Real Estate News You Can Use!: New York: Babylon: Lindenhurst

Lindenhurst Village Long Island - A Wonderful Town To Raise A Family!

Lindenhurst is a village in Suffolk County, New York, on the southern shore of Long Island in the Town of Babylon. The population was 27,819 at the 2000 census; the 2006 estimate found approximately 28,000 residents. It is the 4th most popular village in New York State.

History of Lindenhurst
The village was originally named Breslau because the town's original German settlers were from the city of Breslau in Silesia. The town was founded in 1873, and renamed Lindenhurst in 1891.

Lindenhurst Home Values
Lindenhurst is very much affordable with the average home selling price in February,2010 for $299,041 and the average property taxes of $6,527. Lindenhurst is a town that has hard working residents. Lindenhurst will always remain an affordable place to live.

Lindenhurst School District
Lindenhurst has 7 elementary schools, 1 middle school and 1 high school. I attended the Lindenhurst school district and graduated in 1984. My son is now in the Lindenhurst High School. The High School has an indoor pool and students will have to take pool as part of the Physical Education curriculum.

Commuting
The Long Island Railroad for Lindenhurst is located on the corner of Wellwood Avenue and East Hoffman Avenue. There is also a taxi station right across from the railroad ticket booth. Talk about convenient! Also, it's about a 1-hour commute from Lindenhurst to Penn Station. We also have the bus system with many arteries connecting you to wherever you want to go.

Shopping
There is plenty of shopping in and around Lindenhurst. We have the Great South Bay Shopping Center which is host to stores like Old Navy, Bath & Body Works, The Children's Place and much more. There is also a Blockbuster Video store on the same property but a stand-alone store.

The nearest mall to Lindenhurst is the Sunrise Mall in Massapequa. Here you will find shops like Macy's, JCPenney, Sears, Wal-Mart and plenty more! There are also 15 restaurants whether you want to dine-in or take-out. After a long day of shopping, you need to sit down, relax and enjoy a wonderful meal!

Recreation
Lindenhurst has its own town pool located on Straight Path, just south of Route 109. You will need to purchase a Recreation Permit at the Parks Department on Phelps Lane in North Babylon. This is the closest location to Lindenhurst.

Beaches - We have the Beach Hut at Venetian Shores. It is located at 850 Venetian Blvd. It has waterslides for the kids and a snack bar. There is nothing better than hanging out at the beach all day for fun in the sun!

Captree Boat Basin - Are you an avid fisherman? Then this is the place to go for great fishing! You can also go on the boats for the Jones Beach Fireworks Display to get a perfect view of the show on July 4th.

Parks - The most popular park in Lindenhurst is the Fireman's Memorial Park located on Helling Blvd. It has a large playground, lake and a baseball field which is host to many little league games in the spring and summer. The local fireman also have their drills on the other side of Helling Blvd. Those are fun to watch!

Call Me Today (631) 703-0201 and let me help you find your dream home in Lindenhurst!

Lindenhurst Home Search

 

Bozena Polish American Restaurant In Lindenhurst NY

My husband and I have eaten at Bozena Polish American Restaurant many times and we love their food! All their food is homemade. Not fresh-frozen and microwaved.

The waitstaff is great and we never had any problems.

My favorite dish is their Beef Stroganoff. Very tender and tasty.

Their Hungarian potato pancakes are huge and so delicious!

Browse their menu and you will see they have a large assortment of cold and hot appetizers, soups and salads. Many choices of Beef, Pork, Veal, chicken and fish main entreés. They also have a children's menu.

Can't dine in? No problem! They have a take-out menu for your convenience.

They also have catering services. My former boss had our Christmas Party there once and the service and food was perfect!

They are closed on Mondays but Tuesday through Sunday their hours are 12:00 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Located at: 485 Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst, NY
Phone: (631) 226-3001

Michael Thornton, a Home Inspector in Tennessee, gives sound advice on GFI outlets!

Please leave comments for Michael Thornton on his original post. Thank you.

Buying A Home On Long Island? Multiple Listing Service of Long Island Has Gone Mobile For You!

Just when you think things can't get anymore convenient!

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You Don't Have A Budget And You Wonder Why You Can't Buy A House?

So many people these days do not scrutinize what they spend. You need to sit down and evaluate what you spend each week and on what.

I know plenty of people that can't buy a house. Why?......

• They spend an upwards of $300.00 a month on Starbucks. That is crazy! You are only adding to their profits. What is more important, equity or caffeine?
  
• Gotta get my nails done. $100.00 a month to get nails done? Why? A manicure is all you need. That costs $7 to $10 every 2 weeks. Do you really need back-scratcher nails? It's not good for your real nails anyway. Getting a manicure will keep your real nails healthy and they will grow because of it.
• "Oh, I need those $100 jeans!" Really? Why? Enough said on that subject.
  
