Real estate is a well known to be competitive. We try to help you be a step ahead of everyone else in selling your home, and investing in another.

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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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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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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Every owner of condominium properties automatically becomes a member of a homeowners association, otherwise referred to a "HOA." With that membership come certain rights and responsibilities. The primary right that the owner has: to vote at HOA meetings and elect board members. Responsibilities include payment of condo fees and assessments, compliance with association by-laws and rules, and maintaining a condo unit in conformity with those by-laws and rules. Below are various other terms you may hear about from your new HOA.

Declaration of Condominium and By-Laws

The declaration of condominium establishes the existence of a condominium property. It gives the precise location of the property through a legal description and describes each individual…

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Putting your home on the market during the holiday season might seem stressful and frustration in theory. If you haven't read already, December is a great time to sell because there are few homes on the market and buyers are serious for the new year. Here are a few tips to make it through the holidays while you consider selling. 

Hire A Real Estate Agent

It seems cliche, yes; but employing a professional will allow you to unload the worries that come along with selling a home. Your real estate agent will burden the pressure — and work — of finding the perfect buyer for your home. Real estate agents also have access to the MLS system where they can provide you more exposure for your home. This will free up your time to enjoy the season with your…

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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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Mistakes are made in most home selling. Hopefully we can help by listing the top 5 common mistakes so you can avoid them.

Neglecting Repairs

By refusing the inevitable, you're only hurting the selling process because potential buyers will turn away. If you think you can still slide by with the damage your home has - your buyers will have an inspection, and all the issues will be identified and needed repairs will be suggested. You will have to fix any damage, credit money to the buyer, or drop your price.

Don't Let Ego & Emotions Take Front Seat

It's always hard to part with an anchor where memories were created. The best way to approach the sale of your home is to be completely emotionally detached and to handle the sale like any other…

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In typical real estate transactions, the terms of purchase and other factors may be negotiated at different times throughout the process. For example, the contract may be negotiated at the time the original offer is made, but revisions to the contract may be negotiated after the property inspection has been completed.

Research All Factors

Researching includes everything from market conditions and how long the property has been on the market to how competitively priced the real estate is, how many other buyers there are and more. A successful negotiation may be about achieving specific, desired goals, but in most cases, there will be a bit of give and take on both parties' parts in order to find success. 

Understand All Motives And Influences

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