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Home & Garden F |
| SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026
& Real Estate
INSIDE
ANTIQUES: Dry cleaner’s advertisment poster praises winter beauty, F8
IN THE GARDEN: Air-layering techniques for when plants get too big, F4 HOME: What will homes look like in 2026?,
Think small!
F5
Big houses can come up short in providing life satisfaction, Page F2
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F2 | SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026
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Why smaller houses can lead to happier lives
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By Michael J. Coren
The Washington Post
y friend Jaye and her husband raised their two children in a 560-square-foot apartment in New York City. Most of their domestic life unfolded in a sprawling living room framed by two minimalist bedrooms. Loneliness was rarely an option. “We just embraced it,” she said. So did their friends. Many nights, the family’s different social circles coalesced in the tiny apartment’s living room despite living in more spacious homes nearby. Jaye, who still lives there, recalls those years as among the best of her life. And she might have been onto something. The American Dream is virtually synonymous with a larger, suburban house. But as the size of the average American home has nearly doubled, the people living in them aren’t any happier. Space is only one of many variables in the equation of a happy life, says Mariano Rojas, an economist at the National Technological Institute of Mexico. It’s not the most important. The average newly built American home includes more than 940 square feet per person, up from about 550 square feet in 1973. That’s because even as the typi-
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cal single-family home has grown to 2,400 square feet, the number of people living in them has fallen to a record low of 2.5, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But after meeting our basic need for shelter, square footage has, at best, a tenuous relationship with life satisfaction. “What matters is not really the size of the house but what happens inside that house with relationships,” Rojas said. “If you move to a larger house, and you sacrifice that, then you have a problem.” We may have the American Dream backward.
The American aspiration for ever larger homes — especially if it comes at the expense of relationships — may end up being a recipe for ennui. (PHOTO / COVER PHOTO ADOBE STOCK IMAGES)
typically report their life satisfaction returning to near its prior state. In many cases, it even declines. It turns out the question “Are you happy with your home?” yields a very different answer than “Are you happy with your life?” Humans aren’t very good at prioritizing what makes them happy, economists say, especially when it comes to living arrangements. We systematically overlook the Sizing up may be costs (mortgages, commuting, getting you down maintenance) while dramatiI grew up in a Florida suburb cally undervaluing intangible where the implicit message benefits that actually dictate was clear: Bigger is better. our happiness (seeing our kids Learning that big homes at night, hanging with friends, might undermine your happi- knowing our neighbors and ness was like learning apple walking places). pie is a French dessert. It’s not that big houses make But the data lines up. After us unhappy. It’s what we give a brief initial burst of satisfac- up in pursuit of them. That’s tion with new homes, people why so many people can end
up house-rich but relationship-poor, vaguely unsatisfied in their bigger homes. Jaye, it turns out, intuited something profound. Happiness is other people Social scientists call it the “inverted U” hypothesis: The relationship between happiness and the number of people in our household is not a straight line. It’s a parabola. On one side, living alone or with one other person can promote isolation or loneliness. On the other, excessive crowding (about 140 square feet per person, one study in Asia suggests) leads to stress, anxiety and depression. Happiness peaks somewhere in the middle, said Gerardo Leyva, an economist and researcher at Iberoamerican University in Mexico City. Leyva analyzed data from tens of thousands of households in Mexico and Europe. He found that people living alone report the most satisfaction with their financial lives. But when it comes to overall happiness, the happiest households had about four to six people in them, regardless of home size. This aligns with previous research: After crossing a minimum threshold of space for safety and comfort, every new bedroom or second floor yields less and less benefit. A brief spike in housing satisfaction from moving into “larger accommodations” produces
The average newly built American home includes more than 940 square feet per person, up from about 550 square feet in 1973. That’s because even as the typical singlefamily home has grown to 2,400 square feet, the number of people living in them has fallen to a record low of 2.5, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. no durable effects on overall life satisfaction. It may even erode it. A bustling household, Leyva theorizes, strengthens the emotional bonds between family members, creating a loving, resilient shock absorber for life’s challenges. This even compensates for smaller homes. In Latin America, people are far happier than per capita gross domestic product alone would predict, most likely because of positive interactions among larger households (despite smaller homes). Of course, it matters whom you are living with, and whether it’s by choice or necessity. But the American aspiration for ever larger homes — especially if it comes at the expense of relationships — may end up being a recipe for ennui. How McMansions lured us into an unhappiness trap A simple equation can sum up the post-World War II housing market: More room equals more freedom equals more happiness. But they may “tax” your happiness at higher rates than the satisfaction extra space returns. SEE SMALL, PAGE F3
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Small
correlated to our neighbors’ income. That’s what behavioral CONTINUES FROM PAGE F2 economist Clément BelTake features like home let calls the “McMansion theaters, formal dining effect.” rooms and game rooms. In his 2024 peer-reviewed These often turn into exstudy in the Journal of Public pensive dead zones — pricey Economics, the assistant square footage that is very professor at Erasmus Unirarely used. Rather than versity Rotterdam in the social hubs, they serve as Netherlands found that just glorified storage for our stuff. the presence of bulky domiClutter is clearly equated ciles down the street virtuwith unhappiness. ally erased any satisfaction Then there’s the tax of people gained from movmoving to distant, affording into their own bigger able suburbs or taking out homes. “Larger homes do big mortgages: More debt, not increase well-being per longer commutes, more se,” Bellet wrote me. “What maintenance and less time matters most is how close for socializing and exercise, [the size of one’s house] is among other trade-offs. We to the largest houses in the can end up, Rojas said, over- neighborhood.” worked and under-relating. No one can win this game. Finally, there’s the coup de Consider watching a sports grâce of contentment: keep- game in a stadium. If one ing up with the Joneses. person stands up, the person “Comparison is the thief behind them can’t see. So, of joy,” a wise person once they stand up. Then another. said, anticipating one of the Soon, no one is left sitting strongest findings in modern because everyone is trying social science. Humans tend to see over the person in to care less about what they front of them. No one is bethave and more about what ter off, and the experience of they have relative to others. watching the game is ruined. While many people might That’s life in many say they want a bigger house American communities (in absolute terms), people today, Rojas says. “You will will still opt for a smaller never have enough,” he said. home — as long as it’s bigger “When you live in a castle, than their neighbors’. Our in- you will say, well, it’s not dividual life satisfaction, one Windsor Castle.” study found, is negatively
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SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026 | F3
How do we fix this? I don’t live in Windsor Castle (although I’m considering renaming my 978-squarefoot condo on the windblown edge of San Francisco). Nor am I here to convince you a tiny home is the secret to happiness. Truthfully, my own flat feels a bit cramped at times with two rambunctious toddlers and a mad husky zooming around. Are there mornings I covet a second
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bathroom? You bet. Would it make me any happier? I’m not so sure anymore. What is clear is that many of us are asking the wrong questions. Rather than, “How big a house can I afford?” (a depressing question for many), Rojas says we should ask “What kind of home will sustain the kind of life I want?” Everyone’s answer will be different. You can’t even measure it with a ruler.
