Swanzey
Real Estate
Housing Crisis and Increased Scam risk of application Fees.
During a Housing Crisis the market for affordable housing is limited and in today's market landlords require applications fees for their time and the charge of credit/criminal background checks. Many diverse populations are seeking housing at affordable rates and When someone who is searching for a rental sees a 3 bedroom listed on Craigslist or Facebook Market Place for the cost of an efficiency they can quickly become drawn to the posting. With the fast pace we have become accustomed to as well as the time required to look for an apartment scams can happen swiftly. When you add the factor in that affordable housing is nearly none existing you can make major errors in judgement. Renters beware scammers are using an old scam to obtain money from your application fees on an apartment that may not be available for rent at all. While some scammers are out to steal your identity in the housing market a false listing for an apartment leads to fast cash due to application fees. Realtors are more than willing to answer questions and with Google search at your finger tips you can research the addresses and see what the apartment is currently listed as on the Market. Recently a member of the unhoused population applied for an apartment that seemed at a reasonable rate for a three bedroom. He submitted the application fee of $100 as there were three adults. He drove by the location and noticed a sign in front of the building from a realtor. He contacted the realtor only to realize the location had a realtors sign in front. Upon contacting the Realtor he was greeted with empathy from the realtor as she addressed questions in regards to the listing and.informed him it was indeed a scam. The realtor took all necessary precautions and measurements. She contacted the owners to see if the listing was legit and if the owners had knowledge of the listing. The Realtor took all necessary precautions to get the listing removed from all websites. During a housing crisis it's important to remember to ask important questions (no question is to dumb) research the address and if you see the address listed by a realtor contact the agency immediately. Do not hand over cash nor send funds before you have googled the address (and any other pertinent information on the listing). If a person's name is listed check their social media profiles out and see if they contain suspicious activity. In today's market scammers are lurking if the rent rate sounds too good to be true dig for all information needed before filing an application. Remember not just your money can be lost on application fees your identity is at jeopardy as well. In this case the money spent was not returned. Always check with your bank in regards to canceling payments and see if the bank has fraud prevention. Do not add your bank information to any applicants nor your complete social security number.
Single family residence in Winchendon sells for $1.3 million
A spacious house located at 459 Glenallen Street in Winchendon has new owners. The 3,366-square-foot property, built in 2006, was sold on April 12, 2024, for $1,300,000, or $386 per square foot. This two-story home offers a roomy layout with four bedrooms and seven bathrooms. The home's outer structure has a gable roof frame, composed of asphalt. The property is equipped with hot water heating and a cooling system. The lot size of the property measures an impressive 1.2-acre.
Harrisville Residents Address Local Housing Crisis: Updates from the Planning Board
The Harrisville Planning Board recently heard from community volunteers following the housing crisis and interested in continuing community discussions on the issues. These residents have shared informative information on the local, regional and state level that appears below in four separate documents. Please stay tuned for more information and for opportunities to help Harrisville address the challenges. [Note: RHNA stands for Regional Housing Needs Assessment]Visit here for more details.
Local Housing Resource Share Event: Windham Regional Commission and Windsor Housing Trust to Discuss Rural Housing Solutions
Bringing together towns and resources in one space to share varying approaches on hyper local housing action particularly in our smaller, more rural areas. Windham & Windsor Housing Trust will present VHIP 2.0, Green Mountain Home Repair, and shared equity. Windham Regional Commission will talk about Zoning and planning tools, public infrastructure, brownfield redevelopment, and more! Towns are encourage to share their programs! RSVP: swesta [at] windhamregional.com When: Wednesday April 17th, 2024 4-6PM Where: Newbrook Fire Station (698 VT-30, Newfane, VT 05345) and via ZoomVisit here for more details.
Spring 2024 Updates: Keene Housing's Grapevine Newsletter for Local Residents
Keene Housing’s (Heard it through the) Grapevine Newsletter is a great resource for residents and participants to keep abreast of Agency events, policy changes, educational programs and much more. Click here to view: Keene Housing’s (Heard it through the) Grapevine NewsletterVisit here for more details.
10 least expensive homes sold in Worcester County, March 24-30
A house in Athol that sold for $122,000 tops the list of the most affordable residential real estate sales in Worcester County in the past week. In total, 112 residential real estate sales were recorded in the county during the past week, with an average price of $464,466, or $293 per square foot.
10 least expensive homes sold in Worcester County, Feb. 18-24
A condo in Athol that sold for $150,000 tops the list of the most affordable residential real estate sales in Worcester County in the past week. In total, 72 residential real estate sales were recorded in the county during the past week, with an average price of $446,820, or $289 per square foot.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.