Wednesday, March 25, 2015

To all of the Brokers and Agents out there!

I am hearing a common theme as I meet with real estate agents and their clients lately, that there are very few homes to choose from on the market right now.  When it comes to selecting a home for the long-term, finding one that suits all of your client's needs is not always easy to do.

Select a lot, home plan, and add to our standard specifications
Select a lot, home plan, and add to our standard specifications

If your client has some flexibility to wait for a home to be constructed, not only will they get a floor plan of their desire, but the finishes and specifications will be tailored to their vision of home.
Call or visit me at the Academy Hill sales center to discuss your client's needs.  I am always happy to co-broke with agents and brokers!

Arthur Haskins
Sales Director
Academy Hill Homes
Groton, MA
(877) 448-0055
@AcademyArthur

Marketed by StreamLine Communities

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

The St. Patrick's Day-Themed Open House

img_02991

The St. Patrick's Day themed open house was another success with one new reservation in the detached condos, and formal interest being discussed in our model home.  "Thank You" to everyone who stopped in on Sunday.  I look forward to having new neighbors, soon!

Arthur Haskins
Sales Director
Academy Hill Homes
Groton, MA
(877) 448-0055
@AcademyArthur

Marketed by StreamLine Communities

Friday, March 13, 2015

Springtime Landscaping Preparations

Remember these? Yes, they are on the way!
Remember these things? Yes, they are on the way!

So this long winter is finally showing some signs of Spring.  A few more days approaching 60 degrees will quickly help to melt away all of this snow.  As a home owner, one thought that crosses my mind is springtime landscaping cleanup and preparation.  Before the first Crocus buds from the ground, plan ahead and consider taking the following steps to ensure that your yard is at it's best this year:

Make a Landscape Plan
Plan ahead and consider what you would like to achieve, add, or change with your landscaping.  Are you looking to add any annuals?  Re-seed an area of grass? Create a mulched island?  Taking the time to plan ahead will help you achieve your goal and save you time.

Clean up of Branches, Leaves, and Debris
Even with the best Fall clean-up, leaves are likely to have been carried to your lawn and planting areas last year.  Take care to remove this from your grass with a good raking, as soon as possible, to encourage new grass growth and also to help keep the PH of the lawn consistent.

Add New Mulch
Mulch beds are a good place to start with Springtime lawn care.  A few inches of fresh mulch turned into your existing mulch helps the soil maintain a manageable moisture level.  Also, old mulch oxidizes, deteriorates, and fades with age, so new mulch and cleaned up mulch-bed edges are a great way to see some progress right away.

Prune branches and Remove Dead Material
Prune any dead branches and remove any plants that may have not made it through the winter.  This is another good opportunity to take an inventory of your plantings and consider adding to or revising the layout of areas with plantings, trees and shrubs.  Use quality, sharp, pruning shears and cutters to ensure that they are not detrimental to the health of the plants, shrubs, and trees.  Here is a link to an article on How and When to Prune trees and shrubs: http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/prime-time-pruning

Aerate the Soil
This is where I usually call my landscaping company with the big rollers that leave all of those plugs of soil and sod behind.  This can be done by hand, but is very tedious and should be part of a regular maintenance routine from a landscaping company.  Here are a few companies that have serviced our Academy Hill Homes:

P. C. Mayette in Groton
http://www.pcmyette.com/
(978) 448-3838

Cataldo in Littleton
http://www.cataldolandscape.com/
(978) 486-4331

Babin Landscaping, Pepperell
http://www.babinlandscaping.com/
(978) 433-5169

De-Winterize and Check Irrigation Heads and Lines
The sprinkler irrigation heads that are closest to the roads and driveways often encounter damage from snow removal.  Have a qualified irrigation specialist evaluate irrigation system needs and plan to test the irrigation system to ensure that it is working properly and providing suitable coverage of all areas during the drier months.  If equipped, test your rain sensor to ensure that it is functioning properly, and set and test any timing devices to lessen waste and improve efficiency.

image courtesy of James River Equipment
image courtesy of John Deere Landscapes, Chelmsford, MA

Check and Maintain any Landscaping Equipment
Riding mowers, motor-tilling tools, leaf blowers, motorized saws, weed-eaters, and spreaders all require regular attention to ensure that they are working at their best.  A local equipment sales and service company, familiar and qualified with your specific equipment, should be consulted at the beginning of the season.  A few great options for equipment sales and service companies are found near Academy Hill, but I personally have great experience with Shepherd's Sales and Service in Townsend, MA:

Shepherd's Sales and Service
http://www.goshepshop.com/
(978) 597-8907

If you take the time to address all of these things early in the season, you can be assured that your lawn and gardens will look better than ever as the warm weather progresses. Perhaps you will find yourself wanting to spend more time outdoors... a paver-stone patio, perhaps? Screen porch or 3 season room?  Enjoy the Spring and good luck with your landscaping endeavors.


