As your real estate consultant, I will make sure to give you everything you need to know about selling your home when you are ready. I give a detailed Comparative Market Analysis. Not a few pages full of inaccurate information. If we discover you can't put your home on the market because the price will not bear Market Value, then I will advise you to wait. I will not talk you into trying a higher price in order to get your listing. I will try to talk you out of it if you want to try a higher price because it wouldn't be in your best interest to do that. You will end up frustrated when you get no interest and therefore, no offers. That will not be good to say the least.

When you do hire me to list your home, I will market it like no one else will and I go above and beyond for my clients. I will work just as hard if your home is worth $100,000 or $1,000,000. Everyone deserves a real estate professional that will be honest, completely truthful and will treat the selling of your home as if it were my own.

We deliver a higher level of service. This is the service that is unique to Coldwell Banker. This level of service includes Coldwell Banker Mortgage, which helps prospective buyers obtain the financing to purchase a house. Coldwell Banker Home Protection Plan, Homeowner’s Insurance and our Concierge Service have been designed to enhance the home buying and selling process.With Coldwell Banker behind me I am armed with a wealth of information on how I am going to market your home in order to get it sold.

ColdwellBankerMoves.com, ColdwellBanker.com, Realtor.com and NYTimes.com are the four that all properties appear on. Open houses will also appear on OpenHouse.com. The listings will remain there until they are sold. Homes are also promoted to our expansive network of Sales Associates on our Intranet site, EverythingColdwellBanker.com. And, I will list your home on my blog and personal website which will quickly show up on Google since I have extensive knowledge with Search Engine Optimization. You found me on ActiveRain right? That's because I know how search engines work and what it takes to rank high on all the major search engines. Also, most agents in my area do not have or use ActiveRain so right now that is an advantage to you.

In the meantime, read some articles I posted below:

Sprucing Up Your Home:

It is more important than ever to make your home shine in the eyes of potential buyers. Equally important for sellers, however, is to make an impact on potential buyers without spending a lot of money.

Here are a few ideas: Make those small fixes you've been putting off. Is the handle on the kitchen cabinet loose? Is a corner of wallpaper hanging off the wall? Are there oil stains on the garage floor or rust stains on the stucco?

Now is the time to get these small tasks checked off. For a little time and very little money, you can back a big impact on how buyers feel about your home, and how they remember your home in comparison to others they've looked at.

Touch up paint. Most likely you have paint left over, taking up space in your garage. Take it out and spend an hour or two making sure the edges are smooth and scuff marks are covered. A well cared for home feels good to buyers, and they will remember your home more favorably.

Clean, clean, clean! Nothing affects a potential buyer quite like a clean home! Take time to dust and vacuum the entire house. Make sure toilets, sinks and mirrors are clean. And don't forget to tidy up inside closets and cupboards, as well as in the attic, basement and garage. Remember, buyers will be looking EVERYWHERE!

De-clutter! I know you've heard it a thousand times, but it really does make a difference. Put unnecessary décor and personal pictures in boxes and store them neatly on storage shelves or in the attic or basement, if you have one. If you don't have space in your home, maybe a family member or friend has an attic or basement you could store your boxes for a few months. If you have a lot of stuff, you may need to rent a storage unit while your home is on the market, but storage is inexpensive and many companies offer deals for a free month.

Include appliances. Buyers are looking for value, and only a great deal is going to motivate them to make an offer. For instance, when deciding between your home and another, a home that includes a washer and dryer is going to be more appealing than one that just has a hookup for these appliances. Buyers will consider costs they will have after buying the home before deciding to make an offer.

• No loose, cracked or curling shingles on the roof
• Adequate chimney caulking and flashing
• Windows, window sills and shutters all in good condition
• No peeling paint
• Gutters free of debris
• Down-spouts securely attached
• Clean driveway
• Uncluttered garage
• Mulched flower beds
• No obvious weeds or dead flowers and plants
• Trimmed hedges and no clippings
• No dead tree branches
• Fresh seasonal flowers in window boxes and planters
• Adequate outdoor lighting
• Safe walkways with no tripping hazards.

