Jessica,
This really is a personal choice of what best fits your needs... the best resource you have is knowledge!!
By reviewing prior sales you can see if the town house is going to give you the return on your investment that you want... Many older Long Island homes have been tastefully updated and move in ready. The inportant thing to remember is that on Long Island your resale value is directly related to your location and your school district.
Let me know if I can help.
Best of luck, and welcome to Long Island!
Roseann

Hi Jessica,

I am planning a First Time Homebuyer's Seminar tentively scheduled for April. Legal as well as mortgage representation will be present to answer any and of your questions, if you are still looking for a home.
Please call me at (516) 931 7322 if you are interested and I will add you to the list as space is limited.

Toni Martin
Century 21 Prevete Real Estate
Associate Broker http://www.homesby tonimartin.com

Have you spoken to a mortgage professional yet, if not now is the time--you need to know what amount you will qualify for when it comes to a loan; decide how much you want to spend. Buying a townhouse or a house is a matter of personal preference; that decision should be based as to what is best and most affordable to you now. Think about what is important to you, do you want to worry about landscaping or would you prefer the HOA to worry about it, how much control do you want out of your property, how much privacy do you want when it comes to neighbors, etc. Choose your neighborhood of choice based on your needs, what do you want nearby and what can be a little out of the way, etc. Unfortunately we as Realtors cannot discuss neighborhoods, but you can research any towns of interest directly online.

Anna

Hi Jessica My name is Francesca Guddemi,
I deal with a lot of short sales.
If you are looking for a deal of a lifetime you have to be willing to put some work into it.
Short sales is the way to go if you want to save on a home with this economy.
You can buy a great home in a great neighborhood! for the best price!! you can e mail me at vddemi@yahoo.com or go to my web at c21castle.com
I will be happy to help you with all your Realestate needs.
Thank you ,
Francesca G.

Hi Jessica,

I am a seasoned realtor working in Nassau County for Century 21 Prevete Real Estate. I am currently looking to downsize and find that staying in my home is much less expensive when I campare monthly maintainence fees as well as taxes.

I am sure I can answer all your questions and some answers bring about more questions. I would love to speak with you and hopefully resolve some of your issues so you can move forward and purchase the home of your dreams.

Please call me at (516) 931 7322 or you may call my cell at (516) 343 2035.

Sincerely,

Toni Martin
Associate Broker
tmartin@listingbook.com

Jessica,

Your situation is a common one. Purchasing a home is one of your major life experiences and just understanding this can be stressful. The following suggestions are offered for consideration.

1. A good real estate professional will do much more than help you identify possible homes. They will lead you step by step through the process, protect your interests, be an endless source of accurate and helpful information and essentially minimize your stress level, makinf this experience easy and rewarding.

2. Getting yourself ready is an important step that will help you understand your personal search criteria more clearly. Spend some time identifying your perfect home by creating three lists, one for "features my home MUST have", another for " "features it would be nice to have but not essential", and finally a list of "features you definitely DO NOT want.

When the time is right, we recommend taking these lists with you during showings as a reference.

3. Don't sweat the petty stuff by worrying about "new vs. old." Begin by considering both. In time you will see the light and see your direction clearly. Try to be open minded welcoming the qualities each has to offer.

4. Your very first serious step should be collecting information to make financial arrangements. This does not mean you need to commit to a lented today but being informed is critical. There are many, many programs and terms that need to be digested before making your decision. A letter of pre-qualification would be beneficial. This step will also help you clarify your personal financial limits.

Each time you speak with a loan specialist, request a "good faith estimate" that can be taken to the next loan agent for their response...this can be entertaining and informative.

5. Never purchase a home without considering its resale value. This is more important than type of building construction, new vs. old, the community, etc. Desirable homes in great neighborhoods tent to hold and/or appreciate in value.

6. Buying should be exciting and fun so be sure to try to avoid unnecessary pressures by creating deadlines and expectations for yourself. Finding the home that is perfect for youe needs can take time.....go with it......

Please accept our best wishes for a rewarding experience.

