Townhouse for sale in Hunters Glen with garage

Lovely townhouse in sought after Hunters Glen in Carmel with garage! 2 bed 1.5 bath, eat-in-kitchen, dining area, living room with fire place, sliders to patio. Large master bedroom and 2nd bedroom, large bath with double sink. Located close to clubhouse w/exercise room, pool, tennis, playground, gazebo, pond, walk to all amenities. Easy I84/ 684 Commute! 5 minutes to Metro North train.

For more info check out: 2105 Martingale Drive Carmel NY

To view more listings check out: Hunters Glen townhouses for sale in Carmel NY

Selling your home during the holidays | Holiday home selling tips

Selling your home during the holiday season between November and January can be a very stressful time. Getting ready for parties or cleaning up from ones you hosted at your home make it difficult to keep your house in showing condition all the time. Some sellers take their home off the market for a few weeks during the holidays but some serious sellers will keep the house listed throughout the season and for very good reason.

Buyers who are looking during the holidays (and cold weather) tend to be very serious buyers that you do not want to miss out on. Your competition is limited as well since a lot of homeowners wait until after the holidays to put their home on the market. This is a prime time to try to catch a solid buyer and not have to worry about competing with all the new listings that come on the market after the New Year.

Now that you have committed to sell during the holidays here are some tips to keep your house in its best showing condition.

Price it right

No matter when you list your home, pricing it right is always the number 1 priority. Pricing it aggressive this time of the year is even more important because once the New Year hits so do the new listings. The majority of these listings will be priced reflecting the current market trends which unfortunately is still going down. Current sellers will now have to compete with a bunch of new listings possibly priced much more aggressive than their home making it a lot harder to find a buyer. Instead of making small incremental price drops this time of the year be sure to be aggressive with the pricing the first time around to avoid chasing the market once the new listings start popping up.

Don’t overdue the decorations

Though a home looks great when decorated for the holidays make sure you do not overdue it. Keep it simple with all the décor especially with all the figurines and elaborate holiday scenes. Tone down any extravagant displays ala Clark Griswold and opt for some simple string lighting around some of the nice trees in your front yard as well as some simple decorations on the inside. You want to keep the home as simple and neutral as possible in order to attract not turn off buyers.

Keep the driveway and walkway clean

Nothing is worse than trying to show a house and the seller has not shoveled the walkway and driveway. I have been to some houses where the buyers just gave up and did not want to continue walking in the snow to get to the house. If a buyer can’t get into your home easily then they may not want to come in at all. Be sure to keep the outside clean after it snows; be sure there is no ice after you shovel. If the house is vacant and you do not live close by then be sure to hire someone to clean up the snow for the winter. The last thing you want is someone getting hurt on your property.

Keep the house warm

Sellers like to keep the temperature down because of heat costs but buyers who are not comfortable in the house will not stay long. A cold houses also brings on a negative feel to buyers so you want to keep the house warm and cozy. If you are home and have a fireplace, be sure it has been on for a while before the buyers come over. If there is no fireplace then turn the heat up probably a little higher than normal. When you encourage buyers to spend more time in your home there is more time for them to look at the good features of your house.

Make the house smell nice

Nothing is nicer than a nice smelling house but don’t overdo it with the candles and air fresheners. Yankee Candle sells some excellent fragrances that just about everyone loves. Some of the most popular candles for the holiday include Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cinnamon Roll and Christmas Cookie. Unless you like to bake cookies every time there is a showing these candles make a convenient alternative and make the home smell great.

Keep it light

Since the days get shorter during the winter, sellers need to make sure to keep the inside and the outside of the house well lit. If you are home during the showing, make sure to turn all the lights on in the house as well as the lights for the walkway. If you are not home during the showing and you do not want the lights on all day invest in a few timers to turn on a few lights when it gets dark. The last thing an agent wants to do is run around the house trying to turn all the lights on to make the house look inviting, that is your job.

Selling your home when you owe too much on your mortgage

Want to sell your house but you owe too much on your mortgage?

I meet dozens of homeowners each month that are either behind on mortgage payments, or will be soon if their financial situation does not get better. The ever increasing taxes on homes are also making it harder for homeowners to keep current with their mortgage payment. These people would love to sell their home (they need too) but they can’t because they owe more then the home is worth. This type of homeowner is the ideal candidate for a short sale and there are hundreds in this area that should consider it.

A short sale is an agreement in which your bank agrees to accept a payoff on the loan for less than what is owed. Short sale provides a way for troubled homeowners to prevent foreclosure and many of the dire penalties involved. An example is a homeowner who has a $500,000 mortgage but the home is only worth about $375,000 in the current real estate market.

