Date Archives: October 2019

Our real estate agents receive many questions from clients who have inherited a home. Over the next few decades, an estimated $27 trillion in total wealth is expected to change hands due to inheritance. A great deal of that will come in the form of homes.

While many older adults downsize their homes in the last decade of life, inheriting a property can still present you with many challenges. At a time when you may be dealing with final arrangements, you also need to figure out what to do with a house.

An inherited home can represent a windfall, but it must be handled carefully.

Before you know it, ongoing expenses from a new property can turn into a financial burden. The key is to take the right steps from the start and keep moving forward with a clear plan for the home. In many cases, that ultimately means putting it on the market.

Click Here to Read More...

Our real estate agents love helping homebuyers find the perfect property. When you find your dream home, it can feel like the best day of your life, but there's still work to be done. 

Whether your new home is across town or across the country, leaving your old neighborhood and getting comfortable in a new one can present a challenge. You'll need to find your new favorite grocery store, the best nearby restaurants, and other cool places to spend your time. Not only that, but there are a lot of advantages to getting to know your neighbors. However, if you're shy or even just busy, you might not know the best way to go about this.

The following five tips will help you settle in and make your new town feel like home in no time. 

1. Settle In First
   Before you start exploring your new neighborhood, you'll want to get settled in your home. Finish unpacking and take some steps to start making the house feel warm and welcoming. Paint the walls, hang some photos, and make sure you're comfortable. Depending on how much stuff you have and how motivated you are, this can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Don't push yourself too hard and give yourself a break if you start feeling overwhelmed. You don't have to be completely unpacked to start exploring the city, but once the boxes are gone and the house feels cozy, you'll feel more confident heading out to get to know your neighborhood.

   Click Here to Read More...

Our real estate agents know not everyone is a born negotiator. One of the most vital things we do is equip clients with the knowledge and advice necessary to work out an agreement. Ultimately, only you can decide how far you're willing to go in any negotiation. No matter what, though, there must be a bottom line. Your willingness to walk away from the table is your most powerful asset. Without it, the other party dictates the terms.

No matter if this is your first home or your fifth, nobody likes the idea of having to walk away from a place they have "fallen in love" with. Still, there are some situations where making the choice to walk away now can save you lots of aggravation later. Let's look at some times when it really is better to walk away:

1. Appraised Value of the Home is Too Low
   Before your loan package will be released, the home will have to be appraised. The appraised value of the home must be in line with the amount of financing you're qualified to receive. If the appraised value is too low, then the seller needs to come down on the price. If the seller won't budge for any reason, it's best to move on rather than invest more time.

   Click Here to Read More...

Our real estate agents at Coldwell Banker Prime Properties know loving your home goes beyond what's on the property. You want a community that offers exactly the environment you dream of living in. For many growing families, that includes kid-friendly holiday fun.

Halloween is one of those holidays that seem to start all over again as soon as they finish, and kids never tire of the spooky excitement. What you might not know is that upstate New York will give you the chance to enjoy Halloween like never before. Our area has plenty of haunted houses—both the fictional and real kind! Let's take a closer look at spine-chilling shenanigans for Halloween:

1. Erie Canal Museum – 318 Erie Boulevard East, Syracuse, NY 13202
   By day, the Erie Canal Museum remains one of the top museums focused on local history. As owners of Syracuse homes for sale may know, however, it transforms by night into a veritable hotbed of ghost sightings, complete with a range of guided tours.

   Click Here to Read More...