The Amityville Horror.  Joey Buttafuco.  Joel Rifkin.  These are unsavory yarns woven into the tapestry of Long Island’s history.  Even though the negativity of these stories dominated the media at the time, the natural beauty of Long Island and the tremendous sense of community of our neighborhoods prevailed.  Sure people still remember these dark events in Long Island’s history but every day families – 3.5 million people – choose to live their American Dream here because we are not defined by these occasional bad events.

Today, we are in the midst of another dark story; this time along Ocean Parkway.  As human beings, we can’t help but shudder in horror as law enforcement makes its discoveries during the ongoing investigation.  As fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, we hope for justice and closure for the families of the victims.  As Long Islanders, we will get past this.  We always do.

CNN, one of the most trusted names in broadcast journalism, came to Jim Netter, one of the most trusted people in real estate, when they needed to know the truth about real estate on Long Island.

Jim Netter, our Broker/Owner/Mentor at Netter Real Estate, was interviewed by CNN this week with regard to the impact that the investigation is having on real estate in our area.  Excerpted from the online CNN article:

Jim Netter, a real estate broker in West Islip, said he has not seen property values diminish and has seen no change in sales. In fact, the media attention has led to “an increase in the number of inquiries” about homes in the area, he said.

Netter Real Estate's Broker/Owner/Leader and Mentor, the one and only Jim Netter.

You don’t have to be from CNN to talk to the real estate experts at Netter Real Estate with your questions or concerns in real estate today.  Contact us at 631-661-5100 to get the truth.  CNN trusts Netter Real Estate as a real estate resource.  You should, too.

Please check our website regularly for Netter Real Estate happenings and be sure to “like” the Netter Real Estate fan page on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information on what’s going on in our community.

Netter Real Estate, serving our community since 1949.  

Tell us how we can best serve you 631-661-5100.

Fortune Magazine is one of THE most trusted resources for financial advice.  Millions of consumers trust Costco because of their high standards and and high regard for their customers.  What could these two institutions possibly have in common?  They are echoing the advice that the Wall Street Journal and Netter Real Estate have been telling you over the last few months…NOW is the time to get off that fence and BUY.

The cover story of Fortune Magazine: The Return of Real Estate: FINALLY! After Years of Plummeting Home Prices, the Market is Showing Signs of a Turnaround. Netter Real Estate agrees. Contact us: 631-661-5100 to turnaround your financial life.

Shawn Tully, Senior Editor-At-Large for Fortune Magazine, in his article Real Estate: It’s Time to Buy Again says “Forget stocks. Don’t bet on gold. After four years of plunging home prices, the most attractive asset class in America is housing.” 

He goes on to say, “Two basic factors are laying the foundation for dramatic recovery in residential real estate. The first is the historic drop in new construction… The second is a steep decline in prices, on the order of 30% nationwide since 2006, and as much as 55% in the hardest-hit markets.  The story of this downturn has been an astonishing flight from the traditional American approach of buying new houses to an embrace of renting.  But the new affordability will gradually lure Americans back to buying homes. And the return of the homeowner will start raising prices in many markets this year.” 

Shawn Tully so concisely bottom-lines it for us:     “So let’s state it simply and forcibly: Housing is back.”

The article is a great read and we suggest you click on the link to it and read about all the details and facts behind Shawn Tully’s (and Netter Real Estate’s) assessment of today’s real estate market.

Costco, known for its care for the consumer, tells the world "What's Up With Real Estate?" in the April 2011 edition of Costco Connection. Once again, Netter Real Estate agrees. If you want to know What's Up With Real Estate on Long Island, call us at 631-661-5100.

 In the April 2011 edition of Costco Connection, Costco answers the question on everyone’s lips these days; “What’s Up With Real Estate?”  In the article, advises that “Since interest rates are creeping up, now might be a good time to sell or buy a home.  Yes, you read that right.  As long as rates remained stable, potential buyers and sellers could afford to remain indecisive.  Although rates are still near historic lows, people are motivated to take action since waiting could mean a higher rate and a larger mortgage payment, experts say.”  The Netter Real Estate experts have been saying this for quite some time. 

Turn to Netter Real Estate for all your real estate needs.  Our agents at Netter Real Estate will nurture your family as it blooms by finding the home of your dreams.  Follow the advice of all the trusted experts and BUY NOW to secure your family’s financial future.  After the last few years of economic uncertainty, it would be nice to invest in some stability, wouldn’t it?

Please check our website regularly for Netter Real Estate happenings and be sure to “like” the Netter Real Estate fan page on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information on what’s going on in our community.

Netter Real Estate, serving our community since 1949.  

