I am often asked my opinion on what can be done to make a home "Market Ready".  Of course, there is the widely known concept of curb appeal, and most people in the real estate industry, and buyers and sellers alike, think this is what makes some one want to stop the car, get out and go see a house when spotting a for sale sign. No doubt, this is important, but that is only the beginning. In this transforming industry where traditional marketing trends often take a back seat to the Internet and social media strategies, we have to rethink the way we approach "curb appeal". The Internet is often called the ‘information super highway' so we need to think about curb appeal from this highway as well.  I think it is time to change the lingo around a bit. Let's call it "Packaging".Packaging is ... 03/16/2011

March Real Estate Market Report for the Capital District Celebrate the beginnging of spring with buying a new home! Search Homes For Sale   February hit a record high with tempetures reaching as low as 5 degrees below Zero and the snow total for the Capital District was at over 30 inches.  This will make for the fifth snowiest February on record for the Capital District.  It is now time to look forward to St. Patricks Day Celebrations through out the Capital District as well as daylight savings time.     March Monthly Real Estate Market Report Lets take a look at the real estate market during the month of February 2011.  For resale single family homes in the Capital District snow didn't seem to effect the number of pendings on the real estate market.   Pending sales increased nearly 11%... 03/07/2011

What is My Home Worth in Today's Real Estate Market in Saratoga Springs NY Receive a Free Real Estate Market Comparision Most sellers have an idea of how much their home is worth in today's real estate market.  However most of the the time the idea of how much their home is worth and the true real estate market value is way off.  Especially in a viotaile real estate market.   It is important to know how much your home is actually worth before putting your home on today's real estate market and then learn the strategies to get it sold.     Weigh Your Options to Find Your Homes Real Estate Value Guessing the value of your home is not the same as guessing how much a bar of soap costs on a game show.  One of the biggest mistakes sellers make is pricing their home to high based on their view... 02/17/2011

Fall in Love This Month With February's Real Estate Market Report For Saratoga Springs Take a Look at February's Real Estate Market Report  Search Homes For Sale     February is full of memorable dates.  We started out this month with the ground hog not seeing his shadow.  We are coming up on Valentines Day and later this month President's Day.     Real Estate Report for February 2011 We will take a look at the real estate market for the month of January for resale single family homes.  In the Capital District pendings were up at the beginning of Janurary from December as the economy recovers steadily.  Buyers continue to enter the real estate market for February taking full advantage of listing inventory and mortgage prices.   An exciting number for February's real estate market report... 02/08/2011

Warm Up This Winter With Saratoga Chowder Fest Saratoga Chowder Fest February 5, 2011   Join in all the fun and warm up with Saratoga's Chowder Fest on February 5, 2011.  This years Chowder Fest is sponsored by The Saratoga Convention & Tourism Bureau.  Come and sample some of the best Chowder at the local restaurants of Saratoga Springs. The Chowder Fest starts at 11 am to 4 pm on Saturday February 5, 2011 in Saratoga Springs NY.  Sample some of the best chowder of Saratoga at the fest.  Samples will be $1 per cup or 3 oz serving.     How Saratoga Chowder Fest Works This years Saratoga's Chowder Fest offers you a chance to pick the winner.   Pick up a Ballot form at any participating restaurant.   Then choose your favorite soups and chowders at the Saratoga Chowder Fest.   Turn in the ... 01/22/2011

Winter Wonderland in Saratoga Springs NY Get Out and Enjoy Winter Activities for Saratoga Springs NY Winter is finally here to stay for a while.  Discover some great activities for this time of year in Saratoga Springs.  Saratoga Springs has it all!  Enjoy these great winter activities of skiing, snow sports, ice skating, sightseeing and more.  Take a look at all the winter activities Saratoga Springs has to offer.   Guide to Winter Activities in Saratoga Springs 1.  Cross Country Skiing and Snow Shoeing Winter Activities     Slow things down with scenic winter activities. Cross Country Skiing and Snow Shoeing is perfect for the outdoor nature enthusiast.  Have fun with these winter activities while getting your exercise done for the day.   Great Places to Explore Cross Country Skiing a... 01/18/2011

