Typically, right about now, as I’m putting the finishing touches on all my stories, I write the introduction, with content that just comes to me as an amalgamation of all the current newsletter issues stories. Today, I don’t know why, but I got nothing. What's on my mind? I looked around, and not far from where I was working–-dogs. Shadow, or Baby Shad as I call her, has been with us since early December. She’s about 2 1/2 years old, full of energy, but not a puppy. We had to bring her to the vet yesterday because she was inexplicably losing weight. What we learned is that we are morons. READ MORE | |
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I drove through my hometown of Baldwinville on my way to a listing appointment in Winchendon last week. I was hit with memory upon memory as I drove through my hometown. Just after Mrs. Hubbard’s Nursery School and before the church where we went to Vacation Bible School (don’t look for it because it’s a Dunkin’ now) is a left on to Pleasant Street. That’s the neighborhood I grew up in…Fessenden Street (where we lived), Columbus Ave, Forest Street (where my Kosakowski cousins lived), Cherry Street and Fisher Street (where my Chipman cousins lived). Our neighborhood was full of modest homes on small lots, with two variety stores where we got our penny candy. It’s just so ironic that when I arrived home from that appointment, after driving through Baldwinville twice, I received a text that Pete Duprey, one of the dads from my childhood neighborhood, had just passed away. READ MORE
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I’ve lived with an outdated master bathroom since we bought our house 7 years ago. We finally just decided to take on the project ourselves. We're limited on skills, but Jay had a point when he asked how it's possible that I'm completely comfortable making flooring, finishes and fixtures selections on new construction homes, but can't pick a new floor for one bathroom in our own house. We've made some good progress since the last newsletter! READ MORE | |
Thanks to Jay’s January 2023 heart rate of 21 pacemaker adventure, we need to occasionally go in to Boston to see his fancy new cardiologist. The last time we drove in, we pretty much talked the whole way about how glad that’s not our regular commute, and how do people stand driving into Boston every day? Then Jay said, why don’t we just take the train next time. The train? You mean the one right next to the gas station I go to twice a week? Yeah, sure let’s try that. READ MORE | |
Help! Best ways to store and find old photos? | |
I actually spent about 6 hours looking for a specific photo album that I know is 'around here somewhere' in order to have photos that would be appropriate for The Neighborhoods We Grew Up In story above. I did not find that album. I also just 'helped' seller clients by bringing all their old family photos to one room of the house they were sorting through, and I think I just actually overwhelmed them by showing them the photos mountain they had to deal with. Please SHARE your success stories, your storage solutions, etc. on what to do to avoid dumping a massive pile of photos on your kids, and how to create something that's searchable and enjoyable to look through. I'm a little afraid of Google Photos, but am open to ideas! CONTACT ME | |
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Did you come to my Estate Sale? Stop by to see the AMAZING TRANSFORMATION at 176 Legros Street in Fitchburg
New listing and open houses this weekend! 176 Legros Street is an expanded cape style home with 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. There’s a first floor primary suite with full bath with separate tub and shower for single-level living. The first floor common areas have freshly refinished hardwood floors, new lighting and neutral colors. The first floor also has an additional bedroom that is being used as an office and a half-bath/laundry. Two bedrooms on the second floor, a bonus space, and a 16’ x 16’ heated semi-finished room for storage or additional living space if needed. The home is set nicely back from the road, on ¾ of an acre. New roof in 2019, replacement windows in 2015 and composite deck with retractable awning just a few steps to the flat backyard. The brightly lit basement has plenty of space for a workshop. Also Central AC, Large 3-car garage, ample parking, and 10’ x 20’ storage shed. This home has been well-maintained by its original owners and is being offered for sale for the first time. MORE PHOTOS AND INFO HERE!
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We had so much fun with TOP wedding photog Erica Ewing!
Do you like how you look in photos? Are you a fantastic photographer? LOL, me either on both counts. I recently held a free session with locally renowned, top wedding photographer Erica Ewing. I won this session at a charity auction and was happy to share it with a small group that consisted of friends, clients and even other realtors. Our top takeaways that we were all pretty jazzed to get some tips and tricks on how to best pose based on body type and using the timer and the burst mode. Are you interested in group events like this? I'm planning to do more! *Topics will vary, and I have no idea what they will be at this point. CONTACT ME if you're interested.
