EXiT Realty Achieve's Blog

At this current time in the Real Estate market, the opportunity to make strong, lucrative investments is booming! Mortgage rates & home prices are low, making this the perfect time to buy and invest! In an ever-changing market, buying a home as a long range investment is a great way to build wealth. Here at EXIT Realty Achieve we offer a free investment course that provides prospective investors with information on market trends, positive investment strategies and how to gain the most wealth from an affordable property. If you are interested in the plethora of Smithtown Investment properties available, we invite you to try our Free Investment Course!

EXIT Realty Achieve

956 W Jericho Turnpike

Smithtown, NY  11787

631-543-2009

Susan Hamblen

Senior living at the Atria

Looking for Senior Living facilities on Long Island?

As a real estate professional, I have come across all genres of living facilities.  Each community offers their own unique amenities to cater to the needs of their many residents. However, one of the most luxurious senior living communities I have found is the Atria and in particular the Atria on Roslyn Harbor in Roslyn, Long Island.  Atria on Roslyn Harbor embodies a resort atmosphere, with the breathtaking view of the harbor, and top shelf service by their dedicated staff.   There are a plethora of spacious floor plans to help fit the preference of residents and accommodate their family.  A full staff of housekeepers ensures the impeccable cleanliness of each apartment and community living space.  Residents are privy to fresh linens, provided by the facility, or are offered a weekly laundry service for their personal belongings.

            In addition to services offered, Atria on Roslyn Harbor has 3 gourmet restaurants with diverse cuisine for a regal dining experience.  All meals are prepared by an accredited chef, and made t

 Life has its challenges and sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the difficulties and not see the simple gifts around us. Today I was reminded of a story I read just a few weeks ago. This story moved me. It insipired me. It is Rachel's Story. You must have heard about Rachel by now but even if you know her story it is worth repeating.

Rachel was a nine year old little girl. Her heart was moved when she learned that children in other nations often perish from the lack of clean drinking water. So Rachel decided to do something to make a difference. She made a plan to participate with a charitable organization and raise money for clean water projects in the developing nations. Rachel set a goal of raising $300 for the charity by her ninth birthday. She asked her friends and family to contribute to the cause in lieu of getting her a birthday gift. Her ninth birthday came and she remained just $20 short of her goal. Then sadly, a few weeks after Rachel's ninth birthday, she died as the result of a car accident. And then slowly the circle of her influence grew. It seems many were moved by the heart of a child that saw the needs of others above her own. Rachel's story was picked up by the media and the circle widened further.  I stumbled upon the story and was deeply moved... I cried as I read comments from the contributors and from her mother. It seems that people were led to give to the cause because of the compassion they saw modeled in a young

 

The up and coming Mexican restaurant franchise is establishing itself on Long Island. The newest additional location will be at 694 Motor Parkway, which is in Hauppauge in the new Motor Parkway Plaza shopping center.

  Chipotle is more than just your average Mexican fast food stop. They carefully select the source of meats they use to prepare for your meal. They take great pride in providing meats which were prepared from “naturally-raised animals.” This term means that the animals were raised in a humane way, fed a vegetarian diet, never given hormones, and allowed to display their natural tendencies. Over 35% of dairy served at Chipotle comes from pasture-raised cows, and the company is working hard to assure its poultry and pork have the same standards as well.

 If you’ve never heard of Chipotle, or wonder where they came from, you can visit their website to get the complete story from their start as a small business, to the most recent achievements of the franchise. They started business in 1993, forming the first Chipotle restaurant from a former Dolly Madison in Colorado. After only two years they expanded to three locations, and in 1999 they spread the company outside of Colorado and welcomed outside in

Often times it’s easy to forget how important it is to get out of the home or office and enjoy some fresh air. The Town of Smithtown has many great places to enjoy either physical activity or simply taking some time to relax and unwind. I thought it might be helpful to provide some of the town’s popular parks and outside attractions. If you discover a new place near your home, don’t be afraid to try it out with friends and family.

 

The best outdoor areas to visit in Smithtown depend on what you’re looking for in a park. For those of you who are physically active or have kids that are, almost all of the parks have some type of sports grounds or playground equipment. We all know it’s important to schedule exercise on a routine basis, and one of the best ways to continue doing so is to find a place you could see yourself going all the time. Out of the 22 official parks listed in the Town of Smithtown, 19 of them are either fit to play sports, or have playground equipment so kids can stay active.

 

While parks with swings, slides and benches are very typical, others have more unique features available. In search of parks with picnic areas? Brady Park (Maple Avenue, Smithtown), Hoyt Farm Park (New Highway, Commack), Landing Avenue Park (Smithtown), and the Smithtown Landing Country Club all have tables to set up for the day’s lunch or snack time for the kids. Look

There have been some bright spots in the residential real estate market over the last couple of months. Several price indices have reported a stabilization of prices and some regions have even shown small levels of appreciation. This has led some to believe that we may have reached a bottom for home values. We must realize that what we are actually experiencing is a ‘window of opportunity’ as the banks are delayed in bringing certain inventories of distressed properties to the market. Let’s look at what others are reporting:

Bloomberg Businessweek

“The crux of Simon’s analysis is that the loose lending practices seen during the housing bubble allowed 5 million renters to become homeowners, and that the market is in the protracted process of evicting this group. He believes housing prices will decline 6 percent to 8 percent nationally, with 6 million to 7 million more foreclosures yet to come.”

