The 4th of July is almost here! There are many exciting family-friendly events going on this holiday throughout Metrowest Boston that we wanted to share with you! Spend the holiday with live entertainment, kids activities, delicious food, and, of course, spectacular fireworks displays!

NATICK

Family Night on the Common

When: Wednesday, June 29^th | 4:30 – 8:00 pm

Where: Downtown Natick

Cost: FREE!

Kick off the 4^th of July celebrations by bringing the whole family down for a night filled with fun activities. The kids will love the obstacle course, bounce house, face painting, slip n’ slide, and endless other activities. Watch the Annual Children’s Parade starting at 6:30 pm which will feature Uncle Sam himself!

Natick’s VOICE on the Common

When: Thursday, June 30^th | 7:00 – 9:00 pm

Where: Downtown Natick

Cost: FREE!

Put your vocal talents to the test and audition to sing the National Anthem at the upcoming 4^th of July Parade. Solo artists, duets, and vocal groups are all invited to try out. Not a singer? Come down to the event to cheer on the performers!

Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast

When: Monday, July 4^th | 7:00 am – Noon

Where: First Congregational Church (2 East Central Street)

Cost: $6 for adults, $3 for children under 12

Start off the 4^th of July with a belly full of delicious pancakes.

61^st Annual July Fourth Parade

When: Monday, July 4^th | 9:00 am

Where: Wilson Middle School to Natick Center

Cost: FREE!

Set up a spot for you and your family along the parade route on Monday morning. Enjoy local performers, live music, and patriotic floats. The theme of this year’s parade is “Celebrating Natick’s Rich History” and the grand marshal is World War II veteran Paul Hasgill.

WESTON

Annual “Happy Birthday USA” Family Day  

When: Monday, July 4^th | 11:00 am – 3:00 pm

Where: Spellman Postal Museum (241 Wellesley Street)

Bring the kids to the Spellman Postal Museum in Weston for a day filled with activities. Children can design their own 4^th of July stamp, participate in a scavenger hunt, and make arts and crafts. All kids will be able to take home a free collection of American flag stamps and enjoy a piece of birthday cake!

Red, White, and Pool!

When: Monday, July 4^th | 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Where: Memorial Pool (Alphabet Lane)

Cool off this 4^th of July with a day at the pool! There will be patriotic events, games, and a pool side DJ!

NEEDHAM

Fourth of July Celebration

When: Sunday, July 3^rd – Monday, July 4^th

Where: Memorial Park (92 Rosemary St.)

Cost: FREE!

Take part in two days of festivities! The celebration kicks off at 5:00 pm on Sunday with music, food, and a fireworks show. On the 4^th, start the day by watching the raising of the American flag at the Town Common at 9:00 am. Afterwards, spend the day watching the Grand Parade, attending the craft fair, and participating in the countless other fun activities at the park.

Charles River YMCA Independence Day 5K

When: Monday, July 4^th | 8:30 am

Where: Episcopal Church (1132 Highland Avenue)

Cost: $30

Be active this July 4^th and race in the Charles River YMCA Independence Day 5K!

Celebrate America’s 240^th birthday at one of these amazing events in Metrowest Boston!

Team Lynch Real Estate wishes you and your family a very happy and safe Independence Day!

Looking for something fun to do this weekend in the WELLESLEY and Metrowest Boston area? Head to ‘Medfield on the Charles’ Classic Car Show on Sunday, June 26th, from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. This annual event has moved this year from Elm Bank Reservation to the grounds of the former Medfield State Hospital. This new site allows for greater space for classic car lovers and enthusiasts to enjoy the day.

Grab the whole family and admire over 800 antique, classic, and custom automobiles. This year's attractions include the Batmobile...with a special appearance by Batman himself!...and antique fire engines! Enjoy some Ben & Jerry's ice cream along with other food on sale as you rock out to the band Four on the Floor or dance away to the tunes spun by the DJ. There is truly something for the car enthusiasts and families alike at this great event.

We can't wait to see you all amongst the hot rods at the ‘Medfield on the Charles’ Classic Car Show this weekend!

Event Details

Date: Sunday, June 26th, 2016

Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Location: Medfield State Hospital (45 Medfield Road, Medfield)

Cost: Adults - $7, Children under 12 - Free

For more information on summer events around the Metrowest area visit our Blog and Facebook Page frequently.

