Long Island Relocation>> Long Island Real Estate

Long Island homeowners sometimes agree to give the agent that they've hired an exclusive listing for a fixed period of time.  During this time period, the only agents that can see an exclusive listing on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) are the ones that are affiliated with the listing broker. 

In the interest of full disclosure, I have used this technique for a few weeks to allow homeowners to prepare their home to be "show ready." Since I hire a professional photographer to shoot my listings and create the virtual tour, I want to make sure that the home is in the best possible condition before the photo shoot. 

My preference is to load listings onto the MLS with professional photos and a virtual tour on the day that it comes on the market.  There is a lot of competition and inventory in most areas of Long Island, and I want my listings to stand out.  It is just as important to market the home properly to other agents as it is to market the home to the buying public.  Many times, new listings appear with no photo and an image that says "photo not available."  Personally, I don't like this approach, so I don't do it.  As long as I have the professional photos and a virtual tour loaded onto the MLS, I want other agents to see it, as this gives me the best chance to sell the home quickly and for the most amount of money.

Exclusive listings have a purpose if they are used for preparation of the home, but they should never last for longer than a few weeks if at all possible.  In all honesty, I have no idea why any given agent is using an exclusive listing, because that is between the homeowner and the listing agent.  My concern is for those homeowners that are led to believe that their home will be marketed to other agents on the MLS, but the marketing is done in such an ineffective way that the home is, for all intents and purposes, an exclusive listing.

It is not legal to speak about specific commission splits, but suffice it to say that there is a number that is considered to be average on Long Island.  Any number that is higher or lower than the average is noticed in either a positive or a negative light.  With the competition on the market, and increased inventory, paying a very low commission split is tantamount to having an exclusive listing. 

The further that the commission split deviates from what is considered to be average, the more impact it will have on the showings that your home receives.  This post was inspired by seeing a commission split on one particular home that was so low that the home may as well been an exclusive listing.  Without using specific numbers, I can say that the commission split was 25% of what is considered to be average on Long Island.

If you are a Long Island homeowner that is thinking about placing your home on the market, it is in your best interest to make sure that your agent is offering enough of a commission split to entice other agents to show your home.  If not, you run the risk of having an exclusive listing by default, instead of by choice. 

As a Long Island homeowner, you should do whatever you can to ensure that your home stands out in today's buyer's market.

When you live with someone and see them everyday, you don't always notice the changes that others with an outside perspective may see, although on occasion you might.  Lately I've been noticing that my son has been trying to be like me as much as possible.  The most notable sign is that he likes to have us dress the same way, but I imagine that it runs much deeper than that. 

Whenever he does things that show that he wants to be like me, I can't help but think of the song "Cats In The Cradle" by Harry Chapin.  In the song, the son says to the father "I'm gonna be like you, Dad. You know I'm gonna be like you." 

I started writing this post a few weeks ago, but it felt like something was missing, so I decided to work on some other things and come back to it.  A few days ago, my son just so happened to start singing the chorus to "Cats In The Cradle," and asked if we could go and listen to it on YouTube.  This was surprising to me because I didn't even know that he knew the song.  However, I happily obliged because watching music videos on YouTube is something that we really enjoy doing together.  As we listened to the song, his eyes began to well up with tears.

This song always moves me when I hear it too.  I don't really relate to the true meaning of the song, because it's about a father that never had time for his son until he was older, and then the son didn't have time for the father as he got older and had responsibilities of his own.  The end of the song always saddens me, as the father says "And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me, he'd grown up just like me, my boy was just like me."  It's a sad lyric because the father has regrets about not being there enough for his son while he was growing up. 

However, the last line could also be considered positive for a father that did whatever he could for his children.  In that case, it would be a compliment.  I still have aspirations to be like my father (who passed away over six years ago).  It would make me proud for someone to tell me that I've grown up just like my father, and I appreciate the fact that my son feels the same way about me.

Since he was obviously moved by the song, I thought that it would be a good idea to explain the meaning behind it.  He's a very smart five-year old, and he understood what the song meant.  He asked if he's going to be like me when he grows up.  I asked if he wanted to, and he said "yes."  What more can you ask out of a son?  I told him that he probably will be, and that I am the way that I am because of my father.  In fact, one of the reasons that I decided to go into real estate was because I wanted to be there for my son the same way that my father was there for me. It wasn't possible to keep commuting into New York City and be like my father at the same time, so it was an easy decision to make.

