Selling Your Long Island Home? - It Must Be in WritingWhen you are selling your Long Island home there are forms to complete and sign like the Listing Agreement and Property Data Section. I know most of you know this but there are some things you do not know. Here is a short list of items that need your permission and signature: Price Reductions - Each and every time you or your agent asks for a price reduction, it must be in writing. Listing Extension - When the listing is about to expire your agent will ask you to extend it for xxx amount of months. If you agree, it must be in writing. Commission Changes - If you or your agent agree to maybe increase the cooperating commission in the listing, it must be in writing.  All too often I hear from Long Island homeowners how they never knew ... 03/13/2012

Town of Babylon Senior Citizen Services - How To Apply For A Senior Citizen Identification Card  Town of Babylon residents who are 60 years and over, can apply to receive a senior citizen identification card. Having this ID card allows members to redeem senior citizen discounts where available. You must provide proof of age and residency: Driver's License, Non-Driver ID issued in New York State, passport or utility bill. Where to Apply: Town Annex 281 Phelps Lane North BabylonView Larger Map 03/12/2012

Estate Sales - Greed Rears Its Ugly Little Head Seriously, with estate sales it's either the heirs are all in agreement or not. Sometimes there is that one family member that gets greedy. They don't like the list price and want more for the house than the market will bear. I can tell when the other heirs just want to kick that person upside the head. I can't blame them.Emotions can run high with estate sales. The person that passed away is no longer with them. They are sad and are grieving the loss. You can feel it when you are in the room with them. I tread lightly but when someone gets greedy I just tell them if Grandma didn't pass away, then you would get nothing. The important thing here is Grandma wanted you to have your cut of the money from the sale of the house. Do you really th... 03/10/2012

Long Island Homeowners, You Need To Be Proactive! When you list your Long Island home for sale with an agent, you need to be involved. I come across listings in the MLS that have photos that are blurry, upside down, taken from the car and you can see the car window frame, 4 cars parked in the driveway in the photo, misspellings in the listings, and of course the ever famous, no photos at all. Oiy! Are you not checking the listing to see what your home actually looks like? Would you really be happy not seeing any photos at all? I don't think so. I know I wouldn't. I always send my homeowners to the public MLS so they can see first-hand what buyers will see. They have that right and I always welcome feedback from them. Most times they are happy with what they see. You are paying thousands... 03/01/2012

Daylight Savings Time Begins Sunday March 11th, 2012 - WooHoo! Don't forget to set your clocks ahead 1 hour the night before. We don't want anyone late for work and school right? I swear, this is my favorite time of year.....Spring Ahead! An extra hour of daylight and each day for a few months it stays lighter out a minute a day and before you know it, the sun doesn't go down until 7:30. Gotta love it!To me, it also means Spring is practically around the corner. I can already smell the pretty flowers that will be blooming. The freshly cut grass , more people out and about smiling from ear to ear! Kids playing and enjoying the warm sunshine. Planting our flowers and vegetable gardens! Being able to open windows and let the fresh air into our homes after being cooped ... 02/29/2012

The Flip Side About REO Agents Real estate agents and consumers think being an REO agent is the best thing since sliced bread. They make tons of money, fast. Think again. I had the pleasure last August in helping one of my buyers buy an REO property. I also had the pleasure in speaking with the REO listing agent frequently during and after the home went to closing. One night we were on the phone from 9 PM to 1 AM talking about REO properties and what it entails before they go onto the market. I got one heck of an education! She tells me that she has 16 homes she hasn't even listed yet because they are all occupied. If not once a week, then twice a week she visits each home to see if anyone vacated, takes photos and leaves. The amount of time to visit each home per week is the decision o... 02/28/2012

Lindenhurst NY Home For Sale*****Home Currently Under Contract*****This fabulous new construction colonial home is in the American Venice section of Lindenhurst NY. No expense has been spared by the builder! 5 Star Energy Rating which is the highest a home can be rated!This new construction Lindenhurst NY home is nestled mid block on a cul-de-sac with three bedrooms, seven rooms and a fantastic Gourmet kitchen!Energy Star Appliances (stainless steel):Stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, washer, dryer, tankless water heater & HVAC system. Double pane Energy Star insulated windows, Energy Star insulated doors, foam insulation which is more than an upgrade to standard insulation. Custom moldings, red oak flooring throughout, Gourmet eat-in kitchen with higher-end cherry wood cabinetry, Shivaka... 02/21/2012