Arthur Haskins
Sales Director
Academy Hill Homes
Groton, MA
(877) 448-0055
@AcademyArthur
Marketed by StreamLine Communities


Wednesday, March 11, 2015

8 Paint Colors That Will Make You Rethink White




From HouseBeautiful.com's Lindsey Campbell this week, is an article that will help you choose just the right neutral color for your home.  At Academy Hill Groton, as a standard feature of your new home selections, we provide you with one selection of Sherwin Williams brand white for the entire home as a base color, and additional colors are priced as upgrades, depending on the selection and coverage areas.  The task of choosing a white or base color is more challenging than it would initially seem.

Have a look at the article for a good place to start for inspiration:  http://www.housebeautiful.com/home-remodeling/interior-designers/a3474/best-white-paint/

Have fun!


Arthur Haskins
Sales Director 
Academy Hill Homes
Groton, MA 
(877) 448-0055
@AcademyArthur

Marketed by StreamLine Communities

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Let's hear from some of our neighbors!



I have been the Sales Director at Academy Hill since February of 2009.  I have also lived here with my beautiful wife and daughter since July of 2011.  Naturally, being so personally invested in this residential development, anything that I might say or represent about our three great neighborhoods
may seem biased toward the positive and idyllic.  However, my appreciation and love for this neighborhood, especially since joining as a fellow Academy Hill resident, is as genuine and authentic as could be.

We live in a busy and time consuming world, but I hope that some of our current Academy Hill Condominium and Single Family home owners might be compelled to take a moment and reply below with a few words about their experiences, living at Academy Hill.

Let me know how you like it here!

Sincerely,

Arthur Haskins
Sales Director 
Academy Hill Homes
Groton, MA 
(877) 448-0055
@AcademyArthur
Marketed by StreamLine Communities


Sunday, March 8, 2015

Some Ideas for your Next Home...

I think that we are doing something right with our standard home specifications.  I say this because most people purchasing homes and condos here at Academy Hill request very few upgrades, feeling most everything that they could want is already included.  However, everything is virtually upgradeable!  Trends come and go, but some common themes seem to be upgrades from carpet to hardwood flooring in areas where carpet is standard, extra areas of electric light wiring is also popular, finished basements and/or finished third-floor walk-ups, too.  Another upgrade that is always popular is a site-built, tile shower such as the one pictured, here:

Site-Built, tile shower and jetted tub at Academy Hill Groton
Site-Built, tile shower and jetted tub at Academy Hill Groton

Here are some other ideas for your next home:
- Smart thermostat i. e. the NEST thermostat (among many "smart" features, it programs itself!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8TkhHgkBsg
- GE Profile, Monogram, or Cafe product-line appliance upgrades (Stainless GE appliances are provided, standard)
- Screen porch decks (upgrades also include Trex and Azek composite deck materials, as well as 4 season room additions to standard plans)
- French-style opening doors in areas where there is the desire to close-off a room for privacy
- Central vacuum system
- Additional electrical upgrades like outlets, USB-integrated outlets, dimmers, recessed, canister lights, or motion-sensing lighting for the exterior
- Media upgrades include integrated speakers for surround-sound, provisions for HDMI and other formats, built into the walls
- Paver stone walk ways and patios
- Tankless Rinnai-style hot water heaters
- Geothermal heat systems

This list could go on and on, but you can see that there are many fun things that you can add to a new home to make it more personal to your tastes!  Here is a list of our standard specifications: http://www.academyhillhomes.com/Features/default.aspx

Sincerely,
Arthur Haskins
Sales Director
Academy Hill Groton
176 Cherry Tree Lane
Groton, MA 01450
www.AcademyHillHomes.com
Sales@AcademyHillHomes.com
@AcademyArthur
(877) 448 0055


Academy Hill Selection Room Table
Academy Hill Selection Room Table

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Get Ready for the Taste of Nashoba, March 24th, 5:30 PM - 8 PM

The Groton Line is reporting that chefs are preparing for the 14th Taste of the Nashoba Valley:

http://www.thegrotonline.com/2015/03/03/chefs-are-prepping-for-the-14th-taste-of-nashoba-valley/

"Chefs from one end of the Nashoba River Valley to the other are prepping for the 14th Annual “Taste of Nashoba Valley,” on Tuesday, March 24, 2015. Produced by the Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce, it will serve up the area’s finest food from 5:30-8:00 p.m. at the Lawrence Academy Stone Athletic Center in Groton. The Groton Fire Department and the Groton-Dunstable Athletic Boosters are selling advance tickets; each group earns $5 from each ticket sold and returns the money to its community projects..."




I certainly plan to be there on the 24th.  I hope to see you, there!

Nashoba Valley Chamber website link:
http://nashoba.preview.gochambermaster.com/events/details/taste-of-nashoba-18884

Arthur Haskins
Sales Director
Academy Hill Groton
176 Cherry Tree Lane
Groton, MA 01450
Sales@AcademyHillHomes.com
@AcademyArthur
(877) 448 0055
www.AcademyHillHomes.com

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Spring is Just 2 1/2 Weeks Away!

I know what you are thinking.  Another snow fall...will this snow ever melt away?

Springtime is just 2 1/2 weeks away, so take a moment to think ahead to what you will be doing once the snow melts and the green returns.  Here are some links to help you think of Springtime!



