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

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!

Growing Up In Lindenhurst Long Island New York

We moved to Lindenhurst in 1975. My parents bought their first home on 753 S. Pecan Street which is down the block from E.W. Bower Elementary School.

I have very fond memories from attending Bower Elementary School. Days of playing dodge ball during lunch time, playing on the swings, handball, jump rope, and hopscotch. I also remember my teacher, Mrs. Healy. She was a good teacher, but tough. You learned in her classroom. She had the unfortunate task of having to leave me back in 6th grade. As devastating as it was to me at the time, I realized the following year she did the right thing by me. On the last day of school, I didn't want to go because I was so embarrassed. Mrs. Healy called my home and convinced me to come and I did. She is one of the few teachers I will never forget!

After elementary school, it was time to enter the unknown: Lindenhurst Junior High School

I was excited to start Junior High School! Some students were nervous but I couldn't wait. It was a time of new beginnings and making new friends. I remember the clothing styles all too well! Jordache jeans, Sassoon jeans burnout hats, India shirts, capezio shoes, leg warmers, and toe socks, lol. I loved those toe socks!

I also remember the amount of fights the kids would get into with each other. So different and better today. I remember the Principal, Mr. Neil Lederer all too well. Almost every day that man would break up fist fights in the hallways. I remember on one occasion he broke up a fight and had a fist planted into his left cheek. He always managed to successfully break things up. He became the Superintendent of the Lindenhurst School District and retired in June of 2009.

Back then, Friendly's ice cream store was the place to be. It was located on S. Wellwood Avenue. It was a great place to hang out and catch up with friends. Now 7-11 is there and I guess the new generation will remember that spot in the future when they reminisce about their Middle School days! How times have changed!

Lindenhurst Movie Theater

I remember seeing Rocky I at this theater. What a great time we all had that night! Sadly, it is now closed.

This theater opened on December 25, 1948. It had 625 seats on the main floor and 140 upstairs. This popular movie house served the area for 54 years and closed Thursday, July 18 with "The Sum Of All Fears". It was taken over by UA Theaters in 1968 and was a first run house during this time. In the 1980's and 1990's, its price policy was as a reduced price theater. In 1998, UA sold the theater to 5 Star Cinemas which did some repairs but not to the falling apart seats and failed to keep the theater clean. If they only kept up the maintenance, it would still be there, or at least I would like to think so! Now it's home a new boat showroom.

Remember clamming? Since we lived across the street from the Shore Road canal, so many people had clamming boats like this one: I remember some of my neighbors making a living from this now non-existant trade. Those boats had character. Those were fun Summers learning how to clam!

Lindenhurst High School

High School is the best time of your life! I graduated from Lindy High in 1984. My son now attends and I can't get over how much has changed. This school has a pool and because of that, it's part of the gym curicculum. We would have pool every semester and no matter what time your pool class was, you never got enough time to dry your hair! You could be sitting in class in the middle of winter with a wet head! They now also have more classes to choose from for the students then they did back then.

I used to love going out during lunch time with friends. We would all flock to the little deli that was just up the block. We would get a bagel with cream cheese and put Doritos inside and of course a large iced tea! Life was good :) That deli made a killing back then. Now, the students are not allowed out for lunch. It's ashame. Just goes to show you how times really have changed.

Growing up in Lindenhurst back then was easier than today. We didn't have road rage, cell phones and email. Kids would be out all day during the Summer, come home for lunch and go right back out on our bikes. We were always told to be back home when it gets dark. And that is just what we did! Parents would watch out for us even when we weren't their kids. Stay-At-Home parents wasn't a choice. It's what they did. Now, most households have to have 2 incomes.

History

Pat Benatar graduated from the Lindenhurst High School in 1971

Pat Benatar & The Lindenhurst High School Choir

Nazism - Nazism Nazi sympathizers of the German Bund were centralized in Lindenhurst. In the mid-to-late 1930s, the German American Bund made its appearance and many of its Lindenhurst members were tried and convicted for treason. By 1937, up to 40,000 bundists would arrive on Sundays to celebrate Nazism in America, while young Siegfrieders lined up to greet them as the train pulled into Yaphank. A large contingent of Nazis also marched through the village of Lindenhurst that year. Carl Bergler became treasurer of the Lindenhurst Unit of the Bund in 1938 and funds were deposited in the First National Bank of Lindenhurst for the account of Efdende. This was the phonetic spelling of the Friends of the New Germany, the predecessor of the German-American Bund. Bregler became leader of the Lindenhurst Unit and he continued in that capacity until the Bund was dissolved.

Notable People In Lindenhurst - Dan Lauria, who played the role of the father from The Wonder Years also resided in Lindenhurst. Joy Behar of The View was once a teacher at Lindenhurst High School and taught while Pat Benatar attended. Hal Hartley, a film director, also is a Lindenhurst native. Top international model Linda Morand was born in Lindenhurst. Famous game show host Jack Barry grew up in Lindenhurst and was valedictorian at Lindenhurst High School.

The Lindenhurst community was named for the linden trees growing in the area.

Former and merged names include: Breslau

16% of Lindenhurst residents report German ancestry, and 21% report Irish

Lindenhurst used to be famous for having so many bars in 1 square mile. I forgot how many but it was a lot!

Capsule History of Lindenhurst

I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it!

...They are.

I held a Broker's Open House in Lindenhurst, Long Island today from 1:30 to 3:30.

It wasn't too cold out and the sun was out and felt warm. This short sale home is winterized and has no heat, and no electric.

After about a half hour of being in the house with only 1 agent showing up thus far, I went inside my car, turned it on and hit the heat! It felt good and I was content.

One neighbor came by and wanted me to come inside her home and offered me coffee or tea. I declined since I needed to see anyone entering the home and needed to be there. I said thank you and she left.

Another neighbor came out and offered me the same things. Again, I had to decline for the above reasons stated.

And another neighbor. Same thing. I also had to decline.

After she left, it made me think about how people pay attention to the world around them. And how they have compassion or even sympathy for someone they do not know at all. I was so touched by them being so concerned for me. And all of them were pushing the issue for me to come inside their homes. I told all of them that I'm 44 and it doesn't take much to make me sweat (pre-men-o-pause) these days and I was fine. I really was.

So, just when you think people aren't paying attention or maybe they do not care, they are and they do!

First Time Home Buyers And Payment Shock!

Earlier this week I met my clients at my office to meet with our Coldwell Banker Mortgage Professional to have them get their pre-approval redone by her. The first person that "pre-approved" them disappeared on my clients and they never received a pre-approval letter.

So, she pre-approves them and they go into payment shock. They currently pay $1200.00 in rent and their mortgage payment would be $1700.00 including everything.

They went into payment shock as most first time home buyers do. They knew their mortgage would be more than rent but didn't expect a $500.00 difference. Unless you are going to put down a lot of money, expect your mortgage payment to be close to $2000.00 per month here on Long Island.

I told them to go home and sit down and figure out what they spend for day to day living including fun activities.

They called me yesterday and told me they can handle the $1700.00 by cutting out needless items they have been spending on, on a monthly basis. And that put them into spending shock.

Here are some tips to help you find some new found money:

1. Coffee - Did you know some people spend an upwards of $300.00 a month on Starbucks alone? Seriously, do you really have to spend that much on coffee? No.
2. Clothing - Look in your closet. You really do have enough clothing. Why buy more than you need? That could save you a few hundred a month.
3. Movies - Around here you will spend $13.00 per ticket and forget about the popcorn, soda and candy. You can easily spend $50.00 per couple each time you go to the movies. If you go a few times per month, you are looking at a minimum of $100.00 Put your cable bill to use and watch movies on HBO and Showtime. Movies are shown on those channels faster than ever so it's worth saving that money on going to the movies.
4. Eating Out - This is a huge expense. Write down how much you spend a month on eating out. Most times, people find this is where most of their fun money goes to. Most find this is where they can close the gap between their rent and mortgage payment. Voila!
5. Car Payments - Do you really need to get a new car every 3 years? No. Keep that car you have for a while and get rid of those car payments. Unless you have a business, leasing is not worth it. If you have a regular car loan, keep the car after those payments are gone. Is status symbol really worth not owning a home? Of course not. Equity outweighs a Mercedes.
6. Lottery Tickets - Ok, we all know the odds are against you winning this one! Some people will spend $100.00 a week for years and years on these things. If you sit down and figure out what you spend on lottery tickets, you will need a brown paper bag in order to breathe.
   

Some will look at this list and think, "why should I downgrade my quality of life?" Coffee and lottery tickets are not a quality of life. You are throwing away money, period! If cutting out these un-necessary items will get you into your first home then it's worth it. Buying a home is the best investment you will ever make.

Are You An Ashtray?

I used to smoke but was very conscious of those around me that didn't.

I would never think to smoke around anyone that was eating. Why do you?

I would never, ever smoke in my car let alone when my son was in the car with me. Why do you? Did you know that IS child abuse? Well, now you know.

When I had a job interview when I was younger, I made sure to not have a cigarette at least 1 hour before the appointment. Why do you not do that?

Back in the 80's you were allowed to smoke everywhere. The stores, malls, restaurants and even movie theaters. One day I was at the Sunrise Mall in Massapequa, New York and was sitting on one of the benches when a couple who sat down with food sat behind me. I didn't realize at first they had food. When I turned and saw they had food, I apologized and moved to another bench. After they were done eating, they came over and thanked me for moving.

Why are smokers still so ill-mannered when it comes to their smoking?

It's your right to smoke. It's your choice to ruin your health,  but it's my right to not have to breathe in your second-hand smoke in. It's your children's rights to not have to breathe it in either.

This is the 21st Century and we all know how harmful smoking is. You want to continue to smoke? That's fine but stay out of a non-smoker's space even if it's outside. Yep, it's cold as anything. Put your coat on and smoke outside away from others. Smoke can travel and a person 20 feet away can smell it if the wind is blowing in their direction.

As I'm writing this, an agent that smokes just walked right past me and she stinks. Now I have to go into a meeting and smell it for the next hour.

Please, be conscious of those around you. Thank you. This has been a public service announcement :)

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Babylon New York
136 W. Main Street, Babylon, New York 1102

I chose to be associated with Coldwell Banker for many reasons.

1. They have the best training and education. Without that, I wouldn't have the knowledge and expertise to be able to help people sell their home and buy a home.
2. 24-Hour Mortgage pre-approval. In this day and age, who wants to wait weeks for a pre-approval?
3. Home Warranties. 63% of homes sell faster with a Home Warranty and gives the buyer peace of mind during the first year in their new home. It's free to sellers when they list their home through Coldwell Banker. Then, the seller pays for it at closing. If for some reason your home doesn't sell, then you do not have to pay for it. And statistically, you get a little over 2% more for your home when you have a Home Warranty.
4. LeadRouter. When you list your home for sale and someone inquires about it through coldwellbanker.com, I will get a call on my cell phone in seconds after the person inquired about your home for sale. Buyers and sellers are very impressed with how quickly I respond to these inquiries. The quicker I respond, the quicker the buyer can tour your home.
   
5. Conceirge Service. As your agent, I will help you turn on your gas, electric and any other utility you need turned on in your new home. That will be just a few things you do not have to worry about.
   
6. Relocation Services. Moving out of the area? We have an awesome relocation department that will help you find a top agent in the area you are moving to. Just call me at 631-703-0201 and I can set that up for you in just a few minutes!

No matter what your needs are, you can be assured that your needs will be met with the up-most care and professionalism!

Have a Happy New Year!

Long Island Real Estate Market

Real Estate Buyer's Broker Agreements - It Doesn't Cost You Anything

When you decide you want to work with a Licensed Real Estate Agent, they are going to ask you to sign a Buyer's Broker Agreement. Now, don't let that document scare you. You can even bring it to your Real Estate Attorney to have them look it over before you sign it. But make sure that person only practices Real Estate Law or else another attorney will not understand like a Real Estate Attorney will.

Signing this agreement is to create a relationship between you and your agent. That agent will now be able to give you fiduciary duties which is explained further in this post.