Claire Bisignano Chesnoff,

The Nate Berkus Show with Carson Kressley

This Was The Thrill of a Lifetime!

To be featured on national TV and to spend time with Carson Kressley was a dream come true. Casrson Kressley is kind, talented, warm and a truly lovely individual - he is the real deal!

This Was Fun!

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Deducting Your Mortgage Interest from Your Taxes…In Jeopardy?

Claire Properties Fights to Retain Pillar of Home Ownership

Purchasing your first home is not just a personal joy and accomplishment but an important investment in your future and your family’s future. That isn’t a marketing slogan, it’s an economic fact. Statistics show that the average net worth of a family in America who rents their primary residence is $4000, conversely the average net worth of an American family that owns their own home is $160,000. That’s a huge difference that represents a tremendous divide in the likely success or failure of these two groups. “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” is among the most famous quotes in the Declaration of Independence and home ownership is a vital ingredient to establishing roots that can blossom, not only within a community but also in your future, your children’s future and the generations that follow. Owning a home is an economic advantage that translates into more opportunities, better education and a higher standard of living. Over the long term owning a home is an investment that has always accrued value, this investment transforms lives, neighborhoods and by extension, counties and states – it makes our country and citizenry not only wealthier but, as individuals this personal investment increases their stake and interest in their communities. Home ownership is a major part of peoples’ ability to gain a foothold and climb the economic ladder. Homeowners have invested in not only a home but a neighborhood, a town, a county and even in a state.

Congress is debating removing this vital tax benefit for homeowners. As a Realtor® and homeowner I am incensed at that possibility. Eliminating the Mortgage Interest Deduction from the Federal Tax Code would be a devastating blow to American’s ability to purchase a home and take advantage of all the tremendous benefits that come with home ownership. This would mean the interest you pay on your mortgage would no longer be a tax deductible expense, which is probably the largest incentive available to convert people from renters to owners. The mortgage tax deduction is a major reason many individuals and families are able to make that initial step into home ownership. The deduction is taken by a broad range of the public. 65% of those who take the deduction earn less than $100,000 per year, 91% who take the deduction earn less than $200,000.

I believe this would be a tragic mistake and am doing everything in my power to prevent this vital tax benefit from being eliminated. We are disseminating all the facts. This isn’t a partisan issue, it’s an American issue, home ownership is such an integral part of every community’s fabric. People need to contact their representatives, Congressmen and Senators to let them know how important this issue is.

This N.Y.S. Licensed Real Estate Broker is not only the Owner and Broker of Claire Properties; I have an active record of community involvement and service. I have previously held the positions of President and Vice President of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, Business Guild 1, and was also a Member of the Advisory Board of the American Red Cross of Greater New York on Staten Island.

Any questions, please contact me, Claire Bisignano Chesnoff, ABR, AHWD, ASP, BCREP, CLHMS, CRS, GREEN, GRI, SRES, N.Y.S. Licensed Real Estate Broker, at Claire Properties. My direct line is 917-974-2238 or reach me via email at claire@claireproperties.com. You can see featured properties at my website, www.claireproperties.com.

Home sellers are always looking for the right tools to make the most of their property - how to get the best return on their investment, how to sell their home in the desired time frame. The right look and the right price combined can be exactly the trick you are looking for when selling your home.

Home staging is a technique not nearly used enough by sellers. The art of staging a home for sale can be accomplished by professionals or done by the owners; either way, the benefits can do amazing things for your bottom line. Clearing the clutter and highlighting the best features of your home will make your property a standout for potential buyers as they view home after home.

A properly staged home can be a mental balm for the overwhelmed home buyer. After seeing dozens upon dozens of homes, potential buyers can walk in and feel mentally moved into your space, which puts them in a far calmer and more interested frame of mind. Instead of yet another living room, they can imagine themselves there, entertaining or relaxing. They'll truly see the house, instead of rushing through with a mental checklist, not truly seeing the unique details of your home.

A well staged home will also emphasize the size of rooms as well as playing up key features like natural light and easy egress. It can also present solutions to oddly shaped spaces by creating vignettes that show the potential buyer how to best use the space.

Along with the look of the home, the right price is vital to moving the "for sale" sign off your front lawn and turning it into a "sold"!

A trained Realtor, such as myself, will help you settle on a price that will not only fulfill your needs but also appeal to the buyers in the current market.

The first step of finding the right price is examining the prices of comparable homes in your neighborhood. Find out their selling prices and how quickly they sold. This is a good indicator of where you need to be price wise in the market for your area.

Research and planning - the right look and the right price - will elevate your offering to potential buyers. I have been amazed at what the combination of these two things can do for my clients!

Any questions, please contact me, Claire Bisignano Chesnoff, ABR, AHWD, ASP, BCREP, CLHMS, CRS, GREEN, GRI, SRES, N.Y.S. Licensed Real Estate Broker, at Claire Properties. My direct line is 917-974-2238 or reach me via email at claire@claireproperties.com. You can see featured properties at my website, www.claireproperties.com.

