The Real State of the Babylon Village Real Estate Market - Monthly Market Snapshot for Single Family Homes - October 2014by Jackie Connelly-Fornuff with Douglas Elliman of Babylon (631) 703-0201 In October 2014, the Babylon Village median sales price was $406,000 up 4.10% from October 2013. The highest home sale for 2014 thus far is $875,000 for a four bedroom, six room Colonial with two full baths, a full unfinished basement and 90 feet of bulkhead on Thompson Avenue. 12 homes went under contract during October 2014 which is up 100% from this time last year. This is due to decreasing available homes on the market and buyers are experiencing tight negotiating. The Babylon Village housing market is in a seller’s market as long as the house is priced right so buyers should expect to pay... 10/31/2014

7 Misconceptions About Realtors® There are so many misconceptions the public has about Realtors®. Whether it is from their own experience or hearing "stories" from other people. I'm hoping this will help more folks realize Realtors® are hard working and always have their clients best interests at heart. "You make so much money" - Of course you would think that. You see that big fat check that is handed over to pay the commission at the closing table made payable to the Broker. After an agent's commission split and other fees, your Realtor® receives much less. It is simple math: $10,000 - $1,000 (10% franchise fee) - $540.00 (6% Admin fee from Broker) - $4,500 (50% Broker split) - $250.00 (referral fee) - $150.00 (Just Listed postcard mailing in order to generate buyers for your home) = ... 10/30/2014

2014 Halloween Events Around Long Island NY There are numerous Halloween events across Long Island NY. Whether it is a Rocky Horror Picture Show event to costume parties, there is fun to be had for everyone of all ages! Friday, October 31st, 2014Halloween Dinner and Costume Party and Haunted Night at The Races will be held at American Legion Post 411 at 39 Nassau Avenue in Islip from 6:30opm to midnight. Call 631-277-8383 for more information Big Laughs in Bay Shore will be held at the Boulton Center, 37 West Main Street in Bay Shore at 8pm. Call 631-969-1101 for more information The Zen Room will present a Rocky Horror Picture Show Halloween Spectacular at Glen Cove Cinemas at 5 School Street in Glen Cove at 11:30pm. Visit www.zenproductionsny.com Frank Brush Barn Halloween Costume Par... 10/30/2014

The Multiple Listing Service of Long Island Rule 302.1 & 302.2 Both of these MLS of Long Island rules go hand in hand. MLS Rule 302.1 - Participants are obligated to assist other participants with respect to the showing of a listed property as well as presenting offers. This means that showings can't be held off and the same goes for offers. See Rule 302.2 below: * MLS Rule 302.2 - Any instructions by a seller to the listing Broker regarding the limiting of the showing, presentation of an offer or the presence of the cooperating Broker in that presentation must be authorized in writing by the seller and a copy be made available upon request by the cooperating Broker. This means the cooperating Broker/Agent can present an offer in person to the seller with the listing agent present. If t... 10/28/2014

Homes for Sale in Argyle Park in Babylon NY There is one new construction home for sale in Argyle Park located in Babylon NY. This Colonial home in Argyle Park, Babylon NY has four bedrooms, a dressing room in the master suite, three full baths, a partially finished full basement, eat-in kitchen, formal dining room, den, hardwood floors, fireplace, central air, three heating zones, stone patio and a two-car attached garage. The partially finished basement has 9 foot ceilings and has  a media and playroom.  This Argyle Park home in Babylon NY boasts 3,400 square feet of space and 90 x 100 property all situated in the Argyle Park section of Babylon NY. Call Jackie today 631.703.0201 to view this exquisite home you can call your own. Argyle Park in Babylon NY is beautiful in the Fall:     ... 10/27/2014

"I Didn't Expect You To Call Me So Fast!" Those are the words I heard when I returned a phone call to someone who read my blog last week about how do I get a copy of my deed? He found this blog I wrote almost a year ago this month: How Do I Get a Copy of my Deed in Suffolk County? He was confused about who I was until I told him the message he left me. Then he stated, "I Didn't Expect You to Call Me So Fast!" "I aim to please" I said and we had a laugh. He told me his house in Smithtown NY is under contract and wanted to know how he can get a copy of his deed since no one else was helping him (don't get me started on that one). I told him to call the Town of Smithtown first because maybe they have deeds filed there. If not, I gave him the phone number to the Suffolk County Clerk's Offic... 10/26/2014

