You have come to the conclusion that you're tired of being a renter. You're ready to own a home of your own home. Only thing is you do not know where to start. Well, luckily, you have come to the right place for advice and help! Here are tips on what you need to know when transitioning from renter to buyer.

  • First, make sure buying is right for you. Are you financially stable? Map your finances and consider your future plans. Be sure you are ready for this commitment! Is this a home you can see yourself living in for years?
  • Once you are 100% sure you’re ready for this step, get your finances in order. If you have no already, begin saving for a down payment. You will also need to gather a copy of your credit score and other finical bills so you can…

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When making your plans for your vacation getaway, do not forget to include your home in these plans. There are things you are going to want to make sure get taken care of as well as things you want to make sure never happen! 

  • Ask a family member or friend to look after your house, or even a neighbor you trust. They can stop by your house to feed and walk your pet, bring in the newspaper and mail, and water your plants. Double score if you can get a relative or friend to live in your house for that time frame. If not, there are services that will come and care for your house when you are away.
  • You can even call the post office and ask them to hold your mail for the days you are away. This is a free feature thanks to the services of the United…

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This past month's real estate numbers are notably less concerning than April's, but still strange upon detailed examination.

To begin, current days on the market averaged just 138, which is lower than we have seen in seven months, when the number fell to 135 in October. This beat last month's already low 149, and fell 25% from 183 days in May 2013. This is also among the lowest we have seen in several years; homes are selling so fast, it is difficult to keep them in stock.

This increase in sale speed is coupled with a slight price increase over the prior month. Homes in May fetched a median sale price of $380,000, compared to the previous month's $368,250. However, this number is far lower than last year's $415,000 by more than 8%. The percentage of…

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We want to make sure your yard is ready for the summer! The last thing you want is to not be prepared for backyard fun in the sun days, so let us get started!

  • A properly maintained garden: A garden is not a need for your yard, but it does dress it up, and is good for the environment! If you know you will not have time to take care of a garden, opt for drought-tolerant plants. They do not need as much care and can survive through rainy days or the summer heat.
  • Furniture: No need to worry about if you took cushions inside anymore! There are now outdoor sets that are made with acrylic fabric and are fade resistant and waterproof! You can now create a permanent outdoor living set up!
  • Cooking space: Create a space needed for efficient prepping,…

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April was one of the strangest months in recent memory when it came to real estate numbers. The question is, what will it mean in May? 

Perhaps strangest of all is the median sale price. Of all homes sold in Staten Island in April 2014, the median sale price was a mere $369,000. We have not seen numbers this low since 2011, when the median sale price for the month of May fell to $360,000. Alone, this number seems odd, but it is even more puzzling when looking at inventory numbers.

Available inventory on the market during April was just 1977 homes in total. In April 2013, 2423 homes were up for sale locally. Although up from the previous month (March 2014 listed just 1859), the median for the past 5 months of 1859 compared to the summer median last…

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