leads
to social media craze, HGTV show
By R achel Kurzius
The Washington Post
On a sunny Monday afternoon, Samir Mezrahi is in a windowless room, toggling between his multiple inboxes, when he spots one particularly promising subject line: “Boob home in Florida.”
He clicks on the real estate listing, which came from a follower. The geodesic domes that make up the $500,000 Melbourne, Fla., house do indeed resemble a bosom. But is that enough for Mezrahi to post the home on Zillow Gone Wild?
Since he started the account in December 2020, it has exploded into a social media phenomenon, amassing more than 4 million
Zillow Gone Wild
followers across major social media platforms and spinning off an HGTV show with Mezrahi as executive producer. Throughout it all, Mezrahi’s recipe has remained mostly unchanged: Find the zaniest homes on the market — castle-themed mansions with full drawbridges, for example — then blast them out to the internet with a bit of pithy commentary, and watch the clicks, likes and shares pile up. The simplicity of the premise is part of the brilliance; it’s the result of the decade-plus that Mezrahi spent charting the internet’s
fascinations as social media director for BuzzFeed.
But like any recipe, Zillow Gone Wild’s doesn’t work without the right ingredients. And here in the glow of these two jumbo computer monitors, in this Long Island office in a building otherwise occupied by doctors and lawyers, Mezrahi isn’t quite convinced the boob house has what it takes.
“I didn’t know dome homes were popular until starting this account, so the first couple of ones were interesting, but this one is
Samir Mezrahi, influencer and creator of the infamous Instagram account Zillow Gone Wild, is photographed in his Great Neck, N.Y., office. At right, scenes from a home listed at $2,795,000 in Plymouth, Minnesota, are among the homes featured on Zillow Gone Wild.
(TOP: PHOTO BY KELLY MARSHALL
Good King Henry is royalty in the garden
mer. White flowers, with a faint aroma of cilantro, appear in June and July, but the leaves still make tasty additions to salads or cooked dishes.
Right now, plants are starting to stretch their leafy stems skyward. Making use of the third dimension in gardening — up — makes for efficient use of garden space, a plus for any plant in an intensive garden.
Caucasian mountain spinach likes something on which to climb, which they do by pulling themselves upward in the same way as do clematis vines, twisting their leaf stalks around whatever they can grab. I’ll be providing a ladder for them made from posts and chicken wire.
Now that I think of it, Caucasian mountain spinach also
makes use of the fourth dimension in gardening — time — since it can make its way into the kitchen from when my plum trees bloom until I harvest the last of my apples.
The bed that’s home to Caucasian mountain spinach is also home to another perennial bit of edible greenery, Good King Henry (Blitum bo-
IRECENTLY HAD A
Zoom dinner with my daughter, who lives two hours away, and she commented on how tasty my salad looked. “All home grown,” I replied, and held up to the computer screen a leaf of one of the major contributors to my bowl of greenery, Caucasian mountain spinach (Hablitzia tamnoides).
“Looks like some leaf you just plucked off a tree,” says she. Yes, it did, but it was as tasty and as tender as any leaf of regular garden spinach.
It’s with good reason that the two “spinaches” are so similar: They’re both in the same family, Amaranthacea, also kin to beets, chard, quinoa, lamb’s quarters, and pigweed.
Caucasian mountain spinach has it over conventional garden spinach in a number of ways, most significantly its being a perennial. I planted it last spring and don’t plan on doing so ever again. Not that making new plants would be difficult. They were easy from seed, and cuttings are also said to root easily. The quickest way to have larger new plants would be to divide the clump sometime after the tops have died back for winter or before new sprouts appear.
Being a perennial, Caucasian mountain spinach won’t lose quality as it goes to seed during the warmer, longer days of late spring and sum-
GARDEN NOTES
AGAWAM Garden Club meeting
The next meeting of the Agawam Garden Club will be held Tuesday, May 14, 6:30 p.m. at the Agawam Public Library, at 750 Cooper St. An outdoor classroom which will serve as a learn -
ing space as well as a nature preserve, is in the works for the Agawam Junior High. After a short business meeting, Laura Fallon from the Junior High will speak on this new project, its purpose and resources for the community. All meetings of the Agawam Garden Club are open to the public and not restricted to Agawam residents.
MONSON Plant sale
Monson Garden Club will host its annual plant sale on Saturday, May 11, at Dave Grieve Park Gazebo on Main Street at 9 a.m. A wide selection of perennials in addition to wildflowers, vegetables, shrubs, house plants, bulbs and herbs will be available,
PORTSMOUTH, R.I.
Topiary garden opens for season
Looking for a Mother’s Day gift or locally grown plants to enliven your own home and garden? The annual plant sale at Green Animals Topiary Garden — opening for the season — will offer a variety of flowers, vegetables, herbs and specialty plants on three successive mornings, Friday, May 10, through Sunday, May 12, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. each day.
Annuals, perennials, lilies, dahlia tubers, geranium standards, hanging flower baskets and others will be available while supplies last. Many are grown in the greenhouses of The Preservation Society of Newport County, which has owned and maintained Green Animals and the historic Brayton House on the seven-acre property since 1972.
Starting May 11, Green Animals will be open daily for tours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets or Preservation Society membership will be required for anyone wishing to tour Green Animals after each morning’s plant sale.
