Real Estate Articles and Advice

Easter Egg Hunting and House Hunting
By Chris Petry I spent the last couple weekends photographing Spring holiday-related events, both in-office and in public venues, sponsored by Berkshire agents. First, of course, there’s the infamous Easter Bunny photo. You know the one. You take your toddler, already wailing and thrashing about like a fish on the dock, and place them onto the lap of a giant anthropomorphic rabbit’s

Why Use a REALTOR?
By Chris Petry So, you’ve decided to buy a home. Congrats! Or, no, wait. You’re selling? Ah, yes. Time to upgrade! Or downsize. Regardless of your real estate ambitions, having a well-informed REALTOR at your side is a must. The internet has revolutionized the way we shop, date, and do business. It’s tempting to treat a real estate transaction the same way. Which is t

April Showers, May Flowers & All That Jazz
By Chris Petry Well, we’ve officially reached the month of April and you know what that means. Yes, it’s time to don a blue pinstriped suit and umbrella like Gene Kelley in “Singing in the Rain” and wrap yourself around a light post. If 1950s musical references are lost on you, let’s just say we’re in for a lot of rain. Probably. Or, maybe not? Despite the ol

March Madness!
By Chris Petry March Madness is here! March Madness is here! Wait a second, what is March Madness anyway? In all actuality, it’s the term for a specific NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball tournament, originating back to 1939. The single-elimination tournament is played by 68 teams, mostly during the month of March. Hence the name. Now, let’s talk about another kind of M

Homeowner.ai: The New Must Have App
By Chris Petry Another day, another app. You’ll love this one, though. We promise! It’s called Homeowner.ai and it’s an amazing organization tool that allows homeowners quick convenient access to all their important home documentation, including warranties, service receipts, appliance warranties, closing documents and more in the MySolutions.ai hub. Additionally, it provides a

Happy St. Patrick's Day Ohio!
By Chris Petry This year, St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Monday. Ordinarily, the prospect of any holiday falling on a Monday is enough to make anyone recoil in horror and dread. After all, one still needs to report to work first thing Tuesday morning. Then Wednesday, Thursday and Friday before there’s any time to catch up on lost Zzzs. Of course, a lot of people will just ramp up the

Tax Time: Everyone's Favorite Time of Year
By Chris Petry Yes, that headline was penned with definite sarcasm. Did you know there are people who actually enjoy filing their taxes? I’m going to assume they share a psychological profile with the kinds of people who enjoy playing Patty Cake with bear traps and cuddling with porcupines, but they do exist. Regardless of how any of us feel about the matter, truth is, we don’t real

Home Security & Safe Rooms
By Chris Petry Look, I know streaming is super convenient and all but I’m absolutely horrified by the thought of brilliant art being lost in the ether that is the cloud. That’s why I still buy Blu-Rays for my home video library. This past weekend, I had the pleasure of revisiting David Fincher’s appropriately-claustrophobic home invasion thriller Panic Room, starring Jodie Fos

Spring Maintenance & Cleaning 2025
By Chris Petry No one can say we didn’t have a winter this year. While temperatures were warmer than normal leading into the holiday season, the early days of January saw a complete turnaround in the forecast. For some, it was something of an overcorrection. While I love the snow and have thoroughly enjoyed the lazy evenings buried under a mountain of blankets with a book and cup of tea,

It's Valentine's Day
By Chris Petry Well, tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. Love is in the air. Or something like that. I’ll probably just order a pizza, watch my usual double feature of My Bloody Valentine (1981) and Valentine (2001) and sob because nobody loves me. No! This is the year I finally take charge of my life and feelings. I’m all I need! Me! And pizza. This just in, my bloodwork reveals tha