Happy Halloween! 10 Safety Tips for your Kids!

YEAH!!! Tonights the night every kids lives for! Halloween!!! Here are some tips to help protect your kids as they go out into the big night, to collect their goodies.

1. Young children should always be accompanied by an adult. Older children may forget to look out for their younger charges, in the excitement of Halloween fun, opening the door to mishap.

2. Older kids should always “Trick or Treat” in a group, never alone!

3. Feed everyone before going “trick or Treating”. A full belly will hopefully prevent them from gorging on their candies and getting sick from too much sugar.

4. Know the neighborhood! If you are concerned about sexual offenders go to your local police station and ask that the data base be checked for the neighborhood you are “Trick or Treating” in. Or, check the local police website for their data base listing locations of offenders.

5. Be strict about not going into strangers houses. Let your children know it's OK to politely refuse a suggestion to come into the house. Tell them to leave immediately if the stranger becomes insistent. Forget the candy!

6. Remind your children they need to cross the streets at intersections and cross-walks. Explain the dangers of running across the street, especially at night and in costume. Remind them they might not be able to see as well thanks to their mask and costume.

7. Make sure costumes fit right and that the kids can move around and run in them. Make sure the costume does not trip them or obscure vision or breathing. Capes, swords and wands should not be able to cause the kids to trip.

8. See that the costume reflects light so that if the kids are crossing the street and a car comes, the driver has a better chance of seeing them.

9. Make sure the costume is flame retardant, either store-bought or home-made. There may be open flames that could catch the costume and cause burn injury.

10. Lastly, check the candies before the kids eat them. If any wrappers look suspicious throw the candy away. Also with small children, can they eat this candy without danger of choking?

Enjoy the sights tonight and make sure you have enough candy! Happy Halloween!

For your Real Estate needs, in Rochester NY, Call Gini Denninger, Broker GoodmanRealty. 585-760-3880

Attention Rochester Zumba & Pilates Lovers!!

Jamaica's lovely resort Breezes Runaway Bay Resort & Spa is hosting a Zumba & Pilates Week! If you don't want to miss this event plan to travel to Jamaica December 2-9. Certified instructor Linda A. Robinson will be leading daily complimentary Zumba and Pilates classes for guests of all activity levels. Robinson, a New York-based Aerobics and Fitness Association of America instructor, will teach beachside Pilates classes and Latin-inspired aerobic classes. The Zumba program features choreographed hip-hop, samba, salsa, merengue, mambo, martial arts and Bollywood and belly dancing moves. Nightly rates during the week start at $170 per person for double occupancy, with a three-night minimum stay. For more information, call 877-273-3937 or visit www.breezes.com.

Getting your home ready for the big chill

Well. here we are in the North East. Summer is gone, but not forgotten. Sadly the leaves have turned and we are now facing winter and all that entails. I have brought my house plants in, swept the porch, and turned the heat on. Winter preparations such caulking windows and changing away from my sun loving sheers to the heavy insulating winter curtains have commenced. The quilts are out and decorating the beds. And, there is still more to do. This article by Zillow reminds us of other tasks we might want to consider doing to save energy and still be comfortable in the bone chilling weather ahead!

While September brings the first day of fall, October can be the harbinger of the winter and all of its frigid pitfalls. It's best to be prepared for the frost and snow with a few simple tasks that will prevent drafts, frosty windows and every homeowner's nightmare: Busted pipes.

A good place to start prior to tackling problem areas in your home is a home energy audit. This will pinpoint specific places in your house where heat escapes. The U.S. Department of Energy has a do-it-yourself energy assessment, or you can hire someone to do the audit for you.

Weatherstripping

Cold air can seep in through those little gaps between your door and the door frame, quickly reversing any effort you take to heat your home. Weatherstripping covers the sides and top of the door and a sweep fills the space between the threshold and door bottom. Hardware stores and home centers sell numerous products in metal, foam, rubber and plastic for this purpose and many can be installed in an afternoon.

Windows
This may be another area where additional weatherstripping or caulk is needed to fill any visible gaps, though that still might not be enough remediation to prevent drafts. While windows add much needed winter light, they can let out a lot of heat — up to 12 times more than a wall if they're single pane. Blinds can keep a little heat in, but heavier shades or curtains will minimize heat loss.

Fireplace
Fantasizing about a cozy evening in front of the fire? Your romantic night might be cut short if your fireplace hasn't been serviced. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that chimneys are swept at least once a year.