In addition to more than 80 topiaries in the shape of animals and geometric designs, many dating back several decades, this historic garden will be blooming with thousands of tulips and other flowering bulbs in a rainbow of colors. Situated alongside Narragansett Bay, Green Animals is the oldest and most northern topiary garden in the United States.
Green Animals is located at 380 Corys Lane in Portsmouth. It will remain open daily through Sept. 30.
as well as an assortment of Mother’s Day gifts. Prices start at $3. Proceeds from the sale are used for local community projects.
STOCKBRIDGE Plant sale
Berkshire Botanical Garden presents its 47th annual Plants and Answers Plant Sale
on May 10 and 11. Curated by Berkshire Botanical Garden horticulture staff, this year’s plant sale features hundreds of perennials, annuals and vegetables with a focus on diversity and nature-based landscaping, a trend toward gardens that are exuberant and alive and welcoming to birds, bees and butterflies. As
Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. (SUBMITTED)
Terry & Kim Kovel | Antiques & Collecting
These flowers never go out of style
TALK ABOUT MAY flowers! The bright colors of the tulips on this charger could rival the real ones growing outside. And to think they’re over 300 years old!
The charger was made in England in about 1690. Even with a few signs of wear, its age, craftsmanship and design brought its price to an impressive $3,997 at Brunk Auctions. It is a type of tin-glazed earthenware pottery called delft or delftware.
The name “delft” may conjure up images of blue-andwhite Dutch scenes, and it comes from a city in Holland that produced that type of pottery. Dutch immigrants brought the technique to England in the late 16th century, and London became a center for making delftware. Designs were often inspired by Chinese porcelain, and, although blue-and-white delftware was popular, potters experimented with different colors.
This charger uses yellow, green and ochre as well as blue. Multicolor designs are often called “polychrome.” Delftware lost popularity in the 18th century as Europeans began making their own porcelain, but, in the 1800s, ceramics decorated with designs inspired by old delft became popular again in Holland, especially with tourists. They are still popular gifts and souvenirs, although they are often imported. Watch out for pieces labeled “Delft”; they were made in the 20th or 21st century.
Q. I have a print that has been in my family for at least 100 years. I have no idea if it is worth anything or just sentimental. I’ve researched the artist and found some information. Do you know how I can tell if this is an original or a print?
A. Check your print for an
artist’s signature and edition number that are written in pencil, not printed on. Sometimes it takes an art expert to determine if a print is original. You may want to contact an art museum in your area or the art department of a college or university for assistance.
Q. I have a very unusual Chinese dragon plate. It has a red stamp on the back “SYDNEY CHINA MADE.” It is matte brown with a highly colored dragon in relief dot form. There is a woven bamboo protective edge all around it. I would like to know more about it.
A. A closer look at the mark on your plate shows two circles of text: an outer circle that reads “SYDNEY CHINA,” and an inner circle with
This delftware charger was made in 17th-century England. Bright, colorful flowers never go out of style, especially in spring. (COURTESY OF BRUNK
The name “delft” may conjure up images of blueand-white Dutch scenes, and it comes from a city in Holland that produced that type of pottery.
the word “MADE” and a few marks and legible letters, including a “J” and an “N.”
We think the mark is partially worn away and the inner circle says “Made in Japan.” This would date it to either between 1921 and 1945 or after 1952. Japanese ceramics made from about 1945-1952 are usually marked “Occupied Japan.” Pieces from 1891-1921 are marked “Nippon,” which is the Japanese name for Japan, and earlier ceramics are usually marked with Japanese characters. We have seen a similar woven edge on other plates made in 20th-century Japan. The decoration style, with a dark matte background and highly colored figures, is sometimes called Satsuma, after a province in Japan that has made pottery since the 17th century. Collectors often use “Satsuma” to refer to a type of Japanese porcelain with a creamy crackled glaze,
which was first made in the mid-19th century, but early Satsuma pottery was made from brown clay with dark glaze and colorful figures. Both styles have been reproduced. The relief dots are a form of decoration called Japanese Coralene, where small dots of enamel are layered to make raised beads. So, your plate was probably made in Japan by a company called “Sydney China.” Confusing, right? That’s often the case with ceramic company names: Collectors must watch out for when “China” means the country or the material. And some companies use the confusion to their advantage!
TIP: Modern bleach can damage 18th-century and some 19th-century dishes. To clean old dishes, try hydrogen peroxide or bicarbonate of soda. Each removes a
different type of stain.
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, The Republican, King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels. com.
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.
Bristol glass, vase, globular, painted scene, flowers and insects surround, flared neck, shaded blue, ruffled lip, round foot, 1870s, 10 1/2 inches, $55.
Toy, dollhouse furniture, cradle, painted, red, multicolor flower panels, arched pierced head and footboards, acorn finials, 14 x 21 1/2 x 16 inches, $60.
Lamp, oil, pressed glass font, light blue, brass fittings, chimney, plated spelter base, scrolls, garlands, four paw feet, France, 19th century, 20 inches, $75.
Decoy, duck, preening, painted feathers, cork surface, blue stripe on wing, glass eyes, wood base, marked, GJB, $85.
Porcelain, vase, blue and white, stylized leaves and flowers, geometric ground, swollen shoulders, marked, Alba Talavera, Mexico, 18 inches, pair, $100.
Cloisonne, box, lid, round, allover basketweave, two birds on water, plants, lotus flowers, silver interior, Korea, 5 1/2 x 3 inches, $315.
