Geri Sonkin - Long Island Real Estate

I did a staging consult today, and although it was the owner's family who suggested the staging, I could see the incredible resistance by the seller as dollar signs danced in her brain and she heard the cash register - cha-ching, cha-ching. With all the media attention to designing a home to sell, it still has not trickled down to much of the population on Long Island.

It is understandable that sellers see the cost as throwing money into a home they no longer expect to live in. What they do not see is the immediate and positive impact it will have on their ultimate consumers. Buyers need to see a house in a way they can picture themselves in. It should be a serene space and devoid of too much personalization. What sellers do not see is the impact it has on their selling price and length of time on the market.

If you've ever watched any of the HGTV shows in which staging has a major role in getting homes ready for the market, you know the difference can be astounding. Staged rooms show purpose, they play to the focal points, and they maximize space.

If you're selling your home on Long Island or considering putting your property on the market, put yourself in the buyer's shoes for just a moment. Pretend it's you out there searching for your next house. You walk into two homes of similar size and style. One is warm and inviting, free of clutter and feels fresh and updated. The other has dated carpeting, long ago painted walls in aging white or worse, a strong color that you find jarring. The furnishings in their placement, make the rooms look smaller. which one would you consider buying?

You have about eight seconds to appeal to someone walking in the door of your home. The impression you create, good or bad, is one you can't change. You don't get a second chance to make a good first impression. Though your home, on paper, may have everything on the buyers' list of must haves, it immediately goes into their forgotten pile or on their short list.

Putting your home on the market is a little like a job interview or a first date with someone you hope to impress. You put on your best suit, look squeaky clean, perhaps dab on a little scent and hope you'll be noticed and ultimately chosen. That's exactly what professional stagers do for your property. And as for the investment, there are few things that can almost guarantee an impressive return on investment. Typically, staged homes bring back at least three to five times the cost of your staging.

Briarcliff is a much loved area of Merrick, having been developed in the mid 20th century.  It sits south of the Southern State parkway (exit 24S) and just west of Merrick Avenue.  A convenient location, close to shopping, schools and highways, this bedroom community is within easy commuting distance of New York City.  Hop on the Southern State Parkway and you have easy access to the north shore, Jones beach to the south, and eastern Long Island.

For one lucky colonial buyer, and brand new to the market, is a spacious 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home with gleaming hardwood floors, oversized rooms, a 2 car garage and basement, all on oversized property.

We're having an Open House this Saturday and Sunday:
Where:  1543 Wellington Road, Merrick
When:  Saturday 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Sunday 1-3 p.m.

Asking $529,000
Taxes - $11,934

Come join us!

If you're thinking about buying or selling real estate in Bellmore on Long Island, you'd be wise to take a look at the statistics and see what they're telling us.  Understand, however, when you do your research, you can only see data of homes sold during a finite time period, in this case, May 1 - 31, 2011.  It may not include the style and/or location of a property that is of interest to you, so the numbers could be skewed. 

While statistics can certainly give us some indication of what current real estate market conditions are in Bellmore, they are just one of many reference points that can help us in a search for a home or a proper pricing strategy for selling your home.

The first chart shows you the statistics for May, 2011 for closed sales in all the Bellmores (North Bellmore, Bellmore and South Bellmore).

The second chart breaks the sold home statistics down to area and style.

Below, you will find an interactive map showing you property listings for homes in Bellmore that are currently available.  Just understand that the map is not static, it is live and will show you currently available home inventory in Bellmore whenever you happen to look at this page.  Fifty homes will populate the map.  If you want to see all available homes in the area, click the "view all" option at the bottom.  You can also view by pricing, lowest to highest or highest to lowest.

If you're searching for a home to buy in Bellmore or anywhere else on Long Island, feel free to email me, send me a text or call me at 516-425-6098. Put my 25 years of real estate experience on Long Island to work for you.

When considering buying or selling real estate in Merrick on Long Island, you'd be wise to take a look at the statistics and see what they're telling us.  Understand, however, when you do your research, you can only see data of homes sold during a finite time period, in this case, May 1 - 31, 2011.  It may not include the style and/or location of a property that is of interest to you, so the numbers could be skewed. 

While statistics can certainly give us some indication of what current real estate market conditions are in Merrick, they are just one of many reference points that can help us in a search for a home or a proper pricing strategy for selling your home.

The first chart shows you the statistics for May, 2011 for closed sales in all the Merricks (North Merrick, Merrick and South Merrick).

The second chart breaks the sold home statistics down to area and style.

Below, you will find an interactive map showing you property listings for homes in Merrick that are currently available.  Just understand that the map is not static, it is live and will show you currently available home inventory in Merrick whenever you happen to look at this page.  Fifty homes will populate the map.  If you want to see all available homes in the area, click the "view all" option at the bottom.  You can also view by pricing, lowest to highest or highest to lowest.

Whether you're searching for a home to buy in Merrick or anywhere else on Long Island, or planning to sell one, you should be working with a seasoned professional. My name is Geri Sonkin and my 25 years serving the needs of buyers and sellers of real estate on Long Island have taken me through all kinds of market conditions. If you email me, text or call at 516-425-6098, I'll be happy to simplify the process. I'll be there for you every step of the way.

On the south shore of Long Island, at the eastern end of Nassau County, sits a community of townhomes and condominium built by the Timber Ridge Organization. Just east of the Sunrise Mall in Massapequa, this 210 unit development offers three distinctive floor plans, the Sycamore - a spacious townhome with 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a study, deck, unfinished basement and 1 car garage; the Fairfax - an upper unit with 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, dining room, great room, loft, breakfast nook and balcony; the Cartwright - a lower unit with 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, great room, breakfast nook, dining room, patio and unfinished basement.

Beautifully appointed, these light filled spaces are filled with charm and architectural details you'd expect to find in much higher priced homes. Cabinet filled kitchens feel grand with their granite counters and stainless appliances. A charming breakfast nook is the perfect place to relax over a cup of coffee or a leisurely lunch. You'll never feel isolated when you entertain with a half wall open to the dining and great rooms. Nine foot ceilings add to the elegance of the space.

This is not an age restricted community. It offers a 3,100 square foot clubhouse, complete with gathering room, fitness center, card and pool room, kitchen and showers to accommodate the heated outdoor pool. Though not as enormous and multifunctional as some of the 55 and over communities cropping up all over Long Island, it is at once a sophisticated and genteel space.

My first encounter with The Seasons at Massapequa was unexpected and astoundingly positive. I could move in there tomorrow and be happy.

If you have any interest in seeing this condo/townhouse complex in Long Island's Nassau County, or any other home for sale anywhere on Long Island, send me an email, text me or give me a call at 516-425-6098. I'm here to help you.