Frank and I have now decided since frank has got what appears to be a GREAT new contract position with the hopes of Perm empl. to look for a house..
I am hopefully going to try to find a decent home in Bellmore, Merrick, Wantagh or Seaford.. but OMG are these places soooo expensive... We think we want a cape (so that we can dormer later) but it seems like its just shacks for 350K.. anyone else have any luck or suggestions?
We have been to realtor.com and century21.com anyone know of any good websites..
I am working with this one agent, and i dont really like her at all...this is making the process like a nightmare!
LizD
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
Look at www.mlsli.com. It is a multiple listing website, so you can see all in those areas that are available (if they are under multiple listing). We are moving to our new house in Merrick next week (closing this Wed, I can't wait). They are out there, it just takes a lot of time and patience. Also, it is getting to the time of year where a lot more houses seem to go up (spring/summer). We also found when we were looking that people are more willing to negotiate now. Let me know if you need any more info.
Edited to add: If you do not like the realtor you are working with, switch. The realtor, whether they are the listing agent or bringing you to multiple listing homes, they work for the sellers (that is who is paying the commission).
Suzanne
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
Thanks so much!! we looked at a house last night in merrick and we both really liked it,, there were just a few things we didnt like about the house so it doesnt hurt to keep looking!! i am going to check out that website..
if you dont mind me asking, how long did you have to wait before you closed?
Niecey
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
Hi suzanne - I don't have a recommendation for you yet but wanted to let you know I am starting my search as well. This upcoming weekend we are actually planning on scouting out the areas you listed. (last two weekends we scounted some north shore towns, no we are going to look and see what's on the south shore). If I find a realtor I like I will pass their name on to you. If you don't like who you are using, I definitely recommend using someone else. You should be comfortable with the person wen making such a large purchase.
LizD
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
Suzanne, It was about 3 months from the date we signed the contract until closing this week.
Suzanne
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
Thanks Neicy.. I just didnt like this agents attitude.. she was all about letting us know that we are not going to get anything for our price.. then she takes us to this house in Bellmore, and the kitchen no joke has a fridge that was shorter than me, it was like 4 feet tall and you could NOT fit a bigger fridge in there and the kitch. was in the front of the house so there was no way to expand unless you gut.. and she seemed mad that we didnt like it... miss fur coat driving a mercedes. she wouldnt open any doors cause of her nails!! this lady was a winner!!! Then we asked if she has any mortgage companies that they deal with and she asks us why? do you need a job are you a broker? IS SHE STUPID OR WHAT? were like no, we would like to fet a mortgage, and shes like ..oooohhhh.....
thanks Dec. bride!!!
dgtlsunshine
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
Ugh sounds like you should definately switch.
anna
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
Suzanne, your story cracked me up !! (with the nails and the job comment !)
Good luck house hunting, and I agree with Niecey - you should really like your RE agent !
Do some driving around and also keep an eye out for FSBO's (For sale by owner)...
Teri
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
she sounds like a real winner that realtor! LOL I think I saw that house you went too - but the kitchen in this place was missing the fridge! Instead of being IN the kitchen, it was across the hallway in the boiler room - all yours for the price of $370K. It's really insane....
jennyg
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
definitely comb the newsday and newsday.com. We found our house this way and it was for sale by owner. We had looked with a broker at houses that were waaaay out of our prices range in Garden City and they were awful. So we found something right next door, in Stewart manor, for almost $65K less than asking. (the original deal had fallen through and this woman had already moved out of the house). So yes, you can find a house that you will like in your price range. It took us about 3 months. Try not to get discouraged and a good imagination of what the house COULD look like goes a long way!!! Good Luck!!!1
Niecey
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
too horrible suzanne - you need a change!!! We dealt with this guy on the north shore this weekend who was strange but so nice. He just drove for about 2-3 hours and showed us neighborhoods and pointed out houses he sold and showed us price comparisons, told us where schools and parks and stuff are....it was what we needed. He definitely made you comfortable that he knew what he was doing and on your side....
Suzanne
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
Thanks ladies.. . you have no idea these people were winners... Then she shows us this flyer for an open house, so i am like ok well go, she said she couldnt take us cause she had appointments, so thats understandable.. so we go to the open house, and theres a sign outside and we ring the bell and the agents let us in, and we are standing there and there like, YEA??? so wer are like were here to see the house, and they are like..oh..well alright.. im like these people are NUTS!! LOL.. and we are the first ones there, (i saw the sign in sheet, plus it only started at 2 and we were there at 215.. we stayed for a long time like 45 minutes, and no one else came, and they ladies are like (this one in particular, who was as big as jabba the hut, and didnt bother to get off the couch or her cell phone the entire time) they say to us, oh there have been a ton of people here already.. im like SURE there were!!
JENHOS
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
We are looking but the prices are crazy. We are looking in the Floral Park, Stewart Manor area now and haven't seen much for less than $425K.
My dad sells real estate in Floral Park if you are interested in expanding your area he would be happy to talk to you.
Just be patient. That is what everyone continues to tell me.
Suzanne
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
Thanks so much Jen.. i would love to go to Floral park/franklin square, thats where my family lives, but Frank is not to fond of the area, he just really likes where we are now, so for now thats where we are looking, if plans change i would def like to get that info from you
That's how we'd got our cooperative apartment in Queens, NYC. We can't afford a house but don't want to rent so we'd ended up getting a co-op instead. $350K is average for a LI house depending on the lot size, condition of the hold, structurally sound, etc.... I say that's average yet still expensive and way beyond our budget. Good luck!
spel
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
we bought in jersey- closing is in two weeks!! we worked with a buyer's agent (we signed a contract with him) so he was working for us. he was such a big help.
Thanks for the websites. So far very helpful even to see what's out there.
spreilly1
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
We just closed last Wed. on our house in Massapequa Park. We got real lucky, we looked at 4 houses over one weekend and put a bid in on this house the first day it was on the market. They accepted the bid that night. It took us about two month from going to contract to closing. Get yourselve Pre-Approved for the morgatge and it goes a little quicker.
Fran M
Posted:
Member since
Re: Anyone shopping for a house?
another site I found helpful is www.mynassauproperty.com. You need the address of the house you want to look up. I used it to look at pictures of houses, tax assessments and sketches of the building before going to open houses or out with a realtor. I definately saved us a few trips.
