Buyers agent will help you do a Comparative Market Analysis
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Didn't they do that year ago too? Are these people licensed to give financial advise to consumer?

And Buyers agent - What is that? Someone who takes 3% commission (same as your FHA downpayment) from the seller. In other businesses - it is called conflict of interest.

Did you know that the Pleasantville schools are the best in the country? You will never see such low mortgage rate in your lifetime? Oh! I forgot! Home prices in this area - will NEVER go down.

BTW - at 6% commissions, we need few trusting souls like you. Is this a great country or what? we can keep playing our broken record. Even after bankrupting the country they keep coming back for more....................

Real estate is indeed regional. That means that what may be happening in Florida may not be happening in Pleasantville. Your best bet is to find a local agent who wil represent your best interests and can show you comparable recent sales which will give you the tools you need to make an informed offer.

Sellers are certainly negotiable to a point. But I have had listings sell very quickly, one went from listed to closed (sold) in 61 days and it had multiple offers. Every house is different, every area is little different. Agents who represent sellers generally expect that buyers will low-ball an offer. It won't be ignored because we will need to present that offer to the seller who will make the decision. However, if a well-priced property enters the market, it may very well be receiving multiple offers in the Westchester area. The close proximity to New York City is always a draw.

Banks are becoming more cautious when approving mortgages to avoid what was happening a few years ago. FHA is a very real and very solid mortgage option for many people. Even though you can put down as little as 3.5%, you still have to have the income to support making the payments. In order to qualify for the $8,000 tax credit you have to meet certain criteria, but the clock is ticking....you have to close by December 1, 2009.

Best of luck!

Hi Jean, Ironically you were referred to my Broker Marcene, I believe you are a friend of her cousins. She actually passed the referral on to me and had planned to contact you today. I got the feeling once I saw your question and name. I'll call you later today.

Christopher Pagli
Associate Broker
Legends Realty Group
914.406.9023

Hi, The first thing you should do is consult with a Buyers Agent that works in Westchester and has experience with Pleasantville. Real Estate is very local and what works in the rest of the country or even state for that matter won't necessarily work here. Pleasantville is an area that tends to retain it's value due to such features as walkability to town and train, convenience to Saw Mill, community feel, etc. ]What you need to do is analyze your finances be confiedent with what you can spend and with the assistance of a Buyers agent make an educated decision. Just like with a seller, a Buyers agent will help you do a Comparative Market Analysis to see how the home is priced based on sold comps for the immediate areas, condition, and location. Not everything is over priced and we are starting to see alot of price stabilization in Westchester already. Evertyhing is not over pirced and I really wish people would stop saying that. There are alot more realistic sellers out there today and coupled with the skill of a professional homes are being priced more attractively. Try to rely on the guidance of the people that are active in the field and are the area experts, if you listen to the news you'll never buy a home.

If you are a first time buyer there are many great opportunities for you right now. From the $8,000 tax credit, safe mortgage programs such as FHA, and lower prices.

Shooting blindly can result in a seller not taking you seriously. There is a slight chance that things mat work in your favor as well but for a starter in Pleasantville there aren't many options at the moment and alot of people are interested in those.

I would be more then happy to have a "no strings attached" conversation with you and your husband.

Sincerely,

Christopher Pagli
Associate Broker
Legends Realty Group
914.406.9023

I grew up that way. It's a nice area to raise a family. if your bids are all FHA loans with only 3.5% down ... well ... you might get ignored a lot. If you are putting down 20% cash with 80% financing you'll get a lot more counter offers.

You may wish to focus a bit more on what recent Sold prices are on those homes, rather than on their current asking prices. These - along with the condition and features of a home are good indicators of a homes current market value. Westchester has always been a pretty expensive place.

FYI - there's a GREAT Deli in nearby Tarrytown - corner of Rt 119 and Rt 9, right by the Tappan Zee bridge.

I wouldn't worry too much about being ignored or "insulting the seller". You may well need to bid on a few different homes before you get the right one. There will be distressed sellers out there - even in Westchester.