Home and Garden, and Real Estate- February 12, 2023

PROJECT OF THE WEEK: Play structure has something for everyone, F3

IN THE GARDEN WITH LEE REICH: The plant anyone can grow, F4

ANTIQUES & COLLECTING: Robotics and antiques are a match made in heaven, F6

MORTGAGE RATES: Average mortgage rates inch back up, F7

WMASS DEEDS, F7

By Jerica P ender The Washington Post

IF HOME IS WHERE the hearth is, then what happens when the fires can’t be lit? The fireplace and hearth are often symbols of home, offering warmth, light and, historically, food and protection. They have been central to our dwellings since they were first constructed.

Not all fireplaces remain sound enough to host a fire, however. And as disappointing as that may seem, an unused fireplace doesn’t have to be a missed opportunity for a grand design.

Josh Young, a D.C. artist and designer, says fireplaces not only add architectural value to a room, but they also ground and center a space. “It really allows the person who enters a room to focus in” on the center of a room, Young says, “and it’s usually through a fireplace or mantel.”

Rather than ripping your hearth out or letting it languish, read on to see how manageable DIYs, bespoke lighting and simple tweaks, such as adding a mirror, can transform your black hole of unused space into the star of the room.

1. Make it a book nook Young filled a nonworking firebox with books in 2017, and the internet went crazy for it. West Elm invited him to style for it, and the fireplace full of books became “a whole thing on Pinterest,” he says.

Replicate his look by lining the bottom of the firebox with magazines to manage the soot-stained floor space, then stack your firebox with books of various sizes. “It can be a bit of a jigsaw as far as existing books you have or ones you may need,” Young says, but the result can act as a bookshelf. “There were many times I would reach in and pull out a book and read it,” he says. “It became almost like a library within itself.”

2. Make a faux log stack

The styled log stack is a

popular way to decorate an unused fireplace, but Morgan Spenla, founder of craft-kit company Crafter, came up with a brilliant way to fake it: the faux stacked facade.

Spenla chose not to fill her firebox with logs, she says, because “we didn’t want bugs or critters creating a home in a warm space full of wood.” Instead, she painted a thin piece of plywood with leftover chalkboard paint and glued wooden rounds of varying thickness.

She says her fireplace had a channel inside that kept her board upright, but there are countless ways to get the board to stay vertical depending on your fireplace’s design. She used a nail gun from the

backside to secure the glued rounds, because they kept sliding down.

When complete, it had the look of a firebox filled with logs, but it still had space to store items. Little pieces such as holiday decorations or even a safe would work well. A few woven baskets filled with throw blankets to create warmth and coziness completed the makeover.

3. Re-tile with style

Re-tiling your firebox is an immediate way to enliven and update the look of your fireplace. Rachel Lovell, a dried flower artist in Bristol, England, chronicled the process on her Instagram. She had a professional

remove the gas fireplace, then re-tiled the firebox on her own. Through YouTube, she learned to tile in a herringbone pattern, using paper

to mock up her space beforehand to ensure her cuts were exact. The result was a fresh and modern firebox, perfectly

Fireplaces styled with natural elements bring the outdoors in.

STOCKBRIDGE

Botanical garden programs

Berkshire Botanical Garden presents:

• Wednesday, Feb. 15, 6 to 7:30 p.m., “Turning Lawns into Meadows.” In this online class, landscape architect Owen Wormser will discuss the effect that lawns

Play structure has something for everyone

THE PERFECT

warm-weather project for do-it-yourselfers with kids or grandkids, this play structure has something for everyone. While kids see the obvious fort, treehouse, jungle gym, castle and pirate ship all rolled into one, grown-ups will appreciate the project’s subtler aspects—namely, it’s a safe, sturdy and creative place for kids to play, and it even looks nice.

The project’s built-in ladder leads to a six-foot-square platform (about five feet off the ground) covered by a colorful canvas top. There’s a smooth hardboard slide with a sandbox at the bottom, and another sandbox underneath the platform, in the shade.

The structure is built mostly from standard 4-by-4’s, 1-by-8’s and 1-by-6’s, and requires only basic tools. Although it’s not a small project, simple and sturdy postand-platform construction

keeps it within the scope of most woodworkers. And with similar play structures going for up to $2,000 in stores, do-it-yourselfers willing to put in the work will enjoy big savings.

The completed play structure stands a little more than 10 feet tall (at the peak of the gable).

The Play Structure plan, No. 839, is $9.95 and includes complete step-bystep directions with photos, traceable patterns, construction diagrams and a shopping list and cutting schedule. Please include $3.95 per order for postage and handling and allow about two weeks for delivery.

To order by mail, clip this article and send it with a check or money order to U-Bild Features, c/o (insert name of publication here), 741B Olive Ave., Vista CA 92083. To order by credit card, visit U-Bild on the web at u-bild.com.

and meadows have on the environment. Lawns make the largest irrigated “crop” in the country, and the adverse impact of their ecological footprint is staggering. Meadows offer the opposite effect, providing myriad ecological benefits including ongoing sequestering of carbon and significantly increased biological diversity. Meadows are more affordable than lawns, and with the right know-how they’re long-last-

ing, low-maintenance and very beautiful. Owen will discuss the benefits of native meadows, explain how to create thriving meadowscapes, and share strategies drawn from research and over 20 years of experience. Cost $15 members, $20 nonmembers;

• Friday, Feb. 18, 5 to 6 p.m., “26th annual Winter Lecture: Discovering Tokachi.” Midori Shintani, head gardener of Tokachi

Don and Dave Runyan | Project of the Week

The plant anyone can grow

TO ANYONE CLAIMing a non-green thumb: I have a houseplant that even you can grow. The most common problems in growing houseplants arise from improper watering. Too many houseplants suffer short lives, either withering in soil allowed to go bone dry between waterings, or gasping for air in constantly waterlogged soil. Worse off yet are those plants forced to alternately suffer from both extremes.

The plant I have in mind is called umbrella plant (Cyperus alternifolius) and requires no skill at all in watering. Because umbrella plant is native to shallow waters, you never need to decide whether or not to water. Water is always needed! The way to grow this plant is by standing its pot in a deep saucer which is always kept filled with a couple of inches of water. What could be simpler?

One caution, though. The top edge saucer does have to be below the rim of the pot. Umbrella plants like their roots constantly bathed in water, but not their stems.