Riverdale Farm and Garden  "...a family owned garden center located in beautiful Groton, Massachusetts. Come see for yourself the large selection of our very own grown plants from our greenhouses. The care we take in growing plants shows in the quality and healthiness of all of our robust flowers and shrubs."  

http://www.riverdalefarmandgarden.com/

The Nashua River Rail Trail " ...a former railroad right of way that travels 11 miles through the towns of Ayer, Groton, Pepperell and Dunstable. The trail offers a 10-foot wide paved surface for the entire length, and a five-foot wide gravel equestrian path for seven miles of the trail from Groton Center to the New Hampshire border in Dunstable. The entire trail is open to pedestrians, bicyclists, inline skaters, wheelchairs, and cross-country skiers."

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-central/nashua-river-rail-trail.html

Nashoba Paddler "...rent quality Old Town canoes and kayaks and BIC stand up paddleboards on the beautiful, friendly Nashua River in West Groton, Massachusetts. Launch from our rental site and paddle for hours in either direction!"

http://www.nashobapaddler.com/


Sincerely,

Arthur Haskins
Sales Director
Academy Hill Groton
176 Cherry Tree Lane
Groton, MA 01450
Sales@AcademyHillHomes.com
@AcademyArthur
(877) 448 0055
www.AcademyHillHomes.com


Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Remaining Reachable to You 7 Days a Week, Even With my Slightly Unusual Schedule!

Today is a Tuesday, and as some may have noticed, my on-site office is not open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  My open house hours are typically every other day, however, Thursdays through Mondays, from 11 AM to 4 PM.



Most people are busy with work on Monday through Friday, and most people will typically have the weekend days off.  As the only representative who is physically here on-site, I felt it best to make myself available at Academy Hill Groton on these weekend days, both Saturdays and Sundays, choosing Tuesdays and Wednesdays as my down time, to catch up with personal business and pleasure with my family.

Sometimes, I may have an interested person trying to contact me on a Tuesday or Wednesday.  While I will try my absolute best to connect with incoming calls and emails on any day, another dedicated colleague is also typically helping me to answer any questions on the days I am usually relieved of on-site duty.

If she, too, is not there to answer your phone calls or emails, please just leave a message or an email, and I am happy to respond and answer any questions as soon as my schedule permits, typically responding right away, or within less than 24 hours on those two days I am off.  It is always a pleasure to try to accommodate any request for a model home showing, but our regular Thursday through Monday office hour days are a guaranteed best time to ensure availability, even at last-minute.

I look forward to hearing about your interest in Academy Hill, anytime.  We are here to discuss your interest so please call, visit, or email, with questions!


Sincerely,

Arthur Haskins
Sales Director
Academy Hill Groton
176 Cherry Tree Lane
Groton, MA 01450
Sales@AcademyHillHomes.com
@AcademyArthur
(877) 448 0055


Monday, March 2, 2015

Like us on Facebook and Follow me on Twitter

I have been posting more regularly on Twitter and Facebook.  If you have not yet done so, please like us on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Academy-Hill/113587045362636?fref=photo



and follow me on Twitter @AcademyArthur

 https://twitter.com/academyarthur



Look forward to more photos of our site, construction, upcoming event announcements, and daily goings-on via social media.  I encourage you to post your own comments and experiences with us at Academy Hill Groton.

Sincerely,

Arthur Haskins
Sales Director
Academy Hill Groton
Sales@AcademyHillHomes
@AcademyArthur
(877) 448-0055
www.AcademyHillHomes.com

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Selling Condos With the Help of my Neighbors!



I may not have emphasized this enough before, but I really love living on-site at Academy Hill Groton!

Today was a Sunday like any other for me at Academy Hill.  A few of the neighborhood ladies had planned to surprise an expecting mom with a stealthily-planned baby shower, and a few of us who are dads were home taking care of kid-duty during the baby shower.  I started my day in a very happy mood, knowing that a beloved neighbor and friend would be surprised in such a memorable way.

While my wife was away and attending the festivities for the expectant mother to be, I continued with my sales-center/model home open house today and my daughter Anna, a first-grader at Florence Roche Elementary, was playing with neighborhood kids over a friend's house a few doors down from my current model home.

While showing a detached condominium home to a group of prospective buyers today, one of my more recent sales from last year stopped in to say hello and to offer some words of encouragement to our party.  Another walking her dog had a few positive exchanges with us as we parked our vehicles.  This may seem like a small and insignificant thing to do, but the sincere and honest feedback of our neighbors goes a long way in portraying how great it really is here.

Representing the ongoing sales here at the Academy Hill development, I sometimes forget that everything and anything that a sales professional like me would have to say, would always sound positive and wonderful since I am trying to sell these homes!  It is really a pleasure to have such genuinely happy people stop in and interact, who have actually gone through the purchase process with us before, available and willing to say such nice things about their experience here, too!  Thanks, neighbors!


Arthur Haskins
Sales Director
Academy Hill Groton
Sales@AcademyHillHomes
@AcademyArthur
(877) 448-0055
www.AcademyHillHomes.com