Lamp base, wood, Brutalist, cylinder, geometric carved relief, black printed flowers, ebony trim, spike metal inlay, mid-20th century, 34 inches, $350.
Store, sign, jeweler’s, square, painted clock face, “Watch Repair,” corner spandrels, metal, wood frame, two-sided, 25 1/2 inches, $485.
Clothing, belt, black suede, four movable X-shape conchos, silver, marked, Taxco, Hector Aguilar, c. 1955, 26 inches, $1,050.
Furniture, umbrella stand, Black Forest, walnut, figural, bear, standing, mouth open, glass eyes, inset zinc tray at base, 19th century, 40 x 15 x 20 inches, $2,125.
Longterm U.S. mortgage rate climbs to 7.22%
Reaches highest level in more than five months
By A LEX VEIGA Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — The average rate on a 30-year mortgage climbed this week to its highest level in more than five months, pushing up borrowing costs for prospective homebuyers in what’s
typically the housing market’s busiest stretch of the year.
The rate rose to 7.22% from 7.17% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.39%.
When mortgage rates rise, they can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers. That limits how much homebuyers can afford at a time when a relatively limited number of homes on the market coupled with height-
ened competition for the most affordable properties has kept prices marching higher.
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage has now increased five weeks in a row. It hasn’t been this high since November 30.
Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose this week, lifting the average rate to 6.47% from 6.44% last week.
A year ago, it averaged 5.76%,
Freddie Mac said.
Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including how the bond market reacts to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy and the moves in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.
After climbing to a 23-year high of 7.79% in October, the average rate stayed below 7% this year until last month, as stronger-than-expected economic data and inflation
dimmed optimism among bond investors that the Fed would be able to start cutting its short-term interest rate sooner, rather than later.
In its latest interest rate policy statement Wednesday, the Fed said it doesn’t plan to cut interest rates until it has “greater confidence” that price increases are slowing sustainably to its 2% target. Until then, mortgage rates are unlikely to ease significantly, economists say.
to Ryan S. Stork, 74 Pleasant Drive, $275,000.
444 Shoemaker MA LLC, to LTM Realty LLC, Shoemaker Lane, Par A, $75,000.
Fred U. Sisson Jr., and Theresa R. Sisson to Philemon Kosgei and Hellen J. Kipsang, 84 Norris St., $325,000.
Peggy Cowell Risley and Michael John Risley to Jayden Daejoon Cho and Jiwon Hwang, 85 Cooper St., $435,000.
Stuart W. Stork and Polly A. Stork
Kira Kmetz and Raghavan Manmatha to David Sandak and Allegra Sandak, 60 Country Corners Road, $925,000.
North Pleasant Street Partners LLC, to A1N1 LLC, 306 Northampton Road, $339,000.
ACS 22-24 Nutting Avenue Inc., to Eastern Realty LLC, 22-24 Nutting Ave., $750,000.
ACS 28-30 Nutting Avenue Inc., to Eastern Realty LLC, 28-30 Nutting Ave., $750,000.
BELCHERTOWN
Kara F. Kirchherr and Troy Brin to Ryan Donoghue and Jessica Coleman, 479 Franklin St., $574,900.
Laliberte Home Builders Inc., to John E. Nelson and Patricia M. Nelson, 17 Sabin St., $710,000.
Paul M. Delp, trustee, and Carl W. & Eleanor R. Delp Trust to Cynthia L. Foster, 181 East St., $100.
Federal BLD LLC, and Federal OP LLC, to Greige Belchertown Realty LLC, 122 Federal St., $570,000.
Timothy E. Spears and Luisa Feng to Susan R. Coates, trustee, and Donald & Susan Coates Living Trust, 620 Federal St., $420,000.
BRIMFIELD
Ruben Sosa to Genise Jackson, Warren Road, Lot 9, $45,000.
BUCKLAND
Natural Light Retreat LLC, to Choegar Gong Inc., 7 Mary Lyon Road, “aka” Barnes Road, $600,000.
CHICOPEE
Arthur W. Boutin and Melanie C. Boutin to Pawel Andrzej Karbarz, 31 Ruskin St., $488,500.
Carlos Jose Aguasvivas to Aguasvivas Realty LLC, 102 Casino Ave., $100.
Carol A. Woytych, estate, and Sarah Day, executor, to Pah Properties LLC, 51 Blanchard St., $140,000. Fahmia A. Charanek and Jaafar Hamadeh to Mohammed Alkhabi and Dhuha Almaliki, 127 Woodcrest Circle, $275,000.
SEE DEEDS, PAGE F8
Deeds
Frank J. Poli, representative, and Robert F. Poli Jr., estate, to Gerard James Roy, trustee, and GJR Investment Trust, trustee of, 12 Ninth Ave., $100,000.
Ivan Carrasquillo and Illiam Casillas to Marvin Ventura, 590 Broadway St., $340,000.
Lawrence L. Lacoste, trustee, and Norman L. Lacoste Revocable Indenture Of Trust Of, trustee of, to Michael F. Lacoste, 88-90 Skeele St., $243,750.
MD Realty LLC, to 40 West Street Properties LLC, 30 West St., $377,500.
Sharon L. Szady, representative, and Thomas R. Pezda, estate, to Raghdah H. Aldoghani, 49 Wilson Ave., $323,000.
Timothy B. Martin and France M. Martin to Arthur W. Boutin and Melanie C. Boutin, 93 Beeler St., $470,000.
