Holiday Lights

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  LED Holiday Lights: 6 Need-to-Know Tips

  LED holiday lights vs. old-fashioned bulbs: 6 tips to help you decide which is right for you. Read

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Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Estimate Your Expenses Before Buying a Home

Estimate Your Expenses Before Buying a Home….

CLICK Here to Read Article in the New York Times

Personal Letter Lands a Home Sale

Personal Letter Lands a Home Sale ~ www.RealEstate.AOL.com

                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  CLICK Here to View  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                                        Delwin Steven Campbell – Flickr.com

64 Cunningham Lane Pawling NY

Beautiful Colonial For Sale in Pawling NY

                                                64 Cunningham Lane ~ Pawling NY

                                    Click Here to View Listing Sheet with Additional Photos!

Buying a Short Sale

Another great video from http://www.AOLRealEstate.com 

                               ““““““““CLICK Here to View  “““““““““ 

Details Home Staging

Looking for someone to help you organize your home or office? To stage you sell your home – or staging for youself – contact Details Home Staging!

Keep Cool With Summer Home Energy Tips

Keep Cool With Summer Home Energy Tips from WholeLiving.com & MarthaStewart.com

                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  CLICK Here to View  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spring Breathes Life Into Prices

Spring Breathes Life Into Prices – a Video from RISMedia.com

                                   ~~~~~~~~~~~  CLICK Here to View VIDEO  ~~~~~~~~~~~

Ways to Make Your Home More Appealing

Ways to Make Your Home More Appealing from RIS Media Real Estate….

                                       ~~~~~~~~~~~  CLICK to View VIDEO  ~~~~~~~~~~~

Dress Up Your Deck

Dress Up Your Deck ~ From HouseLogic.com

                                         ~~~~~~~~~~  CLICK Here to View  ~~~~~~~~~~

                                                                 gemteck1 ~ Flickr.com

Do’s & Don’ts During the Process of Your Home Loan

Here is an e-mail with information of Do’s and Don’ts During the Process of Your Home Loan

 

Dear Diana,

 

Do you want a hassle free loan process?  Here’s some Do’s and Don’ts to share with your homebuyers.

 

During the process of your loan request, we encourage you to follow these suggestions until all loan proceeds have been disbursed by the Lender.  The Loan is officially completed once all monies have been disbursed.  

 

MAKE SURE YOU DO…

Keep paying your bills on time including any mortgage, car, credit

cards, etc.

 

Inform us in advance of any employment or income change.

 

Keep copies of all paychecks/stubs and bank statements you receive.

 

Call us anytime if you are unclear or have a question about your loan.

 

 

MAKE SURE YOU DON’T…

Change your employment status without notifying us first.

Apply for new credit or access credit lines

Start significant home improvements on your home (if refinancing)

Co-Sign any loans until finished with this transaction.

Make large purchases such as real estate, cars, or furniture

 

 

The above information is provided for informational purposes only. Nothing contained herein should be construed as legal advice. Should you have any questions regarding your legal obligations during the loan process, please consult legal counsel.

 

Carey Lance Hollander, NMLS #74044

108 Corporate Park Dr., Ste 301, White Plains, NY 10604

914-696-3400 Office, 914.424.5962 Cell

Equal Housing Lender/Licensed Mortgage Banker, NMLS# 1615/NYS Banking Dept.

 

Repair Hardwood Floors

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  Repair Wood Floors and Erase Ugly Scratches

  Repair wood floors and scratches that make rooms look worn out. We’ll show you easy ways to put the luster back into your floors. Read

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Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Home Improvements on the Rise

                                                            http://bcove.me/bi6683jh

Tax Refunds in Your Home

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  (New!)

  Invest a Tax Refund in Your Home: $3,000 Projects

  Four great, summery ways to invest your $3,000 tax refund in your house. Read
• 

  Tips for Investing a Tax Refund in Your Home

  HouseLogic talks to financial planner Alan D. Kahn, who offers tips for investing a tax refund in your home based on where you are in life—and with your house. Read
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  Invest a Tax Refund in Your Home: $2,500 Projects

  If you want to invest a tax refund in your home this year, consider these five great projects that cost around $2,500. Read
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  Invest a Tax Refund in Your Home: $500 Projects

  Here are five great ideas for investing a tax refund in your home if you receive $500 or less back from the IRS this year. Read
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  Invest a Tax Refund in Your Home: $1,000 Projects

  Consider these five great projects that cost around $1,000 if you decide to invest a tax refund in your home this year. Read

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Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Home Selling on a Budget

                                                  Home Selling on a Budget from About.com

                                           ~~~~~~~~~~  CLICK Here to View  ~~~~~~~~~~

Before You Look to Buy a Short Sale House

6 Things to Know Before You Buy That Short Sale House

The Wrong Short Sale House Might Not Ever Close

By Elizabeth Weintraub,  About.com Guide

See More About:

• short sales
• foreclosures
• buying a home
• buyer’s agent
• offer negotation

Qualify the listing agent and the seller before writing an offer on that short sale house.