Unfortunately, my son never got the chance to meet my father, but he has gotten to know him through the stories that I've told to him, so much so that he has often told me that he misses Poppy.  My father was always one to joke around with us and act silly.  It was one of the most endearing qualities that he had, and I've tried to carry the torch and be the same way with my kids. 

As my son sat on my lap in my office after learning the meaning behind "Cats In The Cradle," and reminiscing about Poppy, I wanted to play him another song that reminded me of my father.  It's a song by Jim Croce called "Time In A Bottle."  The song is even more moving than "Cats In The Cradle," but it also evokes laughter from me because I once heard my father singing along and he got the lyrics wrong.  Actually, it was one word that he got wrong, but it drastically changed the meaning of the song.

The lyric is actually "If I could save time in a bottle," but somehow my father thought that it was "If I could spend time in a bottle."  My son is too young to know the reference, but to this day, I can't help but think of I Dream Of Jeannie whenever I hear the song.  Well, the humor was not lost on him, but neither was the emotion of the song as we watched the video on YouTube.

In the video, Jim Croce is seen playing with his son.  It's a nostalgic home movie that fits the lyrics of the song perfectly.  Mature beyond his years, my son was unable to watch the video.  He sat on my lap and turned his head away to stare at the wall.  He told me that he couldn't look at the video.  By the time the song ended, tears were streaming down his cheeks.  He seemed to be embarrassed that he was moved to tears, but I found it to be an amazing testament to the caring, mature boy that he has become.  I hugged him the whole time and told him that it was ok to cry if he wanted to.

It was a moment that we'll probably both remember for a lifetime.

After my 2-part meme recently, I tagged Debe Maxwell, who turned the tables on me and tagged me right back.  You would think that there would be nothing left to say, but apparently, I have a little bit left in the tank. 

So how do you follow up a 2-part meme?  Well, let's just say that it didn't seem appropriate to follow-up a 2-parter with a single post.  I present to you, part 2 of I Re-MEME-ber You.  If you'd like to get caught up before embarking on part 2, please click here.

Continuing on... 

"Do you think that anyone is still here besides Debe at this point?"

Well inner voice, I wouldn't blame them for not sticking around, but I have committed to finishing up this meme for Debe, and then I'm taking an extended meme vacation.

For those of you that haven't read any of my earlier memes, my inner voice acts as a sarcastic interviewer at times.  Now that the inner voice has been introduced, yet again, it's time to move forward on this meme.

When last we left, I had just proposed marriage to the woman who had been patient enough to wait seven years to become my fiancée.  Waiting seven years to propose would seem to indicate that I thoroughly contemplate every move that I make in my life.  This is not the case in all aspects of my life, as you'll see in my next revelation.

[2]        ON THE MOVE - Since December of 1991, I have moved 10 times!  The first move was the most difficult, as my parents sold my childhood home and returned back to the 2-family house that we lived in before moving to Long Island.  My siblings and I were grown, the house was too big, and my mother longed to be closer to Manhattan again, as she never really enjoyed life on Long Island.  To this day, the house that I grew up in is the only place that I've ever been attached to.  My transient nature is part of the reason that I entered the real estate profession.  I figured that if I was going to move regularly, then I might as well get paid for it!

"Uh, correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't get paid to move!"

Well, yes and no, inner voice.  When I sell a home now, I save money by not having to pay the listing side of a commission, and when I buy a home now, the commission that I earn on the buy side reduces the cost for me to move.  Anyway, it's not the only reason that I joined the profession, but it didn't hurt that I was an experienced mover.  I only wish that I had more clients like me!

[3]        SUMMER MEMORIES - I attended day camp from the ages of 2-10, and then sleepaway camp from the ages of 11-16.  Well actually, I was a camper from the ages of 11-14, and then a waiter at 15 and kitchen staff at 16.  My summers at sleepaway camp were the best of my life.  When I watched the movie Indian Summer, it made me long for the chance to go back and do it all over again.  I know that it could never possibly be the same, but there's no harm in dreaming of the chance to do it all over again.  I could literally do a series of posts on my camp days, but I'll keep it brief for now.

However, if I could go back and relive one of the summers, it would definitely be the summer of 1984, the year that I was a waiter.  We had a great group of friends that were waiters and waitresses.  We only served three cafeteria-style meals each day, and then had the rest of the day to socialize.  Once a week, we would have a day off, and the camp arranged for us to go someplace as a group.  I think that every one of us would love the chance to experience a full summer as carefree as my summer of 1984.  The only bad part about the summer of '84 was that it came to an end.