Long Island Arts & Craft Shows 2012 Melville NY Art & Craft FestivalWhere: Huntington Hilton, Melville NYDate: February 26th, 2012Time: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PMAdmission: $5 for Adults; Children under 12 are free.This is a one day show and you get to see first-hand all the upcoming new creations for the year!Freeport NY Craft FairWhere: Freeport Recreation CenterDate: March 3rd & 4thTime: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PMAdmission: FreeThere will be a great variety of vendors and food! There will be arts & crafts, antiques, gift items, collectibles and more. This event is surely not to be missed!Spring Craft FairWhere: Holy Trinity Diocesan High SchoolDate: March 24th, 2012Time: 10:00 AM to 4:30 PMAdmission: FreeThere will be over 100 vendors! Crafts, new items, food, raffles and a bake sale! Who can resi... 02/20/2012

It Was My First Time and I Didn't Like It So there I was yesterday, being a good agent keeping an eye on the Lindenhurst NY condo market for my past seller. Looking to see what has recently sold so I can report back to her. Found a condo that sold for much higher than others sold for just a few months ago. I'm looking at the interior photos which were very nice and couldn't believe what I was seeing and started talking to myself..... "Why does that entry sign photo look familiar?" "Uh, and the pool photo even looks familiar." "Oh wonderful, these are my photos!" How did I notice? See for yourself:     My photo is the one on the right. Wait until you see the next one:     Again, my photo is on the right. Now, my former seller's unit is on the second floor. The other unit that sold was on... 02/20/2012

Lindenhurst NY Homes Under Contract 2009 - 2011 The Lindenhurst NY real estate market for homes under contract in the last quarter of 2011 ended off better than I expected. 61 Lindenhurst NY homes went under contract and so far 45 have closed. The remaining 16 went under contract towards the end of 2011 so there is the overflow into 2012. The listing prices range from $119,000 to $499,000. So far, the sold prices range from $144,000 to $450,000 which are the homes that closed in 2011. So, why is this under contract chart important to you? It shows that buyers are out in Lindenhurst NY buying more homes in 2011 than the last two years. Housing prices in Lindenhurst NY are for the most part at the bottom and educated buyers know this and are taking advantage of it and they should. Couple ... 02/16/2012

Lindenhurst NY Short Sale Market Report - 2008-January 2012 The Lindenhurst NY short sale market in 2011 almost stayed the same compared to 2010. In 2010, 55 homes were listed as short sales and 30 sold. 50 homes in Lindenhurst NY were listed as short sales in 2011 and 33 sold. 2012 will be interesting. Short sales will continue to be around for a while. I have to assume right now that 2012 for short sales in Lindenhurst NY will be around the same as in 2010 and 2011. If you have been considering to short sale your Lindenhurst NY home as an option but are not sure what it entails, call me today (631) 703-0201 to make a confidential, no-obligation appointment to see if a short sale is right for you and your family. 02/09/2012

The Only Person I Sleep with is My Husband It's funny how buyers get advice that is old-school. Family and friends mean well but inaccurate information can lead to misunderstandings. In January of 2009, I met with a nice couple who were first time home buyers. During my consultation with them, I let them know that I can refer them to great mortgage brokers, home inspectors and real estate attorneys that will get the job done without breaking the bank. Upon hearing that, the husband said the following, "we were told to not use anyone the Realtor® "sleeps" with". I knew exactly what they meant and I said, "the only person I sleep with is my husband". Good thing they both laughed at that one! I explained that real estate was different 20+ years ago then it is now. My job as a buyer's agen... 02/09/2012

Lindenhurst NY Waterfront Homes - You Will Miss The Boat If You Wait To List Your Home A few times a day I check my website visitor stats to see the activity. Potential buyers are already looking for waterfront homes for sale in Lindenhurst NY: There are different types of waterfront homes in Lindenhurst NY: Bayfront and Canal location. Bayfront for the most part gives you spectacular views of the Great South Bay. View Map of Great South Bay on Long Island in a larger map Canal homes are just that. They are on the canal and your neighbors can be very close to each other. You do get bulkheading with canal homes so if you want a boat or jet ski, go for it! Just make sure the boat isn't larger than your dock space. Lindenhurst NY Waterfront Homes currently For Sale On the Market Waterfront... 02/07/2012