Susan & Bill Eckler

Michael Saunders & Company
billeckler@michaelsaunders.com
941-408-5363

Hi Jessica - If you need a qualified agent please let me know My company, Carolina One Real Estate in Charleston South Carolina, has a great nationwide referral program through our affiliation with the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. I am able to find qualified agents for friends, families and co-workers anywhere in the US. Please let me know if I can be of any help,

Thanks, Randall
rsandin@carolinaone.com
843-209-9667

Jessica, First of all, welcome to Long Island! Right now is a great, great time to buy. Interest rates are historically low and there are alot of properties to choose from. Many of the answers to your questions will depend on what your long term goals are and what your budget is. I am a certified buyer representative and would welcome an opportunity to speak with you and give you some guidance and/or answer any questions you have. Please contact me at your convenience.

Ralph Windschuh
Century 21 Princeton Properties
631-467-0009
rwindschuh@c21princetonproperties.com

Hi Jessica!
Welcome to Long Island! You've got a tough choice to make. I've never lived in a townhouse, so I have no experience in that area. I've lived on Long Island for my whole life, and most residents opt for private homes, but they can be very pricey and the taxes can be astronomical. Be sure to inquire as to any tax discounts the current owner might be getting which you would not be entitled to. The taxes will most likely increase after your purchase. My taxes were under $5000 when I bought my house 11 years ago, and they've increased to close to $8000, which is still considered very good for this area. Massapequa and Oceanside are both very nice neighborhoods, but I find that Oceanside is one of those areas that is difficult to get to. There are no parkways nearby, so you must navigate side streets which can get congested. Massapequa has easy access to a number of parkways and main roads, and is an easy commute to Manhattan on the Long Island Railroad. Oceanside also has access to the railroad, but the trains do not run as frequently. I chose my town (Merrick) for its proximity to the parkways and railroad, along with good schools, though the local traffic is driving my husband nuts.

I wish you luck in your search!

This is really a personal choice. You need to think about what is truly more important to you. Are you the type of person who wants to have a maintenance free lifestyle or do you prefer having a blank canvas for creation. ? Whatever your choice, make sure you choose it for the right reasons, because you can call it HOME.....

Appreciation is nice, but whatever you get - buy something you want to LIVE in! Don't buy a house if you'd rather live in an upkeep-free townhouse, just because you "might" be able to sell for more later on. And in the same line, don't buy a townhouse if you'd rather live in a more secluded single-family home.

Look - you are going to be living in this place for many years, hopefully, and quality of life is priceless.

On the issue of buying a fixer upper, it would make a world of difference if you are handy or not.

Can you make upgrades or updates with a lot of sweat equity, and pay pennies on the dollar? Or would you need to find contractors and hope you can trust them to do the best job for the right price? That would make a lot of difference to me, as to which kind of place I could buy.

Good luck!

I understand you are looking for a house to buy. Currently we own homes in Nassau and Suffolk counties and cell them 80 cents on the dollar due to the low price we buy and renovate them for. It is obvious to me that you would benefit not only in your monthly payments, but taxes as well from purchasing one of our homes. We actually have programs set up to give assistance through federal grants and FHA programs. If you have any interest, please give me a call at 631-355-1947, or e-mail me at bph5025@psu.edu.




-Bryan Hirson

I handle mostly Long Beach and the surrounding areas such as Lido Beach, Atlantic Beach, Oceanside and Island Park, plus others. There are some great waterfront Condos & Co-Ops that you might consider taking a look at. Of course, we also have houses that are updated or some that do need work. I think you should go around and take a look at a few of both. You never know, you might just get the right feeling in something and you'll know that's the place for you! Good Luck and Welcome to New York!!

Realtors by law are not allowed to comment on neighborhoods or schools.

That being said, it is up to you to analyze the lifestyle differences between a single family residence with 100% care of your surroundings, or a more carefree townhouse situation, where everything is more uniform, governed by the homeowners' association and restricted by the charter.

Does the house need upgrades the minute you move in or can you live in it as it is and take your time doing updates?

Appreciation is appreciation...if the market goes up 3%, it does not matter what you are living in. One other consideration, however, is what are the HOA fees (they also rise each year) and what % are deductible?