Janis Borgueta, Realtor New Construction Homes, Newburgh NY

NO Snow is Making Me Happy

With the winter well underway, we have been most fortunate to have temperatures in Newburgh this weekend as well as this past week, that have been above normal. The fact is we have been experiencing some fabulous weather for those of us that are not fond of snow all this winter.

The four seasons all have their special attributes, but winter with the cold and ice is not my favorite. Newburgh, New York usually will have about 40 plus inches of snow in the winter. This winter we not had any so far in this area. Weather has been a bit unusual for many parts of the country and Newburgh is certainly seeing that trend. We had a major blizzard this past October that put a good deal of the population in winter mode before the leaves even fell off the trees. Unusual weather seems to be more of a norm these days.

So now that winter is here and we are in the middle of January many of us are thrilled to have had some beautiful weather and enjoy the scenery. Tonight with the full moon and the light that dances in the sky on the treetops it seemed like a perfect night to go out and take a few photos on the back deck. My husband and I scooped up a few shots and then quickly headed inside. Although we are having a “warm winter” it is still colder than I would like.

So this summer when I take another photo of the Moon Over Newburgh, the only difference in the photo will be some leaves on the trees. The sky at night will not look any warmer, but when I click the button on the camera, it will be warm.

Start Your Day Each Morning with a Smile and a Sunrise

When looking for a home in Orange County New York, would you consider purchasing a home on the river? Living on the west coast of the Hudson River has the special advantage of providing you with a fabulous sunrise. What could be more beautiful or picturesque than living close to a body of water?

When I first started real estate the broker I was with would talk at great lengths of the value of land and different homes frequently. Of course, this was a real estate office. He was attempting to enlighten my perception of price and value though. These two features can be very different. The market at that time was heading upward, and just about anything was selling. He talked about value and how not to make a mistake of location when buying a home. Different builders in the area were putting homes up in the most ridiculous locations. Buyers were still purchasing homes on any lot. I questioned why people would want to purchase such a home when it was not on a parcel of land that reflected the actual home being built. True to form, as the market dropped these homes were devalued quickly and selling them at drastically reduced prices was the norm. His words are still resonating in my head as I think back to the time when land was priced so out of tune with the rest of the housing market.

The words that stand out most for his comments were about waterfront land. He always touted that property near a body of water would always be of increased value, even in a difficult market. The logic behind this notion is that for some reason we as humans all gravitate to be living close by a body of water. It can be a lake that is big or small, a river, a stream, or oceanfront, and of course homes on the beach. The common denominator here though is that the waterfront location is considered to have added value in quality of life.

Living in the Hudson Valley residents are lucky to have the Hudson River up close and personal. The river being almost two miles wide at our crossing point provides for quite a visually beautiful spot on the map. The towns of Marlboro, Cornwall, and Newburgh, along with the City of Newburgh provide more than 5 miles of river front property. Homes here range from the historic 1800’s to contemporary homes built in the last 5 to 10 years.

Prices of homes on the river currently vary as much as the style and quality. River view properties are at an all time low in pricing right now. Many of the older homes are in need of some repairs, but mostly cosmetic and can be upgraded to reflect their beautiful location. The actual prices may surprise you. This could be something to consider when looking for a home in Orange County, New York.

Is a Hudson River home for you?

Hudson River Homes for Sale

"Bring the Kids" A Family Concert in Newburgh NY

Saturday, January 14^th 2012 3:00 p.m. 330 Powell Avenue, Aquinas Hall

Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, NY

The Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra is a musical tradition entering into its 17^th year here in the Hudson Valley. What a great contribution to our community and an afternoon of music that is sure to interest the entire family. The symphony is directed by Woomyung Choe. The musicians are known area professionals and some local outstanding students also participate. We are fortunate to have a symphony of this caliber right in our backyard.

Eric Tusch narrates newly authored verses of Holly Weiss to accompany Bizet’s delightful Jeux d’Enfants.

Violinist Jina Choi and violist Nancy Wegrzyn, , are both soloists in Mozart’s lyrical and charming Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra.