What Does Real Estate and A Box Of Chocolates Have In Common?I will never forget the first time I prospected expired listings in September 2009. The very first door I knocked on had recently expired in Lindenhurst NY and had listed with numerous real estate agents over the last four years. I knew it was going to be a challenge but didn’t expect what I was greeted with.......It was just short of 11:15 a.m. and when I knocked the homeownerflew open the screen door and screamed at me, “do you know what F’ing time it is?!?!?” I replied, “yes, it’s 11:15”. “I’m sorry, is it too early for you?” I then put a smile on my face and told her to have a good day and thanked her for her time.As I was walking back to my car, I heard footsteps behind me. I turn around and was almost nose to nose with ... 02/07/2012

Lindenhurst NY Short Sale Sold! This Lindenhurst NY Short Sale sold and we closed on it today. It was my very first listing and my very first short sale. I took the listing on February 10th, 2010. Almost two years. Lost a few buyers here and there and this one took eight months under contract to get to closing. The buyers almost walked a few times. Read my post to find out how I didn't lose these buyers: Thank You Sherry at Bank of America. This Lindenhurst NY home is a Colonial and a Legal 2 by CO. Meaning, the entire home does not have to be owner occupied. The Town of Babylon and Village of Lindenhurst NY do not give homes Legal 2 by CO anymore due to they do not want the town to become a rental haven. So here we are, a happy seller who avoided foreclosure and happy buyers who bought... 02/06/2012

Thank You Sheri at Bank of America - One Less Homeowner in Foreclosure This is one Lindenhurst NY short sale I will never forget. After eight months under contract the buyer was going to walk. Frustrated, I wrote a blog post venting at how the short sale process at Bank of America was taking way too long. it wasn't normal. Two weeks later I received a call on a Friday night from Sheri at Bank of America. Sheri stated that she could try and help move the process along. Since it was too late to call her back, I called her the following Monday morning. First thing that Monday, I called Sheri. She looked at the file and I explained to her what was going on and not going on. She was able to see what I was talking about. Without promises, she told me she would see what she could do. Of course... 02/06/2012

What Is Wrong With Some of You? My office to home is literally a five minute drive. What could possibly happen during that time? You would think not much but I beg to differ...... Lovely Lexus Lady blew a stop sign that was clear as day and missed hitting me by a few seconds. Mercedes Woman almost rammed me from behind. Mercury Man also almost rammed me from behind. Side Note: If you are going to be that close to me, put a ring on my finger. What do you think these three lovelies have in common?.................   You guess it. They were driving while on their cell phones. This is a problem. A BIG problem. I can imagine it being very difficult for the Suffolk County Police to catch more drivers on their cell phones unless they are behind them watching. I don't get it. What part of NO DR... 02/02/2012

You Agents Work Hard As real estate agents, we know how hard we work. Our friends and family know how hard we work because they see us working hard. And at times, they do not see us because we work so hard. But, when a stranger acknowledges how hard we work, for some reason, we feel validated and appreciated. This is how someone made me feel today and it made my day!I have a short sale listing in Lindenhurst NY that is due to close this coming Friday. It's been a long road: 2 years with this listing. (Details coming forth with a blog post to end all blog posts). I knocked on a neighbor's door to tell him the good news. He invited me in and boy, was he happy to hear the home next door is going to close! The neighbor does taxes for a lot of industries and also for a few real estate agents... 01/29/2012

Trust Is Everything I've always been a trusting person. Unless my instincts kick in telling me not to trust someone, I trust until I'm given a reason not to. I also trust and listen to that inner voice that is there to protect me. But, when someone betrays my trust, it will be a very long time for me to trust them again if ever. When someone hires me to help them sell and/or buy a home, they obviously trust me. It's a blessing to be trusted by a stranger. I mean, I'm handling their largest assets and here I am, a stranger to them, and they trust me from the get-go 100%. How amazing is that?!?! My job is to take great care of my clients and customers and I would never break that trust we have between each other. I trust every agent that is in my office. I have never been given a reason n... 01/26/2012

Elephants Are People Too - Lola The Baby Elephant Lola the baby elephant helped me learn something: Elephants grieve just like we do. Lola passed away from a blood clot embolism in her heart. She was supposed to have surgery but obviously didn't make it that far. Lola was three months old. When you look at the photo to the right, you can see the grief in the elephants' eyes. The mood is one of somber and loss. Elephants normally look like they are happy but in this photo you know the sadness is there. When us humans lose someone we love and care deeply about, it shows in our eyes and faces. Grieving is a long process and I wonder if it's the same with elephants? Lola's Mom is 22 years old. Will she feel the effects of losing her baby for as long as she lives like we would? I guess time ... 01/26/2012