"Hey buddy, it's been over 23 years.  Let it go already!" 

 Whatever, inner voice!  You have no appreciation for nostalgic moments.

[4]        FANTASY FOOTBALL - Up until this season, I was obsessed with fantasy football.  I was the commissioner of my league for 13 seasons, and played for 2 seasons before I started my own league.  When I started the league, all of the participants were all young and single, and we had plenty of free time to spend doing research, making trades, etc.  The years caught up with us seemingly overnight, as we were suddenly a league of married dads.

For those of you that have played fantasy football, you are well aware of how frustrating it can be.  This year, I decided to take a sabbatical so that I could focus on coaching my son's football team on Sundays.  I thought that the year off would renew my enthusiasm for this time-consuming hobby, but it has had the opposite effect.  I felt more relaxed than ever this year while watching football , as I didn't care who scored, who was injured (unless it was a player on my favorite team), and what moves coaches were making in the NFL that impacted my chance of winning.

It just so happens that I found Active Rain just before the NFL season started this year, so I had a place to channel all of that fantasy football energy.  I was very successful at fantasy football, and I usually won some money each year.  However, the time spent blogging instead of focusing on fantasy football promises to pay off much more than the hundreds of dollars that I won each year with this frustrating hobby.  I may jump back in to it again (behind the scenes) when my son is old enough to play with his friends, but for now, I'm officially retired from fantasy football.

"Boy, you sure can talk.  Do you ever come up for air?"

Well, inner voice, as a matter of fact, I plan on doing that right now.

"I thought that you were supposed to reveal five things though, and you've only revealed a total of four so far."

You can't it both ways my sarcastic friend. 

"You're not thinking about....please tell me that you're not going to...."

That's right inner voice.  The answer to the question above - "so how do you follow up a 2-part meme?" - is, in fact, with a 3-part meme!  My apologies to the Active Rain community, but I always strive to move forward not backwards.  Debe Maxwell forced my hand, and now you are left to deal with the first-ever 3-part meme!  At least, I think that this is the first time that this has ever been done.

"I must admit, that takes some guts to ask people to return for a third part.  I hope that works out for you."

What do you mean works out for me, inner voice?  Are you telling me that I've gone so far that you're even thinking about not coming back?  I never thought that I'd see this day.  Before I sign off, do you have anything else to say?

                                                ::::::::::::::::::::::SILENCE:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Well, it seems as though I finally might have silenced my inner voice.  Tune in to part 3 to see how this drama unfolds...

This is part 2 of a multi-part series (click here to read part 1).  In part 1, I discussed FSBO marketing techniques and the new trend which is to basically remain a FSBO, but also to have your home listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS).  While this may seem like a way to have the best of both worlds, there are some negatives to this approach.

Did you know that some of these brokers that will place your home onto MLS for a fee are not even headquartered in New York, much less on Long Island?  If the agent that you choose isn't even on Long Island, do you think that they will be of much help when it comes to understanding the Long Island market?

Let's say that you do overcome this hurdle by hiring a company that is located on Long Island to provide access to the MLS.  There are still challenges that you will have to overcome when choosing to go this route.  In this segment, we will discuss the biggest obstacle to using a flat-fee service broker, which can be summed up in one word - INCENTIVE.

As the homeowner, you obviously have a motivation to sell your home.  In the full-service real estate model, the agent or broker is motivated to sell your home because they have an incentive to do so in the form of a commission.  The biggest difference here is that a full-service agent or broker doesn't get paid anything unless your home is sold, whereas the flat-fee brokers are paid upfront for their services.

In an ideal world, you may think that these brokers have an incentive to help get your home sold because if they are successful, they will get your referral business.  However, the real estate industry mirrors other industries that have various models to choose from; the restaurant business is a good example for comparison.

Many people choose a fast food restaurant because it is inexpensive.  The fast food industry is basically run by minimum wage workers, the services provided are minimal and the food quality is average at best.  When you eat at a fast food restaurant, you must place your own order and pay the cashier before receiving your food.  Once you have paid for your food, you move on, and so does the cashier to the next customer.

A fast food restaurant is transactional, and doesn't have expectations of word-of-mouth referrals.  Their business is based on generating a high volume of business from people with very little in the way of expectations.  The minimum wage workers don't receive tips, and don't have the same incentive to provide outstanding service.  Ask yourself this...when was the last time that a friend asked you for a recommendation for a fast food restaurant?  It most likely has never happened to most of us for obvious reasons.