But the optimal number of square feet in your life may be smaller than you think — potentially much smaller. Here is how social scientists say you should really calculate the value of your next dream home. Prioritize your neighborhood Neighborhoods drive our happiness (or unhappiness) more than we think. SEE SMALL, PAGE F6
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F4 | SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026
Lee Reich | In the Garden
When plants grow too big, try air layering
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NE OF MY GREAT enjoyments in gardening is propagating plants. So many ways to do it! You can take stem cuttings or root cuttings, or you can serpentine layer, tip layer, or stool layer. And then there’s grafting, of which, as with layering and cuttage, many, many variations exist. Whole books have been written on plant propagation, even solely on grafting. My favorites for these two topics are Hartmann and Kester’s “Plant Propagation: Principles and Practices” and R. J. Garner’s “Grafter’s Handbook.” The above-mentioned methods of propagation are asexual (without fertilization of a flower) rather than from seed. New plants are made from mother tissue of an existing plant. As such, all the new plants are clones of the mother plant. Not
always, though. A plant chimera, analogous to the lion-goat-dragon of mythology, is a plant made up of two genetically different cells, a plant mosaic. Depending on what part of the plant you take for propagation, you end up with a clone of one or the other cell type, or, perhaps, both (the chimera). A plant usually broadcasts that it’s a chimera with splotches or lines of color different from the surrounding color of the leaves, flowers, or fruits. (Splotches or lines of color can also be caused by viruses.) If you were to grow Thornless Evergreen or Thornless Logan blackberry varieties, you’d growing a chimera. Blackberry thorniness lies genetically in the outermost cell layer of stems. Roots lack that outermost layer, so if you make new plants from root
Two different genetics in one plant created this grapefruit chimera, one of the many fruit varieties reproduced in the recently published little book, “Fruit: From the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection.”
cuttings of your thornless plants, watch out for those vicious thorns. Some ways to propagate thornless plants are by tip layering or by stem cuttings. (I gleaned the information about chimeras from my own book, “The Ever Curious Gardener: Using a Little Natural Science for a Much Better Garden.”) Much as I love to propagate plants, two problems arise for me. First, what to do with all the extra plants, often more than I could possibly give away or sell? And second, either I or nature might lack the patience to see it through ... which brings me to air layering. Air layering, sometimes called marcottage, is a way to deal with a plant that grows too big. The “patience” problem of air layering is that with some plants, the process might be very slow. If air layering requires more than one growing season, cold winter weather could kill any roots trying to develop, even for otherwise cold-hardy plants. Houseplants are another story. A houseplant, whose size could be limited by ceiling height or the amount of muscle needed to bring the plant indoors and out with the changing seasons, is a good candidate for air layering. Plants such as rubber tree, Norfolk Island pine, and dracena inevitably grow too tall for a room. Compounding that problem, as these plants press skyward, they also shed their lowest leaves, leaving only bare trunks at eye level. One obvious solution to these problems would be to get rid of a plant and start every decade with a short, young plant. Sentimental attachments make this option impossible. SEE REICH, PAGE F5
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GARDEN NOTES SPRINGFIELD
Springfield Garden Club hosting four-part series The Springfield Garden Club will host a series of 4 programs for anyone interested gardens and gardening or just escaping the winter for an hour. Saturday, Jan. 28, 11 a.m. will kick off the series with Jana Milbocker presenting “The Garden Tourist’s New England.” New England has a rich gardening heritage and Ms. Milbocker will present a travelogue to inspire us all Jana Milbocker as we spend the winter months dreaming about summer. Author of “The Garden Tourist’s New England,” and a garden designer, she will take you on a fantastic tour of gardens and nurseries in New England and will provide all the information you need to make the most of your visit. From the breathtaking flower gardens of Mount Desert Island in Maine, to Colonial Revival gardens in Connecticut and New Hampshire, topiary gardens in Rhode Island, and botanical gardens in Vermont and Massachusetts, there is something for every gardener to enjoy in a tour of the region. Milbocker is the principal of Enchanted Gardens, a lecturer and author. She combines horticulture, design, and travel tips to educate, inspire and delight both new and seasoned gardeners. Jana loves to visit gardens and historic sites in the U.S. and abroad, and share her trips through her books, photos and blog. She has written four garden travel guides: “The Garden Tourist: 120 Destination Gardens and Nurseries in the Northeast,” “The Garden Tourist’s New England,” “The Garden Tourist’s Florida” and “The Garden Tourist’s Mid-Atlantic.” She also organizes and hosts group garden tours in the U.S. and abroad. Milbocker will have her book for sale at the program. The program will be co-hosted with the Springfield Museums
and will be held in the auditorium at the D’Amour Museum, 21 Edwards Street, Springfield. Admission is free to Springfield Garden Club and Springfield Museum members and $10 for the public. Tickets are available via Eventbrite. The remaining three programs will be held at The Monkey House in Forest Park at 10 a.m. Admission is free to all with paid park admission. More information can be found on the club’s website www.springfield gardenclubma.org or on Facebook. Saturday, Feb. 28, 10 a.m. “The Most Beneficial Late Winter Garden Chores” presented by Melissa Pace. Saturday, March 28, 10 a.m. “Vegetable Gardening 101” presented by Gretel Anspach Saturday, April 11, 10 a.m. “Planning and Growing a Bountiful Flower Garden” presented by Becky Sadlowski. STOCKBRIDGE
Upcoming events at Berkshire Botanical Garden Berkshire Botanical Garden presents the following upcoming program: Thursdays, Jan. 15 to Feb. 19, “Intro to Native and Non-Native Plants.” Join Duncan Himmelman and Jen Werner for an introduction to native and non-native plants and the relationship between both plant species. This class is held over Zoom. Transform your garden with native plants while avoiding species that are considered invasive in Western Massachusetts and surrounding areas. Discover the ecological value of native plants and learn approximately 24 herbaceous and woody perennials hardy to the Berkshires area. Additionally, you will learn about non-native invasive species that are ecologically harmful and ways to manage them in a landscape setting. Cost is $215 for members, $240 nonmembers. For more information, visit www.berkshirebotanical.org. Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 W. Stockbridge Road. Send items for Garden Notes to pmastriano@repub.com two weeks prior to publication.
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SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026 | F5
Experts discuss what our homes will look like in 2026? By Misty White Sidell
that in a time of global uncertainty, the home will become even more of HE LOOK OF THE HOME a sanctuary. Here’s how that attitude has become a calling card of could manifest in households across personal taste and style. And the country. thanks to social media, it’s A flair for the eccentric also subject to an ever-quickening trend cycle. That’s not expected to There is a desire to “make your slow in 2026. home your castle,” said MillerIn surveying some 15 experts from Knoll’s creative director Kelsey both mass market and high-end Keith. It’s a trend that’s felt in realms of interior design about how small touches that evoke a sense of home design trends could change in individualism, as well as in larger the coming year, one theme became projects like Keith’s observation of evident: Our interiors will evolve to greater interest in things like wine reflect the wider world and emotion- cellars and saunas (the latter of al climate. which she recently installed in her There is a growing taste for indiown backyard). viduality, many said, and making “In the pandemic, it was more the home a reflection of all of our about shoving a Peloton wherever, quirks, while also creating a sense of now it’s about a dedicated closet, refuge from the world outside. The a yoga room,” Keith said. “People fantasy of many homeowners today are really designing for their own is to metaphorically create a dwellidiosyncrasies.” ing that “feels like a rustic cabin in Bathrooms are becoming a focal the woods,” said Peter Shire, a mem- point of that conversation. In the ber of the Memphis Design Group. past year, Alex Tieghi-Walker, the His words echo what several other founder of Tiwa Gallery in New York sources predict for the year ahead: City, has seen numerous friends
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transform what was a bedroom into a larger bathing space, which he said accentuates the home’s purpose as a refuge for relaxation. At Lowe’s, “people are going wild with their bath vanities,” said Monica Reese, the company’s director of trend and style, by making the vanity a colorful “showpiece,” with a decadent mix of materials. This new sense of individuality is also extending to a desire for unique furniture and décor pieces, rather than the trendy items people see online, said Los Angeles-based celebrity interior designer Brigette Romanek. Eccentric pillows and textiles are also gaining popularity, according to artist and furniture designer Katie Stout who described the category as “soft sculpture.” Writer and curator Camille Okhio expects this growing interest for idiosyncratic designs will manifest in an appreciation for antiques and items sourced in local auction houses, especially as the implementation of tariffs continues to alter Americans’ spending priorities.
