Finding your Ideal Neighborhood

Every other year, the Census Bureau conducts the American Housing Survey. The most recent study finds that the two most popular reasons for choosing a certain neighborhood are how it’s laid out and its proximity to work.

What about you? What are your hot buttons? It helps both of us if you’re clear on what type of area best suits your lifestyle. This part of the process requires both soul-searching and sleuthing.

Here are a few considerations to help you create your neighborhood wish list:

• Are good schools or proximity to schools a priority?

• Is living closer to work important to you?

• Do you need a walkable neighborhood located within walking distance to shopping and other conveniences?

• Do you prefer a lively family-type neighborhood or a more sedate, private environment?

• What don’t you like about where you currently live?

That last question is especially good when you’re stuck for ideas. Sometimes knowing what you don’t want in a neighborhood is just as important as knowing what you do want.

When you share your wish lists with me, I can help you narrow down the vast array of home and neighborhood choices available. Here’s how we’ll find your perfect home and neighborhood:

• Home prices: It doesn’t do you any good to look at homes that are out of your price range, so I’ll only show you homes you can afford.
• Crime statistics: Legally, I am not allowed to speak to whether a certain area has high or low crime. I will, however, point out where you can find this information, should this be a concern.
• Outdoor amenities: If these are important to you, we’ll shop in areas with parks, trails and the like.
• School information: Although schools are important to parents, they typically don’t top the list of what is important to them in a neighborhood. If you have school-aged children, do you need to live within walking distance to their school? Will they need to take the bus?

One Final Step

Take a drive through neighborhood at different times during the day and night. The ideal times for these recognizance trips are after school lets out in the afternoon and on weekend days and nights. Don’t hesitate to get out and walk and speak with any neighbors you see.

Searching for the perfect neighborhood is akin to Google Earth. If you’ve ever used the online search application you know that you can draw back from an area by zooming out and then gradually zoom in, until you find the ideal neighborhood. That’s when we jump in the car and go find you that dream house.

3 Importat Tips for Selling a Vacant Home

Many homeowners need to move to the new home before the old home sells. Sometimes it’s a tenant that has moved out before the home goes on the market that causes the home to sit, vacant. As you can imagine, selling an empty house is a bit of a challenge. Not only are there the insurance, maintenance and security aspects to consider, but also the appeal to the potential buyer.

Staging a home for sale is becoming more common as homeowners learn how valuable the process is. It is even more valuable when the home is vacant. Since studies show that a home without furniture takes 78 percent longer to sell than a furnished home, and the latter sells for closer to asking price, consider the following to maximize your profit on the sale of the home.

Hire a professional home stager

These designers bring in everything from furniture to accessories and arrange them in ways that appeal to a homebuyer’s emotions. “Most homeowners spent between $348 and $803,” to have their homes staged, according to the professionals who are members of ImproveNet. Check out their handy calculator that will give you a better idea of the costs in your ZIP code.

Stage it yourself

Making a home looked lived-in, when it isn’t, is a big job, even for professionals. But the good news is that you won’t necessarily need to stage the entire home, according to Kerry Derwent-Robb at HomeStagingHints.com. She recommends that you stage the dining and living rooms and one or two bedrooms. If you feel you lack that interior designer flair, get some ideas and inspiration online at HGTV, on Pinterest or at HomeStagingChannel.com’s YouTube channel.

Stage it virtually

Yes, there are virtual stagers and they can change the color of walls, switch out the flooring and even add virtual furniture. The danger in this method is that if a buyer likes what he sees online and shows up to tour the home in person, the first thing he’ll notice is that the home looks nothing like its photos and he may feel deceived. You can get around this by making it clear online that the home is virtually staged.

The price? It varies but Kim Palmer of Minnesota’s Star Tribune says that virtual staging may cost up to $100 per photograph, but you can find virtual stagers online that charge as little as $40 per photo.