Umbrella plant isn’t a homely

Fireplace

CONTINUES FROM PAGE F2

plant, sacrificing good looks for ease of care. The plant grows as a graceful clump of bare, slender stems, each stem capped with a whorl of leaves that radiate out like the ribs of a denuded umbrella. The stems are two to four feet tall, and each leaf four to eight inches long.

A dwarf form of the plant, botanically C. albostriatus, grows only a foot or so high, and has grassy leaves growing in amongst the stems at the base of the plant. There also is a variegated form of umbrella plant, C. alternifolius Variegatus, and a wispy one with especially thin leaves and stems.

Umbrella plants are not finicky about care other than watering. They grow best in sunny windows, but will get along in any bright room. As far as potting soil, your regular homemade or packaged mix will suffice. Umbrella plants like a near-neutral pH, as do most other houseplants.

The plants do require periodic repotting as they begin to crowd their pots. At that time, a large plant either can be shifted to a yet larger pot, or new

suited to her style.

4. Stage a serene scene

Pillar-candle-filled fireboxes are popular, but Kymberly Glazer, director of marketing and sales for the Decorative Plumbing and Hardware Association, had a fresh idea for adding an element of drama, dimension and height. She found a maker on Etsy who could create the custom candle risers she had in mind - and for less money than the mass-produced items she found.

Glazer says she and her husband renovated their first floor when they bought their place, but purposefully kept the nonworking fireplace as a focal point. She says it doesn’t make economic sense to install a gas insert in their New Orleans climate, but she loves the fireplace nonetheless.

plants can be made by dividing the large clumps into smaller clumps and potting each of them separately.

One way wild umbrella plants propagate is by taking root where their leaves touch ground when the stems arch over. This technique can be mimicked to propagate an umbrella plant indoors. Fold the leaves down around the stem with a rubber band, as if you were closing the umbrella. Cut the stem a few inches below the whorl of leaves and poke the umbrella, leaves pointing upward, into some potting soil — kept constantly moist, of course.

Though you may be unfamiliar with the umbrella plant, you probably have come across its near-relatives either in the garden or in literature. One relative is yellow nutsedge (C. esculentum), a plant usually considered a weed and inhabiting wet soils all the way from Maine down to the tropics. But esculentum in the botanical name means “succulent,” and refers to the sweet, nut-like tubers the plant produces below ground. I grow this plant, and

5. Create a fairy-light fantasy

Hattie Kolp, an interior design content creator in New York City, used fairy lights, or small string lights, in her firebox to achieve the ambiance of a roaring fire. “My apartment is from 1890, and my [gas] fireplaces have these really gorgeous original tile and iron inserts,” she says. Though the fireplaces no longer work, Kolp wanted to emulate the coziness they once provided and highlight their original features, such as the faux logs. Her solution was to wrap a “very long” strand of string lights around the logs and up to the top of the firebox to create the look of licking flames. To achieve some height with the strand, “I wrapped them around a hook I stuck up inside the chimney,” she says.

now consider it quite esculentum, although if it takes over the garden I may also call it a weed. Umbrella plant’s other famous relative is papyrus (C. papyrus), a plant that once grew wild along the Nile River. In ancient times, papyrus was used not only to make paper, but also to build boats and as food. Papyrus looks much like

6. Add a shelving unit

A fireplace makeover should take its cues from the room and from your functional needs. Kelly-Jeanne Lee, an urban homesteader in Atlanta, nailed this concept in her child’s bedroom by installing a perfectly sized shelving unit into the unused fireplace. “Adding this bookcase felt like the best use of the space,” she wrote in an Instagram post, “and then filling it was a joy.”

7. Add mirrors

Mirrors can have a big effect on a room, especially in a small space. Young used custom-cut mirrors to line his firebox, but stick-on mirror tiles are an easy DIY option, too. He says mirrors not only reflect light but also reflect the next room in open-concept designs. They add interest and make it seem

the umbrella plant, and being subtropical, also would make a good houseplant. But with stems that may soar to 15 feet in height, this species is to tall for my living room.

Any gardening questions? Email garden@leereich.com and I’ll try answering them. Come visit my garden at www. leereich.com/blog

as if there’s something beyond the fireplace niche.

You can style with mirrors when something is in the fireplace, too. Young chose natural wood, but statement pieces such as the stone slab or oversize vase that Emma Lee of London photographed would also complement a mirror-lined firebox.

“Just have fun with it,” Young says. He has long loved fireplaces and mantels; he and his husband bought a 1730s home that was once called Hearth House because of the large number of fireplaces, and his forthcoming book features nine of them.

“They just speak to me,” he says, “and I don’t care if they’re functioning or not functioning, because I’ll find a way to make them interesting.”

No need to worry about when to water an umbrella plant. ( LEE REICH)

Lovell re-tiled her fireplace niche. (RACHEL LOVELL)

Terry & Kim Kovel | Antiques & Collecting

Robotics and antiques are a match made in heaven

ROBOTS MAY

sound like current cutting-edge technology or science-fiction dreams of the future, but automated mechanical creatures have captured people’s imaginations for centuries. Animals and music were always popular themes.

Legends say that King Solomon surrounded his throne with mechanical animals, including lions that would raise their paws and roar when he approached and birds that would descend to give him his crown and a scroll. Hero of Alexandria, a mathematician from the first century, wrote a treatise called “On Automaton-Making” with designs for a water basin with singing birds among other inventions.

There are records from the Middle Ages and Renaissance of clever inventors in Europe and Asia creating mechanical animals and musicians. Despite all this innovation, the “Golden Age of Automata” did not arrive until the 19th century. Technology had advanced enough to make automata accessible outside of royal palaces, but not so much that the novelty had worn off. All kinds of automata were made with different levels of complexity, from pictures with moving paper figures to life-size three-dimensional mechanical puppets.

Music boxes with mechanical features were popular, too. A favorite style was the singing bird, like this one that sold for $4,560 at Morphy Auctions. It was made in Germany in the late 19th century and winds with a key. When it is wound, a small bird with red feathers pops out of the enameled box to chirp and flap its wings.

Q. My brothers and I inherited a picture that had been hanging in my grandparents’ home until they died. It’s a work by Grandma Moses. A stamp on the back says “No. 1216, Subject: Early Spring (the rest is illegible) Artist Grandma Moses.” Unfortu-

nately, there is a small bit of damage to the lower right corner of the picture. Can you tell me what it is worth?

A.

