Pinnacle Residential Properties: the art of negotiation

May 8, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

SPONSORED POST: Susan Bevilaqua is a real estate agent at Pinnacle Residential Properties. She writes about the importance of negotiating skills.

Susan Bevilaqua, Pinnacle, Wellesley Negotiating is something most of us do every day, whether it’s getting your kids to brush their teeth, your spouse to agree to a vacation, or it’s an essential component of your profession. Negotiation is, in fact, one of the most important skills a real estate agent should possess yet, unfortunately, it’s a skill in which many agents are untrained. Strong negotiating skills can make the difference between a sale or an apology. Some people approach it in an adversarial manner, and that is definitely a mistake. I’ve honed this skill over my 16-year real estate career at Pinnacle and find successful negotiations to be one of the most personally satisfying parts of my job. Below are some of my top tips on how I approach the process so that everyone can come away feeling positive about the results:

1. LISTEN to all parties. Everyone wants and deserves to be heard.

2. UNDERSTAND the motivation of each party in the transaction.

3. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE – how, exactly, does this individual need to receive information?

4. KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON THE GOAL – and remind your clients to do the same.

5. STAYING CALMING helps your clients to stay calm as well. Buying and selling a home can be a stressful time.

There are lots of other ways to make a transaction run smoothly, which I would be happy to share. Right now, it’s an incredible sellers’ market and there’s never been a better time to sell. For a confidential, complimentary and no-obligation analysis of the market value of your home, don’t hesitate to call me.

Warmly, Susan Bevilacqua, Pinnacle Residential Properties 781-589-8257.

About Susan Bevilaqua

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Wellesley Community Bulletin Board

April 29, 2021 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Check out the Community Bulletin Board section on The Swellesley Report, a place to find out about exciting events going on in the area.

Featured this week:

The Concord Review History Camp

Seminar for middle school students. See the flyer.
Promotes a love for history by allowing students to conduct in-depth research into their chosen historical topic.
[email protected]

Great office space available in Wellesley Hills

Be close to home, but don’t work from home. See the flyer.
Single offices available in a four-office suite.
Contact [email protected]

Wellesley Square salon news

Spacious, bright, and sunny hair salon overlooking the village in Wellesley Square has one chair available for the right stylist …. interested parties please call or text 781-223-8558

UU Wellesley Hills

Members and friends are invited to help honor Black lives harmed and lost. See the flyer.
Monthly 15-minute silent village in front of 309 Washington Street.
Wed., May 5, 12:30pm & Wed., June 2, 12:30pm

Here’s how to have your business or non-profit’s flyer appear on The Swellesley Report’s Community Bulletin Board at a nominal rate

Wellesley Select Board makes quick work of scrapping commuter rail parking lot development plan

April 13, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The Wellesley Select Board, as expected, voted to rescind the Letter of Designation and Request for Proposal for the Railroad and Tailby Commuter Lots at its meeting on Monday. The Board discussed the issue previously in March and decided then to hear from the public that night and push its decision to April 12.

The Board voted in November of 2018 to enter negotiations with developer Trinity Financial Group for ground leases of the Tailby and Raillroad Avenue parking lots, with the possibility that the sites could become homes to luxury and mixed-income residential buildings, park space and even a theater and gallery space. But any such plans took a back seat during COVID-19, and in light of other development projects in town moving forward.

A couple of board members on Monday were generous in their praise of Trinity, which worked with the town to adapt a plan, but in the end it just didn’t make sense to go forward.

Board Chair Tom Ulfelder said “We’ve reached the conclusion that the RFP that was issued [earlier] was under different circumstances and was really calling for a different project than we feel would be beneficial at this point.”

Board Member Ann-Mara Lanza agreed with Ulfelder on these points, but encouraged her fellow Board members to not give up on the idea of developing housing on this town-owned land in the name of brining more people to downtown and providing more affordable housing options.

The Board voted 5-0 not to move forward with the development plan, and the agenda item took less than 10 minutes.

Tailby parking lot wellesley — Tailby parking lot in pre-pandemic days

Wellesley scores Housing Choice Designation

April 1, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Wellesley this week joins 13 other communities in earning the state’s Housing Choice Designation in recognition of their efforts to produce new housing units and put in place practices to sustain housing production.

Town Executive Director Meghan Jop said in January during a League of Women Voters of Wellesley session on housing’s past, present, and future, that the town for the first time would qualify for the state’s Housing Choice Designation.This is exciting because it could improve the town’s chances for grants and funding through programs like MassWorks and Complete Streets.

By getting its housing production plan approved a couple of years ago, Wellesley put itself in a position to better control its housing destiny rather than allow developers to dictate terms. It also formalized the town’s efforts to address an affordable housing shortage that has since met state standards.

