This Month in Real Estate - August 2013 Market Update

Keller Williams Realty Landmark | 32-55 Francis Lewis Blvd. | Bayside | NY | 11358

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Protecting Your Home: Locks, Lights and Good Neighbors

One of the crimes most frequently reported to the police is residential burglary. It's also the most
preventable. It doesn't take much or cost much to outsmart most burglars. They're usually not professionals, but rather people taking advantage of an easy target. Burglars may do more than steal things. If they're surprised by someone coming home or if they choose a home that's occupied, someone may get hurt.

Tips on Safeguarding Your Home

• Make sure all exterior doors have good locks at least deadbolt locks with a 1" throw.
• Always lock up when you go out, even if only for a minute
• Secure sliding glass doors with bars or locks, or put a broom handle in the door track.
• Make sure your windows have good locks, especially those at ground level.
• Make sure all porches, entrances, and outside areas are well lit.
• Trim any bushes or trees that hide doors or windows.
• Maintain your yard and keep ladders and tools inside when you're not using them.
• Don't hide your keys under the doormat or in a flowerpot. That's the first place burglars look! It's much better to give an extra key to a trusted neighbor.
• Mark your valuable property like TVs, DVD players, computers, cameras and stereos with your driver's license number.
• Keep a record of your property in a safe place.
• Install an alarm system for summoning emergency help.
• If you park your car outside, never leave a garage door opener in the car.

When you go away:

• When you go away Ask a neighbor to collect your mail and newspapers, and offer to return the favor.
• Put an automatic timer on at least two lights and a radio. Consider photoelectric sensors to turn outside lights on and off automatically.
• Tell a trusted neighbor when you're leaving and when you'll return. Include an itinerary and phone numbers where you can be reached in an emergency.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

There's more to crime prevention than locks and lighting. The fact is, concerned neighbors who

watch out for each other are the front line defenses against crime.

• Get to know your neighbors and discuss your concerns about the neighborhood.
• Be alert to things that invite crime like poor street lighting, boarded up buildings, a lack of recreational activities or jobs for teens, vacant lots littered with debris and inadequate daycare and after school programs. Work with law enforcement, civic groups, schools, churches and service clubs to solve the problems.
• Alert law enforcement to suspicious activities and any crimes.
• Report nonworking street lights, abandoned houses and other problems.
• Join a Neighborhood Watch group. If there's no Watch organization in your neighborhood, start one with help from local law enforcement and community groups. Joining a

 

Neighborhood Watch, Block Watch, Town Watch, Crime Watch - whatever the name, it's one of the most effective and least costly ways to prevent crime and reduce fear. Neighborhood Watch fights the isolation that crime both creates and feeds upon. It forges bonds among area residents, helps reduce burglaries and robberies, and improves relations between police and the communities that
they serve.

A few concerned residents, a community organization or a law enforcement agency can spearhead the effort to organize a Watch. Members learn how to make their homes more secure, watch out for each other and the neighborhood, and report activities that raise their suspicions to the police or sheriff's office.

 

Watch groups are not vigilantes. They are extra eyes and ears for reporting crime and  helping neighbors. Neighborhood Watch helps build pride and serves as a springboard for efforts that address community concerns such as recreation for youth, child care, and affordable housing.

 

Cristina Callegari

Keller Williams Realty Landmark

32 -55 Francis Lewis Blvd.

Bayside, NY 11358

718-475-2700

9179-21-5397

ccallegari@kw.com

www.nyhomeshowcase.com

Neighborhood Spotlight on Hollis Hills, NY

by Cristina Callegari


Hollis Hills, located in Northeastern Queens, has remained largely unheard of to those living outside of it's immediate area, and is often times confused with the neighborhood of Hollis. That fact is that these two distinct neighborhoods in Queens County are not geographically adjacent, nor do Hollis and Hollis Hills have anything in common as far as architecture, median income, home styles, home prices, etc.


Development in Hollis Hills began before World War II and continued through the 1950s. There are approximately 1,200 homes in this sleepy suburb and it’s only shopping centers and restaurants are located at 212th Street and Union Turnpike, and on the corners of Union Turnpike and Springfield Boulevard. Hollis Hills is bound by Springfield Boulevard to the East, Grand Central Parkway to the South, Hollis Hills Terrace to the West and more loosely bound by Kingsbury Avenue and Richland Avenue to the North. Over the past 8 years many homeowners have re-built, remodeled and expanded their existing homes, and many older homes that were sold were torn down by their new owners and new construction was put in it's place.


Unfortunately, Hollis Hills was not immune to the McMansion boom that North Eastern Queens saw in the early 2000s, and you can find some mis-placed Contemporary homes among the classic Tudors and Colonials. However, the neighborhood's conservative Civic Association has since implemented rules about chopping down the old majestic Oak trees, and they even have opinions on the color of brick you can use in construction, i.e., in this case the gentlemen of the Civic Association do not prefer blondes - blonde brick that is! (And I for one stand behind the Hollis Hills Civic Association in their efforts as I have a vested interest - I moved to Hollis Hills when I was 13 years old with my family and my parents still reside there.)


