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Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the looming autumn season, a new report from real estate tech firm MoxiWorks suggests home sales will remain strong during the next month and a half. The report indicates that in September of this year, 564,000 homes should sell in the U.S. That would be down 5 percent from 594,000 sales in August, but that drop-off would be considerably smaller than the historical average decrease of 14 percent from August to September. In other words, if MoxiWorks predictions come true, September should be considerably better than average when it comes to home sales. The report additionally predicts that for all of 2021, the U.S.Read More →

A flooded basement can be caused by a variety of events, like an unexpected pipe burst, a flooding event, or even heavy rain leaking through a window. For any homeowner facing the aftermath of a basement flood, you’re likely asking many questions. When is it safe to enter the basement? How do you clean up a flooded basement? Who do you call when your basement floods? And does homeowners insurance cover flooding?  1) Make sure your basement is safe to enter The first step after your basement has flooded is to make sure that it is safe to enter. You should never enter a flooded area whileRead More →

Labor Day traditionally denotes the end of the summer season and, since 1882, represents an annual workers’ holiday on the first Monday of September. And New York City knows how to celebrate this three-day event in fine fashion! While most residents prefer barbecues and beaches outside New York, there still are shedloads of can’t-miss attractions and activities within the city during that special three-day weekend. NYC’s West Indian American Day, carnival canceled  For Carnival 2021, WIADCA is partnering with the Brooklyn Museum for a number of events happening across several days, including live music, a virtual Youth Fest promoting arts and culture, a steel panRead More →

Recently, New York State Senator Brian Kavanagh introduced legislation that would force co-op boards to explain the reasoning behind their rejections — a major step in creating fair and equitable housing practices in New York.   The current ruling in the state of New York allows co-op boards to reject individuals without any explanation, except in the event of discrimination claims. However, this new bill would require transparency from co-op boards and is designed to “ensure that the process of purchasing cooperative housing is fair, transparent and does the utmost to protect against illegal discrimination,” per the bill’s language.  What This Means for Buyers  If the bill is signed into law, buyers can expect more transparency from co-op boardsRead More →

Home buyers often want to get pricing information for a property without having to rely on a real estate agent. This is where real estate sites like Zillow.com come in handy. However, can you really rely on a Zillow home estimate? How Zillow’s Estimates Work Zillow acquires data from tax assessor and county records, real estate brokerages, and multiple listing services (MLSs). It also incorporates user-submitted data. For example, a homeowner may contact Zillow to update information about their property’s features. The owner may improve the Zestimate accuracy for their home by submitting up-to-date information on finished square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, andRead More →