If you're in the market to find a home, like most buyers you start out with a price, style and features in mind. And like most buyers, you're in search of the perfect home. But does the perfect home always exist? Sometimes, but more often than not as you start looking you will have to make some compromises.
So where should you start?
1. It's very important to not compromise on the features you MUST have. So before you begin, make a list. What will fit your needs? Your family's needs? As an example, if you have three teenage girls, settling on a 1-bath house may not work for your family. In this example, having at least two bathrooms and four bedrooms may be a priority as well as a necessity.
2. What area do you want to live in? What fits your lifestyle? If you are an urban dweller by nature, looking for homes in rural areas is probably a waste of time. If the thought of having neighbors close by makes you cringe, then you need to look outside of the suburbs and in more rural towns. Try to narrow your search down to 2-3 areas.
3. Next, make a second list of features that you would like but are not critical. A powder room off of the kitchen may be convenient if you entertain, appliances included, a walk out basement, master suite, pool....these may be features you would prefer but if one is missing you may be willing to compromise without it being a major inconvenience.
4. Your final list should include features that don't matter one way or another to you. Septic vs. sewer, well vs. public water, air conditioning, pool, walk out basement...the items that will have no bearing on your decision whether or not to buy that particular house.
This is in no way meant to pursued you to buy before you are ready but if you set yourself up to find the "perfect" house, you may be setting yourself up to be searching for an unattainable goal. Even if you are building a new house, you will likely find yourself having to compromise on certain things. Often it's related to cost or sometimes having a 4th bedroom means you can't have a 2-story family room....then you have to decide which is more important?
Before you go out in the market, do research online and ask your agent for some guidance. In today's market, there are many choices for buyers to be selective but if you're serious, you will find the home that is best for you!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Nothnagle Expands to Cortland County
Nothnagle Realtors is pleased to announce the launch of a franchised office under the ownership and management of industry veteran Steve Cinquanti. The firm will operate with co-branding as Cinquanti Real Estate “powered by Nothnagle REALTORS®.”
Cinquanti Real Estate has a very long and proud history in Homer and Cortland County. In 1968, Bill Cinquanti opened the firm and was soon joined by his wife Laura, who 14 years later would take over the company. They played very active roles with the Cortland County Board of REALTORS® where they were each honored as “REALTOR® of the Year” recipients and both served as past Presidents, with Laura having the distinction of serving as the first female President in the Board’s history.
In 1980, their son Steve Cinquanti joined the company. Steve took over the business in 1995 and continued to build upon the foundation laid by his parents of integrity, exceptional service and hard work while bringing innovation to the marketplace. The name Cinquanti is synonymous with real estate in Cortland and its surrounding counties and now with the addition of the Nothnagle tools and systems, real estate consumers and agents will have a world-class experience like no other.
“Cinquanti Real Estate has a proven track record of delivering top-quality service to our clients for over 43 years. Now through our partnership with Nothnagle REALTORS®, we will be able to offer the benefits of tools and systems never before available in our market,” said Steve Cinquanti, President.
“What appeals to the brokers we partner with is the fact that they can maintain their independence while tapping into our successful infrastructure.” said Armand D’Alfonso, President and CEO of Nothnagle Realtors. “When you combine the wealth of knowledge and experience the Cinquanti group brings to the table, combined with Nothnagle’s award-winning systems, it is a win-win for everyone – the broker, agents and their customers and clients. We are thrilled to have them on board.”
Cinquanti Real Estate is the newest addition to the Nothnagle franchise system which currently offers locations in Amherst, Buffalo, Hornell, Penn Yan and Skaneateles.
Cinquanti Real Estate has a very long and proud history in Homer and Cortland County. In 1968, Bill Cinquanti opened the firm and was soon joined by his wife Laura, who 14 years later would take over the company. They played very active roles with the Cortland County Board of REALTORS® where they were each honored as “REALTOR® of the Year” recipients and both served as past Presidents, with Laura having the distinction of serving as the first female President in the Board’s history.
In 1980, their son Steve Cinquanti joined the company. Steve took over the business in 1995 and continued to build upon the foundation laid by his parents of integrity, exceptional service and hard work while bringing innovation to the marketplace. The name Cinquanti is synonymous with real estate in Cortland and its surrounding counties and now with the addition of the Nothnagle tools and systems, real estate consumers and agents will have a world-class experience like no other.
“Cinquanti Real Estate has a proven track record of delivering top-quality service to our clients for over 43 years. Now through our partnership with Nothnagle REALTORS®, we will be able to offer the benefits of tools and systems never before available in our market,” said Steve Cinquanti, President.
