Don't stress when you get to the closing table. Although many real estate transactions are very complex, there are many people put in place to help things along. It's imperative you stay confident and work through any issues that arise. You want to keep things positive! Just make sure to stay calm and don't over react. The worst thing you could do is over react and then it just escalates any problem. For more buying and selling tips, please visit www.RochesterHomeLocator.com and let the Salafia Sold Team help you today! 06/24/2011

What is a balloon loan? A balloon loan is a type of loan that does not amortize over its term. A balloon payment is required at the end of the loan. Basically, you need to pay the loan off in it's entirity at the end. They are attractive because they usually carry a lower interest rate with a longer term. However, be aware that the risk is greater than a normal loan and the interest rate will go up. Please visit www.RochesterHomeLocator.com for more information on Rochester, NY real estate and to view our current homes in Rochester, New York. 06/23/2011

For savvy home owners, a home equity loan may be a great way to go. Many home equity loans have low interest rates and you can deduct the interest when you file taxes. However, not all the same. Keep in mind that the APR is calculated differently on a traditional home equity loan compared to a home equity line of credit. Shop smart, and ask lots of questions! Visit www.RochesterHomeLocator.com for more buying and selling tips and to see all the Rochester, NY real estate. 06/23/2011

Being house poor is a personal decision. There are 2 sides to it. House poor means that your mortgage payment and other expenses for the home take up a larger percentage of your income. Some buyers feel this is okay because they expect to get raises and promotions therefore eventually the mortgage payment and expenses won't seem as high. This is definitely a risky way to think. You shouldn't count on anything other than the facts at the present moment. What happens if you lose that job? You don't want to be even more strapped for money. Overall, it's best to not be house poor! Try to create an even balance with all your expenses. For more buying and selling tips, please visit www.RochesterHomeLocator.com there you'll find all the homes in Rochester New York. 06/23/2011

Check out our new listing on 145 Laurelwood Dr in Greece, NY. This home is a hard to find Cape Cod with 1st floor master. Living room has gleaming hardwood floors & fireplace. The living room leads to the formal dining room. Large eat-in kitchen with slider to deck. Newer carpet. Full basement. This home is a best buy in Greece, NY! Currently listed at $137,900. Make sure to visit www.RochesterHomeLocator.com for more information on Real Estate in Rochester New York and to see what The Salafia Sold Team has to offer! 06/22/2011

We currently have these homes in Greece, NY that we feel are truly bargain priced. Are you looking for Rochester New York Real Estate? Want to live in a fantastic suburb with great schools? Consider these 3 great homes: 1. 61 Images Way - $159,900 2. 88 Guinevere Dr - $139,900 3. 145 Laurelwood Dr - $137,900 Click on www.RochesterHomeLocator.com to view pictures of these homes and a ton of other valuable information on these homes in Rochester, NY. 06/22/2011

We have some great Rochester real estate worthy of your time. If you are seeking to live on the east side of Rochester, NY and have been looking for a property to spark your interest, look no further! Come to www.RochesterHomeLocator.com and view pictures and comments on these great homes: 9 White Brook Rise - $139,900 in Perinton, NY 8 Sasan Pkwy - $525,000 Pittsford, NY 79 Saint Andrews Blvd - $229,900 Perinton, NY Check out pictures, schedule a showing or view inside information on this Rochester real estate today at www.RochesterHomeLocator.com   06/21/2011

We just listed two new homes we want to tell the world about. If you are searching for homes in Rochester, NY we have something worth a look! First we listed 145 Laurelwood Dr. This gorgeous home is a fantastic find due to its location, size and condition. The home is off of Weiland Rd across from Unity Medical Center. This great neighborhood has a lot of character and is worthy of a closer look if you are seeking a home in Greece, NY. Just click on our link to www.RochesterHomeLocator.com for more information. The second home is located at 9 Starlite Dr in Chili, NY. This home has a great floor plan with a great room sized family room with a gas fireplace. The kitchen was newly remodeled to include a gorgeous new kitchen. To view pictures of either of these great homes in Rochester, NY... 06/21/2011

