You don’t need an expensive security system to keep your home safe
By K evin B rasler
The Washington Post
DO YOU HAVE good dead bolts on all your doors?
Strong latches on your windows? Are you diligent about keeping doors and windows locked? Do you have a barky dog?
If you can answer “yes” to the first three questions, you’re way ahead when it comes to home security (and you get extra credit if it’s a yes for the dog). Despite what thriller movies might suggest, most burglars enter homes by simply opening unlocked doors or windows — or pushing and kicking locked ones until they open. Very few pick locks or circumvent alarm systems. Intruders prefer empty homes, visual obscurity, silence, easy entry and quick exits. So, your primary objective when planning home security is to beef up your locks and latches and maintain good habits.
You can also DIY a system by using home security components controlled by a
smartphone app or similar interface. Dozens of companies sell options that can easily connect to smart home hubs. All this competition and choice mean lower prices. Having a home security service professionally install a system will set you back $750 to $3,000, plus $1,500 or more each year for monitoring. Instead, you can assemble a basic DIY system for $400 or less and then pay as little as $200 per year to have it monitored — or nothing if you manage it yourself. Keep in mind, though, that many people get annoyed by the alerts that self-monitoring requires and end up turning them off or not replacing batteries when they run out. If this sounds like you, don’t waste your money on the tech.
Here’s what you need to know.
11 simple steps to a more secure home
Secure the perimeter. Make your doors and windows as difficult to penetrate as possi-
dier than hollow ones. Many homeowners in high-crime neighborhoods install metal bar doors.
ble. Although intruders prefer unlocked doors and windows, many can quickly and almost silently pry open locked ones. Some break a pane of glass so they can reach in and unlock the window or door. Only a few really determined burglars break out enough glass to walk or crawl through, or bash in a well-secured door, and they seldom try to pick locks.
Get a security audit. Most police departments provide free advice and will send someone to evaluate your home for weaknesses. Lose lousy locks. Key-in-the knob locks are inadequate. Install good dead bolt locks on all your exterior doors. Secure sliding glass doors. The locks on sliding glass doors are notoriously flimsy — many doors can be lifted right off their tracks. Numerous how-to videos online can show you how to make yours more secure, or you can pay a locksmith to install reinforcements.
Replace weak doors. Solid-wood doors are much stur-
Secure your windows. Depending on the type of window, you can take steps to make it more resistant to a prying attack. Double-hung windows, for example, can be secured by screwing together the two frames. Most intruders are not keen on breaking glass, but it still happens often enough to justify concern. For the highest level of protection, the window should have unbreakable glazing or steel bars across it.
Keep valuables out of sight. Place articles of ostensible value out of the view of anyone at your front door or looking through your windows from the street. Stash cash and expensive jewelry in unlikely places — for example, in a large envelope or among many paper files. Select containers no one will accidentally discard.
Rent a safe-deposit box. Such a box may be inconvenient, but it provides a level of security against theft and fire that cannot be duplicated at home without spending several thousand dollars.
Keep your landscaping in check. Doors and windows hidden by garages, bushes, fences and trees are attractive targets for intruders who prefer to invade unseen. Light it up. Many burglars will flee if they activate an
outdoor light connected to a motion detector.
Keep track of your keys. An AirTag keychain is a good idea if you’re forgetful.
Safety goes beyond physical security
Evaluate your insurance. Consider adding replacement-cost coverage for your personal property to your homeowner’s insurance policy. If burglars clean out your home, this optional coverage could save you thousands of dollars. Consider taking out additional coverage if you own expensive jewelry and other items that exceed the lower limits under standard policies.
Get to know your neighbors. Neighborhood watch groups are one of the most effective ways to protect all the homes in your neighborhood. At the very least, get to know your neighbors and share information on your not-athome schedules and vacation plans, so everyone can look out for suspicious activities. Keep up appearances. Because most burglars strike when no one is home, make sure your house always appears occupied. Leaving lights and a TV on helps. If you go on vacation, work with neighbors or friends to prevent mail and packages from piling up and to keep your yard maintained.
At left, many burglars will flee if they activate an outdoor light connected to a motion detector. Above, install good dead bolt locks on all your exterior doors. (PHOTOS / COVER GRAPHIC
ADOBE STOCK IMAGES)
Lee Reich | In the Garden
Flavor depends on so many variables
IJUST SUNK MY TEETH INTO A carrot pulled mere minutes ago from the garden; the taste was not good! I’m not surprised, because that’s often the case with my carrots. For the reason why, I might turn to a book, one of my books, “The Ever Curious Gardener,” the last chapter where I talk about the senses, including flavor.
In that chapter I delve into various influences on flavor, things such as soil, light, moisture, day length and temperature. They’ve all been studied, but mostly each by itself. Quoting myself,
With light, moisture, temperature, day length — so many variables — making their mark on flavor, a more additive approach to growing flavorful crops might be more useful rather than trying to parse out individual, interacting, influences.
This kind of attention has been lavished on studies with carrots by raising them in phytotrons, where light duration and intensity, day and night temperatures, and humidity can be manipulated, in pots of various types of soil.
Testing soils and growing conditions mimicking those of Wisconsin, California, Florida, and Texas, the
GARDEN NOTES
HAMPDEN
Pioneer Valley Water Garden and Koi Club pond tour
The Pioneer Valley Water Garden and Koi Club is holding its 30th Annual Pond Tour on Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Visitors can enjoy 12 beautiful private koi ponds and gardens in the Massachusetts Pioneer Valley on this self-guided tour. The pond owners will be present to discuss their ponds and answer visitors’ questions.
Tickets must be purchased online at pioneervalley koipond.club for $25 per family or carload.
The tour will be held rain or shine.
best flavored carrots ... drum roll ... were those grown in mineral, especially loam, soils as compared with muck soils (drained swamplands rich in organic matter) under mild winter conditions (such as in California). I’m not ready to relocate to be able to
Hampden Garden Club guest speaker
On Thursday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m., the Hampden Garden Club will be hosting Chris Ferrero, a writer and consultant who will be presenting her program “All About Hydrangeas.” Ferrero trained as a Cornell Master Gardener in New York. For 10 years, she led demonstration garden teams, plant propagation workshops, alternative-to-invasives work groups, and children’s programs. The program will be at the new meeting location at the Hampden Town Hall (formerly Thornton W. Burgess Middle School), 85 Wilbraham Road, Room A7. Guests are asked to use the library entrance. There is a $5 fee for non-members of the garden club. New members are welcome. Membership fee for the year is $15 and includes admission to all programs.
grow the most perfect carrot, and no need. Variety choice was still the most important determinant of flavor.