Zakory Christian and Kristian Nelson to Todd Stephen Allegreto, 134 Farnsworth St., $280,000.
CUMMINGTON
Delbert H. Robbins and Gloria A. Robbins to Cameren R. Granger, 88 Nash Road, $455,000.
DEERFIELD
Marcia J. Hawkins and Mitchell J. Hawkins to Hamilton Land Group LLC, Conway Road, $20,787.
Sondra Lavariere, personal representative of the Estate of Mildred Ginger Winn, “aka” Mildred G. Winn, to ARPC LLC, 594 Greenfield Road, $178,321.
EAST LONGMEADOW
Christina R. Bent to Patrick Grant, Parker Street, $500.
Jim Francisco Arroyo and Claudia Arroyo to Kristina M. Ranieri, 60 Highlandview Ave., $475,000.
MPT Development LLC, to Center for Human Development Inc., 286 Benton Drive, $300,000.
Richard P. Brent, trustee, and Richard H. Brent Revocable Trust, trustee of, to Michael Carabetta, 76 Alpine Ave., $220,000.
EASTHAMPTON
Barbara A. Young to Lisa M. Teal, trustee, Michael L. Perrier, trustee, and Young Family Irrevocable Trust, 246 Hendrick St., $100.
Villamora Homes LLC, to Cheryl J. Davis and Jade C. Schapiro, 5 Plaza Ave., $398,000.
PAH Properties LLC, to Lorna Karolyn Hunt, 10 Beyer Drive, $399,900.
GRANBY
Paula Leclair and Dennis Leclair to Marvin W. Jackson and Gail B. Jackson, 7 Lanebrook Circle, $320,000.
GREENFIELD
Fawn-Marie Santiago, Francisco Santiago and Jeremy L. Stokes to Anthony Stokes, 270 Chapman St., $265,000.
Annette Kilminster to Abdelilah Safir, 111 Bungalow Ave., $335,100.
Christian J. Dodge and Purnima Dodge to Bethaney L. Messer, 50 Petty Plain Road, $177,000.
HADLEY
Yuhua Li and Xiaolei Hua to Bercume Construction LLC, 8 Colony Drive, $180,000.
Adare Place Properties LLC, to Rosemund LLC, 1 Adare Place, $165,000.
Shane R. Conklin and Alan P. St. Hilaire to Michael S. MacDonald and Anita Ting MacDonald, 9 Middle St., $435,000.
HOLYOKE
Aldo Properties LLC, to Kenyatta R. Titus, 93 Chapin St., $280,000.
Amanda Bialas and Adam Bialas to Germika L. Davis, 17-19 Gates St., $462,000.
Betsy M. Stevens, representative, and Patricia L. MacMillan, estate, to Brett A. Scott and Mia L. Scott, 108 Meadowview Road, $380,985.
Brett Andrew Scott, Mia Scott and Mia Lee Archambault to Michael James Gaugh and Alexandra Margolis Field, 19 Greenwood Ave., $335,000.
Edward C. Brunelle and John P. Brunelle to B & B Real Estate LLC, 59 Cherry St., $65,000.
Gretchen Siegchrist and Benjamin Kurtzman to Markeisha Hill and Christopher Sailor, 7 Stanford St., $410,000.
Joseph Lynskey, Helen Wright and Sabina Lynskey to Coterie Investment Group, 151 Beech St., $155,000.
Paul Hohenberger Jr., representative, and Ann T. Hohenberger, estate, to Sunscape Investments LLC, 15 Village Road, $255,000.
Raksha Properties LLC, to Archer Built LLC, 811 High St., $100. Alexander Farhadi and Samantha Farhadi to Jonathan A. Breton, trustee, and Herka Diamond Nominee Trust, trustee of, 73 Captain Road, $1,125,000.
Frank Di Benedetto to Alex Vilkhovoy, 28 Connecticut Ave., $9,985. Gregory L. O’Connor, Mary P. O’Connor and Mary Pat R. O’Connor to Jenna Schwartz and Margaret Schwartz, 138 Maple Road, $368,000.
Quentin Sweeney and Marissa Sweeney to Michael Harper and Caroline Dusel, 28 Farmington Ave., $558,000.
LUDLOW
BHO Realty LLC, to Melissa Premo, 214 Americo St., $375,000.
Darlene L. Kennedy to Eric E. Rivas and Stephanie A. Rivas, 15 Victor St., $349,000.
Jaime I. Thayer-Awoniyi, Jaime I. Thayer and Daniel Awoniyi to Jose Marchi and Catherine Marchi, 158 Highland Ave., $280,000.
Joyce F. Kenyon to Kimberly S. Anderson and Robert Anderson, 59 Chapin Greene Drive, $255,000.
Manuel D. Silva to Susana Afonso Williams, 175 Sewall St., $243,000.
Nelson G. Duarte to Waclaw Plewa and Wladyslawa Plewa, Balsam Hill Road, Lot 60, $170,000.
MONSON
John Oliver Mumford and June Hall Mumford to Lisa Borlen, Aldrich Road, Lot 1, $59,000.
Laurie A Schwinger-Jacobsen to Normand Baril, trustee, Diane M. Baril, trustee, and Normand Baril Jr. & Diane Baril Living Trust, trustee of, 163 Moulton Hill Road, $465,000.
Timothy Marquis to Ryan Cox, 1 Lakeshore Drive, $439,900.