There are certain criteria to qualify for a short sale; you cannot do a short sale just because your house is worth less than you paid for it.

You must be in default or close to being in default (missing a mortgage payment). In the past a homeowner would have to be in default by at least 3 months to qualify for a short sale but today some lenders are willing to do a short sale if the homeowner is in distress and close to being unable to afford the next mortgage payment.

You have to show proof by using comparable home sales that your mortgage balance is more than what your home is worth.

The homeowner must prove they are in financial distress and submit a short sale hardship letter explaining why you can no longer make the mortgage payments. Hardship examples include loss of job, health problems, bankruptcy, death and divorce.

You will also have to show that you have little or no assets that you can use to pay off your mortgage.  You will provide bank statements and if you have a job recent pay stubs as well as the past 2 years tax returns. These items will help prove to the bank that you have a financial hardship and may have had one for sometime now. The last thing a bank wants you to do is walk away from the home and let it go to foreclosure. That is also the worst thing you should do as a foreclosure would wreak havoc on your credit as well as a possible law suit or wage garnishment where the bank can force your employer to deduct money from your pay check.

During a short sale the homeowner is allowed to stay in the home until it is sold, it could take 6-12 months from the start to the end of the short sale. The homeowner will not get kicked out of the home like a foreclosure and is able to stay until the home is sold. Just try to maintain your home as best as you can during this time to have a better chance of a successful short sale.

If you feel your financial situation is such that you need to sell your home but you can’t and you want to see if you qualify for a short sale call me at 914-403-4868 or email me at [email protected].

For more info on the short sale process please visit PutnamWestchesterShortSales.com

Staying in your home during a short sale

Staying in your home during a short sale?

I meet a lot of sellers that are in need of my help with a short sale on their home and one of the most common questions I get is whether or not they should stay in the home during the short sale process. Often these sellers cannot afford the mortgage any longer but are able to afford a rental and are considering renting during the short sale term. In realty there really is no reason to leave the house unless the house is in such bad shape that it is not livable.

If you are able to stay in your home during the short sale process then you should. Most sellers during the short sale process who are not able to afford the mortgage are not making any mortgage payments, whatever money they have left over they should save and use it when it is time to move out. The saved up money will be used for moving expenses as well as a deposit on a rental unless living arrangements have been made with friends or family members.

What many sellers do not realize is that a short sale is like any other house sale except the bank has to approve the offer. The owner should maintain the home to the best of their ability and make it look presentable during showings just like any other sale.

Another reason why you should stay in your home during a short sale is because your lender would most likely prefer it. They know that if you are in the home any problems that happened will not go unattended. Loads of problems happen when a house is vacant such as vandalism or if a water pipe bursts and causes tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage to the house, mold issues, mice, rats etc. So if anything you are helping the sale and in essence helping the bank lose less than they already are. The less the house sells for the harder it will be to approve the short sale with the bank.

A vacant house is an attention grabber, if people in the area or even prospective buyers who have seen that house realize the house is empty all the time they may come by “unannounced” to look around or who knows what else. Many of these things can lower the value of the home and as I mentioned above, the lower the offer is for the house the harder it may be to get the short sale approved.

If you must vacate your home whether you are relocating or moving out of state and staying in the home during the short shale process is not possible, no one is going to force you to stay. If you do leave the area and not able to check on the house, if possible have someone check on it once a week. If you can afford to have the lawn cut during the summer then that will also help the whole process and appeal of the home.

How long does the short sale process take? The whole process from the day the house is listed until the short sale is approved and it is time to move out could be 6-9 months or more. If could be even less than that but a conservative timeframe is about 6 months. I just closed on a short sale that took 3.5 moths from the day the offer was submitted. It took less than 2 months to find the buyer so less than 6 months for the whole process.  If you do receive an offer on your home and if your agent and short sale attorney tell you that the process is going well you should then start consider looking at rentals or making other arrangements. Banks are not very flexible with a closing date. Once they approve the short sale they will want to close in 2-4 weeks.

If you need advice on a short sale or want to know if you qualify for a short sale please call me or email me at [email protected].

For more info on the short sale process please visit PutnamWestchesterShortSales.com

If you are a buyer and interesting in buying a short sale or foreclosure home please visit: Westchester Putnam Short Sale Listings

Are you preventing your home from selling

Are you preventing your home from selling?

