Monthly Archives: April 2013

Homes in Wyckoff / Luxury Homes in Wyckoff — No Comments
29
Apr 13

Wyckoff Housing Market Recovery Tempts Sellers

The Wyckoff housing market’s recovery is still establishing itself. It’s not exactly in its infancy, but I would say it has a way to go before we can call it ‘mature.’ The majority of predictions for the rest of 2013 remain widely positive, and the young housing recovery is being strongly supported by continuing low mortgage rates.

This might easily lull prospective home sellers into assuming they will automatically have a simple selling process, but housing upturn or not, it’s no time to go to sleep. In short, it’s still a good idea for Wyckoff sellers to take as much care as ever before — especially when it comes to choosing a real estate professional to represent their property.

ASK. Don’t be afraid to ask every candidate for evidence that they have ample experience in selling area housing similar to yours. Experience will shape the marketing and all the other decisions that will be brought to bear on your behalf. Your home’s sale is no time to depend on trial and error!

WATCH. From the moment you meet any candidate for your representative, look for the kind of confidence that will resonate with potential buyers. Housing choices are extremely important to every prospect. They are bound to feel more comfortable when the representation of their next home is in the hands of an obviously capable pro. If an agent doesn’t display those skills when you interview him or her, how likely are they to do so later on?

CHECK. If all else looks good, do check into the candidate’s community ties. A real estate professional who has solid connections within the Wyckoff community will provide instant exposure where it does the most good. And a lively website is more evidence that you’re headed toward a solid choice.

Don’t fear to be inquisitive when locating the local Realtor to sell your home; the questions you ask will serve a double purpose: telling him or her that you are a focused client. Looking for a place to start?  Let me interview first —  I’ll demonstrate how I can make your listing shine this spring!

Homes in Wyckoff / Luxury Homes in Wyckoff — No Comments
22
Apr 13

Listing Your Wyckoff Home? Top 6 Mistakes to Avoid!

Disclosure Signatures

Disclosing material facts that might affect your Wyckoff property’s value is a fair obligation that’s understood by everyone. Yet properly disclosing all material facts won’t help you at all if an issue comes up later but you can’t prove the disclosure. A good agent will double- and triple-check all the signatures, but at the end of the day, your peaceful sleep at night is only protected when you also take care to keep complete copies of the paperwork with all signatures accounted for.

Earnest Money

Ah — the thrill of getting the first offer! After readying the property and listing your home, when an offer comes quickly, you’ll be tempted to say, “Where do I sign?” But slow up: getting a great offer is just the first step. Part of being a prudent seller is scrutinizing the offer and buyer to gauge the likelihood that the deal will close. The amount of earnest money should demonstrate the prospect’s sincere intent to buy…not just their desire to tie up the house while they make up their mind!

Exclusions

Want to watch warm feelings ice up in a hurry? Try surprising your buyer with the last-minute news that you intend to take your coveted washer/dryer (or heirloom chandelier, or custom closet system) with you because you forgot to exclude them. It’s part of my job as your agent to go over the more obvious items when listing your home in town, but even so, it’s ultimately up to you to make sure your intent is known. Trust me – I’ve seen more than one sale go south in the eleventh hour over some unbelievably minor items.

Coming next, I’ll flesh out more of these most common pitfalls. Of course, listing your home with me means you won’t need to worry: I make it may job to keep an eye out for all of them. If you’re thinking of listing your home in Wyckoff NJ this spring, call me today!

Homes in Wyckoff / Luxury Homes in Wyckoff — No Comments
15
Apr 13

Wyckoff Housing Market Not Really Yoked to Wall Street

Wall StEven though the Wyckoff housing market looks as certain to rise as the spring shoots, behind that optimism is the perenniel question about whether another “dip” is coming — a lot of which has to do with Wall Street. Remembering how 2008’s economic downturn saw the housing market and stock market take blows pretty much simultaneously, it’s not far-fetched to assume that the two markets always move together. And while some folks are emboldened as stocks soar to record-level heights, for others, the same phenomenon causes altitude sickness. What goes up must…well, you know the rest!

Historically, the housing market and stock market are hardly inextricably joined. Nor should that be a surprise. On the one hand, the housing market reflects a real good (as ‘real’ as it gets!) — something that carries intrinsic utility. That won’t change until people figure out a way to exist without shelter.