Similar studies have been done with peppers, focusing specifically on their hotness, which, to muddy the waters, stems from not one, but from a whole
STOCKBRIDGE Upcoming events at Berkshire Botanical Garden
Berkshire Botanical Garden presents the following upcoming programs. Music Mondays features Zoot Allures and the Zydeco Playboys on Monday, July 13, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Enjoy live music drifting across the garden grounds, bring a blanket, sip something cool, and let the sweet sounds of some of the region’s most talented musical performers set the tone for a perfect summer evening. Cost members: $15, non-members: $25. Online ticketing is available until 2 p.m. on the day of the show. Tickets are also available at the door. For more information, or to register visit www.berkshirebotanical.org. Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 West Stockbridge Road.
group of compounds, capsaicinoids, mostly capsaicin and dihydrocapsain. Hotness in peppers was found to depend ...
But wait, let’s stick with carrots, except there’s not that much more to say, quantitatively, beyond my moving to California where I could grow them in their mild winters. So, back to my book:
In desperation, we may need to fall back on terroir, a concept that takes into account almost everything: soil, climate, slope, sunlight, the geology and geography of a particular region, and as much more as needed to lend it a certain mystical quality. Historically, terroir has been associated with wine, tying the quality of a wine to the terroir rather than to the vintner.
There’s an appealing je ne sais quoi to terroir — that therein lies something beyond what science could possibly quantify. “Wines express their source with exquisite definition. They allow us to eavesdrop on the murmurings of the earth,” wrote wine critic Matt Kramer (Making Sense of Wine). Of a California vineyard’s highly regarded chardonnays, he writes, there is “a powerful flavor of the soil: the limestone speaks.”
SEE REICH, PAGE F5
WEST SPRINGFIELD West Springfield Garden Club meeting
The West Springfield Garden Club will meet on Thursday, July 16, at 6 p.m. in the J. Edward Christian Municipal Office Building, 26 Central St. Parking is available in the municipal lot across the street.
The meeting will be held in the Justin Morgan Auditorium on the second floor.
The evening’s speaker, Heidi Dollard, who is co-chair for the MA Pollinator Network Advisory Board and a Master Gardener. Come learn the basics of pollinator gardens and how to make yours a success.
The public is welcome to attend.
Please contact BeckyJean at beckyjean@beckyjeanthompson.com to RSVP.
GREENFIELD Seed library
The Greenfield Public Library has officially launched its new seed library. Home gardeners are invited to visit the seed library, located on the second floor of the library at the Information Services Desk, to choose up to five packets of seeds for their gardens. A wide variety of vegetable seeds (arugula to zucchini), as well as herb and flower seeds (amaranth to zinnia) will be available. Borrowing guidelines will be provided, and gardeners are encouraged to return seeds after the harvest season ends. This program is free and open to everyone. For more information, contact Nancy Little at nancy.little@greenfield-ma.gov or call 413-772-1544.
Send items for Garden Notes to pmastriano@repub.com two weeks prior to publication.
Carrot and lettuce are growing in this bed where corn was harvested. (LEE REICH PHOTO)
the organic vs. conventional treatment? To throw one more wrench into the works, I wouldn’t discount the halo effect: I, like almost everyone, enjoy most the flavor of the apple that I grew. Does it really taste better?
Enough waffling. Can an understanding and application of a little natural science make for tastier fruits and vegetables? To some degree, with some fruits and vegetables, yes. To sum up ...
• Genetics is very important, usually the most important determinant of flavor.
• Climate is important for some fruits and vegetables, such as carrots.
• Soil, to a lesser extent, can be important, although what about the soil is important for a specific crop is hard to pinpoint.
As we gain deeper understanding of the natural science behind the scenes in a garden, influences on flavor will, no
doubt, be more quantifiable. For now, my tack is to choose the best-tasting varieties for my region; to site and to plant according to the weather and the climate; to prune and to regulate production, and to provide good growing conditions below ground, mostly through frequent applications of an abundance of organic materials.
All this makes for very good tasting vegetables, fruits, and herbs.
Why not broaden the scope of terroir, applying it to other fruits and vegetables? Perhaps it is a certain terroir that brings out the best flavor of a tomato, or one that brings out the best flavored fruits from a peach tree, and so on.
We love to love terroir but, sad to say, studies have mostly de-bunked the notion. Terroir and the legal designations it engenders are, yes, tied to the price of a bottle of wine or the price of vineyard land — but, no, not to the flavor or quality of the wine. The flavor of fruits and vegetables — and wine, no doubt — are influenced by soil, environment, light, and the myriad ways each of these influences can vary and interact. The relationships might not yet be thoroughly understood, but that’s no reason to sit back and pin flavor on some indefinable quality of “place.”
The upshot of all this is that terroir and organically-grown (another influence covered earlier in the chapter) may affect flavor — or not. They most assuredly do affect perception of flavor and, hence, market returns. As the eternal skeptic, I am ready to debunk a concept like terroir, less so organic (the flavor effect, not the practice).
Still, I can’t help but add my own “anecdata,” which has dulled my natural skepticism. One variety of apple that I grow is ‘Macoun’. When I harvest them at the right moment — which is just as soon as they hit the ground — their flavor is ne plus ultra. Five miles away, I’ve picked the same variety from a commercial orchard, harvesting fruits from the ground as well as those that yield to the slightest twist and upward lift.
My ‘Macoun’ apples taste very different, and much, much better than those from the nearby commercial orchard. The sites are very different, mine being low lying with deep, clay loam soil, in contrast to the clayey, rocky hillside of the commercial orchard. Their site has better air; I have what would generally be considered to be a naturally better soil. I’ve further improved the soil beneath my trees by making it rich in organic matter, the result of compost at planting time and yearly additions of hay, wood chip, and leaf mulches. The commercial orchard gets herbicide, synthetic fertilizers, and repeated sprays of various pesticides throughout the growing season. Rootstocks also differ between sites.
All this, is it terroir? Is it
Soil and climate have an influence on carrot flavor, so my carrots may not have the very best flavor but they are still very good. (LEE REICH PHOTO)
Terry & Kim Kovel | Antiques & Collecting
A music box made during heyday of tin toys
THERE IS A GENERal rule in antiques: If it makes a sound (and is supposed to), it’s worth something. The rule usually refers to chiming clocks, music boxes, instruments, and noisemaking toys. If you look into the history of these items, you can start to see some similarities. While mechanical musical devices have existed for hundreds of years and appeared in stories even older than that, the music box is believed to be the invention of a Swiss watchmaker in the late 18th century.
The first music boxes used rotating metal cylinders to pluck the teeth on a metal comb, producing tones. In the 1880s, about a century later, German inventors came up with a music box that used a removable toothed disc instead of a cylinder. The discs were changeable, allowing people to play different tunes on the same music box. As more complex music boxes were made, often including expensive details like inlaid decorations, precious materials, and automata, so were simpler versions.
