Buying or selling a house is sometimes an overwhelming prospect that can leave you with stress and anxiety. Hiring a real estate agent here at Murphy Realty Group can alleviate that stress, here are some reasons why:

1. Education and Experience - Years of training and experience makes our agents well aware of all the ins and outs of the business. Most likely, they have seen it all, which will make negotiating a breeze.

2. Agents Act as Liaisons - There are multiple calls that need to happen, an agents phone is always ringing. Buyers and sellers can be pushy, agents will guard against bad deals. 

3. Area Knowledge - This is an agents job...think of them as your personal concierge, especially if you are from out of town. They know the…

Spring is just around the corner and is a time when sellers are ready to call an agent and get their home on the market. Preparing and staging your house is beneficial for both obtaining maximum price and for selling quickly. Taking the time to prep your home, turns it into a desirable and very marketable property that buyers will certainly be interested in. Consider the next few ideas before doing anything!

• DO NOT LOOK BACK. Look toward the future! Part with or separate yourself from your house – imagine that it is just someplace to stay temporarily. Look at it as if you will be handing over the keys any day to the new owners.

• DE-PERSONALIZE. Buyers often have a hard time looking past personal photos of family and what you like to call,…

When looking for homes for sale in Ulster County, NY, an area of particular interest is Woodstock, NY. Woodstock, NY is ultimately known for its wide variety of art culture, from theatre to music to photography and all other art alike. This town comes alive with its vibrant small hamlet feel. People greet you with a smile as you pass them on the street and in the warm summer months it is not uncommon to hear music coming from a local musician playing on the grass in the center of town. Rich in history, Woodstock was home to many painters that attended the Hudson River School as well as musicians such as Van Morrison and Bob Dylan. There is a definite peaceful tranquility and creative vibe that is undeniable.

Woodstock, NY is just a short drive to just…

Wednesday, the Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged within its current target range of 0.000-0.250 percent.

The Fed Funds Rate has been near zero percent since December 2008.

For the third consecutive month, the Fed Funds Rate vote was nearly unanimous. Just one FOMC member dissented in the 9-1 vote, objecting only to the language used in the Fed's official statement.

In its press release, the Federal Reserve noted that the the U.S. economy has "expanding moderately" since its last meeting in December 2011, adding that the growth is occurring despite "slowing in global growth" -- a reference to ongoing economic uncertainty within the Eurozone.

The Federal Reserve expects moderate economic…

IMPORTANCE OF MARKETING YOUR HOME ON THE INTERNET

Murphy Realty Group ended 2011 with an increase of over 65% in sales volume, a larger increase than any other company in Ulster County, keeping us the “Fastest Growing Real Estate Firm in Ulster County”.

Increasingly, buyers are going online to look for property. As circulation continues to decline for print media like newspapers and magazines, the internet has become the go-to place for potential home buyers to browse through listings. In fact, the latest study by the National Association of Realtors® revealed that more than 90% of home buyers started their search for properties online. Murphy Realty Group puts your home in front of more potential buyers on the internet than any other Ulster…

Time is running out to boost to your 2011 federal tax refund. All you have to do is make your January 2012 mortgage payment while it's still December.

It's a simple tax strategy that works because of how mortgage interest is paid, and of how the U.S. tax code is written.

Different from rent which is paid for the month ahead (i.e. "you're paying January's rent"), mortgage payments are made only after mortgage interest has accrued (i.e. "you're paying for money you've already borrowed from the bank").

This is called "paying interest in arrears" and U.S. tax code states that the mortgage interest is tax-deductible in its year paid, subject to limitations.

By making the January 2012 mortgage payment in December 2011, therefore, homeowners who…

Thanksgiving in Ulster County is always a beautiful time of year. The autumn foliage is still bright and colorful; and decorations are put up, giving that warm glowing feel. The community comes together offering celebration and services to everyone. Some travel to be with friends, family and loved ones, while others open their homes to host Thanksgiving Dinner. If you're like many, who scramble with getting everything prepared, here are some good, and odd tips that may help make things a bit easier in preparing for company......

Cleaver Cleaning Tips!

1. Eliminating Pet Hair - To pick up pet hair, put on a wet rubber dishwashing glove and wipe your hand over surfaces. The hair will stick right to it. 

2. Shaving Cream to clean kitchen/bathroom…

Browse all available listings, start your search for Ulster County Real Estate here!

Fall is here, for the Hudson Valley! Ad the colors are finally beginning to come to life. The first frost of the year has come and gone, and that marks the start of the truly gorgeous colors starting for the season. The full palate of colors is arriving. And, even though the fall colors are arriving late this year, they are as beautiful as ever! These next few weekends before the end of October are the rime weekend to come and see the fall foliage in Ulster County!

There are many scenic roads Through out Ulster County and the Hudson Valley. If you are coming up from the city, a suggestion, rather than taking the thruway, tries taking one of the slower, but more…

1. Give your house a good cleaning. Make sure everything smells nice, and is squeaky clean! It is always easier to picture yourself in a clean home, than a dirty one!

2. Try and store your more “personal” touches. If a house is more generic looking, people tend to be able to imagine them living there. If you have picture everywhere, and your figurine collections and so on all over the house. People looking at your home can get overwhelmed by your stuff, and not even see how amazing your home is!

3. Try painting your walls more neutral colors. I went into a house the other day where every wall was bright green, eggplant purple or some other very distinctive color. Now, I am a Realtor and I can look past that, but it is in the same vein as all your…

Welcome to our Ulster County Real Estate Blog!!

Every real estate brokerage has to have a website in this day and age. But, not all websites are created equal. Some brokerages feature only their listings, and don’t really offer any services or any help with the process of home buying or selling. When you are the fastest growing real estate firm in the county, you have to match your growth, with the technology you are using! We, at Murphy Realty Group, have stepped up our game for the internet age. Not only to do we want to advertise our listings and agents on the internet, we want to provide an easy to use website for consumers and provide tools and information.

On our new website, we will offer something every similar to what agents encounter…