Real Estate Showcase 2018 --final-updated

Is that ‘junk’ in your attic or
basement worth a fortune?
By StatePoint
From baseball cards and sports equipment
to postcards and toys, is that “junk”
in your attic or basement dusty treasure
or just dusty? We’ve all heard of families
getting rich from the sale of rare memorabilia.
So how can you tell if your stuff is
valuable and how can you sell it, if it is?
“The general rule is that the older the
item, the more valuable it is. 1980 is not
old. 1960 is kind of old. 1910 is old,” says
Al Crisafulli, Auction Director at Love of
the Game Auctions, an internet sports
auction house that has helped many
families identify and sell valuable items.
In one instance, Crisafulli determined
that a family’s baseball bat that spent
decades beside their front door to protect
from intruders, was actually used
by Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig -- and Love
of the Game Auctions sold it for them for
more than $430,000.
He is offering these tips to help determine
if your items are valuable:
ESTATE PLANNING:
• Wills & Trusts
• Power of Attorney
• Healthcare Proxy
• Homestead Protection
• Real Estate Protection
• Irrevocable Life Trusts
• Pre & Post Divorce
Estate Planning
• Life Insurance Trusts
• Tax Planning
• IRS/DOR Tax Resolutions
Baseball Cards
Cards from the 1960s and earlier are
collectible, and those from before the
1940s can be extremely pricey. Do they
have sharp corners, no creases and retain
original gloss? Do they depict star players
and Hall of Famers? A Babe Ruth, Ty
Cobb, Honus Wagner or Mickey Mantle
will sell for more than non-stars.
With particularly old cards from the
1880s and early 1900s, look for tobacco
and candy brands, such as Old Judge,
Piedmont, Sweet Caporal or American
Caramel. Unopened packs from almost
any era can be valuable.
HANSON ESTATE & ELDER LAW
PLANNING CENTER
TELEPHONE: 978-276-9030
Protect your loved ones with proper planning,
because doing nothing may be the most costly thing you ever do.
REAL ESTATE:
• Purchase & Sales Agreements
• Real Estate Closings
• Homestead Declarations
• Landlord/Tenant
BANKRUPTCY:
• Chapter 7
• Debt Negotiations
www.HansonLegal.com • E-mail:LHanson@HansonLegal.com • Facsimile: 978-276-9830
Park Place East, 348 Park Street, Suite 103, North Reading, MA 01864
Memorabilia & Equipment
Look for old advertising posters depicting
sports stars and food, tobacco or
sporting goods brands. This doesn’t mean
ads torn from magazines, but those used
as store displays and for other purposes.
Tin signs are highly collectible from the
1900s into the 1960s, but low-quality reproductions
aren’t. Pre-1950s catcher’s
masks, baseball gloves and bats can be
valuable, especially those endorsed by
star players. Condition is important but
used equipment can be valuable.
When you go to sell sports items, consider
a specialty auction, such as Love
of the Game, which has the expertise
to properly research sports pieces, and
maintains lists of bidders specializing
in this area so it can get top dollar for
these items. More information is available
at loveofthegameauctions.com.
Postcards
Postcards of your vacation destinations
likely are worthless. But those
depicting famous people, such as movie
star cards and vintage baseball postcards,
can be valuable. Look for early
“real photo” postcards from the 1900s
through the 1940s, which are photographs
printed on postcard backs. No
matter the type, the older, the better,
and the more famous, the better.
LONG TERM CARE PLANNING:
• Nursing Home and Asset Protection
• Mass Health Planning
• Medicaid Application
• Conservatorships & Guardianships
• Special Needs Trusts
ADOPTION • GUARDIANSHIP
Top tips and
decluttering
insights for
your next move
By StatePoint
Timothy P. Houten
Real Estate Attorney
Representing Buyers and Sellers
for over 35 years
978-774-0646
houtenlaw@yahoo.com
timhoutenlaw.com
Moving can be emotional and the ways
you manage it – including the downsizing
of your possessions – may be influenced
by your age, suggests a new study.
“From heirlooms to kitchen gadgets,
moving is one of the few times in life
when you’re forced to consider all your
possessions and decide what goes and
what stays,” says Pat Baehler, senior
vice president, Mayflower Moving. “It
can be a journey of ups and downs,
from feeling brief guilt over purging
gifts or older furniture, to pure joy in
remembering the story behind a family
heirloom and thinking of the memories
you’ll soon make in your new home.”
Baby boomers (64 percent) and Generation
Xers (60 percent) are more likely than
millennials (53 percent) to put an heirloom
in a safe place to pass along, according to
the 2018 Mayflower Mover Insights Study,
which explored different generations’ relationships
with their belongings. However,
millennials (17 percent) are more likely
than Generation Xers (12 percent) and
baby boomers (10 percent) to refurbish or
repurpose an heirloom into something new.
The survey, conducted by Mayflower,
which moves approximately 50,000 families
annually, also explored how Americans
feel about decluttering and purging
unused items: 80 percent of survey
respondents agree that clutter stresses
them out, and half declutter their living
space to feel more relaxed.
While such emotional stressors are
often unavoidable during a move, the
following tips from the experts at Mayflower
can help you ease the logistical
and financial burdens.
• Most people want to move on a Thursday
or Friday, so if you can move earlier
in the week there will likely be more
availability. Likewise, it’s best to move in
the early or middle part of the month, as
well as to avoid summer — the busiest
time for most moving companies.
• Prevent mishaps. Consider letting
Your Home Is Your Castle
Let Me Treat You Like Royalty
If you’re
thinking of selling,
now is the time.
Contact Elaine for a
Complimentary Home Evaluation
781-910-6454
• Specializing in Residential Homes
• Rave Reviews from Sellers and buyers
• 35 Years of Experience & Integrity you
can count on
• Skilled Negotiator
• Multi-Million Dollar Producer
• Full Service Marketing Plan
ELAINE FIGLIOLA
781-910-6454 elainefig3@hotmail.com elainefig.com
PHOTO | SOLISIMAGES/STOCK.ADOBE.COM
professionals pack breakable items.
• Help offset relocation costs by looking
into programs such as CityPointe,
provided by Mayflower, offering cash
back on the sale and purchase price of
your home.
• Of the millions of Americans that
move annually, fraud occurs in as many
as 3,000 cases. Don’t get scammed. Ask
for a moving quote from three companies
and don’t be hooked by the lowest
price. If one estimate is much lower than
the others, it could be a red-flag that
the company isn’t legitimate. Generally,
reputable moving companies will not require
a deposit, so don’t pay up-front.
For additional moving tips and tools,
visit Mayflower.com.
Northrup
Realtors
26 MAIN STREET
LYNNFIELD, MA 01940
PENNY MCKENZIE-VENUTO
REALTOR®, CBR®, SRES®
Direct: (781) 929-7237
Office: (781) 246-2100 Ext. 20
Fax: (781) 213-7983
Email: pgmckenzie@aol.com
Website: www.northruprealtors.com
10 | REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE SUMMER 2018 | 11