Reich
Colors that maximize coziness Paint finish and color, said Benjamin Moore’s lead trend forecaster Andrea Magno, can have an outsize effect on how a home feels and can even accentuate its purpose as an “enclave from all the things going on in the outside world.” Colors that are what Farrow & Ball’s color curator, Joa Studholme described as “earthy and warm,” like moody browns and reddish terra-cottas have a way of cocooning and make “us cherish our homes more and feel closer to them.” Studholme expects that those tones will take off more broadly in 2026, along with a shift toward more colorful trims like baseboards and moldings, an area where she thinks the tradition for all-white paint “will really disappear,” in order to create a more layered feel. SEE HOME 2026, PAGE F6
with aluminum foil to exclude light. Reusable plastic “pods” are available to more conveniently hold everything in place. I just ordered one and will give it a try. Every few weeks, take a peek beneath the foil or within the pod. When roots have filled the ball of sphagnum moss cut the stem with its new roots from the mother plant. If the plant is in active growth, wait until growth slows down before cutting off the air-layer. Remove the foil, the tape, and the plastic, or the pod, and pot the rooted stem in potting soil. The new plant
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Air layering is a way to make a new plant from the old friend. The advantage to this technique is that roots are induced to form along the stem while it is still attached to, and nourished by, the plant. With a conventional stem cutting, there’s always danger of the top drying out before roots form; not so with air-layering. To air-layer, select a six- to ten-inch segment of stem below the tip of the stem, depending on how tall you want your new plant to be. This is where the plant will form roots, so remove any leaves from that segment. Stimulate root formation by wounding the bark. Remove a one-half to one-inch-wide strip of bark removed from around the stem, scrape the bark, or cut a two-inch long notch. In the latter case, prop the notch open with a piece of a toothpick. It’s not absolutely necessary, but helps, to dust the cut surface with a rooting powder.
“Americans of all economic levels are going to have to innovate,” she said. “We will have to keep things close to home.”
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needs to get used to its new life independent of its mother, so keep it shaded for a couple of weeks while new roots grow into the potting soil. Now we’re back to deciding about what to do with the mother plant. It’s somewhat shorter since the air-layered stem was cut off but still has the bare stem — perhaps you still want to save it. If so, I suggest root and stem pruning to reduce plant size above and below ground. Of course, with your air layer and your renovated mother (plant), you now have two plants. It’s a slippery slope before you have a jungle.
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PLUMBING
Air layering is one way to bring an overgrown houseplant down to size. (LEE REICH PHOTO)
Putting the wounded portion in a dark, dank environment coaxes roots to form. Take a handful of sphagnum moss, thoroughly wet it, then squeeze out excess moisture. Cut this mass in half and sandwich the wounded
portion of stem between the halves. Seal in moisture and hold the sphagnum moss in place with clear plastic film. Tightly seal the top and the bottom of the plastic to the stem with a wrap of electrical tape. Finally, cover the plastic
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F6 | SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026
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Sue Wadden, the lead color strategist for Sherwin-Williams, has observed those classic white accents transitioning toward warm shades of khaki. For her, they are a better foil to popular warm tones like rich reds, which “don’t look good next to something with too high contrast.” That same use of “bright colors scattered in muted patterns,” is something to look for more widely in housewares, like seating and rugs, in the coming year, according to Tyler Hays, founder of the furniture company BDDW. Judging from the look of fashionable new cars and clothes, Keith projects a bigger appetite for pops of bold colors like cerulean and tomato red in places like upholstery as well as small doses of safety-vest orange in accents like light fixtures and side tables. Some things will stay the same, however. The velvety matte paint finishes that have become popular in American households in the past five years will continue to be prevalent, Magno said, largely for the soft welcoming mood they A bathroom in Soane Britain’s Upper East Side showroom in May 2025. impart.
When Lina Martinez, director of POLIS, the Center for Wellbeing Studies at Universidad Icesi in Colombia, studied the happiness of households in the city of Cali, she couldn’t find much difference between poorer and richer areas. “Their happiness is pretty much the same,” she said. But that changed when she isolated neighborhood conditions, such as access to transit, health care and parks. “The conditions of the neighborhood affect happiness,” she said. “I can’t link that to the space where [people] live.” That aligns with findings from a 2023 study of the Vancouver metro area: Researchers found no significant differences in well-being between people living in single detached homes, duplexes, townhouses, laneway houses and apartment buildings (basement units smaller than 300 square feet were the only negative exception). What did people say they missed most in their neighborhood? Affordability, proximity to family and friends, and a sense of community. Home design was eighth on the list.
A return to craft While the word “craft” may conjure images of homemade bric-a-brac, a more stylish execution may become one of the biggest housewares trends of this year. Nationwide housewares stores have already begun noticing shoppers’ newfound appreciation for home décor with a handmade touch. At HomeGoods and Homesense, a noticeable rise in interest for products like hand drawings, artisan-made wood furniture and hand-painted ceramics are thought to, “reflect a desire for items that feel special, intentional, and made with care,” said Victoria Shonkoff, the companies’ senior vice president for marketing. Pieces that showcase the ways in which they are “not overly mass produced,” with sculptural or asymmetric components are gaining popularity
In 2026, more homeowners are expected to heavily invest in their bathrooms as a dedicated space for relaxation. (ASHOK SINHA / THE NEW YORK TIMES)
with shoppers at the lighting, furniture and housewares web store Lumens, said the company’s editorial lead Angela Tafoya. She cited a marked uptick in the purchase of Italian handblown glass fixtures and décor by Venini. Tafoya, as well as David Alhadeff, the founder of The Future Perfect, a design gallery with locations in cities including Miami, New York and San Francisco, attributed this growing appreciation for the handmade to a wider digital fatigue. At The Future Perfect, it has translated to a new popularity for pieces that feature tiny imperfections (or “visible labor,” as Alhadeff called them) such as fingerprints in ceramic surfaces or slight variations in wood cuts. Craft in the sense of an-
tique furniture with intricate details, like pieces made for wealthy homes in the 18th and 19th centuries, is finding new fanfare for a wholly different reason, according to designer Adam Charlap Hyman. As prices for contemporary furniture continue to soar, his clients have developed “a distrust for a very inflated market” for newer items, many of which he defined as “conceptually interesting, but not necessarily amazingly made.” His clients are instead beginning to prefer “virtuosic” displays of craft and are pivoting toward classically-made pieces like Art Nouveau-era inlay tables. “It’s a return to more traditional expressions of quality and standards,” Charlap Hyman said. This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Prioritize quality space over quantity How you use the space is more important than how much you have. If you have many unused rooms but ignore shared common spaces to eat and socialize, you’re sitting on an untapped gold mine of contentment. A 2012 study by UCLA researchers found up to 60 percent of homes sit largely unused. Position-tracking data reveal that families — even in large homes — cluster in a few small high-traffic rooms, usually the dining, kitchen and family rooms. That means a 1,200-square-foot home with a central hub may outperform (from a happiness perspective) a 3,000-square-foot home with a fragmented layout. The key is fostering social connection, the currency of happiness. Optimize for relationships I call this the “Jaye Test.” Does your home (and neighborhood) act as a center of gravity for your friends and family or does it isolate you in favor of status and storage? This difference helps explain why Europeans report higher well-being than their American counterparts, despite having smaller homes and smaller households. Daily life in Europe relies less on the home itself, Bellet said, because walkable neighborhoods, accessible public spaces and dense social networks take pressure off the home as the primary living space. “The American ideal home often emphasizes comfort, privacy and status,” Bellet said. “Europeans tend to place more weight on whether their home is connected to existing social and public infrastructure.” When Jaye was considering a larger home, she toured other neighborhoods. Buying a few hundred extra square feet, she found, couldn’t compensate for what she’d lose: friends next door, a neighborhood she adored and less financial stress. She ended up back where she started. “When I remember all those things,” she said, “it was great.”
