Marc J Realty

Marc J Realty Marc Joseph is a reliable real estate professional that offers well-informed and specifically customized quality service to his clients.

Born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts and a University of Massachusetts-Boston Economics alum, Marc has an organic understanding of the marketplace and needs of his clients. He is dedicated to matching his clients with their ideal properties from a vast array of single and multi-family homes, condominiums, townhouses and lofts, in Cambridge and surrounding communities. As a member of one of

the leaders in residential sales for Cambridge and the surrounding areas, and on behalf of the long-standing reputable Century 21 network, he looks forward to working with you in the future.

ᴍᴏɴᴅᴀʏ ᴍᴏᴛɪᴠᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ✨As we navigate our day-to-day lives, it can sometimes feel like we are not making progress toward the...
08/09/2021

ᴍᴏɴᴅᴀʏ ᴍᴏᴛɪᴠᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ✨

As we navigate our day-to-day lives, it can sometimes feel like we are not making progress toward the things we want. However what we don’t realize, is that if we keep taking those steps, at the end of the day, week, month, and year we will have achieved BIG things.

It's important to make an effort to make small positive changes in your life 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺. You might be surprised at how much you can change through small, consistent action. You don't climb a ladder with one huge step, you have to take one step at a time. It's about repetition and having a constant purpose.

What goal has scared you? Have you always wanted to run a marathon? Or learn a new skill? You have to start somewhere, and let that somewhere be today.

When discussing the value of your home, you will typically hear the terms 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚟𝚊𝚕𝚞𝚎and 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝 𝚟𝚊𝚕𝚞𝚎 – so what is t...
08/05/2021

When discussing the value of your home, you will typically hear the terms 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚟𝚊𝚕𝚞𝚎
and 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝 𝚟𝚊𝚕𝚞𝚎 – so what is the difference?

Market value is the price a buyer is willing to pay for a property, and the appraised value is the professional opinion of an appraiser, hired by the lender when obtaining a mortgage. The appraised value of a property can often differ significantly from the market value of a home, especially in today's hot market with multiple offers and bidding wars.

An appraisal is a property valuation that is determined based on recent sale prices of homes in the surrounding area or neighborhood. An appraisal can ultimately influence a home's sales price because it is in place to determine the amount of financing you can obtain through a mortgage. Mortgage companies require an appraisal because they need to verify that the home is worth the price you are paying for the home, and it is conducted as a safeguard that helps ensure lenders don’t extend loans for more than homes are worth.

In our current market, appraised value versus market value has come up more than ever before. It is important that your agent educates you on the difference between the two, as it can cause serious issues if the appraisal comes in lower than the purchase price.

Whether you are thinking of buying or selling, I would love to be your resource and advocate. Give me a call or shoot me a message, I would be happy to answer any and all questions you have about the process!

You’ve searched for and found the perfect place to call home  — congratulations! 🎉 Few things are more exciting than bec...
07/29/2021

You’ve searched for and found the perfect place to call home — congratulations! 🎉 Few things are more exciting than becoming a homeowner, but it is also one of the largest financial investments you'll ever make, which is why it's important to start off on the right foot. Here are my go-to tips for those first few weeks in your new home that can save you time, money, and effort later down the road.

✔️ Get to know your neighbors.
Meeting your neighbors is one of the most important things you can do once you move in. After all, you never know when you’ll need a good neighbor to grab the mail or water the plants when you’re out of town (or when you may need a few eggs for the brownies you're making at 8:30 pm).

✔️ Paint first!
There’s nothing more inconvenient than having to paint a home while you’re living in it. Schedule the movers a few days after closing occurs so that you have time to give your new home a deep clean and paint the main living areas.

✔️ Change the locks before you move in.
There’s no telling how many people have a key to your home – from former homeowners to babysitters, neighbors, pet sitters, etc. it can be a lot. You can either hire a locksmith or buy and install a new, electronic deadbolt.

What's one thing you wish you would have done before you moved into your first home? Let me know in the comments!

