Why do I need a Realtor^® to help me find a house?  After all, I can find almost anything on the ‘net, right?

On the face of it, that may seem right.  Years ago Realtors® were the gateway of any information regarding housing, whether it was property listings or banking info.  In today’s world one is almost overloaded with information.  What‘s missing is knowledge and wise counsel.  This is where Coughlin & Company makes the difference.

How do I decide where I want to live?  How do I determine the real value of a particular home?  What should I be looking for in a home?  A town?  A mortgage company?  How will I ever get this done while I’m trying to hold down my job???

Coughlin & Company not only has competent agents, we have a team of professionals who can help you from the moment you first sit down to discuss your dreams to the time you sit down to enjoy your new living room.  Our agents live in the towns we work in.  We know who to talk to and where to go to get things done.  The lenders, attorneys, and inspectors are all local professionals who know our communities and are sensitive to the stress and pressure involved as you make one of your most important and expensive decisions.

It’s what’s made Coughlin & Company “a household name in real estate!” for years!

Why is Boston’s South Shore the best place for me to live and raise my family?

For those of us who were brought up on the South Shore or have lived here for years, this is truly God’s country!  From the beaches, boating, and parks to the history, to the easy access to Boston, Cape Cod, and New Hampshire’s White Mountains, everything is nearby.

For years the South Shore was forgotten as Boston’s Metrowest and North Shore grew.  With the introduction of commuter rail and boats, the South Shore has held steady in even the hardest of economic times.  Indeed, during the recent downturn both home prices and the number of homes sold across the South Shore and Cape Cod have held firmer than much of Massachusetts*
*MAR single-family homes sales compilations 3rd Qtr 2008

My lender has suggested that I ask the seller to pay my closing costs.  Does this make sense?

In many case it does make sense for a first time buyer to ask the seller to pay his or her closing costs and prepaid items.  These costs can sometimes be as high as three-percent of the buyer’s loan amount.  That’s a lot of cash to come up with at closing, especially when added to the down payment, moving expense, decorating and furnishing costs.   However, nothing in this world is ‘free’.  A seller who agrees to pay some or all of your closing costs and prepaid items would have been willing to take less for the house.  What you have actually done is to finance those costs into your mortgage loan.  On a typical $300,000 home with a five-percent down payment, this adds $8,550 to your loan amount or $51 to your monthly payment.

Like I said, sometimes this makes sense, but make sure your eyes are open when you make your decision.  Which is more important to you?  More cash in the bank or a lower monthly payment.

A Home that Will Last Forever

The familiar saying in real estate is that there are three important factors:  location, location, and location.  Well, have you thought about where you’d like to spend eternity?   Because we care about you, we want to share with you our understanding of how you can secure for yourself a home that will last forever.

There is a God, and he cares about you.  He cares about you so much that he sent his only son to be with us for a while, and then to make a huge sacrifice for you.  Shortly before he gave his life for us, Jesus said to his close friends:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going.”

One of his friends questioned him about this.

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know that way?”

Are you, like Thomas, unsure about the way to eternal life?  If so, here’s some really good news.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Imagine driving by the perfect house, and then seeing that it’s for sale.  What a great break!  There’s an open house the following Sunday, so you come.  It’s even more perfect on the inside.  Warm, inviting, perfect for all your needs and preferences.  Wow!

So you ask the big question, “How much does it cost?”

The old man showing the house says “It’s free.”

“No, really, how much is it?” you ask again.

“No, it really is absolutely free.  I made it just for you.  All you have to do is believe me.  Oh, and you have to agree to have a life inspection done.”

“I knew there was a catch.  What the heck is a life inspection?”

After some bantering about, you realize that the guy isn’t kidding.  But you also know that there’s no way your life could ever pass the inspection.  The standards are extremely high.  They check out your whole life, and if they find even one single time when you’ve broken one of God’s rules, then you fail the inspection.

A bit frustrated, you take a last quick look around, but decide that this perfect house must not be for you.  But as you are leaving, you meet the man’s son, who is also a builder.

He whispers to you, “How’d you like the house?”

“Loved it!  But the price was too high.  Our lives don’t come close to your Father’s standards.”

“I know,” he tells you, “that’s why I wanted to catch you before you left.  You see, I did live a perfect life.  And then I gave my life and died on a cross for you.  And then I conquered death itself by rising from the dead.  I’m the one you may have heard about.  My name is Jesus, and if you’d like to live in this perfect house we built for you, I can make it happen.”

“This sounds too good to be true,” you say, “But what about that inspection?  You have no idea some of the things I’ve done and said and thought.”

“I know about all that,” Jesus says, “I’ve already taken care of it.  If you believe in me, and are willing to turn from you sinful ways and accept me as the Lord of your life, just put my name on that form.  I’ll stand in for you at the inspection.  That’s what I died for.”

This is not just a nice story – at its core is the truth as told to us by God himself in the Bible.

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”

and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

We are praying for you, that you will come to know and accept Jesus, and truly have a home that will last forever.  Please feel free to contact us anytime to talk about all this.