Special thanks to Jeff Oliver from Oliver Enterprise for the Touch-a-Truck portion of the event – it was a huge hit!
No one could resist the free ice-cream (especially Steve),
and the free shredding services proved that everyone is in spring cleaning mode - out with the old!
We enjoyed speaking with everyone who came through - we had many thoughtful questions and there was an enthusiasm that made it a truly enjoyable event for all.
Finally, we’d like to thank ALL of the vendors who put great effort into providing participants with their expert insight and free giveaways.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions or feedback regarding the event.
In the meantime, we will be posting more event photos, plus winners of the raffles will be announced
In case you missed it, Steve McKenna & The Home Advantage Team were featured in the Arlington Patch as part of an ongoing series focusing on small business owners in the city.
See what Steve has to say about some of the best things about Arlington, what he sees as the biggest struggle, and where he sees Arlington in the future.
Will you do anything special or have any special promotions on Small Biz Saturday?
As a real estate team (and a small business ourselves), we support our local Arlington businesses and organizations in a number of ways. We are a proud sponsor of the Regent Theater, and for Small Business Saturday we will be hosting a Facebook promotion. Anyone who likes our page on SMB will get 2 tickets to The Boston Children's Theater production of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" at the Regent on December 9 at 1 p.m. We have a limited supply, so will be on a first come first serve basis.
When did the business open?
Steve has been associated with Bowes Real Estate, Real Living for nearly 30 years and Bowes Real Estate has been a part of the community for over 70 years
What made you decide to go into this type of business? And why here?
Steve is originally from Allston and believes that being sincere and honest are the key to success in any industry. But real estate in particular is a business where a positive attitude and strong work ethic goes far. Steve lives and works in Arlington, has a deep understanding of home values, neighborhood dynamics, schools and all the critical factors that come into play when making important real estate decisions.
What do you like best about it?
Arlington is a town unlike any other, and its mix of social and cultural capital have made it one of the most sought-after suburbs in Greater Boston. As a densely populated town that enjoys many benefits of being close to Boston and public transportation, it also has a thriving business community of its own that makes it vibrant place to live and work. Young working professionals move here from the city because it's more affordable yet still has that urban feel. Families move here because of the good schools and kid-friendly amenities. Downsizers move here because of the vibrant arts scene. As we like to say, come for the city-like vibe, stay for the family-like atmosphere.
Biggest struggle?
Right now inventory a big struggle. There are so many buyers who want to live in Arlington, but there are a limited number of homes available on the market. This isn't unique to Arlington, in general, housing availability in Greater Boston is relatively low. So if you live in Arlington and are thinking of selling, this is a great time. Buyers on the other hand need to be savvy about the real estate process so they are prepared when something does become available that suits their needs.
What do you see for the future?
I think Arlington will continue to grow and evolve, but its identity which has diversity and culture at its core will always be there. We have so many smart, talented people in town with great ideas and a vision to make the community a strong one – both now and in the future.
Politics and business - how does it affect yours?
It doesn't, really. Buying or selling a home is such a personal endeavor. It does not really cross the realm into politics – unless you're talking interest rates. But even so, it generally stays under the political radar.
In case you missed it, Steve McKenna & The Home Advantage Team have a new look, some fresh color, and a new logo to reflect our personal, hands-on approach to real estate.
But you might find yourself wondering: Why, Steve?You’re already the #1 team in Arlington, why bother?
Good question. And one we thought some of you might have, so we’re going to tell you the story of our mission.
Once upon a time, a long, long, time ago (say, about 30 years), it was just Steve and his real estate dream. After a lot of working, networking, weekend open houses and many sold signs later, Steve created a successful business that required him to hire people so he could focus on providing the best possible client service.
Along came Erika to help with buyers and developers, Mitzi, to help with transaction coordination, additional agents Annie, Tracy, and Mike, Kristen for marketing, Donna for property coordination, and Carolyn for content and social media development.
Today, the business is not the one person show of 30 years ago,but awell-oiled teamthat has evolved to list and sell more homes than any other team in Arlington.
Such an evolution requires some freshening up. Could you imagine if Steve useda profile picture from 1985? We can’t either.
So we got together and brainstormed.
We talked about where the team has been, where it is now, and where we want it to go in the future. We drafted. We designed. We laughed.
We revised. And then we went for lunch because it was noon and we were hungry.
Many, many, (many) emails and iterations later, we have a collectivevisualfor who we are, and what we represent.
*THE LOGO:
The hands in the shape of a home. We really wanted to show that we care for our clients, and beyond that, we aretrulyprotectors of their best interests – whether it’s buying, selling, downsizing redesigning, or building. The hands in the shape of a homeconvey just that. Which naturally led us to…
THE TAGLINE:
Your Home is in Our Hands. Quite literally. We take the aggravation, stress, thousands of tasks and to-do’s that go along with buying or selling a home and we handle it all.