When life doesn’t go as planned or feels out of control, it’s tempting to fall into a downward spiral of negativity. Mos...
07/20/2021

When life doesn’t go as planned or feels out of control, it’s tempting to fall into a downward spiral of negativity.

Most of us are our own worst critics, but shutting down the negative internal dialogue allows your confidence, self-esteem, and energy to flow and to be powerful. Next time you feel a negative thought creeping in, intentionally replace it with a positive one. You'd be surprised at how quickly you can change your outlook in one day by doing this – giving yourself a little pep talk when you’re really getting critical can do wonders.

Sometimes we all need a little reminder that we’re capable people who can take on whatever life throws at us.

In today's market, hiring the right agent is the single most important thing you can do, regardless of whether you are b...
06/22/2021

In today's market, hiring the right agent is the single most important thing you can do, regardless of whether you are buying or selling. An experienced agent can help guide you throughout the process, alleviating any stress that can go hand in hand with buying or selling your most expensive asset.

Here's how an agent makes the process easy, enjoyable, and as simple as possible. ⁣

𝙱𝚄𝚈𝙴𝚁'𝚂 𝙰𝙶𝙴𝙽𝚃:

• An adviser and advocate during the entire home buying process
• Educates you on current market conditions
• Uncovers your needs and wants, as well as motivations to purchase a home
• Provides guidance with getting pre-approved and recommends mortgage lenders
• Gathers, presents, and shows you listings that meet your criteria
• Negotiates contingencies, the closing timeline, and the final selling price.
• Buyer's agents are paid by the sellers

𝚂𝙴𝙻𝙻𝙴𝚁'𝚂 𝙰𝙶𝙴𝙽𝚃:

• Also known as a Listing Agent
• Evaluates your property and suggests a listing price based on comparable homes that have sold recently, as well as market trends
• Presents your home in the marketplace through various mediums such as the MLS, on social media and internet search engines, print, and mailers, and to other agents
• Makes suggestions to improve and/or enhance your home’s features allowing it to look its best (including staging, photography, etc.)
• Stays in regular communication and always acts in your best interest

Whether you are thinking of buying or selling – I can help!

Here are 3 things you should do to prepare for the homebuying process:①  𝙳𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚑. Get your finan...
06/15/2021

Here are 3 things you should do to prepare for the homebuying process:

① 𝙳𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚑.
Get your finances & credit score on track. Figure out how much you want to spend on a downpayment and closing costs, and how much you can afford to spend monthly. Don't forget to have an emergency savings fund set aside, and to budget for all of the utilities and typical upkeep.

② 𝙶𝚎𝚝 𝚙𝚛𝚎-𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍.
I've said it before and I will say it again. Make sure you get pre-approved BEFORE looking at homes! This is especially important in today's competitive housing market. Do your research to find a good lender or ask your agent – this person will be handling the biggest purchase of your life, so don't just take the easy route and apply with an online lender.

③ 𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚝.
Your agent will help guide you throughout the entire process, from sitting down to discuss what you're looking for in a home, to submitting an offer, negotiating repairs, handling all of the paperwork, and being there when you finally get the keys to your new home. Their knowledge of the home buying process, negotiating skills, and familiarity with the area you want to live in can be extremely valuable.

As I'm sure you have heard, the real estate market is crazy right now. I'm talking 35 offers, $100,000 over asking, waiv...
06/11/2021

As I'm sure you have heard, the real estate market is crazy right now. I'm talking 35 offers, $100,000 over asking, waived inspections, offering your kidney, crazy. This is a result of a severe inventory shortage – but how does this affect you?

If you're thinking of 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐, the time is NOW. With no inventory, you will likely attract many more motivated buyers than you typically would, which means more potential offers (and probably even a bidding war). If you are thinking about making a move in the next 3-5 years, I would strongly suggest you consider selling THIS year. Just like our economy, the real estate market has a cycle – and we are at the top of it right now.

Have questions? Shoot me a message, I am here to help.

