COVID-19 has changed life as we knew it. We hope you’re all staying home and staying safe during this time of uncertainty. But just because we’re staying home doesn’t mean we can’t take a break off from cooking! Check out this round-up of restaurants still open for take-out/delivery throughout the island:
Massapequa
Mercato Kitchen & Cocktails: Closed Mondays but they offer happy hour Tues-Sunday (4pm-8pm) and will deliver sangria, wine and beer right to your door!
Spring is generally the most popular time of year to sell a house, with hordes of buyers looking to move into a new place before the school year begins. But if you decide to sell your home (here’s how to find a real estate agent in your area) during the winter, experts say you could reap a reward in cold, hard cash. Check out the top reasons why you should consider unloading when the temperatures drop.
1. Low inventory = less competition
Since spring is the most popular home-selling season, the housing market is ultracrowded with options at that time of year. And if you paid attention during Econ 101, you understand the law of supply and demand.
“Most sellers still think they need to sell in the spring, but that means there is more competition for buyers’ attention,” says Matt Van Winkle, founder of Re/Max Northwest in Seattle.
But in the winter, there are fewer homes for sale. That competition over low inventory can make winter an ideal time to sell your home.
“In the Atlanta market, January is one of the strongest months for homes to go under contract,” says Ally May of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s.
2. You get to show your home’s winter-readiness
Selling in the winter also gives you the opportunity to show that a home is designed to handle the harsh elements.
“Sellers in places like Lake Tahoe can show off features like a south-facing driveway to speed up snow melting, how snow will fall off of a roof, a short driveway that will minimize shoveling or plowing, heat tape on the north side of the roof to avoid snow accumulation, and how recently the roof and furnace have been replaced,” says Sandy Soli, regional manager at Engel & Völkers in Lake Tahoe, NV.
Plus, during winter months, homes with features like fireplaces and hot tubs are certainly more appealing.
3. New parents may be looking to upgrade
The baby boom in September may lead to more buyers later in the year. According to data from the Center for Health Statistics and the Social Security Administration, there are more birthdays in the month of September than any other time of the year. Therefore, there’s likely to be a crop of growing families looking to buy a larger house.
“Once baby is home and settled, these parents may want to start the year in a new, and more spacious, family home,” according to Melissa Temple, real estate adviser and partner at Engel & Völkers in Aspen, CO.
4. Winter brings out the serious buyers
News flash: Not everyone looking at houses intends to make a purchase. Some people are contemplating moving and may just want to see what’s on the market. Since more homes tend to go on the market in spring and fall, this is also when window shoppers are likely to be out looking.
However, these looky-loos tend to be scarce during winter months, according to Jennifer Baldinger, licensed associate real estate broker at Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty in Scarsdale, NY.
“When I have buyers looking for homes in January and February, they’re real buyers looking to make a purchase—especially if it’s a great house. They don’t want to take the chance of waiting until spring and losing out on the home,” Baldinger says.
“There may be less people at these open houses, but I would rather have 10 real buyers come through than 20 people who are just curious,” she says.
5. Year-end financial bonuses and payouts
As a seller, year-end performance reviews could mean that more people have money to spend on a home.
“End-of-year financial bonuses or workers retiring with large payouts could mean opportunities for these buyers to upgrade their living situations or for first-time buyers to enter the housing market,” according to Temple.
6. Corporate relocation
You could also encounter buyers who are relocating for a job.
“One of the biggest months for corporate relocation is January/February, so those buyers, who need to move quickly, are out in full force looking for new homes,” Baldinger says.
Relocators typically have a limited amount of time to uproot their families and, as a result, don’t have the luxury of spending a lot of time looking at properties. The kids need to get settled into school, and dealing with selling their old home can add another level of urgency and stress. So it’s likely that once they find a home that meets their requirements, these buyers will be ready to sign on the dotted line.
Fall is the perfect time to get all of your home maintenance and winter preparation projects done. It is the time of year when things cool off, providing you with the best opportunity for accomplishing all you need to before the cold winter months.
Help get your home ready for winter with these fall
maintenance tips:
1. Check Windows and Doors – This is one of the
easiest ways to save on winter energy bills and keep your house from getting
cold. Make sure there are not cracks, leaks or air coming through the windowsills
or door frames.
