Lindenhurst NY Real Estate Century 21 AA Realty

Is Your Long Island Realtor® Breaking The Law?

Please keep in mind that most Long Island Realtors® do not break the law. The few that do, make the rest of us look bad and I am so done with it!

Over the past few weeks, I'm being told from other Long Island Realtors® that pursue expired listings that the homeowners have told them they re-listed with their "current" agent. The Realtors® show the homeowner the expired listing and in our MLS and it doesn't state the home is back on the market. What form did they sign in order to put the home back on the market?

NOTHING the homeowners are telling my fellow Realtors®

These homeowners have not signed any paperwork stating that they wanted the home back on the market with their "current" Realtor®.

So, how is the home being placed back on the market in our MLS without the homeowner's permission you ask? It's simple. These Realtors® are breaking the law.

In order to extend the listing before it expires, the form below has to be signed as per the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island:

Take a look at #2: Expiration Date of Listing Agreement is amended to: the date the listing will expire will be placed on the line to the right. Then at the bottom it states you are entitled to a copy of said Listing Agreement Amendment.

Report of Change for Listings for Long Island Realtors

If the listing expired, a new Listing Agreement and corresponding paperwork needs to be completed.

If you discover your home is back on the market and you didn't want it to be, call the Realtors® Broker. Some homeowners feel there is nothing they can do but there is. The choice to do something about it is yours.

Women, Men and Downsizing

Last year I listed a 55 & Over condo in Lindenhurst NY. The couples that came to my open houses and called to preview the home taught me one thing: Men and Women feel differently about downsizing.

Men: They could have moved last week.
Women: On the fence about moving.

Why?

Men: They are tired of mowing the lawn and shoveling snow.
Women: They raised their kids in their home, there are special memories in every room of the house, more closet space, larger kitchen for food prep and cooking, love their flower and vegetable gardens, more privacy from neighbors, no stairs (most owned a one-level ranch), overall living space.

Being a woman, I understand how the women feel. The "man" side of me sees the men's point of view. My husband and I moved from a 2 bedroom co-op apartment to a 2 bedroom townhouse almost 5 years ago. We needed more room and a full basement. Both of us didn't want to spend our time mowing a lawn and shoveling snow. I wanted a larger kitchen and closet space. Not too big and not too small living space-wise. Since it's a HOA, we have landscaping service and snow removal service. We got lucky and found our "perfect" home. For us it was a move-up with downsizing elements.

But, not all buyers who are looking to downsize will not be as lucky as us. It will be a wait to get the kind of space we have unless they want to go at least 30 minutes East on Long Island. Or, Nassau County where condos/townhomes are more expensive and not as much space.

The advice I give to the men: Be patient, she will come around. It's going to take time. Downsizing is very emotional to women.

My advice to the women: No matter where you go, your memories are a part of you. When you move, the memories go with you. Nothing can take that away. As far as living and closet space, either wait it out for "the one" or learn to downsize your home now to get you emotionally & mentally prepared. Whatever you do not use, donate or give things away to family and friends.

Feedback - Be Careful What You Ask For

As agents, it's our job to get feedback for our homeowners. When I get a call or email asking for feedback from another agent, I am going to be honest. No sugar coating. And I'm nice about it.

But, when I get blasted for being honest, I have to scratch my head. YOU asked for feedback. That is YOUR job. It will help your homeowner to know what other agents and buyers think. Isn't that the whole point to getting and giving feedback? Some homeowners are unrealistic about the price of their home in relation to other comparable homes that are on the market and homes that recently sold. Getting feedback from agents and buyers can help greatly. In fact, it may save you from losing the listing.

Be grateful I was honest, nice and kept my cool. You did blast me remember?

The next time you want a sugar coating, I'll send you a gift card to Dunkin Donuts.

Another West Babylon NY Sold Coop!

106 Farber Drive West Babylon NY - Country Club Gardens

Listed for $129,990 and sold for $122,990. That is 5.4% below the asking price. That is awesome for a West Babylon NY coop! It was on the market for 36 days. Now, that is a record for a coop as well.

My homeowner and his wife are happy it sold since it was an estate sale and the buyer is one happy camper! They are a first time home buyer and a West Babylon NY coop is the perfect place to start if you can't afford a single family home.

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker, in Northern VA, these five steps are the best way to stage your kitchen without breaking the bank if at all. Thank you Chris Ann Cleland for another great staging post!

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker writes a great post about how to stage your bathroom. No one every really thinks to do that but this advice is spot on!

100% Client Satisfaction, New Buyer Clients, Accepted Offer and A Closing. Oh Happy Day!

I had a really awesome day today and wanted to share it with all of you.