© Big Stock Photo

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When you spot a short sale house that interests you, take your hand off the mouse and step away from the computer. Before you get all excited over the prospect of buying that short sale house, pick up the phone and call your real estate agent. Your agent needs to research that short sale listing first.In some real estate markets, fewer than one in 10 short sales close. Just because that home is listed as a short sale doesn’t mean it’s really for sale (because it’s subject to lender approval), nor does it mean it will sell at the advertised price. Here are 6 things you need to know before trying to buy that short sale.

Comparable Sales For That Short Sale House

The short sales I list in Sacramento are all priced below comparable sales, yet they are priced in line with pending sales. Why? Because short sales take anywhere from 2 to 4 months, on average, to close, and pending sales will become the comparable sales at closing.

Some short sales are priced ridiculously low. So low that the sellers’ bank will never accept them. These types of listings receive multiple offers. But all is not lost. To get your offer accepted, it will need to be priced near market value. If you’re not prepared to pay above a superficial price on a lowball short-sale listing, then pass.

Mortgage Amounts, Number of Loans and Lenders

Ask your agent to research how much is owed against the home and find out the number of loans that are recorded. A second or third mortgage lender will receive peanuts as compared to the amount a senior lender in first position will get.

Moreover, some lenders, deserving or not, get a reputation for being difficult to work with. If your agent is an experienced short sale agent, he or she will know who these lenders are and can advise you of the difficulty you may encounter.

If your offer is 20% or 30% of the mortgaged amount, it is unlikely that your offer will see the light of day on the negotiator’s desk.

Short Sale Listing Agent’s Track Record

A listing agent who is advertising a short sale but has never closed a short sale is a risky proposition for you. That’s because it’s up to the listing agent to submit the short sale package to the lender and negotiate. Your buyer’s agent can’t talk to the bank.

Some listing agents hire outside companies to do their job, and the results of those negotiations are sketchy at best. Ask yourself, do you want to risk rejection of your short sale purchase because the listing agent has no experience?

Short Sale Seller Qualifications

Find out if the listing agent has received a completed short sale package from the seller, and ask about the contents of that package. A complete short sale package consists, at minimum, of the following:

• Sellers’ hardship letter
• Tax returns
• W-2s
• Payroll stubs
• Financial statement
• Bank statements

Some sellers do not want to cooperate and are slow to return these documents. Others have never been told by their agent that these documents are mandatory. You don’t want your short sale purchase delayed because the listing agent doesn’t have the required documents.

Number of Short Sale Offers Received

Homes priced under market value will receive multiple offers. An agent is not required to disclose the terms of those offers, but you do want to know how many offers you are up against.

Here’s how it generally works:

• When a short sale home first comes on the market, the first offer will most likely be a tad below list price.
• The second, at list price.
• The third offer will be slightly higher, maybe by a $1,000 or $2,000.
• The fourth offer will be significantly more.

You want to make an offer that will beat the competition yet still be below market, or don’t waste your time.

The Listing Agent’s Short Sale Procedures

Although REALTORS are required by the REALTOR Code of Ethics to treat everybody fairly, not every agent is a REALTOR. This means the short sale listing agent may decide to submit only the first offer to the bank and withhold all other offers.

Withholding other offers could be considered to be a violation of the fiduciary relationship formed between the listing agent and the seller. The seller is entitled to receive the highest and best price. Realize that even if your offer is submitted to the bank, as time marches by while waiting for short sale approval, another buyer could outbid you.

_{At the time of writing, Elizabeth Weintraub, DRE # 00697006, is a Broker-Associate at Lyon Real Estate in Sacramento, California.}

Home Inspection Checklist

Home Inspection Checklist from About.com

                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  CLICK Here to View  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                                                   S. Diddy ~ Flickr.com

First-Time Homebuyer’s Guide

First-Time Homebuyer’s Guide from FrontDoor.com

                                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~  CLICK Here to View  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                                              ~Brenda-Starr~ – Flickr.com

Improve Your Credit

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  7 Tips for Improving Your Credit

  Here’s how to clean up your credit so you get the least-expensive home loan possible. Read

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Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Home For Sale ~ Mahopac NY

Home For Sale ~ Mahopac NY

Click to view home tour:   http://tour.circlepix.com/tour.htm?id=800720

***CLICK ***to view listing sheet

Home Buying Guide

Home Buying Guide from About.com

                                           ~~~~~~~~~  CLICK Here to View  ~~~~~~~~~~

                                                                 Chefranden – Flickr.com

Homeownership Still The American Dream

                                                               Ken ratcliff ~ FLICKR.COM

                                                   Homeownership… Still The American Dream

 70 Percent of Americans View Homeownership as Part of Personal American Dream, According to Trulia | RISMedia

Better Home Showings

Simple Tips for Better Home Showings

Realtor.org – Realtor Magazine

                                                            Flickr.com – granite-charlotte

1. Remove clutter and clear off counters. Throw out stacks of newspapers and magazines and stow away most of your small decorative items. Put excess furniture in storage, and remove out-of-season clothing items that are cramping closet space. Don’t forget to clean out the garage, too.

2. Wash your windows and screens. This will help get more light into the interior of the home.

3. Keep everything extra clean. A clean house will make a strong first impression and send a message to buyers that the home has been well-cared for. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates, mop and wax floors, and clean the stove and refrigerator. Polish your doorknobs and address numbers. It’s worth hiring a cleaning service if you can afford it.

4. Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows to air out the house. Potpourri or scented candles will help.

5. Brighten your rooms. Put higher wattage bulbs in light fixtures to brighten up rooms and basements. Replace any burned-out bulbs in closets. Clean the walls, or better yet, brush on a fresh coat of neutral color paint.

6. Don’t disregard minor repairs. Small problems such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet may seem trivial, but they’ll give buyers the impression that the house isn’t well-maintained.

7. Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, add new mulch, trim the bushes, edge the walkways, and clean the gutters. For added curb appeal, place a pot of bright flowers near the entryway.

8. Patch holes. Repair any holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.

9. Add a touch of color in the living room. A colored afghan or throw on the couch will jazz up a dull room. Buy new accent pillows for the sofa.

10. Buy a flowering plant and put it near a window you pass by frequently.

11. Make centerpieces for your tables. Use brightly colored fruit or flowers.

12. Set the scene. Set the table with fancy dishes and candles, and create other vignettes throughout the home to help buyers picture living there. For example, in the basement you might display a chess game in progress.

13. Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones that let in more light. Show off the view if you have one.

14. Accentuate the fireplace. Lay fresh logs in the fireplace or put a basket of flowers there if it’s not in use.

15. Make the bathrooms feel luxurious. Put away those old towels and toothbrushes. When buyers enter your bathroom, they should feel pampered. Add a new shower curtain, new towels, and fancy guest soaps. Make sure your personal toiletry items are out of sight.

16. Send your pets to a neighbor or take them outside. If that’s not possible, crate them or confine them to one room (ideally in the basement), and let the real estate practitioner know where they’ll be to eliminate surprises.

17. Lock up valuables, jewelry, and money. While a real estate salesperson will be on site during the showing or open house, it’s impossible to watch everyone all the time.

18. Leave the home. It’s usually best if the sellers are not at home. It’s awkward for prospective buyers to look in your closets and express their opinions of your home with you there.

Insulating Your Home

• 

  (New!)

  Seal Air Leaks Around Windows and Doors

  Seal air leaks around windows and doors to prevent wasting home heating and cooling energy that costs you money. Read
• 

  (New!)

  Basement Insulation Lowers Energy Costs

  Add insulation to your basement to help lower heating and cooling costs by as much as $170 per year. Read
• 

  (New!)

  Air Leaks in Your Basement? How to Spot and Seal Them

  Seal air leaks in your basement to stop the loss of your home heating energy. Read

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Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Tips for Selling Your Home from RISMEDIA

5 Tips for Selling Your Home Quickly in Today’s Market

By Dan Steward Print Article

RISMEDIA, November 22, 2010—It’s one thing when someone says “Things are looking up,” but quite another when the numbers actually bear that out. Happily, the latter is the case, evidenced by the latest statistics that show that home prices may be stabilizing. Namely, national home prices jumped an impressive 3.6% in the past year, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index released in late August. Prices also climbed 4.4% in the second quarter, which contrasts with a 2.8% decrease in the first quarter.

This uptick in prices leads to a simple conclusion: Sell now if you can. And you certainly can. A fast sale, taking advantage of these numbers, is entirely possible, and can result in a lot of profit and a very happy client. But telling your client to “sell quickly,” without backing it up, can inspire fear and even ire. Instead, give them these methodical, easy tips to selling fast and successfully, taking advantage of a market uptick, without inducing panic or stomach aches.

1. Don’t raise the price. The uptick in home prices doesn’t mean that you should get all excited and raise the price. The trick is to leave your price the same as it was—that will encourage a bidding war. Hearing news about home prices going up, and raising your price immediately as a response to that, is typically not the way to go; the home will likely sell for more as a result of two buyers fighting over your reasonable price, rather than walking away due to a price that’s too high. Remember, the goal is ultimately to get more money, not to have a higher list price.

2. Remain flexible. Selling quickly means making some concessions—and we’re not talking price. It’s those little extras that may inspire a buyer to sign on the dotted line. Obviously, no one has the right to get your vintage grand piano in the deal. But if a buyer wants your stainless-steel fridge with ice-maker, give it up. There’s more ice waiting in your new home.

3. De-clutter. For a quick sale, you may not have time to fully “stage” your home down to the accent pillows and entirely new living room furniture. But you do have time to clear out the clutter. If we saw a home we’d like, we’d look past the clutter, but most buyers won’t. So, before you worry about making your home pretty, focus on making it neat. In a better market, neat is often all you need.

4. Schedule more open houses—and don’t attend your own. When you have a longer time frame for selling, you can schedule open houses at your leisure, but if you want to sell fast, try for as many open houses as you can—and do not attend them, as a homeowner at their own open house often makes a potential buyer too nervous to comfortably look around.

5. Go big—and go local. If you haven’t listed in MLS (multiple-listing service), it’s a good idea, especially if you want to sell fast. The math is simple—more eyes on your listing equals more potential bites. But a lot of people who use the MLS forget that local advertising is important as well. Advertising in local and regional publications—as well as simply putting the word out with friends and family—are often skipped, expecting that the Internet will get the job done on its own.

Dan Steward is president of Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspections.

For more information, visit www.pillartopost.com.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com.

Have you heard about RISMedia’s Real Estate Information Network® (RREIN)? RREIN is an elite network of leading real estate companies dedicated to providing consumers and their agents with leading real estate information, and committed to the belief that Information Share Equals Market Share. Having only launched this past June 2010, the RREIN network is already comprised of 40 leading brokerages, which make up 575 offices, 30,000 agents, 167,000 closings and represents over $41 billion in transactions. How can RREIN help your recruiting efforts and differentiate your company today? For more information, email rrein@rismedia.com.

Copyright© 2010 RISMedia, The Leader in Real Estate Information Systems and Real Estate News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be republished without permission from RISMedia.

Home Style Guide

Home Style Guide from About.com – What style are you?

                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  CLICK to View  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                                              Lynette 1962- Flickr.com

Buying Foreclosures

Buying Foreclosures – Tips for Foreclosure Profits  –  From About.com

                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~  CLICK Here to View  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                                                      emdot – Flickr.com

How Long Does it Take to Sell a House?

How Long Does it Take to Sell a House?  Information from About.com

                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~  CLICK Here to View  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scariest Places on Earth

Scariest Places on Earth from About.com

                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~  CLICK Here to View  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                                                 ~Duncan~ – Flickr.com

7 Reasons To Own Your Home

Sharing this post from Realtor Magazine – Realtor.org

7 Reasons to Own Your Home

1. Tax breaks. The U.S. Tax Code lets you deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage, your property taxes, as well as some of the costs involved in buying your home.

2. Appreciation. Real estate has long-term, stable growth in value. While year-to-year fluctuations are normal, median existing-home sale prices have increased on average 6.5 percent each year from 1972 through 2005, and increased 88.5 percent over the last 10 years, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. In addition, the number of U.S. households is expected to rise 15 percent over the next decade, creating continued high demand for housing.

3. Equity. Money paid for rent is money that you’ll never see again, but mortgage payments let you build equity ownership interest in your home.

4. Savings. Building equity in your home is a ready-made savings plan. And when you sell, you can generally take up to $250,000 ($500,000 for a married couple) as gain without owing any federal income tax.

5. Predictability. Unlike rent, your fixed-mortgage payments don’t rise over the years so your housing costs may actually decline as you own the home longer. However, keep in mind that property taxes and insurance costs will increase.

6. Freedom. The home is yours. You can decorate any way you want and benefit from your investment for as long as you own the home.

7. Stability. Remaining in one neighborhood for several years gives you a chance to participate in community activities, lets you and your family establish lasting friendships, and offers your children the benefit of educational continuity.

Online resources: To calculate whether buying is the best financial option for you, use the “Buy vs. Rent” calculator at www.GinnieMae.gov.