Buying a Staten Island home? You need to consider that you aren't only buying a home - you are buying a Staten Island neighborhood, a school zone and neighbors. So start playing detective to ensure that not only your future house could be the home of all your real estate dreams but be sure that it is a neighborhood you will love also!

Think outside the box and really look into the Staten Island area you're interested in. Buy a cup of coffee and stake out (so to speak) your potential new Staten Island home and neighbors. Take strolls along the block at different times of the day. On a lax weekend, observing the neighborhood and getting a vibe will tell you a lot about the area's real estate owner's and tenants. Do the neighbor's interact or wave to each…

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When you're grocery shopping it's common sense to try and cut costs when you can - like purchasing the store brand products over high-name brands. Although in your Staten Island home, you can do a lot of DIY's and it will save your wallet some hurt; however, there are limits on where you should cut costs and when you should not be sparse when working with a contractor. Be aware of contractors that will try to take any money.

Virginia Sherry from the Staten Island Advance put together a list of tips to avoid home improvement pitfalls from contractors in your Staten Island home. Below are her tips:

  1. The home improvement contractors' company name, address, phone number, and license number.
  2. A list of the materials to be used in the project,…

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By: Adam Bronko, New York State Licensed Real Estate Salesperson bronkohomes.com   "I don't need an agent to help me buy my home. I'm better off negotiating directly with the seller's agent" REALLY??? WHY???

The real estate market can be, at times, a tumultuous market; especially when it comes to the buying side of the deal. Real estate transactions can become be very complicated. Navigating through the ins and outs of a real estate transaction can be daunting. So why do so many home buyers think that they can sort through buying process without the assistance of a licensed professional?

In order to answer this question we must first understand what a buyer agent does. A buyer agent's responsibilities include:

  • Conducting customized…

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Do you working from home, and need to get away from daily distractions or need to set up camp in your Staten Island home? You need a haven to "get in the zone" and concentrate on the important work tasks that you need your attention.

It's quick to think and say that the spare bedroom in your home, would be your the answer; but for those who don't have a spare room there is still hope in creating your distraction-free space. Here are some ideas:

Convert/Renovate The Attic

If you have an attic in your home, use the space for a quiet and private home office. It will be separate from your home and free from any distractions. If your attic is unfinished, consider renovating the space into living space; it can turn into a great investment that will…

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It's always nice to offer the greatest hospitality during an open house of your Staten Island home. There are a few don'ts that the homeowner should avoid when potential buyers come in for showings. It's obvious that you want to take pride in your home and let the buyers know every nook and cranny, but at the same time you don't want to sabotage the chances of a sale. 

Here are some tips to consider when being a smart seller during a sale:

  1. Don't be presence or attend. Give the buyers the chance to express both pros and cons about your house to their Staten Island real estate agent. Over sharing information about the home or neighborhood may persuade the buyers into looking elsewhere. The seller's agent will deliver feedback from buyer and broker…

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With the past few weather bi-polar months Staten Island has been experiencing - you most likely have been taking refuge in your home. When you're at home, obviously you're looking to keep your well-heated Staten Island home in tact. You may have dealt with insulating your attic, walls and other areas of your home, if you've neglected your windows you may find that they become a source of very cold drafts.

Apply this three-step guide to weatherizing your windows which will keep you warmer and help to prevent an increased heating bills this winter.

Between Window Frames and Walls

The first step to weatherizing your windows is to check for spaces in between the window frames and the windows. You can often see any gaps clearly as they will allow you…

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In an ideal situation, a seller will have ample time to prepare a Staten Island home to list for sale. This may include time to make necessary repairs, to thoroughly clean the home from top to bottom and properly stage. However, in those cases when time is not available to complete all of these steps, there are a few necessary steps that should be followed to get the home in show-ready condition in a very short period of time.

De-Clutter As Much As Possible

De-cluttering the home is an important step in staging, and this is because it can make the home look cleaner and can show off the square footage in the home. When time for staging is limited, it may be necessary to simply hide items away in closets, cabinets and drawers. Wishful thinking - these…

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38 Purcell Avenue Staten Island

38 Purcell Avenue is a one family home located in Clove Lakes, Staten Island. Currently listed at $459,000, this Clove Lakes home featured 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. 

This charming Colonial home has hardwood floors throughout its 2 stories, plus original chestnut trim molding. 3 car driveway plus detached garage, spacious dining room & eat in kitchen. Also boasts a sun porch that can be converted into another room. The fenced backyard gives you the privacy you want for hosting summer barbeques. 

Minutes away from buses, close convenience to Forest Avenue Shopping, Clove Lakes Park & Staten Island Zoo. 

If interested in this Clove Lakes real estate home, contact Mike Sarich. 

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Our friends, Westerleigh Improvement Society, released January's Voice of Westerleigh newsletter. Below is a small recap.

As a friendly reminder of what Westerleigh Improvement Society does: the association aims to address concerns in the community and preserve the beauty of Staten Island Westerleigh through ongoing projects. Ongoing projects are discussed at monthly meetings and are mentioned in The Voice of Westerleigh.

The Jewett Avenue Sewer Project is almost at full completion. The project is to relieve severe and continual flooding in the Staten Island Westerleigh neighborhood. The project is expected to by finished by Spring 2016.

There have been requests to plant street trees by the Parks Department in the Westerleigh neighborhood. If any…

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Popularized in the 1950s, ranch homes gave us "cheap land and sprawling suburbs, with a horizontal footprint that turned its back on the streetscape to focus on backyard living."

There has been an increase in the sale of Staten Island ranch homes and here are some of the reasons why:

  • "People who want to have a one-story house are looking for [ranches] and buying, including boomers but also young families who don't want to be running up and down the stairs," said Alan Hess, author of the book "The Ranch House," who said there is a growing market for the homes in the resale market, even though their heyday was in the 1950s and 1960s. (x) Families with young children are drawn more to a one-level home to avoid the extra proofing of child-safety.
  • …

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