Hire a professional tenant

We don’t get it, but some people don’t mind moving frequently, especially those that are “resident managers” that work for home staging services like Showhomes. This process takes staging to an entirely new level and homebuyers will not only see a furnished home, but a lived-in home, complete with a stocked refrigerator and clothing in the closet.

The managers bring their own upscale furnishings and accessories and they even pay their own utility bills. Showhomes pays for the homeowner’s additional insurance costs.

Home managers aren’t suitable for all homes. In fact, Showhomes will only work with homeowners whose homes are listed at $500,000 or more. Their fees run from $1,000 to $3,000 and some companies also ask for a percentage of the sales price.

Botton Line

While selling a home that is vacant may be unavoidable, there are even simple ways to make it look lived-in. You owe it to your bottom line to do all you can to make the home as attractive to buyers as possible, let’s connect so you have the right guidance Call/text 917-515-9783 or nyhomeseller@gmail.com  

3 Strategies to Getting your House Sold Quickly

 

If you’re selling your home so that you can purchase another you not only have a need for speed, but a need for the most money possible in the sale.

So, what’s the trick to getting a home sold quickly and for top dollar? Actually, there are several things you can do to speed up the process and make your home irresistible to buyers. Here are the top three:

1. Price

The main reason a home sits on the market with little attention and no offers is price. One of the immutable laws of real estate is that overpriced homes take longer to sell.

Homebuyers know what your home is worth on the current market, so pricing it higher isn’t fooling anyone. Plus, what happens is that your home will show up in the Multiple Listing Service in searches of that price range. If your home is overpriced, your competition will be newer, larger, better located or in better condition.

Keep in mind that the longer a house languishes on the market the better the chances it will eventually sell for less than market value. So, price it right from the beginning and you’ll get to take full advantage of that “honeymoon period” that all new listings enjoy.

2. Condition

To get your home sold, clean it. Sure, that sounds like basic common sense, but study after study confirms that buyers look for homes that appear to be in move-in condition. Dirty homes don’t fit that bill.

After cleaning the house, remove all the clutter. If you can fit a designer’s services into your budget, consider hiring a professional stager. Staging the home can mean the difference between getting bombarded with low offers and receiving top dollar for the home.

3. Marketing

Marketing is strictly up to your real estate agent so it is critical that you hire one that excels at marketing homes.

When interviewing agents for the job of selling your home, ask to see a marketing plan. It should include samples of past marketing efforts. Are the photos clear and compelling? Are the descriptions intriguing enough to get you to want to view the home or do they appear to be dashed off haphazardly?

BOTTON LINE

While there are other strategies that can help sell your home, these are the top three. Set the right price, get the house in tip-top shape and hire the right real estate agent.

Sell My House in Queens, Brooklyn, L.I. | Homebuyer Demand Is Far Above Last Year’s Pace

 

Homebuying has been on the rise over the past few months, with record-breaking sales powering through the market in June and July. Buyers are actively purchasing homes, and the momentum is continuing into the fall. It is, however, becoming harder for buyers to find homes to purchase. If you’ve been thinking about selling your house, the coming weeks might just be the timing you’ve been waiting for.

According to the Pending Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR):

“Pending home sales in July achieved another month of positive contract activity, marking three consecutive months of growth.

The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), a forward-looking indicator of home sales based on contract signings, rose 5.9% to 122.1 in July. Year-over-year, contract signings rose 15.5%. An index of 100 is equal to the level of contract activity in 2001.”

This means that for the past several months, buyers have signed an increasing number of contracts to purchase homes – well above where the market was at this time last year. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at NAR notes:

“We are witnessing a true V-shaped sales recovery as homebuyers continue their strong return to the housing market…Home sellers are seeing their homes go under contract in record time, with nine new contracts for every 10 new listings.”

Below is a graph that shows the impressive recovery of homes sales compared to previous years. The deep blue v marks the slowdown from this spring that turned into an exponential jump in sales that followed through the summer, skyrocketing above years past:

What Does This Mean for Sellers?

If you were thinking about putting your house on the market in the spring, but decided to wait due to the health crisis, it may be time to make your move. Buyers are in the market right now. With so few homes available to purchase, homeowners today are experiencing more bidding wars, creating an optimal time to sell.