2. Clean Your Heating and Air Conditioning – Having your air conditioner and heater units
cleaned twice a year- spring and fall- will help your family stay healthier and
expand the life of your units. A professional cleaning is inexpensive and takes
a very short amount of time.
3. Check Your Fireplace – Many people still use wood
burning or gas fireplaces in the winter. Do a visual inspection of your
fireplace to make sure that it is in good working order. Give it a test run at
some point in the fall, before it gets too cold, to make sure that it will be
functioning in the winter.
4. Clean Your Water Heater – You can clean your water
heater by simply draining it. Allow all of the water in the tank to come out.
This will get rid of any buildup that is in the heater due to sediment and will
help prevent it from building up during the winter.
5. Protect Your Hose – To keep your garden hose from
freezing and cracking empty it completely and disconnect it from the spigot.
Moving it inside is also a good idea to help prevent your hose from freezing
and getting destroyed.
6. Check Your Roof – When prepping maintaining your
home it is important to start from the bottom up. Take a look at your roof,
even from the ground, and see if there are any missing shingles or holes in the
roof. Make sure your gutters are clear of leaves, sticks and debris.
7. Clean Out the Garage – Make sure that any unused gas in equipment is
removed and stored properly. Allowing the gas to sit in the fuel tanks can
cause sediment in the tank and can potentially ruin the equipment. Since it may
be out of use for months, fall is a good time to do this.
Prep your home to look its best during real estate’s hottest selling season.
If you’re planning to sell your home this summer — and hope to sell in time for the school year — the clock is ticking. Even before you meet with an agent, prep your home so you can capitalize on the sizzling summer selling season, when 60% of all homes are bought and sold!
Here are 6 essential steps to take now to be sale-ready before Labor Day:
1. Tackle the obvious repairs
If you want to sell your home this summer, start by tackling all the necessary and obvious repairs. The idea is to prevent potential buyers from being distracted by chipping paint, scuffed-up floors, and leaking gutters as they tour your home. Instead of making a mental list of what needs to be fixed, they’ll be able to focus on your home’s positive qualities.
You’ll save time (and money) by eliminating needless negotiations over minor repair issues. Handling repairs ahead of time saves you from the estimated, and often overinflated, cost of repairs the buyers claim. Your actual cost will almost always be less than a buyer’s post-inspection estimate.
2. Remove your clutter and junk now
Clutter eats equity and kills deals. Period. It’s time to declutter and free up space in your home. Evaluate each item in your house and either save, store, scrap it, or sell it. Remember: less is more to make a home sellable.
Once you’ve thrown out unused items, organize the rest. Living space is a precious commodity; play it up to give your home a sense of expansiveness. Buyers will be naturally drawn to a home that feels bigger.
3. Depersonalize your home
It’s time to take down the personal collectibles, family heirlooms, and school pictures. Not that these treasures aren’t amazing — I have a house full of family heirlooms, but now is not their time in the spotlight.
When it comes to selling your home, a blank slate will appeal to potential buyers. They want to visualize themselves in the home, and to them, your memorabilia is getting in the way of that, so put it away.
4. Remove anything polarizing
When preparing your home for sale, remove any controversial elements such as religious or political items. These items tend to elicit a strong emotional reaction — don’t give the buyer a chance to prejudge your home because of your political or religious beliefs.
5. Pump up the curb appeal
First impressions are everything, and a polished facade is sure to bring buyers in the front door. Take advantage of the spring growing season. This is the time to plant grass and flowering plants, and don’t forget to trim the trees and bushes.
By sale day, your curb appeal — the way your house looks from the street — will be in full bloom and ready for the stream of potential buyers. Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. That’s why curb appeal is so critical.
6. Get a reality check
While we all have an idea of our home’s value, these self-appraisals are rarely objective. Give yourself a reality check with Trulia’s new home estimate tool. This tool provides an automated value estimate and recommends agents who can give you an even more detailed and accurate pricing.
Get to know the competition by exploring similar homes on the market in your neighborhood. A quick survey of the competition’s features and list price will be immensely helpful in picking the perfect list price for your home.
Get a head start on the summer sale season by preparing your house (and yourself). Your agent will be thrilled you’ve done your homework, and you’ll each have a realistic view of what your house is really worth!
As a realtor, being part of a great agency can make or break your business. I’m proud to be part of Signature Premier Properties, the third largest Long Island based real estate company!
Janet the Realtor 