• $600.00 a month on 2 car payments. Do you really need to get new cars every 2 to 4 years? You do not. Keeping up with the Jones's is doing no good for you. It's nice to have a new car, but if it's preventing you from buying a home, it's not worth it. Wait until you can afford to do that.
• Buying new clothes each season. Now this boggles my mind! Even if you fluctuate with weight, keep those clothes just in case. That way, you won't have to spend $1,000 each season for clothes. That is almost a mortgage payment right there in some parts of the U.S.
• Lottery tickets. I know people that spend at least $100.00 a week on these, "you-will-never-win" lottery tickets. The odds are against you winning the big bucks. $400.00 a month in lottery tickets is nuts! If you've been playing for 10 years, that's approximately $48,000! Are you kidding me? That money could have been put away for a down payment on a home! Hoping to win the lottery is not the American Dream!
  

Get my point? I'm not saying you can't have any luxuries. Cut down on them.

When I was married to my ex-husband, I figured out if we stop going out to eat 4 times a week, we will be able to buy a house in under 2 years. We socked away his paycheck, and lived on mine. We lived like we had no money but it was temporary. We bought our first home in 1.5 years after we were married.

Now I know expenses and rent have gone up since 1992, but it hasn't doubled. It does take longer these days for a young married couple to save, but you can do it.

So, sit down and figure out what you spend and on what.

Be forewarned: You will go into spend-shock!

Don't Give Up...You Will Get Results!

I have had the T-Mobile family plan cell phone service for almost 2 years. I've never had a dropped call or any other problems and was always happy with their customer service....until yesterday.

Back in October of 2009, my son's cell phone stopped working for no reason. He got the dreaded white, flashing screen. No problem. I went to our local T-Mobile store in Lindenhurst, NY and they exchanged it for me.

In January of 2010, the same thing happened again.

Yesterday, the same thing. This time I wanted a different Nokia model as comparable to the one he had. I wasn't looking for an upgrade, just a comparable priced phone. The store called customer service and I spoke with the representative. She repeated over and over that there is no solution and I would have to have the same model phone shipped to me for the exchange. I told her, "no way! I'll be back in a months time and this is the 3rd time as it is!" She sounded like a robot and I told her "for-get-it!" and I hung up.

I told the store clerk what happened and he called customer service for me....again.

I spoke with the rep and explained what happened....again. He immediately connected me with a specialist because he knew there had to be a resolution to this situation. He transferred me to....Dan.

I explained to Dan the problems my son has been having and he noticed that anyway by looking at my account. I said it's not right to give me the same phone when we all know it's a manufacturer's defect and I'll be back with the same problem. Dan agreed. "Whaaaat? You're kiddin'?" No, I'm not.

I also told Dan that I don't like being held hostage with a contract. Anytime you make a change to your plan, they extend the contract. Dan (The Man), changed my plan right then and there. We now have unlimited texting and phone calls for just a few more dollars a month and my son and I will receive 2 new phones that I chose while in the store. Both phones are upgrades.

Dan (The Man), was sympathetic and validated my feelings. I didn't have to argue with him and didn't have to push him. Unlike the other representative, Dan (The Man) resolved a problem that didn't have to be a problem in the first place!

Thank you Dan (The Man)!

Finding A Realtor To Help Sell Your Home As A Short Sale In Lindenhurst, West Babylon And Babylon Area Of Long Island Suffolk County

What is a Short Sale?
A short sale is when you owe more on your mortgage than what the market value is on your home. This is simple to understand. It is also better on your credit than a foreclosure. As of now, you will be able to get another mortgage 3 to 5 years down the road. A foreclosure on your credit means at least 10 years before you can get another mortgage.

What Are The Steps To Begin The Short Sale Process?
In order to do a short sale, you have to claim a hardship like: job loss, illness, divorce, etc., anything that has prevented you from being able to pay your mortgage. Your obligations must exceed your income or no Short Sale for you! The bank will not approve it. You have to sit down and hand-write a Hardship Letter explaining what has happened to prevent you from paying your mortgage.

Documents Needed
You need to have the following handy and ready to go once you have a buyer: W-2's, most recent tax returns, Profit & Loss Statement if you are self-employed, 2 months of bank statements (savings account, checking, etc.), recent pay-stubs if you and your spouse are still working. You also need to include your hardship letter. All of this is part of the Short Sale Package that your bank requires.

Hire A Realtor
The best thing to do is hire a Realtor. Going it alone is not worth it especially a short sale! Not having representation is not a good idea. A Realtor experienced with short sales will help you along the way. Even hold your hand. This is a difficult time in your life and you need someone who can handle the difficulties short sales can bring and maybe even a shoulder to cry on. Your Realtor will even call the bank to find out what other documents they will need just in case. Not all banks are the same and it's the job of the Realtor to find out what is needed to help keep things going smoothly. Also, you have to send in a Letter of Authorization giving your Realtor permission to speak with your bank during the short sale process. This can be faxed to your bank most times. Without this, your Realtor's hands are tied. Coldwell Banker has a Letter of Authorization that we can give to our seller clients.

Market Value
Determining market value is the same as if you were selling your home under normal circumstances. We have to price your home based on what buyers are willing to pay. Me, your Realtor, is in charge of that. Once I determine market value, then we can place your short sale home on the market.

You Have A Buyer! Now What?
You have a buyer and now the waiting begins. Your short sale package, purchase agreement, your buyer's mortgage pre-approval letter, Hud-1 Statement and the Listing Agreement must be sent into your bank for approval.

How Long Does The Approval Take?
I'm glad you asked because there is no clear-cut answer to this. Having 1 bank on the mortgage is better than 2 or more. If there are 2 mortgages then both banks have to approve the short sale. Here is a perfect example of a short sale deal I'm in now: Bank #1 wants to give Bank #2 $10,000 Bank #2 says they want $15,000 and here comes the back and forth negotiations over a $5,000 difference. We went into contract on 12/23/09 and I found out today (3/12/10) that Bank #2 approved the short sale. We are now waiting on Bank #1 to get things in order before we close. In other words, Bank #2 agreed to the $10,000. Who knows at this point when we will close.

Banks are so overloaded with short sales than ever before that it's difficult to determine how long it all takes. Having 1 bank on the mortgage does simplify things.

Please keep in mind that all banks are not the same when it comes to the short sale process. Consult a Realtor to help you with what paperwork your bank will need from you.

As of April 5th, 2010, President Obama created a Federal Short Sale Program I just hope it's going to work!

If you have any questions regarding short sales, you can reach me at: (631) 703-0201 I'm here to help.

Finding A Realtor To Help Sell Your Home In Babylon, West Babylon & Lindenhurst Long Island, Isn't Rocket Science...

A Realtor works for you, the seller, plain and simple. Here are some things that are crucial in getting your home sold:

• My job is to make sure you get 12 pictures of your home into our local MLS system. Not 1, 3 or 6, but 12. They are to be clear and  they have to showcase each room. If a picture is too close-up, like just showing a bed and not the rest of the room, it won't give a clear description of that particular room.
• Internet Marketing - Just having your home on our local MLS is not enough. Coldwell Banker has over 12 websites. Once your home is listed on the MLS, your home will then be fed into our other websites. This is key because there are a lot of buyers that will look at other real estate websites to search like Trulia, Zillow, and our other Coldwell Banker sites and your home will be there for them to view. Some buyers have told me they go to these other websites and not MLSLI.com
• Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, Twitter and ActiveRain. These are other Internet mediums to be used to market your home. Most Realtors on Long Island do not even use these mediums especially ActiveRain! I get over a two-thousand visitors to my ActiveRain blog and almost 6,000 page views. When it comes to Internet marketing of your home, more is better!
• Feedback - At least once a week, I will call to give you updates about each showing. You should never have to hunt anyone down for this information.
• Open Houses - The first 2 weeks of your home being on the market generates excitement among the buyers that are out there house hunting. Having open houses during the first 2 weekends is beneficial in order to have these buyers preview your home. This means you need to leave your home for a few hours on each of these days. I'll even treat you to a movie at my expense!

Contact me anytime at (631) 703-0201 and together, let's get your home SOLD!

Short Sale Federal Program To Start April 5th, 2010

For those of you that do not know, the Obama administration is trying to encourage home owners to take the short sale route to avoid foreclosure.

In short, (no pun intended :)) a short sale is when you have to sell your home for less than what you owe on your mortgage. It's also better on your credit than a foreclosure. As of now, it will take 3 to 5 years before you can get a mortgage. With a foreclosure, you are looking at, at least 10 years or more before you can get another mortgage.

This new short sale program is also to curtail fraud among the mortgage banking system.

Beginning April 5th, lenders will have to consult with real estate practicioners to assess home values and a minimum acceptable offer. Then they must accept any offer that is equal to or higher than the assessed home value. Right now, banks will not divulge the minimum they will take until an offer on the home is presented. If the bank feels the offer is too low, then they will negotiate to try to get a higher price.

The program will also offer a cash payment to the home owner, as well as to the servicer and a second lien-holder, and will protect future lender lawsuits for the unpaid mortgage balance.

Over the next 6 months or so, we'll see how it goes. It's going to be interesting for sure!

Down Payment Housing Assistance On Long Island

There are some organizations that assist with down payments, and give mortgage assistance on Long Island. Below are links to these organizations:

Long Island Housing Partnership

New York Down Payment Assistance

Nassau County Down Payment Assistance

Town of Babylon Down Payment Assistance
The Town of Babylon is not currently accepting anymore applications but check back from time to time.

HUD Down Payment Assistance

I am hoping you find this information useful.

If you need assistance with your home buying needs, please contact me anytime at: (631) 703-0201

Have an awesome day!