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SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026 | F7
20 things to declutter right now to start the year lighter Out with the old By Jolie Kerr
The Washington Post
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ANUARY IS A GREAT time of year to pick off decluttering projects, big and small. The new year, new you vibe can transform a task you’ve been putting off into one you cannot wait to cross off your to-do list. And for many people, that overcrowded, overstuffed feeling the home can take on during the holidays thanks to all those decorations, presents and food platters, gives way to a burst of get rid of it all! energy in the first month of a new year. Parting with your things, however, can be hard even when you’re excited at the prospect of a fresh start. Picking some easy(ish) decluttering projects is a great way to build momentum. Ahead, you’ll find 20 pretty easy things to consider removing from your home, your car or your life in January, in service of a less-cluttered 2026.
aries of “easy” — it can be hard to get rid of a gift that someone put thought and effort into. But if you got a gift you will truly never use, get rid of it. Return it, regift it, donate it, whatever the right move is, make it now — it won’t be easier in July.
receipts from 2024 in them, a stash of plastic bags spilling out of other plastic bags or shopping bags from stores you haven’t shopped at in years, it’s a sign that you do not actually reuse those reusable bags you keep hanging on to.
Holiday food It’s time to break up with that tin of peppermint bark, the container of homemade cranberry sauce or the turkey carcass that hasn’t and will never be turned into stock. Use it up now or throw it out.
Automotive detritus Does your car need to be cleaned out? Grab a trash bag and spend five minutes purging — it will have an almost-immediate positive effect on your life.
Broken, duplicate or unused cooking utensils and small appliances Ingredients from 2025 that are languishing This one is especially If you bought an ingredient well-suited to people who plan for a dish you made once and to make changes to their diets will never make again, or that or undertake new cooking you simply ended up not liking, or baking endeavors in the this is the time to remove it new year. Donating or selling from your life. utensils and small appliances in January is ideal because for That one serving platter that every person who vowed to eat exists to cause you trouble less ice cream in the new year, Not everyone will have one of there’s also a person who is these, but those of you who do making 2026 their year of ice know the exact platter in ques- cream artistry. tion: It’s too heavy, too wide or Holiday decorations too weirdly shaped, and it never Anything you don’t Start with the most obvious: quite works for anything other like the smell of As you take down holiday than getting in your way. Make Whether it’s a candle, a body decor, weed out and throw 2025 the last year you deal with wash, a countertop spray or a away broken light sets and this diva! Donate or sell it if perfume, the experience of feelornaments. (Will you need you can, and if it’s an heirloom ing stuck with a scented item replacements? Order them now or similarly significant, pass it that you hate the smell of is so when you’re thinking of it, and along to a family member you relatable. Free yourself from they’re on sale.) Include holiday hate and make it their problem. those stinking shackles! Admit cards in the purge; keep the it was a mistake and cast it off. ones you want and throw away Reusable bags Promotional items and/or the rest. These things proliferate in freebies you got in 2025 the night, and we all have too Unwanted gifts many of them. If you’ve still got Water bottles, koozies, This one pushes the bounda stack of Trader Joe’s bags with T-shirts, key chains, notepads — promotional items take many forms, and they’re free, which makes it easy to say, “Eh, it was free. Might as well keep it.” But if you didn’t pay for it and you don’t use it, you owe it nothing and it owes nothing to you. Toss, recycle or donate.
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ucts, including ones that have been opened, are also super donate-able. Old slippers Alas, old slippers are not super donate-able, which can make them oddly hard to part with. But when you replace old slippers with new ones, it is time to say goodbye to your old friends. Beware of the role reassignment trap, here: Are those house slippers you bought in 2019 really going to serve as your new outdoor shoe? Old dog leashes and collars Leashes and collars are to our dogs as slippers are to us, which is funny to think about! Hopefully, bringing a bit of humor to the purge party will make it easier to admit that those old leashes and collars will not be used again.
clutter that’s taking up valuable bathroom storage space. Too many hangers A common reason people struggle to keep their clothes put away is that their closets are simply too jammed up to be functional. Free up some space by paring down your spare hanger collection Rags, used sponges and old toothbrushes All the stuff you reassigned as cleaning tools — if you’re not actually using them, then you’re just storing old, gross trash with your cleaning supplies.
Clothes you didn’t mend in 2025 This can feel like a bummer, because it requires admitting that you meant to do something, and didn’t, and that you’re unlikely to do it in the Broken luggage future. Use January’s “fresh If you returned from holiday start” energy to make a clean travels with broken luggage, break from those unmended repair it or toss it. Deal with clothes, instead of clinging to a it now; it won’t become less bro- past you’ve grown out of. ken in the future. Broken electronics you didn’t fix in 2025 Hair accessories, products or tools from Ditto broken electronics. two hair styles ago Cleaning products Empty boxes Maybe it’s a bottle of purple you don’t use conditioner from your shortEmpty boxes — shipping A small collection of cleaning lived platinum blond era or the boxes, product boxes, even unagents are all you need to keep round brush you bought when used storage containers — take a clean home. Stocking a huge you decided to cut bangs or up space and get in the way. array of cleaning products is those clips you bought when Remove them from your orbit! counterproductive — they’ll get you admitted the bangs were a Put the broken electronics and in your way and make it harder mistake and set about growing unmended clothes and gross for you to keep your home them out. If it’s intended for a old toothbrushes in them and clean! Unwanted cleaning prod- hairstyle you no longer have, it’s get rid of all of it!
HOME & GARDEN
F8 | SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
Terry & Kim Kovel | Antiques & Collecting
T
Winter beauty inspires dry cleaning advertisement
HIS POSTER INVITES THE reader to “Enjoy These Winter Days” with an illustration of a peaceful snow-covered path lined with trees. It’s not simply an encouragement to admire the beauty of nature, though; it also encourages the viewer to enjoy “your complete wardrobe dry cleaned in the modern manner.” The framed 48 1/2 x 28 1/2-inch poster sold for $65 at Ripley Auctions. As an advertisement for an unspecified dry cleaner, it suggests that its readers can enjoy the winter because of the convenience of someone else cleaning their clothes and may also imply that the dry cleaner can clean up any stains or damage caused by the harsh weather. The poster specifies dry cleaning “in the modern manner.” Its date is not specified, but there have been many advances in dry cleaning since it began in the 19th century. In 1821, Thomas L. Jennings, a tailor, was granted a patent for his “dry scouring” technique for cleaning clothes, making him the first African-American patent holder. In 1845, a dry cleaning service that used chemical solvents like gasoline and kerosene opened in Paris, France. Dry cleaners continued experimenting with different solvents and techniques, tackling the problems with the present methods. Up to the 1930s, the main problem with dry cleaning solvents was flammability. Since then, concerns for the health and safety of the workers exposed to the solvents, and for the effects on the environment, have grown. Dry cleaning has decreased in popularity in recent years (it is estimated that about 30% of dry-cleaning businesses in the United States closed during the COVID-19 pandemic), but research and innovation continue.
TIP: Date a poster or print from the lettering. Original store lithographs have sharp-edged, solid letters. Inkjet and modern color printing almost always have lettering with jagged or blurred edges.
