The time has come to list your home for sale and it is decision making time with regards to the inclusions and exclusions in your listing contract. What are you willing to leave for the buyer? What must you take with you due to sentimental value?

Should you exclude those items you want to take with you or should you remove them before the potential buyers see them and want them included?

Well, that depends. Sometimes those sentimental items such as chandeliers, mirrors, sconces, gazebos, patio furniture, etc. make your house show better while on the market. But you can be almost sure that the buyer will also love them and include them in the offer.

Sometimes there are chattels such as appliances, that are not mentioned in the listing as inclusions or exclusions. Many sellers feel these items are negotiating factors. If the price is right, the buyer can keep them. Often the seller (wife) wants new appliances in the new house anyway, so best to just include them in the sale.

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Planning a move but want to make sure it’s the kind of place that your canine family members will love? A little research reveals that a large number of American cities are striving to be dog friendly destinations. Which one is right for you and your best friend?

Boston, MA – Settled in 1630, Boston is one of our country’s oldest and most historic cities. If you’re visiting Boston in hopes of finding the perfect house, relax in knowing that an impressive number of Boston hotels allow dogs. Even hotels in the more upscale areas around Beacon Street, Boston Harbor and areas of Cambridge welcome well-behaved furry friends. For Boston residents, maneuvering around town with their leashed companions is a piece of cake. The Boston T subway line allows both large and small dogs.

Numerous water taxis and ferries also permit tail-wagging passengers, including the Salem Ferry catamaran, which makes the 45-minute trip to Salem, MA from Boston Harbor. Both you and your dog will enjoy boning up on Boston history on the Freedom Trail and Black Heritage Trail walking tours. Leashed, well-behaved dogs can also take a step back in time and see the city from a horse and carriage tour. The historic, tree-lined, sweeping campus greenways of both Harvard University and Boston College are excellent choices for a poochie picnic.

Elsewhere around Beantown, there are 5 off-leash parks and Carson Beach where leashed dogs can play in the surf from October until the end of May. Shopoholics will be pleased to know that several stores in downtown Boston love their pawed customers and there are quite a few pet boutiques and doggie bakeries to explore. Many of Boston’s eating establishments, such as Joe’s American Bar & Grill and the Salty Dog Seafood Grille, can seat canine companions outside with their owners for world-class people watching and al fresco dining.

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