You may think a condo is significant enough for you – or you may think a house is better to buy now than until wait later. We have constructed a list of questions you should consider before purchasing either one.

  • First thing you should consider is the location you want to move to. Are both options available in the location you desire?
  • Is privacy an important thing to you or do you not mind being close to neighbors? - If you prefer to be to yourself and avoid neighbors, a house maybe the better decision for you. 
  • Do you want full responsibility of the decisions you do for your house? Do you have the time to keep up with the maintenance? Do you find yourself away more than being home? - If you already know you barely have time to do your chores,…

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While interior design has changed throughout the years, the enormous change seems to be the kitchen. Remodeling a kitchen takes a lot more planning and thought than just simply redecorating a bedroom. It is beneficial to always be up to date with the latest Kitchen Trends:

  • Eco-Friendly Appliances: Going green is always a top trend. When remodeling your kitchen, choose energy star appliances and green certified building materials.
  • Countertops: While granite and marble countertops are still on top, concrete is making its way up the list. The concrete looks like stone, and will give your kitchen a rustic, modern, and artistic appearance.
  • Title Backsplash: Homeowners are adding this look to their kitchen to give it some extra color. It is also a…

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With the current events happening in the news this pass week, it has come to our attention to inform you how to detect and prevent a gas leak in your household. This knowledge is necessary on how to care for one in case of an emergency or stop one from occurring. 

  • The most common way of detecting that there is a gas leak in your home is a smell of rotten eggs. The leak will also give a hissing or blowing sound.
  • If you believe that there is a gas leak in your house, react quickly! First, leave your home immediately, making sure not to use any electrical devices: light switches and phones, or lighting matches. Any of these things can start a fire. Next, call your gas company to inform them (or 9-1-1 if you do not know your gas company’s number.)…

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February 2014 Real Estate Market Statistics

This is the year to sell your home.  Selling your home in the spring is the best time because this is when there is the largest number of buyers.  Right now, sellers have very little competition! Serious buyers are looking for a home right now, and want to settle into the existing rate before it goes up.

There were only 10 more homes available compared to the previous month of January.  More homes were available on the market during February compared to January 2014, but fewer homes were sold.  February’s current inventory stood at 1877 with only 195 homes sold. 

In terms of speed, it took 123 days to sell 195 homes, and would take 9.62 months to clear out the 1877 homes that were available.  Last year…

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Looking for a tenant? Here are five tips you should be prepared to deal with:

  1. Treat the people who are interviewing to be your tenant as employees. In other words, run a background check, credit check, calling their references and/or previous landlord, and verify their income.
  2. Have a written policy. A lease is one thing, but maybe make a "Do or Don'ts" list for them to follow. This way your rules and perspectives are clear. 
  3. It is important to have rules, but too much rules may cause you more problems than actually help you. Do not be too strict where it is not a fair nor welcoming place to live. 
  4. Be a good landlord. Maintain a respectful relationship with your tenants. If there is a repair they need your help with, respond quickly. They will…

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Just like any life situation, there are mistakes that happen. Here is a list of some common things that can go wrong that we want you to avoid. 

Cold Feet- Feeling remorse about a big purchase, like a new home, is common. An agent can provide consoling and help the buyers avoid making any mistakes or do something they’ll regret. 

Home Inspections- Once a home inspector points out the problems, it is important you do not panic. All homes, even new, have their snags. Be reasonable with the repairs and credit request. 

Mortgage Ioan Rejection- Buyers may not know, but any large purchases while waiting for a mortgage loan to close can increase their debt rate. Do not take out any loans or make big purchases while waiting to close the sale of your new…

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Should you rent a home or buy it? It is a question we will or have asked ourselves before. We set up a list to help you determine what category you belong in.

Reasons to Rent

  • Discover- Renting a home before buying it allows you to explore the house, the neighborhood, and the area. If you see yourself not living there in 5 years, renting is more beneficial.
  • Roaring 20s- It is not that you are too young, but if you are in your 20s, you are better off renting. It is still unknown where life will take you; being locked down in a house is just too soon.
  • Uncertainty Paycheck- If you are job hunting, or planning on a career change, buying a house is not a good investment at this moment. You want to make sure you are on top of your bills at this…

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It’s amazing how many articles lay out a boilerplate strategy on choosing the right real estate company.  Which ones will accomplish the mission of selling your home in today’s market? Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and understand who and why would be best fit to accomplish the sale of one of your greatest assets.

Look at how the company and agent presents themselves.

If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a duck. Even a quick look into a company’s marketing will give you insight into how much effort they’d put into marketing your home.

The quality of the real estate agents or agency marketing materials should give you an idea of how serious they take the property marketing process. Homeowners often overlook the presentation…

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There is a lot of information out there about what to do when selling your home; it can become overwhelming. After TrendingSINY.com posted their Top Ten Tips When Selling Your Home and #DoOrDont: Selling Your Home, we designed a checklist for you to follow that will help. We are here to make this step in your life an easy process.

For more home buying and selling tips, follow our Pinterest Board! 

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STATEN ISLAND'S REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORT FOR JANUARY

The housing market for Staten Island is improving, but it’s not stable quite yet.

Although the number of available homes on the market is still on the low end, more homeowners showed an interest in selling for the month of January. This past month, there was 1772 homes available for sale. Of the 1772 homes, only 292 actually sold in January. The total month’s inventory of 246 took 132 days to sell, meaning it would take roughly 7.2 months to clear out the inventory. 

January proved that there are enough available homes being sold but not enough buyers. For the market to gain traction, people need to continue moving rather than remodeling their current home space.

Home sales in Staten Island…

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