Furnace
It's also recommended that furnaces be serviced once a year. A heating system can break down at the most inopportune time is it's not serviced. Worse, it can pump carbon monoxide into a home or eventually stop working. While a furnace service can run up to $100, the cost benefits are undeniable, considering the cost of a major fix or replacement.

Ducts
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a home with central heating can lose between 10 and 30 percent of its heated air before that air reaches the vents if duct work is not well-connected and insulated, or if it must travel through unheated spaces.

Pipes
Frozen pipes are a royal nuisance, but with a little effort, many instances can be prevented. The best way to tackle these is to wrap pipes that run the exterior of the home with heating tape. Turn off the water and drain the remaining water at the inside valves. You can also purchase insulated covers for additional prevention.

I hope this winter season is not too harsh for my friends in the snow belts!

If you are interested in home ownership, either buying or selling, in Rochester NY and surrounding areas, please call me. I own Goodman Realty, a small boutique realty that does big things!

Gini Denninger
Goodman Realty
585-760-3880

In Need of Refinancing? Have You Heard of HARP? This program might help!

President Barack Obama announced on Monday that the government’s Home Affordable Refinance Program will be changed to allow homeowners with little or no equity to refinance no matter how much their home value has dropped below what they still owe. The program's acronym is HARP

1. What does HARP stand for? Home Affordable Refinance Program.

2. To qualify do I need 20 percent equity, like I currently need when refinancing? Borrowers do NOT need to have 20% equity in their home.

3. Does it matter how much negative equity my home has? Eligibility is not affected by how far the home value has fallen.

4. Refinancing is expensive, there are so many fees. Does HARP help with fees? Making refinancing cheaper, some fees such as closing, title insurance and lien processing will be eliminated or reduced. This also applies to some refinances that become shorter term loans than they originally were, once refinanced.

5. Do I have to pay for another appraisal? Not all refinances will require an appraisal.

6. Are all loans eligible? Eligibility is only for loans backed by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. The loan must have been acquired by either organization prior to June 2009. To find out if your loan was sold to Freddie Mac go to https://ww3.freddiemac.com/corporate/ or to see if it was acquired by Fannie Mae go to http://fanniemae.com/loanlookup/ .

7. What if I am late or not current with my mortgage? Home owners must be current on their mortgage and one late payment in six months or more than one in the past year allows the bank to determine the owner ineligible.

8. How long do I have to decide to try to refinance? The program is extended through 2013, by 18 months,

9. Does the bank “HAVE TO” refinance my loan if I am eligible? No this program is entirely voluntary on the part of the banks. The bank may refuse to refinance even if the home owner is eligible.

10. When will information be available about the program? Fannie and Freddie will issue the full details of the plan lenders on Nov. 15, 2011. Some lenders may be ready to participate in the program by December.

For more information, contact your lender to see if they will participate in the program. If so, you should consider your options regarding this program, to see if it works for you. You may save significant amounts of money over the years.

Buyers do you have a home buying strategy?

Are you going it alone without a Realtor to assist you?

Have you decided to represent yourself?

Are your family and friends involved, providing you with information you deem factual because a someone said it was?

Do you believe that by dealing directly with the listing agent that:

a) they will represent your interests in the deal?

b) that the agent will reduce their commission, so you don't have to pay as much, just to make the deal happen?

c)The agent will persuade the owner to take your price since the agent wants both sides of the deal, since this represents a higher commission to them?

Are you sure you are aware of all the properties that fit your search parameters?

If you answered yes to most of the above, it is time to rethink your strategy. Seriously!

Do you know that the seller pays the buyers Realtor? You, the buyer, does not usually pay any realtor fees. Why not take advantage of the opportunity to work with a savvy Realtor? Realtors are experts not just in locating homes, but in representing their clients interest. They are taken seriously by the other agent and often have an established working relationship with that agent. They are able to finesse a difficult deal, and bring it to the closing table, because of their experience. It is silly to think that someone that does not deal daily in these activities will be as skilled as one who does. It's sort of like thinking that you can be a talk show host, because you can talk!

The information your family and friends are giving you may be grossly inaccurate, creating confusion and problems with your search. Working with a Realtor opens the door to information you really need to efficiently buy a home, at a realistic price you will be happy with. A Realtor makes it their business to know the market you are searching in and they also have access to tools that you probably do not have access to, tools that will help you successfully close on the house you have always wanted.

