If you’re a cigarette smoker, you may have become smell-blind to the odors this habit can leave behind in your home. This can pose a big problem when it comes time to sell, because non-smoking buyers are sure to notice this residual smell.

To make sure cigarette odors don’t cause your home sale to go up in smoke, there are three key tips you should follow when you list:

Launder or steam clean cloth items, carpet, and furniture in your home. Your drapes, chairs, couches, carpet, and more will all absorb the smell of cigarette smoke over time. Giving each of these items a thorough, professional cleaning will give a huge boost to your home’s overall freshness.

 As a bonus tip: Wipe down flat surfaces, knick-knacks, and light bulbs in your home. You may be surprised to learn that these items can contribute to how your home smells, but the difference that cleaning these things can make will speak for itself.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Whether you’re facing a summer hurricane or a winter storm, we homeowners all have to deal with damage being done to the exterior of our homes at some point in our lives. In today’s episode of “Keeping In Tune With the Market,” I want to share a story about home repair fraud that happened to a client of mine and give you a few tips on how to prevent the same thing from happening to you.

This client was an elderly lady whose roof was damaged in a storm. When a roofer came by and offered to fix the damage for a ridiculously low price, she of course agreed and signed a contract. In return, her insurance company gave her a check that was written out to both her and the roofer. She signed the check over to the roofer, but she never got her roof fixed.

To prevent this kind of home repair fraud from happening to you, there are three red flags you need to watch out for.

First, if a contractor comes into your neighborhood and makes a “now-or-never” offer to make a repair at a reduced price while they’re in the area, don’t fall for it.

Second, if you hire a contractor to make a repair on your home and your insurance company issues a check that’s written out to the both of you, don’t sign the check over to the contractor until the repair has been made and it’s been inspected by another licensed contractor.

Third, if the contractor had materials they needed for your job, make sure they show you a paid receipt for those materials so you don’t get stuck with a lien on your house because they took off and took your money without paying for them.

If you have any questions about this topic or you have any other real estate needs I can help you with, feel free to call or email me anytime. I’d be happy to help you.

As always, remember to keep in tune with the market. Until next time, make it a great day!

Welcome back to another episode of “Keeping in Tune With the Market,” where we bring you relevant real estate information to help you keep in tune with the market.

We’re on the road again with part two of our series on how to make your home show like a model without breaking the bank. In part one, we talked about how to fix up your home’s exterior. Today we’re going to focus on the interior of the house, and the rooms where you'll get the best return on investment.

According to Angie’s List, kitchens and bathrooms bring the highest return on investment. Whether you’re thinking of selling now or later, it’s a good idea to consider some improvements in these areas. You don’t have to do a full kitchen remodel and spend tens of thousands of dollars. You can spend money without breaking the bank by doing things such as:

The second area to consider is the bathroom. Old fixtures, faucets, sinks, toilets, and vanities can be replaced to give the room a whole new look.

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According to Angie’s List, the kitchen and bathroom bring the highest returns.

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If you'd like further information about how you can improve the inside of your home to get the highest return on investment without breaking the bank, give us a call or send us an email. We’d be glad to send you a copy of our free report.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.

Welcome back to another episode of “Keeping in Tune With the Market.” Today we’re going to begin a series where we will be talking about how to make your house show like a model home without breaking the bank.

As the sale signs pop up around town, we start to notice all the beautiful houses for sale. The ones with good curb appeal, at least. Having great curb appeal is the best way to make your house look like a model home without breaking the bank. Make sure that these three things are taken care of:

Having great curb appeal is the best way to make your house look great.

2. Your lawn should be well-maintained and your walkway clearly visible for potential buyers.

3. A front door that’s worthy of your home. Install a new doorknob or add a fresh coat of paint.

Next time, we’ll discuss some interior fixes that you can make to help your home show even better. In the meantime, text “Show like a model” to (516) 822-1222 if you want me to send you more tips to help you get your home ready.

If you have any other questions or are thinking about buying or selling a home, feel free to reach out anytime.

