As a real estate agent, I often anticipate the buyers' request to limit the home search to those properties found within the boundaries of the very best school district. Naturally, I respect that wish as I'm lining up houses to show.      Still, I can't help but wonder why that preoccupation exists . Please understand that I'm not advocating failing schools nor those with a reputation for violence - only delightful, ordinary neighborhood schools. Years ago, we didn't worry about these things. Whatever school you were zoned for is the one you attended. And most of us grew up just fine, achieved and even prospered over the course of a lifetime. As a former educator and part of a family of educators, literacy and achievement has always been top on my  list. Coming from one who read to her ... 06/02/2015

Feng Shui Real Estate Development Tip: Front Entrance Water ElementAdding simple Feng Shui enhancements to the design concepts of a real estate development can be very beneficial to enhancing sales for residential and commercially utilized buildings. Why? Because 37% of buyers, follow the principles of Feng Shui with those buying on Long Island (and the percentage keeps increasing). The image above illustrates a very simple Feng Shui principle to keep in mind for the front entrance of a buildings exterior (if possible).A base principle in Feng Shui is to have water by the front entrance. Adding a real water fountain or water feature is a great way to create strong welcoming energy. This is also beneficial for those occupying the space because its an "activation cure" that bring s in aus... 04/19/2015

Exploring Long Beach New YorkOver the weekend, New York was blessed with amazing Spring weather! I had some work in the early part of the weekend and made sure to take time off to practice what I preach, being present in life and balancing work with play.  I had the pleasure of walking along the Long Beach boardwalk (which has finally been rebuilt from the impact of Hurricane Sandy) with a great friend, catching up, sharing laughs and some snacks. Here are some views of the beach with a couple enjoying the view and sunshine. As the Summer time approaches, be sure to stop by the City of Long Beach in NY. There is always festivals, great food and beach activities taking place.   04/19/2015

Buy What Makes You Smile Long Island is aptly named. With so many neighborhoods to choose from - an estimated 198 divided between two counties - Nassau and Suffolk - how does an out-of-town buyer even begin to know where to start? The answer lies in jotting down, early on, the lifestyle choices that matter to you.And when - not if - you become overwhelmed, unless you're a professional investor or mature homebuyer, who has quite a bit of experience and knows exactly what he/she wants, please refer to this list, as often as necessary. Some key items to keep in mind:  Commute to work - so incredibly important because hours spent away from home will determine how much time you have left each day to spend with your loved ones, engaging in enjoyable activities. Community attributes - this is ... 02/25/2015

January 13th, 2015 FREE Feng Shui Lecture at The Long Beach Library    Come enjoy a fun, interactive and educational lecture on Feng Shui presented by Feng Shui Healing Expert Laura Cerrano-CEO and founder of Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island Feng Shui is a metaphysical practice developed over 6,000 years ago. Rejuvenate your energy and become motivated, inspired and positively engaged with new perspective on life. You will learn how to combine the intuitive thinking processes of Feng Shui and analytical techniques for your home, a blend of east and west alchemy that can help develop and sharpen your sense of awareness on all levels, physical, emotional, spiritual and universal.   Date:  January 13th, 2015 Lecture time: 2pm- 3:00pm Location: 111 West Park Ave, Long Beach NY, 11561   (516)... 01/12/2015

Post Hurricane Sandy has resulted in a major rebirth in Long Beach, NY. Most of the oringinal bungalows were destroyed as a result of the surge that flooded the area. If you have not visited the West End Area of Long Beach, NY in the past two years, you will probaly not recognize it. The ampunt of rebuilding that has been completed is amazing. The biggest change is that the new houses that have been built are much higher in order to be FEMA compliant and they are brand new. The highest priced bungalow sold post the housing crisis in 2007 was approximately $410,000. These bungalows were usually 2-4 bedrooms and 1-2 baths with square footage of about 800-1000 square feet.  The new FEMA compliantt homes are now three stories high with parking and storage on the ground floor and the square ... 01/02/2015

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Schedule a Showing/Request Info                                                                                         ... 10/25/2014

