& Market Update
APR 2023
SNEAK PEEK HOME STAGING
Staging Tips for Every Room in the House
Real Estate Sellers
Why Hiring an Agent is the Best Idea
your Realtor
Greetings and welcome to the April edition of my House & Home Newsletter! Happy Easter and Happy Passover to all who will be observing this month. As the weather starts to warm up, the real estate market is also heating up with more listings hitting the market and more buyers searching for their dream homes. In this month's newsletter, we'll cover why it is so important to work with an agent-especially one you know, like and trust- if you decide to sell your home. We’ll also go over the importance of staging your home to sell, including some tips and advice for staging every room in your home. Feel free to reach out todayI’m happy to answer any of your questions. As always, I am incredibly appreciative of your continued trust and support and I thank you for all of the referrals you have sent my way. With that- sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and let's dive into this month's House & Home!
With Love,
Danielle Carames
LOVING LOCAL
Spotlight on Local Business & Local Events
ENTERTAINMENT CORNER Easter Fun Facts
MARKET UPDATE: Huntington
HOME STAGING Tips for every room in the house Home staging is a great way to showcase your home and all its possibilities. It doesn’t matter the budget. You can stage your home by simply rearranging furniture to make the space appear bigger and decorating with neutral tones or you can throw some money into it and really take the art of staging to another level. If you decide to DIY your home staging, here are some hot tips for every major space in your home.
MASTER bedroom
AIM FOR A GENDER-NEUTRAl MASTER BEDROOM
The goal is to appeal to as many buyers as you can. Staging with gender-neutral elements can accomplish this goal. Stick to neutrals - paint, patterns, decor.
kitchen
CLEAN & DEEP CLEAN
The easiest (and cheapest) way to showcase your home in its best light is to clean it. Shiny floors, scrubbed grout, and streak free windows are just some of the many ways you can make your home sparkle and shine, especially in the kitchen.
living room re-arrange furniture
Instead of flushing your furniture against the walls, try a floating technique to create a cozy conversational living room. Reposition chairs but ensure walkways are obvious. This makes the room user-friendly and it helps to make the room feel larger.
bathroom
Declutter & remove personal items Your bathrooms should be immaculate. Remove all signs that the space is in use - take toiletries like makeup and toothbrushes off countertops and hide dirty laundry baskets. Buyers do not want to see a “used” bathroom. Remember to keep toilet seat lids down during all showings.
Dining room
update the light fixtures to match the look of the room
Use the light fixtures as a focal point of the room. It’s a fairly inexpensive way to add pop to the space and to tie the furniture pieces together.
A good real estate agent is… equal parts marketer, negotiator, and magician.
Sellers: Why Hiring an Agent is the Best Idea With all the real estate activity that exists, selling a house has become a full-time job, literally. It’s a complex process to navigate on your own - from setting your listing price to marketing the home, to negotiating the terms of the sales contract. It’s definitely no easy feat. In fact, if you choose to sell your home on your own to save on commissions, it could very well cost you more on the long run through lost profits and time. Here are the main reasons why it would be in your best interest to hire a real estate agent to sell your home.
Real estate agents provide local housing market expertise. They have access to a comprehensive list of comparable homes and they understand the value of homes in your area. Taking into consideration the current market conditions, they can strategize the selling approach with the goal of earning the highest possible return on your home. They can provide technical guidance on setting the right (market-supported) price for your home.
According to the National Association of Realtors, the average “For Sale By Owner” property sold for $58,000 less than the median agent-sold home in 2021.
Real estate agents market your home.
Real estate agents handle your negotiations.
They provide recommendations for staging your home and hire photographers to take great listing pictures. They are skilled at writing an enticing listing description of your property based on features that buyers are looking for in a home. They list your property on MLS and real estate sites. In fact, agents have access to more listing outlets than sellers who are listing on their own. They host open houses and showings, physically showing your home to buyers.
They vet all potential buyers, identifying the serious offers. They work with the buyer’s agent to get you an offer that meets your needs in terms of price, timing, and repairs. They help you make smart decisions on negotiating counteroffers.
Real estate agents network with other agents to increase buyer interest. They may show your home to an agentonly crowd to increase the buzz or talk to other agents about your home, positioning it as a match for their buyers.