*THE COLORS:
Our main color is a navy blue (#21455 if you’re a design nerd like us) and it represents us in the truest sense: trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence. The green (#BDCC74 ) is tied to safety, freshness, and energy.
Our true colors, shining through.
**THE SELFIE
Yes, we have a standard team picture (see below): five standing in back, four sitting in front – say cheese! But we’re just not a standard team. We’re more dynamic than that. We like to work hard and have fun. The selfie pic is us. Sure, you’ll see the traditional team pic in some of our materials, but the selfie says, ‘The Home Advantage Team.’
Speaking of ‘The Home Advantage Team,’ we all know there’s no ‘I’ in ‘Team’, you’ll also notice ‘Steve McKenna’ is not part of the official logo name. Whaaaaattt???
Back up the bus.
Fear not, friends and clients. Steve isn’t going anywhere. He is still the master of all things real estate, and still our fearless leader. But back to one of the reasons why we have gone through this exercise - to emphasize the team.
We are always surprised when people don’t realize that whether you’re listing or just looking, you get the whole team - and all of the support staff - as part of the deal. All of that expertise, knowledge, and know-how, at no extra cost.
So that's where we are – full circle (also part of our theme, by the way).
Personal, professional service has been the foundation of our business for more than 30 years – and will continue now, and in the future.
We hope you like it.
Many thanks to our design and photography partners who helped us through this process.
*Design development and branding direction credit go to Anjehlina Marsh.
In case you missed it, Steve McKenna & The Home Advantage Team have a new look, some fresh color, and a new logo to reflect our personal, hands-on approach to real estate.
But you might find yourself wondering: Why, Steve?You’re already the #1 team in Arlington, why bother?
Good question. And one we thought some of you might have, so we’re going to tell you the story of our mission.
Once upon a time, a long, long, time ago (say, about 30 years), it was just Steve and his real estate dream. After a lot of working, networking, weekend open houses and many sold signs later, Steve created a successful business that required him to hire people so he could focus on providing the best possible client service.
Along came Erika to help with buyers and developers, Mitzi, to help with transaction coordination, additional agents Annie, Tracy, and Mike, Kristen for marketing, Donna for property coordination, and Carolyn for content and social media development.
Today, the business is not the one person show of 30 years ago,but awell-oiled teamthat has evolved to list and sell more homes than any other team in Arlington.
Such an evolution requires some freshening up. Could you imagine if Steve useda profile picture from 1985? We can’t either.
So we got together and brainstormed.
We talked about where the team has been, where it is now, and where we want it to go in the future. We drafted. We designed. We laughed.
We revised. And then we went for lunch because it was noon and we were hungry.
Many, many, (many) emails and iterations later, we have a collectivevisualfor who we are, and what we represent.
*THE LOGO:
The hands in the shape of a home. We really wanted to show that we care for our clients, and beyond that, we aretrulyprotectors of their best interests – whether it’s buying, selling, downsizing redesigning, or building. The hands in the shape of a homeconvey just that. Which naturally led us to…
THE TAGLINE:
Your Home is in Our Hands. Quite literally. We take the aggravation, stress, thousands of tasks and to-do’s that go along with buying or selling a home and we handle it all.
*THE COLORS:
Our main color is a navy blue (#21455 if you’re a design nerd like us) and it represents us in the truest sense: trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence. The green (#BDCC74 ) is tied to safety, freshness, and energy.
Our true colors, shining through.
**THE SELFIE
Yes, we have a standard team picture (see below): five standing in back, four sitting in front – say cheese! But we’re just not a standard team. We’re more dynamic than that. We like to work hard and have fun. The selfie pic is us. Sure, you’ll see the traditional team pic in some of our materials, but the selfie says, ‘The Home Advantage Team.’
Speaking of ‘The Home Advantage Team,’ we all know there’s no ‘I’ in ‘Team’, you’ll also notice ‘Steve McKenna’ is not part of the official logo name. Whaaaaattt???
Back up the bus.
Fear not, friends and clients. Steve isn’t going anywhere. He is still the master of all things real estate, and still our fearless leader. But back to one of the reasons why we have gone through this exercise - to emphasize the team.
We are always surprised when people don’t realize that whether you’re listing or just looking, you get the whole team - and all of the support staff - as part of the deal. All of that expertise, knowledge, and know-how, at no extra cost.
So that's where we are – full circle (also part of our theme, by the way).
Personal, professional service has been the foundation of our business for more than 30 years – and will continue now, and in the future.
We hope you like it.
Many thanks to our design and photography partners who helped us through this process.
*Design development and branding direction credit go to Anjehlina Marsh.