Tell us how we can best serve you 631-661-5100.

Our own Jim Netter, Broker/Owner/Mentor of Netter Real Estate, was invited to be part of a select panel of experts at an educational seminar hosted by Continental Home Loans.  The focus of the seminar was “How To Guide on Investment Properties: Identifying, Selling and Financing Investors.”

The photo might be a bit blurry but Jim Netter's message was crystal clear; as real estate professionals, it is our duty to ensure as many qualified customers and clients possible take advantage of the phenomenal real estate investment opportunities available in today's market.

During the seminar, Jim and the other panelists spoke about what makes a property a great investment, long- and short-term real estate investments, what the new rules in lending mean for investors and making sure that our clients and customers get the credit they deserve.  After all, in today’s economy, real estate is on sale in the form of lower home prices and money is on sale in the form of historically low interest rates.  Both will rise…soon making real estate a great investment.  Buy one investment property today, in 10 years, you’ll probably wish that you bought two. 

Netter Real Estate, serving our community since 1949.  

Tell us how we can best serve you 631-661-5100.

Since 1949, Netter Real Estate has been helping people on Long Island’s spectacular South Shore with what is usually the largest financial investment of their lives — their homes.  So when we say that now is the best time in history to make a real estate purchase, you might think that we are somewhat biased.  Our honesty and integrety is what’s made Netter Real Estate the leader in real estate sales on the South Shore for over 60 years…but in these crazy times, it’s easy to be a bit skeptical.

So we are going to let Bret Arends of the Wall Street Journal – THE most widely trusted and respected resource for financial advice —  explain why real estate, now more than ever, is one of the most intelligent investments you can make.

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10 Reasons To Buy a Home

Enough with the doom and gloom about homeownership. Brett Arends explains why owning a home is a good thing.

Enough with the doom and gloom about homeownership.

Sure, maybe there’s more pain to come in the housing market. But when Time magazine starts running covers that declare “Owning a home may no longer make economic sense,” it’s time to say: Enough is enough. This is what “capitulation” looks like. Everyone has given up.

The Sept. 6 cover of Time magazine: This is what capitulation looks like. 

After all, at the peak of the bubble five years ago, Time had a different take. “Home Sweet Home,” declared its cover then, as it celebrated the boom and asked: “Will your house make you rich?” 

But it’s not enough just to be contrarian. So here are 10 reasons why it’s good to buy a home. 

1. You can get a good deal. Especially if you play hardball. This is a buyer’s market. Most of the other buyers have now vanished, as the tax credits on purchases have just expired. We’re four to five years into the biggest housing bust in modern history. And prices have come down a long way– about 30% from their peak, according to Standard & Poor’s Case-Shiller Index, which tracks home prices in 20 big cities. Yes, it’s mixed. New York is only down 20%. Arizona has halved. Will prices fall further? Sure, they could. You’ll never catch the bottom. It doesn’t really matter so much in the long haul. 

Where is fair value? Fund manager Jeremy Grantham at GMO, who predicted the bust with remarkable accuracy, said two years ago that home prices needed to fall another 17% to reach fair value in relation to household incomes. Case-Shiller since then: Down 18%. 

Brett Arends discusses why he thinks now is a particularly good time to buy a home. 

2. Mortgages are cheap. You can get a 30-year loan for around 4.3%. What’s not to like? These are the lowest rates on record. As recently as two years ago they were about 6.3%. That drop slashes your monthly repayment by a fifth. If inflation picks up, you won’t see these mortgage rates again in your lifetime. And if we get deflation, and rates fall further, you can refi. 

3. You’ll save on taxes. You can deduct the mortgage interest from your income taxes. You can deduct your real estate taxes. And you’ll get a tax break on capital gains–if any–when you sell. Sure, you’ll need to do your math. You’ll only get the income tax break if you itemize your deductions, and many people may be better off taking the standard deduction instead. The breaks are more valuable the more you earn, and the bigger your mortgage. But many people will find that these tax breaks mean owning costs them less, often a lot less, than renting. 

The June 13, 2005 cover of Time. 

4. It’ll be yours. You can have the kitchen and bathrooms you want. You can move the walls, build an extension–zoning permitted–or paint everything bright orange. Few landlords are so indulgent; for renters, these types of changes are often impossible. You’ll feel better about your own place if you own it than if you rent. Many years ago, when I was working for a political campaign in England, I toured a working-class northern town. Mrs. Thatcher had just begun selling off public housing to the tenants. “You can tell the ones that have been bought,” said my local guide. “They’ve painted the front door. It’s the first thing people do when they buy.” It was a small sign that said something big.