CURRENT PRICES
versions of popular antique styles. Relief decorations were less elaborate than the ones you see on authentic antiques, and were usually carved or pressed by machine. Many companies made similar styles, so it can be hard to identify a maker if it does not have a mark or label. Beds like these generally sell for about $200 to $500. They are worth more if they have a maker’s mark.
Q. I acquired a handwoven Na-
A.
A.
Kovels answers readers’ questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures: the object and a close-up of any marks or damage. Be sure your name and return address are included. By sending a question, you give full permission for use in any Kovel product. Names, addresses or
email addresses will not be published. We do not guarantee the return of photographs, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. Questions that are answered will appear in Kovels Publications. Write to Kovels, The Republican, King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th Street, 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019, or email us at collectors gallery@kovels.com.
This vintage advertising poster promotes dry cleaning “the modern way,” but the process has certainly changed, becoming safer for workers and more environmentally friendly, since then. (PHOTO COURTESY RIPLEY AUCTIONS)
vajo rug from an estate. I believe the rug dates to the 1940s and it has been damaged over the years, I would like to know more about. with some spots worn completely It is mahogany wood and has four through. Does it still have value? posts with a twisted pattern on Do you know if it is worth repairthe bottom and ridges on top. The headboard is rectangular and has a ing, and where I could find somesmall flower with five petals inside one who could do it? a circle carved in the center. Can Navajo weavers have been makyou tell me how old the bed might ing and trading textiles since at least be, or where it is from? the 1850s. They began weaving for Based on the simple style of your the tourist trade by the 1880s, and bed, it sounds like the type of furniture rugs and floor coverings grew more popular than blankets and tapestries made in the United States from the by the 1890s. So if your rug is from the 1920s to the mid-20th century. They were mass-produced, often in simpler 1940s, as you believe, it is not one of
Q. I have an unusual canopy bed
the oldest types that sell for the highest prices. However, any Navajo rug has value if it is in usable condition, so we recommend looking into repairing yours. If there are any rug cleaning companies in your area, you may want to contact them. Even if they cannot repair your rug, they may have specialists in Navajo rugs. You could also contact an art or anthropology museum in your area for more information. There are also many books on Navajo rugs, like “Genuine Navajo Rug: How to Tell” by Noel Bennett (1987) or “Navajo Rugs: How to Find, Evaluate, Buy and Care for Them” (1990) and “Navajo Rugs: The Essential Guide, 2nd edition” (1999), both by Don Dedera. Look for them at your library.
Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions. Basket, flat lid, round finial, woven, white ground, red and black insects, Zulu, Africa, 5 x 6 inches, $50. Rug, Malayer, runner, dark green ground, golden yellow diamond medallion, spandrels, flower and leaf border, Persian, 12 feet 9 inches x 3 feet 5 inches, $65. Toy, kit, train, Chad Valley, Ubilda, locomotive, red, metal, box, c. 1930, $125. Fulper, lamp, electric, perfume, figural, parrot, red back, yellow and blue feathers on wings, molded feathers, perching on rocky base, marked, 9 1/2 inches, $170. Waterford, vase, art deco style, cylinder, cut geometric panels, short foot, label, 10 inches, $190. Coin-operated, gum, Gumball Coaster, blue frame, yellow lettering, multicolor gumball graphics, The Ultimate Gumball Ride, 25 cents, 75 x 29 inches, $380. Lamp, electric, dome shade, slag glass, mottled red, six panels, pierced wreaths, baluster base, six-sided foot, raised flowers and leaves, chain pull, Miller, 20 inches, $445. Silver-American, tray, round, flower blossom handles, pierced, bamboo ridged rim, hallmark, William Lawerence DeMatteo, 20th century, 14 x 11 inches, $730. Furniture, chair, Harry Bertoia, Diamond, chrome, mesh seat and back, turned out arms, Knoll, 30 1/2 inches, pair, $1,090. Clock, figural, umbrella, blue, guilloche enamel, convex face, gilt bronze hands and numerals, metal handle, marked, Swiss, c. 1920, 3 1/2 x 3 1/4 inches, $2,815.
HOME & GARDEN
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026 | F9
Average US long-term mortgage rate edges higher rose this week to 5.46% from 5.44% the previous week. A year ago, it averaged 6.14%, Freddie Mac said. By Alex Veiga Mortgage rates are influAssociated Press enced by several factors, The average rate on a 30from the Federal Reserve’s year U.S. mortgage edged interest rate policy decisions higher this week to just above to bond market investors’ exits 2025 low. pectations for the economy The average long-term and inflation. mortgage rate rose to 6.16%, They generally follow the mortgage buyer Freddie trajectory of the 10-year Mac said Thursday. That’s Treasury yield, which lenders up slightly from 6.15% last use as a guide to pricing week, when the average rate home loans. dropped to its lowest level The 10-year yield was at since Oct. 3, 2024. 4.17% at midday Thursday. One year ago, the rate averThe average rate on a aged 6.93%. 30-year mortgage has been Borrowing costs on 15mostly holding steady in year fixed-rate mortgages, recent weeks since Oct. 30 popular with homeowners when it dropped to 6.17%, refinancing their home loans, which at the time was its
Rate remains near 2025 low
Deeds
lowest level in more than a year. Mortgage rates began easing in July in anticipation of a series of Fed rate cuts, which began in September and continued last month. The Fed doesn’t set mortgage rates, but when it cuts its short-term rate that can signal lower inflation or slower economic growth ahead, which can drive investors to buy U.S. government bonds. That can help lower yields on long-term U.S. Treasurys, which can result in lower mortgage rates. All told, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage ended last year nearly a percentage point lower than at the start of 2025, helping boost home shoppers’ purchasing power toward the end of the year.
Fourier, O Bromley Road, $20,000. Chad Stevens, Nicole M. Stevens and Nicole M. Baker to Chase Fournier, 17 Bromley Road, $380,000.
AGAWAM Douglas Dichard to Meghan McDonough and Michael Palermo, 8 Ridgeview Drive, $332,000. Howard I. Safford and Mary Jo Safford to Paul W. Taylor and Gail E. Taylor, 92 Juniper Ridge Drive, $760,000. Michael D. Parker, trustee, and Rowley Street Development Trust, trustee of, to MK Trust, trustee of, and Maksim Loboda, trustee, Rear Rowley Street, $24,000. Tara L. Fiorini, trustee, Tara A. Fiorini, trustee, Trisha L. Barkyoumb, trustee, and Marlene Revocable Trust of 2023, trustee of, to Nicholas Crescentini, 23 Peros Drive, $401,000.
BELCHERTOWN Richard Hooker and Marie Hooker to Thomas P. Florence and Carla J. Doyle-Florence, 50 Center St., $433,000.
BERNARDSTON David W. Brady and Patricia M. Brady to Holly Reeve Funston and Rodman B. Funston, 775 Brattleboro Road, $492,500.
BLANDFORD Jeremy Reinford and Kendra Reinford to William Albert Watson and Aleta Nell Watson, Blair Road, Lot 3, $90,000.
CHESTER Chad Stevens and Nicole Stevens to Chase
CHICOPEE Ashish Malik and Priya Malik to Rebekah J. Galat and Mark J. Galat, 74 Elmcrest Drive, $460,000. Beverly A. Stepno, Elizabeth Stratton O’Brien and Elizabeth M. O’Brien to Yocasta M. Lara, 58 Hearthstone Terrace, $210,000. Carol Ann McCarthy, Michele St. Germain and Michael A. Justice to Abdullah Mutar, 1601 Westover Road, $180,000. Cedar Investment Group LLC, to Joanne Cruz, 24 Edmund St., $310,000.
Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose on a monthly basis in September, October and November. Still, even with long-term mortgage rates holding near their 2025 low point, sales in November slowed compared with a year earlier for the first time since May and ended the month on pace to finish the year down from 2024. December existing home sales data are due out next week. The recent pullback in mortgage rates has been helpful for home shoppers who can afford to buy at current rates. The median U.S. monthly housing payment fell to $2,365 in the four weeks ending January 4, according to Redfin. That’s
Patricia Gail Condon to Michael Pope and Manfred Karori, 218 Maple St., $180,000.
EASTHAMPTON Steven M. Hawkes and Heide S. Hawkes to Bruce B. Wilmer and Sydney B. Wilmer, 262 Loudville Road, $600,000. Darlene Orvieto to Darlene Orvieto, trustee, and Darlene Orvieto Revocable Trust, 44 Cherry St., $100. Darlene Orvieto to Darlene Orvieto, trustee, and Darlene Orvieto Revocable Trust, 37 Mutter St., $100. Richard Dufraine, estate, Michelle L. Simpson, Michelle L. Simpson, personal representative, and Richard R. Dufraine to Nathaniel James Kirst and Karen Marie Guy, 22 Phelps St., $376,000.
Denise A. Dulude, Anne T. Blanchet and Sandra J. Bailey to Tyler St. Onge and Alexia Richard P. Beaulieu and Dianne M. Beaulieu to Richard P. Beaulieu, trustee, Dianne M. Reyes, 66 Wayfield Ave., $335,000. Beaulieu, trustee, and RDB Living Trust, 13 Ireneusz Legowski and Kinga Legowski Robin Road, $100. to Redwan Kabbout, 187 E. Main St., Cristie Frost and Carrie Frost to Andrew $495,000. Placzek, 16 Picard Circle, $309,000. Jeremy A. Torres and Kelsey Torres to Billy Jeffrey L. Pelly to Michael D. Bauman, 6 Benavides Severino, 196 Pendleton Ave., Emily Lane, $497,000. $260,000. Donald Polonis, Donald J. Polonis and Ellen Lisa A. Worthington, representative, A. Glosick to Kelley Properties LLC, 2-4 and Dorothy Kowal Page, estate, to Clinton St., $420,000. Joyce Barnes, 311 Montcalm St., Unit 16, $450,000.
Manchester Enterprises LLC, to Gian M. Laboy Davila and Stephanie A. Figueroa, 123 Beesley Ave., $307,500. Savida Management Inc., to 12 Dallaire Avenue LLC, 12 Dallaire Ave, $827,000.
EAST LONGMEADOW Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and Cioccolate Realty Trust, trustee of, to Tracey Nguyen, 131 Maple St., $308,000.
Jeffrey P. Czelusniak and Katherine J. Czelusniak to Katherine J. Czelusniak, 15 Droy Circle, $100.
GRANBY Mark S. Haley and Hollis D. Haley to Michael Conor Dunn and Christina Dunn, 121 Cold Hill Road, $550,000.
a 4.7% drop from the same period a year earlier. While lower mortgage rates can help boost how much homebuyers can afford, the housing market remains out of reach for many aspiring homeowners, after years of soaring home prices and lackluster wage growth. First-time buyers have had it particularly tough, because they don’t have equity from an existing home to put toward a new home purchase. Uncertainty over the economy and job market are also keeping many would-be buyers on the sidelines. Economists generally forecast that the average rate on a 30-year mortgage will remain slightly above 6% this year.
ald and Christina M. McDonald to Robert McDonald and Wendy McDonald, 207 Batchelor St., $100.
GRANVILLE Patrick Comeau to David Burl and Pamela Burl, 557 North Lane, $449,900.
GREENFIELD Laurie Newsome and Susan Pennison to Peter R. Krejmas III, 104 Leyden Road, $370,000. Mary Dell’Abate, personal representative of the Estate of Richard Caracciolo, “aka” Richard A. Caracciolo, to Joel Aiken, 6 Keegan Lane, Unit 6 College Park Condominium, $200,750. David L. Boutros, trustee of the David L. Boutros Revocable Trust, to Tracy O’Brien and Michele Waters, 2 Orchard St., $115,000. Jason Brooks, trustee of Capital Realty Trust, to Lisa Persad, 75 School St., $20,100. Killeen M. Stempel to Ryan Spitzer, 28 Revere Circle, $370,000.
HADLEY One Northampton Street Enterprises Inc., to 231 Russell Street Landlord LLC, 231 Russell St., 810,000. Julia S. Rose to Julia S. Rose, trustee, and Julia S. Rose Revocable Trust, 13 Highland Circle, $100.
HOLLAND
Kelvin J. Zayas to Tyler McIntyre and AngeliDavid Kongo and Damaris W. Kongo to Cora na Jolee Ortiz, 73 Stafford Road, $340,000. E. Bundy, 17 Granby Heights, $208,000. Robert B. McDonald, Robert R. McDon-
SEE DEEDS, PAGE F10
HOME & GARDEN
F10 | SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026
Deeds CONTINUES FROM PAGE F9
HOLYOKE Benjamin Surner Jr., to Robert Colvin and Heather Y. Colvin, 18 Kane Road, $296,000. Esmeralda Gomez to Fefabo Management LLC, 309 Walnut St., $182,000. Evelyn Riffenburg and Stephen Riffenburg to Christopher R. Brown and Christopher Brown, 84 Woodland St., $327,000. George A. Roberts, estate, and Andrea L. McGuinness, representative, to Zachariah E. Cree and Megan A. McGuinness, 442 Homestead Ave., $260,000. HHA-South Holyoke Homes II LLC, to Gongiti Ravindra Reddy, 167 Clemente St., $260,000. JahJan LLC, to JLL Real Estate LLC, 0 Beaulieu Street, $522,600. JahJan LLC, to JLL Real Estate LLC, 689 Main St., $127,400. Martha L. Brown and Donna M. Bowman to Joanne Custance-Smith and Alan Smith, 1212 Northampton St., $535,375.
HUNTINGTON Berkshire Land & Energy Corp., to Philip J. Grande, Bromley Road, $68,600. Chad Stevens and Nicole Stevens to Chase Fournier, Bromley Road, $20,000.
LONGMEADOW Jonathan D. Raynor, Cathy A. Briggs and Cathy A. Raynor to Mohamed Suliman and Michelle Kayser, 196 Cambridge Circle, $557,500. Lawrence Lipke to David Lipke, 207 Lynnwood Drive, $615,000. Vello Bendt and Valerie Bendt to Brian J. Collins, 85 Inverness Lane, $430,000.
LUDLOW Jeffrey Alan Grassette and Lisa Ann Grassette to Shawn P Peabody and Leigh T. Peabody, 319 West St., $80,000. Lauren M. Aldrich, representative, Joanne T. Pellegrini, estate, and Joanne Theresa Pellegrini, estate, to Sherry Taylor, 251 West St., $392,000.
MONSON Ark Rentals LLC, to Brien Couture Jr., 26 Brimfield Road, $300,000. Carpenter Realty LLC, to SSV Watershed LLC, 57 Town Farm Road, $1,150,000. Charyl A. Pafumi, trustee, and Charyl A. Pafumi Revocable Trust of 2018, trustee of, to Robert Pafumi III, and Allyson Pafumi, 290 Wilbraham Road, $625,000. David W. Sanborn to Emily Caudy and Allen Warren Jr., 124 Brimfield Road, $380,000. Robin D. Carpenter and Joan A. Pavlinsky to SSV Watershed LLC, 110 Beebe Road, $350,000. Stephany Ann Kostorizos, Stephany Ann
Reilly and Kyle Reilly to Fitzroy Denniston Fearing, 56 Margaret St., $705,000.