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The housing market right now reminds me of the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens… it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It depends whether you are buying, selling, or just staying put. People enter the housing market for two reasons: They either want to sell a house, or they want to buy a house. And of course most people want to do both–sell their present home and buy a new home somewhere else, and some want to do neither–just stay where they are (that’s us!). READ MORE | |
OUR FEBRUARY 2024 TRANSACTIONS | |
THANK YOU! In my last newsletter I asked people to help me be a matchmaker for someone who specifically wanted to buy at the Village at Old Mill, Westminster's age 55+ neighborhood. We got right to work and I created a mailer to send to all homeowners in the development. I'm happy to report a prospective seller responded to my mailing and this buyer now has a home at the Village at Old Mill UNDER AGREEMENT! If you live at the Village at Old Mill and you’re curious what your home might be worth, or would like to explore the concept of listing your home, or avoiding the hassle of preparation and showings by selling to an off-market buyer, I’d love to brainstorm with you. You can call or text me anytime at 978 870 9260, use the CONTACT JEN button below, email me, or live-chat with me on my website. | |
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COMING SOON: Can you help with this?
I have an upcoming listing with a very large attached solarium, complete with 2 XL cages, running water, heat/AC, even a waterfall! The listing will be active next month, and I'd like to mail physical brochures to people who own businesses that this property might be a perfect complement to. Or if you know someone who really loves their pets or plants, have them connect with me for more info on this upcoming listing!
CONTACT ME with ideas!
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This listing will be live soon--it's a new construction home at 72 Worcester Road in Westminster~~a popular Farmhouse style home with an open concept first floor as well as a private first floor office and sunroom. CONTACT ME for more information!
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 |  | "Selling our dad's home was hard, but deciding to list with Jen was easy. We felt strongly she was the right person for this seeing she has vast knowledge of the market as well as contacts within her circle to get a fair price. After meeting at the property to discuss the highs (which were not many) and lows (plenty to overcome) we signed the contract. On January 4 she went right to work, on February 6 we had a P&S, closed on February 22, and we knew our decision was the right one. Throughout the entire process, her communication was spot on, always answering any of our questions and constantly giving us updates on the progress of the sale. Once the P&S was signed her assistant Laura as well as the attorney she recommended (Dave Rocheford) jumped in with her same philosophy of constant communication and straight-up answers. If you're looking for an extremely well-organized real estate agent, look no further than Jen Shenk. Jen, Thanks for making this transaction an easy one in this difficult time."
--David and Sandy Worthley, Westminster
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Huge Favor, Please!
If I've been a local resource for you, even if not to buy or sell a home, I've love it if you'd write a quick Google review. Even if you write a review about my newsletter! So much of my real estate business comes from people who read my reviews. THANK YOU!
WRITE A QUICK REVIEW HERE
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When we bought our house in 2016, one of the things my mother really liked was the flag pole that could be seen from all directions on the approach to the property. My mother is quite patriotic (so patriotic that she’ll send you a new flag if you need one). Two of our kids are Marines, and it just means a lot to my mother that we have a nice flag. The next five years or so were problematic with the flag pole that came with the house. I think it was a bit homemade, and every once in a while, the wind would lift the top half up and send it to the ground. It was a hassle for Jay to deal with, and it seems kind of the opposite of patriotic if your flag is laying on the ground. READ MORE | |
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One of my favorite books is The Tipping Point, published almost 25 years ago by Little, Brown and Company, a long time Boston based publisher then owned by Time Inc. The Tipping Point, by Malcom Gladwell, at the time was considered one of the most important books of the 21st Century. The basic premises of this book are still completely relevant, despite it coming out prior to the rise and subsequent domination by social media for spreading information. READ MORE
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Like it or not, registering your dog is a fact of life in Massachusetts, another way for the state to tax us. Also, looking at the positives–when a dog shows up ‘found’, like that adorable golden retriever that was all over Facebook yesterday, it’s good that the town has a file of breeds, pup names and owners. I assembled a resource list with quick links to register your dogs in several Central Massachusetts towns, AND sent Jay to town hall with a blank check to renew the licenses on our 4 dogs. Ouch. READ MORE | |
I recently met with a couple who is considering a move South. I happen to have a close connection with a realtor in exactly the area they are aiming toward, so I was pretty happy to be able to comfortably connect them with her. The husband said the most stressful part of this potential move is they are going to learn by trial and error how it is that people who have lived in Massachusetts their entire lives, and in the same house for 50 years, can go from 'here', to 'there'. Then, he inspired me by saying he’d really love a checklist soup to nuts (his words) on everything you need to know, how to completely relocate. So, of course, I went home and started writing a book. Here’s where you come in. I've lived in Massachusetts my entire entire life, even more specifically Central Mass, and in only three towns – – Templeton, Westminster and Princeton, so I don’t really have a lot of relocation experience. Shoot me a text, use the contact form on my website, live chat or email me your golden nuggets for moving across town or nationwide relocation. CONTACT ME | |
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RECOMMENDED PROFESSIONALS
I came across this abandoned dishwasher across the street from one of my listings and thought it would make sense to have an Appliance Disposal category on my Recommended Professionals page. Did you know that I maintain a list of house-related tradespeople and service provider recommendations on my website? All have come from my own personal experience or recommended by multiple people. I'm always happy to add additional categories and highly recommended tradespeople. Check out my list, and let me know if I'm missing anyone on your 'favorites' list. RECOMMENDED PROFESSIONALS: APPLIANCE DISPOSAL
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WINDOW SEAL FAILURE? At a reader's request, I am seeking your recommendations for window seal failure repairs. Do you (or did you) have a fogged window that was driving you nuts? I'd love to know how you got it repaired! CONTACT ME with your recommendations! | |
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ARE YOU CURIOUS ABOUT THE VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY?