The late 19th to early 20th century was also the heyday of tin toys. Since many of these toys were miniature versions of “adult” devices like vehicles and household appliances, and interactive toys with moving parts and sounds are always engaging, it’s no surprise that manufacturers made tin music boxes. Although they appeal to collectors of toys and music boxes alike, they still tend to sell for lower prices than conventional music boxes. A functional 7-inch-tall tin lithograph music box operated by a hand crank sold for $75 at Copake Auction. A colorful, if faded, lithograph of a pipe organ may provide a hint at the music it plays.
Q. My grandmother wants to sell her collection of pressed glass. She has a
Tin lithograph music boxes like this one turned a luxury item into a simple toy. Their graphics usually featured instruments or musicians. (COPAKE AUCTION INC.)
lot of different colors and patterns. Can you help?
A.
The best way to sell your grandmother’s collection will depend on how many pieces of glass she has and their quality and rarity. If the collection is very large, you might want to sell it all to a local dealer or auction house. However, it may be worth sorting through the collection first to identify the pieces. Pressed glass is often inexpensive today, but some especially rare shapes, colors, patterns, and very old pieces in excellent condition can sell for thousands of dollars. There are many resources that can help identify your grandmother’s glass, including online guides on Kovels. com and AntiqueTrader.com. Check your library for reference books about pressed glass, such as “Pressed Glass in America: The First Hundred Years, 1825-1925” by John and Elizabeth Welker. Glass clubs like the National American Glass Club (glassclub.org), the National Depression Glass Association (ndga.net), or the Early Amer-
he also made pieces decorated with landscapes, architectural designs, trompe l’oeil compositions, or fruits and vegetables.
The maker’s mark with a hand holding a paintbrush is based on midcentury posters promoting his exhibitions. The Fornasetti brand is still active in Milan, Italy, today, run by his son, Barnaba, and makes new items from his designs. The company can also authenticate vintage Fornasetti pieces. The other name in the mark on your dishes, Laveno, is an Italian town known for its ceramic production. Like many midcentury designers, Fornasetti also made products for other brands.
CURRENT PRICES
ican Pattern Glass Society (eapgs.org) may also have identification guides and additional resources, including advice for selling.
Q. I bought a lazy Susan server a few years ago for $10. It has seven dishes total with beautiful, colorful mushrooms on them. There are no chips or cracks noted. The dishes fit onto a brass-colored round lazy Susan tray that measures almost 21 inches wide. The bottoms of the dishes are marked “Laveno Fornasetti-Milano-Made in Italy” with a hand holding a paintbrush stamped on the back. Could you please give me the age and approximate value of this server? I can’t seem to locate it online.
A. Your server is a design by Piero Fornasetti (1913-1988), who is famous for his unconventional ceramics, furniture, and decorative arts from the mid-20th century. His bestknown designs feature parts of human faces or bodies, and
Your server could be very valuable. Sets of Fornasetti dishes generally sell for at least $200, and a similar piece to yours, a server set with mushroom-patterned dishes, sold at a European auction for about $1,600 in 2024. Not a bad return on a $10 purchase!
TIP: To clean lithographed tin, try using Sani Wax furniture polish and 0000-grade steel wool, but use with extreme caution.
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 collectorsgallery@ kovels.com.
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. Kutani, bowl, Thousand Scholars exterior, red and gold ground, flowering branches interior, three flying birds, red rim, short foot, marked, 4 x 9 1/2 inches, $30. Jewelry, earrings, brass filigree, red and clear stones, three drops, multicolor poured glass pendant, pierced, Czechoslovakia, 1930s, $55. Disneyana, toy, roller coaster, Disneyland, character graphics, multicolor, tin lithograph, Chein, c. 1950, 10 x 18 inches, $110. Lamp, argand, solar, opalescent glass shade, etched flowers, hanging prisms, fluted column, bronze, brass, square marble base, c. 1840, electrified, 22 inches, $185. Calendar, 1939, Maxfield Parrish, Daydreams, The Art Calendar Gets Space Money Cannot Buy, Thos. D. Murphy Co., The Birthplace of Art Calendars, salesman sample, 28 x 20 inches, $250.
Button, glass, reverse painted, figure in outdoor scene, leafy garland border, red and blue, white mica ground, copper rim, tin back, 18th century, 1 1/2 inches, $520. Rug, Yalameh, center diamond medallions, two light blue between two ivory, red field, midnight blue spandrels, red and blue borders, wool, Persian, c. 1940, 110 x 62 inches, $780.
Basket, Apache, bowl shape, dark brown geometrics, concentric circles, stylized animals around rim, coiled, 11 inches, $1,920.
Average 30-year US mortgage rate rises to 6.49%
Rate is pushing up homebuyers’ borrowing costs
By A lex Veiga Associated Press
The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate drew closer this week to 6.5%, pushing up borrowing costs for prospective homebuyers.
The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.49% from 6.43% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the average rate was 6.72%.
When mortgage rates rise they can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, reducing their purchasing power.
Deeds
AGAWAM
Adam M. Debarge and Meghan Rose Debarge to Brian C. Moss, 959 Main St., $355,000.
Barbara A. Myca and Karolina M. Myca to Nicoletta Molineaux, Michelle Molineaux and James H. Molineaux II, 244 Colemore St., $475,000.
Doris K. Schuh and Paul R. Schuh to Nathalie Ann Champagne and Maryann Champagne Otto, 878 Springfield St., $378,000.
Frank D. Roda to Matthew Cole and Alyssa Cole, 12 Lexington St., $382,000.
John J. Ferriter, representative, and Deborah I. Kelly, estate, to Robert J. Schroeter, 1026 Main St., $260,000.
Lauren B. Rainville, representative, David Joseph Grant, estate, and David J. Grant, estate, to Linda Verteramo, 18G Castle Hills Road, $365,000.
Margaret Schmitt to Jennifer Putnam, 90 Plantation Drive, Unit 90, $255,000.
Natasha Wright to Alexander Tomlinson, 983 Shoemaker Lane, $418,200.
Sean T. Collins and Sharon A. Collins to Mark Thibeault and Linda Thibeault, 280 Elm St., $490,000.
Theresa Marie Tetreault, trustee, Janine M. Jones, trustee, and Stanek Family Trust, trustee of, to Patience Annankra and Augustine Toku, 142 Louis Road, $408,000.
AMHERST
Catherine A. Olds to Lijun Kuang, 26 Greenleaves Drive, $220,000.
Mortgage rates have remained elevated after the average rate on a 30-year loan briefly dropped below 6% in February for the first time since late 2022. It then climbed in May to its highest level in nine months. The uptick in mortgage rates has weighed on home sales this year.
Borrowing costs on 15-year fixedrate mortgages, often sought by borrowers refinancing a home loan, also rose this week. That average rate increased to 5.82% from 5.79% last week. A year ago, it was at 5.86%, Freddie Mac said.
Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation. They
Gertrude G. Swain to Catherine A. Olds, 26 Greenleaves Drive, $350,000.
Charles C. Wang, trustee, Yu-Mei Wang, trustee, and Charles & Yu-Mei Wang Living Trust to Jennifer Correia and Jared Correia, 156 Aubinwood Drive, $450,000.
Irene Blaho to Anne F. Lenault and Cynthia M. Lenault, 27 Greenleaves Drive, $285,000.
Mariano C. Carmona and Karen A. Carmona to Kyla Ferguson and Will Stamell, 87 Harlow Drive, $535,000.
ASHFIELD
Priscilla Wahlen, personal representative of the Estate of Sarah S. Montgomery and Ellen K. Wade, trustee under Article V of the Last Will and Testament of Sarah S. Montgomery, to Maureen Conroy and Tekla A. McInerney, 46 Brown Road, $465,000.
Timothy F. Curry and Maria Hamilton to Martha von Bujdoss and Nicholas von Bujdoss, 295 Main St., $405,175.
BELCHERTOWN
Eric J. Engelson, trustee, Janet M. Engelson, trustee, and 260 North Liberty Street Realty Trust to Rebecca Ifeoma Ekeanyanwu and Abdulwaheed Adebowali Adebola, 260 North Liberty St., $650,000.
Kevin M. Weiss and Kathy E. Weiss to Janet M. Engelson, trustee, Eric J. Engelson trustee, and 260 North Liberty Street Realty Trust, 145 Rockrimmon Road, $520,000.
Joanne M. Borkowski and James V. Borkowski to Colt D. Foster, 60 Bay Road, $350,000.
generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans. Expectations of hotter inflation amid higher crude oil prices have pushed up long-term bond yields relative to where they were before the war with Iran began in late February, causing mortgage rates to trend higher.
The 10-year Treasury yield was at 4.55% at midday Thursday on the bond market, up from 4.49% a week ago. It was just 3.97% in late February, before the war broke out.
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage is now back to where it was two weeks ago.
While average long-term mortgage rates remain lower than they were at this time last year, uncertainty about
BRIMFIELD
Charles L. Stanton to Massachusetts Comm Conservation & Recreation, Off of Haynes Hill Road, $350,000.
Ellen C. Wilkesman to Sharbel Lattouf, 19 Apple Road, $630,000.
CHARLEMONT
Howard M. Krusz, trustee of the Lawrence A. Krusz Investment Trust and trustee of Audrey M. Krusz Investment Trust, to Deerfield Valley Farms LLC, 63 West Hawley Road, $715,000.
CHESTER
Thomas N. Deveno Jr., Kenneth A. Deveno and Keneth A. Deveno to Elizabeth E. Johnson, 84 Middlefield Road, $230,000.
CHESTERFIELD
Marilyn P. Davidson and Lynn D. Martus, attorney-in-fact, to Lynn D. Martus, 211 Sugar Hill Road, $100.
CHICOPEE
Brenda L. Bushey to Brendan Malanson and Karen Birkner, 74 Woodstock St., $300,000.
Elaine F. Scott to Jose R. Bocanegra Hofer and Lisa Hofer Rodriguez, 13 Florence St., $340,000.
James T. Russell, Michael D. Russell and Steven R. Russell to Paul Erikson and Rebecca Fabiola Dias-Aldana, 111 Woodcrest Circle, $311,100.
Marc R. Vincent, representative, and Ronald F. Vincent, estate, to Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and Cioccolate Realty Trust, trustee of, 841 Chicopee
their trajectory amid the war with Iran has kept many would-be homebuyers on the sideline.
Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes declined in the first three months of the year compared to a year earlier, extending a nationwide housing slump that dates back to 2022 when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows.
Through the first half of this year, seasonally adjusted sales of existing U.S. homes are up only 0.7% compared to the same period in 2025, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Still, sales of existing U.S. homes continue to hovering close to a 4-million annual pace, far short of the historic norm that is closer to 5.2-million.
St., $153,450.
Naples Home Buyers Inc., to Our Legacy LLC, 44 Shepherd St., $180,000.
Our Legacy LLC, to Diana E. Real Estate LLC, 44 Shepherd St., $205,000.
Ruben Camacho to Raul Sanchez, 95 Clark St., $325,200.
COLRAIN
Jade L. Mortimer to Brian Jacques, 13 Griswoldville St., $310,000.
CUMMINGTON
Ronald E. Wolf and John P. O’Leary to Deborah Waldinger and James Timothy Thompson, 609 Berkshire Trail, $350,000.
EAST LONGMEADOW
Aengus P. Walker and Camilla Ramezanzadeh to Kushal Patel and Puja Patel, 37 South Bend Lane $692,500.
Brian J. Kane to Timothy McMath, 45 Hanward Hill, $350,000.
Happy Acres LLC, to Geovanni Montesino, trustee, Madelaine Saborit, trustee, and Realty Trust Montesino Property Management, trustee of, Farmer Circle, Lot 21, $165,000.
Jesse O. Rivera and Kerry A. Keenan to Kerry A. Keenan, 57 Westernview Circle, $100,000.
Joel R. Stern, trustee, and Joel R. Stern Revocable Indenture of Trust of, trustee of, to Cesar M. Pereira Jr., and Vanessa F. Pereira, 24 Speight Arden, $421,000.
Mark Goldman and Ida Telerman to Jacqueline Blake, 4 Laurence Lane, $400,000.
Mary E. Hanson to Pro Olive LLC, 50 Speight Arden, $335,000.
Mathew J. Hilario and Shanon M. Hardy to Savannah M. Rosado, 120 North Main St., $285,000.
Nicole Padilla and Joseph Padilla to Kevin Fish, 140 Chestnut St., $330,000.
Robert S. Laughlin and Meredith W. Laughlin to Christian Macutkiewicz and Rebekah Macutkiewicz, 32 Rolling Meadow Lane, $610,000.
Vyacheslav Foksha and Vaycheslav Foksha to Ilimdar Khatipov, Niagara Street, Par B, $9,000.
Willbert Garcia, Jennifer Garcia and Jennifer Rodriguez to Ziyad El Mallah and Gina Russo, 18 Yorkshire Place, $636,000.
EASTHAMPTON
Cap 1 Sweat LLC to Aslk Real Estate LLC, 97 Union St., $1,865,000.
Diana Batsheva Gettleson and Diana Mendez-Zimmerman to Alexis Schneeflock and Fletcher Schneeflock, 14 Melinda Lane, $475,000.
David Arbeitman and Rachael Naismith to Ethan Pope and Estelle Pope, 6 Prospect St., $485,000.
Sovereign Builders Inc., to Sycamore Lane at Whispering Pines LLC, Loudville Road and Torrey Street, $250,000.
Steven E. Ansanitis and Louise K. Ansanitis to Sycamore Lane at Whispering Pines LLC, 279R Loudville Road, $75,000.