MONTAGUE Samuel Kevin Rubin, trustee of the Millers Falls II Realty Trust, to Water Walk LLC, 194 Millers Falls Road, $365,000. Diana M. Sainz-Close, trustee of Diana M. Sainz-Close 2019 Living Trust, to Callan Angrisani and Dylan Tucci, 114 Montague St., $345,000.
MONTGOMERY Robert J. Kidrick Jr., representative, and Joanne T. Hebert, estate, to Aidan W. Pike and Ashley R. Schabacker, 1582 Russell Road, $377,325.
NORTHAMPTON Coachlight 105 LLC, to Ivan E. Correa and Jana Harvil-Correa, 74 Barrett St., $204,500. Alexia Manin to Frances Riddle, 23 W. Center St., $155,550.
of Tuti Benson Scott, 213 Alvord Place, $335,000. Sharon M. Kelly to Andre Bowser, 19 Hildreth Ave., $324,000.
SOUTHAMPTON Samantha E. Hathaway, personal representative, and Aaron O. Patrick Jr., estate, to Karen J. Wright and Brian M. Foy, 12 Kingsberry Lane, $410,000.
SOUTHWICK Charles Sfakios to Yuriy Yukhimets, 17 Bonnie View Road, $355,000.
SPRINGFIELD Abdel Dejesus-Cortes and Yasmin M. DeJesus to Faith Mercado, 99 Lehigh St., $265,000. Betty E. Jones to NRES LLC, 43 Princeton St., $130,000. Craig M. Outhouse and Jessica C. Outhouse to Adelaide Boateng-Okyere and Prince Okyere, 21 Lemnos Lane, $360,000.
NORTHFIELD
David A. Cross and Linda A. Cross to Von Eisen Properties LLC, 228 Tamarack Drive, MWD Asset Servicing LLC, to Bartolo Casta- $350,000. neda, 71 Lyman Hill Road, $190,000. Gemini Town Homes LLC, to David Montes, 56 Central St., Unit 507, $206,000.
ORANGE
David P. McCarthy and Lindsay McCarthy to Juana Guerra-Diaz and Cristhofert Diaz Henriquez, 140 Mechanic St., $347,000.
PALMER Charles G. Nothe, trustee, Jeanne M. Nothe, trustee, and Charles G. Nothe & Jeanne M. Nothe Family Trust, trustee of, to Jacob G. Fedora, 9 South St., $130,000.
RUSSELL Shawn Reinford to Leah J. Sylvester, 140 Highland Ave., $269,000.
SHELBURNE
Jazmin I. Martinez to Erika Lilibeth Climaco, 122 Drexel St., $305,000. Joseph M. Santaniello to Celso Aguilar Arriola, Marina Nemesia Aguilar and Christian Aguilar, 207 Overland St., $325,000. Karl E. Hulseberg and Christine M. Hulseberg-March to William J. McMahon and Brenda C. McMahon, 31 Crawford Circle, $200,000. Karoun Charkoudian to Tuan Dang, 158-164 Chestnut St., Unit 3D, $215,000. Kevin M. Sears to Remlap Rentals LLC, 180 Belmont Ave., $100. Leonardo Toro Otalvaro and Luz B. Toro to Valkyrie Morowski, 11 Leroy Place, $385,000. Maria A. Maldonado to Sabine T. Fleury-Germain, 28 Mountainview St., $349,900.
Mazal Real Estate LLC, to Tory Greaves, 223Jonathan Richard Hoyt, William Harold Hoyt 225 St. James Boulevard, $420,000. and Jennifer Vena Wood to Robert J. Spencer MCLP Asset Co. Inc., to Rohan Polanco, 91 and Sarah B. Spencer, Route 2, “aka” MoMulberry St., $290,000. hawk Trail, $50,000. Salim Abdoo to Isamar Otero Marrero, 181 Freeman Terrace, $352,000.
SHUTESBURY
Anthony Beeler to Alexandra A. Beeler, 75 Shore Drive, $102,666.72.
SOUTH HADLEY Scott Loomis to Myrna Ramos, 41 W. Summit St., $217,000. Joe Villanueva and Ashley Ruth Russell to Danielle Verlee and Allison Verlee, 108 College St., $500,000. Laura L. Fernandes, trustee, Patrick R. Goff, trustee, and R.A.S. Irrevocable Real Estate Trust to Anthony J. Lachowetz, 21 Jacobs Way, $492,000. Johnstone Campbell to Tuti Benson Scott, trustee, and Revocable Indenture of Trust
Springfield City to Raymond C. Banks, South Side Quincy Street, $438. Teresa Scala to Millicent Lardi Frimpong, 20 Vermont St., $325,000.
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
WEST SPRINGFIELD Joanne Viets and Scott J. Viets to Karl W. Rehbein and Jason Michael Rehbein, 1304 Elm St., Unit C-4, $145,000. Jonathan E. Ruel and Leena Ruel to Chase Henry Crean, 260 Wolcott Ave., $325,000. Katherine Halpy to Ryan Ruef, 50 Overlook Drive, $385,000. Maria Hiciano to Michael Riley and Naomi Keezing Riley, 92 Grove St., $370,000. Mary Gorecki, trustee, Richard Gorecki and Gorecki Revocable Trust, trustee of, to Aaron Properties LLC, and Pal Property Holdings LLC, 1446-1449 Riverdale St., $725,000. Mill City LLC, to 73 Chestnut Realty LLC, Front Street, $1,600,000.
WESTFIELD David L. Wallis and Mary Beth Riley-Wallis to Valentyn Veva and Lyudmyla Veva, 781 Western Ave., $390,000. James P. Smith to Butch F. Wheeler and Jacqueline M. Wheeler, Off South Maple Street, Par A, $60,000. Karen Marie Guy to Michaela Crowther and Jason Santariello, 14 Pinewood Lane, $300,000. Kathleen Benoit to Round Two LLC, 88 Woodmont St., $205,000. Kendra G. Mastello, representative, and Doris M. Bishop, estate, to Shane Mastello, 40 Barbara St., $260,000. Matthew Slowik and Kelli Abreu to Cathy M. Wright, 194 Lockhouse Road, $310,000. Nathaniel J. Brown and Kimberly A. Brown to Sophia Lynn Sfakios and Omar Gonzalez, 3 Angelica Drive, $629,900. Ryan Michael Roberts and Chelsea Roberts to Ryan Michael Roberts, 32 Atwater St., $100. Ryan Michael Roberts to Ryan Michael Roberts and Chelsea Roberts, 32 Atwater St., $100. William Cavanaugh to Maria Hermelinda Espinoza Vega and Walter Enrique Parra Lopez, 16-18 Yale St., $307,000.
Use it or lose it! Sell
Yuriy Rudenko to Leo Mar Grant, 116 King St., $222,000. Ziad O. Awkal to Rahme Eldada, 58-60 Montgomery St., $490,000.
WARE Jonathan Mahoney and Lauren Mahoney to Christopher B. Magoon and Brooke S. Jones, 152 North St., $350,000. JCV Realty LLC, to Egan Investments LLC, 48 North St., $92,500.
(413) 788-1250 advertising@repub.com
CLASSIFIED
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026 F11
Auctions
Best local auctions in print and online at masslive.com
PUBLIC AUCTION
PUBLIC AUCTION
THURSDAY, JANUARY 22ND at 11:00 A.M.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 23RD at 11:00 A.M.
