Remodeling? Don’t Forget the Permit

Remodeling? Don’t Forget the Permit.

“They’re Just Not That Into You”

"Happily Ever After"

“Why aren’t they at least making an offer?”

Whether you saw the movie “He’s Just Not That Into You”, or if you have experienced, first hand, the same response when dating, we all tend to be in denial when it comes to rejection. We have every excuse in the book why he/she never called us again. We all want the “happily ever after” ending, the  declaration of love. We are in such denial, that we don’t  read the signs.

 Similarly, homeowners (when selling their home) are also in denial, they don’t  read the signs. “So what my kitchen isn’t updated? There’s nothing wrong with it, they don’t make cabinets like this anymore….and the next owner can do it the way the want. I have the best deck in the neighborhood. No, I don’t have central air conditioning, but the window units cool the rooms”. “Why don’t they give me an offer, some offer?  Excuses, excuses, excuses! They’re just not that into your house  and your price!!! Why don’t you get it.  Don’t you listen to the  news about the fragile housing market and fragile economy?

 Maybe you want to continue to date more buyers for the next year or two. Clean your house, make the beds and put on lipstick for the next date with the 25th buyer that walks in your home. What is it going to take to make you realize “They’re just not that into your house and your price” ? Your house won’t find it’s match until the price is right. Then and only then will there be a “happily ever after.”

Check this out about solar panels:http://agentgenius.com/style-and-living/are-solar-panels-contagious-stanford-studies-reveal-it-is-possible/

Rita Gets Real: Appraisals

In these days of tough markets, appraisals are a subject that come to the forefront of the real estate market. Whether it’s during a bidding war, short sale or loan approval, the value of a property requires an informed estimate … an appraisal.

Sellers usually call in their agent to do a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) to determine a realistic asking price. To get to this number, the agent pulls neighborhood comps of similar properties in the area that sold or are currently for sale. Square footage, property, condition of house, upgrades, etc. are all factors in the asking price.

If the buyer is using a bank/lending agency, the lender will look to a specialized third-party professional, an appraiser, to furnish them with the official home valuation report. Appraisers look at many of the same factors as the agents, but also go beyond the house and more into the neighborhood itself.

To find out more about the 101′s of real estate appraisals, check out this video and article from AOL Real Estate.

Community Alert: People to People Event in Tappan

Taking a minute to tell all of my readers and followers about a great event happening tonight from 7-10p at the ’76 House restaurant in Tappan. My friend, Bob Press, of Changing Heads salon, has organized a Men’s Night Out for People to People of Rockland. People to People is Rockland County’s largest food pantry. In addition to food, they also provide other services (clothes, school supplies, etc) to families and seniors in need.

The Men’s Night Out event will include beer sampling, gourmet food pairing, tips from a golf pro and a personal trainer, a cigar selection, hair styling tips from Changing Heads and some dress for success tips provided by Banana Republic. Click on the flyer for the rest of the event details.  Please note the full cost per head goes directly to People to People.

Rita Gets Real: In Your Neighborhood

Though the buying/selling of a house is the main goal in real estate, the second question I always get asked when people tour a home is, “what are the neighbors like?” It’s also one of the many questions I ask sellers when listing their home. Usually, I even go over to the neighbor’s houses to make them aware I’m doing an open house in their neighborhood and to expect an increase of traffic on their block. I do this as both a courtesy and for the opportunity to see how they interact.

Beyond the scope of immediate neighbors, it’s also important to know the town you’re living in/looking to buy in. Most people come to Rockland with a sense of the county and a specific town in which they want to purchase a home. But your dream house might exist in the town next door or you might fall in love with a neighborhood just as much as you do a house. For instance, in my town, if I don’t get my morning coffee from Mimi’s Plate, I’m definitely picking up lunch or swinging by just before they close to grab some take out items for dinner. I pick up a bottle (more likely bottles) of wine from The Grape D’Vine. My husband and I sometimes dine out at the ’76 House or one of the restaurants along “restaurant row.” And, I get my haircut at Changing Heads salon.

All of things goes to say, your town becomes your family. It’s where you do business, where your kids check in/out their library books, where your hunger is nourished and, if you’re lucky, your soul as well.

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You’ll hear more from the people in my neighborhood (and other towns in Rockland County) in the next few weeks. So, keep checking back. Until then, I leave you with this video:

Rita Gets Real: Paper Your Walls

I was never a big proponent of wallpaper. The house I purchased in Rockland County in 1984 had wallpaper or stucco on every surface. It took years for my husband and I to remove snake-skin wallpaper, velvet paisley wallpaper, plaid mirrored paper, you name a bad 70′s style wall covering and we had it in our house. I vowed never to paper anything (apart from bathrooms, hey, it was the 80′s) again.

BUT.

I started to notice a trend a few years back when my buyers began fixing up their new homes. Wallpaper was making a comeback. It wasn’t like the paper I spent hours scraping away at. Rather, it looked like a mural or a geometric feast for the eyes. Usually the covering was confined to one wall. Recently the trend has become more prevalent in houses I’ve listed, sold and previewed. Wallpaper is officially back and it looks nothing like the Brady Bunch paper of the 70s. Today’s wallpaper is textured, graphic, geometric, painterly, full of color, whimsical, brightens up rooms (any room, really), ties a design together, reveals a homeowner’s personality, adds warmth and style without much effort. It’s also a heck of a lot easier to remove thanks innovations in wallpaper glue and removers. I’ve become a convert, and, because I love design and interiors, I want to share a few of my favorites with you. Perhaps you’ll get inspired for a redesign of your own. Some images are clickable. If not, I’ve supplied additional links below.

Newsprint wallpaper

Woodgrain textured wallpaper

Woods wallpaper

Whimsical wallpaper

English country painterly wallpaper

Bird-centric wallpaper

Graphic leaves wallpaper

Pineapples, for a traditional look

Ode to the 70's, with style

Cork wallpaper

Additional wallpaper links:

Anthropologie

Zoffany

Timorous Besties

Ferm Living

Farrow & Ball

For more ideas, check out Wallpaper Weekly