Community Events by Anthony Stokes Pereira / Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty.
Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty is pleased to present this compilation of autumn events, including Harvest celebrations, Halloween parades, farm stand listings, and foliage tours. We Hope that you enjoy the festivities and foliage of the lovely Hudson Valley!
ORANGE COUNTY, NY
Monroe, October 23-25, 6-9 PM - Museum Village hosts "Haunted Halloween Evenings" which features a hayride around the haunted village filled with frightening ghouls and scary things. Scavenger hunt and costume parade. (845) 782-8247. www.museumvillage.org
Tuxedo, October 24-25, 31, Nightfall to 11 PM - Sterling Forest (weekends) - 17th Annual Forest of Fear. Many horrifying Halloween attractions with a terrifying haunted house, entertainment, food and games. (845) 351-5171. www.theforestoffear.com
Walden, October 24-25, Sat 11-7 PM, Sun 11-5 PM - Hodgson's Farm & Garden Center will offer a 3-acre corn maze, petting zoo, pumpkin picking, hayrides, haunted house and magic show. Adults $8.50, Children 4 & up $6.50. (845) 778-1432. www.hodgsonfarm.com
Monroe, October 25, 11-4 PM - Museum Village hosts "No Scare Sunday", offering costume contests, games, and more family fun. (845) 782-8247. www.museumvillage.org
On-going - Bear Mountain, thru October 25, 12-5 PM - The Annual Oktoberfest will offer music, dancing, food, vendors and more. Free, parking $7. (845) 786-2731. www.friendsofpalisades.org
On-going - Middletown, thru October 30, 9-6 PM - Maple Farms. Pumpkin picking, hayrides, barnyard animals, hay maze and haunted barn. $6. Local produce, homemade fudge and baked goods, country crafts, flowers and gifts. (845) 344-0330. www.maplesfarm.com
On-going - Newburgh, thru October 30. Fri- Sat 7-12 PM, Sun 7-10 PM - Terror-dome Haunted Scream House. 5 haunted attractions designed to terrorize the bravest of souls. 3 festive shops, 2 spooky snack stands, zombie paintball, and festive town dedicated to Halloween will soothe the faint at heart. Rte 17K and Lakeside Road. Adults $24, children $18. (845) 926-3443. www.terrordome.com
On-going - Cornwall, thru October 31 - 10-4 PM - Discovery Quests - Every Sat. Observe a variety of wildlife. Guide books with puzzles, clues and fun facts. Quest for ages 6 to adult on trails ranging from casual to challenging. Outdoor Visitors Center, RSVP recommended. $5.
(845) 534-5506 x204. www.museumhudsonhighlands.org
On-going - Newburgh, thru November 1, 9-4 PM - Lawrence Farms - Horse drawn carriage rides, old-fashioned little farm village for children with petting zoo. The farm stand, with honey, preserves, and refreshments, is open on weekends. Adults $3, children $2. (845) 562-4268. www.lawrencefarmsorchards.com
On-going - Ulster Park, thru November 1, 7-11 PM - Headless Horseman Hayride & Haunted House. A "family oriented" attraction includes a one-mile hayride, a labyrinth -style corn maze, three professionally created haunted houses, three food concessions. Appropriate age 10 years and up (children 5 & under not admitted). Ticket $32, by reservation only. (845) 339-2666. www.headlesshorseman.com
On-going - Warwick, thru November 1, 9-5 PM - Enjoy apple picking at Masker Orchards. Drive right to the tree and bring picnic gear for an idyllic day in the country. Apple picking daily. On weekends, enjoy live music, pony rides, and horse-drawn wagon rides. Free. (845) 986-1058. www.maskers.com
On-going - Warwick, thru November 1, 11-6 PM - The Valley Winery Orchards and Distillery offers apple picking and wine tasting. Winery, cafe and bakery open on weekends. Also enjoy the new bocce ball court and live music on weekends from 2-5PM. (845) 258-4858. www.wvwinery.com
To suggest events for inclusion in the holiday guide, please email your event and contact information to: anthony.stokespereira@randrealty.com
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
 |
|
|
Why buy a home now? Right now, you have unprecedented market conditions. Low mortgage interest rates, low home prices, and high inventories have lasted more than three years. Inevitably, one or more of those conditions will change for the better or worse.
What's worse for you as a buyer is that prices can rise, interest rates can rise, and inventories can deplete.
Even the most determined market timer knows the odds of getting all three market conditions at their most optimum are slim, yet you may have those conditions right now in your market. You could also have ideal market conditions a year from now. So what's in your favor today?
Home prices: If you buy today, in many markets, you're buying at prices not seen since before the boom, and in some areas, before that. Meanwhile, your salary has likely risen at least 1% annually for the same period, enabling you to buy more house with less money.