However, if you are looking for a fine restaurant, you will most likely reach out to friends, family or colleagues to get some recommendations.  After all, these restaurants are more expensive, and thus your expectations are higher.  When you walk into a fine restaurant, you expect to be greeted by a host or hostess and led to your table.  You expect the waiter or waitress to come by promptly to start taking your order and also to let you know about any specials that are available that day.  You expect a level of service because you are paying for it. 

When you dine in a fine restaurant, you pay for your meal once you are finished with it.  A fine restaurant builds its business by providing outstanding service and food, which inspires people to spread the word through referrals.  While fine restaurants may also advertise their business, they could not survive without relying on repeat and referral business, just like a full-service broker does.

In a capitalistic society, money is a motivating factor.  A flat-fee broker that has been paid already has as much incentive to get your home sold as a fast food restaurant worker has in having you become a regular customer.  A full-service broker, on the other hand, is extremely motivated to help you sell your home because it is the only way that they will receive payment for their services and also to inspire you to refer other business to them in the future.

In a buyer's market, where it is more difficult to sell a home, are you more interested in working with someone that has already been paid, and has no incentive to ensure that your home gets sold, or someone that needs to sell your home to put food on their own table?

It is very likely that your home is your most expensive asset, and should be treated as such.  You will only get the chance to sell this asset once, and using an incomplete marketing plan may very well cost you thousands of dollars in the long run, even though you think that you are "saving" money.

This post should be giving you "food for thought" when making your decision about whether to use a flat-fee broker or a full-service broker when selling your home.  Think of it this way...if you were going to go out to celebrate a wedding anniversary or some other special occasion, would you go to a fast food restaurant or a fine restaurant?  The choice is yours!

In part 3 of this series, I will discuss some of the other challenges to selling a home on your own, or with a broker whose only function is place your home onto the MLS.

Dear Mr. & Mrs./Ms. Consumer,

Thank you for reading my blog.  Perhaps this is the first post that you've ever read, or perhaps you are a regular reader.  Either way, there is no way for me to tell who you are unless you reach out to me.  If you prefer to remain anonymous, please continue to do so.  My hope is that you are enjoying my blog, and hopefully gaining some valuable information from it as well.

The reason for this open letter is to let you know about some of the things that you can expect from me in 2008.  I purposely waited until the middle of January to write this because I've found that by this time of year everyone has moved on from the holidays and returned to business as usual.

Here are some of the features that you will find on my blog in 2008:

Market Reports - These reports have been done quarterly thus far, but they will be done monthly going forward.  This will allow you to keep more accurate tabs on the Long Island real estate market.  The most recent quarterly reports were just posted. 

{Click here to view the Suffolk County reports.} 

{Click here to view the Nassau County reports.}

If you don't see your particular area listed in these reports, I would be happy to provide one for you with absolutely no obligation on your part. 

Things To Do On Long Island - As a REALTOR®, it is important for me to have knowledge of the things that make living on Long Island great.  As a family man, I experience many of these things in the same way that you do.  It is my goal to provide you with honest opinions of the places that I visit.  Whether it is a day at the Long Island Children's Museum, dining at a local restaurant or attending a local fair, I will do my best to share my experiences with you in the hopes that you can then do the same with your family.

Dr. House's Real Estate Chronicles - This is a new segment that was announced at the end of last year {Click here to read announcement}.  This series is designed to tell it like it is to both buyers and sellers alike.  If you've ever seen the television show "House," you are aware of the fact that Dr. House tells patients what they need to here, not necessarily what they want to hear.  This honest assessment of real estate trends is designed to help consumers make educated choices about buying / selling a home.

While this is written from the perspective of a Long Island REALTOR®, the information provided transcends local markets. 

Long Island Issues - Some things do not transcend local markets, such as our rising taxes and affordable housing issues.  To see a sample of the type of posts that will discuss Long Island issues, please check out this 2-part series Long Island Housing and Tax Solutions (Part 1 of 2) and Long Island Housing And Tax Solutions (Part 2 of 2).  

Relocation - The affordability issues on Long Island are a major factor for Long Islanders that are thinking about relocating to other parts of the country.  As a relocation specialist, I know that this is not an easy decision for Long Islanders to make, but this trend is definitely a growing one.  This year will be the beginning of a major push to provide Long Islanders with information about popular relocation destinations.

Family - Like most people, family is the most important part of my life.  The best way to provide you insight into who I am as a person is to share my family experiences with you.  This will include stories about things that we do together on Long Island, issues that we all face as parents and more! 