Babylon Horse Riding Center in West Babylon The Babylon Riding Center is located at 1500 Peconic Avenue in West Babylon and is along the scenic Carll's River. The Babylon Riding Center offer lessons (private, semi-private and group lessons) as well as indoor and outdoor rings, boarding/leasing seven days a week and the stalls are cleaned daily as well as your horse being fed quality feed and are exercised , the equipment they offer are boots, britches, saddles, hats, riding crops. You can visit their on-site shop. Children's parties which they can accommodate up to 10 children and have pony rides for children ages 4 through 7. Contact Information for Babylon Riding CenterPhone: (631) 587-7778Email: Info@babylonridingcenter.com 10/23/2014

Events Around Long Island10/24/14 - 10/26/14 Between this Friday through Sunday there is something fun for everyone! From yard sales to Halloween fun and everything in between, I am sure you will find something fun to do for yourself and the whole family. Friday October 24th, 2014Long Island Head Start will be hosting a legislative luncheon at Captain Bill's in Bay Shore from 11:30am to 2:00pm. For more information please call 631-758-5200 Kings Park - Stories From an American Mental Institution will be screened in the Muriel & Virginia Pless Center for Performing Arts, O'Connor Hall at St. Joseph's College at 6:30pm. Call for more information 631-687-1217 The 37th Anniversary Celebration of Life Gala will be held at Carlyle On The Green at Bethpage State Park, 99 Quaker Meeting House ... 10/22/2014

How Will a Pre-Home Sale Inspection Benefit You, The Seller?     Most homeowners never want to spend the money on a home inspection before putting their home on the market. Below are a few reasons how it will benefit you and keep you having the upper hand so to speak:     You will find out ahead of time any issues that could come up when the buyer does their home inspection. This will give you the opportunity to fix any small items therefore not giving a buyer reasons to either lower their offer, or nickel and dime you, the seller. A home inspection will let you know of any major issues like a leaky roof you do not know about, faulty heating, water heater, air conditioning units, basement leaks, and even termite activity, past or present. Termites like to eat the sill plates and other w... 10/21/2014

  3 Great Reasons Why You Should Put Your Long Island House on the Market During the Holidays      Many Babylon NY homeowners think the holidays and colder months are the worst time to put their home on the market. Below are two reasons why it benefits you to sell your home now, than in the Spring:   The holidays are when most folks are happy. When a buyer sees your home decorated for the holidays, it helps them to see what the home will look like when they own it.You will be capturing their emotions also. Less homes on the market = less competition for you. That's right, if you price your home properly mixed with less competition, your home will sell and you will probably see a bidding war for your home. There are always the same amount of buyers during the year so do not worry about t... 10/20/2014

What Does Your Front Door Say About Your Home?       Besides landscaping, one of the first things a buyer sees is the front door. If they see a front door not looking like it should, it gives the impression you do not care. Below are tips to spruce of your front door to make a great first impression:   Repaint - If you have shutters next to your window, paint the front door the same color. See how nice the home above looks? The front door being the same color as the shutters made the front of the home "pop". New Hardware - Replace the doorknob and hinges with new ones. This does help. If you have glass inserts, clean them on both sides. This helps with allowing natural light through. Squeaky door? WD-40 the hinges and voila!, no more squeaks. Just make sure to use the WD-40 a few days ... 10/20/2014

Suffolk County Homeowners, Lighten Up! I know what you're thinking. Lighten up about what? Your home, that's watt.Before putting your Suffolk County home on the market, take a step back and see how bright your home really is. You want your Babylon Village home to be presented in its best light. Below are helpful tips to help you keep your home bright and cheery.   Keep windows clean inside and out. Dirty windows block the natural light from entering. Keep your curtains and blinds open especially during showings. Replace dark curtains/drapery/blinds with lighter ones. You will be amazed at the difference it makes. Clean skylights. Make sure all rooms are adequately lit. Paint dark walls with light colors. Place light colored area rugs onto dark floors. Replace all non-working light bulbs... 10/16/2014

Babylon Village Best Restaurants Babylon Village is best known for its restaurants. Whatever your tastebuds desire, you will find it here. Below is a short list of Babylon Village's best restaurants and what I feel are the best of the best!Glen's DinetteGlen's Dinette is located on Main Street just East of Deer Park Avenue. They are famous for their Blue Monkey pancakes and the Idaho. Menus: Breakfast Lunch They are now open on Sundays until noon. Also read their reviews.Argyle Grill & TavernArgyle Grill & Tavern is located on Deer Park Avenue just north of Main Street on the left side. You will find their food simply scrumptious. They even have Sunday brunch. Argyle Grill & Tavern have a wine list that will sure to please everyone. Read their reviews and view their Menu. Gemelli Ristor... 10/14/2014