By New York State law, a listing agent DOES NOT represent the buyer in a deal, even if the buyer comes without an agent. The listing agent only has the obligation to deal fairly and honestly with the buyer. Their loyalty is to the seller. They are not obligated, and nor do they want to, to help you bring the price down, since this is not synonymous with protecting the sellers interests.

Agents rarely reduce commissions since it is generally against their Broker's or company policies. They rarely have the freedom to do so. We, at Goodman Realty, often will reduce the commission by 1%, if we are on both ends, but we do this for the seller-not the buyer. The buyer is generally unaware that we have done this. Indirectly it may help the buyer that we do this, since it may help make the final take home dollar amount for the seller more palatable, allowing them to accept the deal.

We never try to persuade our sellers to take a bad deal, just so that we can have both ends of the commission. We are aware that by doing so, we would have betrayed the trust our clients put into us. We value our clients and want to work with them again and we also want referrals from them. By not looking out for them, it is a sure thing that they will eventually decide we are not worthy of their loyalty and will no longer recommend us or come back to us. Being on both ends of your deal, no matter how large or small, will not be worth the loss of loyalty.

Working with an agent will ensure that you find all homes that are currently AVAILABLE, that fit your search parameters. A good agent is an expert in locating these homes fast and efficiently. You will often be sent notice of new properties that fit your desires, as soon as they come on the market! No more following false or old leads on properties that were actually sold a year ago but never removed from the search engine you are using. No more having to spend hours searching websites for the newest on the market...of which you are sure to miss 50% or more of houses that actually could work for you.

Do you have other reasons that prevent you from getting good representation? If so, I really want to hear from you so that I can understand the thought process involved. Understanding a situation is always the first step in any relationship!

For all of your real estate needs call me! Gini Denninger, 585-760-3880. Goodman Realty!

Don't be shocked, Your offer was turned down!

Despite the housing woes across the nation, the Rochester NY real estate market actually has retained value. In many parts of the area, home prices rose at pretty much the same rate as always or just under that rate. There are sections that were not as fortunate, most of these areas are located in the city of Rochester proper. Over-all, real estate in Rochester NY and surrounding areas has been pretty stable through out the housing crisis.

Despite this good news, I have found, when working with buyers, that many have developed a perception that sellers would take offers priced so low that they resembled “fire sales”. This is a result of their reading and hearing national news stories describing real estate horrors. I try to educate these buyers that real estate trends are “local”, but some buyers still persist with the mistaken idea that sellers are so desperate they will take anything to sell. This translates into big problems. These buyers will sometimes refuse to believe the facts of the Buyers CMA that I take the time to do, which suggests realistic prices for the home they want to write an offer on.

The buyer reasons with me that the market is a “buyers market”, which it is, but it is not a "Fools Market" either. Sellers in Rochester NY are not foolish or desperate. The buyer often is shocked to find out the seller will not even come back with a counter offer, since the submitted offer was so, so low, there was no middle ground. In this case I try very hard to re-educate the buyer and explain to them they need to offer close to the current market value of similar homes in the area. I try to review, in-depth, the CMA with them to give them an opportunity to rethink their price. Sometimes this works and other times it does not.

If a client persists with the mistaken idea they can force a “fire sale”, I eventually begin to evaluate whether I am wasting my time with the buyer, since it is unlikely they will ever buy anything. By ignoring the information I make available to them, they in essence, are also telling me in a subtle way that they either do not believe the information or they do not trust it. If belief and trust are issues, it becomes clear that we no longer have a working relationship and it is time to end our time together. In most cases, I am happy to say my clients are open and understand the information I have given them and reevaluate their previous beliefs. Once this occurs, they generally become more realistic with their offers and finally are able to close on the house of their dreams at a price they are satisfied with.

For all your real estate needs call me! Gini Denninger 585-760-3880. Goodman Realty.

What Size Electic Service Do you Need In Your Home?

How big should your electric service in the panel box be? Whether you currently own, rent, or are buying; this topic should be of interest to all readers since we all use electricity in our homes. When buying a home, take the time to pay extra attention to the panel box and how big the electric service is. You may have to upgrade the service if it is too old or too small. Fortunately, in the Rochester area, it is rare that electrical services are too small since you will find that most are at least 100 amp.