We’re back again for another episode of “Keeping in Tune With the Market.” Today we’re going to discuss the five terms that first-time homebuyers need to know before going to look at their first house to make sure they are fully prepared:

1. Pre-approval. What’s the difference between a pre-approval and a pre-qualification? A pre-qualification is pretty informal and can be done over the phone. It’s more of a first-step type of thing. A pre-approval, on the other hand, will get you pretty close to the finish line as far as your loan is concerned. It’s more of a concrete step that takes all of your financial information into account and lets you know exactly how much you can afford.

2. FHA mortgage. FHA stands for the Federal Housing Authority. This is a federally backed loan that only requires buyers to put down 3.5% for their down payment. With a conventional mortgage, you need 10% to 20% down. If you don’t have a lot of money or a lot of credit, it still allows you to lock in an interest rate and buy a home.

These are five good terms to start with.

3. Down payment. A down payment is the earnest money that a seller gets from a buyer when they sign the contract. There’s quite a range on how large a down payment can be. It could be as little as a few thousand dollars, or it could go up to 20% of the purchase price, depending on the type of mortgage you get. This money cannot be removed by the buyer or seller arbitrarily until the sale is closed.

4. Appraisal. Many people don’t really know what an appraisal actually is. An appraisal happens when an authorized appraiser from a third-party source comes out to value the property. They are doing this on the buyer’s behalf to make sure that their lender is taking a good risk for a bad risk. The value they come up with is determined by other comparable sales in the neighborhood as well as the condition and location of the home.

5. Closing costs. We’re almost at the finish line when these come into play. Closing costs can vary greatly, and they might be higher than you’re expecting. However, you can benefit from these closing costs in the long run. They usually come out to be anywhere from 2% to 5% of the total purchase price of the house, but you should have your lender give you a good faith estimate so you know exactly what those costs will be.

Although there are a lot more terms you’ll need to know as a first-time homebuyer, these five are good ones to start with. If you have any questions for us in the meantime, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

What is a seller’s market?

This is a question I’m commonly asked, so I’m going to address it today. Contrary to how the name may make it sound, a seller’s market actually means that there are more buyers than sellers.

A seller’s market is one that favors sellers. Let me give you an example. Imagine a town with 10,000 households and 300 houses for sale.

Not many people move in this town, but there are a couple of new businesses in town, and these businesses are drawing in new employees. All of these buyers are competing over the same 300 houses.

When the market is in the seller’s favor, they can sell quickly and for top dollar.

According to the laws of supply and demand, this sets sellers up for success.

When there is a limited supply of a product, the people who are selling it can take advantage of the increased demand. This applies to real estate as well. When the market is in the seller’s favor, they can sell quickly and for top dollar.

However, buyers in a seller’s market are not necessarily at a loss. There are some tips and tricks you can use as a buyer to still get a good deal.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

We’re almost to the end of the year, and the holiday season is in full swing with happy people everywhere. Here at Donovan Home Sales, there’s something magic in the air. If you hear a song and start to hum along, it may just be the Donovan 3 singing their rendition of “Do You Believe in Christmas?” If you want a reason to get into the holiday spirit and enjoy a catchy, festive tune, go ahead and watch our new music video.

Welcome back to another episode of “Keeping in Tune With the Market.”

Today’s question is: What is a home inspection contingency and how do I deal with it?

Imagine you’ve just found a great home or a great buyer for your home, and the time has come for the home inspection. A home inspection is usually done before an offer is made or accepted. A home inspection contingency is an addendum that is placed on a contract that states certain agreed-upon repairs must be completed within a given time frame.

After a licensed home inspection company has completed the inspection, which takes about an hour, they will then submit a written report to the buyer. The buyer will turn the report over to the agent, who will then turn it over to the seller.

Sometimes, structural or safety issues may be uncovered during the inspection. But it’s important to remember that not every item an inspector puts on the report is urgent. Some issues will just be cosmetic.

Not every item an inspector puts on the report is urgent.

