Real Estate Information

Elegant Dutch Colonial in pristine, move-in condition. You will love the beautiful high ceilings, French doors, HW floors and crown molding throughout. This home features an updated eat-in kitchen, formal DR with built-in cabinet, new full bath, screened-in sun porch, finished basement, mudroom, large 1-car garage and extra storage space. New interior paint and many new updates, including new insulated windows, furnace, and water heater. A fenced yard, professional landscaping, and sprinkler system complete this lovely home. Close to school, walking trails and pond.

Searching for a new place in Winchester to call home? The Sven Andersen Team makes it easy for you to search for your new Winchester home. This FREE, NO-OBLIGATION service can help you find the home of your dreams! Simply visit http://www.northofbostonlistings.com/ and fill out the form to start your auto-email home search today! It's just that easy! The Sven Andersen Team is always willing to help and will always respect your privacy; we leave it up to you to contact US when you're ready to buy or sell in the Winchester area.

If you want to learn more about selling your home visit: www.PriceMyNorthofBostonhome.com
If you want to get our 450 ways to sell your home fast visit: www.450waystosellfast.com
If you would like to take a video tour of Winchester, MA click here

Heard the news reports and internet stories of holiday thefts and break in's on the rise?  We know we've chosen the Winchester and the North of Boston area for our great schools and safe neighborhoods, however at this time of year it's better to not be a holiday statistic and be safe!  

Here are 5 basic tips to think about this season:

1.  Expecting packages to be delivered?  Sadly, we've all heard the stories that people have been following the UPS delivery trucks, watching what is put at the doors and stealing deliveries.  If you are expecting any packages to be delivered and you can't be home to check on deliveries, ask a neighbor to keep an eye out and pick it up for you.  If you have sent items to other people, track your packages & deliveries.  You can either track it yourself or give the tracking link to the receipient to remind them to look out.

2.  If you can see your tree or holiday presents through a window, so can everyone else.  Don't place a huge display of all the presents out where people can easily see your tree through a door or window.  When a break in does occur, it happens quickly.

3.  Holiday Trash can be overwhelming... but make sure that the boxes from expensive gifts are broken down and hidden amongst the other trash or recycling items.  We all have seen the neighbor that receives the new TV, because the new TV box is at the curb.  Unfortunately, so do people that are checking out neighborhoods for potential break-ins.

4.  Don't get lazy with setting the alarm on your home if you have one.  You have it for a reason, it is just as easy to tell your family members and guests that stay over what the alarm code is and show them HOW to set the alarm if people are coming and going at different times during the day.  Better safe than sorry.  By setting your alarm, it will actually remind you if one of your other doors is left open.

5.  Holiday lights both indoor and outdoor should be on a timer!  It's an oldy but goody.  

These are just a few basic tips of additional home safety during the holidays.  The old saying an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure goes a long way!

Enjoy a safe holiday season with your families and friends.

The Andersen Team

www.NorthofBostonRealEstate.com

Did you see the video of our 5th Annual Gratitude Gathering?  

The Andersen Team is honored that we have such great friends and clients.  There is no better way for us to say "Thanks" to everyone than the gratitude gathering!  We look forward to it each year and enjoy celebrating in this tradition with our friends that we have been able to help through the years. 

For 2012's Gratitude Gathering, we had Blue Ribbon Barbeque, music, a clown, magic show, face painting, cotton candy, spin art, a bounce house and a TON of old and new friends to enjoy a great event.  The video is so much fun, please take a minute to watch it.  You'll see prizes, drawings and families having an awesome time here on a beautiful Winchester day (hooray for great weather!)  There truly was something for everyone!  Did we mention the great food?

As you can see, Sarah, Marie, Robin and Sven had a great time catching up with people and enjoying an amazing day at the Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester, MA.  We loved being able to have our families to spend time with yours!

Thanks again for all that came to share the day with us, we enjoyed seeing everyone.  To those of you that have taken the time to refer us to friends and families, we thank you and look forward to serving them with the same level of service and professional real estate experience you have come to expect from The Andersen Team.

Looking forward to seeing you at next years' gathering!

Robin Foley, Sarah Amico, Marie Montieth, Elaine Lawson, and Sven Andersen

Re/Max Leading Edge

www.northofbostonrealestate.com

5 Holiday Travel Tips

picture courtesy of David Porter

1.  Weigh your bags!  Most airlines generally allow checked luggage to be 50 pounds.  An over weight bag could cost you quite a bit of money, so be prepared and weigh your bag before leaving the house!

2.  Traveling with gifts?  A wrapped gift is not prohibited, but if it sets off an alarm or gets pulled aside during the x-ray screening, you may have to unwrap your gift.  If you are traveling with a gift, place it in your luggage or carry it on in gift bag so that it can be easily seen by TSA members.

3.  Get to the airport early!  Yes.  Seriously.  The number of holiday travelers always increases, thus security lines will increase.  You KNOW there will be the family with 9 kids ahead of you, so plan ahead.  If you let the airlines know you need a wheel chair in advance, they can usually accomodate you.  The fewer things you have to do when you get to the airport the better.

4.  Driving Thanksgiving night? The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is offering FREE COFFEE at all 18 service plazas between 10pm on thankgiving until 5am on on Friday, Nov 23rd.  This is courtesy of Burger King, McDonalds and Gulf.

5.  Driving on Wednesday?  Plymouth Rock Assurance will be sponsoring FREE TOLLS at the Allston-Brighton interchange on I-90 between 3 to 4pm Wednesday, November 21st.

The holidays are a lot of preparation, planning and fun.  With our Winchester, Mass location being so 'close to it all', we hope your holiday travels are quick and safe if you are traveling. 

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

Sven Andersen and The Andersen Team

Re/Max Leading Edge

www.northofbostonrealestate.com

The Decision Is In!

As many of you are aware, the Winchester School Committee met on Monday evening to finalize a 2013-2014 school year redistricting plan. 

Scenario Map 1 has been selected and is shown below - if you would like to see a larger or more detailed version, click the link.

Throughout the past year, this has been an important topic for many Winchester families and homeowners.  We are lucky to live in a community where our opinions were asked for and taken into consideration in making this decision. 

The Parents Inter-School Council, consisting of of all the PTO presidents in the Winchester School System will be reaching out to all families in our school system to keep us updated with information that we may need to know for the future redistricting plans.  As many of these changes will affect many families in current as well as new schools, the council encourages families with concerns to reach out to the principal or PTO Presidents in your new school to ask for an introduction to your new school.  The schools will be working on a special introduction for new familes to help ease the transistion.  Dates have not been determined yet, but when we hear an announcement for it, you can rest assure that we will post it here for our Winchester families.

Our Winchester Schools are all top-rated and offer educational excellence for all students.  If you live in a neighborhood that is on redistricting lines and have questions about the school that has been selected for your family to attend, feel free to call us at the office and we would be happy to answer any questions we can.  

We have our families in school in the Winchester School District and we are experiencing this with you all!  As the Elementary PTO Presidents stated in an email to all of us that have children currently in school, "As a community, every one of us will be impacted...".  With our Winchester area continuing to grow and expand, this is a postive problem to have!  A top reason to purchase a home in Winchester is our excellent schools.  Many of our clients tell us it is the best reason to buy or sell a home in Winchester!  With our growing pains, our top rated schools will continue to excel and expand putting our children's education needs first.

If you would like additional information on the redistricting plans, you can also visit www.winchesterredistricting.com

Sven Andersen

781-625-4249

www.northofbostonrealestate.com

Get prepared!

It is still a bit early to know, but many weather reports forecast Hurricane Sandy to hit the Boston area next week.  The storm is expected to make landfall somewhere between Washington and Boston.  It has unofficially been called “Frankenstorm” and may be of “historic proportions”.  Despite the media hype, it's better to be safe than sorry!

Below is a list of hurricane preparedness tips provided by the American Red Cross.  This is a great time to review them and take appropriate actions.     

Preparation….

• Check your disaster supplies. Replace or restock as needed.
• Bring in anything that can be picked up by the wind (bicycles, lawn furniture).
• Close your windows, doors and hurricane shutters. If you do not have hurricane shutters, close and board up all windows and doors with plywood.
• Turn your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting. Keep them closed as much as possible so that food will last longer if the power goes out.
• Turn off propane tank.
• Unplug small appliances.
• Fill your car’s gas tank.
• Create an evacuation plan with members of your household. Planning and practicing your evacuation plan minimizes confusion and fear during the event.
• Find out about your community’s hurricane response plan. Plan routes to local shelters, register family members with special medical needs and make plans for your pets to be cared for.
• Obey evacuation orders. Avoid flooded roads and washed out bridges

Supplies…..