Anna Mary Robertson

Moses (1860-1961), an American folk artist, was known as Grandma Moses. She began painting when she was 77 years old. She did paintings of rural scenes she called “old timey” and sold them for a few dollars each. Her work became well known after an art collector bought several of her paintings in 1939. She did hundreds of paintings during her lifetime, and they have been reproduced many times. Some of her original paintings have sold for several thousand dollars, and some are in museums. The picture you have, “Early Springtime on the Farm,” was painted in 1945. The number means it was probably part of a limited edition. Many reproduction prints sell for $5 to $10, but with damage the value would be less. Your picture would have to be seen to be properly evaluated. Take it to an art gallery or museum to see if they can tell you if it is real or a reproduction.

Q. I enjoy reading your column in our newspaper. I have a Boy Scout handbook, “Revised Edition, 13th Printing, One Hundred Thousand Copies.” It has a list of copyrights from 1911 to 1930. It is in fair condition. The cover and first page are torn, and the back is taped. What is it worth?

A. The Boy Scouts of America started in 1910. The first handbook, titled “The Official Handbook for Boys,” was published in 1911. The title of the handbook has been changed several times. From 1927 to 1948, it was “Revised Handbook for Boys.” The copyright dates in your handbook indicate it was printed in 1930 or shortly after. A Norman Rockwell painting called “Spirit of America,” originally made for a 1929 Boy Scout calendar,

was used for the cover art on the handbook from 1927 through 1937. It pictures the profile of a Boy Scout against a blue background with profiles of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln,

Teddy Roosevelt, Charles Lindbergh, a frontiersman and an American Indian. Copies in poor condition usually sell for $10 or less.

Q.Can you tell me the value

of a Tiffany ID bracelet? The ID plate is attached to a mesh stretch band. The plate is engraved “NY,” “T & Co” and “1837” and is attached by two pieces, one marked “steel” and the other “T & Co., Italy.”

Is it a music box, a toy, a showpiece or a robot? Wind it with a key, and a feathery bird pops out to chirp and flutter in a lifelike way. ( COWLES SYNDICATE INC.)

CURRENT PRICES

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.

Card set, Funny Valentine, multicolor illustration and inscription on front, insult on reverse, black and white with red accents, Topps, 1959, 66 pieces, $85.

Rookwood pottery vase, standard glaze, shaded brown, leaves and orange berries around shoulder, bulbous, flared neck, No. 488E, marked and signed, Sallie Toohey, 6 x 5 1/2 inches, $185.

Textile, tapestry, millefleur, two figures in medieval style dress, man standing, arm extended, woman seated, hands raised, floral and leafy ground, banded border, lined, mounted, Continental, 54 x 43 inches. $330.

Paper, Valentine, cutwork, watercolor, red, yellow, green, ring of eight hearts around center medallion, inscription in each heart, swags, stylized flowers, painted frame, 19th century, 11 inches, $500.

Glass, contemporary, vase, cylindrical, horizontal stripes, painted metallic oxides, etched lozenges, matte finish, signed, Isgard Moje-Wohlgemuth, Germany, 1982, 18 1/2 x 8 inches, $575.

Furniture, table, Pembroke, Sheraton, mahogany, shaped drop leaves, drawer, reeded tapered legs, brass caster feet, New York, c. 1805, 29 x 22 x 26 inches, 10 1/4 inch leaves, $625.

Scent vial, pillow shape, allover raised scrolls and flowers, scroll handles, old European cut diamond, oval ruby on reverse, hinged lid, short chain, 14K gold, 1 1/4 inches, $810.

Teddy bear, Teddy Baby replica, brown fur, stitched nose, red collar, yellow tag in ear, Steiff, 1980s, 11 inches. $945.

Watch, hunting case, Riverside, engraved, multicolor accents, black outlines, Roman numerals, subdial, 18K gold, marked, K & U, American Watch Company, c. 1875, $1,355.

Tiffany vase holder, bronze dore, openwork, 10 petals, beaded, leafy scrolls, Favrile glass inserts, No. 1733, marked, Tiffany Studios, 14 inches, $4,375.

A. Your bracelet is part of Tiffany’s 1837 collection, which commemorates the company’s beginning in 1837. Each piece is inscribed with that year. Charles Lewis Tiffany and James B. Young founded Tiffany & Young, a stationery and fancy goods store, in New York in 1837. The company began selling imported jewelry in 1844. The company began selling its own jewelry and silver in 1848. Charles Tiffany took over the business in 1853 and renamed it Tiffany & Company. Your bracelet is made of stainless steel. It originally came in a Tiffany blue felt pouch and matching blue box. These bracelets sell for $115 or more, depending on condition. With the original packaging, some have sold for $175 to $230.

TIP: Spray the inside of a glass flower vase with nonstick food spray. It will keep the water from staining the glass.

Terry Kovel and Kim Kovel answer 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 closeup 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, (Name of this newspaper), King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 or email us at collectorsgallery@ kovels.com.

Average long-term US mortgage rates inch up after declines

By M att O tt Associated Press

THE AVERAGE

long-term U.S. mortgage rate ticked up slightly last week after four weeks of declines, a possible sign of stability that could draw in home shoppers with spring buying season weeks away.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average on the benchmark 30-year rate inched up to 6.12% this week from 6.09% last week. The average rate a year ago was 3.69%.

The average long-term rate reached a two-decade high of 7.08% in the fall as the Federal Reserve continued to raise its key lending rate in a bid to cool the economy and and bring down stubborn, four-decade high inflation.

At its first meeting of 2023 last week, the Fed raised its benchmark lending rate by a quarter point, its eighth increase in less than a year. That pushed the central bank’s key rate to a range of 4.5% to 4.75%, its highest level in 15 years.

While acknowledging that some measures of inflation have eased, Fed Chair Jerome Powell appeared to suggest last week that he foresees two additional quarter-point rate hikes this year. Though those rate hikes do impact borrowing

rates across the board for businesses and families, rates on 30-year mortgages usually track the moves in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing loans. Investors’ expectations for future inflation, global demand for U.S. Treasurys and what the Federal Reserve does with interest rates can also influence the cost of borrowing for a home.

The big rise in mortgage rates during the past year has devastated the housing market, with sales of existing homes falling for 11 straight months to the lowest level in more than a decade. Higher rates can add hundreds of a dollars a month in costs for homebuyers, on top of already high home prices.

The National Association of Realtors reported earlier this month that existing U.S. home sales totaled 5.03 million last year, a 17.8% decline from 2021. That is the weakest year for home sales since 2014 and the biggest annual decline since 2008, during the housing crisis of the late 2000s.