Can I Pay My Babylon Village Property Taxes Online? Yes, you can pay your Babylon Village property taxes online. You can start by going to the Babylon Village website. Once you get to the website, you so a property search for your home by address or by your last name. You can also create an account but it is not necessary in order to pay your Babylon Village property taxes.   Please Note: There is a fee for paying by credit card and it will appear when you "checkout". If you do not want to pay that fee, you can cancel at that point.   You can call 631-669-1500 with your questions.   Recent Articles Written by Jackie Connelly-Fornuff How Will a Pre-Home Sale Inspection Benefit You, The Seller?  Why Open Houses Are a Waste of Time  11 Reasons Why Real Estate Is Not Easy  Is Zillow's Zesti... 10/13/2014

Non Bank Lending Poses a Danger? Jamie Dimon was quoted in an article today where he stated he doesn't believe a lot will keep the U.S. economy down except for non-bank financial systems. If he is referring to mortgage bankers, he is wrong. Yes, he is the CEO of JP Morgan Chase, but that doesn't mean he is correct. Mortgage Bankers are required to take pre-licensing education, not the banks. Loan officers at banks are not licensed. Mortgage Bankers have to pass a background check, not the banks. Mortgage Bankers have to be bonded, not the banks. Mortgage Bankers have to have continuing education, not the banks. Mortgage Bankers have a fiduciary duty to their customers, not the banks. The mortgage bankers I know answer their phones on banking holidays and even weekends, not the banks. Ba... 10/13/2014

Babylon Village Permit Applications Below are links to various applications for Babylon Village residents in alphabetical order to make easy for you. When you click on the links it will bring up the application in PDF format. Make sure you have Adobe Reader. If not, you can download Adobe Reader here.       Alternative Veterans App       Architectural Review Board Application       Birth Record- Application for       Block Party Application       Board of Trustees Public Hearing App       Building Permit Application       Death Record-Application for       Freedom of Information Application       Genealogical Search- Application for       Landscaper Application       Planning Board Application       Project Hope       Rental Housing Permit Application       Senior Citizens Exemption    ... 10/12/2014

Have Babylon Village Home Prices Gone Up or Down? Babylon Village home prices are stable. The median sold price for September went down slightly compared to 2013. 2014 is not over and check back in January 2015 when I will have final numbers. As you can see in the market report chart below for Babylon Village, we are above the numbers in 2003 but below the market boom that was in 2007. Since the banks gave out mortgages like candy, it will be many more years until we see a median sold price for Babylon Village be at $500,000. The $700,000+ housing market in Babylon Village is going strong. Buyers are taking advantage of the low mortgage rates since there is talk about the rates going up in 2015. Of course, that remains to be seen. Call Jackie 631.703.0201 to find out what your Babylon V... 10/12/2014

The Top 5 Most Expensive Homes Sold in Babylon Village for 2014 The Babylon Village real estate market is on the rise. Below are the 5 most expensive homes that have sold in Babylon Village so far for 2014. Waters Edge Court, Babylon Village - This Farm Ranch style home has four bedrooms, 3 full baths, no basement,  10,030 square feet of property with 90 feet of bulkhead. Sold for $725,000 and on the market for 118 days. Argyle Avenue, Babylon Village - This Colonial home in the Argyle Lake Section has five bedrooms, 4.5 baths, a full, unfinished basement and 34,580 square feet of  property. Sold for $765,000 and on the market for 78 days. Wigwam Path, Babylon Village - This Colonial home has four bedrooms, 4.5 baths, no basement and 44,589 square feet of property. Sold for $780,500 and... 10/09/2014

Dissecting the New York Agency Disclosure Form - Dual Agent with Designated Sales Agents There are five different types of agency disclosure in New York. I'm going to go over what Dual Agent with Designated Sales Agents means in simple terms. But first, at the very top it says, This Is Not A Contract which is correct. As a New York real estate agent, I have to give sellers and buyers this form for us to sign. It is to your benefit because consumers need to know who their agent is working for, you, the buyer, the seller, or in the case of Dual Agent with Designated Sales Agents. Dual Agent with Designated Sales Agents is when the buyer and seller give their consent in writing, the Broker/Agent represents both parties as a Dual Agent, may designate an agent to represent the seller and des... 10/09/2014

Snazzy West Babylon House Goes Under Contract In 52 Days On 9/19/14                        12 Kenmore St., West Babylon, NY 11704   Listing Details     Price - $325,000.00   MLS Number 2694384   Bedrooms 3   Bathrooms 2   Full Finished Basement Gas Heat Property Taxes $9,558.02       SD #2     What should we offer what will they take         To Learn About Buyer Representation Click Here       It's Time To Buy Click Here To Learn Why Ten Steps To successfully Unpacking And Moving Into Your New Long Island Home       Click Here To Learn The Difference in a  Pre-Qualification and a Pre-Approval       Click Here for a Free Pre-Approval                  Should you have a property that you would like to know the value of click here for a "Free ON-LINE Property Evaluation".                   ... 10/09/2014