Tom Crimmins Realty Blog - Tom Crimmins Realty

Tips on Juggling Your Career & Personal Life

As a real estate agent, or any other professional, you probably have come across the struggle of achieving a work-life balance. The concept of working towards success is the clear goal, but having a successful personal life is key to having a healthy life too. Real estate agents have the opportunity for a flexible work schedule, yet some agents don't know how to manage their time accordingly. Below is a short list that corresponds with Juanita McDowell's article in this month's New York State REALTOR.

1. Like most first steps, you need to realize the problem. So here, ask yourself - where is most of my time being spent? Break down your time into whether you are spending it on: work, family, health or a hobby. 
2. Regardless of your profession, time is…

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Looney Bin Comedy Club Brings Laughs to a Good Cause

Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening illness where more than 75 percent of people with CF are diagnosed by age 2. (x)

On Friday, November 27, at the Looney Bin Comedy Club, US Mortgage sponsored the event and joined forces with agents from Tom Crimmins Realty to raise money for this great cause. The packed sold out show is proof of people's care and support.

Sincere thanks to Steve Milner CEO, Tim Kennedy and Elli Kalamaras of US Mortgage and many agents from Tom Crimmins Realty for all their support. A special thanks to Marion Alameda and Suzanne Crimmins for spearheading the event.

The heartfelt night brought a true smile to 12 year old Kamryn Rose Fasano, Marion's cousin, who suffers from Cystic Fibroisis.

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Personalized Gifts For Around the Home ... And More

Thinking about something for the holidays to give to a friend or your family member that they can use around the house and will appreciate? Time to get sentimental and here are a few ideas on where to start:

Social Print Studio, formerly known as Printstagram, and Snapfish are ideal for the personalized gifts. Social Print Studio will take photos from your friends' social media or your own to make the perfect gift. You can make a sticker book to metal prints for a person's wall gallery to photostrips. Snapfish has similar products but you can upload your own pictures and customize any order. Create a wall calendar and you choose how many pictures are featured each month, or select a group picture and have it made into a throw blanket. Snapfish has…

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Only The Best In Office: Buyer Agency Representation

At Tom Crimmins Realty we are big believers in working very hard for our clients. Our clients could be either buyers or sellers. Once we have agreed to represent our clients, we aggressively handle the transaction, negotiate and advise each step of the way.

Training and continuing education is very important. At Tom Crimmins Realty we regularly educate our agents on all aspects of real estate so we can legally and properly represent our clients.

On Tuesday, December 1st, over 70 of our agents attended a Buyer Agency Representation Seminar conducted by the well known expert Rosanne Farrow, and a mortgage seminar conducted by Dan Boxman of United Northern Mortgage.

The seminar was held at the Manor House Restaurant and it was a great education…

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Budgeting For Affordable Mortgage Payments

A mortgage payment typically is one of the biggest payments that a person is responsible for. This financial responsibility might impact a person's budget significantly for several years to come. There are mortgage calculators online that can be used to estimate an affordable mortgage payment. However, it is important to start with a basic budget to determine more accurately how much mortgage payment is truly affordable before applying for a new mortgage.

List Income From All Sources

First, list all sources of income that is received regularly. This includes regular paychecks from both spouses, dividends, and annuities. Most budgets are prepared on a monthly basis, so ensure that the total amount of take-home for a typical month is included in the…

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Tiny, but Cozy How to Furnish Small Spaces

When decorating a small room, it may seem like a struggle to make the space look and feel larger than it is while also meeting basic functional needs. By following a few important tips, it is possible to furnish smaller spaces so that they are functional and do not feel cramped.

Functional Storage Solutions

Storage solutions can be decorative, and they can be a true benefit to the décor in the room. An ottoman with hidden storage, an entertainment center with cabinets and shelves or a tall bookshelf that can hold many of the items that are needed in the room are perfect furniture pieces.

Decorate The Space Vertically

Did you know it's not ideal to decorate a smaller room horizontally. In a smaller space, decorating the space vertically by…

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Remembering Those Who Served: Vietnam War

Members of VVA Thomas J. Tori Chapter 421 at Memorial Park located in Castleton Corners.

In January 1973 a peace agreement was signed ending the direct U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War. The last American troops were withdrawn on March 29 that same year, but the battle did not end then. On April 30, 1975, the last few Americans still in South Vietnam were airlifted out of the country.

To memorialize those who were lost, the Memorial Park was opened in Castleton Corners in May 1988, as a part of the New York State Armory.

Gene DiGiacomo, President of Vietnam Veterans Chapter 421, has said, "We were worried about what was going to happen to it when we were gone." 

This past year, the park has had some massive changes and reopened June…

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July 2015 Staten Island Real Estate Market Recap

It has been another year of big changes in Staten Island's real estate market. Here are the statistics that prove this!

In 2014, 324 properties were sold in the month of July. This year, homes sold in July increased to 349.

This chart shows that the average sale price of a house in Staten Island also had a healthy increase: from $447,357 in July of 2014 to $452,568 in July of 2015.

In conclusion, the real estate market has grown since July of…

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Selling Your Home? 3 Reasons Why You May Need to Accept a Bid That's Below Your Asking Price

When a homeowner makes the decision to sell his or her property, it is most common for a skilled real estate professional to provide valuation services so that a reasonable asking price can be established. While the asking price may seem fair to the homeowner, the fact is that not all properties will sell at the original asking price. There are several instances when a homeowner may need to consider accepting a bid that is below the asking price.

When The Property Has Been On The Market For A While

Most homeowners will learn about the average listing time for similar properties in the market through their real estate agent, but some homes will remain on the market for longer than average. When this happens, a homeowner may begin to get concerned,…

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June 2015 Staten Island Real Estate Market Recap

It has been another year, and much has changed in Staten Island's real estate market. Here are a few charts that show the changes that occurred between June of 2014 and June of this year.

The chart above shows that there has been a healthy increase in monthly sales. Last year, 307 properties were sold in the month of the July, compared to 340 this year.

This chart shows that there was a slight increase in the average sale price in Staten Island over the last year.

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