The rate for a 15-year mortgage, popular with those refinancing their homes, rose this week to 5.25% from 5.14% last week. It was 2.93% one year ago.

Deeds

AGAWAM

Alexandr I. Zgerya and Belana H. Mashitlova to Valentine Bialecki and Cristal Bialecki, 44 Greenock St., $320,000.

Alycar Investments LLC, to Bruce Arnold, trustee, and 232 Meadow Realty Trust, trustee of, 232 Meadow St., $350,000.

Charles W. Gibbs Jr., to Patricia Oliver and Robert Oliver Jr., 26 Castle Hill Road, Unit 26D, $280,000.

Christina M. Climo to Vincenzo Martino, 76 Corey Colonial, $210,000.

Hyman G. Darling, trustee, and David A. Ladizki Revocable Indenture Of Trust Of, trustee of, to D&A LLC, 54 Suffield St., $230,000.

Justin Mercieri, representative, Lorrie A. Rousseau, estate, and Lorrie Ann Mercieri, estate, to Donna-Danko Laporte and Francis Michael Bushey, 471 Meadow St., $240,000.

AMHERST

Victor E. Guevara to Victor E. Guevara and Michelle Fame, 552 Flat Hills Road, $100.

Deborah L. Anderson, trustee, and Pocomo Road Nominee Trust to Kevin O’Brien and Mary O’Brien, 260 Leverett Road, $300,000.

BELCHERTOWN

Bette J. Hess to Gina M. Lord and Brett F. Lord, 111 Daniel Shays Highway, $100. Laliberte Home Builders Inc., to Christopher M. Stoddard, trustee, Michael P. Stoddard Family Irrevocable Trust and Patricia M. Stoddard Family Irrevocable Trust, 9 Sabin St., $739,000.

BUCKLAND

Susan E. Atherton to Susan E. Ath-

erton and Paul R. Sabin, trustees of the Atherton Farm 2023 Trust, 147 Ashfield Road, $100.

CHESTER

Susan Kucharski to Ann T. Russell, 45 Lynes Road, $117,000.

CHICOPEE

Antonio Valdez Cabral to Chi Dinh, 8 Pleasantview Ave., $235,000. At Home Properties LLC, At Homes Properties LLC, and Daniel P. Stamborski to Emmanuel Andujar, 19 Marten St., $390,000.

D Murphy Properties LLC, to Scott Motyka and Louise Motyka, 17 Woodbridge Road, Unit 17, $198,500.

Edward P. Katz Living Trust, trustee of, Susan J. Katz, trustee, and Lawrence B. Katz, trustee, to Katz Grattan LLC, 307 Grattan St., $100.

Emtay Inc., to April Corrine Tremblay-Davis, 57 Edbert St., $237,500.

Frank W. Valley and Julia T. Valley to Nicole Valley and Camilo Palacio, 73 Cyman Drive, $310,000.

John J. Ferriter, representative, and Richard H. Dandurand, estate, to J & R Homes Corp., 521-523 Springfield St., $172,300.

Ryan L. King, Amanda V. King and Amanda V. Wilcox to Hillary R. Ladeau, 44 Gardner Road, $270,000.

Sandra Dacier, Sandra J. Kaufmann and Sandra J. Kaufman to Roberto Manuel Rodriguez, 71 Acrebrook Drive, $275,000.

COLRAIN

High Pocket LLC, to Deborah Hamilton and Richard E. Hamilton, 72 Calvin Coombs Road and 22 Adams Place, $12,000.

DEERFIELD

Cynthia A. Sanderson, personal representative of the Estate of

Maryanne Ciesluk, to Barbara E. Ciesluk, 348 Pine Nook Road, $80,000.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Bruce R. Atkinson to John W. Stevens, 316 Somers Road, $186,903.

Joseph A. Giannetti to Eddie W. Leverett and Teresa Copeland Leverett, 171 Prospect St., $404,000.

Taylor M. Arrington to Niloofar S. Ghasemi, 377 Elm St., $255,000.

Tini-Jekejo Inc., and Tini-Tekejo Inc., to 595 North Main LLC, 595 N. Main St., $385,000.

EASTHAMPTON

Keystone Enterprises LLC, to 122 Pleasant Street LLC, 122 Pleasant St., $2,746,624.

Brian G. Lagueux to Joseph Erminio Cecchi and Kelly Elizabeth Hickey, 9 Garfield Ave., $351,000.

Wicked Deals LLC, to Villamora Homes LLC, 5 Plaza Ave., $279,900. 8 Industrial Parkway LLC, to D & R Mangement Co LLC, Industrial Parkway, $20,000.

Jonathan M. Conly to Jonathan M. Conly, trustee, and Jonathan M. Conly Trust, 11 Fort Hill Road, $100.

GILL

Deryl S. Young and Earl N. Young Jr., to Gong Hyun On, 61 South Cross Road, $70,000.

Alden D. Booth, trustee of the Alden D. Booth Investment Trust, and Elisabeth B. Greenough, trustee of the Elisabeth B. Greenough Investment Trust, to Cristina M. Marcalow and Robert B. Marcalow, 326 Main Road, $260,000.

GRANBY

Michael J. Curran to Brian J. Nash, 7 Sherwood Drive, $100.

Robert F. Sheehan Jr., and Nicholas R. Sheehan to Brianna Martin, 150

origination. Lock Days: 30-60. Annual percentage rates (APRs) are based on fully indexed rates for adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs). The APR on your specific loan may differ from the sample used. Fees reflect charges relative to the APR. If your down payment is less than 20% of the home’s value, you will be subject to private mortgage insurance, or PMI. FHA mortgages include both UFMIP and MIP fees based on loan amount of $165,000 with 5% down payment. VA mortgages include funding fees based on loan amount of $165,000 with

Deeds

LONGMEADOW

Taylor St., $100.

Brianna Martin to Robert F. Sheehan Jr., Nicholas R. Sheehan and Scott Sheehan, 150 Taylor St., $100.

Susan G. Therrien, trustee, John H. Therrien, trustee, and Trust Therrien Family 2010 Revocable, trustee of, to Brian Schumacher and Adora Phillips, 34 Woodlawn Place, $473,000.

to Elizabeth I. Read, trustee, Elizabeth I. Read Living Trust, Samuel E. Read, and Caroline M. Ciocca, 5 Pomeroy Terrace, $32,000.