• Water—at least a 3-day supply; one gallon per person per day
• Food—at least a 3-day supply of non-perishable, easy-to-prepare food
• Flashlight
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
• Extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Medications (7-day supply) and medical items (hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, etc.)
• Multi-purpose tool
• Sanitation and personal hygiene items
• Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
• Cell phone with chargers
• Family and emergency contact information
• Extra cash
• Emergency blanket
• Map(s) of the area
• Baby supplies (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers)
• Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl)
• Tools/supplies for securing your home
• Extra set of car keys and house keys
• Extra clothing, hat and sturdy shoes
• Rain gear
• Insect repellent and sunscreen
• Camera for photos of damage

Recovery…

• Continue listening to a NOAA Weather Radio or the local news for the latest updates.
•  Stay alert for extended rainfall and subsequent flooding even after the hurricane or tropical storm has ended.
•  If you evacuated, return home only when officials say it is safe.
•  Drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and washed out bridges.
•  Keep away from loose or dangling power lines and report them immediately to the power company.
• Stay out of any building that has water around it
• inspect your home for damage. Take pictures of damage, both of the building and its contents, for insurance purposes.
• Use flashlights in the dark. Do NOT use candles.
•  Avoid drinking or preparing food with tap water until you are sure it’s not contaminated.
•  Check refrigerated food for spoilage. If in doubt, throw it out.
• Wear protective clothing and be cautious when cleaning up to avoid injury. 
• Watch animals closely and keep them under your direct control.
• Use the telephone only for emergency calls.

Stay Safe!

Sven and The Andersen Team

www.northofbostonrealestate.com

We love to share when one of our homeowners has a great experience with our team...  

In this case 3 great experiences!  

Marie Montieth is a great agent for our team - but don't take our word for it - please read why her clients chose to work with her 3 times (THAT'S RIGHT!):

Click on Marie's picture to learn more about her!

"I have had the pleasure of working with Marie on three separate occasions both as a buyers and seller agent.  Each time I knew I was in the hands of an exceptional agent.

While I consider myself extremely detail-oriented and meticulous, Marie was always a step ahead of me.  She anticipated both the easy and difficult questions and was fully prepared.  And most importantly, she gave me the answers I needed to hear and not simply the ones I wanted to hear.

Anytime I think about buying or selling, Marie is the first call I make."

- Bradley C.

Here we are in 38 Shawsheen Rd, Bedford MA - Bought and SOLD!

Then new home purchase of 3 Stearns Rd also in Bedford, MA

Lots of agents like to tell you about what they do for their clients.  We LOVE it when our clients do the talking!

Thanks Marie!

Are you looking for a Winchester or a North of Boston Home for Sale? Need to sell a home?  We can help!

Contact Sven Andersen at 781-625-4249 or visit us at www.northofbostonrealestate.com

Miss the meeting for the Winchester Redistricting Proposals?  

Just in case you did, we were able to find the proposed alternate plans that were discussed in the meeting.  The link is posted below:

http://www.winchesterredistricting.com/proposed-alternate-plans/

One of the proposals discussed was for Advanced Learning Opportunities.  This involves utilizing block scheduling and addressed advanced readiness for current students.  The opportunity to delve 'deeper' into core subjects at each childs own pace versus age was outlined to foster academic learning.   We know our Winchester kids are smart!  This proposal would give advanced options for future collegiate readiness.

The Kindergarten Flex Plan was another proposal that was brought up.  The Flex plan helped identify and address the Kindergarten overpopulation issue.  This plan was supported with suggested priorities of Kindergarten selection chosen by cost, siblings and proximity to home schools.  

The Buffer Zone plans worked more off the boundary location of the children in relation to the school with concentration on the children going to the school that is in the closest school.   There were stipulations taken into consideration for siblings that were already in another school being grandfathered in as well as for children for IEP's or special circumstances being able to have preference to a certain school.  There were 6 proposed buffer zones introduced and discussed as well as a proposed boundary map.

These were just a few of the proposals presented.  The above descriptions given are only brief exerpts of what was discussed - please feel free to read more about them on the Winchester Redistricting link.  With such strong proposals and community interest in the presentations, it is obvious that our community is passionate about our children, schools and the opportunity to help bring different ideas to light with the redistricting plans.  

It's just another reason why Winchester, Massachusetts is a great place to find your dream home, raise a family and take an active part in our community!

If you would like to see previous meeting or materials presented at other meetings, click on the link below:

http://www.winchesterredistricting.com/resources/

We hope you found this information helpful, if you have any questions on how the redistricting may affect your area, please don't hesitate to contact us at the office 781-625-4249.  

Search for Winchester Homes for sale and North of Boston Real Estate

At The Andersen Team, we are truly grateful for our clients that are willing to share their stories.  You've heard other agents tell reasons why you should use their services to sell your home.  We would rather our clients share their experiences... It's their homes, their lives and their experience.

"We had a great experience working with the Anderson Team of Re/Max of Winchester.  We listed two properties with them, and we were most pleased with our experience and results.  The service that we received was amazing; everyone on this team is so accommodating and service oriented.  Everything that could be done for us, was done for us.  They made it so very easy to be the sellers.  They took care of all of the smallest details to make the transactions go smoothly.  

          

Sven's ingenuity was amazing; he came up with brilliant ideas to make the properties ultimately appealing.  He had many great contacts available to meet every need.  As an example, Sven felt that we should re-do our basement to add more living space to our home.  He connected us to a great contractor, who re-finished our basement very smoothly and quickly, at a most reasonable price.   We employed Sven's recommended moving company to clear out our basement.  They also moved things around to make it available for renovation.  When it was time to move, we had our movers all in place because of the great job that they had done for us.  

Sven has a great team of people whom he has a relationships with, outside of his office.  We worked with a contractor, mover, appliance repairman and a trash removal company, all of whom were recommended to us by Sven.  They all responded to our needs in a most timely manner and did a great job for us.

This is the best Real Estate Team in Winchester, Mass.  The Anderson Team will do whatever it takes to get your property sold, and make it a complete pleasure along the way.

Thanks so much to all of you for all of your great efforts ~ we truly appreciate you all!"

Bob and Stephanie D.

Thank you SO much to Bob and Stephanie for choosing us to sell your homes and for sharing your experience with our Re/Max team here in Winchester, Massachusetts.  Do you have a home to sell?  Contact us at 781-625-4249

Want to hear what other people say about our team?

Sven and The Andersen Team

Our Winchester School District needs our help  

The Educational and Planning Committee has been given the opportunity to provide input on upgrading Winchester High School.  Studies have been ongoing, planning taking place and potential budgets being put together!  One of the most important opportunities that we have as a township is to help provide our input on what WE think is important suggestions & improvments to the school should be.

A feasibility study has been underway on discussing building a new high school in a new location or renovating the existing school.   12 alternative sights were considered, the Educational Facilities Planning and Building Committee voted in July to focus exclusively on Skillings Field (including both the fields and current high school location, as the location for a new or renovated high school).

Our Winchester High School is known for outstanding academic performance and sporting events.  The building assists our Winchester community in various other capacities - adult education, non profit meetings and even lecture series.    Bob Deering was quoted in the Winchester Patch "that the goal of this project would be to create an assett to the community". There have been quite a few good ideas that have been presented already.  Cindy Bohne, a member of the EFPBD and School Committees offered some great forward thinking suggestions:

• Community Career- Enterprise / College Volunteer Center
• Performing Arts Studio
• Wellness and Nutrition Kitchen Facilty
• Leading Edge Technology Lab

If you have ideas what would YOU suggest?  You can view more information on the project as well as submit your ideas at www.winchesterhsproject.com.  The preliminary design will be submitted to the Massachusetts building authority on Wednesday, October 10th.  Our ideas need to be submitted for the School Committee to consider this Wednesday, September 12th at 7pm at the public hearing located at the high school.

If you have any questions about the needs of our Winchester High School, please don't hesitate to call the office at 781-625-4249 and ask us.  We know that education is important to our Winchester families!  It's one of the main reasons that people buy homes in Winchester!