5. You’ll get a better home. In many parts of the country it can be really hard to find a good rental. All the best places are sold as condos. Money talks. Once again, this is a case by case issue: In Miami right now there are so many vacant luxury condos that owners will rent them out for a fraction of the cost of owning. But few places are so favored. Generally speaking, if you want the best home in the best neighborhood, you’re better off buying. 

6. It offers some inflation protection. No, it’s not perfect. But studies by Professor Karl “Chip” Case (of Case-Shiller), and others, suggest that over the long-term housing has tended to beat inflation by a couple of percentage points a year. That’s valuable inflation insurance, especially if you’re young and raising a family and thinking about the next 30 or 40 years. In the recent past, inflation-protected government bonds, or TIPS, offered an easier form of inflation insurance. But yields there have plummeted of late. That also makes homeownership look a little better by contrast. 

Associated PressA house for sale in Shelby, Ohio. 

7. It’s risk capital. No, your home isn’t the stock market and you shouldn’t view it as the way to get rich. But if the economy does surprise us all and start booming, sooner or later real estate prices will head up again, too. One lesson from the last few years is that stocks are incredibly hard for most normal people to own in large quantities–for practical as well as psychological reasons. Equity in a home is another way of linking part of your portfolio to the long-term growth of the economy–if it happens–and still managing to sleep at night. 

8. It’s forced savings. If you can rent an apartment for $2,000 month instead of buying one for $2,400 a month, renting may make sense. But will you save that $400 for your future? A lot of people won’t. Most, I dare say. Once again, you have to do your math, but the part of your mortgage payment that goes to principal repayment isn’t a cost. You’re just paying yourself by building equity. As a forced monthly saving, it’s a good discipline. 

9. There is a lot to choose from. There is a glut of homes in most of the country. The National Association of Realtors puts the current inventory at around 4 million homes. That’s below last year’s peak, but well above typical levels, and enough for about a year’s worth of sales. More keeping coming onto the market, too, as the banks slowly unload their inventory of unsold properties. That means great choice, as well as great prices. 

10. Sooner or later, the market will clear. Demand and supply will meet. The population is forecast to grow by more than 100 million people over the next 40 years. That means maybe 40 million new households looking for homes. Meanwhile, this housing glut will work itself out. Many of the homes will be bought. But many more will simply be destroyed–either deliberately, or by inaction. This is already happening. Even two years ago, when I toured the housing slump in western Florida, I saw bankrupt condo developments that were fast becoming derelict. And, finally, a lot of the “glut” simply won’t matter: It’s concentrated in a few areas, like Florida and Nevada. Unless you live there, the glut won’t have any long-term impact on housing supply in your town. 

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Netter Real Estate, serving our community since 1949.  

Tell us how we can best serve you 631-661-5100.

Feeling Itchy?  It’s poison Ivy time!

Poison Ivy                                       Poison sumac                 Poison oak     

These plants contain an oily substance called URUSHIOL that causes a red, bumpy rash in many people.

If you think you have come into contact with one of these plants, wash with soap and water  as quickly as possible.  If you do this, you may stop a reaction.  If it is longer than that, the oil has already penetrated the skin and washing it will no longer prevent the rash, but it may help reduce the severity.

Treatment  Options:

1. OTC  cortisone cream 2-3 times a day
2. Anti-itch lotion such as calamine lotion
3. OTC antihistamine such as Benadryl or Zyrtec
4. Take an oatmeal bath

But see the doctor if the over the counter products don’t work, blisters are oozing, or if you develop a fever of over  100° F

IvyBlock (ivyblock.com) is the only FDA approved OTC barrier cream.  Use like a sunscreen.

The key to preventing that rash is knowing  what these plants look like and the avoid them!

Dianne Scalza

Netter Real Estate

404 Montauk Hwy.

West Islip, NY 11795

www.netterrealestate.com

www.blog.netterrealestate.com

Home Buyers Who Missed $8,000 First-Time Home Buyer/$6,500 Existing Home Buyer Tax Credit Coming Out Ahead!

Do you feel like the window of opportunity to purchase a home shut on the April 30^th, the deadline to be in contract for eligibility for the home buyer tax credits?  That window of opportunity might have closed but the current real estate climate has opened the door for new and often even greater opportunities for qualified home buyers:

Existing Homes:          In some neighborhoods and price points, sellers are dropping their prices because buyers are harder to find now that the credit has expired.  Home sales leapt in March and April during the waning weeks of the credit, especially for homes that appealed to first-time home buyers. Since the credit expired, home contracts and building permits have tapered off, leaving sellers with fewer buyers and, in some cases, little choice but to cut their price.  According to real estate website Trulia.com, which tracks price reductions, 30% of homes for sale on May 1 had reduced their asking price—more than in April or March.  Buyers hope they can take advantage.