While Hollis Hills may not be known by many, those who live here love it’s quiet, tree-lined streets, over sized lots, and the many grand traditional homes. However, the real draw to the area is notoriously well-ranked P.S. 188 Elementary School. Year-after-year P.S. 188 has been awarded the prestigious honor of being one of the top 5 elementary schools in all of New York City. Couple that with a 20 minute drive into Manhattan (barring traffic of course) or a 45 minute Express Bus ride into Midtown and you have a recipe for Real Estate Success!


If you would like to buy or sell a home in Hollis Hills don't hesitate to call me, Cristina Callegari, at 917-921-5397, or send an e-mail to ccallegari@kw.com.

Keller Williams Realty Signs Deal with CitiMortgage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUSTIN, TEXAS (January 24, 2011)–Keller Williams Realty, Inc. announced today that it has entered into an agreement with CitiMortgage to create a customized mortgage services program for the company’s offices across the United States. This type of agreement is the first of its kind for Keller Williams Realty and CitiMortgage.

CitiMortgage will now offer Keller Williams Realty clients reduced fees on jumbo loans, and as a part of the SureStart Pre-Approval® program, will not charge a pre-approval fee for Keller Williams agent’s buyers. As a part of CitiMortgage’s commitment to exceptional service, they also offer all Keller Williams borrowers an On Time Closing Guarantee of $1,500.

“Our goal is to ensure that our associates have access to the best resources possible so they can focus on their main priority-their client. We are confident that with five million mortgage customers, CitiMortgage has the experience and expertise to support our Market Centers and associates at the highest level possible," said Anthony Azar, director of strategic business alliances at Keller Williams Realty.

CitiMortgage will also support Keller Williams Realty in its efforts to help associates win more business. In addition, Market Centers will have the opportunity for an in-house mortgage representative, as well as a dedicated support and fulfillment team for Keller Williams associates and their clients.

“CitiMortgage was looking for a national realtor partner and after reviewing Keller Williams business model and culture, we realized this was a perfect fit for both companies," said Fred Bolstad, managing director of National Sales for CitiMortgage. “CitiMortgage can provide the strong training and tools their agents need to succeed. Our service-oriented national lending platform can help their customers realize the dream of home ownership in a more efficient and effective way."

Housing Shortage on the Horizon?

by Cristina Callegari Kanellopoulos

It is probably a hard pill for most of you to swallow under the current economic conditions that we are headed towards a housing shortage. But, alas, this is exactly where we are headed.

In order for Developers to keep up with the ever growing U.S. population they must build approximately 1.6 to 1.7 Million new homes per year. This also helps cover the older homes that are demolished, or condemned, in addition to all our "new additions," (cheesy pun definitely intended).

During 2003 to 2006 home building was far exceeding the historical average. So much so that builders created a surplus of 1.3 Million units.

No one noticed the over-production because investors were gobbling them up with easy access to cash, and banks more than willing to lend to anyone. However, once the economy began turning, and all the ready cash was gone - the investors were forced to sell off their excessive inventories due to dropping prices.

So, from 2007-2010 builders/developers began under-producing housing units. As a result today, it is estimated that there are approximately 700,000 empty units above and beyond the normal and necessary levels.

That's a good thing, right?

Well, the answer isn't so simple.

If the economy doesn't begin to improve, and builders continue not to build we will bridge the gap rather quickly and we will begin facing a housing shortage.

This will once again inflate housing prices, and set the U.S. up for yet another housing bubble that will eventually burst.

What we need here is some balance and stability.

How do we achieve that? I'm not sure. But for all you builders and developers out there - I'd like you to know that if you build it - I can certainly sell it!

Have a safe and Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Not So Fast Folks - First Time Home Buyer Credit Not Extended

By Cristina Callegari Kanellopoulos

There was a misleading media frenzy this morning reporting that the First Time Home Buyer Credit has been extended. Unfortunately, this isn't accurate.

Here are the facts:

• The tax credit extension is NOT currently a stand alone bill. It is being packaged in as part of a compromise on the EI (Employment Insurance) Bill currently in the Senate.
• Democrat and Republican Senators alike are in the process of negotiating the EI Bill with the tax credit included as an amendment. If they agree on the proposed amendments to the EI Bill, it is possible that the Tax Credit Extension Bill could pass the Senate as early as this week.
• The House of Representative has released a statement that they will agree to whatever the Senate decides. If that is the case the Tax Extension could be passed as early as next week in the Senate and House of Representatives.
• If the Senate does not agree to the amendments in the proposed EI Bill, a separate stand-alone Bill will need to be introduced to the Senate. This Bill will likely be introduced by Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA who is also a Realtor) and Chris Dodd (D-CT).

While there is no guarantee that the EI Bill will pass with the First Time Tax Buyers credit as an amendment, I remain hopeful that it will.

I will continue to keep you updated on the subject.