MONTAGUE
David J. Sikora and Paul R. Sikora to Alberto Beltran, 808 Fairway Ave., Unit 808, Atrium Condominium, $235,000.
Dolores Beatriz Porter and Jared Leslie Porter to Maxwell Van Over, 54 Greenfield Road, $380,000.
NORTHAMPTON
Luna Greenwood, trustee, and Mary Morton Roeder Trust to Lisa S. Lippiello, trustee, and Lisa S. Lippiello Revocable Trust, 30 Village Hill Road, $380,000.
Sarah Myrth Diggdon, trustee, and Sarah Myrth Diggdon Trust to Eric J. Ulsh, trustee, Patricia A. Ulsh, trustee, and Ulsh Family Trust, 29 Ford Crossing and 29 Ford Xing, $850,000.
Patricia V. Huff to James Flanders Roberts IV, and Jennifer Rachel Goldszer Roberts, 14 Claire Ave., $420,000.
Lisa Derrico and Lisa Van Gordon Derrico to Jane S. Karras, 243-245 Main St., $293,000.
NORTHFIELD
Christina L. Williams and Oliver G. Williams to Evelyn R. Montanaro and Joseph F. Montanaro. 59 Strowbridge Road. $426,000.
ORANGE
Homestead Real Estate Investors LLC, to Ismael Adriano Da Silva, 12 Chase St., $330,000.
Cathy Lee Cronin to Dennis Piragis and Julie Piragis, 250 Holtshire Road, $235,000.
PALMER
Anne L. Bernardin, trustee, and Anne L. Bernardin Revocable Trust, trustee of, to Andrea Jean Osborne, 3014 Pine St., Unit 3014, $220,000.
Karen L. Noakes to Eric M. Gilbert, 2038 Pleasant St., $210,000.
Nicholas Mardirosian, Heidi Mardirosian and Heidi Kozlik to Jennica Huff and Cheryl Benasutti, 102 State St., $370,000.
Vision Investment Rental Properties LLC, to Christopher James Besancon, 7 Crawford St., $448,000.
PELHAM
John Howard Marshall, Perry Chapman Howard and Susan Anne Howard to Pamela J. Taylor, 33 Harkness Road, $300,000.
John R. Mullin and Judith A. Mullin to Currie Cabot Barron, trustee, Thomas A. Barron, trustee, Currie Larkin Barron 2014-1996 Trust and Paul D. Phillips, trustee, 206 North Valley Road, $825,000.
PLAINFIELD
Michael Crane to Donna Kristensen, Campbell Road, $95,000.
SHELBURNE
Bruce C. Phillips, trustee of the Phillips Investment Trust, to RB Realty Associates LLC, 23 Mechanic St., $308,000.
SOUTH HADLEY
Chloe M. Drew and Philip M. Belanger to Philip M. Belanger, 40 Roosevelt Ave., $100.
Katelyn Corcodilos to Paul Kestler and Erica Kestler, 181 Pine Grove Drive, $385,000.
Ann M. Lebiedz, trustee, William J. Belisle, trustee, and A.J. Belisle Family Trust to Amreen Shaikh, 11 Dartmouth St., $340,000.
Gail M. Funk to Becky L. Laliberte,
trustee, and Funk Family irrevocable Trust, 7 Waite Ave., $100.
SOUTHAMPTON
Paul R. Gallagher, Suzanne Hopkins and Suzanne P.H. Gallagher, to Suzanne Hopkins, 5 Katelyn Way, $100. Diamond Investment Group LLC, to Cheryl Denardo, $100.
David A. Osiecki to David A. Osiecki and Amanda J. Pinsky, 383 College Highway, $100.
Thomas Gaughan Jr., trustee, and Vera K. Gaughan Revocable Trust to New England Remodeling General Contractors Inc., 74 Leadmine Road, $50,000.
Thomas Gaughan Jr., trustee, and Vera K. Gaughan Revocable Trust to New England Remodeling General Contractors Inc., 75 Leadmine Road, $250,000.
SOUTHWICK
Danette Peters and Danette L. Salus to Shirley M. Moccio, trustee, Vincent G. Moccio, trustee, Daniel Moccio, trustee, and Trust Moccio Family Revocable Living, trustee of, 103 Feeding Hills Road, $220,000.
Fiore Realty Holdings LLC, to Hamelin Framing Inc., Silvergrass Lane, Lot 17, $160,000.
Michael Tefts to William F. Lavigne and Lee Lavigne, 9 Gargon Terrace, $240,000.
SPRINGFIELD
Anne M. White to Teilyn Lopez, 72 Druid Hill, $265,000.
Belvid Realty Group LLC, to Ramona Flores, 23 Foster St., $250,000. Buitrago & Ballesteros LLC, to Nery G. Rodriguez and Adela E. De Leon, 52 Berkshire St., $460,000.
Carlos Melendez, trustee, and 621-625 Center Street Realty Trust, trustee of, to Glaze Realty LLC, 125 Frank B. Murray St., $525,000.
Elaina Ann Mendrala, representative, Christina Maria Goyette, representative, and Mary Ann Hamilakis, estate, to Lucas Giusto, trustee, Dominic Santaniello, trustee, and Naples Home Buyers Trust, trustee of, 127 Abbot St., $168,000.