Real estate agents ease the selling process. They handle the paperwork that comes with selling a home. They read all the fine print, keeping an eye out for deal loopholes and unusual requests. In a multiple offer situation, they will help you identify the pros and cons of each offer, making your decision easier.
entertainment CORNER
LOCAL
Spotlight
Did You Know? The Easter holiday was named after the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre. Scholars believe that Easter was named after a festival celebrating Eostre and the coming of spring. Her sacred symbols are thought to have been the hare and the egg, which is why they feature prominently in Easter symbolism too. Easter lilies are a relatively new tradition. These beautiful blooms first originated in Japan and arrived in England in the late 18th century. The U.S. only caught onto the trend after WWI. The transition from dormant bulbs to delicate flowers brings to mind hope and rebirth - two important themes in the Easter celebration. Easter baskets have special symbolism. The woven treat containers represent birds’ nests and new life, especially when filled to the brim with eggs. Plus, they’re a pretty utilitarian way to gather those goodies on your Easter egg hunt.
Featured Community Events* Three Paintings By Richard Mayhew, Betty Parsons, & Jane Wilson: now through June @ Heckshire Museum of Art 04/07/23 WWBA's "Walking With Whitman" series — poetry & live music 04/09/23 Children’s Meditation: Sundays at Kadampa Meditation Center- Long Island 04/11/23 Veterans in Business Entreprenurial Event @ the Launch Pad 04/12/23 Young Frankenstein @ Cinema Arts Center 04/26/23 Project Prom: A Prom Attire Collection Drive @ the John J. Flanagan Center 04/29/23 The Paramount Comedy Series Presents JR De Guzman 04/30/23 Huntington YMCA 5K Run/Walk In Memory of Marcie Mazzola 04/01/23
*Contact venue to confirm event details
The Next Chapter
In 2021, Huntington's Book Revue closed after 44 years. The Next Chapter is a bookstore in its spirit, run by people who used to work there and are advised by one of Book Revue's founders, Richard Klein. The Next Chapter's initial funding was provided by the community. It is the highest funded literary space Kickstarter in the platform's history. Clearly, people of Long Island want a bookstore! The Next Chapter sells new, used, remaindered and rare books, records, art and handmade goods. Additionally, they offer workshops, events, author signings and be a place in which the community can gather. 631-482-5008 204 New York Ave. Huntington, NY
MARKET
HUNTINGTON MARKET MARCH 2023
Featured Listings
1 Charlemagne Road, Huntington Bay List Price: $2,990,000
8 Spruce Court, Huntington List Price: $745,000
Market Analytics
Market Statistics 27
NEW LISTINGS
AVERAGE LISTING PRICE $1,272,066 UNDER CONTRACT
34
HOMES SOLD
16
AVERAGE SALES PRICE
$814,644
AVG DAYS ON MARKET
68 DAYS
2021
$960,570
2022
$967,745 Total Homes Sold
2021
560
2022
418
Average Days on Market
14 Coptor Court, Huntington List Price: $1,199,000
Average Sales Price
Current Market: SELLER
2021
55
2022
39
Market Insights
15 Severin Place, Huntington List Price: $799,000
As we enter into the 2nd quarter of 2023, the effects of the Island wide alck of inventory are reflected here in Huntington. While the number of homes sold was down from 2021 to 2022, sales prices went up and days on market went down. The 2023 market has seen varying degrees of fluctuation as inventory and mortgage rates continue to keep buyers on their toes. Always a sure bet, Signature Premier Properties remain the Number One Company in Huntington Township for the past four years in a row.
HUNTINGTON 11743
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County. Huntington is located at the western end of Suffolk County adjacent to the Nassau-Suffolk border. It is approximately 40 miles from Manhattan and 40 miles from Riverhead. The smaller hamlet of Huntington Village is located within the boundaries of (and is thus served by) the Cold Spring Harbor Central School District, the Harborfields Central School District, and the Huntington Union Free School District. So, children who reside within the hamlet and attend public schools go to school in one of these three districts, depending on where they reside within the hamlet. Huntington Village is well known for it’s art and music scene, it’s eclectic mix of dining options, its holiday spirit and it’s incredible walkability. Take a trip to Huntington and share your favorite finds!
Popular Picks The Paramount Oheka Castle Hecksher Park/Hecksher Museum of Art Besito Mexican Meehan’s of Huntington Honu Kitchen and Cocktails Walt Whitman Mall Cinema Arts Center Caumsett State Park
Readers’ Choice Cefalù on Main Scentsational of Huntington Osteria Da Nino Red Restaurant Sapsuckers The Dough and Co. Main Street Board Game Cafe Clipper Ship Tea Next Chapter Bookstore
The Huntington Union Free School District: Number of Schools: 8 Students in kindergarten through grade 3 are situated at Flower Hill Primary, Jefferson Primary, Southdown Primary and Washington Primary Schools. The Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School includes students in grades 4–6 from throughout the district. Woodhull Intermediate School houses students in grades 4, 5 and 6. J. Taylor Finley Middle School serves students in grades 7 and 8. Huntington High School serves students in grades 9 through 12. Mascot: Blue Devils Colors: Navy and White