CoreLogic’s latest Equity Report revealed that 92% of all mortgaged properties are now in a positive equity situation, while 74% now actually have significant equity (defined as more than 20%)! The report also revealed that 268,000 households regained equity in the first quarter of 2016 and are no longer under water.

Price Appreciation = Good News for Homeowners

Frank Nothaft, CoreLogic’s Chief Economist, explains:

Continue reading at this link: EQUITY REPORT

In today’s market, with home prices rising and a lack of inventory, some homeowners may consider trying to sell their home on their own, known in the industry as a For Sale by Owner (FSBO). There are several reasons why this might not be a good idea for the vast majority of sellers.

Here are the top five reasons:

1. There Are Too Many People to Negotiate With

Here is a list of some of the people with whom you must be prepared to negotiate if you decide to For Sale By Owner:

• The buyer who wants the best deal possible
• The buyer’s agent who solely represents the best interest of the buyer
• The buyer’s attorney (in some parts of the country)
• The home inspection companies, which work for the buyer and will almost always find some problems with the house
• The appraiser if there is a question of value

Read the rest of this blog at this link:  5 Reasons Not to FSBO

Buying a new house is an exciting and important time! There is no better place to call home than METROWEST! House hunting in a seller's market, though, adds more factors for you to consider during the process. Although the market might not be favoring buyers at the moment, there are many things that you can use to your advantage to help you buy your dream home! Look through the current HOME LISTINGS so we can help you begin this exciting journey, and follow these 6 useful tips for buyers in a seller's market.

WORK WITH AN EXPERIENCED AGENT. Eliminate some of the time and stress that comes with house hunting by working with an experienced real estate agent. Team Lynch Real Estate is here to help you find your dream home! Let us know exactly what you are looking for. We understand the Metrowest housing market, now what is available, and can negotiate the best deal for your new home! Read TESTIMONIALS from our past clients.

BE PREAPPROVED BY A LENDER. Get preapproval for a loan from a reputable lender that you can present to the seller. This shows that you are serious about buying the home and makes the seller feel more comfortable knowing that your finances are in order. If you already know that you can afford the home and have a high credit score, get this part of the process out of the way when you initially start your house hunting process. It can help you stand apart from the other buyers. For help with the kinds of loans that are available for you, check out our FINANCE INFORMATION.

BE DECISIVE IN MAKING AN OFFER. Buying a home is a major decision so being thoughtful about the home you make an offer on is imperative. But don’t get bogged down in over analyzing. Before you begin the house hunting process, be sure to know exactly what you are looking for in your dream home…price, location, and type. When you find a home that checks all of the factors you have previously determined, make an offer! You don’t want to miss out on your dream home due to over thinking.

MAKE YOUR BEST OFFER. Start with a strong opening offer. You should know the maximum that you are willing to pay. Although we all want to get the best deal possible, in a seller’s market competition is high. If you come in with too low of an opening offer, you could miss out on your dream home. Be aware of what other houses are on the market and the pricing of the homes in the area. This will help you determine what is an appropriate amount to negotiate for the house you want. Have a strong opening offer that you are comfortable with AND that will be acceptable to the seller. To strengthen your offer, consider including an OFFER LETTER . An offer letter can help you stand out from other potential bidders and help to personalize why you are interested in the seller’s home.

PREPARE FOR A BIDDING WAR. Bidding wars inevitably cause stress for buyers. The fear of missing out on your dream home is understandable. However, competition in a seller’s market is high. Know what you are willing to pay and search for houses below your max budget. This will help you avoid spending more than you are comfortable with should you end up in a bidding war.

LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES. You might not get the first home that you make an offer on. In a seller’s market, it is likely that you will have to make several offers on homes before finding the perfect one for you. Recognize what happened with the transactions that don’t work out and learn from them. Stay true to what you want and realize that there are other options in Metrowest that our team will be happy to help you find!

Source: Trulia

On Friday, June 3^rd, the 2016 graduating class of Wellesley High School celebrated their extraordinary academic achievements at the commencement ceremony held outside at Hunnewell Field. This graduating class carried on the proud tradition of excellence at Wellesley High School, representing its 147^th graduation ceremony.

The 2016 class was the first class to spend all four years in the newly built, $115 million dollar, Wellesley High School. This beautiful facility features the latest educational technology and green design elements. Wellesley High School is recognized for its dedication to academic excellence and innovative programming. The school was ranked as the 21^st best high school in Massachusetts by U.S. News and World Report in 2016 based on college readiness and state test scores. The city of Wellesley is proud of its public school system and the incredible achievements of its students.

We wish much success to the 2016 Wellesley High School graduates in all their future endeavors!! Go Raiders!

If you're interested in Buying, Selling or Investing in Wellesley, Natick, or any other Metrowest Community, give Team Lynch a call or visit our website at: www.teamlynchrealestate.com/. 

Home Buyers are actively looking for homes NOW! If you've considered SELLING your Metrowest Home this year, give us a call!

The latest report from Freddie Mac shows that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.61% last week, slightly down from the week before (3.66%), and nearly 20 points lower than a year ago (3.80%).

Get the new rates and learn more by clicking here: Historic Low Mortgage Rates

It’s everyone’s favorite day of the year...TAX DAY!!!

Ehh, not so much….

For all of you stressing over this  day, Marketwatch has some great advice. File an extension!! In an article posted by the news source, there are 7 excellent reasons why many people should consider an extension. And contrary to popular belief, filling an extension doesn't automatically raise red flags at the IRS. So if you need the time, or have any one of the following situations present, do yourself a favor and file an extension and give yourself until October 15, 2016 to file.

7 Excellent Reasons to File a Tax Extension:

1.)   You have a balance due and need more time to save up money to cover it. Give yourself that extra 6 months.

2.)   Made charitable donations over $250 to one or more charities and don’t have the proper receipts (which must include the name of the charity, address, taxpayer ID number, and a statement that you did not receive any benefits or items of value for your donation) to submit with your taxes? The IRS is very strict on submitting the required documentation so an extension would give you an extra 6 months to get everything in order.

3.)   Have you recently moved homes? Or are you planning to move within the next few months? If yes, it benefits you to submit an extension because the IRS may need to follow up with you on your taxes and they send all correspondence to the address you have on file.

4.)   If you are waiting for K-1 forms from partnership entities, S-Corps, estates, or trusts you should file an extension.

5.)   Sometimes rushing through your personal or business bookkeeping can cause sloppy or incorrect taxes. Don’t rush and do it right. File an extension to give you that extra time.

6.)   Have a large balance this year? Making contributions to your 2015 retirement plan can help reduce that balance. File an extension if you would like to benefit from this. You have until October 15th to open or add to your retirement fund.

7.)   And finally…. You still have questions regarding your taxes that you have not had answered. Give yourself some time to get everything settled.

Best of luck this tax season!

Cartoon 

Restoration of the “American Legion Building” in Natick’s Historic District

Natick, a historic community just outside of Boston, is a popular place to call home for many reasons-- excellent schools, great shopping, a community organic farm, rich culture, and a prime location that is only a half hour from Boston. Downtown you will find an abundance of impressive red brick buildings, retail stores, restaurants, and beautiful broad streets. This is Natick’s burgeoning Historic District, another one of the many reasons why Natick consistently remains on the list of one of the best places to live!

Last month Stonegate Group- a real estate development company, announced plans to revitalize the former American Legion Building at 13 West Central Street, a landmark in the Historic District. This is exciting news for the community of Natick, as this once beautiful building has been vacant for the last several years. Stonegate Group’s restoration will involve maintaining the character & architecture of the building, including keeping and/or restoring the original facade and reconditioning the original brickwork. Within this development, Natick’s residents and visitors will enjoy restaurants, four retails spaces, underground parking, and eleven housing units. All of these additions will continue to add to the dynamic downtown area.

This project will not mark the end of the growth downtown Natick is experiencing by any means. The Natick Center Cultural District has been awarded a series of grants for 2016 and 2017 that aim to attract new artists and cultural ventures, and to continue to encourage new business developments. In a sense, this is a only the beginning of a growth expansion for our wonderful downtown of Natick, MA.

We will continue to keep you updated on the happenings in Natick! Visit our Blog and Facebook page for updates.

If you'd like information about Buying, Selling or Investing in Real Estate in the Natick, MA community, please give Team Lynch a call at 617-894-5278. You can also visit our website at www.teamlynchrealestate.com