Is This Trend Going to Continue?

As CNBC notes, there are no signs of slowing buyer demand this fall:

“The usual summer slowdown in the housing market is not happening this year. Buyers continue to show strong demand, spurred by the new stay-at-home world of the coronavirus and by record low mortgage rates.”

Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.com, concurred:

“In a typical year in the housing market, buyer interest begins to wane before seller interest causing the usual seasonal slowdown as we move into the fall. Due to a delayed spring season and low mortgage rates, we could see buyer interest extend longer than usual into the typically quieter fall. Whether this means more home sales will depend on whether sellers participate or decide to stay on the sidelines.”

As Hale mentioned, homeowners who are willing to sell their houses right now will play a big role in whether the trend continues. The market needs more homes to satisfy ongoing buyer demand. Maybe it’s time to leverage your equity and move up while eager home shoppers are ready to purchase a house just like yours.

Bottom Line

If your current home doesn’t meet your family’s changing needs, let’s connect to help you sell your house and make the move you’ve been waiting for all year.

« Get Your House Sold This Winter. 15 Seconds FREE Home Valuation

Source…KCM Rossmery Blog

THE WHOLE DEAL: FROM HIRE US TO CLOSING

Our Marketing Systems Are Design To

TARGET & ATTRACT QUALIFY SERIOUS HOME BUYERS.

Not Those Who Will Only BUY Your Home If They Can Steal It by Making Ridiculous

Low-ball Offers!  WE PRE-APPROVE EVERY PROSPECT… visit cash4homesNY.com

For more information.

To connect with me directly,

Please call/text Rossmery 917-515-9783 or email nyhomeseller@gmail.com

See More Properties

SEARCH ALL HOMES FOR SALE HOME VALUATION GET AN OFFER IN 24 HOURS MARKET REPORT SELLER EGUIDE		RossMery Mosquera  Winzone Realty  917-515-9783  Licensed In: New York  Contact Me
You Can Also Visit Us At:

Sell My House in Queens, Brooklyn, L.I. | How Will the Presidential Election Impact Real Estate?

 

The year 2020 will be remembered as one of the most challenging times of our lives. A worldwide pandemic, a recession causing historic unemployment, and a level of social unrest perhaps never seen before have all changed the way we live. Only the real estate market seems to be unaffected, as a new forecast projects there may be more homes purchased this year than last year.

As we come to the end of this tumultuous year, we’re preparing for perhaps the most contentious presidential election of the century. Today, it’s important to look at the impact past presidential election years have had on the real estate market.

Is there a drop-off in home sales during a presidential election year?

BTIG, a research and analysis company, looked at new home sales from 1963 through 2019 in their report titled One House, Two House, Red House, Blue House. They noted that in non-presidential years, there is a -9.8% decrease in November compared to October. This is the normal seasonality of the market, with a slowdown in activity that’s usually seen in fall and winter.

However, it also revealed that in presidential election years, the typical drop increases to -15%. The report explains why:

“This may indicate that potential homebuyers may become more cautious in the face of national election uncertainty.”

Are those sales lost forever?

No. BTIG determined:

“This caution is temporary, and ultimately results in deferred sales, as the economy, jobs, interest rates and consumer confidence all have far more meaningful roles in the home purchase decision than a Presidential election result in the months that follow.”

In a separate study done by Meyers Research & Zonda, Ali Wolf, Chief Economist, agrees that those purchases are just delayed until after the election:

“History suggests that the slowdown is largely concentrated in the month of November. In fact, the year after a presidential election is the best of the four-year cycle. This suggests that demand for new housing is not lost because of election uncertainty, rather it gets pushed out to the following year.”

Will it matter who is elected?

To some degree, but not in the overall number of home sales. As mentioned above, consumer confidence plays a significant role in a family’s desire to buy a home. How may consumer confidence impact the housing market post-election? The BTIG report covered that as well:

“A change in administration might benefit trailing blue county housing dynamics. The re-election of President Trump could continue to propel red county outperformance.”

