What are you looking for in a house?

Whenever we are contacted by someone interested in buying a house, the first thing we do is schedule a time to meet. It’s important to us to not only tell prospective clients about the services we provide, but also to learn about what they are hoping to find.

Buying a house is so much more than buying a structure you will live in. It’s buying a lifestyle, a community, a home. It’s deciding whether you want to live in a walkable community where the houses are close together or in the country where you can’t see your neighbors. It’s figuring out if you are excited about home improvement projects or if you would rather just unpack and start inviting people over. It’s deciding where you will raise your family or spend your retirement years. It’s everything in between.

How we market our listings at McSharry and Associates

Last month we talked about the value of open houses and the month before the importance of good real estate photography; two aspects of the McSharry and Associates Marketing Plan. This month, let’s step back and look at the whole package of services we provide to our seller clients.

Open House?

Hosting an open house is a very common method of marketing a listing. They are easy to schedule, inexpensive to advertise and can bring traffic into a house. They have been standard industry practice for a long time, but are they effective?

A Picture is worth a 1,000 words

Google “bad real estate photos” and you will come up with 10+ pages with examples of hilariously terrible pictures that made it onto Multiple Listing Services across the country. Everyone pretty much knows a bad real estate photo when they see it, but what does a good picture look like and are they really that important? Let’s tackle the second question first...

To replace or not replace?

Windows are an important feature in every home. Walking through houses with buyers, I always point out the windows. Are they original or replacement? More importantly, are they in good shape? If they are in poor shape, should they be replaced or repaired?

What makes a community project successful?

This past spring, my friends Paul and Caroline came to me with an idea. They had seen the Philadelphia mural arts project and wanted to talk about ways we could bring public art to Bethlehem. It seemed like such a fun idea that I immediately said I’d love to be involved. The ART (Art on the Rail Trail) committee formed this past spring and in short order we selected the first site, started a public awareness campaign and kicked off our fundraising. We set an aggressive goal to have the first mural installed along the Albany County Helderberg Hudson Rail Trail this fall and last weekend we celebrated with an unveiling ceremony and reception. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s at 90 Adams St in Delmar and it’s pretty terrific. We are hoping this is the first of many art installations up and down the trail so keep your eye out for more!

A quick primer on heating systems

Around here, most homes have either a boiler or a furnace. It’s a bit surprising how often people will mix up the terms; they really are not interchangeable. While we don’t expect you to have an exhaustive knowledge, we do hope that after reading this you will be able to tell the difference between the two.

Tips for negotiating the 2017 spring market

Everyone knows that spring is the time when the real estate market heats up right? Traditionally, it’s a time when lots of new listings come on the market and buyers who have been waiting patiently for more selections get to really explore all their options. That’s not how spring 2017 is shaping up. So far, inventory has remained tight and the homes that are well priced and nicely updated are going under contract quickly and often with multiple offers. This is great news for sellers who have a realistic notion of their home’s value and who have kept up with design trends. It’s not necessarily bad for buyers, especially those who know what they want, have a clear idea of their budget and have some flexibility in when they purchase a house. But it certainly is stressful for both parties.

Here are some tips for successfully selling and buying a house in this current market:

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about …. siding

If the roof is the hair-do of a house, the siding is the outfit. Pragmatically, siding protects the outer walls of a house from extreme weather, creating a barrier against wind, moisture, and uncomfortable temperatures. But like all outfits, it’s prized not only for its function but also for its form. From shingles to clapboard to metal sheeting, the type of siding chosen for a particular house has as much to do with logistical factors, like budget and climate, as it does with the owner’s aesthetic style or preference. Whether you’re in the market for a new (or new-to-you) home, or whether you’re considering an exterior renovation, here are some of the pros and cons of popular siding types.

Everything you ever wanted to know about… Roofs

When poring over the MLS listings and looking for your starter home, your dream house, or your empty nest, you can sometimes get a little lost in all of the terminology: What is a gambrel roof? How are double-hung windows different from other windows? Why do I care if the siding is cement board? What’s the difference between radiant heat and forced air anyway? In this new series of posts, we’re going to explore the house from top to bottom to learn about all of those “house things” you always wanted to know. Today, it’s everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the roof. Okay, well, maybe not everything — I’m not going to tell you how to raise it — but you will know more about roof styles by the time we’re done.