The state this week doled out $5M to 28 communities under the Housing Choice Initiative, giving Wellesley a taste of what could come its way down the road.

Great Barrington, Holliston, Lincoln, Lynn, Maynard, Millbury, and Walpole join Wellesley as newcomers to the program. Ayer, Burlington, Franklin, Hingham, Newton, and Wrentham are back in the game. Overall 78 communities have qualified.

Wellesley Select Board’s commuter rail lot development decision moves to April

March 30, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The Wellesley Select Board, which last week went into executive session (non-public) to discuss negotiations for land leases at the Tailby and Railroad lots in Wellesley Square, this week devoted the end of its regular weekly meeting to hear from the public on this subject. The board’s agenda originally included an agenda item titled “Discuss and Vote Rescind the Letter of Designation and RFP for the Railroad and Tailby Commuter Lots,” but Chair Tom Ulfelder proposed that the board hear from the public this week, then pick up that agenda item on April 12.

Wellesley Square, Tailby lot, fall 2020 — Tailby Lot

Resident Christine Crowley of Linden Street was the only member of the public to take the board up on its offer to speak. She called to express appreciation that the board is reconsidering its plans with Trinity. She cited serious traffic and safety concerns related to any such development in combination with others that are already going through on Weston Road and Delanson Circle.

Such an additional development, she said, could “exacerbate longstanding issues more common to large-scale urban settings.” Crowley has been involved with a neighborhood group dubbed Rescue Wellesley Square that’s opposed to the development.

Ulfelder followed Crowley’s comments, after being prompted by board member Beth Sullivan Woods to clarify where the board stands, by sharing the board’s latest thinking on this development effort.

“The board does not feel that this project should go forward at this time,” he said. “That is where we came out following a number of discussions after several years of trying to work through this project under the terms of the RFP.”

The board intends to elaborate further for the April 12 meeting.

Some eyes will be on Wellesley negotiations re: Tailby & Railroad lots

March 22, 2021 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

Wellesley’s Select Board will go into its secret room (aka, executive session) at the end of its March 22 meeting to discuss negotiations for the land lease of real estate with Trinity Financial at the Tailby and Railroad Commuter Parking Lots.

The Board voted in November of 2018 to enter negotiations with developer Trinity Financial Group for ground leases of the Tailby and Raillroad Avenue parking lots, which could wind up the sites of new luxury and mixed-income residential buildings, park space and even a theater and gallery space.

The Tailby/Railroad lot redevelopment project has been out of the public spotlight since the development team held a public forum in summer of 2019. Though a group dubbed Rescue Wellesley Square has kept tabs on the situation, concerned about the traffic and other impacts development plans would have.

The project has taken a back seat in light of COVID-19, and other town happenings. When asked for a status update last fall, the town’s spokeswoman said: “There are no significant updates to Tailby/RR project at this point. Both the Town and the developer remain committed to the project but due to the pandemic, the timeline has been pushed back considerably.”

It will be interesting to see what is said after negotiation discussions are held on Monday…

wellesley tailby lot — The Tailby Lot, which has largely been empty since the pandemic

Pinnacle Residential Properties: home for all stages in life

February 24, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

SPONSORED POST: Mary Beth and Jim Grimm are real estate agents at Pinnacle Residential Properties. Their area of expertise is working as a team to serve clients whose housing needs have changed over the years.

Significant changes such as moving are always tricky, regardless of age. If you are over the age of 50, your needs aren’t the same as a first-time homebuyer or seller. You might be looking to retire, downsize, or join an active adult community. There are a lot of challenges in making such a change.

The sale of a home can be very emotional and there is a lot to consider:

Life stage needs and wants—Factors such as favorite leisure activities, preferences for community, health, mobility, and amenities, are key considerations in what your next housing needs will be.

Housing choices—The 50+ age demographic want to stay close to their current home. Along with retirement, top reasons for selling are downsizing, and to be closer to family and friends. About 20% of this demographic are interested in active adult communities, which offer a range of services, social events, amenities, and life-style activities.

Keep it/toss it—One of the biggest challenges when making such a move is decluttering your home. This can become very emotional, but it can be made easier by creating a plan. Start with the easy stuff; schedule a regular time each day/week to work on the task; spend time to determine what is important to keep; don’t be a storage unit for others; and most importantly do not be afraid to ask for help.

The main focus of Mary Beth and Jim Grimm of Pinnacle Residential Properties is working with sellers and buyers in the 50+ age demographic. Mary Beth and Jim have the experience and expertise to meet the housing needs of their clients, which requires an expert understanding of their lifestyle and financial needs.

Mary Beth & Jim Grimm, Pinnacle — Jim & Mary Beth Grimm, Pinnacle

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