Stocks, on the other hand, represent participation in ownership of a venture, and a share of financial gain (or loss) from its success. Both markets are influenced by some of the same factors (employment, inflation, etc.), but to different degrees. It’s widely agreed that the direct influence of one on the other waxes and wanes.

So when anyone thinks about whether a dip is coming in the stock market, and whether that should influence their real estate thinking, I’m pretty certain that the answers are less important than the more measurable effects that buying or selling a home will have on their day-to-day living experience. With positive housing market data continuing to arrive (like the recent rise in land values — up 13% last year; the first annual gain in eight years), it’s hard not to agree with the majority of economists that the positive housing market trend is likely to keep going for a good while longer.

If you are considering selling your home and want to explore the housing market in Wyckoff this April, give me a call.  Regardless of what each market is doing at any given time, I keepe the latest up-to-date statistical and local neighborhood information available for my clients.

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08
Apr 13

Tradeoff Solutions for Owners with Wyckoff Housing for Sale

As a Wykcoff homeowner prepares a property for sale, he or she faces the inevitable series of tradeoffs. One of the major ones is the decision about how much time and budget to devote to interior vs. exterior renewal. In cases where the inside is going to get the lion’s share of attention, it’s good to remember that there are ways you can make simple changes to your backyard that can markedly raise the whole property’s overall appeal. As with all area housing for sale, this can mean the difference between a so-so and a great outcome.

One inexpensive idea for larger yards is to install simple gravel or bark pathways. Local housing for sale boasting gently curved pathways around the edges of the lawn look more interesting than plain yards — especially those with predictably straight-edged planted areas. Landscape architects think in terms of destination areas: even in smaller yards, a bit of imagination can sometimes create interesting ‘destinations’ for the eye!

Many yards have a corner or two that are just plain eyesores. A Western idea that works for any climate is a variation on the architectural rock garden. Choose rocks that blend well with our natural landscape, but which bring out the surrounding colors; then the addition of brighter flowering plants will convert that eyesore into a ‘destination’ — one with pleasantly natural charm.

In all of your backyard landscaping decisions, it’s important to strive for a balanced result in terms of ongoing maintenance requirements. While you want your yard to look attractive, you also want to avoid turning it into a high-maintenance project for the next owner. Housing for sale in town that features spectacularly elaborate lawn designs may well turn off some prospects (particularly those with children or pets). By keeping your landscaping relatively simple, you can establish a yard that looks good without evoking thoughts of overly-challenging upkeep requirements.

Are you about to prepare your home for this season’s spring market? Then why not call me so we can start with a consultation on how to boost your local property’s value using some tried-and-true cost-conscious techniques.

Luxury Homes in Wyckoff — No Comments
01
Apr 13

Wyckoff Luxury Homes Need Luxury Financing

Luxury homes in Wyckoff NJ

Any home carrying a price tag of $1 million or more generally falls into the ‘luxury property’ category. To finance it, a luxury loan is called for. Since financing luxury homes in Wyckoff can be more challenging than financing run-of-the-mill properties, many prospective home owners at the luxury level seek the services of a specialist lender. Market Watch has found that the average price of luxury properties in some major US cities is well over the million dollar threshold – making care in preparing jumbo loan applications more important than ever.

Whether or not you choose to ask your REALTOR® to help you find a mortgage broker well-versed at your price point, the same guiding principles need to be followed:

Detail-Orientation

As with any credit application, you need to ensure that yours is squeaky clean. Don’t short-change any detail (even those that seem unimportant or redundant). Prepare in advance by checking your credit record with all three major bureaus to ensure there are no damaging inaccuracies. Curing them can take time, so starting early pays off.

Right-Sized Deposit

The larger your deposit, the greater the odds of approval when financing luxury homes in Wyckoff. It stands to reason. The more you can contribute above the standard deposit rate, the clearer your message: this loan will constitute less risk.

Shop Around for Good Rates

The constrained market for jumbo loan resale is one of the reasons rates are somewhat higher than those more commonly available, so keeping a shopper’s mentality is a good idea. When financing luxury area homes, keeping the rate as low as possible is only prudent. Aim to obtain good faith estimates from a few lenders to find see who is currently offering the best deal.

With luxury home prices on the rise in many areas, if you’re considering buying or selling one this season, it’s worth remembering that financing luxury homes can be the most challenging part of the process. I furnish top-notch referrals when needed. I’m here not only to help you find the home of your dreams — but also to help make it yours.