Should We Reduce the Price on Our Long Island Home During the Holidays? It depends upon if you are priced right to begin with and how soon you want to go to closing. If you are planning on a January/February closing then reduce the price of your Long Island home now so you can a buyer this month or in December. If you know you are overpriced and have had very little showings or not showings at all, then by all means reduce the price! Your Long Island real estate agent will be thrilled you came to your senses :) The holidays are funny year after year. Usually this time of the year it can be on the slow side for some agents. For me, it's been non-stop. I even showed one of my listings 2 days before Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Eve this year. I worked with buyers last year that I showed ... 11/22/2012

Lindenhurst NY Makeover Event - What Not To Wear, The Beauty Edition Cloud Nove will be holding their first event in the Live, Laugh, Learn series What Not To Wear Beauty Edition. Spend time with them and Stacy Doolan, owner of About Face Artistry, and you will learn how to give yourself a makeover. Bring all of your make-up and tools and a photo from a magazine of the look you desire to have. Stacy will guide you through what is not right for you (something I need to look in to), what is too old to keep and what products and tools to use. This event is limited so register ASAP! When: Sunday, December 2nd, 2012Time: 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.Where: Cloud Nove Events Studio620 West Montauk Highway, 2nd Floor, Suite ALindenhurst NY Phone: 646-209-7768 Admission: $55.00  View Larger Map   11/22/2012

How Many Homes Are For Sale in Lindenhurst NY with Finished Basements? There are 45 homes for sale in Lindenhurst NY with full finished basements as of 11/16/2012. The lowest priced home is on Straight Path and it is a 5 bedroom, 12 room Colonial short sale that needs work. Listing price: $190,000 The highest priced home is on Bono Court and it is a four bedroom, seven room Colonial with 3 baths. Listing Price: $480,000. Full, finished basements are great to have. Homeowners have finished their basements to add extra living space, have a workshop area, recreation area and install a full bathroom. Please keep in mind that you will need a building permit from the Town of Babylon. Bathrooms in basements need to be installed to code. Perfect example is that the ceiling height has to be at ... 11/19/2012

What Will Happen to the Lindenhurst Real Estate Market After Hurricane Sandy? I have been asked this question so many times, I lost count. Here is my professional outlook and opinion: Withdrawn Listings - Only five Lindenhurst NY homes were withdrawn from the market since 10/29/12. Three of those five homes, were south of Montauk Highway. Expired Listings - 14 Lindenhurst NY homes expired off the market since 10/29/12. Five of those homes are south of Montauk Highway. Under Contract Listings - Since 10/29/12, eight Lindenhurst NY homes are under contract. Four of them are south of Montauk Highway. Closed Listings - Nine homes in Lindenhurst NY made it to the closing table since 10/29/12. Two of those homes are south of Montauk Highway.  Rental Market - There are 19 available rentals in... 11/18/2012

Rape Prevention Class at Modern Warrior in Lindenhurst NY Modern Warrior in Lindenhurst NY has been teaching self defense classes to women for over 25 years. They also train police officers from NYPD, Suffolk County Police and Nassau County Police.  They will teach you to defend yourself against someone that is bigger, stronger and faster. Believe me, they will. Anyone I know that has taken Modern Warrior's self defense classes are taught better than anywhere else. Open to females 12 years and over.**Advanced registration is required to hold your spot.**When: Saturday, December 1st, 2012Time: 5:45 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.Where: Modern Warrior - 711 N. Wellwood Avenue, Lindenhurst NYPhone: 631-226-8383Admission: FREE ($25.00 refundable registration fee is required to hold your spot)   View La... 11/18/2012

Name that Photo: Think Balance Answer For thos who guessed Ying Yang...congratulations!   Sedona is one of many powerful places on our plant to receive messages and healings that reference your positive lifestyle.  So if you believe in angels or certain symbols, such as with the Ying Yang symbol you see in the Sedona reck rock. This is just one example on the types of messages that will resonate with your being as to reassure you are on the right path and that you are never alone. These messages and signs are sent everyday if you pay attention and ask for help when sincerely needed.    Feng Shui LI *Carole Provenzale was a Certified Feng Shui Consultant who graduated from the Country's very first School for Feng Shui Studies that was licensed and accredited in 1997. Her Daughter, the se... 11/17/2012

Homes for Sale in Lindenhurst NY with 2 Car Garages There are 21 homes for sale in Lindenhurst NY with 2 car garages. They are all in the Lindenhurst NY School District. Prices start at $249,000 for a 3 bedroom Cape on S. 6th Street and up to $479,990 for a five bedroom High Ranch on 43rd Street. 10 of these Lindenhurst NY homes for sale have full basements. The rest either have partial basements, crawl or no basements. I know garages can be important to buyers. I have yet to see anyone who use their garage for their cars unless they have a restored car or a luxury car. Most use it for additional storage. Some turn a garaga into a man-cave or family room/den. When you do convert a garage into living space, you have to get a building permit from the Town of Babylon. View more homes for ... 11/15/2012