Dara Forleo and Curtis Lee Simpson to Sycamore Lane at Whispering Pines LLC, 283 Loudville Road, $450,000.
Deeds
Melissa L. Pierson-Buell and Mardi F. Pierson-Buell to Mason Saleeba and Derek Luthi, 17 Olympia St., $565,000.
Steven James Hoynoski and Arley Rose Hoynoski to Anton Broekman and Joan M. Perreault, 11 Glendale St., $665,000.
Matthew J. Spence, Brandon Spence, John Magdalenski and Joanne Spence to Matthew Shuster and Diane Shufro, 85 Garfield Ave., $575,000.
ERVING
Appleton Grove LLC, to Hannah Andrew and Charles Williamson, 17 W. High St., $328,500.
GILL
Mitchell A. Lata Jr., trustee of the Lata Investment Trust, to Jennifer Mae Johnson and Scott William Johnson, 23 Mountain Road, $455,000.
GOSHEN
Virginia M. Danforth and Daryl R. Danforth, attorney-in-fact, to Fort River Real Estate LLC, 35 Pine Road, $62,500.
GRANBY
James Niedbala and Sharon Niedbala to James Niedbala, 134 Cold Hill Road, $100.
Sandra E. Woodrow and Adam S. Woodrow to Necati Dagtekin and Bahar Serife Dagtekin, 11 Pheasant Hill Road, $435,000.
GREENFIELD
Mark F. Gerrish to Lucyanna Elyse Gross and Benjamin Parker, 52 Log Plain Road, $325,000.
John Balis to Danielle Devine and Timothy Kang, 106 Summer St., $360,000.
David C. Brooks, trustee of the Western New England Trust #111, to Melissa Geurts, 73 Washington St., $139,900.
Gail G. Bowman and Glenn S. Bowman to William Bickford, 24 Washburn Ave., $251,000.
James Brown to Anthony Faiola and Caitlin Faiola, 187 Leyden Road, $299,000.
Amber L. Crochier, “fka” Amber L. Coburn, and Michael A. Crochier to Leslie Nirenstein and Heather Ann Perkins, 758 Country Club Road, $485,000.
Pamela G. Adams to Sarah D. Armstrong and David M. Morawski, 21 Prospect Ave., $425,000.
HADLEY
Helen L. Blatz and Lauren M. Croce to Jennifer Fawn Rosendahl and Aston Tyler Rosendahl, 9 Meadowbrook Drive, $631,700.
Geraldine T. Clark to John T. Boisvert Jr., Bridget R. Boisvert and Cole T. Boisvert, 224 River Drive, $380,000.
John T. Boisvert Jr., and Bridget R. Boisvert to John T. Boisvert Jr., Bridget R. Boisvert and Cole T. Boisvert, River Drive Off, $100.
Cole T. Boisvert to John T. Boisvert Jr., and Bridget R. Boisvert, River Drive Off, $100.
John T. Boisvert Jr., and Bridget R. Boisvert to Cole T. Boisvert, 224 River Drive, $100. Hadley Center Rentals LLC, to Mt. Warner LLC, 130 West St., $599,900.
HAMPDEN
Sarah P. Hanrahan, trustee, and Revocable Indenture of Trust of Josephine M. Rosinski, trustee of, to Tristan R. Lynch and Isabella M. Ferrara, 68 Baldwin Drive, $309,900.
HATFIELD
Amy E. Fleig to Old Mill Enterprises LLC, 83 School St., $460,000.
HAWLEY
Jocelyn Crowningshield and Max Leh to Matthew J. West, 198 West Hawley Road, $298,500.
HOLLAND
Claire May to Robert Baker and Eileen Baker, 5 Collette Drive, $344,900.
Craig D. Johnson and Susan M. Johnson to Carolyn M. Smith, 43 Lakeshore Drive, $399,900.
Darlene D. Spratt, trustee, and Spratt Family Trust 2025, trustee of, to Stephen E. Gallagher, 8 Lake Shore Drive, $460,000.
HOLYOKE
Andrew Hurley, representative, and Kathleen K. Hurley, estate, to Brian D. Murphy and Kelly J. Cahill-Murphy, 24 Jefferson St., $350,000.
Brian D. Murphy and Kelly J. Cahill-Murphy to Jeffrey Usher and April Papianou, 27 Morgan St., $415,000.
Howard W. Raymond and Judith A. Raymond to Rachel E. Kennedy, 17 Sun Valley Road, $140,000.
Jeffrey P. Bibeau and Lynne A. Bibeau to Stephen Porter, Elizabeth Porter and Catherine Porter, 6 Stanford St., $725,000.
Joseph Paul Lemelin and Kyla Rose Lemelin to Emily Puffer and Alexander Semprit, 244 Lower Westfield Road, $400,000.
Kathleen M. Marcinek to Barbara T. Smith, 54 Sterling Road, $420,000.
Paula I. Lubold, representative, Richard L. Lubold, representative, and Kenneth H. Lubold, estate, to Dray Bourgeois and Aaron Damon-Rush, 315 Hillside Ave., $295,000.
Three Bs & C LLC, to Ardsley Realty LLC, 100 Whiting Farms Road, $545,000.
HUNTINGTON
Benjamin Vega to Jose Ramirez, 18 Blandford Hill Road, $289,900.
Nadine S. Mathews and Nadine S. Sterste
to Rene St. Amand, 6 County Road, $255,000.
Nichole E. Santiago and Destiny Santiago to Veteran Stan LLC, 7 Stanton Ave., $162,500.
LEVERETT
M. Christine Nelson to Gemma Archer, David Clegg, Clifford Alan Whitcomb and Leslie Ellen Whitcomb, 200 Long Plain Road, $450,000.
LEYDEN
Daniel Howard and Janell Howard to Sheila Hourihan, 79 South Schoolhouse Road, $587,000.
LONGMEADOW
Alan W. Kulig and Carrie Nola Kulig to Frederick Edward Binczewski II, and Shana Elise Binczewski, 70 Salem Road, $875,000.
Bernadette E. Dunnirvine and Michael P. Dunnirvine to Perry Hewitt, 118 Blueberry Hill Road, $840,000.
David F. Czaporowski, Christina Caporowski and Christina Rinaldi to TZA Holdings LLC, 227 Sheffield Ave., $600,000.
Jonathan S. Coote and Kari Coote to Peter S. Benton and Betsy Brigham Benton, 9 Vanguard Lane, $610,000.
Timothy J. Weaver and Karen Weaver to Helen Dever and James Dever, 87 Belleclaire Ave., $475,000.
LUDLOW
Brian Shameklis and Samantha R. Shameklis to Jessica N. Provencal and Samuel M. Hunt, 138 Windwood Drive, $580,000.