But if there are major repairs, the buyer’s agent is going to make a repair request of the seller. A seller can obtain a second opinion from another professional at this point.

Once the buyer and seller are made aware of the items on the inspection report, negotiations can begin. It’s critical that everyone approaches these negotiations reasonably.

After everyone is in agreement, the seller must take care of the agreed-upon repairs prior to closing. The seller will need to provide the buyer with written receipts for any and all repairs.

There is still the possibility of the contract being canceled by either party if they cannot reach a consensus on a given item. However, if the contract moves forward and all repairs are taken care of, then the inspection contingency will be removed.

If a transaction is taking place between a good buyer and a willing seller, it’s best to take care of these issues as soon as possible.

Additionally, if you’d like a free copy of our report on how to avoid 11 costly home inspection mistakes, send me a quick email at [email protected] or text me at (516) 822-1222.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

So the market’s great and you decide to sell your home by yourself. What happens next?

First, you put a sign up, put some ads on the Internet, and away you go. Soon enough, people start driving by your home, knocking on your door, and calling you—even Realtors. Then perhaps you get a buyer that comes by, and they seem pretty serious...until you find out they don’t have any credit and would like you to hold the mortgage.

Then maybe your neighbor knocks on your door and asks if you’ll sell your home at a discount to their children because they don’t have much money.

These situations can be very frustrating, but should you give up on your dream of selling your home all by yourself? No you shouldn’t, because I have three valuable insider tips to help you pull it off without going crazy:

1. Make sure you market your home effectively. Many Realtors place their homes on Realtor.com, Zillow, and the MLS for their best results, but successful Realtors also place their homes on about 46 other websites on average. Statistically, over 92% of people start their home search online. You want to make sure your home is seen by the most number of people, so explore other places on the Internet you can advertise your home. You’d be amazed at the amount of traffic you can garner.

Make sure your home is seen by the most number of people.

2. Make sure your buyer is both pre-qualified and pre-approved for a loan. What’s the difference between the two? When someone’s pre-qualified, they’re only asked a few questions by a mortgage broker and based on that information, they’re told what their chances are for getting a loan. With a pre-approval, the buyer has actually made a full loan application and gone through the entire process—including checking their credit, income, tax returns, etc.

3. Remain objective about your home and the home selling process. If the buyer has a few negative comments, don’t get defensive. Try instead to acknowledge them and use that as a stepping point to highlight the positives of your home and how it benefits them.

If you have any questions or you’d like to see the other seven insider tips to help you sell your home on your own, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. In the meantime, don’t give up and keep in tune with the market. I look forward to hearing from you.

I wanted to do something a little different for today’s episode of "Keeping in Tune With the Market." Today, I want to talk about a very serious subject: strokes.

Imagine you’re with family over the holiday season when suddenly you notice a loved one's face beginning to droop on one side—one side of their body appears weak and they’re now slurring their speech.

What do you do? First, it’s time to call 911. These warning signs should never be ignored.

Two weeks ago when my own mother began exhibiting these symptoms, my sisters were thankfully able to recognize the signs and get her immediate medical treatment.

It is critical that people who have had or are having a stroke receive medical attention within the first three hours.

Unfortunately, I have first-hand experience where another family member was not so fortunate. My sister-in-law had a stroke around the same time as my mother. She was out of the town at the time and went to a walk-in clinic where they told her it was probably just her back.

Warning signs should never be ignored.

They sent her home and she suffered a massive stroke. As a result of not receiving prompt and immediate attention, her injuries will be long-term, if not permanent.

You may be wondering why I’ve chosen to talk about this when my usual subjects relate to real estate. The truth is that real estate is about family and home. That’s why today I chose to share this information with you—to protect your family.

The easiest way to spot and handle a stroke is to remember “F.A.S.T.,” which stands for face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty, and time to call 911.

Whether it is you or a family member experiencing these symptoms, do not wait. Getting immediate emergency medical treatment is absolutely key.

I hope you and your family stay happy, healthy, and able to enjoy your home.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.