Hudson Valley Happenings Blog : May 2008

But I'm not ready to buy a house!  So you know you want to buy a house someday but you are not ready yet.  What are you doing to get ready?  If you are not working towards that goal today you will not get there anytime in the near future.

If you are serious about becoming a homeowner someday, you need to find out where you are today and what you need to do to get yourself in the position to be able to buy.  Many potential homeowners think that they are not ready when they really are.  Don't let yourself down by not knowing what you need in order to be ready and how to get it.  The following plan will help you get yourself organized for the journey to your own house.

1.  Speak with a good real estate buyer's agent who can provide you with information and advice on the home buying process and provide you with referrals to various professionals who can help you get ready.

2.  Find a great mortgage professional who can review your financial picture including your savings and credit history.  This helpful assistant can give you a plan to save the needed down payment, let you know about any special financing options that might be available to you, and help you to straighten out your credit rating if need be.  Do Not Use A Credit Repair Service unless it is recommended by an attorney.  Many of these services do not provide the help that you really need.  

3.  Spend Less and Save More.  That's easy for me to say with gas prices being what they are but you can probably find a hundred ways to cut back on your current spending habits and save the extra money for your future.

4.  Check with local county, state, and not for profit agencies for programs that may be available to prepare you for home ownership and may provide funds for down payment assistance or help with closing costs.

5.  Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity or another rehabilitation group to gain building skills and maintenance knowledge that will help you if you choose to buy a house that needs work.  A word to the wise here... Every house needs work so you will appreciate the knowledge gained from this effort even if you can afford a brand new house.

6.  Let your family know you are serious about wanting to buy a house.  If they see your interest they may find a way to help you.

Good luck with your efforts.  I hope these tips will encourage you to move forward with your desire to someday buy a house.  If you are looking in the Greater Hudson Vally of NY I would love to work with you to help you get ready.  If you are looking elsewhere I would be happy to find an agent where you want to be.


  



 

If you are thinking of buying a house or a piece of property you should be looking for an agent to work for you.  If you look for someone who promises you that they will find you exactly what you are looking for at the lowest price possible then you are asking to work with someone who is not being truthful with you. None of the properties available at any given time will meet all of your wants and if, by some miracle, you could find the perfect property I can assure you of one thing, it won't be the "deal of a lifetime." So what should you be looking for?

You should be looking for an agent who treats you with the respect you deserve whether you can afford a starter home or a mansion.  You have worked hard to get to where you are today and you should not be working with someone who does not give you top notch service.

You should be looking for an agent who will make time to discuss with you each home or piece of land you visit.  You are contemplating a decision that will have a major affect on your life so you should have an experienced adviser on your side.

You should be looking for an agent who take the time to be actively involved in the search for your property.  Any agent in my area can set up an automatic search that will forward listings to you but you really want to have someone who is actually looking at the listings and helping you to choose the ones that look like they have the most potential.

You should be looking for an agent who will be honest with you when they feel you are moving too quickly, too slowly, or jumping in to a deal that you should be staying away from.

You should be looking for an agent who will be with you through the entire buying process and support you through phone calls, emails, and other correspondence with the important players in your offer, contract, and closing process.

I hope you find the agent who can help you find the property that you are searching for.  If you are searching in the Greater Hudson Valley of NY I would love to meet with you to see if I can fulfill your needs.  If you are looking else where I will be pleased to assist you in finding an agent in your area that can help you.


        

On this holiday weekend I hope we will all to take a moment to honor our military personnel.  Without their sacrifices we would not be able to enjoy this or any other weekend in the freedom that we sometimes take for granted.  As a child of the 1960's I grew up in a time of political upheaval that caused our fine young men and women who answered the call of service to return home to a country that was so against the war that the sacrifices they had made were swept away in anger and sometimes embarrassment.  We can not allow the young men and women who serve us today to feel shame for what they are doing.  Support our troops even if you can't understand or support the mission.  If not for them we would not have the right to disagree with our government.

My family will be marching in a Memorial Day Parade in Waldwick, NJ with our Civil War Reenacting Unit.  We will be honoring the men and women that have served our country throughout our grand history and those who continue to serve us today.  I urge you all to find some way to honor your local heroes during this time of remembrance.

 






 
 

Think about the Greater Hudson Valley of New York for your place to unwind.  There are many great houses available right now that would make a great second home for you.  We have condos, townhouses, cabins, estates, and everything in between within an easy one to two hour ride from the city.  

When choosing a vacation home there are many things to consider including price, taxes, maintenance, distance from home, and maybe even proximity to mass transit.  A Buyer's Agent can be your ticket to getting exactly what you are looking for.  Working with one local agent can provide you with more community information than if you jump from Listing Agent to Listing Agent.  Arraigning for viewings of properties you are interested in becomes a breeze because all you need to do is provide your agent with your availability and let them know which houses you want to see and they will take care of the rest.  Your Buyer's Agent will provide you with current market data to let you make an intelligent decision about the value of any house you are considering.

If you would like more information or to schedule a weekend of vacation house hunting please contact me.  And Manhattan Real Estate Agents, I will be happy to work with your referrals, so don't hesitate to call when asked about houses up in my area.  


  

Still wondering what you are going to do with your summer?  Finding a place to get away that is close to home is becoming more and more important with the current gas prices.  The Greater Hudson Valley of New York offers so much to do for New Yorker's who want to take a break from the city.  We have mountain trails to hike, cliffs to climb, and lakes, rivers, or streams for water sports and fishing.  You can ride a horse, pick fruits and vegetables, or visit historic sights and reenactments.  There are fairs, festivals, and fireworks.  We have wonderful restaurants, great shopping, and a variety of entertainment options.  

There are many three season and year round houses available in every price range right now that are so close to home.  Being this close to the city offers you the option of staying over Sunday night and going in to work from here or heading out for an overnight break during the week.  Why not give me a call and set up a search for your get away house right now?  

I will use all my resources to find you exactly what you need.  I would love to be your buyer's agent for Orange, Ulster, and Sullivan Counties of the Greater Hudson Valley of NY.






  

After an extensive search you have found the house you want and bid on it.  You negotiate and joyfully have an accepted offer.  Do you really remember the house you bid on?  Hopefully you get the chance to look at it again before the walk through.  When you come for the home inspection or later to measure windows for treatments take some time to look at the house and listing again.  Was everything you thought to be included in the sale mentioned in your offer or contract?  If not try to work things out before you get to the closing table.

Many buyers arrive for a walk through just prior to closing to find things that they thought were included missing or changed from what they originally saw.  Where is the washer and dryer they had counted on?  Why didn't the seller leave the custom window treatments that will never fit another window behind?  Why is the refrigerator missing? Wasn't there a Japanese Maple in the front yard?

You need to go back to your listing and contract to make sure that the items you believed to be included were or in some cases, that the item was specifically excluded by the sellers from the beginning of the transaction, such as removal of the Japanese Maple from the above example.  If the items were supposed to be included you will need to speak with your attorney or closing agent to negotiate an acceptable solution which usually involves financial compensation.  If the items were not in the offer and contract you will most likely not be able to recover anything.

So if there is something in the house you are buying that you absolutely need to have make sure it is in your offer. If there are items you would like to have that are not normally included (these are those things that are not attached to the property making them part of the real estate) you have to ask.

Working with a buyers agent will help you to get what you want.  They can make sure that you include those items you need in your original offer and will point out the excluded items to you.  They will be there for the walk through to help document any incomplete repairs the seller was supposed to make or to verify that items were changed or missing.
  
If you are looking for homes in the Greater Hudson Valley of New York, I would love to be your buyer's agent.  If you are looking elsewhere I can provide you with a referral to an agent in your area who will do the same thing for you there.

So you have spoken with a mortgage company and know how much you are qualified for and you are ready to start looking at houses.  Getting a feel for the local area and the current market value of houses for sale in your target location is one of the best ways to start the actual business of your home search.  May I suggest working with a single agent to set up a tour of 4 or 5 houses in your target area as a great way to begin.

Touring several houses in one trip will make it easier to learn what is available in your price range so you can judge value and condition better.

Touring with one agent will give you the advantage of an expert opinion on all of the houses you are considering.

Touring with one agent makes scheduling easy on you.  The agent spends the time coordinating the tour so all you need to do is show up at the meeting place.

Touring with one agent allows you to learn more about locations and neighborhood amenities.

Touring with one agent will allow you to become comfortable with that agent.  Working with an agent you can count on for information and support through the home buying process is vital to your peace of mind.

Touring with one agent allows that agent to learn more about your wants and needs.  They will be on the lookout for anything that might work for you and let you know as soon as it hits the market.

Remember, no single listing agent or even one broker will have all the possible houses in your price range listed through them.   When you call the listing agent you are speaking with someone who is working for the seller and has to keep the seller's best interest at the forefront.  Find someone to keep your best interests in mind and enlist the services of a single buyers agent and get out there and see some of the great houses that you can afford today!

If you are looking for homes in the Greater Hudson Valley of New York, I would love to set up a tour for you.  If you are looking elsewhere I can provide you with a referral to an agent in your area who will do the same thing for you there.

Dear House Seller,

    I am sorry we missed you when I took a lovely young couple out to look at houses today.  It really is a shame that they did not get to see your house because it is perfect for them but you have your house priced too high.  
    I know you think that the buyers will come to look at your house even though you went against your listing agent's advice and priced your house above the comparable houses the agent showed you. I am aware that you feel that the buyers will want to negotiate so you want to have room to wiggle a bit but the sad truth is that if they never come through the doors they won't even make the initial offer.
   You are probably asking your agent why no there have been no offers.  Well, with your pricing, the buyers who are looking at listings in that range are not interested because does not have the features of the other houses they are seeing.  Honestly, why should they bother coming out to see Your overpriced house when they can get so much more for the money elsewhere?  The buyers who would actually buy a house in the price range your agent recommended will never look at it because it is not in their current price criteria so they don't even know it is available.  
    So there you are sitting on a perfect house for my clients but they are buying something else. I do feel bad for you and I feel worse for your listing agent because no doubt you will be looking for someone to blame.  I do wish you all the best with your efforts to sell.

Sincerely
Betty Buyer's Agent 

To all house sellers everywhere, don't find this note in your mailbox.  Please price your home in the range that the comparables suggest.  You won't find someone willing to pay more.  You won't find a bank that will finance the property for above appraised value.  You will be frustrated and end up either lowering the price or taking the house off the market.

Number of people who currently live with and will be moving with you                    ___________        This should include you, your spouse/significant other, children, extended family, etc.

Number of bedrooms you will need                                                                        ___________         Does every child really need a separate bedroom?  

Number of bathrooms you will need                                                                        ___________         Remember someone has to clean them.

        Note:  The above will determine the minimum size of the dwelling you are looking for.  Be realistic about this for your life as it is today not sometime in the future.  

            Property Data:                                                                                                      More to Think About

Type of  dwelling                                                                                                                                   You may want to look at more than one type.   
                            
        Attached (condo, coop, or townhouse) ______   (circle type{s})                                                      Are there fees? Maintenance of Shared Walls and Outdoor Spaces? Privacy?

        Owner Occupied Multi Family              ______                                                                             Do you want to be a landlord? Privacy? Less Out of Pocket Costs?  

        Single Family                                        ______                                                                             Yard and Exterior Maintenance? Isolation? 

Style of Dwelling

        Single level                                            ______                                                                             Anyone with difficulty climbing stairs?

        Multi Level                                            ______                                                                            Where is the laundry facility/room? Location of bedrooms?     

        List Favorite Types  (Ranch, Colonial, Tudor, Bi-Level, Etc)______________________________________________________________________________

Storage Needs                                                                                                                                        Can you live without it or rent it somewhere else?

        Garage                                                 _____   

        Basement                                              _____  

        Attic                                                     _____

        Specialized Structures (Barns, Etc.)       _____

Size of property you need                                                                                       ___________         Remember someone has to care for it.  Ask to see how big it really is.

Type of neighborhood

        Urban                                                   ______                                                                            Energy, excitement, may be close to work, noisy

        Suburban                                              ______                                                                            More land but not isolated, quieter

        Village or Community                            ______                                                                            Access to services, walking distance to everything                                                               
        Rural                                                     ______                                                                            Ultimate in privacy and quiet living

School District(s) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________                             
        NOTE: Even without children you should look at the school district data for tax impact and resale purposes.

Distance to Work (Maximum you are willing to commute?)                                       __________        Remember that time spent commuting is time away from home and family                   
Access to Public Transportation Important?    Y _____   N _____                                                        Does everyone drive or do you need mass transit?

Distance from Friends and Relatives                                                                         __________         Moving away can create a feeling of isolation, think about this carefully     

Take this with you when you meet with your Real Estate Professional so they can help you find what you need for your first home.  I suggest working with a Buyer's Agent who can look out for your best interests during your search and help you follow through with the purchase when you find something.

If you are looking for real estate in the Greater Hudson Valley of New York I would love to help you.  If you are looking elsewhere I will help you to find an agent who can work for you in the area you want to live in.