I love sharing insights from blogger Steve Harney, because he really has his finger on the pulse of the national real estate market. In this post, he shares links to articles from four media organizations, all of whom advocate purchasing a home in the current market. The best news? Contrary to what he states, prices are not falling in our area, they're remaining stable. That means it's a fantastic time to buy in the Rochester area!    Why They Are Saying to Buy A Home Now by The KCM Crew on June 14, 2011 Despite what appears to be a non-stop wave of tough news regarding real estate, four major media players have come out this month with the same advice: It Is Time to Buy a Home! Here are the four articles and a breakdown as to why the advice makes sense. The Wall Street Journal: Why It'... 06/21/2011

Credit card debt is something we as Americans know all to well. Today's youth see Mom and Dad use their credit cards for everything and think that's the only way to buy things. It's easy to fall victim to them and in hard times that may be your only saving grace. But it stays with you for the rest of your life, and when it comes to young people getting credit cards, it can become an endless pit. Many of them don't realize the affect it has on their credit down the line. When they want to purchase a home, if you have too much debt to income ratio, you won't qualify for a mortgage, or you won't be able to qualify for as much as they'd hope. If you are a parent reading this, teach your children that having credit is good, but to make sure they pay off the balances in full. And consider deb... 06/20/2011

How can you deal with ridiculously high assessments in New York State? First, when your tax assessment arives in the mail, determine if it's based on 100% of the value of your home. Some areas are 80%. Determine the assessment date, some areas go 3 years or 5 years. You usually can't go back and fight last years bill, you can only appeal this years bill. Make sure you act quickly, the deadlines are deadlines and you may only have a short period of time to appeal your bill.  Lastly, make sure you do your research. When you go to appeal your assessment, they are going to want facts and proof to show that they should lower your assessment. You can't just go in and say it isn't fair and you want a reduction. You need to have the facts to back them up. Check out www.RochesterHomeLocator.comf... 06/20/2011

So frequently in our business a Realtor is hired to list a property and the agent exaggerates the property to the point that it is unrecognizable by it's online description. This truly has become a topic of debate when referring to Rochester real estate. I viewed a home with clients that were disappointed that a home was described to be "Pottery Barn Decor" accompanied by pictures that illustrate that. We ourselves have even been criticized when listing Rochester real estate. After all, isn't the goal of the listing agent to drive traffic however possible? I write this blog to urge my fellow Rochester real estate agents to list your Rochester real estate with the goal of presenting what buyers will see. There is no shame in using terms like "neutral decor" or "clean home with pride of o... 06/17/2011

If you are from another part of the world where Real Estate is obnoxiously expensive and home ownership is not seeming to become a reality. We urge you to consider relocating to Rochester, NY. We have actually come across people who have relocated to our city for this very reason. Rochester, NY has made national news for it's low cost housing and we notice particularily people in the health field gravitate towards our beautiful city from all over the world! If you want to learn more about Rochester Real Estate we would love to guide you. Rochester real estate is among the most attainable in the world and what you get is a fantastic product! For more information visit www.RochesterHomeLocator.com . This website is a great resource to learn about each town in Rochester, NY as well as Roch... 06/17/2011

Second floor laundries are a great newer innovation to two level living.  Many people love them for the convenience of not dragging your family's clothes up and down the stairs, but don't forget a new home for your mop and bucket or a place to wash your feet before entering the house.  Having represented many clients in new build construction, we often get the request for a second floor laundry. Our builder's favorite architect pointed out the aforementioned point.  "A second floor laundry is great" he said, "but consider a small drain and faucet in the utility closet."  Utility closets are a small use of space with a large benefit to those opting for a 2nd floor laundry! More great new construction tips for Rochester home buyers and seller are available 24/7 at www.RochesterHomeLocator... 06/16/2011

