If you spent any time watching the real estate market throughout the year, it is easy to see that inventory, pricing and overall activity is highly subject to seasonal trends.  In most cases, spring is the busiest time for home shopping but is it always the best time to buy?  Home buyers looking for a home in the Hudson Valley area of New York state are often surprised to learn autumn is the second most busy time for home real estate transactions and opportunity is the main driver.   Beyond the financial advantages of buying in the fall, the aesthetics of the Ulster County foliage makes it the right time to go out and look for that new home.  Here are some of the advantages of buying your home now instead of waiting for spring.

Tax Breaks

Fall…

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Bring on the heat! Summer is the best time for vacation, house cleaning, and overall relaxation. The three hottest months of the year are also the ideal time to make a move in the Ulster County real estate market. With one month to go, there is still time to get out there and look.  Here are five good reasons to not put off that home search.

1. The kids are out of school

Juggling your schedule with the kids' obligations at school is hard enough. Adding the notion of home buying to the mix is a recipe for overload. Imagine yourself trying to make it across town in the middle of the day to view a home with the knowledge that your daughter's soccer practice starts in less than three hours. Such is the headache of buying a home when school is in…

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Spring, the season of hope, is upon us and if you have been waiting to sell or are contemplating selling your home in the Ulster County area of the beautiful Hudson Valley, there are many reasons to be hopeful. Spring 2017 promises to be a fast moving market with strong demand and not enough homes coming to market. When demand outweighs supply, home sellers stand to profit. 
But, savvy home sellers know they have work to do before putting their homes on the market. And, after this Winter, there may be more to do than usual. Let’s make a checklist and start planning before we list your home For Sale.   

Curb Appeal Matters

Curb appeal is super important. Experienced brokers say that curb appeal is important because buyers often make a…

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Ulster County Real Estate Home Staging TipsYour home is one of your most valuable assets. Getting it ready to put on the market takes time and work from both you and your real estate agent. An Ulster County MLS Top Producing agent can guide you in all the steps to ensure that you put your best foot forward when staging your home. Money spent staging your home translates to a quicker sale and a higher selling price.

There are many levels of staging from simple painting and new curtains to a full-blown interior decorating makeover. The decision regarding how to stage your home should largely be driven by the type of buyers that you expect to be shopping for a home like yours. Hiring an agent who is familiar with the Ulster County real estate markets is your best bet for getting the information you…

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Many websites are available to view Ulster County real estate, such as realtor.com, homes.com, trulia.com & zillow.com. These national real estate websites have become more and more popular over the years, especially Zillow which displays their own estimated value (Zestimate) on each home for sale. The value of a home is an important number to both buyers and sellers. Both parties need this number to be accurate. If the number is understated, the buyer is likely to push for a price close to this number while the seller will probably not agree with the number. If the value is overstated, the seller likes the number and the buyer does not.

Zillow calls its home value number a Zestimate. Both home owners and home buyers can see this number and while it often…

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Ulster County Homes For SaleEveryone has their own individual taste and style, and when trying to sell your home, there’s one common factor, you want the home to show the best it can, make it as appealing as possible, and draw the potential buyer in. This has been more commonly known as “curb appeal” or the first impression a property conveys to potential buyers as they pull up in front. A house that looks unattractive from the street won't sell, as the mantra goes.

As the internet keeps growing, with social media websites exploding and more and more people browsing the web, a properties "pix appeal," or attractiveness in photos posted in online listings, is equally important. The latest study by the National Association of Realtors® revealed that more than 90% of home buyers…

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First time home buyer ulster countyIt is certainly nowhere as easy as going to the bank and stating your income on a piece of paper and getting approved these days. However, do not let that deter you. 

The very first thing to do when you decide to purchase a home is look at your credit report, know your credit score! if there are blemishes on your credit, you will have to fix them before you can be approved to get a mortgage. Also, if there is something on your credit that you know should not be there, you may be able to get those removed. Make sure that you leave plenty of time to fix any problems that may affect your credit score. In other words, do not check your credit and expect to fix problems in only a month, leave about six months to fix these marks before applying for a…

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It is true that buying a home is cheaper than renting. Reasons for this is that home prices continue to fall and mortgage rates are at historically low levels, and rents are on the rise as more and more people are choosing rentals over buying. The prices of homes are also something to take into consideration. If home prices are on the rise, people are more likely to buy as they expect a bigger return on their investment. 

A great alternative to renting an apartment again, would be to buy a starter home. Just listed in a great neighborhood in Lake Katrine, this cute three bedroom ranch fits the bill. Close in proximity to Kingston, Saugerties and the NYS Thruway makes this a convenient choice. Whether you are using the bedrooms as an office and a guest…

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Improve Your Credit RatingIf you are like most people who are interested in purchasing a home, you don’t have enough money in your savings account to cover the entire cost. As such, you will need to go through a lending institution in order to obtain the money you need to purchase your home. To ensure you get the best rate and loan possible, it would be a good idea to take steps toward improving your credit rating before you start looking into your loan options. While improving your credit rating is a process that needs to be completed over time, it really is easier than you might think to improve your credit rating. Whether looking at Maryland luxury homes or a condo in Ulster County, here are 5 tips for improving your credit rating before you purchase a home.

Tip #1: Review…

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When buying or selling a house, what is the number one most important thing that we all look at, the kitchen. The kitchen is the center of the home, the place where family and friends gather for food and drink or just conversation. Even if your kitchen is tiny and only three people can fit in it at a time, it is and always will be the heart of the house. 

When you choose to start a remodel on your home, consider starting with the kitchen, it will give you the most return on your investment. However, there are a few things to consider before you start. Look at the homes in your area, go to some open houses, consult a real estate agent on what houses are selling for before you begin. If houses in your neighborhood are selling without granite, stainless…

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