Buy or Build New Construction in Saratoga Springs NY Is there more to building new construction that meets the eye? Making the right decision when it comes to new construction.  Should I build or buy? Looking to upgrade into New Construction?  You can buy new construction one of three ways; buying a spec home, having a semi custom home through a development, or build a completely custom built home.  However it is important to not get caught up in the sparkling paint and granite counter tops that makes you forget to negotiate a good deal on new construction. Evaluate the Pros and Cons of New Construction New Construction tends to be typically further from the city.  Are you prepared to commute.   Are you willing to wait for the perfect yard.  It can take up to 20 years for sapping trees ... 01/16/2011

"2010" The Real Estate Market in Review A look back onto 2010 Real Estate Market The year of 2010 brought the Capital District's real estate market surprise, challenge and stability.  It was a year of giving back and serving the community.  It was a year of growth in the real estate market. The end of 2010 brought its first snow storm between Christmas and New Years.  Well we were due for a snow storm and we can only look forward to spring.   2010 Real Estate Market Snapshot for January of 2011 For January 2011, lets take a look at the real estate market from January 2010 to December 2010.  For Re-sale homes in the Capital District the real estate market ended much like the same way it began.   List to Sale Ratio Real Estate Market for 2010 The list to sale ratio in January of 2010 was ... 01/15/2011

Buying A Foreclosure Guide What you need to know when buying a foreclosure. Search Homes For Sale So you're looking for the perfect bargain when buying a foreclosure.  The process will not be easy.  Buying a foreclosure can be very tricky at times.  However when you do your home work and follow the these steps when buying a foreclosure, you can purchase a home for a great deal. 1.  Understand the Foreclosure Process When buying a home it is important to know some terms.  A foreclosure is a process when the lender is allowed to recover the amount owned on a defaulted loan by selling or taking ownership of the property.  The process begins when a borrower defaults on mortgage payments and the bank files a public default notice.    2.  When Buying a Foreclosure Understand the Different Sta... 12/29/2010

Understanding Zillow and Trulia Market Value My house is worth WHAT??? Today Zillow and Trulia are pretty common real estate resources used today by both buyers and sellers.  However how accurate are Zillow and Trulia market value reports? Both Zillow and Trulia uses data algorithms to calculate the market value of your home.  Zillow and Trulia are not REALTORS or Brokers.  So how accurate is Zillow or Trulia?  The answer, for the most part, is "not very accurate."  In fact in 2009 it was calculated that Zillow was only 14.2% accurate.  While Trulia's accuracy rate was between 6 to 61% depending on the state.   The problem that Zillow and Trulia both have is that the market value on these sites does not take into consideration neighborhood amenities or nearby favorable items.  Zillow an... 12/27/2010

How To Find Great Renters Finding great renters for a residential rental you own or manage can be a challenge. Picture via Front Door In a sluggish real estate market, many home owners tend to opt to rent their old places out rather than to sell then.  However these accidental landlords often have no idea what is in store for them.  Here are some basic tips to find great renters without loosing your shirt. Tips to Find Great Renters Review and know tenant/landlord law.  When you offer your home up to the public it is important to know both state and federal laws.  Do some research!  Familiarize yourself with the Fair Housing Act, which specifies what is constituted as discrimination.  The Department of Housing is a great place to start when gathering information. One way to attract grea... 12/23/2010

What is the Difference Between A Short Sale and A Bank Owned Property? Short Sales and Bank Owned Properties seem to become more familiar terms in the real estate market but what is is the difference between them? Currently there are 639 Active Homes For Sale in Saratoga Springs, NY.  Approximately 21 of these properties are a short sale and 3 are bank owned.  Short Sales In a short sale, the current owner still owns the title to the property.  In many cases the owner may still reside in the short sale property.  There are two basic scenarios that causes a property to become a short sale.  The first being the owner has defaulted on their mortgage loan and the home's market value is less than what is owed on the property.  Another scenario is the owner must relocate and the home's market... 12/22/2010

Ease Your Holiday Selling Stress Tips to Plan Ahead, Keep Your Cool, and The Selling Process Will Go Smoothly   The Holidays on their own can be stressful enough.  However selling your home during this busy time can seem to much to handle.  Luckily if you plan ahead and keep your cool when selling your home during the holidays the winter months can go off without a catch.     Tips When Selling Your Home During the Holidays Prepare your home for selling in advance.  The sooner you put your home on the market the better.  Start by cleaning out the clutter and personal items.  Getting the chores out of the way will give you more time to enjoy the holiday season.  Read Have Your Home Sold for the Holidays for reasons to place and keep your home on the market during the Holidays. Take care o... 12/21/2010