“What appeals to the brokers we partner with is the fact that they can maintain their independence while tapping into our successful infrastructure.” said Armand D’Alfonso, President and CEO of Nothnagle Realtors. “When you combine the wealth of knowledge and experience the Cinquanti group brings to the table, combined with Nothnagle’s award-winning systems, it is a win-win for everyone – the broker, agents and their customers and clients. We are thrilled to have them on board.”
Cinquanti Real Estate is the newest addition to the Nothnagle franchise system which currently offers locations in Amherst, Buffalo, Hornell, Penn Yan and Skaneateles.
Friday, August 5, 2011
The Importance of Staging
Many sellers do not realize the importance of staging and de-cluttering when putting their home on the market. Although many potential buyers might like how you have decorated your home and admire your collectables, they can not envision the space as their own. This is especially important for higher priced homes because the standards are set higher to earn the asking price. Serious buyers do not want to worry about doing any fixing up or repairing upon moving in to a new home.
Very often sellers work full time, have children or other priorities and that do not allow the time to put into repainting, decluttering and doing cosmetic fixes. Or maybe they think their house looks fine the way it is with plenty of family pictures, their children's school projects on the fridge or knick knacks. That's OK because there are professionals that can help with either scenario.
By hiring a home stager to visit and evaluate your home, they will suggest ways that you would never have thought of to transform your space. Sometimes even a change in paint color or rearranging of furniture can transform a room. An important factor is to show off the house, not hide great features like molding with bulky furniture, too much art work or loud paint colors. Even removing small appliances and soap dispensers from counter tops can make a huge difference when showing off granite or marble.
This process also helps people prepare for emotionally letting go of their former home. It is a difficult thing to remove family portraits that have been on the walls for years, but if a seller is serious about getting their house sold, these are important things to buyers.
Very often sellers work full time, have children or other priorities and that do not allow the time to put into repainting, decluttering and doing cosmetic fixes. Or maybe they think their house looks fine the way it is with plenty of family pictures, their children's school projects on the fridge or knick knacks. That's OK because there are professionals that can help with either scenario.
By hiring a home stager to visit and evaluate your home, they will suggest ways that you would never have thought of to transform your space. Sometimes even a change in paint color or rearranging of furniture can transform a room. An important factor is to show off the house, not hide great features like molding with bulky furniture, too much art work or loud paint colors. Even removing small appliances and soap dispensers from counter tops can make a huge difference when showing off granite or marble.
This process also helps people prepare for emotionally letting go of their former home. It is a difficult thing to remove family portraits that have been on the walls for years, but if a seller is serious about getting their house sold, these are important things to buyers.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Preserving Your Home's Value
Proactive maintenance is essential to preserving the value of your home—without it, your home could lose 10% of its value. Regular, routine maintenance enhances curb appeal, ensures safety, and prevents neglected upkeep from turning into costly major repairs.
Outright damage to your house is just one of the consequences of neglected maintenance. Without regular upkeep, the property could easily lose 10% of its appraised value. That could translate into a $10,000 or $15,000 adjustment.
In addition, a house with chipped, fading paint, sagging gutters, and worn carpeting faces an uphill battle when it comes time to sell. Not only is it at a disadvantage in comparison with other similar homes that might be for sale in the neighborhood, but a shaggy appearance is bound to turn off prospective buyers and depress the selling price. Remember, first impressions mean a lot to potential buyers.
A study by researchers at the University of Connecticut and Syracuse University suggests that maintenance actually increases the value of a house by about 1% each year. However, maintenance costs money. How much money is required for annual maintenance varies. Some years, routine tasks, such as cleaning gutters and changing furnace filters, are all that’s needed, and your total expenditures may be a few hundred dollars. Other years may include major replacements, such as a new roof, at a cost of $10,000 or more.
Setting aside a cash reserve that’s used strictly for home repair and maintenance can be helpful. That way, routine upkeep is a snap and any significant replacements won’t blindside the family budget.
Some other strategies include:
Play offense, not defense: Proactive maintenance is key to preventing small problems from becoming big issues. Take the initiative with regular inspections. Create and faithfully follow a maintenance schedule. If you’re unsure of what needs to be done, a $200 to $300 visit from a professional inspector can be invaluable in pointing out quick fixes and potential problems.
Plan a room-per-year redo: Pick a different room every year and go through it, fixing and improving as you go. That helps keep maintenance fun and interesting.