New Construction:      Those shopping for new homes are finding a different kind of bargain as some builders roll out incentives to keep traffic moving.  After the credit expired, one home builder launched promotions for free finished basements and/or other upgrades.  Other builders are offering free appliances, trade-in programs, rebates and “sweat-equity” discounts that allow a homeowner to drop the price by painting, landscaping or otherwise helping to finish their home.  Any of these deals would be worth well above the $8,000 or $6,500 credit.

Interest Rates:           This is a big one.  Financial experts expected interest rates to have risen by now.  They haven’t.  Interest rates have dropped nearly half a point since the April 30th credit deadline.  That means over the life of a loan, a homeowner could easily save more than the value of the credit over the life of the loan.  

Translated into dollars and cents:    Buyers of a $180,000 home who borrowed $173,700 in mid-April at an interest rate of 5.125% would have paid $377,442 over the next 30 years — $15,000 more than they would pay if they borrowed last week at an interest rate of 4.75%.

It’s not money in your pocket right away but the value of the interest rate today is really better than the tax credit in the long run.

The reality of the home buyer tax credit incentives is that it has cost all taxpayers $18.7 billion so far.  The White Knight to bring us true recovery from the housing crisis will most likely be good old Supply and Demand.  When Supply is higher than demand, prices become lower so they can compete in the market.  Talk to an agent at Netter Real Estate 631-661-5100 today.  You might be able to purchase more house than you originally thought possible and you will be helping all America to recover without costing taxpayers another dime.

DONT LET THIS GORGEOUS HOME GET AWAY!

***OPEN HOUSE*** SUNDAY, JULY 18TH 12:00 – 2:00pm

Colonial with 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths, Cherry/Granite Kitchen, Butlers Pantry, Formal Dining Room, Living room, Family Room w/Fireplace & Built Ins, Master Bedroom Suite w/New Bath, Finished Basement, CAC, Crown Moldings, Custom Woodwork and Andersen Windows.

AMAZING COUNTRYCLUB BACKYARD w/Heated In-Ground Pool, Paver Walks, Specimen Plantings, Beautiful Gardens all on .46 Acres! WOW!!

DON’T MISS THIS ONE!!!

Click the Link Below for Pictures and More Info on this Gorgeous Listing!

http://netterrealestate.com/exclusivedetails.asp?town=Bohemia&class=res&Submit=Submit&ml_num=*1082477

Call Debra Carr or Noel Kappauf for Details or for a Private Showing

631-661-5100

www.netterrealestate.com

www.blog.netterrealestate.com

Maureen Daniels

Number of Years in Real Estate: 10
Title: Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
E-Mail: mdaniels@netterrealestate.com
Phone: 631-661-5100
Biography:
I am a resident of the town of Babylon for 22 years and in the real estate business for 9 years. I have been an active member of the community raising 4 children.Their activities included:girl scouts,basketball, soccer, lacrosse and dance.I am a full time agent so you get full time service!I believe in honest professional service and weekly feedback for all of my customers/clients. In my previous career I was a registered nurse so honesty and integrity are top on my list. Together with my partner Carol Rowsell we believe the team approach is best so that we are always available to our buyers and sellers.

www.netterrealestate.com

www.blog.netterrealestate.com

ALL OF US HERE AT NETTER REAL ESTATE WANT TO

WISH EVERYONE A FUN AND SAFE SUMMER.

WE ARE VERY LUCK TO LIVE HERE ON LONG ISLAND’S

BEAUTIFUL SOUTH SHORE WITH OUR AMAZING

PARKS AND BEAUTIFUL BEACHES. SUMMER HERE IS

TRULY PARADISE.

CLICK ON THE LINK  FOR SOME FUN FACTS ABOUT

THE SUMMER SOLSTICE!

WWW.NETTERREALESTATE.COM

WWW.BLOG.NETTERREALESTATE.COM

631-661-5100

631-587-4663 FAX

We’ve done it again! We’ve sold a few more homes in the your neighborhood, the ones at:

7 S. Shore Court, Islip (sold in 36 days)

44 Edgewood Avenue, Oakdale (sold in 28 days)

280 Sheffield Avenue, West Babylon (sold in 30 days)

890 S. Strong Avenue, Copiague (sold in 28 days)

If you have been thinking about selling your house, I’d like to help you too. I can tell you about recent sales in the area and provide you with an estimate of what your house should sell for.

Please call me today!

Steven J. Rainone

(631) 661-5100 ext. 124

SRainone@NetterRealEstate.com

For a no-obligation consulatation.