There are fewer homes for sale in the winter. With the lower inventory comes less competition making it an ideal time to sell.

 

Winter buyers are serious buyers. They are more motivated to find the home that’s best for them and get the deal done! Not to say Spring and Summer buyers aren’t, however, they spend more time browsing the market. This is when the “lookers” typically stop looking and leave it to those serious buyers!

 

During the winter home showings feel warmer and more inviting. Plus, showings in the winter will show that your home is designed to handle the cold Vermont brings!

 

At the end of the year some buyers will obtain financial bonuses from their employer, giving them more money to spend on a home!

 

Many buyers who are planning to buy a home right after the new year may be getting a tax refund, that can help with the down payment.

 

 

I am thankful for the love, health and happiness from my family and friends. Also, in this time of distancing the ability to reach out through electronic means to all loved ones. I discovered that being outside is safe and healthy.

Had a great summer on the boat with family and friends. Making the spoons and tying the flies we fish with make catching the fish so much more rewarding. Most all fish are released to fight another day ensuring the future fishery for the next generation.

In recent years, I found I enjoy working in the kitchen and have basically become the chef. Grilling outside and cooking on my new Blackstone griddle make preparing meals fun. In discovering the Blackstone, I have found meal preparation is easy and fast.

Happy Thanksgiving! ~Don

 

Smoked Salmon Pate’

1/2 cup of smoked salmon
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 teaspoons hot cream style horseradish (to taste)
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
In a food processor puree the, salmon, cream cheese, horseradish, heavy cream, salt and pepper, until smooth.

Add sides by chopping a red onion to small bits and add capers to the presentation.

A little pate, a couple capers and a little onion.

Serve with baguette slices or crackers.

Enjoy

2022 Home Purchase?  Do you have a plan?

 

Will this be the last holiday season in your current home? Soak in all those memories! Enjoy those family moments! When it is all over, tuck them away for safe keeping and then let’s get to work! Countdown to 2022 begins now and we will not put your dreams of a bigger home, a first time home or perhaps your retirement home on hold any longer!

 

 Amy’s 10 Step plan to your Home Purchase:

Step 1:   Let’s plan a meeting where we can get to know each other. I can learn more about what you are looking for.        

              I can share with you how I plan to work on your behalf to find your new home!

Step 2:   If you haven’t partnered with a local lender, we can work together to ensure you know what your financial portfolio is  

              for your new home purchase.

Step 3:   We have identified your criteria for your new home, we know how  much you can afford - time to get out there for

              showings!

Step 4:   We have located your new home and we make an offer.

Step 5:   Your offer is accepted! We ensure you take advantage of any and all inspections available to ensure your making a

              sound purchase.

Step 6:   Our office has taken you through to the closing with your lenders support and we are ready to go to the closing.

Step 7:   You get the keys to your new home!

Step 8:   Move IN DAY!

Step 9:   You tell all of your friends about the amazing experience you have had working with The Marcelino Team.

Step 10: You contact The Marcelino Team for all of your Real Estate needs moving forward!

grat·i·tude /radt(y)ood/ noun

1. the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

"she expressed her gratitude to the committee for their support"

For me, the month of November  is the perfect time to talk about gratitude!  I am thankful for my Family and Friends!  I have such a deep appreciation for my clients who choose to work with me each year!  I am thankful for my health as I have had days that I didn’t have good health and without that, you have nothing! I am thankful for all of the greatness I have been surrounded by and all that is yet to come!  I am so lucky!

It is truly hard to believe how fast 2021 seems to have gone by.  This year has been filled with creating memories to last a lifetime. Chasing sunsets throughout the summer is one of my favorite ways to spend time relaxing with my husband!  We celebrated 26 years of marriage and spent as much time as possible with our three children, Amber, Nick and Brenna, son-in-law Mike, and daughter-in-law Beth. We have 5 grandbabies who keep us hopping, Rob, Bently, Nora, Paisley and Beau.  If you ever wonder what I do in my down time, I am forever grateful for the time I spend with these grands and for them making me a “Mammie.”