The orchestra concludes the performance with the Overture to Die Fledermaus, a favorite operetta, by Strauss. It is the most recognizable of all the pieces being performed. Such a beautiful choice of music and fun for everyone. A personal favorite for me.

Tickets may be purchased at the door or reserved. (845) 913-7157. Ticket prices are $25 for reserved seating, $20 for general admission, $15 for seniors, $10 for students, and children under seven are admitted free of charge.

Should a snow date be needed they have scheduled in Sunday January 15, 2012 at 3pm.

www.newburghsymphony.org.

Quality of Life and When Should You Buy a Home?

Are you in the market for a new home? Or are you looking to sell your home and want the best price? If so, how often do you wonder if the housing market has hit bottom?

Are you watching the stock market hoping for some gains for the year? The housing market affects how the country goes forward from this recession. Pundits talk and talk about what has happened, what could happen, and they attempt at a prediction of what will happen and when. Nobody seems to agree and time keeps marching on and on. If you are on the sidelines and looking for a place to live you wonder if the time is now, and second if you can make it work for you.

A big part of the leap into home ownership is how to find out just where you fit into the picture. Putting all the tiny pixels together and see where they come together. The goal is for, a finished photo that has you and your family on the front porch of a home. No diving in head first as that can be too dangerous. No leaping into the pond and coming out all wet and cold. Small steps into the water can lead you to a place to call your own.

Begin with assessing your finances. No better place to start than by looking for a local bank person to help with all the details of just what a mortgage application looks like. How many fees are involved and of course just where are the interest rates today. Once this is underway, and you know what your budget should be, then it’s time to shop for a home. The fun has just begun.

The question is really now or then. Should I wait until the market is better? Or should I make the move. Making the decision is of course a difficult one, but think of it this way. Can we predict what will happen tomorrow? Is there really any time that is better than another? Maybe thinking of the quality of life that we are looking for can be the answer. Waiting and living in an apartment or rental, you give up that comfort and privacy that it is not yours. Quality of Life outweighs waiting for something you can’t truly define. The question to ask would be; Just what am I looking for in a home that is affordable for me. Nobody can predict the future, but time waits for no one and by waiting there is still the risk of missing that bottom of the housing market. You can certainly be waiting a long time.

Renting Your Home Out? Do You Have It Covered?

When renting out your home, you need still need to protect it with an insurance policy. Tenants usually get a policy to protect their own belongings. Did you know that with pets they can have other issues that require more protection? You may find that your current insurance company may not cover you if there is a problem.

While some home insurance policies can change when we rent out to tenants, the part that becomes interesting is when pets are included in the lease. Pets are a big part of family life in many areas and it is good to consider just what that entails when we become landlords. In my area of Orange County it seems that most people have a cat or a dog that they want to bring along with them each and every time they move. Landlords have issues with pets as they can be a nuisance if not properly managed. What I see regularly is a pet deposit of one month or more to insure the owner receives the home without major damage from the pet.

The insurance company sees this very differently though. Pets are usually included in a homeowner policy, but new guidelines are present in just who and what is insured. Many home insurance policies, even the ones that include pets, exclude certain aggressive breeds of dog. Checking your policy prior to deciding to rent is always a good idea. Policy coverage and deductibles can change as well as costs. It is always good to know these things before rather than after the fact. Truth is that the list now has included recently Rottweiler’s, Pit bulls and German Shepherds.

I recently had a client in Newburgh that produced DNA testing and was refused a rental based on that. Both the landlord and the tenant were disappointed as the home was the perfect situation for both.

We were quoted information locally in Newburgh NY, that anything with a wolf history was of issue, but we were questioning how dogs aren’t related to the wolf. Below is the list that was relayed by the insurance company to give us some information on the breeds in question.

Akita - Alaskan - Chow Chow - Doberman Pincher - German Shepherd - Malamute

Pitt Bull - Rottweiler - Siberian Husky - Staffordshire Bull Terrier - Wolf dog

OH MY!!