Another Lindenhurst NY Home Sold by Jackie Connelly-Fornuff And more importantly, another happy buyer! This three bedroom Lindenhurst NY Cape is fabulous with a custom kitchen, large deck with a retractable awning and a beautiful backyard! The location is next to perfect. The block this home is on cuts off near Hoffman Avenue so traffic is diverted to other streets. Quiet streets are great to live on! My buyer closed on this home November 13th, 2012. She couldn't be happier. New home + New Life = Happy buyer! The previous homeowner took great care of this home and you can tell as soon as you walk in. Call Jackie today (631) 703-0201 and I will help you sell and buy your Lindenhurst NY home! 11/15/2012

Scuba Diving for Singles at Long Island Scuba Lindenhurst NY - Presented by 7-In-Heaven Singles If you are looking for a different singles event and wanted to explore scuba diving, this event is for you! This scuba event is lead by an experienced Padi instructor and will be conducted in a safe environment in the Long Island Scuba's indoor heated swimming pool. The class will start with a short orientation and will teach you how to breathe underwater as well as other skills used by scuba divers. Then you will be taken into the pool to have some scuba fun! **Liability Release and Medical Form will be required to complete when you arrive. Bring a bathing suit and towel. Scuba gear will be provided for you. When: Sunday, November 25th, 2012Time: 2:00 p.m.Where: Long Island Scuba - 895 Well... 11/14/2012

What Are Lindenhurst NY Homes Selling For? The majority of homes in Lindenhurst NY are selling between $250,000 to just under $300,000 with 55 homes sold in that price range so far for 2012. 40 Lindenhurst NY homes sold between $200,000 to just under $250,000 29 homes sold between $300,000 to just under $350,000 22 homes sold between $350,000 to just under $400,000 17 homes sold between $150,000 to just under $200,000 7 homes sold between $0 and to just under $150,000 3 homes sold between $400,000 to just under $450,000 The price range of $350K to just under $400K is gaining ground. The closer you get to the $400K price point, those homes need to be in model home condition in order to sell quickly. Buyers have choices in this price point so make your home stand out above everyone else. ... 11/14/2012

Knights of Columbus Lindenhurst NY Holiday Gift Fair 2012 Get your shopping on! The Knights of Columbus in Lindenhurst NY is having a holiday gift fair on Saturday, December 1st, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors this year include but not limited to: Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, Avon, Tastefully Simple, handmade jewelry and ornaments, handbags, baby items, clothing, sports items, canned jams and preserves and a whole lot more! Where: Knights of Columbus Hall - 400 S. BroadwayAdmission: FREE View Larger Map Merchandise and food vendors wanted: Call Sal at 516-410-1205Vendor deadline is November 25th,2012 11/13/2012

Thank You Hess for Doing The Right Thing Hess has two gas stations near me. One is on Great E. Neck Road in West Babylon, the other is on Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst NY. Not once have I seen Hess raise their gas prices. I was paying $3.75/gallon before hurricane Sandy and 12 days later I am still paying $3.75/gallon. Not only is this the right thing to do for consumers, it's also good business. Sunoco, Citgo, Valero, BP, Mobile and other no brand name gas stations have increased their prices to over $4.59/gallon. The managers at these stations claim they do not control the prices. Bull. Gas is a commodity we all know that. The prices flucuate based on supply and demand and environmental factors like an oil field exploding. If Hess is keeping their prices at market price, why are othe... 11/13/2012

Lindenhurst NY Real Estate Market - List Price vs. Sold Price 21 Lindenhurst NY homes sold in October 2012. The average list price was $302,000 and the median sold price is $280,000 which has been steadily increasing since May 2012. The difference between the list price and sold price is 5%. This has decreased by 2% since last month. The real estate market in Lindenhurst NY continues to improve little by little. Since Hurricane Sandy, no one knows what is going to happen with the Lindenhurst NY real estate market. Will some that live south of Montauk Highway abandon those homes? Maybe. I know most will rebuild because that is the talk I've been hearing from the residents down there. People that live on or near the water love it or else they wouldn't live there in the first place. Call J... 11/12/2012

