Luck, time and being smart

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

er rate. However, when moving up it’s usually the best time to sell. (ask me why).

However, when paying in cash for an outright purchase one will be less affected by interest rates and won’t be a deterrent. Negotiations could be more favorable for buyers and this will come into play more and more going forward. Especially at this time of the year, and if and when we are hit with a major snowstorm in February, buyers might just be in the most advantageous position to make their best deal. Moreover, as a seller, and to your advantage, with cash buyers, there won’t be a bank involved that essentially will be more conservative in the lending process to consumers; and their appraisals might be lower than the contract price. This, in turn, will either cause the buyer to come up with a larger down payment or most likely what I am experiencing is a likely renegotiation of the contract price or worst-case scenario, leave the deal.

As a new agent, you were fortunate and your timing and luck were spot-on when you entered the business (or if a buyer, who bought when rates were historically low) in 2020 and 2021 and were able to do what was necessary and required enabling you to earn a living and for a few a lot more. However, today, going forward, this market will define and separate men from boys and women from girls in determining who survives in the business. If you have been watching Million Dollar Listing NY or LA, you will notice the change in both markets as prices and rates have escalated especially on the higher-end properties. Although wealthy people have less of an issue purchasing, especially for cash; they will be a much tougher group when it comes to asking and sale prices.

Sellers, be prepared, as there will be many more instances when they will go for your jugular, try to cut your heart out, or do their best to try to stress you out when negotiating. If you price your property correctly, and you have “tough skin” you will minimize and possibly eliminate these tough times. As prices moderate and come down, and are still thinking that pricing your place way above what the comparables sales show, then you just might sit on the market waiting much longer for that elusive purchaser unless there are quick adjustments to your price. However, there are always exceptions to the rule. You can make your own determination and take your chances when selling. You can also attract more purchasers by being open-minded about providing financing with a win/win outcome (call for a consult on how to approach this concept).

But do you really think that your timing and luck will be in your favor this time around? Maybe so, but maybe not! Listen, common sense is no longer common and critical thinking is no longer critical; so If you really are a seller then do the right thing and be smart, gain a bit of luck and the timing just may be right and be more educated in pricing your home correctly with a realtor.

This column is read by approximately 119,000+ subscribers within 11 publications. Provide and pass along my columns to your friends, business associates, and acquaintances that might be looking for guidance and hand-holding when selling, investing, purchasing, and even renting, or be more efficient and beneficial by having them subscribe and see offers at: https://issuu.com/pricing OR https://www.wallitbits.io/island360-offers and choose to either receive the dig- ital copy (anywhere) or printed version mailed out only within Nassau County.

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Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 40 years experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S.) and in 2022 has earned his National Association of Realtors “Green Industry designation for eco-friendly construction. He will provide you with “free” regular updates of sold and new homes in your town via the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island (MLSLI) or go to https://WWW. Li-RealEstate.Com and you can “do it yourself (DYI) and search on your own. For a “FREE” `15 minute consultation, as well as well as a “FREE printout or digital value analysis of what your home might sell for in today’s market without any obligation or “strings” attached. He can also provide a copy of “Unlocking the Secrets of Real Estate’s New Market Reality, and our Seller’s and Buyer’s Guides for “Things to Consider when Selling, investing or Purchasing your Home.

You can email or snail mail (regular mail) him with your request or ideas, suggestions or interview you for a specific topic and a Q & A for a future column with your name, email and cell number. He will email or call you back and respond to your request ASAP as long as he has your complete name, cell, email and/or full home or business address. Again, for a “FREE” 15 minute consultation, he can also be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@ TurnKeyRealEstate.Com to answer any of your questions and concerns in selling, investing, purchasing, or leasing residential or commercial property.

BY DENNIS MAMMANA

Week of February 12-18, 2023

This week we observe Valentine’s Day, a time for celebrating the universal emotion of love. And few places can we find love more prominently represented than in the starry heavens.

Ask any stargazer about this and most will point you toward Venus, now sparkling in the southwestern sky during dusk. After all, she is named for the ancient Roman goddess of love and beauty, while the ancient Greeks knew her as Aphrodite and the Babylonians as Ishtar. But I’ll bet few modern sky watchers would even think to associate romance with the burly celestial hunter Orion, and yet he’s the “star” of our story today.

Stargazers from the Earth’s Northern Hemisphere can easily find the outline of his body midway up in the southern sky after dark, while those south of the equator can see him standing upsidedown in the north.

Of the several mythological stories we know about Orion, one thing is consistent: he was a real dog. No one enjoyed chasing the ladies more, and he relentlessly pursued the seven sisters of the Pleiades, as well as those of the Hyades -- none of whom wanted anything to do with him.

When Orion eventually won the love of Artemis (goddess of the hunt and the moon), her overly protective twin