Long Island Real Estate Blog

Every year, Gallup surveys Americans to determine their choice for the best long-term investment. Respondents are given a choice between real estate, stocks/mutual funds, gold, savings accounts/CDs, or bonds.

“Wishin’ and hopin’ and ‘ thinkin’ and prayin,'”  the first line of a  Burt Bacharach tune sung by Dusty Springfield and by numerous other artists gives some pertinent advice on how not to find love.  This simple advice is also the cornerstone of how not to sell a property.  If you want to sell your ... Read more

Homeownership will always be a part of the American Dream. There are advantages to owning your own home (educational, health, social) that far transcend any economic impact. However, we want to look at several of the financial advantages of homeownership in today’s post.

When it comes to buying a home, whether it is your first time or your fifth, it is always important to know all the facts. With the large number of mortgage programs available that allow buyers to purchase a home with a down payment below 20%, you can never have too much information about Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI).

So you just lost out on a bidding war on the 3rd house you have put bids in on.  You offered full price, but was then asked to provide your final and best offer.  So you increased your offer by another $2,000 and still lost out on the home you fell in love with. Situations like ... Read more

This time of year, many people eagerly check their mailboxes looking for their tax return check from the IRS. But, what do most people plan to do with the money? GO Banking Rates recently surveyed Americans and asked the question - “What do you plan on doing with your tax refund?”

Saving for a down payment is often the biggest hurdle for a first-time homebuyer. Depending on where you live, median income, median rents, and home prices all vary. So, we set out to find out how long would it take you to save for a down payment in each state?

Many Americans got some depressing news last week; either their tax return was not as large as they had hoped or, in some cases, they were told they owed additional money to either the Federal or State government or both. One way to save on taxes is to own your own home.