I reflect on the families I have had the honor of working with to their new home in 2021 and am thrilled they will be celebrating their first Thanksgiving soon!  Thank you for letting me be part of your journey.

As I begin to prepare for the entire family to be around our Thanksgiving table, I share with you that while we all look forward to the actual turkey, I think it is the day long appetizers that we prepare that we enjoy equally!  One of my families favorites is Buffalo Dip. I encourage you to use Buffalo Ranch dressing!  You will not be disappointed. For the topping, we don’t like bleu cheese so I use a variety of cheeses- don’t be afraid to explore!  A light toasted bake certainly is the topping to make this dish pop!  We enjoy it with a variety of crackers, and chips to add the crunch that just wraps it all together!

 

 

From my home to yours,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Amy

Click HERE to go to the recipe for Franks Red-hot Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe

 

Charming Charlotte Farmhouse on 3.3 acres with legal second unit/In-Law apartment and beautiful mountain views. The In-Law apartment offers a large kitchen dining area that opens thru pocket doors into the living room with wood floors, built in cupboard and lovely wood stairway. Upstairs you find three bedrooms and a full bath with washer and dryer. This unit also features a nice, fenced yard area. The main house has a large kitchen with stainless appliances, dining/cozy family room with large window overlooking the NY mountain range, pellet stove and pretty brick wall with built ins. In addition, the main floor also features a full bath, large wet bar area and a roomy living room. The second floor is divided, on one side you will find two bedrooms and on the other side two bedrooms, a full bath and landing area for a desk or a reading spot. Do not miss this lovely large country home with large in-law apartment.

Find all the details, HERE!

 

76 years is A LOT of experience! 

The Marcelino Team is a family owned and operated Real Estate Business. What that means for you is an entire team that works with you along your Real Estate journey!

Selling and/or Buying, you are an important member of The Marcelino Team! We work together from your very first contact, until we pass you the keys to your new home!  As a team, there is never a moment our Sellers and Buyers feel as they do not have a member of the team to contact! If this is your first home or your next home, we are the partner you will want to choose to take this important journey with.

Let’s meet our team;

Don Marcelino - Owner/Broker

Don has been involved in the real estate community since 1977 helping families successfully fulfill their homeownership dreams. Don is committed to continuing education and holds the CRS designation (Certified Residential Specialist). This is only held by 4% of all Realtors and Realtor-Associates in the nation. Don oversees the team and is the Marketing and Listing Specialist. He will be sure to help you sell your home in the least amount of time for the highest possible price with the least inconvenience to you.

 

Shannon Marcelino - Broker/Realtor, Listing and Buyer Specialist

Shannon has been involved in real estate community since 1993. Shannon has served many rolls on the team, starting as an assistant to Don, closing coordinator and Buyer & Listing Specialist. In 2019 Shannon obtained her Broker License and currently is serving as President of the Northwestern Vermont Board of Realtors.  In 2021 Shannon was honored with the achievement of being 2021 NVBR Realtor of the year.

 

Amy Deavitt - Realtor, Buyer Specialist

Amy has over 25 years of offering the highest level of customer service and takes great pride in building long-term relationships with the clients she serves. Committed to continuing education and learning from her peers on the team, Amy has been a part of The Marcelino team working with Buyers since 2017.

With November being the month of gratitude I wanted to express how grateful I am for my family and friends. I was grateful to be able to spend time with my parents and son on their boat this summer, being out in the fresh air and sharing something we all love to do. With Covid and my son’s love of cooking I am grateful for the time he has taken to teach me how to cook indoors and on his Blackstone Grill. I am not much of a cook but I can bake! So I thought I would share a new recipe I found while locked in the house this past winter that my family has found a true love for, Marshmallow Chocolate Poke Cake! It is divine and you won’t be able to stop with just one piece! ~Shannon

 

Marshmallow Chocolate Poke Cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Yield: 12-16 1x

 

 

Description

Marshmallow Chocolate Poke Cake is an easy dessert recipe for the serious chocolate lover! Decadent chocolate cake infused with sweetened condensed milk chocolate ganache mixture, covered with marshmallow whipped cream and more chocolate ganache swirled on top