My client, who I helped sell his coop at Fisherman's Wharf in West Babylon, gave me a 100% satisfaction rating. He took a survey that Century 21 Corporate sent him. I will make sure to call and thank him. He can't imagine how much I appreciate this rating!

Then a closing at 11 a.m. which went very well. My buyers were beaming with pride. I swear, I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing buyers so happy. It warms my heart and brings tears to my eyes every time!

I get back to the office to see an email that my other buyer's offer was accepted!! This is really special because they made offers on many other homes only to find each one already had an accepted offer. My buyers are on a time crunch since they will be moving here from another country for a job transfer. Tomorrow is the home inspection!

Then I get a call from my new buyers who have signed on to work with me exclusively. They told me they love the fact that I have time for them. They are also on a time crunch and must find a home by next month.

Now I'm enjoying a cup of tea then it's off to bed for another great day awaits!

Overpricing Your Lindenhurst NY Home Is Like Watching Money Walk Out The Door!

Seeing so many overpriced homes in Lindenhurst NY has become a sporting event. I watch them come on and I see them go off. They come back on with a new real estate agent more times than I change my underwear.

Changing agents isn't always the answer, but price is.

Back in January 2011, I met with a homeowner who had to sell since they had a job transfer out of state. But, wanted to list it at $419,000 when it clearly needed to be listed at $349,000. That is $70,000 overpriced. I kindly stated that I will not take the listing because it will not sell and you will blame me for your home not selling. I'd rather preserve the relationship before it starts.

So here we are six months later, I get a call to list it at $399,000. I still won't take the overpriced listing and did tell them that in six months you lost $50,000 and sent them a market report chart reflecting that and showing them every single home that sold in the $370's and up. Didn't matter. They want what they want.

When you chase a down market, you will never catch up to it. Think of it as walking up a down escalator. You get nowhere fast.

It costs us agents money and time to market your home. It's a waste of money and time to market any overpriced home. The real estate market isn't going to turn into a seller's market overnight. We are looking at least 2 to 3 years for that to happen. We know because we are in the real estate business day in and day out and see what sells and what doesn't sell and why.

If you price your Lindenhurst NY home correctly from the beginning, you won't have to watch your money walk out the door.

Sold Fisherman's Wharf West Babylon Coop in 72 Days for $173,000!

This unit is located on the ground floor and is a 1 bedroom. Also has a private patio location. A D-Lower Unit model, they are the largest out of all the 1 bedrooms coops at Fisherman's Wharf in West Babylon.

Fisherman's Wharf Coops in West Babylon NY, requires 15% down minimum. This is the Board's requirement not the actual homeowner's requirement.

This unit sold in 72 days. Most coops in Fisherman's Wharf in West Babylon NY take at least 90 days to sell. My aggressive marketing plan help to sell this unit in 72 days.

There are 9 units currently for sale at Fisherman's Wharf in West Babylon.

It's A Buyer's Market - Put Your Buyer's Shoes On!

When you are selling your home, making it available to buyers will increase your chances of selling it.

Buyers have many choices in Lindenhurst NY and the surrounding towns in the Town of Babylon.

There are 239 homes for sale in Lindenhurst NY. The majority of these homes are in the low $200K to the high $300K price range. I am suspecting one of them is yours.

This isn't a talk about being a slave to show your home. This is about what happens when your home is not available for buyers to preview. Here are a few examples:

• If you have tenants and they need 24 hours to show their apartment, that is fine. It's when there is little or no cooperation from your tenants. If a buyer is told to come back another time to see the tenants apartment, most times they will not. There are plenty of Legal 2 by Permit homes a buyer can see right now.
  
• You limit showings only to a few days a week. This does not help at all. I know there are always circumstances that can't be helped but a few days a week is never a good thing. Most people work during the day, during the week and buyers need evenings and weekends to look at homes.
• You are out of the country for a month. I find that when sellers are away for long periods of time, their home is not available at all to buyers. Have your agent accompany the key in order to keep the flow of showings going. This is our job. If you trusted your agent when you hired them to list your home, then you should trust them to show it while you are away. I am doing this now with one of my listings. I had 4 showings in 3 days because I accomodated the agents and their buyers. If I didn't there would be zero chances of an offer and I would have an unhappy seller and that I never want!

I sometimes hear, "if the buyer is serious they will come back". No they won't. They get annoyed when they are inconvenienced and buyers see how many homes are on the market in their price range. Buyers want to see the homes they have chosen. If they cannot, they will move on to the next.

Since your are selling your home, you may be buying another one. Really think about being in the shoes of a buyer. If you can't see some of the homes you want to buy, you will not be happy about it and will move on to other homes guaranteed!

So, entrust your agent to help show your home when you can't. It will be the difference between an offer or no offer.