Before you list your property for sale, keep in mind that potential buyers will not cherish the marks on the bedroom wall recording the growth of your youngest child; they may not approve your pet’s bed and food dishes in the kitchen; perhaps their favorite wall treatment is not orange paint patterned with blue polka dots.

Here’s how to make your home’s interior more presentable:

• Remove excess personal photos, travel souvenirs and large posters
• Organize bookshelves, toy storage and hobby or workshop areas
• Wash windows, mirrors and any other decorative glass
• Shampoo carpeting and clean all hard surface flooring
• Dust everything
• Re-grout bathroom tile, if necessary, and remove mildew stains in laundry and bath
• Reorganize closets and donate unnecessary clothing
• Display fresh towels and clean bedding
• Tidy up the kitchen and bath • Repaint walls in neutral colors for maximum appeal if necessary
• Remove excess furniture and household goods to a storage facility, consignment shop or charity institution.

So take a weekend, make a checklist, bribe a friend or two with pizza to help you out, and get your home in top shape for visiting buyers. You'll be amazed at what a difference just these few things can do to make your home shine!

Your Home Is A Commodity, Not A Product!
When trying to understand the real estate market and why prices are what they are, it may help to think of your house as a commodity - not a product.

• A product is an item that a seller places a value on and prices it accordingly ... think: a sofa, a jar of peanut butter or a shovel. There will be differences in quality, differences in features, and differences in attractiveness. There will be sales available and some vendors may charge more or less than others ... but the price is the price as set by the seller.

• A commodity is an item whose price is determined by the buyer who has a perception of its current value. Think: stocks, gold, and silver. The buyer places a value on it and pays accordingly - prices of commodities go up and down. Commodities' prices are influenced by supply and demand. The more supply there is, the less the price will be. The more scarce the commodity, the higher the price will be. Who cares? What's the difference? Why does the distinction matter? A seller should care, understand the difference, and make the distinction ... then price their home accordingly. In today's real estate environment (in most areas of the country) where there is a plethora of available homes on the market, the prices are lower than when the inventory is sparse. The law of "supply and demand" is in control. In real estate, when the inventory is high, it pushes housing prices downward. A savvy seller will hire a Realtor who is educated and knowledgeable in their area and who will help them price their house accordingly. Sellers who position their houses correctly (as the commodity that it is!) sell for more money and in less time than those who treat their house as a product whose perceived value by the potential buyers may be different than theirs!

When You Think Of  Your House As A Commodity ... YOU'LL Price It Right and It WILL Sell!

Listing Your Home In The Winter. It's A GOOD Thing!
Did I confuse you? Every homeowner thinks the spring is the best time to put your house up for sale. Yes, the weather is nicer, the grass is greener, but is it really?

The spring brings out the buyers but there are a lot more "just lookers" in the springtime. A serious buyer will be out in the wintertime looking for a new home. A "just looker" will not bother to look in the winter. They have better things to do like stay home in front of a nice, roaring fire.

For you, the seller, the winter is perfect because you will have a lot less homes competing with yours. That is key.

In the Lindenhurst and Babylon area I am hearing chatter about multiple offers. This is partly due to the first-time home buyers tax credit that a lot of qualified buyers are taking advantage of. All buyers have to be in contract by April 30th, 2010. The government said this will be the last extension for the tax credit. So, you should take advantage of it as well.

If you are ready to sell, list your home come January because the qualified buyers are out there. List your home with me, and I will pay for a Home Warranty Protection Plan for your home. This also helps to sell your home faster. You will be protected while you have your home on the market and it protects the buyer for one year while in their new home. It's a great negotiating tool as well.

HomeBase Document Management System
This computerized system keeps all of your documents in one place, online. You can see your contract and other important documents during the selling of your home. Efficient and Easy to Use
• Important documents are uploaded and stored in the HomeBaseSM system. • View activities and services related to your purchase or sale.
• Convenient features such as automated email alerts and messaging keep you informed.

