Staten Island Real Estate News - October, 2018

Why Use a Commercial Broker?

Looking for a new business location? Here are six good reasons to work with a commercial broker.

Thinking about opening your own storefront or office, or looking for a larger location to expand your business? Some new or established business owners think they can save time and money by searching for a new location on their own. Unfortunately, many of them will lose precious time and money in the process – and may often hit dead ends.

Working with a commercial broker – whether buying or renting a business location – offers many benefits:

Time savings: If you want to do it on your own, be prepared to:

•      Drive around town or check online listings to find possible sites;
•      Call each site owner for more information;
•      Set a date…

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Fall Foliage

Peak Colors in the Borough of Parks

Go Now!

Don’t wait. You have 7-10 days left of peak-color fall-foliage here on the sublimely colored-jewel of Staten Island, NYC’s hidden recluse, home to thousands of acres of parks, and picture-perfect, tree-lined streets.

Some favorite spots are: Clove Lakes Park, High Rock Park, Silver Lake Park and perhaps the most serene —Mount Loretto’s Unique Area, on the island’s south shore abutting Lemon Creek Pier and the Conference House. 

But, a walk outside in some of Staten Island’s beautiful neighborhoods is likely just as good. Castleton Corners and Westerleigh and New Dorp are little slices of Americana, with oaks and elms unleaving in arrays of splendor. And, Emerson and Todt…

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10 Ways to Get 10 More Referrals

Successful real estate agents build their businesses off of referrals. To thrive as a salesperson, you have to be ready to be interpersonal all the time. Here are 10 ways to develop relationships that will grow your business.  

1.     Be the best. Being ethical, knowledgeable, and valuable is the foundation to having a successful career. Clients will rarely forget the quality of service that they received from you. 
2.     Keep in contact. It is more common than not that someone in your network is looking to do something with real estate at any given moment. By keeping up with your previous clients in your network, you’re keeping your service at the forefront of their mind when they’re thinking real estate. Make calls to your network infrequently…

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Increasing Interest Rates: Should I Stay or Should I Sell?

Interest rates are determined by the Federal Reserve and they are currently 2.25%. They have been on the low side, but won’t be for much longer. In other words, interest rates on real estate are going everywhere but down so NOW is the time to get your property on the market. You don’t want to be cut short on your property’s worth. As of October 2018, mortgage rates remain low which will increase the buyer pool for your property. 

You might be asking yourself “What am I risking if I wait until 2019?” 

To start, as interest rates rise, the value of your home decreases. It is projected to rise to 3.0% in January 2019.  

The current demand to buy homes is high.  

People want to invest while they are able to get a mortgage. The odds are in your…

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What to Expect When You’re Prospecting A Condo

For young people finding a “find” in Staten Island real estate’s fast market can be daunting. But, it doesn’t have to be. 

As a prudent young person, you have doubtlessly come to learn that home-ownership is a key element in upward mobility, financial freedom and planning for one’s future. 

It’s true! Your parents were right! Stop paying someone else’s mortgage.

That said you may also face the stark realities of saving for a first home, and less than ideal credit scores. 

Many decide to opt for something smaller, a more doable dose: a condo.

Staten Island has gorgeous multimillion dollar homes and lavish luxury apartments, but we also have quaint condo communities nestled in pockets of good neighborhoods, where…

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198 Van Duzer Street Closing!

On a very convenient block in Stapleton, one of the older waterfront neighborhoods of Staten Island dating back to the 1830's, Casandra Properties finalized the transaction on a truly unique home in the historic neighborhood that once boasted a naval base for the US military, for top dollar! With buyers' demand in the history-rich area increasing, coupled with the legal two-family home's impressive 7-vehicle capacity on the property itself, large fenced-in yard complete with a gazebo and playground, and ability to offset the mortgage cost, successfully securing the astounding price was no surprise! With all the new developments springing up in and around the area, the neighborhood is becoming a base for smart investing and won't be slowing down any time…

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Industrial Space Disappearing in NYC: Staten Island As Top Option

132-138 Lynhurst Avenue, 93-97 Chestnut Avenue

New York City has lost millions of square feet of industrial space due to rezonings over the past decade. According to a report published by Ariel Property Advisors in 2017, the majority of these rezonings took place in Manhattan, which lost 4.54 million square feet of industrial space, and Brooklyn, which lost 4.12 million square feet. The objective of the rezonings is to encourage new residential development, as well as commercial projects. Quite obviously, this has created an increased need for industrial buildings across the boroughs, as manufacturing companies and the like are searching for spaces to run their businesses. 

As a result, Staten Island has increasingly become a preferred option to…

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Buying your first home – while you still have college debt

You’re young, possibly in love, settling down and looking forward to the Great American Dream of owning your own home. But then reality hits: As a millennial, you face some bigger challenges than your parents did.

Home prices in the New York metropolitan area are high – and keep increasing. Salaries for younger employees often remain stagnant. And perhaps the biggest downer is that damn student loan which takes big bucks out of your monthly paycheck.

Let’s say you are working with a real estate agent and find the perfect starter home. Your agent can help you find a mortgage broker, or you can search on your own through banks and mortgage agencies. Your financial qualifications will be examined, including:

1.    Do you pre-qualify for a mortgage?
…

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A Seller’s Guide to Home Inspections

 Selling your home is an intricate and multifaceted process.

One of the main components that a sale is contingent on is a home inspection. You and your buyer can reach an agreement on an accepted offer but if the inspection goes south, the deal can fall through. Prepare your home for inspection by following these tips:

1. Check all of your appliances. Make sure that these appliances are in good and working order. 

2. Leave your utilities connected. This is a vital part of the inspection because the utilities are needed to assess the working condition of your home. It is important to leave pilot lights lit for your utilities. Any misstep in preparation can delay the inspection process which will in turn delay closing. Even if the…

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The Power of Visibility: Maximizing Exposure to Attract More Buyers

Selling a home seems like it could be quite simple.  

Put a “For Sale” sign up in front of the house, take some pictures, post it to the sites that list houses for sale, and then wait for the offers to come in. Technically that could work and I’m sure it has for some.  But if you are looking to get the most value for your home it takes a bit more than that. Here at Casandra Properties, we use the latest marketing technology to make sure your property gets maximum exposure.  

Visibility, in my opinion, is the most important factor when it comes to selling a home for the most value. 

Take the beverage industry for example.  Why do Pepsi and Coca-Cola sell so much more soda than RC Cola?  Because you never see RC Cola being advertised…

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