Open House 408 S. 1st Street Lindenhurst NY This 3 bedroom Victorian Colonial home located in the heart of Meridale Park in Lindenhurst Village, was built in 1891 and has been beautifully restored from top to bottom. Open House Info When: Sunday, November 18th, 2012Time: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. View 408 S. 1st Street Lindenhurst NY Meridale Park Home For Sale in a larger map Property size: 40 x 100 low maintenace yard that will take you about 20 minutes to mow. Property Taxes: $8,271.64 with the Basic Star Exemption. Lindenhurst NY Village Taxes: $526.76 There is a custom built four-seasons room that has windows on three sides and at the top and is easily accessible from the 19' x 15' eat-in kitchen. The eat-in kitchen is larger than what you are used to seeing and has cherry cabinets and stai... 11/11/2012

What Are The Average Property Taxes for Lindenhurst NY? The average property taxes for Lindenhurst NY as of 10/31/12 are $8,008. Property taxes for Lindenhurst NY as well as other towns on Long Island are subjective. There are so many different homes on the market with different size properties. Always compare apples to apples. For example, if you want to buy a three bedroom Ranch home with property size of 100 x 100 (10,000 sqaure feet), then compare those property taxes with homes that are similar. Lindenhurst NY property taxes are based on property size and the size of the home. A 4 bedroom High Ranch home will have higher property taxes than a 3 bedroom Cape. Unless the 3 bedroom Cape is on a half acre of property or more. See how this all can be subjective? When buying a home in Li... 11/11/2012

What Home Improvements Need a Certificate of Occupancy in the Town of Babylon? Anytime you change the footprint of your home, you need a certificate of occupancy or also known as a CO. You will also need building permits. The list below will help you determine when you need a CO and apply for building permits: Room additions like adding a den/family room or any other type of room. Erecting a garage. Placing a shed on your property larger than 10' x 10'. Kitchen and Bath remodeling - When you relocate plumbing then you will need a building permit. Koi Pond Decks Porch addition. Installing a wood burning stove or gas fireplace. Gazebos Hot Tubs The links below have more information about CO's and building permits:Building Permits for Non-Building StructuresBuilding PermitsBuilding Permit ... 11/10/2012

The Long Island NY Home Buying Process  The chart below shows the Long Island NY home buying process step by step along with explanations. Please note that some real estate terms may be different in other states. Accepted Offer - This is when the buyer and seller agree to the sales price of the home. Home Inspection - The buyer hires a licensed home inspector to see if there is anything major wrong with the home like roof leaks, structural issues, potential gas leaks, inspect the oil tank, heating systems, etc. It should take 2 to 2-1/2 hours to inspect most homes unless the home is smaller or larger than average. If there are major issues with the home then it needs to be discussed with the seller's agent or their attorney to work them out. Contract Signing (Buyer) - If there are no in... 11/08/2012

Town of Babylon Offering Free Electrical Inspections LIPA is requiring electrical inspections before turning on utilities. The Town of Babylon have people going door to door in flood zones to inspect homes. If you are in the flood zone (south of Montauk Highway and barrier beach locations), then you get an electrical inspection for FREE. These inspections are necessary to ensure your safety as well as the public's safety. You can also call 631-957-7466 to schedule an electrical inspection. These inspections are necessary since flood waters had entered these homes south of Montauk Highway and entered into the electrical sockets. LIPA will not turn you on until you receive a certificate titled: Authorization to Energize. Also read the customer service letter to LIPA customers: LIPA's Publ... 11/07/2012

Why Can't I Use The Listing Agent When Buying A Long Island NY House? You can use the listing agent. But, they owe fiduciary duties to the homeowner, not you. You will get fair and honest treatment as defined by the New York Department of State, but the listing agent will negotiate on behalf of the homeowner, not you, the buyer. The listing agent's job is to get as much money for their client as possible. You can get your own Long Island real estate agent but beware that unless you hire them as your Buyer's Agent, they will still be representing the homeowner. Some think that going through the listing agent will get the buyer a great deal since the listing agent will earn the entire commission. Not true. I wouldn't throw my seller-clients under the bus just to double-end a deal. Most of... 11/07/2012

Photos of Lindenhurst NY Volunteers After Hurricane Sandy Yesterday, the Lindenhurst Patch put on their Facebook page that a family in Lindy needed help pulling down sheet rock. I went to the home and about 2 hours later a lot more people showed up. You can't imagine how overwhelmed the homeowners were and the relief in their eyes that they were getting help and so very thankful. All of the sheet rock that need to be removed was done is 3 hours. Five men including the homeowner did all this. Myself and a few others swept and got the sheet rock off the floor and into the garbage. Volunteer below and a nice guy! Some of the volunteers below talking with the homeowner. The dumpster you see in the photo was courtesy of the Town of Babylon. The woman below came with her teenage daughter: Red... 11/07/2012