Hedge Hog Industries Corp., to Emmanuela Frimpong and Richard Frimpong, 35 Focosi Lane, $519,999.
James DeGray to Brianna DeGray, 61 Mountainview St., $285,000.
Jason A. Szumski and Melissa Szumski to Anthony Morello, 39 Salli Circle, $465,000.
Jennifer A. Caine to Meng Qi Ding, 39 Waters Edge, Unit 39, $295,000.
Julio Santos Vieira and Cherylann Vieira to Ahmad Sahar and Shakila Noori, 113 Skyridge St., $600,000.
Manuel A. Lourence and Delfina A. Carvalho to Preston Bailey and Etta Bailey, 70 Sroka Lane, $630,000.
Paula Cristina Cordeiro, Isabel Cordeiro and Fernando Cordeiro to David Schuster, Sharon Schuster, Jordan Schuster and Shawna Schuster, 25 Fox Hill Road, $520,000.
Victor P. Petrolati to Michel Pena Liriano and Nataly Pena, Tower Road, Lot 28, $95,000.
MONSON
Andrew P. Beaulieu to Pamela Aubrey, 59 Carpenter Road, $699,000.
H & L Builders & Developers Inc., to Amy K. Ruggere, Bogan Road, Lot 6, $95,000.
Christine M. Phillips, trustee, Daniel P. Phillips, Cathleen A. Laliberte and cable Trust
Katharine Phillips 2023 Irrevocable Trust, trustee of, to Shannon M. Haley, 122 Bogan Road, $305,000.
Sharon A. Royer, trustee, and 6 Silva Street Realty Trust, trustee of, to David North, 6 Silva St., $304,750.
MONTAGUE
Celina Stratford and William Stratford to Joseph Klaus, Dry Hill Road, $65,000.
Lisa A. Garland to Christopher Shattuck, 57 Randall Road, $350,000.
William W. McKerchie to Sarah K. Seitz and Hadley M. Smith, 93 K Street, $350,000.
NORTHAMPTON
Liya M. Akoury and Nader S. Akoury to Nathaniel P. Hanson and Bridget Hanson, 231 Main St., $437,000.
Helen J. Dufresne and Walter D. Dufresne to Melanie Pepper and Maya Joshua, 7 Pine Valley Road Extension, $313,000.
Robert Martin and Gretchen Herringer to Nancy Thomas and Christopher McLean, 66 Maynard Road, $1,225,000.
Kate H. Miller and Adam C. Miller to Molly Hickok, 51 Phillips Place, $630,000.
John C. Owens and Jaime L. Kubik to Jeffrey Browning, 492 Elm St., $535,000.
Judith R. Sanders, trustee, and Revocable Indenture of Trust of Judith R. Sanders to Nancy A. Smith, trustee, Andrew E. Smith, trustee, and Smith Investment Trust, 650 North Farms Road, $1,398,800.
Charles Wiemeyer, Charles Weimeyer and Maurine Malone to Alfred Kobacker, 555 Coles Meadow Road, $1,585,000.
ORANGE
Lori McGrath and Scott Roger McGrath to Lorenzo Dumont Pirri, 142 Mattawa Circle, $356,000.
Zach Longeill and Michelle Vega to William R. Glenn, 41 Russ St., $305,000.
Roy A. Howard to Jeanguy Joseph LeBlanc, 125 Horton Road, $132,000.
JASONRHOMES LLC, to Rafael Rivera Plaza and Soenia Mari Hernandez Vazquez, 150 East Main St., $257,500.
Brian M. Fay and Charlene M. Negron to Nancy L. Rosazza and Roque Sanchez, 54 East Main St., $119,500.
ROWE
Emma Sabella and Donna Thatcher to Peter A. Thunfors, Stone Hill Road, $86,900.
SHUTESBURY
David F. Gallagher and Margaret E. Gallagher to Mika Hirai and Lisa Tennyson, 571 West Pelham Road, $566,000.
Deeds
SOUTH HADLEY
Kristin M. Phelan and Danica M. Belber to Tova Mustacich and Peter Mustacich, 40 Pittroff Ave., $605,000.
N. Janeen Resnick Family Trust, Mitchell B. Resnick Family Trust, N. Janeen Resnick, trustee, and Mitchell B. Resnick, trustee, to Mary De Voe and Jay Sachs, 41 Ashton Lane, $725,000.
James K. Davey and Beverly K. McClure-Davey to Corey McClure, Joshua Davey and Kelsey Davey, 188 Pine Grove Drive, $100.
Dwight J. Klepacki, trustee, Debra T. Klepacki, trustee, and CBK Nominee Trust to Neil Heymanns and Christine Heymanns, 30 Ashton Lane, $647,700.
Edmond L. Brousseau and Linda L. Brousseau to Raymond L. Brousseau, trustee, Joseph H. Brousseau, trustee, and Brousseau Irrevocable Trust, 13 Pheasant Run, $100.
Cynthia A. Parentela and David R. Laramee to Michael McKenna, 14 Hillside Ave., $290,000.
Donald B. Sherwood Jr., and Sonja L. Sherwood to Nicole Y. Barsalou and Zachary Plouffe, 63 Mountainview St., $470,000.
Ronald Certer, personal representative, Raymond G. Simon, personal representative, and Edward Norman Courchesne, estate, to Patrick Nolan, 1 Wood Ave., $283,000.
Wendy Mailhott and Steven Mailhott to Ryan Knoechelman and Haley Dusseault, 1 Dover Road, $284,000.
Kevin D. Proulx and Sherralee J. Proulx to Harry Figueroa Centeno and Luz Yesenia Flores Ortiz, 40 Susan Ave., $355,000.
Daniel J. Fitzgerald, personal representative, and Julie Fitzgerald, estate, to Jeffrey P. Chateauneuf and Tamara L. Colby, 525 Hadley St., $135,000.
David A. Macko and Susan A. Macko to Kevin Spiteri and Laurel Carpenter, 119 Brockway Lane, $575,000.
Joshua M. Bauer and Sheryl Bauer to Devin D. Egan and Hannah Pancione, 23 Kimberly Drive, $425,000.
SOUTHAMPTON
Gil Farm Road Estates Inc., to Giberson Construction Inc., Gil Farm Road, $240,000.
Gil Farm Road Estates Inc., to Giberson Construction Inc., Gil Farm Road, $240,000.
Karl H. Eichstaedt and Herman J. Eichstaedt to Matthew Hebert, 186
East St., $350,000.
Kenneth W. Lemoine and Dawn M. Lemoine to Jennifer Thantoni, 7 Hillside Meadows Drive, $592,500.
June Hendrick, trustee, Verna Plona, trustee, and Hendrick Realty Trust to Nadine Mathews, 216 College Highway, $350,000.
SOUTHWICK
Annette Liquori to Joseph Molta Jr., and Patricia Rubin, 31 Wynnfield Circle, $415,000.