When you are starting on the journey of selling your home, one of the most difficult factors to determine is the listing...
06/08/2021

When you are starting on the journey of selling your home, one of the most difficult factors to determine is the listing price.

Just because the market is hot does not guarantee a bidding war or multiple offers over asking price. Sure, you've heard about the house in your neighborhood that sold in 24 hours for $45,000 over asking, but unfortunately, you don't know all of the circumstances surrounding that sale.

Some sellers may see this as an opportunity to set the bar high (maybe too high) when it comes to their list price, whereas others may prefer to list at a lower price in hopes of generating a bidding war. So which pricing strategy works best in a seller’s market?

First, it is important to confirm that you are, in fact in a seller's market. Your real estate agent will do so by running a CMA, or comparative market analysis, and review the average days on the market for the comparable homes that have sold recently, as well as the list price versus the sold price. Your agent will also compare your home's features and benefits to other homes that have similar features and benefits that have sold recently. If you’re working with a real estate agent who understands the market, you have to trust the comparable homes that they use – after all, they are the expert. The bottom line is even in a seller's market, most experienced agents will recommend listing your home at market value.
→ Market value is the price in which a willing buyer and seller agree upon, based on their reasonable knowledge of the property and current market trends.

• By listing HIGH, your home might sell at a premium, however, there is a greater risk that it doesn’t sell, especially if you’re unwilling to reduce the price.

• By listing LOW, although unlikely, there is a possibility that this strategy can backfire if you receive only one offer for the asking price or less.

Ready to figure out the "best" price for your home? I'd love to create a comparative market analysis for you!

Have you been tossing around the idea of buying a home this year? If so, here are your first steps to help get you on yo...
06/02/2021

Have you been tossing around the idea of buying a home this year? If so, here are your first steps to help get you on your way to homeownership:

• 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟏 𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝! Contrary to popular belief, a pre-approval is not for the agent's benefit, but rather to prove a buyer's credibility to the seller. You will need to have a pre-approval when submitting any offer, and it is even more critical to have one in a competitive market like the one we are in right now. If you have a pre-approval, you will be ready to submit an offer if you fall in love with a home, whereas if you don't, you may have to wait to get one, ultimately meaning you could miss out on your dream home.

Need good lender recommendations? I have a few local mortgage lenders that my buyers work with regularly, and that I trust to give the best service and competitive rates.

• 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟐 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓. Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make, which is why it is so important to have someone you trust on your side to represent your interests.

If you choose the right real estate agent, the homebuying process can be fun and exciting, with very little stress involved. However, the wrong agent can wreak havoc on a transaction and possibly even lose you the sale entirely. In other words, it’s a BIG decision.

As your agent, I want you to have a full understanding of both the market and your finances before you start the home shopping process. It will increase your confidence as a buyer in this market, and you'll be completely prepared for homeownership! In a high-paced, competitive environment, any advantage you can give yourself will help you on your path to buying your dream home. 🏠

If you are thinking about making a move, send me a message – I would love to share my free homebuyer guide and have a conversation about how I can help and what I do differently as an agent.

ℝ𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣!Your monthly homeowner to-do list. ✔️📋Don't forget to dust and clean your ceiling fans and blinds regularly to ...
06/01/2021

ℝ𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣!

Your monthly homeowner to-do list. ✔️📋

Don't forget to dust and clean your ceiling fans and blinds regularly to help create a cleaner environment in your home. Not only will this help prevent dirt and dust mite buildup, but it will also greatly reducing seasonal allergens!

Save this post for later and pick 1 or 2 off the list every weekend! What are you tackling first?

Whether you are buying or selling a home, you deserve an agent who will do everything in their power to find you a home,...
05/17/2021

Whether you are buying or selling a home, you deserve an agent who will do everything in their power to find you a home, or sell your home for top dollar.

And in our current market, you need a 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗿.

Looking for an agent who knows our area to help you buy or sell? Shoot me a message — I would love to chat with you about what I do differently, and how I can help you navigate this crazy market.

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1675 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA
02138

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