Interest rates: Even though interest rates are higher, they are still far from Freddie Mac's historical annual median - 8.95% on a 30-year fixed rate qualifying loan. By creating a secondary market for housing loans via Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and federally-insured loans through the FHA and VA, the federal government can support banks to lend out more money at affordable rates to home buyers.
Inventory selection is premium: Housing inventories are being inflated by distressed homes. As job losses increase, we may see further foreclosures, so it's likely that selection will remain attractive for some time. However, inventory is being gobbled up by first-time homebuyers and investors, who are 45% to 50% of the market, and 18% of the market, respectively. That means that while inventory is building on a national level, it could be depleting in your area and price range.
Incentives: If you're a qualifying first-time home buyer, you can take advantage of an $8000 tax credit, either as a deduction off your income tax or as funds to put toward closing, buying down your mortgage interest rate or adding to your down payment. And based on recent legislation effective through December 31, 2009, you don't have to repay it.
Tax benefits: Uncle Sam helps all home buyers with tax incentives. If you factor in the tax deductions you receive for mortgage interest payments, private mortgage insurance, points paid in purchase and equity loans, property taxes, homestead exemption, capital gains exemptions, and more, you can come out way ahead, even if your home loses value.
What's to be gained by waiting?: Wait if you think your job is at risk or if your credit needs improving. Otherwise, there's little else to prevent you from buying. Prices might go down further, but you're risking that interest rates will also go down again, too. If they do, congratulations. If they don't, ....well, who said we could predict the future?
The bottom line?: Just as favorable buying conditions don't last forever, neither do recessions. As the economy improves, many incentives will disappear and your competition for desirable homes will increase.
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
|
|
|
No two homes are alike, which is why pricing a home for sale can be so challenging.
You may have an idea of what your home is worth on the open market, but in order to sell it, you'll have to support your price to buyers with comparables - other similar nearby homes that have sold recently or are currently for sale.
To help determine the right asking price for your home, your real estate professional will prepare a comparative or comparable market analysis, or CMA.
The CMA is a professional report that real estate agents give to their clients. CMAs are generated by a computer program from your agent's multiple listing service, (MLS). The MLS is available to members only, and they pay a fee to get access to the service's public and proprietary data, including tax information, sold transactions, and listings input by all cooperating MLS members.
Your agent puts search perimeters into the CMA program for homes for sale or those that have recently sold that are most similar to your home. This information is sorted according to fields of information such as neighborhood or zip code, number of bedrooms, number of baths, age of the home, square footage, price range, sold dates within 3-6 months, and other data.
The program then creates a report that tells the agent which homes most similar to yours have sold recently and which homes are for sale.
The CMA is an analysis based on the most current information. It provides unbiased empirical evidence of the latest market conditions as they relate to your home. You can clearly see a snapshot of the market in the CMA - that prices are going up or down, and what buyers are willing to pay right now.
As a pricing tool, the CMA has some limitations. For example, it can't tell you why some homes sell above or below the market average. While one home sold for $130 per square foot, another home on the same block sold for $120 per square foot - the same week!
What made the difference?
There are features about any home that can't be quantified by a CMA, but you can read through each listing in the report for clues for why a home sold for more or less than the market average.
Between identical homes, one property may simply offer better drive-up appeal or is in better condition. Clutter, dirt, overcrowded closets, pet odors or too much furniture can overwhelm buyers and cause them to view a property negatively, which will influence the price they're willing to pay. To avoid this, be sure you are staging your home to sell by simplifying your space. You can sometimes tell from pictures on the CMA if conditions made a difference in a home's selling price.
Also, buyer and seller motivation can't be quantified. You don't know why a seller agreed to take less for their home or why a buyer paid more for another home. Family problems, corporate relocations and other reasons all play a role. What you can learn from the CMA is how long the home took to sell. If it was quick, the seller was highly motivated.
For these reasons, your real estate professional may suggest that you disregard the highest and lowest sales price in a CMA before choosing your listing price.
As you've lived in your home, you've made repairs and improvements that only you know about. Your real estate professional can help you look at these costs realistically.
While a home with a new roof is certainly worth more than a home that needs a new roof, you may not get 100% of your investment back in your sales price. What a new roof can do, however, is make your home more attractive to buyers, and more likely to attract offers.
Your real estate professional will suggest a pricing strategy for you based on the CMA, but the asking price will be up to you. You have to consider your home's condition and your motivation as well as local market trends.
Remember, comparables are your home's competition - the homes you use to compare to yours are the same homes buyers will use for comparison as they shop for a home.
They'll choose the home that best suits their needs
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
|
|
|
Selling your home is an involved process, before you begin this process, you'll want to ensure that you 
have the most up-to-date information. I am prepared and ready to be of service to you! Working with me will ensure that you will be receiving the best professional service, I can give you an educated idea of what your home's value, this is based on experience, local knowledge, and comparable actual sales in your area! I am happy to be able to provide this service FREE of charge.