Dawn M. Bonneau to Joanne Parker, 27 Wynnfield Circle, $447,000.
Antonio F. Tavares, Maria A. Tavares and Maria A. Silva to Kristine Correa and Carlos Correa, 355 Parkerview St., $280,000.
ASW Fund I LP, to 22 Hanson LLC, 75-77 Beaumont S.t, $480,000.
Carey S. Noonan and Kimberly Ingram-Noonan to Luke Pelletier, 45 Juniper Drive, $355,000.
Carolyne R. Flowers to Peter Shaw and Rachel Shaw, 152 Ambrose St., $430,000.
Casey Mendrala to Thao Phan, 74 Gilman St., $290,000.
Cesar Beard Espinosa and Daysi Reyes to Joseph Cloutier and Kyanna Guzman, 22 Felicia St., $359,900.
Daniel L. Paul to Catherine L. Murdzia and Jason M. Kurzeski Jr., 14 Blodgett St., $220,000.
Darlene T. Robinson to Leticia Laboy, 17 McBride St., $280,000.
Dennis L. Hackett and Anita Hackett to Yahaira Dejesus, 49-51 Tulsa St., $425,000.
Diana Ortega to Ngan P. Tran, 570572 Dickinson St., $355,000.
Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and Short4u Realty Trust, trustee of, to Michael Perez, 108-110 Northampton Ave., $503,900.
Duy Khai Do and Oanh Thi Tu Nguyen to Benjamin G. Thomas Jr., 363 Cooley St., $340,000.
Edward F. Dibble and Calista G. Dibble to Mattia E. Ross, 2164 Wilbraham Road, $294,000.
Elizabeth Rivera to Jeremy L. Torres Soto, 32-24 Van Buren Ave., $411,000.
Elsira M. Nunez to Paul J. Michaud, 19 Greenbrier St., $300,000.
Empire West LLC, to Casey Mendrala, 39 Acton St., $299,000.
Eurico Miguel Vega to Skyspec LLC, 94 Upland St., $150,000.
Forest Orchard LLC, to Unlimited Plus Realty LLC, 371 Dickinson St., $150,000.
Frances Ellen Kimball Russo and Dakota Russo to Luke Collins, 152 Shady Brook Lane, $295,000.
Fred Pafumi Jr., to Christian Resto, 96-98 Elijah St., $300,000.
Gasoline Alley Foundation Inc., to FLR Realty LLC, Rear Albany St., $1,130,000.
Gladys Principe to London Realty LLC, 70 Andrew St., $50,000.
Imani J. Gladden to Paola Nieves-Delgado, 111 Methuen St., $315,000.
Julian R. Jiminian, Julian R. Jiminian-Humphreys and Daniela Jiminian-Humphreys to Jeseika Gonzalez and Jose Enrique Gonzalez-Colon, 400 El Paso St., $282,000.
Lachenauer LLC, to Ombeni Kahusa, 226 Fort Pleasant Ave., $375,000.
Lisa A. Gamble, representative, Patricia A. Michela, estate, and Lynn A. Michela to Eric Michael Hindin, 240 Pasco Road, $257,500.
Lisa A. Houldson and Lisa A. Orlandi to Joseph Taylor II, and Tiana D. Taylor, 33 Winding Lane, $410,000.
Thomas Perez and Myra Perez to Lynn E. Budd, 79 Larchmont St., $300,000.
Virgilio Santos to Juan Rodriguez Rivera, Juan Jesus Rodriguez Rivera and Carmita Bello Zambrano, 140 Temby St., $410,000.
William E. Wanczyk Jr., and Krystin J. Wanczyk to Hau Ly and Trieu Ly, 85 Narragansett St., $406,500.
William J. Smeltz and Joann E. Smeltz to Julia Agustin Berduo and Wilmer B. Chilel Agustin, 44 Meredith St., $360,000.
Wilmington Savings Fund Society, trustee, and HB13 Cascade Funding Mortgage Trust, trustee of, to Halifax Capital LLC, 29 Yale St., $235,000.
SUNDERLAND
Sandra L. Fortier, “fka” Sandra L. Verrilli, to Katherine Bernard and Christopher Verrilli, 203 North Silver Lane, $280,000.
WARE
Nicole Phaneuf-Hunt to Howard E. Hancock, 53 Chestnut St., $235,000.
Joel J. Harder to Rachael St. Cyr, Upper Church Street, $60,000.
Martha E. Tuttle, Martha Tuttle and Heather A. Malin, attorney-in-fact, to Rachael St. Cyr, 164 North St., $100.
WARWICK
Rachel D. W. Rome and Carl A. Schmidt to Louis Z. Brengard, Richmond Road, $50,000.
WENDELL
Craig Morey to Chantelle Duprey and Nicholas Duprey, 1 Elm St., $355,000.
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Alyssa A. Demers to Kiara Liz Arias and Miguel Antonio Arias, 151 Labelle St., $350,000.
Diane L. Campbell and Raymond Campbell to Diane L. Campbell, life estate, Raymond Campbell, life estate, and Seth A. Campbell, 49 Vincent Drive, $100.
Eileen Oleary Sullivan, trustee, Susan Oleary Mulhern, trustee, and
Oleary Family Trust, trustee of, to Jeffrey W. Marcil and Amy Marcil, 2 Windpath East, $600,000.
Janet S. Dorazio, trustee, and Janet S. Dorazio Family Trust, trustee of, to Patricia Rambo, 1193 Amostown Road, $405,000.
Jeffrey A. Ledoux and Rachel L. Ledoux to Frank V. Palange and Sheila M. Palange, 1300 Morgan Road, Par A, $8,000.
Jessica Condon to William August Buescher IV, 256 Morton St., $345,000.
Kathleen Calabrese and Charles Calabrese to Hem B. Chhetri and Sita Gurung, 7 Brewster Road, $590,000.
Kristine W. Towse, representative, Kristine A. Towse, representative, and Rudolf J. Rexer, estate, to Adam Mark Debarge, 655 Morgan Road, $400,000.
Kulwinder Kaur to John McCarthy, 17 Oak St., $285,000.
Melvin A. Arroyo to Carol Campanelli, trustee, Carol Rodman Campanelli, trustee, and Carol Rodman Campanelli Amended & Restate, trustee of, 80 Brush Hill Ave., Unit 51, $193,000.
Quentin J. Donohue and Debra A. Donohue to Yashar Akhmedov and Zelkha Shakirova, Sean Louis Circle, Lot 2, $820,000.
Said Bakhouch and Fatima Elfissi to Ruben Camacho, 65 Verdugo St., $415,000.
Samir A. Al Moula to Sarmad Al Moula, 21-23 Hill St., $182,000.
Susie Sousa Chapin to Alissa Lopes, 36 Braintree Road, $372,000.