It's funny how things turn out!

About six months ago as co-chair of the The 50th Anniversay of Chamber of Commerce Building Awards committee, I reached out to the people at the Nate Berkus Show to hand out the The Chairman's Award. Unfortunately Nate wouldn't be in New York on December 2nd so that didn't work out as planned. I made a few suggestions about making over the Chamber office but that wasn't a direction the show was going in.

Three months later we talked again as they were looking for someone with a room stuck in the past - like the 60's, 70's or 80's! I gave them a friend's contact information; unfortunately she didn't make the cut.

Then, two months ago, I received yet another phone call from the Nate Berkus Show. They wanted to know if my agents would be open to a makeover with a famous stylist? My response was yes! My agents work so hard for our customers and clients, always putting others first - they certainly deserved to be pampered and I would love to help that happen for them.

After that was a flurry of phone interviews with all the agents, photos and then more interviews. Even photos of our office decor had to be sent to the producers - thank goodness we had recently won a Staten Island Chamber of Commerce Building Award for interior design in 2010.

Finally we received the phone call we had been waiting for - myself and three other agents had made the cut!

Our shoot date was August 2nd, at our offices. At 8:30 in the morning, the shoot began. The "before" segment on our office life with interviews, shot by half of the crew. We were told the stylist and rest of the crew would be coming later, on the Ferry. I had been dreaming our stylist would be Carson Kressley, the Emmy winning former star of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, the Nate Berkus Show, the Oprah Winfrey Show as well as the star of Carson Nation - his own show. I am a huge fan of Carson Kressley but when I heard about the ferry ride, I figured a famous stylist like Carson would be a limo guy..So it clearly wasn't him!

The shoot kept us busy all morning. At 11, the door to the office flew open and there appeared Carson Kressley - saying..."Well Hello Claire Properties"...My famous stylist WAS Carson Kressley! Apparently Emmy award winning famous stylists do take the Ferry! More shooting commenced and we were all on Cloud Nine. What AN AMAZING day!

Since then we've had our fitting with Carson at the Lord & Taylor's in Manhattan in the personal shopper's salon; We felt like movie starts! On August 30th we'll be picked up by limo at 7am (now that we had celebrity status!) and taken to the Julien Farel Salon on Fetai Hotel, where Carson Kressley met us, for the last part of our make over. He discussed with Julian Ferrell our hair color, cut and style.

Finally, back to the Nate Berkus Show for the final shoot and the the final reveal.

We each had our own green rooms. We were even kept blind folded right up until the final reveal...We're still pinching ourselves!

Amazing! I still can't believe how it all turned out.

Any questions, please contact me, Claire Bisignano Chesnoff, ABR, AHWD, ASP, BCREP, CLHMS, CRS, GREEN, GRI, SRES, N.Y.S. Licensed Real Estate Broker, at Claire Properties. My direct line is 917-974-2238 or reach me via email at claire@claireproperties.com. You can see featured properties at my website, www.claireproperties.com.

Clove Lake Staten Island One Family detached Colonial Home for Sale

Why buy a semi when you can own this One Family Detached Colonial Home in Clove Lake Staten Island sitting on a beautiful 6,800 square foot park like property.! Located near the Staten Island Zoo and Clove Lake Park it's the perfect family homestead!

The heart of every family homestead is the Kitchen and this one has plenty of room for the family to gather in a spacious separate dining area. The light colored floors and walls offer endless possibilities to make this integral part of the home a beautiful place.

For those more formal occasions the Formal Dining Room offers a spacious and bright atmosphere where friends and family can gather. The neutral colors await your personal touches to make this room reflect your own style. The warmth of family life glows in this incredible Living Room which is highlighted by a magnificent fireplace and drenched in light from a brilliant picture window.

The Master Bedroom in this Clove Lake Staten Island One Family detached Colonial Home for Sale is located on the first floor and features a double and a single closet. A full bath is located adjacent on the first floor.

Generous size upstairs bedrooms in this One Family Detached Colonial Home include A King Size room and a Queen Size room. Both rooms are are virtual palette awaiting your design and color choices.

The second floor of this One Family detached Colonial home also features a full bath. An added treat on this floor is a terrific little alcove which can be used as an office. It's the perfect place to tuck your computer and desk!

The outdoors of this serene Clove Lake community is yours to enjoy! A spacious deck is located off the kitchen with plenty of room for your grill and outdoor dining furniture. The lush park like backyard is a haven for relaxation or for recreational activites.

Want to see more? Take a look at my virtual tour by clicking the icon below.

For more information on this One Family Detached Colonial Home in Staten Island and other wonderful Staten Island listings, and homes for sale on Staten Island and in Clove Lake contact Claire Bisignano Chesnoff, N.Y.S. Licensed Real Estate Broker, Claire Properties direct at 917-974-2238 or email claire@claireproperties.com. See this and other homes on www.claireproperties.com.