When you're armed with the right information, and an experienced real estate professional, you'll be closer to reaching your goal - selling your home fast, and for the best price. The real estate market is volatile, especially lately, and it takes an experienced professional to move your house quickly, professionally, and profitably. When you've decided to sell, I will be your advocate, your guide, and your fierce negotiator. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
|
|
|
Find My Dream Home: Home Ownership is an Investment in Your Future! You are in the midst of a buyers' 
market, there hasn't been a better time to buy in years! Mortgage rates are at an all time low, Housing prices are at their most affordable in a decade, sellers are motivated, owning a home is a great investment in your future, and can lead to many, many years of happy memories. So why wait? It is a great time to buy
Let me know how you define your dream home. Perhaps you seek a historic Victorian with guest house and private deck. Maybe you see yourself in a modern Condo or TownHouse with a spacious terrace. Share with me all the details and get one step closer. I will contact you the moment a possible fit comes on the market. All you need to do is tell me what you are dreaming about.
Contact your lender to determine what you can comfortably afford in today's housing market. You may be surprised to learn that conditions are better than you think.
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
I am always available to assist my clients in discover the Greater Hudson Valley. Being a full time sales associate, I stay diligent giving each of my clients' individual and professional service.
Homes and Gardens Real Estate/Rand Realty
Anthony Stokes-Pereira - Provides Personal Service With A Difference!!
When thinking of buying or selling Real Estate, having the right real estate agent means having an agent who is committed to helping you buy or sell your home with the highest level of expertise in your local market. This means also to help you in understanding each step of the buying or selling process. This commitment level has helped me build a remarkable track record of delivering results.
Nothing is more exciting to me than the gratifying feeling I get from helping my clients meet their real estate needs. You can count on me to always do what's in your best interest. I pride myself on being honest, trustworthy, and knowledgeable in the real estate market. I know how important it is to find your dream home or get the best offer for your property. Therefore I will make it my responsibility to help you achieve those goals.
I am fully committed to providing you with a noticeably higher level of service at all times while demonstrating knowledge, friendliness and professionalism throughout the transaction. The blending of my experience and strength of Prudential Rand Realty assures you the competitive edge in today's real estate market. My pledge to you is to use all resources available to benefit you that will make your real estate experience as easy and as stress-free as possible.
I am proud to be part of the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate/Rand Realty team of real estate professionals. Backed by the strength and support of the entire Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate/Rand Realty organization, I pledge to serve you with the highest standards of professionalism, courtesy, and responsiveness. Through years of innovation, service and support, Rand Realty has become a leader in the real estate industry. It will be my privilege to carry on these same traditions while working on your behalf.
Specializing In:
All of Rockland and Orange Counties
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please call or visit me, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
For more information please visit me at:
Anthony Stokes Pereira
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate/Rand Realty
Office: (845) 770-2188
Cell: (845) 538-7021
Email: anthony.stokespereira@randrealty.com
Website: www.anthonystokespereira.com
Below you can read a small selection of the many positive comments and remarks that I regularly receive from my clients
- Garnerville, New York
Anthony thank you for taking such good care of me and the sale of my house. This could have been a very difficult and frustrating experience had it not been for your expertise and persistent hard work. I was impressed with your micromanagement of the details which I know facilitated the whole process in the most painless manner possible. Your advice was sound and the results are 'in the pudding', or in this case, the offer. Thanks again - since you were also the agent helping me find my dream home, I'll be sure to contact you if I want to sell or buy again.... With warm regards and wishes for your continued success!"
- Spring Valley, New York
Thanks for all your help in preparing, readying and eventually selling our Co-Op in Hillcrest Point, Spring Valley, New York. I think and I'm not alone in this, we definitely chose the right agent, you, in taking on that challenge. I don't believe any other agent would have been so focused and motivated in so many tasks. Thanks again for keeping us motivated from start to finish. Well done Mr. Anthony Stokes Pereira!. Especially in the market we were dealt with!"
- Pomona, New York
Anthony was extremely warm, pleasant and professional. I think he showed me about 50 homes in about two years and he did not walk away from me, he always told me to be calm and to stay focus. If I need to buy or sell again, he will always be my agent
- Hillcrest, New York
Anthony is an honest, realistic, and professional Agent. With so many emotions involved in buying your first home, it's important to have someone like Anthony to keep you on the right track. He is capable of keeping you very calm, even during the very difficult and stressful times of the transaction. More importantly, he is very responsive, answering all of the little questions that we had - this made the whole deal seem effortless and easy. Thank you Anthony
- Spring Valley, New York
Anthony was extremely warm, pleasant and professional. When ever I need to buy again or sell, he will be the person I call.
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
Powered by the ActiveRain Real Estate Network
© 2009 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved
