So You Want THAT House, But You Still Want To See Some More? - 05/28/09 11:08 AM
Good agents have good listening skills and can hone in early on a buyer's needs and wants.  An experienced agent has developed the skills to sort through the inventory of available homes and weed out the garbage.  Yet, there is always that apprehensiveness.  Home buyers are sometimes surprised to find THE house which meets all their needs so early on in the house hunting process.  Perhaps most people have the perception that with so many houses on the market these days, the home search should take several weeks or months.  
But, when a buyer finds the right Realtor, finding the right home doesn't need to be so daunting.  Yet, some buyers … (8 comments)

Town of Lagrange - Freedom Lake & Park - 05/19/09 07:13 PM
For Town of LaGrange residents, Freedom Park offers a wide range of summer recreational activities. Town residents can obtain membership passes for Freedom Lake at the Town Hall, located at 120 Stringham Road, LaGrangeville, NY 12540.. Some of the park's features are listed below:
No dogs allowed Freedom Lake Swimming Swim Lanes Sand Volleyball Picnic Tables Grills Concession Bandshell Pavilions Softball Field Stream Fishing Basketball Playground Trail  

Information provided as a courtesy by Carol Culkin - Dutchess County Relocation Specialist
 Houlihan Lawrence Realty 1989 Route 52  East Fishkill,New York 12533 
                 Office: (845) 227-4400 x358   Cell:(845) 430-6543             
… (2 comments)

Town of Lagrange Community Day - Saturday, June 13, 2009 - 05/19/09 07:02 PM
Town of Lagrange annual Community Day at Freedom Park will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2009.   There will be community service booths, games, entertainment, D.J. Rendition, a petting zoo, fireworks and more.  Music will be provided by the various Arlington school district's music groups and Harvest Band. This is a FREE event.
Directions:  Freedom Park is located on Skidmore Road in the Town of LaGrange. The map below shows the park's location.

          
Information provided as a courtesy by Carol Culkin - Dutchess County Relocation Specialist
 Houlihan Lawrence Realty 1989 Route 52  East Fishkill,New York 12533 
                 Office: (845) 227-4400 x358   Cell:(845) … (1 comments)

Town of Lagrange Concert Series 2009 - 05/19/09 06:24 PM
It's that time of year again!  The Town of LaGrange Parks & Recreation Department will be sponsering the Concert Series at Freedom Park.  All concerts start at 7:00pm.  In the event of rain, concerts will be held in the pavilion next to the band shell. The bands are scheduled as follows:
 

Pack snacks, gather the kids and bring your blankets & chairs.  These concerts always turn out to be fun social gatherings that The Town of LaGrange residents look forward to.  Don't be shy - come meet people in your community and enjoy the sounds of these local bands on a warm summers night.

Directions
Freedom … (3 comments)

First Time Homebuyers - Who Do You Listen To? ...Who Should You TRUST? - 05/19/09 01:05 PM
Buying your first home?  And, you think you found a great Realtor.  Good.  So, what would cause you to question the home buying process?  Is it because your friends told you THIS, your parents told you THAT, and your cousin who just bought her first house three states away is telling you SOMETHING ELSE.  And, now it's causing you to question how your Realtor is helping you go about about the home buying process, the very agent who you thought was so reputable.  You started out confident in yourself and your agent.  What happened?  I'll tell you.
 First....stop listening to all of THEM.  
It's great to have so many advocates, but who … (9 comments)

Beware Of Flippers - Most Seem To Only Care About Their Bottom Line! - 05/14/09 12:14 AM
This weekend I took a little time off for a change, and enjoyed the luxury of lounging in front of the TV.  And, I decided to tune into A&E to watch Flip This House.  I found this show to be very disturbing.  The episode was like many others I've seen before, featuring investors who purchase distressed properties with no intentions of living there themselves.  These people can be just as bad as slumlords, in my opinion.
House Flippers.  We're all familiar with the concept of "fix & flip" where the investor will purchase a distressed property at far below market value, fix it up and then sell it at a price nearer to full … (16 comments)