Richard E. Krzanowski and Richard A. Krzanowski, attorney-in-fact, to Richard A. Krzanowski and Jason A. Krzanowski, Middle Road, $100.

ment LLC, to Maileen Moya, 12 King St., $240,000.

Peter J. Kaufmann to Alexandra Riddle, 89 Sawmill Road, $319,000.

GREENFIELD

Pamela Zellers Kinsmith to Marley J. Balasco and Anne Lasek, “aka” Anne J. Lasek, 93 Homestead Ave., $325,000.

Jessica D. Moody and Richard C. Moody to Ryan P. Johnston, 313 Deerfield St., $220,000.

Walter I. Tompkins, Jr., individually and as trustee of the Tompkins Nominee Trust, to Alexandru Teaca and Irina Teaca, 123 Wells St., $90,000.

HADLEY

Kenneth A. Mundt, personal representative, and Jean A. Mundt, estate, to Kendra Kaczenski Cross and Robert M. Cross Jr., 12 Sunrise Drive, $425,000.

HAMPDEN

Courtney Lyn Gilrein to David O. Rodriguez, 395 Wilbraham Road, $240,000.

HATFIELD

Michael D. Antosz, Michael D. Antosz Jr., and Elizabeth A. Antosz to Jenny Miriam Morrison, 87 Elm St., $357,000.

HOLLAND

Obar Development Inc., to JNJ Properties LLC, 487 Mashapaug Road, $1,590,000.

HOLYOKE

Allen G. Croteau to Casa Bonita Apartments LLC, 32 View St., $339,000.

Consurgo Properties LLC, to Steliano Properties LLC, 17-19 Forestdale Ave., $180,000.

Edwin M. Lopez to Nereida Badillo, 73 Newton St., $130,000. Karen Baush, representative, and Mary S. Baush, estate, to Irene G. Feliciano, 207 West Franklin St., $229,000.

Nicholas P. Boccio to Ian M. Natoli and Billie St. Pierre-Natoli, 12B Maple Crest Drive, $115,000.

Silver Homes LLC, and Jones United LLC, to MotherFlippers Realty LLC, 119 Newton St., $72,000.

Wilson Family Trust, trustee of, and Senga Densmore, trustee, to Nola Management LLC, 82 Massachusetts Ave., $185,000.

LUDLOW

Craig T. Vermes, trustee, Rachie J. Vermes, trustee, Craig T. Vermes Living Trust, trustee of, and Rachie J. Vermes Living Trust, trustee of, to Aydogan Oflu, 93 Kendall St., $250,000.

Glen W. Shenkin to Kathleen F. Jones and Kathleen Frances Jones, 25 Bliss St., $150,000.

Grace Estates LLC, to Veteran Stan LLC, 60 Blanchard Ave., $130,000.

Johnathan F. Bachta and Ariana P. Becker to Candon Thomas Needham and Kelsey Emmett, 88 Motyka St., $266,000.

MONROE

Allan G. McLain to Bryan F. Albano and Diego R. Honegger, Moores Road Extension, $32,000.

MONSON

Lawrence M. Goodyear, Amy E. Peck and Amy E. Goodyear to Jeffrey Johnston and Anna E. Johnston, 38 Old Stagecoach Drive, $441,000.

MIDDLEFIELD

Cory M. Learned to Jennifer Laura Coico and Daniel Meadow, 32 Chester Road, $180,000.

NORTHAMPTON

Henry G. Walz and Susan Grant to Ryan Richardson and Gianna Viola, 32 Masonic St., $150,000.

Joseph T. Smith and Natalie Baker to Emily Caplan, Emily B. Caplan, Kyle Blocher and Kyle S. Blocher, 2 Shepherds Hollow Road and 228 Chesterfield Road, $645,000.

Sherry H. McKenney and A. Darryl McKenney to Sherry McKenney, trustee, and Sherry McKenney Revocable Trust, 16 Ford Crossing, $100.

Navaporn Zivasatianrach and N. Zivasatianrach to Anna Hogeland and Shelby Kinney-Lang, 201 Grove St., $555,000.

Elizabeth I. Read, trustee, and Elizabeth I. Read Living Trust

MS Homes LLC, to Richard Ross, 241 Glendale Road, $580,000. Strong Ave LLC, to Taylor Florence Re Holdings II LLC, 15-17 King St., $800,000.

Emerson Way LLC, to Elissa J. Campbell and Robert P. Campbell, 793A Burts Pit Road, $225,000.

NORTHFIELD

Polly Gray, Julie Severance, “aka” Julie M. Severance, Milton Severance, “aka” Milton D. Severance, and Stephen Severance, “aka” Stephen D. Severance, to Stephen Severance, 52 Pierson Road, $225,000.

Yong-Zhi Mei to Jayshalee Whiteman and Jonathan Whiteman, 153 School St., $330,000.

Allison J. Bell to Elizabeth H. Sillin, 74 Highland Ave., $100. Elizabeth H. Sillin to Allison J. Bell and Bernard Liling, 74 Highland Ave., $100.

ORANGE

James E. Gallagher to ASZ Projects Group Real Estate LLC, 38 Smith Ave., and 37 New Athol Road, $500,000.

PALMER

Kevin P. Burdick Jr., to Samantha Elizabeth Prescott and Scott Reed, 2062 Pleasant St., $235,000.

Maria A. Donato to Kailee Savage-Rule, 4275 High St., $215,000.

SHELBURNE

Janet J. Weismann, trustee of the JJW Greenfield Nominee Trust, to Michael Ball and Joy Gates, 152 Shelburne Center Road, $1,000,000.

SOUTH HADLEY

Robert J. Schroeter to Dylan R. Delaney and Kassandra C. Natal, 2 Lesperance Court, $165,000.

SOUTHAMPTON

Charon A. Croney and David M. Croney to Julia Lajoie and Michael Lajoie, 105 Strong Road, $395,000.

David Garstka Builders LLC, to Timothy P. Norton and Diana M. Norton, 3 Fitch Farm Way, $635,000.

SOUTHWICK

Dawn McBride, representative, Lynn E. Solek, estate, Lynn Elizabeth Solek, estate, Tracey L. Solek, representative, Deric A. Solek, estate, and Deric Anthony Solek, estate, to Jeremy Lafleche, 91 Powder Mill Road, $195,000.

Wilfred A. Halpy and Loriann Montovani to Michael J. Halpy, 8 Wynnfield Circle, Unit 8, $355,000.