I was always under the impression that bigger is better, especially with all the electrical appliances we are spoiled with. Imagine my surprise when an electrician told me 100 amps is generally sufficient and often more than necessary for most households. I did not believe him and felt 150 amp service was the minimum a household should have. That was until I researched this information myself. Once I learned how to calculate the needs of an average household, I realized I was operating with erroneous information, bigger is better.

The exception would be if the sole energy source for the house is electric and no gas. In the Rochester area, most homes use several energy sources. The most common a combination is electric and gas, or if not gas, propane. Even homes in municipal electric districts like Fairport or Spencerport often have gas heat as an option.If a home is running solely on electric, its needs are higher and often may call for more amperage than can be provided by a 100 amp service.

You can calculate your (potential) home electrical needs by using the link at the bottom of this article. I did a quick calculation for a 2000 sq. ft. home featuring the following items: 2 small appliance branch circuits (one in kitchen, the other in a bathroom), laundry branch circuit, electrical usage by the following; clothes dryer, disposal, dish washer and garage door, and the heating operations of your furnace system-not actual electric heat or air conditioner. The total needed amperage for this very typical home is a surprising 38 amps!!! So a 100 amp electric service is plenty big enough!

When deciding on updating an electric service, it pays to make the calculations to avoid being talked into a bigger service than you actually need. If you are buying a house, knowing this information will make negotiations easier and more likely successful, should the service be outdated or too small, since you know how much you need and can safely keep costs down, which hopefully makes the needed changes more palatable and agreeable to the seller. Knowledge creates a win-win for all!

To calculate your (potential) homes usage go to:

http://www.electricalknowledge.com/SFDLoadCalc.asp

If the link does not work for you, cut and paste above the link.

For your Real Estate needs call me! Gini Denninger 585-760-3880 Goodman Realty.

Now Is Perfect Time To Buy A Home!

Now is the time to buy your own home rather than rent. If you have ever wanted a part of the “American Dream” of home ownership, NOW is the time. Interest rates and home prices are at an all-time low. It is unlikely home prices will drop much more and it is anticipated that interest rates will begin to slowly rise. "Interest rates are at an historic low”according to Donna Maxwell of Premium Mortgage, which is located here in Rochester NY, she adds:"Why miss out the opportunity to buy a home or refinance while rates continue to be at historical lows?"

When home sales stagnate, rental markets heat up (due to the larger demand for rentals) which pushes rents higher. The rule of thumb here is that when demand is up for rentals, rents go up. We are currently in such a market, where renting is not as beneficial as during the times of lesser demand for rental units. Another reason some people prefer to rent, is that they often reason that renting is economically sound since they do not have to deal with property taxes and insurance. This is actually inaccurate, since housing providers increase rents to cover these costs.

Keep in mind when you pay rent, you will never get a penny back down the road. If you buy your home for a reasonable price, with a mortgage that is equivalent to or less than what your rent fees were, you have reason to believe that you will eventually take back at least a portion of what you laid out to live in your home. There are also tax benefits to owning your own home. Your tax preparer or accountant can explain to you what benefits you have, based on your income and local tax laws.

This is the time to buy since the market is full of home listings. Choice and prices have never been better! Many properties have been reduced in price. In the Rochester area, you definitely are getting a bang for your dollar! Many sellers are motivated, especially as we enter into the winter months and up-coming holiday season. They want to get their properties sold! But, caveat here, be aware this does not translate into sellers giving their properties away. Many sellers who have listed homes properly priced for the local market, are waiting until a buyer comes along that appreciates what they are offering. If you have found a home you like, ask your agent how long the house has been on a market. If it is a recent listing, it is unlikely the owner will budge significantly from the price. If it is over three months, you MAY have a seller willing to deal. The factor coming into play here is, how motivated is the seller? The only way to find out is by putting your offer in!

If you have been thinking about buying, take the time to explore the market with an agent who is looking out for your best interest. This agent will ask that you bring a pre-approval letter to them, since this will outline the parameters the buyer has price-wise, and tells the agent that you are, in fact, a qualified buyer. Having this letter in hand also saves time, when you find the home of your dreams, since it will be submitted with your offer, to show the seller you are a serious buyer, improving the odds that you will get back a signed contract from them!

Happy House Hunting! If your are looking in city and surrounding areas of Rochester NY, call me, Gini Denninger, (585-760-3880) Goodman Realty, to start you on your home selection! For more information on home mortgages call Donna Maxwell at 585-370-4427.