Elizel Martinez to Christopher A. Rodriguez and Jessica Lynn Sandstrom, 49 Rimmon Ave., $280,000. Fatima Marques and Jose Marques to Tony & Tong LLC, 153-155 Arnold Ave., $360,000.
Grahams Construction Inc., to Carlos Alberto Rosado III, and Christina Magalhaes Rosado, 79 Elaine Circle, $590,000.
Hanna Kucharczyk to Paradise 1971 Star Realty LLC, 184-186 Main St., $280,000.
Deeds
Ilyssa O. Zippin and Brian Zippin to Margaretta F. Robert, 6 Brookburn St., $330,000.
Javier Fortin to Erion Haxhimihali and Emirjona Haxhimihali, 74 Temple St., $141,000.
Joseph J. Deburro and Kristen H. Deburro to Hong Soo Jang and Ji Young Kim, 1165 Bradley Road, $405,500.
Donaldsons Development Trust, trustee of, to Xiumei Ye, 17-19 Banbury St., $385,000.
Onota Rental LLC, to Plastoid LLC, 124-126 Westford Circle, $310,000.
Santana Real Estate Inc., to Anwar Leo Thomas Jr., and Keyona Thomas, 18 Fenway Drive, $346,500.
Sarah Avosuahi Baiye to Abby Wilson, 642 Cooley St., $237,157.
Shwee-Tian Chou to Mental Health Association Inc., 517 Boston Road, $284,000.
SNHST LLC, to Lissette Saillant, 383-385 Nottingham St., $358,000.
WARE
Ebenezer Construction & Cleaning Inc., to Lyn & On Construction LLC, 20 Parker St., $85,000.
Francis A. Rucki and Diana L. Rucki to Brian M. Rucki, Angelique D. Crevier, and Douglas Rucki, 3 Park Hill Ave., $100.
Wicked Deals LLC, to Noah P. Shields and Alexandria Gomez, 62 Church St., $250,000.
WENDELL
Karl-Marx Delphonse to Sharnett T. Thomas, 114-116 Breckwood Circle, $315,000.
Little Eagle LLC, to Tadeusz Bukowski, NS Hampshire St., $30,000.
Melvin Cordero and Genavieva C. Alejandro to Emmanuel Tirado, 23 Preston St., $256,280.
Mental Health Association Inc., to Guidewire Inc., 995 Worthington St., $1,900,000.
Michael R. Ferrier to Nathan Andary, 14 Fairfield St., $280,000.
Nicholas E. Hurlin, trustee, and
Sonia Velazquez to Millennia Development LLC, 339 Abbott St., $165,000.
Tok Chang and Eric Chang to Tyler Rae, 239-241 St James Boulevard, $340,000.
Yellowbrick Property LLC, to Jose H. Quintana, Jose Quintana Rodriguez and Doris E. Santiago Caraballo, 37-39 Massachusetts Ave., $400,000.
SUNDERLAND
Mariah T. Lapiroff to Todd E. Fruth, 180 Hadley Road, $80,000.
Adam Sutton, “aka” Adam M. Sutton, to Mary Elise Flynn, Jaron M. Lyons, Paul J. Lyons and Paula M. Lyons, 68-70 Bullard Pasture Road, $75,000.
WEST SPRINGFIELD
ARPC LLC, to Suk Rai and Pratikshya Subba, 6 Primrose St., $283,000.
John J. Yiznitsky, James A. Yiznitsky, Joyce O. Lynch, Julie A. Fortier and Joanne J. Hamel to Joanne J. Hamel and James A. Yitnisky, 714 Rogers Ave., $132,000.
Matthew N. Slowick, Kelsey P. Slowick and Kelsey P. Vershon to Brianna M. Brush and Justin T. Brush, 26 Exeter St., $380,000.
Susan M. Vandal and Steven L. Vandal to Alisha Orwat, 35 Lancaster Ave., $297,000.
Timothy E. Slowick, David A. Slowick, Jeffrey J. Slowick and Renee E. Slowick to Matthew N. Slowick and Kelsey P. Slowick, 225 Butternut Hollow Road, $475,000.
WESTFIELD
Alexander J. Price, representative, Cynthia Taylor Price, estate, and Cynthia T. Price, estate, to Antonio Hernandez and Melissa R. House, 324 Russell Road, Unit 201, $150,000.
Daniel Gilbert and Mary-Jane F. Gilbert to Kevin Dansereau and Meghan McCarthy, 400 North Road, $460,000.
Lou Marie Sanchez, Ashley Collins, Jahneesa M. Norris, Theresa Norris and Theresa Sanchez to Francis A. Hastings and Laura L. Hastings, 97 Mechanic St., $232,000.
MJ Real Estate LLC, to Rebeka L. Hoffman and Joshua A. Hoffman, 14 Mather St., $373,000.
WESTHAMPTON
EDS Enterprises LLC, to Timothy A. Reilly, 68 Reservoir Road, $420,000.
WHATELY
Donald A. Skroski, Cynthia A. Skroski, Charlotte Tenero, William J. Skroski, Shari Cerreta, “fka” Shari Rudinski, “fka” Shari Harrison, Mohamed E. Khlass, “aka” Mohamed Ezdeen Khlass, Jeffrey Rudinski, Christopher M. Skroski and John B. Skroski to Jake Skroski, 105 Christian Lane, $200,000.
WILBRAHAM
AC Homebuilding LLC, to Bryan D. Jamgochian and Lucy T. Jamgochian, Sandalwood Drive, Unit 102, $554,900.