WESTFIELD
Andrey Bezkulov and Larissa Bezkulov to Kimberly D. Sorel, 563 Pochassic Road, $400,000.
Cherie M. Goulet, Cherie Rousseau and Brian Rousseau to Shelby DiGiovanni and Regina Marie DiGiovanni, 11 Laurel Terrace, $360,000.
Derek Michael Parentela and Derek Stevens to Erin Payton and Noah Christian Swords, 567 Loomis St., $500,000.
Edwin P. Ondrick and Carol A. Ondrick to Lauren Devine, 7 Joseph Ave., $397,000.
Frank A. Ruscio and Kathleen Ruscio to Carlos Dejesus and Zuleika Dejesus, 74 Shannon Lane, $420,000.
Hum Real Estate Holdings LLC, to Lemay Enterprises LLC, 34 Elise St., $705,000.
Joan W. Kana, conservator, and Marion E. Warren, estate, to Joseph Adamowicz, 145 Honey Pot Road, $410,000.
When home security devices may not be worth the cost
• You live in a low-crime neighborhood.
• Your house is well-secured with locks and other measures.
• Someone is almost always at home.
• Your neighbors keep an eye on your house and will call the police if they notice anything suspicious.
• You possess little of substantial value that could be stolen, and you have good insurance.
• Children, houseguests or others are likely to frequently trigger false alarms.
• The hassle of setting the alarm and avoiding false alarms would deter you from using it regularly.
Still want a professionally installed system?
If you decide to go pro, you’ll want a company that ensures your system is effective, convenient and unobtrusive; minimizes false alarms; and controls costs.
Have several companies come to your home to propose systems and quote prices. Some will be much better than others at designing a smart solution at a reasonable price. Even for the same basic setup, you will find substantial price differences. When Checkbook’s undercover shoppers collected proposals from companies for a specific alarm system and three years of monitoring, they were quoted prices ranging from $2,360 to $5,202.
Read the contract before you sign. Some companies make it very difficult for customers to switch monitoring
services by refusing to provide programming codes or to reset systems to their default modes. Choose a company willing to contractually agree to provide you programming codes. Discuss payment terms. The more you can pay after the job is complete, the better.
The best arrangement is to pay a chunk of the installation price 15 or 30 days after completion: It gives you maximum leverage if any problems need to be corrected.
Many jurisdictions require homeowners to register alarm systems. The company you use should provide the required paperwork, and many will submit it for you.
Some registrations must be renewed every few years.
Kevin Brasler is executive editor of Washington Consumers’ Checkbook and Checkbook.org, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help consumers get the best service and lowest prices. It is supported by consumers and takes no money from the service providers it evaluates.
John Bonavita, trustee, and Kaben Realty Trust, trustee of, to John & Sons LLC, 174 Main St., $500,000.
John C. Fielding and Stephanie D. Fielding to Kyle Duggan and Allison Duggan, 23 Susan Drive, $490,000.
Jonathan A. Brown to Karl Philemy and Giavanna Philemy, 110 Lockhouse Road, Unit F, $380,000.
Joshua A, Toomey to Michael O’Brien, 28 Mechanic St., $190,000.
Noreen C. Fields and Bonnie Laplante to Rosa Maribel Montero Saeteros, Cristian Geovany Montero Saeteros and Luis Remigio Montero Saeteros, 16 Miller St., $330,000.
Peter J. Dargon and Joy C. Dargon to Michael Lambert and Jessica Wessner, 232 Eastwood Drive, $398,000.
Robert Greenberg III, and Alyssa Leigh Greenberg to Jolie B. Walts, 20 South Maple St., $335,000.
Yevgeniya Gnidenko, Daniel Gnidenko, Bisson Land LLC, trustee, and Legacy Trust, trustee of, to Monica L. Cormier, 288 Buck Pond Road, $340,000.
WILBRAHAM
Alan C. Dickinson and Betsy L. Dickinson to Benjamin Mahon, Brigid Anne Finnegan and Daniel J. Finnegan, 6 Garden Lane, $500,000.
John P. Casey and Kathleen M. Casey to Renaldo Luis Collazo and Crystal Collazo, 6 Ladd Lane, $449,900.
Shannon Jeanne Senft Revocable Living Trust, trustee of, Bradley McClure Senft, trustee, Shannon Jeanne Senft, trustee, and Bradley McClure Senft Revocable Living Trust, trustee of, to Christopher Stearns and Rachael Stearns, 25 Red Gap Road, $891,000.
Marcia S. Folvi to Joseph C. Falzone and Judith M. Falzone, 2205 Boston Road, Unit O-138, $312,000.
Scott L. Tidlund and Rebecca L. Tidlund to Zachary Daenzer and Karen Nicole Daenzer, 685 Main St., $469,000.
WILLIAMSBURG
Sarah Nichols and Rachel Koh to Jim Woodside and Holly Worthington, 3 North Main St., and 3 N. Main St., $308,000.
WORTHINGTON
Central New England AG Services Inc., to
Above, solid-wood doors are much sturdier than hollow ones. Below, make your doors and windows as difficult to penetrate as possible. (ADOBE STOCK IMAGES)
Live Onsite &Webcast PUBLIC AUCTION
PUBLIC AUCTION
10:00 AM-WILBRAHAM
23 Hunting Lane
sgl fam, 2,082 sf liv area, 0.47 ac lot, 6 rm, 4 bdrm, 2.5 bth, Hampden: Bk 25217, Pg 453
11:00 AM-SPRINGFIELD
9 Pelham Street
sgl fam, 1,380 sf liv area, 0.07 ac lot, 5 rm, 3 bdrm, 2.5 bth, Hampden: Bk 22074, Pg 586
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.
Auctioneer makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information contained herein.
NORTH CHELMSFORD (978) 251-1150 www.baystateauction.com
91 WOLCOTT AVENUEDEPOSIT $5,000 10:00AM-SPRINGFIELD, MA 90 DARTMOUTH STREETDEPOSIT $10,000
TUESDAY JULY 21, 2026
2:00 PM - GRANBY, MA 14 KAREN DRIVEDEPOSIT $10,000
MONDAY JULY 27, 2026
10:00 AMEAST LONGMEADOW, MA 24 DEERFOOT DRIVEDEPOSIT $10,000
TERMSOFSALES:DEPOSITSINTHEAMOUNTS SPECIFIEDABOVEARETO BEPAIDBYTHEPURCHASER(S)ATTHETIME ANDPLACEOFEACH SALEBYCERTIFIEDOR BANKCHECK.ALLBALANCESDUEARETOBE PAIDWITHIN30DAYSOF EACHINDIVIDUALSALE. OTHERTERMS,IFANY, TOBEANNOUNCEDAT EACH SALE. CALL OUR AUCTION SCHEDULE LINE AT (617) 964-1282 FOR A LIST OF THE CURRENT DAY’S
