julianne was also recognized as the Rookie of the Year during her first full year in real estate. Julianne offers her clients great communication via Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.

Julianne is available for your real estate needs and can be reached at 568-9226 or 297-6718.

Park Square Realty is a locally owned residential real estate company with offices in Westfield and Feeding Hills and can be seen online at parksquarerealty.com

Park Square Realty - Raising the Local Real Estate Bar

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:37:00 -0500

With the current economy and real estate market conditions, many real estate firms (local & national) are very concerned about staying in business. Because of this concern, some of these companies are recruiting and retaining any agent they feel might possibly sell a home or 2 during the year, just to increase the gross commission income for the company.

At Park Square Realty, we feel there is a problem with this type of recruiting/retention technique in that it has a very detrimental effect on the quality and public perception of a real estate company. If just a few agents perform unprofessionally or are lacking in the area of customer service, it can have a very negative effect on the whole company. While out in the field, every agent represents every agent and the company.

Park Square Realty is a locally owned company and we’re extremely different in our business approach. Our goal has never been to be the biggest company, but it is our goal to be the best company. We maintain higher standards with the hope that the general public and consumers will notice the difference. With only 2 offices and 55 sales agents, we want our agents and support staff to feel confident and proud of what they do and where they do it.

Our basic strategy is about quality, not quantity. It’s the long term approach.

Thank you to all of the Park Square agents and support staff for your hard work at maintaining our higher standard and thank you again for your allegiance to Park Square. Together, we will continue to raise the local real estate bar moving into the future.

Barry Boccasile

Director of Growth & Development

Park Square Realty

Paula Waldroup Joins Park Square Realty

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:35:00 -0500

Paula Waldroup Joins Park Square Realty

Ted Cassell, President of Park Square Realty, is pleased to announce that Paula Waldroup has joined Park Square Realty's Westfield office as a Sales Associate.

Paula is a new home specialist and has also received special training in relocation and buyer agency. Paula has also served at the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley as a director for the Board of Directors and as chairperson of the Community Service Committee.

Barry Boccasile, Director of Growth and Development, is excited to have Paula as part of the growing Westfield Office team. She will be specializing in residential listings and sales and she can be reached at 568-9226 or 846-0909

Park Square Realty is a locally owned residential real estate company with offices in Westfield and Feeding Hills and can be seen online at parksquarerealty.com

Real Estate Answers

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 01:08:00 -0500

Our Local Residential Real Estate Market - Q & A’s 6/28/10

I’ve been personally involved in the Westfield, Southwick, Agawam/FH and West Springfield (Quadrant) real estate market for the past 24 years. During my career, I’ve been a Buyer, Seller, Salesperson, Manager, Broker and sometimes even a Counselor/Advisor.

I experienced the market peak in the later 80’s, the downward “slow” slide in the 90’s, the recent 2005 market peak and also the latest downward “quick” slide. In other words, the market has been up and down twice in the 24 years that I’ve been paying attention.

Over the past several months, I have received more calls and questions regarding the local market than I’ve ever experienced in my career. Basically, the public wants to know exactly what is going on. The questions vary depending on the person calling. The BUYER asks “When will the bottom come?” or “Will the interest rates go any lower?” (Because they want to buy at exactly the right moment). The SELLER asks “When will the prices start climbing again?”(Because they would like to realize more profit on their home). The REALTORS wonder, “How do I answer all of these questions?” (Because they do not have a crystal ball)

Many of these questions do not have the perfect answer, but I will stick my neck out and give you some of my predictions based on observations, statistics and my own personal experience. My intention is to give you some food for thought and then perhaps you can formulate some your own answers. Of course, by extending my neck, I’m certain that I will hear from some of our local real estate enthusiasts and experts, but at the moment I’m the person doing the writing here and I feel confident enough to share some of my thoughts and opinions.