Time Magazine has named Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, as Person of the Year. Mark Zuckerberg has had several accomplishments in 2010 including being the number one social network along with being the hottest internet company out.  Facebook has surged past 500 billion users throughout world.  He is one of the youngest billionaires and has recently pledged to give a majority of his money to charity. But Who is Mark Zuckerberg? It is hard to believe that nearly 7 years ago in a small Harvard University College dorm room the face of the internet changed.  Overnight Mark Zuckerberg created the birth of the social empire known as Facebook.   Mark Zuckerberg was born and raised in a hilltop house in Dobbs Ferry, NY.  Attached to the home was the dentist office of his father, Edward Zucker... 12/17/2010

Holiday Events Around Saratoga Springs NY Where is the place to be for the Holidays in Saratoga Springs?   Tis the season.  It's that time of year again where celebrations are happening all over Saratoga Springs NY.  So what are some local holiday events from now until the end of the year?   Holiday Events Around Saratoga Springs for 2010 Holiday Scavenger Hunt Event at the Children's Museum in Saratoga Springs.  Stop by Friday December 17 from 1:00-4:00 pm.  Complete the scavenger hunt and receive a prize. Holiday Dance Dinner Event at the Schenendehowa Adult Community Center.  Celebrate the night away on Friday December 17 beginning at 5 pm.  Entertainment will be provided by Greg Nazarian Quintet, which will be featuring a a wonderful swing band that is sure to get you on the dance f... 12/15/2010

Shift happens "Did you Know 4.0" Search Homes For Sale 12/11/2010

Have Your Home Sold for the Holidays The Best present of 2010 Search Homes For Sale   Tis the season!  It's that time of year again.  Everyone is in holiday mode.  So should I keep my home on the market?  The answer is yes!  The market does tend to slow down during the holiday season however serious buyers are still looking for there dream home to move into.  If your home is currently up for sale here are some holiday tips for showing and selling during the season of peace and good tidings. Top 5 Tips for Showing and Selling During the Holidays 1.  Keep your house on the market!  Although there will be a larger pool of active buyers active out after the holidays, the ones that are out in the wet and the cold right now usually tend to be highly motivated to buy.   Holiday house hunters t... 12/09/2010

Looking For Black Friday Deals without the Line?  Try Cyber Monday! Deals keep on coming with this Cyber Monday becoming a new tradition.   What is Cyber Monday? Cyber Monday is a marketing tool for the Monday in which immediate follows Black Friday.  Cyber Monday is one of the biggest online shopping days of the year.  Businesses offer serious discounts to their online store and perks like free shipping; similar to the idea behind Black Friday without the line.   Thanksgiving is no longer followed only by Black Friday, but Cyber Monday too!  In 2009 the Dotcom industry reported a 5% increase from last year spending to $887 million dollars.   Benefits to Online Shopping/E commerce  The main advantages for businesses to allow online shopping are reduced costs, increased, customer satisfa... 11/28/2010

Black Friday shoppers see pleasure where others see pain Article featured by CNN Like a football coach preparing for a rival, Nicki Shoulders has been seriously game-planning for Black Friday -- right down to the play sheet. The Tennessee mother of three created a master page of the stores she and her friend want to hit near Nashville, when they open, the toys and other wares they want and the special prices. On Thanksgiving, she'll browse newspaper ads as the family prepares for dinner, making sure she didn't miss any tantalizing deals in her online research. Crowds? Stress? Sleeplessness? Bah. She knows what she wants, and she's going to have fun getting it. "It's just the adrenaline and the rush and the excitement," said Shoulders, 26, of Lafayette. "And we want to make sure that we... 11/25/2010

Thanksgiving Ideas for Saratoga Springs NY Happy Thanksgiving!   "So once upon a year we Throng.  Upon a day apart. To praise the Lord with feast and song.  In thankfulness of heart." A quote from Arthur Guiterman on the first Thanksgiving.  Once a year we celebrate Thanksgiving as a reminder of what we are thankful for.   Thanksgiving was originally celebrated on the second Monday of October (Columbus Day).  However on December 26 1941, Franklin Roosevelt signed into law that Thanksgiving would be moved to the Thursday of November, making it a National Holiday.  This was an effort to boost the National economy at the time.   Thanksgiving Events for Saratoga Springs NY Saratoga Springs Turkey Trot will be held on November 25 beginning at 8:30 am at Saratoga City Hall.  This is the annua... 11/24/2010