We’ve all seen the websites where you can enter your address and magically get a value for your home. My husband loves the Zestimate when it’s saying good things about our property. I always tell him if Zillow is in our driveway with a checkbook and is willing to pay what Zillow says our home is worth, we will be living in the car by the weekend.
I’ve hesitated to have one of those valuation tools on my website, because I want people to have actually relevant data. If you click the button below, I promise that 1) I will personally do the public records research on your property, 2) All communication we have will be completely confidential, 3) I will not hassle you to sell your property, and 4) I will not put you on any kind of prospect list. I simply want to provide you with information, and of course I hope that if you ever decide to sell, you’ll reach out to me. It’ll take me a little while longer to send you this information, but my research will be local, legitimate and relevant to the current market in your area.
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I’ve lived with an outdated master bathroom since we bought our house 7 years ago. I haven’t really minded it since we actually have a master bathroom, whereas we lived in our house in Westminster for 18 years with 6 kids and 2 bathrooms, and no sign of a master bathroom at all. Where we are now, the bathroom is in fine condition, just a few decades ‘off’--specifically the floor. I’ve alternated between being overwhelmed with the concept of coordinating any project related to that bathroom, while also thinking it’d be good to just go for it in the name of a home improvement project and increasing the value of our home. READ MORE | |
MORE STORIES FROM PAST NEWSLETTERS | |
What do we write about? By 'we' I mean Jay helps with many stories by either starting them to get me warmed up, or by cleaning them up if I get too off-track. If you're new here, I suggest you read through this month's newsletter here, then come back and click on some of the links like the three below. 'Start Here' brings you to our stories in order of publication date, with most recent stories first. 'Most Popular'--there's always one or two stories in each newsletter that generate a lot of feedback. This link quickly gets you up to speed on the most popular since I've been publishing, and 'Local Resource Stories' are timeless in that they are always relevant, --such as locally owned restaurants in ABC order by town, how to get your burn permit, and some of these stories are updated as needed, such as Farmers' Markets, School Calendars and Bus Routes, Town Wide Yard Sales, Garden Tours, etc. | |
THANK YOU so much for reading! | |
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JENNIFER SHENK
Team Leader, Listing Agent
Your Local Realtor since 2013
JenniferShenk@KW.com
978 870 9260
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LISA SAULNIER
Realtor, Buyer Specialist
On the team 2020+
LisaSaulnier@KW.com
978 790 7591
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Contact Jen to put our TOP CENTRAL MASS TEAM to work for you!
Jennifer Shenk and Team
2022 RESULTS *2023 FINAL RESULTS NOT YET CALCULATED
#1 Team at Keller Williams Realty North Central
Listings Sold Volume
Listing Units
Sales Volume
Units Sold
Buyer Specialist (Lisa Saulnier)
#5 Team in Keller Williams New England Region
Listings Sold Volume
#8 in Keller Williams New England Region
Total Sales Volume
#9 Team in Keller Williams New England Region
Buyer Transactions (Lisa Saulnier)
Keller Williams International
Luxury Agent
Platinum Producer
North Central Massachusetts Association of Realtors
Diamond Top Producer
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