Yahoo Finance

“The problem with the real estate market remains excess inventory. Based on Shilling’s research, there are 2 million to 2.5 million excess homes in the country — a supply that will take 4-5 years to work-off. The result: Housing prices will fall another 20% and underwater mortgages will balloon from 23% to 40%, he says.”

Housing Wire

“Both warmer weather and the drop in distressed sales percentage have contributed to recent home pri

We hope that headline grabbed you. The reason we used it was to bring some perspective to the debate as to whether or not homeownership is a wise investment in today’s troubled market. A family should never look at the purchase of a home simply as a financial investment. It is so much more than that. But, even if we look at it as only an investment, we must look at it in the long term. Let’s use gold as an example.

Gold had dropped from over $400 an ounce to $250 an ounce (a 40% decline) from February 1996 to August 1999. People were so glad they hadn’t bought at $400 an ounce.

Lord William Rees-Mogg, the current Chairman of The Zurich Club, in 1997 said:

“No investment has been so thoroughly exploded as gold; most people think that there will no more be another gold boom than there will be another boom in tulip futures in The Netherlands.”

Everyone knows what happened next. The proclamation of gold’s death was rather premature. Gold rose from $250 an ounce to over $1,500 an ounce in the next twelve years.

 If we look at real estate in the long term, we can see that it has been a great vehicle for building family wealth. The Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances, conducted once every three years, provides a snapshot of family income and net worth. Their survey has shown every time that homeowners’ net worth far exceeds that of rente

The Smithtown Landing Country Club, located alongside the Nissequogue River on the north shore, is a fun and relaxing place for Smithtown residents to enjoy their summer.  Whether you like staying active with friends or lounging around with a good book, the Smithtown Landing is a great place to do it.

The Country Club has a full 18 hole golf course, with challenging greens and three tee locations for men, women, and beginners.  Don't feel like walking?  There are plenty of golf carts to rent out and take you from the tee to your ball, even if its 10 feet in front of you!  If you're one of many who like golf but may not feel ready for an 18 hole course, Smithtown Landing also offers a 9 Hole, and Par 3 Course as well.  In addition to perfecting your skills on the shorter courses, there is also a large driving range and golf lessons available.  Smithtown residents can take advantage of the professionals the country club has on hand and learn helpful tips from some of the best that play the game.  There are summer training camps which cover all aspects of golf and range from groups of young children to experienced adults.  Lastly, players can enjoy a fully stocked Pro Shop to load up on equipment and supplies, or grab an ice cold drink on those days the sun slows you down.

Not a fan of golf?  There are st

It seems that every time we talk about real estate today the conversation immediately goes to the financial aspects of buying a home. Where are prices headed? Where are interest rates headed? Should I wait to try and get a ‘better buy’? Should I wait until I can get a ‘steal’?

The odd thing about all these questions is that survey after survey keeps telling us that price is not the reason families actually buy a home. When money is considered at all, it is in light of not paying rent to a landlord. Let’s look at two recent surveys as examples:

National Housing Survey

The top five reasons given in the survey for buying a home, in order, are:

It means having a good place to raise children and provide them with a good education You have a physical structure where you and your family feel safe It allows you to have more space for your family It gives you control of what you do with your living space (renovations and updates) Paying rent is not a good investment The Myers Research and Strategic Services Survey

The top five reasons given in the survey for buying a home, in order, are:

Home ownership provides a stable and safe environment for children and other family members Home ownership means the money you spend on housing goes towards building equity, rather than to a landlord Home ownership creates the opportunity to pay off a mortgage and own your home by the time you retire Home ownership c

Commack Neighborhood Yard Sale

EXIT Realty Achieve was pleased and excited to host the first annual Neighborhood Yard sale in Commack. The sale took place on June 11 from 9AM to 2PM at homes on Seneca Drive, Pawnee Drive and the surrounding streets. We had great participation in the neighborhood and with people attending the sale.

 “The multifamily yard sale came about as the result of a conversation with a home seller in the area” says Susan Hamblen, Broker/Owner of EXIT Realty Achieve. “She needed some assistance and we offered to help and have now found a fun and unique way we can serve the community.” The sale was advertised and promoted locally and EXIT Realty even provided freem“Yard Sale” signs for the participants. Homeowners and attendees were treated to coffee and donuts and there were fun contests for the kids too. “We wanted to make it beneficial but also a fun event for all.”

Hamblen states “As a team of Realtors serving the community, we had a great time visiting with the homeowners and the attendees from Commack, Kings Park and Smithtown. In the end, folks left with an EXIT tote bag, some goodies and a smile. And we are grateful for that!

For more information about EXIT Realty or to request a yard sale in your neighborhood call 631-543-2009. We are here

How have home prices been impacted in Suffolk County, NY? This information is courtesy of the New York State Association of Realtors.

SUFFOLK County, NY

Median Home Prices

2009        2010     2011                         Percentage change

                                                                                                   09 -10    10 – 11       09 - 11 

$330,000        $325,000        $315,000        &