• WILBRAHAM, MASSACHUSETTS •
• INDIAN ORCHARD / SPRINGFIELD •
MORTGAGEE’S SALE OF REAL ESTATE
★UNDER CONSTRUCTION★ 2 STORY
COLONIAL WITH STYLE HOME ONE CAR DETACHED GARAGE 3281 Boston Road
Features:
WILBRAHAM, MA
To be Sold on the Premises
• 2 Story Colonial Style Home • ±8,398 S/F of Land • • ±125 Ft. Frontage on Boston Road • Corner Lot • • ±1,826 S/F of Living Area • Exposed Studs • • Rough Electrical & Plumbing • Parcel ID: 743 • Private Well & Septic • ★NEW SIDING, ROOF, WINDOWS, EXTERIOR DOORS & DECK★ Inspections: Saturday, January 10TH 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. & Morning of Sale – 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Terms of Sale: $10,000.00 Initial Deposit Cash, Bank or Certified Funds. Deposit to be Increased to 10% of Purchase Price 14 Bobala Road, Holyoke, MA within 5 Business Days of Auction Date. Attorney for Mortgagee 5% Buyer’s Premium Applies. Other Terms to be Announced at Time of Sale. Sale Per Order of Mortgagee Attorney Joseph J. Lange
Of the Firm of Lyon & Fitzpatrick, LLP
Aaron Posnik
AUCTIONEERS•APPRAISERS
West Springfield, MA • Philadelphia, PA 413-733-5238 • 610-853-6655 MA Auc. Lic #161 • PA Auc. Lic. #AY000241L
www.posnik.com • E-Mail:info@posnik.com
Animals
MORTGAGEE’S SALE OF REAL ESTATE
Birds Cats Dogs Exotic Animals Feed Fish Horses Livestock Pet Services Pet Shows Pet Supplies Pets - Lost & Found Pets Wanted
(2) BUILDINGS / (1) PARCEL SINGLE STORY COMMERCIAL RETAIL BUILDING 2 STORY MIXED-USE BUILDING
1865 Page Boulevard and 1142 Berkshire Avenue INDIAN ORCHARD/SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS To Be Sold In It’s Entirety On The Premises of 1865 Page Boulevard
LAND: ±1/2 Acre of Land • ±280 Ft. Frontage on Page Boulevard • ±105 Ft. Frontage on Berkshire Avenue • Public Water & Sewer • Zoned: Business 1 • Map ID: 013400198 • 1865 PAGE BOULEVARD: Single Story Commercial Muti-Tenant Building • Concrete Block Construction • ±6,358 S/F of Gross Leaseable Area • Hot Air Heat • T-111 Wood Exterior • Paved Parking for ±15 Vehicles • 1142 BERKSHIRE AVENUE: 2 Story Mixed-Use Commercial/Residential Building • Retail Store Front (Open Area) • 2 Story Two Family Style Home • FWA Heat • Vinyl Siding • Paved Parking for ±5 Vehicles • One Car Built-In Garage •
Birds 4’W x 5’T bird cage for Cockatoo or larger bird. $200. Call 413-304-9359
Cats Orange Siamese-Bengal Mix Kitten, 1 male, 7 weeks old, $25, Call 413777-9659 or text 413-5751389
1% BROKER INCENTIVE OFFERED!!
Merchandise
Sale Per Order Of Mortgagee Terms of Sale: Attorney Donald J. MacDonald $25,000.00 Deposit is Required Of The Firm Of Coleman-MacDonald, LLC at Time of Auction 84 Newbury Street, Peabody, MA in Cash, Bank or Certified Funds. Attorney For Mortgagee 6% Buyer’s Premium Applies Other Terms to be Announced at Time of Sale.
3218829-01
CLASSIFIEDS Aaron Posnik
AUCTIONEERS•APPRAISERS
In print in The Republican or online at MassLive.com
West Springfield, MA • Philadelphia, PA 413-733-5238 • 610-853-6655 MA Auc. Lic #161 • PA Auc. Lic. #AY000241L
www.posnik.com • E-Mail:info@posnik.com
LARGE ESTATE AUCTION
FRI, JAN. 16, AT 6 PM Including furniture, glass & china, small antiques, artwork, coins, quantity of gold and other jewelry, sterling silver, knives, and more.
PREVIEW DAY OF SALE: 8 AM - 6 PM
MORTGAGEE’S SALE OF REAL ESTATE AT PUBLIC AUCTION
Homes, Springfield
1:00 PM - SPRINGFIELD 15-17 Nye Street
East Forest Park
2:00 PM - SPRINGFIELD 63 Hope Street
Open House 11-1pm Sunday 1/11
Monday, January 12, 2026 2 fam, 2,420 sf liv area, 0.11 ac lot, 12 rm, 6 bdrm, 2 bth, Hampden: Bk 16518, Pg 127
sgl fam, 1,470 sf liv area, 0.12 ac lot, 5 rm, 3 bdrm, 1.5 bth, Hampden: Bk 21569, Pg 19 TERMS: Cashier’s or certified check in the sum of $5,000.00 as a deposit must be shown at the time and place of the sale in order to qualify as a bidder. No CASH. No personal checks will be accepted. Cashier/certified checks should be made out to whomever is going to bid at the auction. The balance to be paid within thirty (30) days at the law offices of Korde & Associates, P.C. 900 Chelmsford Street, Suite 3102, Lowell, MA 01851, Attorney for the Mortgagee.
86 Talmadge Dr, Springfield, MA 01118
This may be the one for you! Move right into this 3 bdrm Ranch w/ hardwood & newer flooring, 3 season room, patio and fenced in backyard.
Auctioneer makes no representationas to the accuracy of the information contained herein.
$310,000 Susan Abbondanza 413-478-5707 Real Broker MA, LLC
NORTH CHELMSFORD (978) 251-1150 www.baystateauction.com MAAU#: 1029, 2624, 3039, 116, 2484, 2919, 3092, 3107, 0100030, 3099
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Antiques/Collectibles Appliances Articles for Rent Articles For Sale Audio Building Materials Cameras Camping Equipment Clothing Coins and Stamps Construction Equipment Do-In-Yourself Materials Electronics/Compuiters Fitness Equipment Flea Markets Forklifts and Equipment Fuel Furniture, Etc. Good Things To Eat Hot Ticket Items Jewelry Lawn & Garden Lawnmower & Snowblower Machinery & Tools Med. Equipment Sales/Wanted Miscellaneous Musical Instruments Office Equipment Pools, Spas & Accessories Professional Equipment Restaurant Equipment Seasonal Snowmobiles Sports Television Tickets Video Vintage Clothing Wanted to Buy Wood-Burning Stoves
Articles for Sale 200 plus VHS movies all for $90.00. Call 413-304-9359
LOOK HERE! Sacrifice Sale $315,000 beautiful & fully furnished, located in rural South Carolina. Home has 7 rooms 3brs, 2 bthrms, large den, w/working fplce, kit. w/all new appli., to include 3 TV’s, washer/dryer, solar panels, new plumbing, new wiring, home is fully furn. Home and property are immac. cond. and sits on 1 3/4 acres of land w/additional building currently used as a workshop, storage area and animal shelter. Must sell ASAP. Home is located at 2312 Locust Ave., Denmark, South Carolina. Contact Capt. R. Singleton, Merchant Main Officer, 413-289-6591
1,000’s of Baseball, Football, Basketball cards from early 1900 to present. All Hall of Famers. Also, selling boxes for $2.62. BUYING ALL SPORTS CARDS, RETIRED VETERAN CALL 413-596-5783
Furniture, Etc. 5 1/2 ft long pine dresser w/2 pine end tables, $30./all. Call 413-304-9359
F12 | SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026
HOME & GARDEN
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
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Call 413-930-9984 to schedule your free quote!