SPRINGFIELD

Amat Victoria Curam LLC, to Onstar Properties AA LLC, 46-48 Bancroft St., $250,000.

Antonio Rocco and An Rocco to Christy S. Bass, 15 Marengo Park, Unit 15, $169,000.

Ashley Jones to Jennifer Nnanna, 95-97 Beaumont St., $306,000.

Bretta Construction LLC, to Sheikh Z. Ahmed and Fakhra Tariq, 1304 Sumner Ave., $439,900.

City View Property Services LLC, to Aladino Gonzalez Gabin, 73-75 Sylvan St., $250,000.

Castle Headquarters Inc., and Nova Home Improvements Inc., to William Todd Kilgore and Abdelrahman Hussien Darwish, 36 Devens St., $265,000.

Elizabeth N. Shea to Gloria Polcano De Robles, 109 Roy St., $225,000.

Emmett P. Jordan to Oliver Figuereo and Solkeren Figuereo, 282 Quincy St., $115,000.

Fabricio Ochoa and Jill Ochoa to Real Estate Investments Northeast LLC, 23-25 Hiawatha St., $135,000.

Galang Nguyen, Thu Minh Nguyen and Thu Minh Nugyen to John T. Driscoll and Andrea J. Driscoll, 20 Briarcliff St., $312,000.

Gary A. Daula to Monika Brodnicka, 31 Rupert St., $362,500.

Herman C. Frick to Jelisa Martin, 107 Mayflower Road, $240,000.

Janice R. Jackson-Moore, Janice R. Jackson and Denise R. Dunn-Jackson to Wendys Cordero and Zareb Malone, 267 Boston Road, $270,000.

JoeJoe Properties LLC, to Christian Jesus Luciano Vidal, 747 Saint James Ave., $220,000.

Lestina J. Rucks, representative, and Roy Burnett Rucks Jr., estate, to Beacon Home Buyers LLC, 47 Clydesdale Lane, $140,000.

Blythewood Property Manage -

Phoenix Development Inc., to Claudia M. Montijo, 1283 Carew St., $247,000.

Raquel Rodriguez and Raquel Rodriugez to Jimarri J. Scott, 80 Braddock St., $210,000.

Revampit LLC, to Rachel L. Gravel, 25 Daviston St., $262,400.

Rolando Antonio Vasquez-Rosa to Iris Cabral, 48 Abbe Ave., $250,000.

Silverio A. Tavarez to Yeiler A. Tavarez Medrano, 22-24 Keith St., $270,000.

Suzanne Maynard to Jose D. Batista Garcia, 668-670 Carew St., $260,000.

Techia Lamoure Francis to Patrice N. Wallace and Sabina Wallace, 44 Ellsworth Ave., $200,000.

Tiffany Galvin Green to Fumi Realty Inc., 38 Fox Wood Drive, $187,500.

SUNDERLAND

GB Jackson Inc., to Gillikin LLC, 5 Clark Mountain Road, $1,800,000.

WARE

David Edward Fisher and Kathie Jean Terry to Kelsey Lynn Paterwic, 108 Bondsville Road, $400,000.

Debra A. Witt, trustee, and 82 Greenwich Road Realty Trust to Joseph E. Lenkarski, 82 Greenwich Road, $100,000.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Country Club Partners LLC, to Cardinal Homes Inc., 2233 Westfield St., $120,000.

Dhan Biswa, Dhan Bahadur Biswa, Ambika Rapal Baral, Ambika Biswa and Saroj Baral to Timothy M. Bourbeau and Donna Bourbeau, 1228 Amostown Road, $380,000.

Lisa A. Ferri to Lisa A. Ferri and James Bradley Jr., 15-17 Hampden St., $100.

Mary D. Link to Nicholas P. Boccio, 474 Cold Spring Ave., $95,000.

Terrence Clark and Barbara Clark to Nuran Cerkezkus, 92 Prospect Ave., $234,000.

WESTFIELD

Cameron R. Sevigne and Kayla J. Reno to Charles R. Galaska, 98

CONTINUED FROM PAGE F7 SEE DEEDS, PAGE F9

9 tips for creating a home that is safe for aging in place

By K ristin Luna The Washington Post

AFTER MY FATHER had a debilitating stroke when he was 64, my mom, sister and I found ourselves scrambling to adapt my parents’ home to his new needs.

We removed any obstructions in the main walking paths and added an adaptive seating device to reduce the fall potential when he’d get up and down from his perch in front of the TV.

It could have been worse, though. Thankfully, the house was built for my grandparents in 2007 with an eye toward aging in place. It already had handrails in the entryway and primary suite, as well as zero-threshold showers with a bench

Notes

CONTINUED FROM PAGE F3

Millennium Forest, who will introduce Tokachi, which has inspired a unique modern garden movement in Japan. Midori will share how she and her team have nurtured the native forests and cultivated garden areas through the seasons.

She will also explain how her gardening methods are rooted in the accumulated wisdom of the ancient Japanese belief of mother culture, and how she has built a solid partnership with garden designer Dan Pearson and her garden team. Cost is $30 members, $35 nonmembers.. For more information, or to register, visit www. berkshirebotanical.org; Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 West Stockbridge Road.

Deeds

CONTINUED FROM PAGE F8

Berkshire Drive, $231,000.

Farrelly Family Realty Trust, trustee of, and Gerard M. Farrelly, trustee,

and nonslip flooring, among other safety features. We were grateful that those upgrades were already there, but in hindsight, we could have been better prepared. It’s never too early to start thinking about how your home can adapt to meet your changing needs over time, as well as what modifications might be required to make it safer, easier to use and more accessible, says Melissa Birdsong, an interior designer and the board chairwoman of Raleigh Village East, a nonprofit organization focused on helping people age in place.

“Plan it, do it and enjoy the benefits of a home that is easier to use now,” says Birdsong, 73. “And remember that you can make these changes and still maintain

NORTHAMPTON Orchid Show

The Amherst Orchid Society is having their annual Orchid Show after a 2 year hiatus. The show will take place on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Smith Vocational High School. There will be displays of blooming orchids from local growers as well as growers from other New England societies. Commercial growers will have plants for sale as well. For more information visit https://amherstorchidsociety.org/club-events/ our-show-sale/

WEST SPRINGFIELD West Springfield Garden Club meeting

The West Springfield

to Samantha Bernardi, 60 Mill St., $325,000.

Gary S. Olszewski, trustee, Gary O. Family Trust, trustee of, Frederick

M. Olszewski and Barbara L. Chiampa to David Bolio Jr., and Thomas Lee Wright, 49 Yankee Circle,

the style of your home. A safe home will increase its value and be more comfortable and more accessible for you, for other seniors

Garden Club will meet on Thursday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m. at Storrowton Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave. After a short business meeting, the evening’s speaker. Mary Jo Maffei, will present “Garden Design 101,” discussing three-dimensional space in the landscape, analyzing formal and informal garden styles and sharing her expertise in planning and maintaining beautiful and functional garden designs. This meeting is open to the public. If interested, contact Joan at graceshad@msn.com by Sunday, Feb. 12.

WEST SPRINGFIELD Garden Club scholarship

Applications are now open for the 2023 Esther A. Rosati Memorial East Longmeadow Garden Club Scholarship in the amount of $1,000.

$285,000.

Helen M. Maynard to Barbara L. Popko, 196 Bates Road, $75,000.

Juanita Mejias Diaz to Maria Delgado, 24 Frederick St., $210,000.

Maureen Shea-Majkut and Joseph

recommend for making a home safe for aging in place, without sacrificing style. Here are their suggestions.

• Incorporate a zero-threshold entry

Zero-threshold entries - which have no stepsstreamline the look of a space and minimize the risk of injury. Birdsong recommends every home have at least one zero-threshold entry. “For those homes without one,” she says, “a ramp to an entry may be needed down the road for wheelchair access.”

• Widen doorways

who visit you, and for family members of all ages.”

We asked Birdsong and geriatrician Rosanne Leipzig what changes they would

Applicants must presently be an East Longmeadow High School senior or a recent graduate of East Longmeadow High School, be planning to attend an institution of higher learning, or a graduate student who is a resident of East Longmeadow and is attending or planning to attend an institution of higher learning, or an East Longmeadow student who is a resident and has been accepted to participate in a special program.

All applicants must be planning to pursue a degree in agriculture, botany, conservation, ecology, environmental engineering, environmental science, floral design, forestry, landscaping architecture, oceanography, perma-culture/agro-ecology or a related field.

Applicants must include a copy of an official grade transcript and applications must

Majkut to Cameron Sevigne, Kayla Reno and Kayla J. Reno, 231 Eastwood Drive, $377,000.

Sanjoy K. Das and Gopa Das to Ryan King and Amanda King, 5 Eastview Drive, $331,000.

Timothy M. Bourbeau to Anthony

Wider doorways aren’t just a way to shoehorn new furniture into your home. They also provide better access, should a member of your household find themselves using a walker or wheelchair. Your doorways should be at least 34 inches wide;

be received on or before Feb. 28.

Applicants being considered will be contacted by the East Longmeadow Garden Club’s Scholarship Committee for an interview. The recipient will be awarded the scholarship at the annual May meeting of the East Longmeadow Garden Club. Scholarship applications can be picked up at the high school guidance office or the East Longmeadow Public Library or download it from eastlongmeadowgard.wixsite.com/gardens.

Send completed application and transcript to East Longmeadow Garden Club Scholarship Committee, c/o Diane A. Tiago, 38 Rogers Road, East Longmeadow, MA 01028.

Send items for Garden Notes to pmastriano@repub.com two weeks prior to publication

M. Nitri, 175 Shaker Road, $291,150.

WILBRAHAM

Edmund Bednarz to Peter Kochanowski, 511 Springfield St., $295,000.

Steam showers, freestanding tubs, and replacing an alcove tub with a zero-threshold shower for accessibility are becoming more and more desirable. We get many requests for zero threshold showers as more and more people consider aging in place.

Aging

CONTINUES FROM PAGE F9

36 inches is even better. “Wheelchairs vary from 25 to 36 inches wide, so doorways need to be wider to accommodate them. Three feet is the suggested width,” says Leipzig, professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Wider hallways also will ease your burden down the road.

• Pick low-maintenance flooring

Comfort and maintenance should be top of mind when choosing flooring. “As you age, your gait and your ability to pick up your feet changes, and many people have arthritis or other conditions that affect the way they walk,” Birdsong says. Carpet may be soft, but it’s harder to keep clean; a highgloss hardwood, though, could be a slipping hazard. If you prefer carpet, pick a tight pile installed over a firm, thin padding that will support walking. If hardwood is your style, choose a material with a lot of texture to cut down on slipping. Area rugs should have thin, firm pads with a nonskid back, Birdsong says, and carpet tape securing corners and edges to the floor.

• Brighter is better

A healthy 60-year-old needs about twice as much light to read as a 20-yearold, according to Leipzig; an 80-year-old needs three times more. Natural light also helps lift your mood and combat depression. Ideally, your space will have ample windows, skylights and glass doors to bring sunlight into sitting areas. But if it doesn’t, a fresh coat of paint can help. Darker colors absorb light, making it more difficult to see as sunlight wanes throughout the day. Lighter colors naturally reflect light to create a brighter space.

Birdsong also likes to create layers of light by combining overhead or ambient lighting with task and accent lighting. “Adding lamps in various places around the room not

Natural light also helps lift your mood and combat depression. Ideally, your space will have ample windows, skylights and glass doors to bring sunlight into sitting areas.

only creates better ambiance but also provides light where it’s needed for reading, sewing or just conversation,” she says.

And stick with long-lasting LED lights, which can help decrease the need to use a ladder to swap out bulbs, another safety hazard.

• Contrast is your friend

“Color and contrast perception decreases [as you age], making it harder to differentiate between colors or distinguish the outlines of objects,” says Leipzig, author of “Honest Aging: An Insider’s Guide to the Second Half of Life.” “Your eyes are more sensitive to glare, and it takes longer to adapt to sunlight as well as darkness.”

So skip the all-white kitchens or bathrooms, which don’t offer any visual demarcations. Instead, choose a countertop color or material that dramatically

differs from your floors. If investing in new counters is cost-prohibitive, you can always paint existing ones. The same goes for furniture that is the same color as the flooring, Birdsong says. Make sure the color of handrails contrasts with the walls, Leipzig says, to make them easier to see.

• Incorporate voiceactivated technology

Yes, technology is constantly changing, but there are a few features that Leipzig says are worth including. Make sure you have remote controls for lighting and ceiling fans, she says, and add a video doorbell, so you can see who’s there without getting up. A thermostat you can control by voice or app is another good option, she says. Or, Leipzig says, go with a product with access to a virtual assistant, which can

allow you to control many things in your home (door locks, lights, etc.) from one device.

