Real Estate News - Real Estate Learning Center

What is HUD?

Here at Casandra Properties, we are asked quite often what is HUD, and what does HUD mean. To answer this with any accuracy, I think it’s important we explore the History of HUD, what does HUD stand for and what does HUD do.

HUD (Housing and Urban Development) was formed and became a cabinet-level position in 1965. Then President Lyndon B. Johnson created the department as part of his Great Society program. Its mission was to focus on urban housing issues.

HUD does several things. It provides rental assistance to several million households across the country. The agency works to address homelessness and build public housing. It also works to provide a bridge for potential homeowners in connecting them to affordable housing. Let’s take a brief look at…

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What are the Pros and Cons of Buying an Older Home vs Newer Home?

While all homes are different, there are a couple of key things that separate buying an older home from buying a newer home. The primary difference is in the physicality of the home. You almost always can tell when a home was built in the mid-1900’s or before just by looking at it. These physical differences include everything from a historical architecture to small imperfections that contribute to the overall ambiance of an old place. They just feel different. 

Older homes often have more imperfections in the way that they were built. You can almost always find small quirks like non-straight lines, slanted floors, crooked walls, or drafty doors and windows. If you look hard enough, you’ll discover these non-level surfaces. This kind of just adds…

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Real Estate Glossary

If you’re doing virtually anything in real estate, you are most likely to hear most, if not all, of these terms throughout your experience. Learn this list of terms and you’ll be well on your way to learning the language of your real estate agent.

Listing:

An official offering of real estate on the market for sale.

Offer:

Offers are official proposals for the exchange of real estate. They are like the buyer and seller’s questions to one another in a legal conversation where the ultimate goal is to get the other person to give you a plain and definitive “yes!” The first offer begins this legal conversation of how the real estate transaction is going to play out. Once an offer is accepted, it becomes a legally binding contract.

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What to expect when selling a home?

There are a few stages that every person must endure when selling their home. Let’s dive into them! 

Sale prep.

To kick off this process, you must prepare your home for sale. This should consist of a preliminary decluttering and cleaning of your space. Spruce up the place by removing extra furniture and depersonalizing. This will give prospective buyers the airiest feeling your home can provide, making it easier for them to envision themselves in the space. Freshen up your curb appeal by touching up on your landscaping. This’ll boost buyer’s first impression of your home. Make necessary repairs. Be sure that everything in your home is in good working condition. Read more about How to Prepare Your Home for Sale.  

Find an agent.

Your…

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The Process of Buying and Selling A Home

Whether we represent the Seller or the Buyer, one highly important point to remember is you are dealing with many different generations from Millennial’s to Generation X’s to Baby Boomers. Each must be communicated with fairly, but in a language and facet, they will be comfortable and familiar with. When looking to purchase a home, Casandra Properties, Inc. will discuss your home’s selling and/or buying features. We will prepare a comparable market analysis, along with giving you a marketing strategy to get the best price. Next, we will help you prepare your house for the sale. If buying we will identify any improvements that we would suggest being done in order to drive top dollar for your home. Once a price is determined, it’s ready to go on the market.…

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Real Estate Tax Changes in 2018: What You Must Know

Clients often reach out for advice on how to further maximize or leverage their real estate investment. Many property owners’ first instincts are to maximize revenue by increasing the property’s income, improving the property’s quality of tenants, or exploring other creative revenue streams the property will allow.

Once your property is maximized, what’s the next step? Many investors or owners of real estate completely overlook tax benefits that exist when owning real property. Real estate is often considered the greatest tax shelter, for good reason. 

Here are a few real estate tax tips you may have not known that will increase your bottom line and generate protected wealth.

            Corporate Tax Structure: In 2018, there…

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10 Apps Every Real Estate Agent Should Have

These apps are not only essential in life, but essential for any real estate agent to keep up with the day-to-day, logistical, and administrative components of the job. 

Google Maps: With real time up-to-date traffic conditions, Google Maps will always give you the most accurate ETA and keep you on time to all of your appointments. 

Calendar App: Whether the standard calendar app on your phone, or another one, this is vital. You need a calendar app that can tell when where you're supposed to be, what you're doing there, when you're supposed to be there, who will be joining you there, and all other details. Use an app that is compatible with your computer so that you can have all information on both of your devices. 

Mail App: An email app…

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Why Use a Commercial Broker?

Looking for a new business location? Here are six good reasons to work with a commercial broker.

Thinking about opening your own storefront or office, or looking for a larger location to expand your business? Some new or established business owners think they can save time and money by searching for a new location on their own. Unfortunately, many of them will lose precious time and money in the process – and may often hit dead ends.

Working with a commercial broker – whether buying or renting a business location – offers many benefits:

Time savings: If you want to do it on your own, be prepared to:

•      Drive around town or check online listings to find possible sites;
•      Call each site owner for more information;
•      Set a date…

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10 Ways to Get 10 More Referrals

Successful real estate agents build their businesses off of referrals. To thrive as a salesperson, you have to be ready to be interpersonal all the time. Here are 10 ways to develop relationships that will grow your business.  

1.     Be the best. Being ethical, knowledgeable, and valuable is the foundation to having a successful career. Clients will rarely forget the quality of service that they received from you. 
2.     Keep in contact. It is more common than not that someone in your network is looking to do something with real estate at any given moment. By keeping up with your previous clients in your network, you’re keeping your service at the forefront of their mind when they’re thinking real estate. Make calls to your network infrequently…

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What to Expect When You’re Prospecting A Condo

For young people finding a “find” in Staten Island real estate’s fast market can be daunting. But, it doesn’t have to be. 

As a prudent young person, you have doubtlessly come to learn that home-ownership is a key element in upward mobility, financial freedom and planning for one’s future. 

It’s true! Your parents were right! Stop paying someone else’s mortgage.

That said you may also face the stark realities of saving for a first home, and less than ideal credit scores. 

Many decide to opt for something smaller, a more doable dose: a condo.

Staten Island has gorgeous multimillion dollar homes and lavish luxury apartments, but we also have quaint condo communities nestled in pockets of good neighborhoods, where…

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