The Key to Success - Does it Open the Right Door? Of all the real estate agent stereotypes that run rampant, (the money is all we care about!) and other such unflattering generalizations, the one that has always agitated me the most is an image of the agent who comes "running with the key" and goes on to make a gazillion dollars. Perhaps, someone else has had that experience but, regrettably, I have not. No matter, I've never shied away from a hard day's work.  I've only asked to be paid for services I've provided. Fresh from a summer of lengthy and intense negotiations in one particular transaction, with the eventual successful "under contract" status now firmly in place, I know this stereotype to be far from true. Every time dialogue was in jeopardy (and that happened a lot), I brains... 10/14/2014

http://youtu.be/UA7s6XABI0M  10/01/2014

View the Tour 09/11/2014

Can I Use Hardwood for my Kitchen Floor? I'm no flooring expert. So, if you're looking for expertise, please feel free to move on. However, if you're thinking of putting down a hardwood floor in your kitchen, and you're open to anecdotal advice, from one who's currently there, I'm your gal.  The house came with three types of flooring on the first level alone. From the doorway, you could see an old, cracked and pitted marble entry hall, white kitchen tiles and light wood living room/dining room floors.Too many designs. At least, one too many. Two types of flooring is more than enough on any one level or it just feels disjointed. I was after a unified look. I have nothing against tile, nor marble but I do prefer it for hot weather climates. Where it's colder most of the year, I gravitate... 08/25/2014

Is Your Town Pedestrian Friendly or Are You Just Spinning Your Wheels?Food for ThoughtWalking has terrific health benefits. It is good for the environment and it makes financial sense as real estate with a high walkability score commands a premium on the market. A newly upgraded and very handy website allows you to plug in just about any town in the nation and come away with a walk score: www.walkscore.com.   But what exactly does this score mean?   What makes a neighborhood walkable? (The following highlighted bullet points were copied from the above-referenced website.)  A center: Walkable neighborhoods have a center, whether it's a main street or a public space. People: Enough people for businesses to flourish and for public transit to run frequently. Mixed income, mixed use: Afforda... 04/23/2014

Is Saintly Intervention Necessary to Sell Your House?Recently, a friend, from my neck of the woods, asked me if people were starting to forget.He was referring, of course, to homeowners, situated south of Montauk, who were badly hurt during recent storms.Amid widespread uncertainly regarding flood insurance premiums and a whole lot of misinformation that persists to date, the short answer is "no."   When I walked into a real estate office, yesterday, for a set of keys to a local listing, I couldn't help but chuckle as I noticed that lined up behind the receptionist's desk, like an impulse counter at the grocery check-out, were boxes and boxes of St. Joseph figurines; the Patron Saint of HomeSellers.   In a sluggish economy, it appears that you just can't be too careful. Christian refere... 03/24/2014

It's Not Easy Being GreenA non real estate-related mini-rant for today.There's much that I can buy from Costco but bananas are not one. In the middle of last summer's heat wave, I bought a giant bunch. I placed them on the counter and waited for them to ripen.And I waited, and I waited...I put them out in the sun. I put them in a brown paper bag. I mixed them with other fruit to get the benefit of their gas emissions. Nothing. After a solid two weeks, I was just about to throw them away, when I saw the barest hint of yellow. I salvaged that bunch but I know it was only because it was hot and humid at the time. Had it been winter, they would have gone into the garbage.I get that bananas come from faraway, tropical climates and Long Island surely doesn't have the perfect growing condition... 01/23/2014

12/20/2013

11/21/2013

When you lose "the perfect house!" Long Island is first now experiencing the extra hot real estate market that has prevailed across the nation for some time.  Lovely neighborhoods, spared from damaging storms, have become super desirable. Great looking homes, priced right, are going under contract the first week they are listed. It's even difficult to get my buyers, who commute from a distance and are only available evenings after work, inside for a showing.  You can find articles everywhere that dole out great tips for winning a house in a multiple bid situation and it's not that you should ever be deterred in bidding on a popular property, if you're positive that's the one you want. But, at the core of my beliefs, exists a certain amount of destiny - every buyer has a house with his n... 11/12/2013

"You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em" This bizarre real estate transaction came to me by way of co-worker referral. A never-ending story, the plot becomes more and more complicated as each month passes. Summarizing it in a way that would make sense to you, my casual reader, seems nearly impossible. Suffice to say that my conundrum has been whether or not to proceed in helping the seller. This situation, which has been ongoing for some time, threatens to last much longer before the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. The reality exists that none of the participants to the deal will be paid at the end of the day.   A tenacious person by nature, I tend to hang on until the bitter end. But recently, I've been deliberating whether walking away might not be the most... 09/23/2013

The Biggest Loser A while back, I listed a house. The next day, the house next door also went up for sale with a different agent from a different agency. This Realtor was the competitive sort. Whenever, I advertised an open house, his open house sign would, coincidentally, also appear in front of his listing. Except, it wasn't really in front of the house; it was practically in the middle of the street and slightly to the left.  This was designed to attract all the traffic to his property. You noticed his before you noticed mine. It didn't really bother me and it never stopped me from yelling out, "Hey, how are you doing?" which he, of course, ignored.   About 3 months later, mine was Under Contract, but his wasn't. This was right before Superstorm Sandy and before the devastation of pr... 06/25/2013

06/03/2013