Has your house been on the market for 3, 6, 9, maybe even 12 months or longer and still no buyer? Not even a low offer from a buyer? Have you made multiple price reductions on your home but still no luck with getting it sold? Before you blame the market and start dropping your price even further lets take a look at some of the things you should be doing to get your home sold.

Do you make your home easy to show? Easy to show would mean that an agent is able to show your home with minimal notice, 1-2 hrs tops. Those are the types of homes that agents want to show and will not bother showing the homes that are difficult to schedule. Some homeowners require 24 hr notice to show but often agents may be going out on a certain day to see a few houses and they have limited time to show their buyers some homes. They have ready buyers trying to make a decision on which home to bid on and your home may fit their needs. Because they can’t see it the same day as the other homes there is a very strong chance they will just forget seeing the home at all and just never schedule a showing.  Some homeowners always want to be home for all showings and do not want a lockbox put on the house. This may be the single biggest mistake a seller can make when trying to sell their home. If a seller tends to be home pretty much all the time then this is not really a big issue but if an agent and their buyer have to work around the sellers schedule then they will just pass on the house and see the other homes that are much easier to show.

Is your home always clean and in showing condition? Sadly I see a lot of homes that are pretty messy with clothes on the floor, dishes in the sink, tons of stuff allover the bathrooms. The presentation of the home is completely ruined and the 1^st impression of the buyer is not something you get a 2^nd chance at. Think of selling your home like a job interview, you would not go to a corporate office setting with sweat pants and a ripped t-shirt but this is the same look that you are giving your home when prospective buyers see it. I have seen homes sell for 10’s of thousands of dollars less than they should have because the seller refused to clean up.

Is your home always light and comfortable? By light and comfortable I mean all the lights turned on and the temperature of the house comfortable. If it is summer and you do not have the air conditioning on (or windows open and fans blowing if you do not have A/C) and the house is too warm you will see buyers go in and out of the house in a matter of minutes. They will not spend time looking in each room like they should, they will never see the house the way they should and may miss something they like. The temperature must be bearable at all times. If you are home during showings then make sure to turn all the lights on. This seem to be such a little thing but it is very important when having your home shown. If you are not home during the showing then make sure you leave as many lights on as you can when you leave the home. I have seen quite a few smart sellers that were not home when we showed the house and every single light was left on and it made for a much better showing experience for the buyer.

Do you leave the agent and buyer alone during showings? The best thing an agent an buyer wants to hear from a seller other than “Hi this is Ed McMahon from Publishers Clearing House and you just won $10,000,000” is “I will stay out of your way and if you have any questions please let me know”. Buyers do not want to be followed around by the seller, the agents job is to show the house and know what the buyer is looking for and what things to point out while touring your home. Often times a homeowner tends to follow right behind and makes the buyer and agent feel uncomfortable, they will end up rushing through your house and get out of these as quick as they can. The best thing to do is stay in the kitchen, living room or maybe home office and offer to answer any questions they have. If they have any questions and they almost always do then the agent will ask you and they you can engage them in a conversation and point out any features of the home you think they may have missed.

Did you have professional photos taken of your home? This is quite possibly the most important thing that must be done on any home regardless of the price of the house. There are no exceptions.  Most cameras the average person has access too whether digital, SLR or digital SLR have very basic and cheap lenses; have low megapixels and cheap flashes. These lenses do not show the entire room in a photo and often leave out important features. The lighting that the flashes provided is also extremely weak. I have seen photos of homes for sale in the area that I have also seen in person, these homes look so much better in person but you cannot tell from the photos. The photos are so basic that it does not intrigue the buyer whatsoever. No matter how low you drop your price these buyers will never have any interest in coming to see your home.

I have done research and have found that on average homes that have professional photos sell quicker (1/2 the time it usually takes) and for 8-10% more than homes that used basic camera equipment. Those numbers are astonishing but the fact is that homes with basic photos like what is seen in most homes currently for sale are selling for a lot less than they should.  I would guesstimate that 90-95% of all homes for sale are using basic boring photos and these homes are selling for a lot less than they should if they even sell at all. All agents have access to these professional photography services and they are not expensive and should be used when selling any house.

Make sure to follow these simple guidelines when selling your home, these are very easy things to do and they can help you sell your home a lot faster and for more money than if you did not do them.

If your home has been on the market for a while and you feel it should have sold by now please give me a call so I can show you my unmatched marketing campaign. With the proper marketing and exposure any home should have a buyer in under 30 days, no exceptions! Do not settle for anything less! My recent listings have on average sold in under 2 weeks and received 99% of asking price!