Are you tired of renting? Tired of monthly payments with nothing to show for it, but you’re not quite ready to move far from the city with a long commute? Then this is the place for you! Close to multiple modes of transportation, and easy access to Somerville, Cambridge and Boston, invest in your future and become an East Arlington [...]
You don't know what you don't know. And sometimes you think you know, until you find out you don't. And you know that's not good.
We work with clients from all walks of life with all types of backgrounds and expertise. They know lots of stuff we don't know, and we would never try to do what they do. For example, we wouldn't walk into a classroom and begin teaching high school math, or start making trades like a portfolio manager, or perform surgery like a surgeon from MGH. We KNOW we don't know these things - and that's OK.
Knowledge is power and it's important to have a baseline understanding of certain things -- like basic math skills, how to save your money, and when to apply a Band-aid with Neosporin. However there is a point when it's best to leave certain things to the experts (AP calculus, currency hedging, heart surgery).
Same goes for real estate. It is worthwhile to have an understanding of the real estate market and what it takes to buy and sell a home. You should know things like, your FICO score, closing costs and contingencies. But the complexity of real estate transactions is increasing. Changing regulations and fluctuating markets have made real estate logistically challenging, and what you don't know can leave you powerless to the implications (legal, financial, emotional).
We've been buying and selling homes for clients in Arlington for more than 25 years. We would never claim to know everything, but we sure know a lot about negotiating, pricing, location, value, timing - you name it - when it comes to real estate.
We know something you don't know. If you are thinking of buying or selling a home, the knowledge of The Home Advantage Team is your advantage in a competitive and ever-changing real estate market.
"Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't," - Bill Nye (The Science Guy)
Being a REALTOR® is not rocket science, nor is it brain surgery.
When you're sick, you want the best doctor, from the best hospital, with the best reputation. You want someone who has book smarts - went to medical school and has all the appropriate accreditations. And you want someone with street smarts - experience in the field and knows how communicate the best options for your situation.
Being a REALTOR® is easy. Being a great REALTOR® is what separates the best from the rest.
Annie Kelly has that unique mix of credibility, integrity, smarts, and people-skills. She has the book-smart background and street-smart experience that delivers results with a personalized approach for each and every client.
But don't take our word for it. See what Annie's clients have to say about her job well done.
Steve, Seller on 3 Johnson Ave. in Medford
From my initial meetings with Steve McKenna and Annie Kelly, to closing on the sale of my home in West Medford, I was greatly impressed by the market knowledge, expertise and professionalism of The Home Advantage Team. They are well-connected and know the neighborhood well. What's more, they are sincere, genuine and incredibly hard-working. As my primary contact, I particularly appreciated Annie's astute judgment, attentive follow-through, and thoughtfulness in helping guide the process smoothly from preliminary steps to a successful conclusion.
Mike & Melanie, Sellers on 33 Oakland Road in Melrose
I wanted to thank Steve McKenna and Annie Kelly of The Home Advantage Team. They were with us every step of the way selling our home, offering expert advice and in the end getting us top results. I completely trusted and committed to their process. They brought in a professional stager, who gave me a lot of work, but I did it! Annie held a broker event at our home the Thursday prior to the open house. After our open house weekend we received 11 offers!
All their staging suggestions really paid off. Steve and Annie helped us sift through the offers and guided us with their knowledge and experience. I remember being disappointed in the original list price but I decided to trust their process and in the end we sold for 16% over asking. I couldn't have been more pleased with our results, their advice and everything they did to get us to a smooth close. I would highly recommend Steve and Annie! Thanks for everything!
Actually, it's not the word on the street. It's the words on the Arlington Streets. Words like: professional, fun, knowledgeable, accommodating, go-to...
Tracy Wallace has been with The Home Advantage Team less than one year and already she's knocking it out of the park. We know Tracy has what it takes to be a top REALTOR® in Arlington, and so do her clients.
Here's what a few had to say - in their own words.
Jane, Massachusetts Ave. in Arlington
Tracy responded to my initial request for information very quickly. That quick response was followed by quick responses to every one of my questions throughout the transaction. Tracy not only acted like a professional but she was also fun to be with. That combination does not always exist. I would recommend Tracy to anyone who is looking for real estate in the Arlington area.
Steve and Kalina, Appleton Street in Arlington
Tracy was great! Unfailingly pleasant, helpful, accommodating, and knowledgeable about the property and the market. Now that the deal is done, she continues to be a warm and friendly presence around town and a go-to person when we need advice or have local questions.
Micah and Amanda, Glenburn Ave. in Arlington
We were first time-time home buyers, and given how daunting the process seemed-- and how important making the right decision was-- we were looking for a partner with a deep knowledge of the market and who worked on our behalf to find the right home. Tracy was exceptional to work with while she guided us to our dream home, and made the closing process as smooth as possible.