I Know ....I'll Show The House - So, YOU Can Write The Offer - NOT! - 05/11/09 10:00 PM
Hello?  Mr. Listing Agent?  I'm here at your listing and I have a few questions.  I know it's a foreclosure, but do you have any history at all about the property?  Oh, I didn't think so.  But, can you at least tell me if there are any offers?   Oh, you DO have offers?   Mutiple offers?  Nothing accepted?  Okay.  I will let the buyer know.  Thanks.
That was the conversation I had today while I was showing a property.  So, I informed the buyer of what I had been told, and then I locked the place up as we headed to the driveway.  In preparing to part ways, … (24 comments)

Maybe I Will Help You. Ummm.... But, First.... Are - You - A - Serious - Buyer? - 05/09/09 11:03 PM
It takes only FIVE words to sum up what I'm thinking.  Are - you - a - serious - buyer?  I mean, it's okay for me to ask somebody this, right?  If there was no filter between my brain and my mouth I might be blurting this out each and every day as I speak with potential buyers.  Are - you - a - serious - buyer?
I LOVE dogs.  ... Huh?  Okay, how did I get off topic so quickly?  How does my love for dogs relate to real estate and finding serious buyers?  Well, it doesn't - but, it does relate to a customer … (12 comments)

Please Sign This Before I Give You More Information... - 05/09/09 02:39 PM
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Buyer,
Please understand, it's not that I don't want to sell you a house or provide additional information regarding a property.  But, before I do - I will need your signature or an implied agreement.  It's the LAW.  If it seems I am not doing my part to follow up with you, it's because you have not told me WHO I will be representing if I were to assist you.  My firm requires that I produce this in writing.    
New York State requires every real estate agent disclose and explain the law of agency to prospective buyers and sellers.  As a buyer, you actually have choices when it comes … (8 comments)

A New Car, A Discounted Price & An Awesome Value On A Trade In Too? - NOT. - 05/08/09 05:36 AM
Unlike a car purchase, real estate should be a long term investment.  But, why is it that I feel like the bearer of bad news recently, each time I've had to consult with a homeowner regarding what should have been their long term investment?   I can't and won't inflate my pricing opinion just to flatter a homeowner into listing their house with me.  Maybe there are real estate agents who might.  But, I'd like to believe that every agent adheres to the REALTOR® Code of Ethics. 
Standard of Practice 1-3  - REALTORS®, in attempting to secure a listing, shall not deliberately mislead the owner as to market … (27 comments)

Dutchess County - Purchase Offers Are UP 27% From This Time Last Year! - 05/06/09 01:21 AM
Think it's a buyer's market in Dutchess County?  Think again.  Here's the late breaking news from The Mid-Hudson Multiple Listing Service.  The numbers released today show that purchase offers are up 27% from this time last year.  The average number of days on the market is down by 7 days from March 2008.  This is another subtle indicator that the local market is picking up.
Buyers who have been waiting might now be finding themselves very disappointed.  While prices have fallen considerably and interest rates are at an all time low, the market has started to shift a little and some agents are even reporting … (5 comments)

A Smooth Transaction Is The Result Of Good Teamwork ...And Great Clients! - 05/01/09 09:53 AM
I LOVE working with first time buyers.  Yesterday's closing is another reminder of how much I LOVE my job.   Imagine, these buyers lived and rented in New York City for 16 years before moving to Dutchess County a year ago.  Now, imagine just how much rent money went towards their landlord's investment.  I'm so happy to be able to have helped them make their own real estate investment and I hope it will make a big difference in their future. 
Just look how happy they are!  ...To think, I helped make that happen!  It's very gratifying!
Through the process, as I got to … (11 comments)

 
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Carol Culkin, Dutchess County

Poughkeepsie, NY

More about me…

Century 21 Alliance Realty Group

Address: 1136 Route 9 # U-1 , Wappingers Falls, NY, 12590

Office Phone: (845) 297-4700

Cell Phone: (845) 430-6543

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