The local and national real estate markets are directly affected by many variables, but I believe the #1 variable is CONSUMER CONFIDENCE. When people are worried about jobs and money, they’re not thinking about buying or selling a home, unless they absolutely have to. But, believe it or not, there is some good news! Consumers are a little more confident than they were just a few months ago. National statistics say that the purchases of consumer goods are up (which basically means, people are starting to buy things). Statistics also say that the jobless rate is slowing. (It has certainly not stopped, but at least it’s slowing down). Also, millions of people nationwide who were sitting on the sidelines have been motivated into buying due to the tax credit benefits, lower home prices and the record low lending rates. So, it seems that the ball is now rolling and CONSUMER CONFIDENCE is making a move in the right direction.

Regarding REAL ESTATE SALES. Places like California and Florida, which were two of the areas hardest hit by the real estate crash are now reporting better sales news. In our local area, condo sales and upper end properties have been one of the slowest market segments and just recently, condo sales are picking up and the upper end homes are starting to get more buyer attention. Note: When the slower parts of any market start to pick up, it’s a very positive indicator. I’m observing that sales agents in our offices are getting noticeably busier and I’m also hearing “things are busy” from other agents in our local market area.

Another factor that has a major affect on home sales and home prices in our area is SUPPLY & DEMAND (Basic Inventory). At the time of this writing (end of June) there is not a huge inventory of competitively priced homes on the market in our Westfield, Southwick, Agawam / FH & West Springfield Quadrant. Because of the lower inventory, when a well priced listing pops on the market, it sells quickly.

One more point regarding the “REAL ESTATE CRASH”. Our area was not hit nearly as hard as other parts of the state and country. The good news for us is – As things rebound everywhere else, we will also experience a very positive benefit.

This is just my opinion, but I must mention the MEDIA. A few short years ago, when the real estate market (and economy) started to decline a bit, the national and local media got hold of the news and with their perpetual “gloom and doom” broadcasting they helped to push the consumer confidence snowball down the big steep hill very quickly. The public believes much of what it hears and it was hearing constant bad news for an extended period of time. The good news is that hopefully, the same MEDIA, which helped to make this situation worse, will now help to make it better. Once the national and local media collects some positive news and starts announcing “the bottom has passed” and “the market is picking up”, the public will react and things will change dramatically. At this point, I would think that even the media might be sick of bad news. Bad news is getting old, so hopefully they will now be looking for any morsel of good news to announce and of course, every network will want to be the first.

Once the good news starts, another huge factor affecting the real estate market will kick in. HUMAN NATURE. All of the many buyers who are waiting for the “very bottom” in order to get the best bargain will be dealing with a very strong emotion.. FEAR of LOSS. These buyers will now have to move quickly in order to purchase their home before prices and interest rates go up. They will not want to miss the opportunity.

As the many buyers purchase homes, the SUPPLY & DEMAND factor will show itself even more. The inventory will go down and the demand will go up along with the home prices.

So my answers are – We need to pay attention because the market is already subtly changing.

If you’re thinking about BUYING, now is a good time because home prices are at or very close to the bottom and interest rates are at all-time record lows today.

If you’re thinking about STAYING in your home and refinancing - Now is a great time to refinance (only if your planning to stay for a while) because again, interest rates are at record lows and you could dramatically lower your monthly payment.

If you’re thinking about UPGRADING to a bigger or better home, there has never been a better time. You might feel that you are losing a bit on the sale of your home, but you will greatly make up for it on the purchase of your upgrade and you’ll also have the advantage of great interest rates on your new purchase. It’s a total WIN-WIN.

So, there you have it. Our local market goes down, up and down and up and on and on.

But, it’s not all gloom and doom. It’s what you make of it!

By Barry Boccasile, Director of Growth & Development, Park Square Realty

Agent Appreciation Luncheon

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 09:54:00 -0500

In 2009 there was a friendly interoffice competition between the Westfield office and the Feeding Hills office of Park Square Realty. The winning office would be the office with the greatest amount of sales volume for the year. Both offices are always very close in terms of sales volume, so it was a great way to motivate our agents and give the winners bragging rights. The manager of the second place office in the past has had to wear a chicken suit. This year the Feeding Hills office came in first place and rather than a chicken suit, Barry Boccasile, the manager of the Westfield office, prepared a fine Italian meal for all the agents and staff of the Feeding Hills office. In addition to his real estate knowledge, Barry is considered a very talented chef. The Feeding Hills office thoroughly enjoyed the lunch and their victory.