Hello Dutchess County, NEW YORK!

The good/bad news for home buyers and home sellers...the home prices in NEW YORK state, have gained in value in the last month.  Total Sales are equal to the same/similar values of the year 2001.  This is great news for Home Buyers, to get into a home at lower values now, is fantastic!  The bad news, is, we do not, nor can we predict how quickly the prices will escalate! 

The bad news for HOME SELLERS, is that prices are back to 2001 values....on the other hand, it could be worse, it could be back to 1995 !  So we have to keep the silver lining in place...a situation can always be worse!  On the other hand, we see that home values are beginning to increase!  

2001 wasn't such a bad year!  Also other great news to get BUYERS out there:  The $8k has been extended!  Also, the government is offering a $6,5k credit to current home owners, who decided to upgrade their homes, and purchase a new home.  These end in April & June 2010!

Read on for the info on this article:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/28/us/politics/AP-US-Homebuyer-Tax-Credits.html?scp=3&sq=Homebuyer%20Tax%20Credit&st=cse

  www.activerain.com/c21crystal

c21crystal@optonline.net

 www.C21Crystal.com

  www.activerain.com/c21crystal

c21crystal@optonline.net

 www.C21Crystal.com

Dutchess County NY Real Estate Sales  (2008)

Mid-Hudson MLS Sales by Township Jan-Dec 2008

Name of Town,     # of S-Family      SALES,                AV. PRICE MEDIAN,        PRICE TOTALS $

BEACON                   63           $ 258,669.00            $ 242,500.00           $ 16,296,147.00

BEEKMAN                 91           $ 381,068.00            $ 385,000.00           $ 34,677,188.00

C/POUGHKEEPSIE     90           $ 242,441.00            $ 235,000.00          $ 21,819,690.00

CLINTON                  31           $ 552,655.00             $ 385,000.00          $ 17,132,305.00

DOVER                    45           $ 274,140.00              $ 240,000.00          $ 12,336,300.00

EAST FISHKILL        192          $ 422,965.00            $ 405,000.00            $ 81,209,280.00

FISHKILL                 99           $ 321,372.00           $ 315,000.00             $ 31,815,828.00

HYDE PARK            121           $ 220,128.00            $ 226,000.00             $ 26,635,488.00

LAGRANGE             109           $ 368,147.00            $ 330,000.00             $ 40,128,023.00

MILAN                    10            $ 421,405.00            $ 319,000.00             $ 4,214,050.00

NORTH EAST             9             $ 706,067.00            $ 370,000.00             $ 6,354,603.00

PAWLING                    25             $ 865,398.00            $ 362,500.00            $ 21,634,950.00

PINE PLAINS          13             $ 367,192.00            $ 285,000.00             $ 4,773,496.00

PLEASANT VALLEY   62            $ 292,568.00            $ 299,000.00            $ 18,139,216.00

POUGHKEEPSIE      242          $ 284,632.00            $ 264,900.00            $ 68,880,944.00

RED HOOK             37            $ 345,284.00              $ 280,000.00            $ 12,775,508.00

RHINEBECK           25            $ 645,260.00              $ 555,000.00            $ 16,131,500.00

STANFORD            21            $ 459,507.00              $ 370,000.00            $ 9,649,647.00

UNION VALE         32             $ 430,522.00              $ 380,000.00            $ 13,776,704.00

V/FISHKILL           8             $ 290,275.00              $ 265,000.00            $ 2,322,200.00

V/MILLBROOK       6             $ 691,092.00              $ 429,050.00             $ 4,146,552.00

V/MILLERTON        4            $ 213,625.00              $ 207,250.00             $ 854,500.00

V/PAWLING          5            $ 326,800.00              $ 320,000.00             $ 1,634,000.00

V/RED HOOK         8            $ 254,750.00              $ 238,000.00             $ 2,038,000.00

V/RHINEBECK        15          $ 365,720.00             $ 352,500.00             $ 5,485,800.00

V/TIVOLI               6           $ 306,083.00              $ 309,000.00            $ 1,836,498.00

V/WAPP.FLS.(PK)   5           $ 273,600.00              $ 265,000.00            $ 1,368,000.00

V/WAPP.FLS.(WF)  20         $ 277,910.00              $ 239,900.00            $ 5,558,200.00

WAPPINGER          106        $ 334,793.00              $ 311,500.00           $ 35,488,058.00

WASHINGTON         12         $ 621,369.00              $ 410,000.00           $ 7,456,428.00

TOTAL S-F Homes SOLD (2008) :        1529         Total Price of Sales  $ 531,797,895.00

TOTAL S-F Homes SOLD (2007) :      1967      Total Price of Sales:  $ 761,666,228.00

 All information provided by Mid-Hudson MLS service deemed reliable

 For more information on local homes for sale in the Hudson Valley, Dutchess County NY,

Please Call Crystal De Raffele, Century 21 Realtor, a specialist in Buyer & Seller Home Sales.                

(845) 416-4281        

www.activerain.com/c21crystal

c21crystal@optonline.net

DUTCHESS COUNTY NY Home Sales (2007)

AMENIA                      20                 $ 305,690.00     $ 225,000.00      $ 6 ,113,800.00

BEACON               104                $ 3 18,104.00      $ 294,900.00      $ 3 3,082,816.00

BEEKMAN              97                 $ 448,471.00       $ 415,000.00      $ 4 3,501,687.00

C/POUGHKEEPSIE      120           $ 2 56,872.00      $ 255,000.00     $ 3 0,824,640.00

CLINTON                    42            $ 532,939.00      $ 392,500.00      $ 2 2,383,438.00

DOVER                      47            $ 309,667.00      $ 275,000.00     $ 1 4,554,349.00

EAST FISHKILL         268            $ 470,717.00     $ 435,000.00     $ 1 26,152,156.00

FISHKILL                 87              $ 337,422.00      $ 320,000.00     $ 2 9,355,714.00

HYDE PARK            163              $ 256,331.00      $ 250,000.00      $ 4 1,781,953.00

LAGRANGE                  134             $ 381,784.00     $ 355,000.00     $ 5 1,159,056.00

MILAN                            16              $ 511,309.00     $ 425,000.00       $ 8 ,180,944.00

NORTH EAST              10             $616,500.00      $ 350,000.00       $ 6 ,165,000.00

PAWLING                 63             $545,416.00     $ 450,000.00      $ 3 4,361,208.00

PINE PLAINS            20             $ 638,700.00    $ 300,000.00      $ 1 2,774,000.00

PLEASANT VALLEY    70             $ 294,970.00    $ 288,400.00     $ 2 0,647,900.00

POUGHKEEPSIE       297             $ 293,418.00    $ 275,600.00    $ 8 7,145,146.00

RED HOOK               63              $ 434,109.00    $ 300,000.00    $ 2 7,348,867.00

RHINEBECK              37            $ 580,774.00      $ 389,000.00    $ 2 1,488,638.00

STANFORD                    31             $ 561,085.00     $ 320,000.00    $ 1 7,393,635.00

UNION VALE             37             $ 476,380.00     $ 410,000.00    $ 1 7,626,060.00

V/FISHKILL               3             $ 355,500.00    $ 353,000.00    $ 1 ,066,500.00

V/MILLBROOK          9              $ 547,461.00    $ 500,400.00    $ 4 ,927,149.00

V/MILLERTON           5              $ 292,000.00    $ 303,000.00    $ 1 ,460,000.00

V/PAWLING             7             $ 338,429.00    $ 340,000.00     $ 2 ,369,003.00

V/RED HOOK            3             $ 243,333.00    $ 237,500.00    $ 7 29,999.00

V/RHINEBECK           22           $ 487,977.00    $ 390,000.00    $ 10,735,494.00

V/TIVOLI                  9            $ 480,278.00    $ 587,500.00    $ 4 ,322,502.00

V/WAPP.FLS.(PK)     3            $ 245,333.00    $ 252,000.00    $ 7 35,999.00

V/WAPP.FLS.(WF)    15          $ 338,479.00     $ 288,000.00    $ 5 ,077,185.00

WAPPINGER              138        $ 364,660.00    $ 342,500.00    $ 5 0,323,080.00

WASHINGTON                 27          $ 1,032,530.00    $ 572,000.00    $ 2 7,878,310.00

 TOTAL S-F Homes SOLD (2007):  1 ,967      Total Price of Sales:  $ 761,666,228.00

TOTAL S-F Homes SOLD (2008) :        1529         Total Price of Sales  $ 531,797,895.00

 All information provided by Mid-Hudson MLS service deemed reliable

 For more information on local homes for sale in the Hudson Valley, Dutchess County NY,

Please Call Crystal De Raffele, Century 21 Realtor, a specialist in Buyer & Seller Home Sales.                

(845) 416-4281        

www.activerain.com/c21crystal

c21crystal@optonline.net

Crystal De Raffele, REALTOR

CENTURY 21, Country Bumpkin

"21 Questions a Seller should ASK before they start to sell their home"

21 Questions to Sell:

1. Do I need to Paint?

2. Do Landscaping?

3. Screens & Windows updated?

4. Carpet need cleaning or replacing?

5. Pets under control, (including smell)?

6. Do all of the Appliances work?

7. Are Storage Spaces Clean & Neat?  Should I empty closets?

8. Outside: 1st Impression, get a professional opinion, Improvements needed?

9. Inside: 1st Impression, ask a professional opinion, Improvements needed?

10. Are personal items everywhere; i.e. photos, knickknacks, much too much clutter?

11. Too much furniture?  Will too much furnmiture make spaces look smaller?

12.  Are the Bathrooms & Kitchen outdated?  Is it worth an investment now? How much should I alter to make a huge difference?

13. Have a List of town & neighborhood amenities?

14. Do I have a list of existing updates; i.e. Roof, Furnace, Age of Appliances, other updates?

15. Should I replace some simple home adornments for dressing? i.e. doormats, rugs, lamps, curtains?

16. Should I remove the items now, that I want to take, before showing the home?

17. Does my house have a "Welcoming" Atmosphere inside?

18. What are Buyers' Expectations in today's market?

19. What is a good marketing plan to sell my house?

20. Will the asking price and terms offered be appealing to the buying public? What is the competition offering?

21. Consult with my Century 21 Agent for ideas, before I invest too much money, waste needless time & money?

There are reasons we suggest asking these questions, there are so many situations that arise in selling a home.  The better prepared you are with your own expectations, knowing what is expected of you as a Seller and what a Buyer will expect, can be the difference between offering your home and selling your house. 

Selling a home is never easy for a Seller, there can be too much emotional attachment.  The price you get on a home depends solely on it's updates, the current sale market, and the buyer who desires to purchase your home.  A sales price can vary between buyers, an easy difference of $30,000 or much higher in some cases. There is a famous saying in Real Estate, "A home is only worth, what someone is willing to pay for it."

I can show you a home that had an offer $40k less than my seller's asking price.  Then later he had a bidding war (on the same house), the winning bid exceeded the asking price by $20k.  The house was asking $399,900.  Yes, we had several offers at $350k, then a fight at the end for over asking.  It was a highly desirable home.

You will always find a buyer willing to bid extremely low; a sellers' patience will be tried.  It takes endurance and confidence to wait for the sales price your home is determined to be worth. Waiting is Key here, it will take time, especially in today's market.  We have seen lower bank appraised values, which will affect your selling price.  Speaking with a Real Estate Profesisonal (I advise that you speak with several), to determine the possible value of your home versus the current market value, will help you in making a final decision on what price to offer for sale.

My Advice, If you are looking for the sales price of 2005; you will need to wait before selling.  If you are willing to take today's market value, there are still some things you can do to increase your's homes' perceived value.  And of course, waiting for a Buyer willing to pay more for your home may be necessary. 

Please, please do not run out and over spend in a huge facelit for your home...that investment may not bring a hefty return for your money.....unless the condition of the home makes the home unsellable without it: if it were in poor enough condition, to the point, you would only get contractors with low bids offering on it.  Then I would suggest some fix-ups and investment is absolutely required.

There are so many situations in selling a home, that only a meeting with a real estate professional can tell you the climate of the market.  Please consult more than 1 Realtor, you will be surprised at the different professional opinions you will encounter.  You may think a home needs new cabinets or new appliances...however, your home may have many other selling features that bring it's value up a few notches, in the end you could sell for more money than a competing home, without having to spend major money upfront. 

If you are considering selling your home, consult a Realtor first, ask these 21 questions.  Take their opinions at face value, it can mean the difference of selling and sitting on the market for sale. 

 Pleae call me for help in any REAL ESTATE questions you might have....

there are always more than 21 Questions, but it is a good start!~!

Dutchess, Putnam, Westchester Counties, New York!

by Crystal De Raffele, Century 21 Country Bumpkin Realtors, Inc.

Fishkill, NY 12524,  C21Crystal@optonline.net, (845) 416-4281 cell