About West Babylon's West Babylon

Bagel Factory West Babylon NY - Excellent Egg Sandwiches!

Got a hankering for a tasty egg sandwich on a bagel? Let me tell you, Bagel Factory in West Babylon NY has got that. I go there a few times a week for their delicious egg sandwiches and coffee. They get it right every time.

No matter what you order at Bagel Factory, you will not be disappointed. Besides bagels, they have low-carb bagels, egg sandwiches, lunch meats, and great coffee!

And below is what I had for breakfast this morning. An everything bagel <my fave!> with 1 scrambled egg, cheese and well done bacon. Yes, if you want your bacon fried to a crisp like me they will happily do it for you.

Bagel Factory is located on Montauk Highway in West Babylon across from Burger King and just East of Wendy's. Stop by today and give them a try! P.S. they are reasonably priced. Can't ask for more than that!

View Bagel Factory West Babylon NY in a larger map

West Babylon NY Housing Market 2011

Overall, the West Babylon NY housing market saw a 0.34% increase in the median sales price since January 2011. Let's look at the West Babylon NY housing market since January 2007:

2007 - 12.63% decrease
2008 - 16.04% decrease
2009 - 1.67% increase
2010 - 4.67% decrease
2011 - 0.35% increase

Since January 2007 to December 2011, the West Babylon NY housing market decreased by 31.06%.

The West Babylon NY housing market saw the worst in 2008 with a 16.04% decrease and saw the best in 2010 with a 4.67% increase.

Since the quarterly median sales prices of 2011 stayed fairly tight, I'm hoping that 2012 will be the year for stabilization for the West Babylon NY housing market. When stabilization occurs, it will stay that way for a while. Do not expect a sellers market in 2012.

West Babylon NY Buyer Activity:
2011: 107 homes sold. 16 of them were short sales.
2010: 119 homes sold. 13 of them were short sales.
2009: 133 homes sold. 8 of them were short sales.
2008: 101 homes sold. No short sale homes sold in 2008.
2007: 131 homes sold. No short sale homes sold in 2007.

When I show homeowners this data, they realize the West Babylon NY housing market isn't "bad". When you watch the news, they report about the real estate market nationally. Real estate is local and always will be.

Peter Figoski Scholarship Fund - Donate What You Can

You may have heard that NYPD officer Peter Figoski was killed in the line of duty earlier this week. He leaves behind four daughters, two are in high school and two are in college.

Peter Figoski was responding to an armed robbery in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn NY. He was shot in the face once and passed away a few hours later. With 22 years on the job, he made over 200 arrests and received 12 medals. One of them is the Exceptional Merit Award for coming under fire in a brush in the early 1990's with a man who was later convicted as the city's copycat Zodiac killer. I remember that one.

The Peter Figoski Scholarship Fund was created for his four daughters to pay for their college education. You can donate as much as you want/can. I know times are tough for some but whatever you can do will be appreciated I'm sure! Or you can mail your check to:

New York City Police Foundation
Attention Peter Figoski Fund
555 5th Avenue, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10017

I think we forget that our police officers are always putting their lives at risk to keep us safe. They may not be under fire all the time like our soldiers do during wartime, but they are targets for criminals. As soon as a police officer is out on the street, they are risking their lives. Whenever they do a car stop, they are risking their lives. Even when they answer a domestic violence call, they are risking their lives.

With that said, keep Peter Figoski's daughters in your thoughts and prayers.

West Babylon NY Housing Market - Week Ending 11/27/11

One home sold last week in West Babylon NY:

763 Centerwood Street West Babylon NY 11704 - This is a 5 bedroom, 12 room Colonial. Listed for $329,000 and sold for $310,000. On the market for 33 days. List price to sold price ratio: 5.8%

There are 99 homes for sale in West Babylon NY in the West Babylon School District. Prices range from $174,500 to $950,000.

94 homes have sold in West Babylon NY in the West Babylon School District since January 1st, 2011. Sold prices range from $125,000 to $457,500.
Average days on the market: 121
Average property taxes: $8,564.
Average sold price: $287,200

West Babylon NY Median Sold Price by Quarter for 2011:

The West Babylon Housing Market in 2010 was stabilizing. 2011 is a little more erratic but we need to see how 2012 is going to be. I really feel the housing market for West Babylon NY will stabilize in 2012.

Call me today (631) 703-0201 to schedule an appointment for a free, no obligation market analysis for your home.

All data in my charts is from the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island.

How To Winterize Your Long Island Home

Yes, it's that time of year again my lovely readers. Fall is here but before you know it, the temperatures will begin to drop. It's time for you to work on winterizing your Long Island home before the cold weather sets in.

Below are some tips to help you get started:

Exterior - Chimney

• Inspect chimney cap. If missing or damaged, replace it. You don't want little critters making a home in your chimney.
  

• Have your chimney swept. Especially if you haven't done so in a long while.

• Inspect brickwork on the chimney.

Exterior - Windows & Doors

• Replace cracked windows.

• Caulk around windows if the present caulk has worn or is missing.

• Take screens out and replace them with the storm windows.

• Check vinyl siding. If some are missing try to replace.

Exterior - HVAC System

• Cover the outside unit. You can get covers from Home Depot or Lowe's. This does help with drafts.

Exterior - Roof

• Always a good idea to check for loose and missing shingles. Easy to replace. We all know the effects the strong winds on Long Island can have during the Winter!

Interior - Heating System

• Have a professional inspect and maintain your heating system & water heater. If something needs to be replaced, do it now.

• Now is a good time to get a water heater blanket. Inexpensive and it really helps your water heater unit to be more cost effective.

• If you have a HVAC system, buy more filters and change them every 3 months. Check on them monthly just in case you may have to change them sooner.

Interior - Closet & Utility Doors/Windows

• Install draft protectors that go under the bottom of the door. Especially the door to the basement and utility rooms.

• Keep blinds/window treatments closed at night. This will help with drafts.

• If you have older windows, consider sealing them with a plastic covering kit. This is where you use your blow dryer to shrink it. I remember years ago renting an apartment and I had to do that. it made a world of difference!

Interior - Smoke Alarms & Carbon Monoxide Detectors

• Here in the Town of Babylon, there has to be 1 smoke detector in every bedroom and in the hallway where the bedrooms are. Also, there has to be a carbon monoxide detector on every floor of the home. Law or not, this is always a good idea! And this includes the basement.

• Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace batteries or replace the unit(s) if they are not working at all.
  

Automobile Must Haves!

• Shovel - just in case you are in a snow bank or that slushy snow you can't get out of.

• Cardboard - this is great to have to place under your tire to give you more traction.

• Sand - again, great for traction.

• Rock Salt - if you are stuck on ice, this is a great way to melt the ice around and under your tires.

• Flashlight - you need to see what you are doing in case you are stuck.

• Blankets - heaven forbid you are stranded for a long period of time, make sure you have a few heavy blankets on hand.

• Bottled Water - never a good idea to have no water if you are stranded. Keep the small bottles on hand. If you get stuck they take less time to melt if they are frozen.
  

• Spare Tire - check to make sure your spare is not flat or worn.

• Ice Scrapers - have a few in your trunk just in case one breaks.

• Spare Winshield Wipers - make sure they are the heavy duty winter wipers.

• Portable Radio - make sure the batteries are working.

Thank you for stopping by and enjoy your week!