Joan P. Bouchard to Brooke C. Vartanian, 2205 Boston Road, Unit G65, $310,000.
Scott W. Jacobs, trustee, and Joyce M Butler 2010 Revocable Trust, trustee of, to Deborah J. Bozak, trustee, and Deborah J. Bozak 2010 Declaration of Trust, trustee of, 3 Branch Road, $444,900.
WILLIAMSBURG
Dannie Torrey, estate, Dannie Marie Torrey, estate, and Misty Torrey, personal representative, to Douglas W. Laroche, 87 Main St., $265,000.
nus-henricus), also part of the Amaranthacea family. That bed gets some shade in the afternoon, which is all to the liking of Caucasian mountain spinach, not so much to Good King Henry. No matter, because Good King Henry is not, in my opinion, nearly as tasty as its Caucasian cousin. The King’s leaves are good cooked, but not great, and not very good raw in salads. One reason I like it so much is for its name, both the common name and the botanical name.
I had hoped the bed would also be home to the perennial leek and perennial onion (Welsh onion) that I sowed and grew last season. But there’s not a sign of either plant this season. I guess they’re not all that perennial, odd since last winter was downright tropical (for here), the thermometer hardly dipping below zero degrees Fahrenheit.
If I wanted early onions, as greens, some kinds are reliably hardy. An interesting one that I grew decades ago is Egyptian Onion, also known as Walking Onion. They “walk” because the cluster of small bulbs atop the green stalks weight the stalks down till they eventually bow to the ground, depositing the cluster a few inches from the plant. The bulbs take root, grow, bow, and deposit the bulbs another few inches away, so, unfettered, the plant spreads by “walking” around the garden. I stopped growing it because the flavor was too sharp for me.
One more perennial vegetable, this one familiar to everyone, is asparagus. I don’t understand why anyone who has a vegetable garden doesn’t grow asparagus. Or even a flower garden, where asparagus can offer a soft, green ferny backdrop. A bed offers two months of almost daily harvest. Rabbits and deer don’t eat it, so fencing isn’t needed (except in my garden, where my dogs have
developed a taste for it).
And pests are rarely a problem. Except for weeds.
Perhaps you’ve been put off by the heroic measures for planting asparagus suggested in older gardening books. That is, digging a deep trench, planting the roots in the bottom of the trench, and then gradually filling it in as the plants grow. Not necessary!
The deep planting suggested was to keep the plants’ crowns beyond the reach of tractors’ cultivator blades. But there’s no reason to cultivate an asparagus bed, and most home gardeners don’t anyway, so make holes just deep and wide enough to cover the roots when planting.
So there you have it, for easy gardening and tasty meals: Plant Caucasian mountain spinach and asparagus, and perhaps, especially if you like the name, Good King Henry.
Any gardening questions? Email them to me at garden@ leereich.com and I’ll try answering them directly or in this column.
Notes
always, the “Ask Me” staff and volunteers will be on hand to provide expert advice. All proceeds from the plant sale support the Garden’s horticulture and education programs. Early buying for BBG members are Friday, May 10, 9 to 10 a.m. General Public buying hours are Friday, May 10, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, May 11, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Parking is free. To register or for more information, visit berkshirebotanical.org. Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 West Stockbridge Road.
WILBRAHAM Plant sale
The Wilbraham Friends of the Library (WFOL) is hosting a plant sale featuring two varieties of annuals. The sale will be pre-order only through May 15 with plant pick up on Saturday, May 18, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Wilbraham Public
Library, 25 Crane Park Drive. Begonias (pink or white) and Petunias (blue) in 5-inch pots that are ready to plant and show off are available for purchase. Plants are $5 each and available by pre-order only. Pick up an order form at the library or download a form online. You can also request an order form by emailing friends@wilbrahamlibrary. org. Return your order with payment to the library during regular business hours.
WEST SPRINGFIELD Church planting
This spring, in honor of West Side’s 250th anniversary, the West Springfield Garden Club, financed by a Rotary grant and with the help of Central Maintenance, created a garden in front of the historic White Church. Members planted a variety of shrubs and perennials including azaleas, sedum Baptisia, Montauk daisies, cone flowers, yarrow and hostas. Send items for Garden Notes to pmastriano@repub.com.
CONTINUES FROM PAGE F5
kind of gray inside,” he says. “A dome home isn’t so special anymore.”
Though the process is highly subjective, Mezrahi follows some general guidelines when picking the houses that ultimately get featured on Zillow Gone Wild. For a luxury listing to make it into a “Mansion Monday” post, for instance, “it can’t just be a mansion, it has to be a mansion-plus.”
One of his most viral picks in recent memory fell into this category - a $20 million Arizona spread with a slew of amenities: a go-kart track, a 6,000-square foot “man cave,” a golf simulator, home theater, dance studio and video gaming area. It racked up more than 24 million views, mostly within the first 24 hours.
“It’s what you say you would do if you’re rich,” Mezrahi says. “When you’re a kid you would say you want all these things … they went through with it and did it all.”
Another genre that tends to hit is what Mezrahi dubs, “you never know what’s going on inside a home.” These posts are reserved for listings with ordinary-looking exteriors that conceal, say, an extreme enthusiasm for Barbiecore, a pirate ship-themed DJ booth or a 4,400-square-foot replica of an old western town.
At this point, Zillow Gone Wild has enough reach that Mezrahi doesn’t have to do much of his own digging for content. He gets 20 to 30 houses sent to him every day, mostly from followers but also from real estate agents angling to get publicity for their own listings.
He begins each morning in front of the computer screens in the drab office that he refers to as his “bunker,” studying a spreadsheet that tracks his follower counts, then sifting through his inbox for wildenough houses.
Once he finds a winner and secures the requisite photo permissions from its listing agent, he gets to work building posts around it. He’s turned one section of his
office into a studio of sorts, outfitting it with artificial turf and a camera tripod to record himself for TikTok and YouTube. For Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter), he’ll assemble photos, often saving the most surprising element for later in the post.
“I try not to give too much away,” he says. He describes the format as “normal house, normal room, normal room, oooh, here is why it’s wild.”
Aside from eye-popping mansions and bizarre interiors, the rural stuff - Dr. Seuss-esque homes on dozens of forested acres, former grain silos turned into residences - is usually a sure bet, too. Really, anything that makes viewers think “let’s start a commune,” Mezrahi says, which probably speaks to another, not insignificant factor in Zillow Gone Wild’s success: excellent timing.
When Mezrahi, now 41, published his inaugural home - an Instagram post of an idyllic Vermont cottage that contained seven rusty jail cells - much of the world was still quarantining. At the onset of that first, bleakest-of-bleak pandemic winter, Mezrahi saw an opportunity to build a new audience: “At that time,
This home, listed for $1,069,000 in Topsfield, might look fairly “normal” on the outside, but the inside features a number of interesting characters. It is featured on Zillow Gone Wild.
(ZILLOW GONE WILD VIA INSTAGRAM)
At this point, Zillow Gone Wild has enough reach that Mezrahi doesn’t have to do much of his own digging for content. He gets 20 to 30 houses sent to him every day, mostly from followers but also from real estate agents angling to get publicity for their own listings.
people were just following a lot of stuff. They were just looking for new things.”
Plus, the real estate market was going haywire, with people bidding six figures over list price and packing open houses. If you didn’t have the means to buy a real house, you could at least get your kicks scrolling for fantasy digs on Zillow or Redfin, both of which experienced major traffic boosts.
Zillow Gone Wild tapped directly into the moment. In a single weekend, Mezrahi gained more than 100,000 followers. “Oh, wow, everyone’s into this,” he remembers thinking as he watched the account explode. Less than a month after launch, Zillow Gone Wild was seemingly ev-
erywhere. The New York Post wrote about it, followed by the Los Angeles Times.
For the lucky real estate agents whose listings get chosen, Mezrahi provides instant access to millions of eyeballs. “It’s the kind of exposure someone dreams of,” says Justin McGiver, who sells luxury homes in the Adirondacks and has had two listings make it onto Zillow Gone Wild. As soon as the most recent one posted in February, “I started getting messages through social media, text messages, phone calls, people sharing it on social media and tagging me,” he says. “It was like somebody turned a switch on. … For a Realtor, that’s the kind of stuff we live for.”
Even before Zillow Gone
“I got lucky, because I guess most things never become shows.”
Zillow Gone Wild wasn’t his first big hit, either. In 2015, he started another account, Kale Salad, which shares wholesome memes and gives credit to the people who originally made them (a practice that wasn’t previously commonplace). Though it’s received less mainstream recognition, Kale Salad actually has more Instagram followers than Zillow Gone Wild.
Mezrahi declined to talk on the record about family, his own home or life in general outside work. Which is ironic, given that Zillow Gone Wild is built primarily on satisfying a voyeuristic curiosity about what’s going on behind other people’s closed doors.
It’s not that he’s media shy. He does interviews about real estate and appears in Zillow Gone Wild videos, narrating with his gravelly voice. But unlike other social media influencers, he insists that the content isn’t about him.
Wild featured his listings, McGiver followed the account. “I think it’s just an opportunity to get a glimpse into a world that most of us don’t live in,” he says. “It’s really fun to take a look in there and dream a little bit about what it’d be like to live in one of those houses.”
Mezrahi’s recounting of how he inked the HGTV show, premiering this weekend, is significantly less cinematic. The premise entails actor Jack McBrayer (Kenneth from “30 Rock”) taking viewers inside “non-traditional homes.” Each will be ranked before the season finale declares the “wildest” home of all. Reaching this point, Mezrahi says, was a three-year slog that moved in fits and starts. He almost shrugs it off:
Still, there is one thing that Mezrahi shares in common with the rest of them: He’s trying to figure out how to make more money off the internet. Aside from the HGTV executive producer credit, most of Zillow Gone Wild’s revenue comes from ads. He did one for “The Bachelor,” posting what looked like a typical listing but for the show’s famed house. PopTarts and Royal Caribbean have also paid him to promote fake listings for a house made of PopTarts, and for the new Icon of the Seas cruise ship.
But the account still brings in “very little” money, he says. He imagines a future where his newsletter has a paid classified section or where he dedicates more time to growing a YouTube audience because that platform can be the most lucrative. Eventually, Mezrahi might need to hire some kind of administrative assistant. But he has mixed feelings about handing over even partial control of the Zillow Gone Wild inbox. Going through the contenders, he explains, “is very fun for me.”
PUBLIC AUCTION
PUBLIC AUCTION
HillcrestCemetary& Mausoleum,$13,000,Call/ Text 413-537-5557
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