When you go to purchase a home or condominium during the process most likely your Realtor is going to going over with you a review of closing cost and exactly what to expect on closing day so that there are no surprises.


In different parts of the country things vary as to who is required to pay for what closing costs. Local traditions have changed in some areas with the presence of non-local banks selling properties and requiring that things been done certain ways. These changes have reminded us that everything is negotiable, but in order to negotiate the best price on a property you are still better off writing an offer consistent with the way offers are traditionally written in your area.

One of the most expensive closing costs you see on the closing…

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With the holidays right around the corner, it is essential to take steps to keep your home safe. After all, you wouldn’t want anything to ruin this joyous occasion for you and your loved ones. Luckily, there are several easy steps that you can take to ensure your holiday stays the happiest time of the year.

Light Things Up Safely

Your holiday lights can be a significant source of danger if they are not used properly. To ensure your lights are safe, check them thoroughly for damage. Any lights with broken sockets or frayed cords should be discarded and replaced in order to minimize the risk of fire. Furthermore, use care to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when comes connecting strings of lights together. As a general rule, you should never…

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How can this be? Housing hasn’t been this affordable in many years, and interest rates are at record lows. Yet as everyone knows, the market remains stuck in the mud. Too many unsold homes, too few interested buyers. Experts have a lot of complex things to say about what’s going on, but the answer is really pretty simple.

An uncertain job future makes taking on a mortgage—even a historically low-rate mortgage that right now can be used to buy an exceptionally well-priced home—a very tough sell. So with unemployment still at record highs, it just makes sense that the housing market too continues to struggle.

It’s a predictably vicious cycle. Stubborn unemployment stalls the housing market, which then puts even more people out of work. That’s because,…

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New York State has the dubious distinction of having the highest property taxes in the nation. Not just by a little either, according to a recent New York State study, our property taxes were a whopping 79% higher than the national average. Not surprisingly, this reputation as the most-taxed state of the union has had devastating effects on an already struggling New York housing market. It is a triple threat, hurting prospective buyers who may want to move to New York, lifelong residents who simply can’t afford to live here anymore, and businesses that also bear the burden of astronomical property taxes and receive few if any of the meager tax benefits being offered.

New York No Longer a Blue Collar State

People from all over the world are drawn to New…

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