 As a Realtor, I earn my living helping people buy and sell homes. That said, once in a while it’s important to help both buyer and seller clients consider other options.
I met with a wonderful older woman in Lake Placid last year who told me that she wanted to sell her home and move into a condo. After my second visit and a conversation over coffee it became apparent that what she really wanted was to not sell her home, but she would need her sons to help her maintain the property.  Purchasing a home can be quite a bit easier and more simple than you may imagine, as long as you have thought out your intentions, and have done your homework. The following are a few tips to help you navigate the start of the home buying process and avoid costly mistakes.
 Happy Winter!
February has been a busy real estate month in the tri-lakes with quite a few home sales, meetings with perspective home buyers, and speaking with sellers who are preparing their homes for market after the snow melts. “Do I need to do renovations or updating before listing my house in the Spring?” is one of the questions home sellers have today. The following remodel ideas may help you add some value to your home.    When most folks think of “red hot” real estate in the Adirondacks, they rightfully think of Lake Placid. “Insiders” will tell you however that Wilmington is just as “red hot”, with very high demand, low inventory, and exceptional growth in market values.
As the above graphs demonstrate, the average sale price of homes in Wilmington over the last 6 years is up 62% in value. Obviously this is not to say that a home that sold in 2012 is now worth 62% more, but the data does show us that values have increased along with an investment in the Community. 2/4/2019 Who ya gonna call? You're probably aware that you have to disclose any known physical issues with your house when you're selling it—such as a leaking roof or a cracked foundation. But did you know you might have to disclose spiritual problems, as well?
Seriously. Disclosures are a key part of your real estate transaction requiring sellers to document any known defects to potential buyers.  Buying a house is just a little more complicated than buying a pizza at Little Italy. Buying a home will require much more money, thought, and preparation. Since purchasing real estate is not something you often do, it’s understandable that you may not be fully familiar with the process. Luckily, if you’re partnered with the right Realtor, the process should go smoothly, and maybe even be fun. That said, there are certain things you need to do. So, here’s my list of things I wish every one of my clients understood about buying a home.
 Let's be honest. You want to sell your home for as much as you possibly can. Who wouldn't?
The Lake Placid area real estate market is very active, and demand is very high. This is a great time to consider listing your home for sale, but, if you want to get the most for your home, there are things you need to do. Here's a list of my top 8 secrets for selling your home for more.  Yes, the walkways do need shoveling this time of year, and if you're as lucky as I am, your wife helps you with it.
Growing up on Long Island, I don't remember my parents enjoying winter very much. I think for them winter snow was a hassle. Higher fuel bills, a driveway to maintain, and Lord help us, what do we do if school closes? When Ellen and I moved to Lake Placid in 1990, we met one of our neighbors, Gary Hodgson, a State Forest Ranger. He told us that the former owner of our home had purchased in the summer, went through one winter, and then moved quickly back to Connecticut, vowing to never go through another cold season. Gary told us "You kids better learn to embrace winter. If you don't, you'll never make it here".  The importance of a quality home inspection, and questions you should ask.
Congratulations, you found your Adirondack dream home, and successfully negotiated an agreement to purchase. Now it’s time to schedule a home inspection. Ask your Realtor for suggestions on hiring a professional, certified home inspector. In the Lake Placid/Saranac Lake/Wilmiington area we have several highly qualified inspectors that can be recommended based on particular situations. 1/2/2019 And so it begins... My first blog post.
Honestly, a few years ago I had no idea what "blog" even meant. But here I am, a bit intimidated, but venturing forward. Onward and upward as they say. Where to start.... I batted around discussing current real estate market conditions, or maybe I can talk about conditions on Excelsior at Whiteface Mtn. Maybe I should just talk about vacation rentals and Airbnb, especially since it seems to be a hot topic right now. Or maybe I should just start at the beginning..... |
AuthorBob Miller is an Associate Broker with 10 years of real estate experience as well as 15 years of service as a former Lake Placid School Board member, and is currently a 3-time elected Town Councilman in Lake Placid. Archives
April 2020
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2/25/2019
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