Many people building homes are now starting to downsize their plans. They are deciding to build smaller because they don't need as much space. A smaller home has proven to be just as useful as a larger home. They have found that you can have the same amenities in a smaller home, without it costing as much money. When you're building you can make the most of your space. Along with the current state of the economy, it's not economical to build huge homes and pay for all the maintenance and utilities. Visit www.PondView4Me.com for more information on home building in Rochester, NY. For all buying and selling tips, please visit www.RochesterHomeLocator.com . Let The Salafia Sold Team help you build your dream home! 06/16/2011

Many people feel that it's necessary when they do a kitchen remodel to completely tear out the kitchen. In some cases this may be, but if you're looking to do it on a budget, read on. Some simple and tactful updates to a kitchen is as easy as changing the hardware on the cabinets doors. This takes may be a few hours and will give you that updated look. Another tip is when your cabinets are in good shape, but you don't like the color, try painting them. The in look now is an off white, cream color. It's very simple and makes a TON of difference. Tearing out a whole kitchen is bothersome, especially if the cabinets are in good shape. Why go through the hassle when you can do something as simple as painting? Go to www.RochesterHomeLocator.com for more tips! For a ton of buying and sellings... 06/15/2011

Many people come across this question when listing their home for sale. We find it easy to decide when considering your particular situation. A. Is your home in a price point that others are likely to have to sell an existing home in order to proceed with a purchase, see your agent for further details on your particular home. B. Are you getting a huge amount of activity from non-contingent buyers? C. What type of home is the contingent offer contingent upon? Ask questions here- has the home been listed for a while? What is the purchase price of their home? Is it a fair price? What condition is the home in? We highly recommend taking your Real Estate professionals advice when considering a contingent offer, but you should be aware of questions, A-C as the more you know the the more infor... 06/15/2011

Check out this MINT 2003 BUILT COLONIAL in Parma, NY! It features a 2 story foyer with open staircase and balcony. The large great room is sure to impress. The kitchen has a sliding glass door to back yard. The yard is huge and is .46 acres. The master bedroom has a walk in closet and full bath. The full front porch makes this home the best. It also features 2x6 construction and an architectural roof. The home is bargain priced and you won't find anything like this! Visit www.RochesterHomeLocator.com and go to 516 Hamlin Parma Townline Rd in Parma, NY. Let the Salafia Sold Team help you with all your Rochester, NY Real Estate needs today. We will be sure to surpass all your expectations. Go to www.RochesterHomeLocator.com for more information. 06/14/2011

We took a call today from a Real Estate consumer looking for an alternative to renting but not yet ready to purchase a home. The called said, "I'm sick of paying rent and I want something that my monthly payments will go towards." This gentleman was directed to us after visiting www.Rent2OwnRoc.com This site has Rochester, NY single family homes all over Monroe County including Penfield, NY, Greece, NY, Brighton, NY, Perinton, NY, and everywhere in between. When he learned that his rent could be used to go toward the purchase of a home he was immediately interested in. If you live in Rochester, NY check out a site we have dedicated to rent to own homes. This site is a great resource to anyone needing 6-12 months to purchase a home, check out www.Rent2OwnRoc.com . For other Rochester, NY... 06/14/2011

How many times have you seen a photo like this in the MLS?   What was the agent selling, the furniture?   And this one...   Couldn't the agent have taken the time to get out of the car??   It always amazes me when agents don't take the time to take high-quality photos of their listings. Since over 90% of today's buyers start their home searches on the internet, the MLS photos are the public face of that property! Buyers decide whether or not that home is worth seeing based on those photos. Don't some agents want their listings to sell? Now, I'm not saying agents need to hire a professional photographer to capture each new listing. I don't. I would just love to see everyone in our profession take the time to try different angles and lighting. Since the advent of digital cameras, we can t... 05/14/2011