Keep track: Having a notebook of all your maintenance and upgrades, along with receipts, is a powerful tool when it comes to sell your home. It gets rid of any doubts for the buyer, and it says you are a meticulous, caring homeowner. A maintenance record also proves repairs and replacements for systems, such as wiring and plumbing, which might not be readily apparent.
Not familiar with Nothnagle Home services?
Learn about it here.
Outright damage to your house is just one of the consequences of neglected maintenance. Without regular upkeep, the property could easily lose 10% of its appraised value. That could translate into a $10,000 or $15,000 adjustment.
In addition, a house with chipped, fading paint, sagging gutters, and worn carpeting faces an uphill battle when it comes time to sell. Not only is it at a disadvantage in comparison with other similar homes that might be for sale in the neighborhood, but a shaggy appearance is bound to turn off prospective buyers and depress the selling price. Remember, first impressions mean a lot to potential buyers.
A study by researchers at the University of Connecticut and Syracuse University suggests that maintenance actually increases the value of a house by about 1% each year. However, maintenance costs money. How much money is required for annual maintenance varies. Some years, routine tasks, such as cleaning gutters and changing furnace filters, are all that’s needed, and your total expenditures may be a few hundred dollars. Other years may include major replacements, such as a new roof, at a cost of $10,000 or more.
Setting aside a cash reserve that’s used strictly for home repair and maintenance can be helpful. That way, routine upkeep is a snap and any significant replacements won’t blindside the family budget.
Some other strategies include:
Play offense, not defense: Proactive maintenance is key to preventing small problems from becoming big issues. Take the initiative with regular inspections. Create and faithfully follow a maintenance schedule. If you’re unsure of what needs to be done, a $200 to $300 visit from a professional inspector can be invaluable in pointing out quick fixes and potential problems.
Plan a room-per-year redo: Pick a different room every year and go through it, fixing and improving as you go. That helps keep maintenance fun and interesting.
Keep track: Having a notebook of all your maintenance and upgrades, along with receipts, is a powerful tool when it comes to sell your home. It gets rid of any doubts for the buyer, and it says you are a meticulous, caring homeowner. A maintenance record also proves repairs and replacements for systems, such as wiring and plumbing, which might not be readily apparent.
Not familiar with Nothnagle Home services?
Learn about it here.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Relocating to the Rochester area?
If you have ever relocated for a job, family, school or any other reason, it is hard to know what you are looking for without ever living in that area or maybe even visiting. Your first step should be to come up with "wish list" that includes things you like about your current living situation along with things you want for your new situation. There may be things such as: three bedrooms, a deck, granite counter tops and an inground pool. Then seek out a real estate professional to get you acclimated to the move and go over your "wish list". It is encouraged with a move like this to be in touch with your Realtor as much as you need to to ensure that your wants and needs are met.
If you will be coming to the area prior to the move this will allow your Realtor to gather a group of properties to look at within your criteria and not waste any time by looking at houses that do not meet your expectations. Meanwhile, virtual tours online will be able to give you a good idea of a home's interior features. If you see any houses online that interest you, tell your Realtor. If you can not visit the area a few times prior to moving, you might want to consider temporary housing for a few months to ensure a perfect fit with a home purchase.
As well as letting your Realtor know what you are looking for in a home, research the area as much as possible for things like schools, taxes and living expenses. In doing this, it will make the overall search much easier for both you and your Realtor. Just because you don't live in an area, it doesn't mean you can't find out as much as possible about it online, word of mouth or by coming up with a list of questions to ask your Realtor.
Make sure to be as specific as possible with what you are looking for. The more they know, the better they will be able to help you in your search.
If you are relocating to the Rochester area, you can find a Realtor here.
If you will be coming to the area prior to the move this will allow your Realtor to gather a group of properties to look at within your criteria and not waste any time by looking at houses that do not meet your expectations. Meanwhile, virtual tours online will be able to give you a good idea of a home's interior features. If you see any houses online that interest you, tell your Realtor. If you can not visit the area a few times prior to moving, you might want to consider temporary housing for a few months to ensure a perfect fit with a home purchase.
As well as letting your Realtor know what you are looking for in a home, research the area as much as possible for things like schools, taxes and living expenses. In doing this, it will make the overall search much easier for both you and your Realtor. Just because you don't live in an area, it doesn't mean you can't find out as much as possible about it online, word of mouth or by coming up with a list of questions to ask your Realtor.
Make sure to be as specific as possible with what you are looking for. The more they know, the better they will be able to help you in your search.
If you are relocating to the Rochester area, you can find a Realtor here.
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