Your Security Is My Priority
• The HomeBase management system is a secure online tool — secured by 128 bit SSL encryption.
• Password protected site that is only accessible to those granted permission. • Documents are digitally secured, preventing them from being altered.

Accessibility at Your Fingertips
• Convenient, secure 24/7 online access.
• Your documented transaction is stored in a permanent archive.
• Accessible long after your sale has closed.
• Retrieve documents that might come in handy during estate planning, renovations, financial planning, or tax season.
___________________________________________________________
Call me today (631) 703-0201 for your free Comparable Market Analysis (CMA) with no strings attached and most of all, no sales pressure!

Email me to join my Neighborhood Monthly & Quarterly Market Reports. This will keep you informed about real estate activity in your neighborhood!

Buyer Warranty Special - When you purchase a home through me, I will buy you a Home Warranty Plan! Yes, it's that simple.

Did you know that you, a buyer, are entitled to representation? Without it you have no one to negotiate your offer on your behalf because by New York State law, a seller's agent has to have their best interest at heart, not yours. As your Buyer's Agent, I will be able to pull up comparables so you can have a better idea of what to offer, I can give you a lot more information being your Buyer's Agent than if I wasn't. By not being your agent, I still have to, by New York State Law, have all seller's best interests at heart.

I will never try to get you to put an offer on a home in the hopes of a quick commission. You will let me know when you are ready to make an offer on a home I've showed you. I don't care if I have to show you hundreds of homes until you find "the one". It won't take hundreds, but you get the idea :) When you find that special home, you will know it. And, here are some tips for when you find your new home:

These 10 Commandments home buyers must follow may seem like common sense to many. Buyers, however, can sometimes forget with all the excitement surrounding the buying of their new home. In the past, I have heard of buyers who saw their home loan turned down, and their dream shattered, a few days before closing because they had bought furniture for their new home before it actually became their home. These buyers were not my clients but it always hurts when I hear of transactions falling apart for reasons that could have been avoided. These 10 commandments are part of the buyer packet I give all my clients when we first meet and I always stress that once you get pre-approved and the process is started, you can't do anything that might affect your credit.

1. Thou shalt not change jobs, become self-employed or quit your job. 2. Thou shalt not buy a car, truck or van (or you may be living in it)! 3. Thou shalt not use credit cards excessively or let your accounts fall behind.
4. Thou shalt not spend money you have set aside for closing.
5. Thou shalt not omit debts or liabilities from your loan application. 6. Thou shalt not buy furniture.
7. Thou shalt not originate any inquiries into your credit.
8. Thou shalt not make large deposits without first checking with your loan officer.
9. Thou shalt not change bank accounts.
10. Thou shalt not co-sign a loan for anyone.

If you are in the process of buying a home, remember that your credit must not change or be affected in any way until you actually sign the paperwork and get possession of your new home. Lenders will not only look into your credit when you first get pre-approved, they will check it again (and sometimes again and again) before they let you sign the mortgage. If you want to buy new furniture for your home or change jobs, just be patient. There will always be time to do it after the closing.

Understanding Market Value
The value of any given property is determined by many different factors. It is important for you, the buyer, to be aware of them. Here is a brief list of variables that may affect the market value of a home.

■ Physical Characteristics
■ Location
■ Type of community
■ Age
■ Size of home
■ Condition
■ Architectural Style
■ Competition
■ Number of other homes on the market and their price points
■ Length of time property has been on the market

All of these factors will help you determine the value of the home and guide you towards presenting the most appropriate offer. This brochure is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended, nor shall it be deemed, to provide or offer legal or financial advice or guidance. You should always consult with your own advisor when dealing with any of the information visited herein. 

Contact me today (631) 703-0201 to find out more about having a Buyer's Agent on your side.

Email me to join my Neighborhood Monthly & Quarterly Market Reports. This will keep you informed about real estate activity in your neighborhood!

When you refer anyone to me, you will receive a $50.00 gift card to anywhere you want. This is the least I can do for you increasing my income because let's face it, that is what referrals do.

Jackie Connelly-Fornuff's Blog