---

Ingredients

• 15.25 oz box Devils Food Chocolate Cake Mix, plus ingredients listed on the box
• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

MARSHMALLOW WHIPPED CREAM

• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 7 oz. (about 2 cups) marshmallow fluff

FOR CHOCOLATE GANACHE SWIRLS:

• ½ cup chocolate chips
• 3 Tablespoons heavy cream

---

Instructions

1. Bake cake according to box directions in a 9×13 cake pan.
2. Using a handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the warm cake. Set aside to cool slightly and make the filling.
3. Place sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir until smooth, microwaving more, if needed to melt the chocolate completely. The mixture should be pourable but not too runny. If it’s too thick, reheat it. If it’s too thin, set aside to cool and thick slightly. Transfer the mixture in a measuring jug and pour in the holes. Spread remaining chocolate on top.  Set aside to cool, about an hour, then refrigerate until completely cooled.
4. To make the topping, whip heavy cream until it begins to thicken, add powdered sugar, and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form. Gradually mix in marshmallow fluff. Spread the topping over cooled cake.
5. Melt ½ cup chocolate chips with 3 Tablespoons heavy cream until smooth. Transfer the mixture in a zip-lock bag, cut off the corner and pipe the chocolate ganache all over the top and use a toothpick or skewer to create a more marbleized pattern of swirls.

This years theme and poster for Veterans Days taken from the US Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs.

2021 National Veterans Day Poster Contest Winner

The theme for Veterans Day 2021 is centered on the centennial commemoration of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Located at Arlington National Cemetery, the Tomb was initially dedicated by the Army on Armistice Day, November 11, 1921, with the burial of an unknown service member from World War I. Over the past century, additional unknowns have been buried at the Tomb, and the site has become a people’s memorial that inspires reflection on service, valor, sacrifice and mourning. This year’s Veterans Day poster competition asks artists to envision a design that evokes elements of the history, legacy, and meaning of the Tomb during its centennial anniversary. Whether inspired by historic images of the Tomb, the ceremonies and rituals that take place at the site, or the physical Tomb itself, artists should interpret the Tomb’s centennial in a way that honors its past and recognizes its continued importance in American society to all.

We wanted to share this poster and information as our way of Honoring All Who Served.

 

 

Did you know that Vermont’s is the 45^th largest state with a projected population as of 2021 of 648,560.

Currently it is reported there are 339,439 home owners in the state of Vermont. 

If you have been considering, joining that growing number of homeowners in the state, here are 2 suggestions for getting started!

 

1. Get qualified

       It is important to know what you qualify for  if you are not expecting to pay cash for your       

       new home.  Meeting with a lender is an important and recommended first step. I always ask 

       my customers if they are Pre-qualified or Pre-Approved.  It is no fun to take a new customer

       to a property and have you fall in love with it to later learn that home doesn’t fit your financial

       portfolio.  You can start with your bank, or I can offer some suggestions to get you started.

2. Call The Marcelino Team

       You do NOT have to call the name on the sign of every home you drive by to request a

       showing. This is why it is important to align with a Realtor who will take the work out of the

       home buying process.  I take the heavy lift off my clients to not only do the research on

       locating the homes, but setting up all the appointments for showings and when we find you the

       home of your dreams, writing the contract, negotiating on your behalf and The Marcelino

       Team works with you to closing!  Doesn’t that sound a lot easier?  Out for a drive, call me

       with an address and I take care of the rest!  I can also tell you about our mobile app that helps

       answer the important questions about a property you see while parked in front of a home!

       If you think 1900 Realtors is a lot, just imagine having every Realtor you contact for every

       home you would like to see, calling you!  That will add a lot of extra stress to your home

       buying journey!  Let me help!

 

These first two steps can often be the hardest part of your Real Estate process!  My job is to keep your experience as simple as possible and stress free as can be! 

Next week, I will share more details about why YOU will be in great hands with The Marcelino Team and what sets us apart from the rest!