Long Island Real Estate and Lifestyle

The market is BUZZING and it is looking like a SELLERS MARKET!  This is a great time to list your home and I want to take a moment to share with you a KEY COMPONENT to working with the right Realtor.  One of the first things I tell my Sellers is that the most important part of selling or buying a home is COMMUNICATION!  I know this sounds simple and you know what… it is!  At the end of the day everyone wants the same thing.  Someone wants to sell and someone wants to buy.  Things only get complicated when expectations are not met and half the time it is due to lack of communication.

Sellers Communication Tip: As your Real Estate Agent, I NEVER want you to turn to me and say, “Why didn’t you tell me that?”  Here are two of my prime examples of conversations that are absolutely necessary to have when I list a home.

1. It is not necessarily my job to tell you the number that you want to hear but it is my job to make sure that the numbers I tell you are accurate and base off of real information that I can back up. Bottom line – if it so happens to be that the buyer that purchases your home needs a mortgage, then the bank is going to have to give the final approval of the purchase price. If it is too high, then unfortunately it will not appraise. I open up this conversation when we first sit down to discuss where our figures are at. It may be that you decide to list your home at a higher price and that is okay, however, now you are aware that this may be a forecast of the future if it is too high for the market to bear and at that time we may need to re-open the negotiations.
2. If you have made improvements to your home that you do not have paperwork filed for through your town, you may need to take some necessary steps to prepare your home for sale. If you have added a deck or converted a garage, or constructed an extension, then legally, you are to have permits in place with your town. Again, if a purchaser is obtaining a mortgage to purchase your home, these are things that will probably come up and better to know about them now rather than be surprised about it later.

So – if you are feeling the warmth of Spring and are reading the news about the market, and are curious to see what the market is like for your home, CALL ME!  I would be more than happy to speak with you and after answering a few questions about your home, I will comprise a thorough analysis of what your home is worth and how I can effectively market it for sale.  Additionally, I can discuss with you any necessary steps that may be needed to prepare your home for sale and provide you with the recommended resources to do so. 

Choosing the right Realtor is KEY – In today’s ever changing market, you need to know you can rely on a committed real estate agent so that you can continue to focus your attention on everyday life.  I pride myself on the wonderful relationships I have formed and continue to form in a business that I truly love.  

It's Spring! So if you are anything like me – you have a brown thumb and the thought of the happy people that live for that first sign of spring so they can run out into their yard and start planting makes you feel completely defeated.  It is not that I don’t have interest – I just can’t foresee how things will grow and look together in time.  How close do I plant things next to each other?  More sun vs less sun?  UGH! 

Any good Real Estate agent will tell you how important curb appeal is when selling a home and working with buyers I can tell you first hand that it is the first impression when they pull up to the home that sets the whole tone to the showing.

So, although I personally am not equipped to express my opinion on what to do this spring to spruce up your curb appeal, I found a helpful article that can at least get you moving in the right direction.  It has great tips with useful steps that show you the right way of designing your garden to help it fit into your space and enhance your outdoor living.

If you are thinking that now is the time to sell, call me today to schedule a consultation (631) 681-8820 and I would be happy to sit and discuss your home with you.

Being a Licensed Real Estate Agent in today’s market means so much more than sticking a sign in the ground and putting a pretty picture online for everyone to see.  When you are looking to retain a Real Estate professional, you should find out what services they offer as an agent. 

As a professional in the industry, I am big on “doing my homework.”  Prior to listing a home for sale, I will first and foremost research.  Research… Research…Research!!!  A real estate agent should value the home similar to how an appraiser will value the home.  It is not so much about what the seller wants, but rather what the market can bear. 

Rule #1 – Buyers determine market value!  A home is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay so the buyer will determine the market value of your home by what they are spending on the surrounding homes. 

Rule #2 – The bank will determine the home’s worth.  Even if the buyer wanted to overpay for the home, the bank will only lend what it determines the value to be.  So unless you are working with an all cash buyer, you have to play by the bank’s rules. 

So what does this mean for you?  As your Real Estate Agent it means that I am the professional that will help you to find the balance between the perfect price at which the buyers will be attracted to the home and enticed to make an offer, and where the bank will find the value to be within reason to develop the loan. 

Another part of research entails finding out if there are any reasons why a bank would not grant a loan.  Open permits, illegal structures on the property, and conversions of non-livable space to livable space all fall into the category of things can hold up the selling process if the buyer is trying to obtain a mortgage.  There may be steps necessary to get your home ready for sale that is beyond a fresh coat of paint and a new welcome mat.  The good news is, if you are working with the right Real Estate Agent, they should be able to advise you accordingly and may be able to recommend the professionals in the industry that can help expedite the process.

Bottom line is – you are not to take on the job of listing your home by yourself!  Hiring a professional in the industry is the best thing that you can do to get you the most money for your house in the shortest amount of time and avoid the headaches and the hassles that come along with the bumps you will encounter along the way. 

Not all agents work the same, so I can only speak for myself when I say that I pride myself on my due diligence that I take when preparing a home for sale.  If you have any questions about what your home may be worth, I would love the opportunity to sit down and speak with you.  As a Licensed Agent of over 10 years, I have a wealth of knowledge to share and would love the opportunity to continue growing my business by doing what I love and working with those who want to work with me.  

OK so I may not have a mountain view or a rock climbing wall in my basement, but this article definitely gives some useful tips when trying to sell your house during the winter season.  Let's face it... It's darker outside, sloppier when we enter the home and can just be all around blah.  In this article you will find some considerable tips that will help warm up your space and cozy up that home showing.  If you are thinking of selling your home and would like to set up a consultation, please don't hesitate to contact me.  
Happy Snow Day Everyone! ~Christine Geraghty