• Opt for drawers over cabinets

If you’re remodeling a kitchen or bathroom, consider installing drawers rather than cabinet doors and pullouts. They are easier to use, Birdsong says, and they allow you to better see the contents. Drawer-pull handles are also easier for aging hands to grasp than cabinet doorknobs. (Sideby-side or French-door-style refrigerators also provide better visibility of contents than top/bottom models.)

• Make switches easier on hands (and eyes)

A rocker light switch — a seesaw-like device you can use with your palm or elbow - can be easier to use than a traditional toggle switch.

Additionally, consider installing light switches and electrical outlets in a darker color, for greater contrast against light-colored walls. For doors, lever handles are easier to manipulate than doorknobs, Leipzig says, “especially if your hands are full or if you have arthritis.”

• Consider outlet and switch height

You don’t have to be in your senior years to sympathize with the pain of leaning over to plug in electronics. But your likelihood of falling when you do increases as you age. One remedy? Adjust the outlet heights. Standard outlet placement is 12 inches above the floor, but the Fair Housing Act Design Manual, which provides guidance to builders in meeting accessibility requirements, recommends placing them between 15 and 48 inches off the ground. (Just be careful that cords don’t create tripping hazards.) Conversely, Leipzig says, it’s often worth placing light switches lower, so they are reachable from a wheelchair.

(DAN GLEITER)

APARTMENT WANTED

I am a new member of the leadership team at The Republican and am looking for a studio or onebedroom apartment to rent in Hampden County. I own a home in Franklin County but seek weekday housing close to Springfield. I can provide references, including from a 2020 housing rental during a journalism fellowship in Wisconsin. I’m flexible on availability, but would like to occupy in March or April. I would like to occasionally bring my very well-manned border collie mix, Charlie, to stay at the apartment and to accompany me as I get to know the Springfield area. Please contact me at lawrence.parnass @gmail.com or text 413-588-8341.

**ADORABLEKITTENSfor FOREVER HOMES** Ihave3veryfriendly9 weekoldkitten,litterbox trainedandheatinghard foods,Allgoodand healthykitties,Raisedindoorswithchildrenasking$290perkitty.No Shots.Callortextat413386-5105

Two kittens, Maine Coon, Bengle mix, $50.00/each. Call 413-777-9659

BE MY PUPPY VALENTINE 8 weeks only, Boston Terrier AKC Puppies, 4 black & white females, 1 red & white male. Call for details. 413-207-4664

English Springer Spaniel, Liver/white female, ready Dec. 1st. Vet checked, 1st shot. $1,500. 413-596-8190

FRENCH BULL DOG PUPPIES Parents on premises $3500 to $4500/each. Call 413-478-0763

German Shepherd/Lab Mix puppies, 1st set of shots, dewormed. 2 females, 1 male $400/each. Call or text 802-323-2538.

German Shepherd Pups, 6 males, 3 females, AKC paperwork, shots & wormed, written hip & health guar. Parents on premises. Raised in country setting. $1500/ea. Call 978-249-3724

Golden Retriever puppies, dad is chocolate Labradore. 7 females, each $1,500, 3 males, each $1,300. Call or text 413-309-1747

Golden Retrievers Puppies, 1st shots & dewormed. $500. 2 females & 1 Male Call 802-895-2784

Teddy Bear Puppies, pure white or pure black $600/ ea. Just in time for Valentine’s Day. For info. text or call Lori 413-966-9152

TwofemaleHuskypups available,born11/12. $750,Vetchecked,1st shotanddewormed.Call /text802-624-1291between4P-7Pforfurther details

West Highland White Terrier, male, 9 weeks, Vet checked & current vaccinations. $1800. Call 413-596-8190

Yorkshire Terrier puppy, male, has most of his shots. Great little dog. Only $2000. (413) 549-5225

PUBLIC AUCTION

PUBLIC AUCTION

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD at 1:00 P.M. MORTGAGEE’S SALE OF REAL ESTATE

• WEST YARMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS • WATERFRONT PROPERTY 2 BEDROOM / 1 BATH

2 STORY

RESIDENTIAL CONDOMINIUM UNIT

“VIEWS OF LEWIS BAY & NANTUCKET SOUND”

9 Windemere Road, Unit #10, (Building “G”) WEST YARMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS

Features:

Aaron Posnik

To be Sold on the Premises

S/F) • ±122’ Frontage on Sumner Avenue

• (2) Curb Cuts on Sumner Avenue • Public Water & Sewer •

• Slab Foundation • Flat Roof • Passenger Elevator • (4) Common Stairwells • Sprinklered (Retail & Storage Spaces, Mechanical Rooms) • Central Fire Alarm • Smoke Detectors • Pull Stations •

• Common Amenities: Laundry Room, Storage Rooms, Main Lobby & All Surface Parking Spaces •

CONDOMINIUM UNITS: Units range in size from ±590 to ±925 S/F •

Aaron Posnik

to ±247 S/F • OUTSIDE GARAGES (DETACHED): (9) One Car Garages •

• Ranging in Size from ±260 S/F to ±268 S/F •

AARON POSNIK & CO. INC. Indust & Comm. Auctions 31 Capital Dr. W. Spfld. 733-5238 www.posnik.com DouglasAuctioneers.com

ESTATES-ANTIQUES 413-665-2877

MORTGAGEES’ REAL ESTATE AUCTIONS TO BE SOLD ON THEIR RESPECTIVE PREMISE

WEDNESDAY

FEBRUARY 15, 2023

1:00 PM - SHEFFIELD, MA 1449 COUNTY ROADDEPOSIT $10,000

4:00 PM - CHICOPEE, MA 350 EAST MAIN STREETDEPOSIT $5,000

1,000’s of sports cards, all big stars, at least 50% off. 1950’s to present. BUYING ALL SPORTS CARDS, RETIRED VETERAN Selling at $5.00 per box. CALL 413-596-5783

2022 National Purple Heart $5 Gold Proof coin. Issued by US mint,

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 AUCTIONS AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.commonwealth auction.com FOR CONTINUOUSLY UPDATED SCHEDULING INFORMATION AND ADDITIONAL SCHEDULING INFORMATION COMMONWEALTH AUCTION ASSOCIATES, INC. (617) 964-0005 MA LIC 2235