Lovely 5 bedroom colonial in Mahopac NY

Lovely 5 bed 3.5 bath colonial perfect for the extended family. This lovely home is located on a 1.38 acre cul-de-sac lot. Features: central A/C, refinished hardwood floors throughout, updated kitchen w/breakfast nook & doors to huge deck. Large 25’x14′ living room w/fireplace, 25’x14′ Fam Rm. Master suite w/updated bath w/heated floors, 8’x9′ walk-in-closet. Finished walkout basement, 19ft x12.5ft Fam Rm, bedroom, full bath. Doors to huge private yard. Located minutes to Taconic Parkway.

 

To see more photos and details check out: 23 Peggy Lane Mahopac, NY 10541

To search all homes for sale in Mahopac check out: Mahopac Homes for sale.

Mahopac St. Patrick’s Day Parade – March 14th, 2010 at 2pm

The Annual Putnam/Northern Westchester St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which is also known to many as the Mahopac St. Patrick’s Day Parade,  is scheduled for Sunday, March 14th, 2010 at 2:00pm, rain or shine.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place on Route 6 in Mahopac, New York between the Mahopac Firehouse (Croton Falls Road and Route 6) and the K-Mart Shopping Center. It is the third largest parade in New York State. So pack up the family and join us for a day of fun and good times.  Remember, the parade goes on rain or shine. For more info check out LocalPutnam.com

Recent Sold in Fieldstone Pond

I just sold this beautiful townhome in Fieldsone Pond in Brewster NY. There was an accepted offer on only 24 hours!  This particular townhouse is a 4 level Essex model with loft that was freshly painted throughout, new hardwood floors, granite eat-in-kitchen and gas fireplace in the living room. To see more photos of this townhouse, check out the visual tour:  Fieldstone Pond Townhouse.

To view similar homes for sale in this development please check out: Fieldstone Pond in Brewster NY.

Reed Farm Condos

 

Reed Farm is a lovely condominium and townhouse development in Brewster NY. Reed Farm comprises of 258 homes with features that include pool, tennis courts, basketball court and club house. The complex is within minutes to Croton Falls, train, I-684 schools and shopping.

To view all condos currently for sale in Reed Farm check out: Reed Farm Condos in Brewster NY as well as search all Townhouses for sale in Brewster NY.

Mahopac Columbus Day Parade

Mahopac Columbus Day Parade & Street Festival

Posted on 04 September 2009 by Christine Torino

The 7th Annual Columbus Day Parade sponsored by The Italian American Club of Mahopac takes place on Sunday, October 4, 2009 at 2:30pm, rain or shine.

Before or after the parade, head over to the Mahopac Chamber Community Park (corner of Route 6 and Route 6N) for the Street Festival sponsored by the Mahopac-Carmel Chamber of Commerce, which provides a wonderful community-oriented day for kids and adults alike.  The Street Festival is open from 11am to 5pm, rain or shine.

The food court will be filled with local caterers, restaurants and chamber members selling a wide variety of food (especially the saugage and peppers made by the Italian American Club).  The afternoon offers many activities, most of them free or at a nonimal charge.  These include a climbing wall, crafts, and inflatable rides for the children.  There is also a special children’s tent featuring games and face painting. In the gazebo, local musicians will perform throughout the day. 

The Italian American Club of Mahopac, which sponsors the Putnam County Columbus Day Parade and festivities, is proud to annouce this years Grand Marshal and Honorary Grand Marshal’s:

2009 Grand Marshal:   Dr. Louis N. Aurisicchio

2009 Honorary Grand Marshals:  Mr. Joseph Campisi and Mr. Nino Guastadisegni

Want to march in the Parade?  The Putnam County Columbus Day Festivities Committee welcomes additions to the long list of marchers in the parade.  If you want to represent your business/organization in the parade, please let them know.  Call Giulio Cefaloni at   845-628-1641  .  If you have a float, antique cars, a band, etc., they would be happy to place you in the lineup.

How about attending the Pre-Columbus Day Dinner Dance?The dinner dance is the biggest fundraising event of the season for the Italian-American Club of Mahopac.  Scheduled for September 13, 2009 at 2:30pm at the Villa Barone Hilltop Manor on Route 6 in Mahopac.  The gala will feature  fine dining, wonderful entertainment  and warm and friendly people who are truly happy to see you.  You don’t have to be Italian to attend, everyone is welcome.  The dinner dance is a great way to meet new people and make new friends.

For more info check out: http://www.localputnam.com/2009/09/04/mahopac-columbus-day-parade/

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