Again, overall sales should not be impacted in a significant way.

Bottom Line

If mortgage rates remain near all-time lows, the economy continues to recover, and unemployment continues to decrease, the real estate market should remain strong up to and past the election.

« Get Your House Sold This Winter. 15 Seconds FREE Home Valuation

Source…KCM Rossmery Blog

THE WHOLE DEAL: FROM HIRE US TO CLOSING

Our Marketing Systems Are Design To

TARGET & ATTRACT QUALIFY SERIOUS HOME BUYERS.

Not Those Who Will Only BUY Your Home If They Can Steal It by Making Ridiculous

Low-ball Offers!  WE PRE-APPROVE EVERY PROSPECT… visit cash4homesNY.com

For more information.

To connect with me directly,

Please call/text Rossmery 917-515-9783 or email nyhomeseller@gmail.com

See More Properties

SEARCH ALL HOMES FOR SALE HOME VALUATION GET AN OFFER IN 24 HOURS MARKET REPORT SELLER EGUIDE		RossMery Mosquera  Winzone Realty  917-515-9783  Licensed In: New York  Contact Me
You Can Also Visit Us At:

Sell My House in queens, Brooklyn, L.I. l It’s Not Just About the Price of the Home

 

When most of us begin searching for a home, we naturally start by looking at the price. It’s important, however, to closely consider what else impacts the purchase. It’s not just the price of the house that matters, but the overall cost in the long run. Today, that’s largely impacted by low mortgage rates. Low rates are actually making homes more affordable now than at any time since 2016, and here’s why.

Today’s low rates are off-setting rising home prices because it’s less expensive to borrow money. In essence, purchasing a home while mortgage rates are this low may save you significantly over the life of your home loan.

Taking a look at the graph below with data sourced from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the higher the bars rise, the more affordable homes are. The orange bars represent the period of time when homes were most affordable, but that’s also reflective of when the housing bubble burst. At that time, distressed properties, like foreclosures and short sales, dominated the market. That’s a drastically different environment than what we have in the housing market now.

The green bar represents today’s market. It shows that homes truly are more affordable than they have been in years, and much more so than they were in the normal market that led up to the housing crash. Low mortgage rates are a big differentiator driving this affordability.

What are the experts saying about affordability?

Experts agree that this unique moment in time is making homes incredibly affordable for buyers.

Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist, NAR:

“Although housing prices have consistently moved higher, when the favorable mortgage rates are factored in, an overall home purchase was more affordable in 2020’s second quarter compared to one year ago.”

Bill Banfield, EVP of Capital Markets, Quicken Loans:

“No matter what you’re looking for, this is a great time to buy since the current low interest rates can stretch your spending power.”

Mortgage News Daily:

“Those shopping for a home can afford 10 percent more home than they could have one year ago while keeping their monthly payment unchanged. This translates into nearly $32,000 more buying power.” 

Forbes:

“Homeowners are the clear winners. Low mortgage rates mean the cost of owning is at historically low levels and who gains all the benefits of strong house price appreciation? Homeowners.”

Bottom Line

When purchasing a home, it’s important to think about the overall cost, not just the price of the house. Homes on your wish list may be more affordable today than you think. Let’s connect to discuss how affordability plays a role in our local market, and your long-term homeownership goals.

« Get Your House Sold This Winter. 15 Seconds FREE Home Valuation

Source…KCM Rossmery Blog

THE WHOLE DEAL: FROM HIRE US TO CLOSING

Our Marketing Systems Are Design To

TARGET & ATTRACT QUALIFY SERIOUS HOME BUYERS.

Not Those Who Will Only BUY Your Home If They Can Steal It by Making Ridiculous

Low-ball Offers!  WE PRE-APPROVE EVERY PROSPECT… visit cash4homesNY.com

For more information.

To connect with me directly,

Please call/text Rossmery 917-515-9783 or email nyhomeseller@gmail.com

See More Properties

SEARCH ALL HOMES FOR SALE HOME VALUATION GET AN OFFER IN 24 HOURS MARKET REPORT SELLER EGUIDE		RossMery Mosquera  Winzone Realty  917-515-9783  Licensed In: New York  Contact Me
You Can Also Visit Us At:

Sell My House in queens, Brooklyn, L.I. l Three Ways to Win in a Bidding War

 

With so few houses for sale today and low mortgage rates driving buyer activity, bidding wars are becoming more common. Multiple-offer scenarios are heating up, so it’s important to get pre-approved before you start your search. This way, you can put your best foot forward – quickly and efficiently – if you’re planning to buy a home this season.

Javier Vivas, Director of Economic Research at realtor.com, explains:

“COVID-19 has accelerated earlier trends, bringing even more buyers than the market can handle. In many markets, fierce competition, bidding wars, and multiple offer scenarios may be the common theme in the weeks to come.”

Here are three things you can do to make your offer a competitive one when you’re ready to make your move.

1. Be Ready

A recent survey shows that only 52% of active homebuyers obtained a pre-approval letter before they began their home search. That means about half of active buyers missed out on this key part of the process.

Buyers who are pre-approved are definitely a step ahead when it’s time to make an offer. Having a pre-approval letter indicating you’re a qualified buyer shows sellers you’re serious. It’s often a deciding factor that can tip the scale in your direction if there’s more than one offer on a home. It’s best to contact a mortgage professional to start your pre-approval process early, so you’re in the best position right from the start of your home search.

2. Present Your Best Offer

In a highly competitive market, it’s common for sellers to pick a date and time to review all offers on a house at one time. If this is the case, you may not have an opportunity to negotiate back and forth with the sellers. As a matter of fact, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) notes:

“Not only are properties selling quickly, but they are also getting more offers. On average, REALTORS® reported nearly three offers per sold property in July 2020.”

Make sure the offer you’re presenting is the best one the sellers receive. A real estate professional can help you make sure your offer is a fair and highly competitive one.

3. Act Fast

With existing homes going like hotcakes, there’s no time to waste in the process. NAR reports how the speed of home sales is ramping up:

“Properties typically remained on the market for 22 days in July, seasonally down from 24 days in June and from 29 days in July 2019. Sixty-eight percent of homes sold in July 2020 were on the market for less than a month.”

In addition, NAR notes:

“Total existing-home sales…jumped 24.7% from June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.86 million in July. The previous record monthly increase in sales was 20.7% in June of this year. Sales as a whole rose year-over-year, up 8.7% from a year ago (5.39 million in July 2019).”

As you can see, the market is gaining steam. For two consecutive months houses have sold very quickly. Essentially, you may not have time to sleep on it or shop around when you find a home you love. Chances are, someone else loves it too. If you take your time, it may not be available when you’re ready to commit.

Bottom Line

The housing market is very strong right now, and buyers are scooping up available homes faster than they’re coming to market. If you’re planning to purchase a home this year, let’s connect to discuss the trends in our current area, so you’re ready to compete – and win.

« Get Your House Sold This Winter. 15 Seconds FREE Home Valuation

Source…KCM Rossmery Blog

THE WHOLE DEAL: FROM HIRE US TO CLOSING

Our Marketing Systems Are Design To

TARGET & ATTRACT QUALIFY SERIOUS HOME BUYERS.

Not Those Who Will Only BUY Your Home If They Can Steal It by Making Ridiculous

Low-ball Offers!  WE PRE-APPROVE EVERY PROSPECT… visit cash4homesNY.com

For more information.

To connect with me directly,

Please call/text Rossmery 917-515-9783 or email nyhomeseller@gmail.com

See More Properties

SEARCH ALL HOMES FOR SALE HOME VALUATION GET AN OFFER IN 24 HOURS MARKET REPORT SELLER EGUIDE		RossMery Mosquera  Winzone Realty  917-515-9783  Licensed In: New York  Contact Me
You Can Also Visit Us At: