The White Idea

There is good reason why white has consistently been the top choice for bathroom sinks, toilets, and tubs for more than a decade. People tend to view bath fixtures as long-term commitments, and they are wary of choosing colors that will wear out their welcome long before they wear out. This is a factor to take into consideration if you are renovating a bathroom in a house that you expect to sell someday soon. Potential buyers are sure to react to your fixture choices. Although not all buyers are averse to color, white remains the safe choice. If anything, a sink and toilet in a powder room may be candidates for a tasteful, if not neutral color.

Hint: Because there are so many other ways to bring color into the bathroom - countertops, flooring, and towels - it makes a sense to keep the fixtures white.

Have you been thinking of making some improvements to your property to make it more palatable to potential buyers? The advice of an experienced real estate professional could prove invaluable. As a Realtor and Principal Broker of VantagePoint Realty, I have a proven, successful track record of working with buyers, and I know what they look for in a home. I can provide you with a complementary market analysis, and offer you valuable advice as to how to maximize the potential of your property when putting it on the market. Contact me for an initial meeting.

I am looking forward to exceeding your expectations.

Call Stephanie at 518-392-8484

and visit us at our website at:
www.ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

You can also e-mail me at:
Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Narrowing Your Options

Work and family considerations usually restrict most buyers' choices in their searches for new homes, while some buyers have the luxury of being flexible. They can, in effect, follow their hearts, whether doing so takes them to a condominium in the city, a farmhouse in the country, or a suburban home. Buyers of this type are generally best served by a real estate agent whose expertise extends to both new and old housing and who can help them clarify their top priorities. This process of paring down less important desires and considerations enables buyers to focus on meeting their primary housing and lifestyle needs. Once the focus is narrowed, the real search can begin.

Hint: Experienced real estate agents help buyers anticipate their future needs and then find a property that will best fulfill them.

With the prevailing market conditions, an experienced real estate professional can source a wide range of financing options that will allow buyers to purchase property that is appropriate for them. Determining the style, size, location and amenities that offer the 'perfect fit' is also something that a knowledgeable Realtor can guide you. At VantagePoint Realty, I have a proven track record for successfully assisting buyers and sellers. I will walk you through a transactions, alleviating the stress that can come with the process, whether you are looking for a primary home, vacation home, or second home. I am an active member of the Columbia-Greene Board Realtors. I subscribe to the highest standards of ethical practice. Call me to arrange for an initial appointment. I 'm looking forward to meeting you!

Call Stephanie at 518-392-8484

and visit us at our website at:

www.ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

or e-mail me at:

Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Clear As Mud

Home buyers have traditionally focused on kitchens when they evaluate properties that they may want to purchase. In recent years, they have also turned their attention to the kitchen addenda known as mudrooms. Positoined as buffer zones between the outdoors and the kitchen, mudrooms serve as changing rooms, laundry rooms, closets, storage areas, and shoe repositories. Most recently, these utility areas have grown into sophisticated holding areas with built-in cabinets that match the kitchen's own for stowing brief cases, lunch boxes, back packs, baby carriages, and diaper bags. Sellers may want to cash in on this trend by retrofitting rear foyers and old mudrooms with upgraded cabinetry. Doing so will certainly boost their homes' appeal.

HINT: For convenience that is sure to please prospective buyers, outfit a renovated mudroom with a washer and dryer.

Are you thinking of selling your home and wondering if you can increase its value by doing some updating? It is imperative not to spend unnecessarily, or you will not realize a return for your investment - you may loose money. As a Realtor and Principal Broker of Vantage Point Realty, my years of experience working with buyers in your community has taught me what "bell and whistles" are important. I am a member of 3 Multiple Listing Services. I will provide you with a free market analysis, and indicate how you can enhance and "stage" your home to achieve the best possible results.

I can assist you in meeting and exceeding your real estate needs. Give me a call to arrange a meeting.

Call Stephanie at 518-392-8484

and visit us at our website at:
www.ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

or e-mail me at
Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes. com

Talking Up A Property

Sellers may be largely unaware of one of the most useful services that real estate agents can provide them. This work, which goes on behind the scenes, involves increasing the awareness of their client's properties to other agents who may have potential buyers. Essentially, this amounts to a public relations effort, the goal of which is to disseminate as much information as possible to as many potentially interested parties as possible. It also helps for an agent to stress the most appealing features of a client's property with the intention of garnering interest. Houses that are "talked up" to other agents have the best chance of selling, which is a result that does always tend to be noticed.

Hint: Networking provides real estate agents with one of their most effective home-selling tools.


An experienced Realtor knows how to market your property, including the best way of "Networking" it to attract interested, qualified buyers. At VantagePoint Realty, I will use a number of effective venues when marketing your property. Our presence on the Internet leads the way in our market area. I will meet with you, provide you with a free market analysis of your property, and make recommendations as to what complement of marketing strategies will bring you the most potential buyers.

As an active member of the Columbia-Green Board of Realtors and 3 Multiple Listing Services, I have the experience to assist you in determining how to show your property to its best advantage.

I can assist you in meeting and exceeding your real estate needs.
Give me a call to arrange a meeting.

Call Stephanie Samuelsohn at 518-392-8484

and visit us at our website at:
www.ColumbiaCountyHomes.com,

or e-mail me at:
Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

New Or Old

Any buyer must make a choice between purchasing a newly built home or an older home. One obvious advantage to buying new is that you get to choose everything from wall colors to countertop materials. In addition, brand new appliances and home systems are less likely to require repair and often come with warranties. New homes also include the latest technological features, amenities, and safety features. An older home, on the other hand, may provide savings in terms of property taxes and list prices. They are also more likely to be on larger lots of land, located in mature neighborhoods closer to metropolitan areas. In addition, older homes often display craftsmanship that was intended for homes expected to last lifetimes.

Hint: Older homes sometimes come with such pleasant surprises as hardwood floors that have languished for years beneath layers of vinyl or carpet.

Old or new? The choice is yours, and as a Realtor and Principal/Broker of VantagePoint Realty, I am dedicated to assisting you in finding the best home to suit your needs and desires. Let my years of experience benefit you!

As an active member of the Columbia-Greene Board of Realtors and 3 Multiple listing Services, I have the experience and expertise to assist you in determining how to show your property to its best advantage.

Call me to arrange an appointment. My office is conveniently located. I look forward to working with you! I can assist you in meeting and exceeding your real estate needs.

Call Stephanie Samuelsohn at 518-392-8484

and/or visit us at:

www.ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

or e-mail me at:

Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Set In Stone

When purchasing a residential property, never take it for granted that fences, stone walls, and other border indicators necessarily mark the boundaries of the property accurately. Only a property survey conducted by a professional surveyor should be relied upon to locate property lines. Without a survey, prospective buyers may be relying on the wrong information. If so, any assumptions that they may be making with regard to future expansion possibilities may be called into question. While the cost of a professional survey is not consequential, it can certainly pay for itself many times over if it serves to uphold the buyer's assumptions about adding on to the house at a later date.

Hint: Homeowners often build walls and fences without having their properties surveyed, which could spell trouble for subsequent owners of the properties.

If you are considering the purchase of a home, you may feel overwhelmed by the numerous aspects of acquiring property. As a Realtor and Principal Broker of VantagePoint Realty and a member of 3 Multiple Listing Services, I have a successful track record helping buyers achieve their real estate goals with the least amount of confusion and stress.

Contact me to schedule an initial meeting. My office is conveniently located. I'm looking forward to meeting you!

Call Stephanie Samuelsohn at 518-392-8484

and/or visit me at:

www/ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

or e-mail me at

Stephanie @ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Buyer's Desires

Move-up buyers have desires that go far beyond great rooms with fireplaces. They want a little bit more sizzle with their steak. For instance, no longer satisfied with dark, windowless laundry rooms in the basement, move-up buyers look for second-floor laundry rooms that are closer to bedrooms and the point of need. If possible, a home laundry should be more than a mere addendum to a bathroom. It should be a stand-alone room with counters, cabinets, and a sink. Beyond that, buyers also look to a room dedicated to watching movies, listening to music, and watching TV. These home theatres/listening rooms should be able to accommodate big-screen TVs and be wired for sound, preferably surround sound.

Hint: Mud rooms are also high on move-up buyers' lists of desirable features.

With the availability of low rates and a wide range of mortgage programs available to buyers, it may be the right time to consider 'moving up'. If you currently own, you may find that the price that you can obtain for your property will allow you to upgrade the size and or the style of your current home. At VantagePoint Realty, we are trained to determine the value of your current home and advise you of your options. Call us to arrange for a complimentary market analysis of your property.

I can assist you in meeting and exceeding your real estate needs. Give me a call to arrange a meeting.

Call Stephanie Samuelsohn at 518-392-8484 and/or visit us at:
www.ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

or e-mail me at:
Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Home Sweet Home

At the heart of the American Dream, homeownership represents both the largest financial investment most of us will ever make and a significant lifestyle choice. Thus, whether you are selling or thinking of buying a house, you have a vested interest in being well informed about the wide range of issues surrounding the ownership of a home. These include market conditions; lifestyle considerations; legal and tax issues; buying and selling strategies; financing; and the various structural, mechanical, and cosmetic aspects of the home. Regardless of whether you are a buyer, seller, landlord, or renter dealing in single-family homes, condominiums, co-operatives, commercial real estate or apartments, this column will provide you with useful real estate information in the weeks that follow.

P.S. A real estate professional can provide clients with accurate and up-to-date pricing information, which can be used to set realistic purchase and sale limits.
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As an active member of the Columbia-Greene Board of Realtors and 3 Multiple Listing Services, I have the experience and expertise to assist you in determining how to show your property to its best advantage.

I can assist you in meeting and exceeding your real estate needs. Give me a call to arrange a meeting.

Call Stephanie Samuelsohn at 518-392-8484

and/or visit us at: www.ColumbiaCountyHomes.com,

or e-mail me at Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Make The Most of What You've Got

A seller should make the most of his or her home's best assets when advertising to prospective buyers. Begin by knowing what buyers want. According to a recent survery conducted by the National Association of Realtors, the feature that buyers want most in their next home is central air conditioning. This is followed by a walk-in closet in the master bedroom, a bedroom on the main level, a patio or oversized garage, a cable or satellite TV-ready home, fencing, a separate shower in the master bathroom, a porch, and an eat-in kitchen.

If you are a seller and have any, or all, of these desirable features, the best thing you can do is let prospective buyers know it.



Hint: The 2004 NAR Profile of Buyer's Home Feature Preferences indicates that the most desired rooms/spaces include garages, living rooms, extra bathrooms, and laundry, all of which were rated as "very important" by more than 70% of respondents.

Prior to putting your home on the market, there may be a few key enhancements that would add to the appeal and ensure a better selling price. An experienced, professional real estate professional can offer you excellent advice when preparing your home for selling. At VantagePoint Realty, I can advise you as to what changes/alterations will result in achieving the best possible price for your property.

As an active member of the Columbia-Greene Board of Realtors and 3 Multiple Listing Services, I have the experience and expertise to assist you in determining how to show your property to its best advantage.

I can assist you in meeting and exceeding your real estate needs. Give me a call to arrange a meeting.

Call Stephanie Samuelsohn at 518-392-8484

and/or visit us at: www.ColumbiaCountyHomes.com,

or e-mail me at Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

There's Always A First Time (Buyer)

The real estate marketplace is largely governed by the laws of supply and demand. With this in mind, present and future sellers may ask themselves where the demand for their homes might come from. The answer comes from the National Association of Realtors, which conducts a profile of buyers and sellers based on annual real estate transactions. The NAR's survey shows that there is a large pool of first-time buyers who account for four out of every ten homes purchased. In turn, this provides the housing market with liquidity that makes it easier for existing owners to trade up and down. The children of Baby Boomers will be in the prime years of purchasing their first homes during the next decade.

HINT: According to the National Association of Realtors, the typical first-time buyer is 32 years old with a household income of $54,500, who makes a 3% down payment on a home costing $139,000.

Shelter is one of the three primary needs of man. Couple that with the current, low mortgage rates and the real estate market thrives with buyers seeking to purchase, and sellers seeking to "trade up". Whatever your real estate needs and expectations, I have a proven track record of assisting those who are buying and/or selling property.

I can assist you in meeting and exceeding your real estate needs. Give me a call to arrange a meeting.

Call Stephanie Samuelsohn at 518-392-8484
and/or visit us at: www.ColumbiaCountyHomes.com,
e-mail me at Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com