You will not only learn about my family, but also about other families on Long Island and their stories.  A very special story about one particular family will be featured in the near future. 

As the year progresses, this list of topics is sure to expand.  One of the best features of a blog is that it is always changing.  It has occurred to me that many of you (the consumer) are reading these posts, but most of you don't share your thoughts.  Of course, I've never asked you to, so you might not have felt comfortable doing so.  I want you to know that you are welcome to make any suggestions that you would like to about the things that you would like to read more about in my blog.  Your opinions are welcome anytime on any of my posts.  If you'd like to share your thoughts, but would still like to remain anonymous, please just use a first name, or initials. 

My goal is not to tear down the walls of anonymity that most people enjoy while reading a blog.  My goal is to let you know that your opinions matter, that your suggestions will be taken seriously, that your questions are important to me and that I will do whatever I can to make my blog something that benefits you.

I may not know who you are, but I know that you are out there, and I want to thank you for reading my blog.  If you'd like to contact me for any reason, my information is listed below.  I look forward to having more interaction with you in the coming year and beyond.

Sincerely,

Adam Waldman

                                                             TAKE A BITE...LONG ISLAND 

As you walk in the door of American Roadside in Smithtown, you are made to feel welcome with a friendly greeting.  Having heard some good things about this restaurant, my wife and I decided to give it a try.  The restaurant is pretty unique, and before we finished with our meal, we had instantly decided that this was our kind of place.

At American Roadside, you get to experience a cross between a typical pub-style restaurant and a fast food establishment.  After you are greeted, you place your own order at the register.  Once you have placed your order, you will be asked "In the House" (to stay) or "On the Road" (to go). 

If you are dining in, you are handed a ticket with your order number on it to place on your table.  When your order is ready, your food is brought out to you.  It takes a bit longer than fast food because your order is prepared fresh, but the service is very good.  However, our food came much faster than it would have if we had gone to a pub-style restaurant.  While we were waiting for our food, we washed our hands in the large sink that is in the back of the restaurant, which was a pleasant departure from our usual hand sanitizer pre-dining ritual.

The menu has a nice selection (click here to see the menu), but like most people, we were there for the hamburgers.  With each hamburger order, you have a wide array of free toppings to choose from.  Both of us really enjoyed the hamburgers as well as our side order of American Fries.  The portions of food are sizable, the prices are reasonable and the food is great.  The drinks come in a fairly large cup and the refills are free.  You help yourself at the soda fountain like a fast food restaurant.  We washed down our meal with Bosco Chocolate Soda, which was a decadent treat for us.

Since we were already in the decadent mindset, we decided to end the meal with an order of Lug Nuts (fried dough-warm with powdered sugar, much like a zeppole).  The cost of this delicious dessert is only $1.25, so it is well worth the money.  Splitting one order was more than enough for us.  While you're dining there is music playing in the background at a level that allows you to carry on a conversation without having to raise your voice, but loud enough so that you can enjoy it.

Overall, it seems as though American Roadside has filled a void in the market between fast food and full service restaurants.  If you're not in the mood to wait around, but would like more ambience and better food than a fast food restaurant, I would highly recommend checking out American Roadside.  Don't forget to grab one of the complimentary "Slo Poke" caramel candies that are on display on top of the wooden barrels by the door on your way out. This sweet treat literally melts in your mouth.

For directions to American Roadside, please click here.

Are you a renter on Long Island that has been thinking about buying a home, but have doubts because of the things that you are hearing about the housing market?  Are you waiting for the media to declare the bottom of the housing market?  Do you feel that it is in your best interest to wait and see what happens?  If you answered "yes" to any or all of these questions, there are some facts that you should be aware of before you make your final decision. 

Did you know that the media uses national statistics to forecast the real estate market?  National statistics make for sensational news reports, but they do not accurately depict the story about specific local markets.  Since you are buying your home in a local market, you should be aware of local statistics and local trends. 

For example, a report came out yesterday that said that new home construction plunged last year to the lowest that it's been in 27 years.  Anyone reading that would understandably be very concerned about market conditions.  However, on Long Island, we have such minimal new construction that this statistic is negligible to Long Island buyers and sellers.

Did you know that the data used by "experts" and reported in the media is a lagging indicator?  This means that this information is looking backwards instead of looking ahead.  By the time that the media declares the bottom of the market, they will only be doing so because the markets have already risen.  They cannot look ahead with certainty, because none of us can.

You might be thinking that it's okay to buy when the market starts to rise, even if you miss the bottom of the market.  That may be true, but there is another factor to consider when deciding whether or not to look for a home now.  Mortgage rates are near historical lows right now.  There is no guarantee that the rates will be this low by the time that the media says that it's ok to jump back into the pool (so to speak). 

You may be able to purchase a home for less money if you wait, but if the mortgage rates are higher when you decide to purchase, your monthly payments could be higher than what they would be if you purchase a home now.  You should also consider the fact that mortgage programs are being discontinued daily, and tighter lending restrictions are being applied.  Do you have a contingency plan if you can't qualify for a mortgage when you are finally ready to buy?

I worked with buyers recently that would have been able to get financing with almost no money down a few years ago.  Today, because of credit issues and a lack of a down payment, they have no choice but to rent until they can repair their credit and come up with more money for a down payment.  This is because we are returning to a more "normal" real estate market, and lenders are following suit.

Should you decide to wait and see what happens with the market, you may be left on the sidelines when the rebound occurs.  Your monthly payment on a home this year may very well be hundreds of dollars cheaper than it would be on the same home once the media reports that the market has recovered.

Are there markets across the country that are still in decline?  Yes, there are.  Are there markets that are declining or staying flat on Long Island currently?  Yes there are.  However, there are also markets that are rising right here on Long Island.  For example, homes in the Bethpage school district were more expensive in the third and fourth quarters of 2007 than they were in 2006.  If you were a buyer looking in this area, and you decided to wait things out to see what happens, you would actually be getting less for your money when you do decide to buy, because your decision was based on the picture that is being painted by the media, rather than what is actually happening locally.

As a buyer in this market, you have an outstanding opportunity to find a home that fits your needs in a price range that fits your budget.  Generally speaking, inventory on Long Island is higher than it was a year ago, so there are more homes to choose from in every price range.

We are returning to a "normal" market, which means that we should be approaching the purchase of a home the way that we did before the red hot seller's market.  Before the real estate boom, people were buying homes because it was a place to live.  The market edged up slowly and equity was built by paying off a mortgage.  Too many people nowadays are treating a home purchase solely as an investment, and not as a place to live. 

If you are looking to buy a home and move within a year or so, then it may be in your best interest to wait and see what happens.  However, if you are looking to buy a home and live in that home for a number of years, there is no time like the present to buy because no one knows exactly what is going to happen in the future.  

Baseball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  Some of my fondest childhood memories revolve around playing baseball in little league and going to major league games with my dad.  Baseball always was a great father-son bonding moment for me as a kid, and I've carried on the tradition with my son.

Before moving to Long Island, I lived in Queens, where we had no backyard, and the only time that we could play ball was if we went to a park.  We moved to Long Island in the winter of 1976 to a house with an enormous backyard.  We spent our first few months on Long Island playing in the snow in the backyard, but we truly appreciated our new yard when the snowy winter finally yielded to the first days of spring.

Our backyard became, for all intents and purposes, the neighborhood ball field.  We strategically placed a rubber home plate at one end of the yard.  There was a gigantic tree that served as first base, a smaller tree situated perfectly as second base and a well-placed bush as third base.  I doubt very much that the landscaping was planned around the creation of a ball field, but my brother and I used our creativity to build our very own field of dreams.

On spring days, my dad would pitch to one of us while the other would play the field.  The yard was big enough to allow us to use baseballs, at least during our younger years before we discovered our power and we started breaking windows on the house.  My father, my brother and I were always playing baseball in the backyard.  Even when we weren't hitting, I can still remember enjoying throwing a baseball back and forth to my dad, who never seemed too tired to play with us even after a hard day of work. 

The backyard baseball playing was great.  It served as great practice to develop our skills.  In the spring of 1977, I played on my first little league team - the Yankees.  It was a time for learning, although the games were a bit frustrating at times, especially when we had to hit off of a tee.  It also took a number of games to get used to hitting pitches that were thrown by someone other than my dad, but I did finally get the hang of it. 

I still remember the day that I got my first hit in little league.  As I stood proudly on first base, I felt confident and ready for my next at-bat.  The second hit of the game was a double that I unsuccessfully tried to stretch into a triple.  I may have been a bit too aggressive running the bases, but I was excited to finally be hitting.

The following season, our team pretty much stayed in tact, but we were now called the Twins.  During this season, we were one of the top two teams in the league.  Coach Neylan did a great job with our team, and we came a long way from the previous season.  We made it to the championship game that season.  This game took place on the only fenced field in town.  There was a concession stand and announcers, and you really felt the playoff atmosphere, even though we were only 9 years old.

I wasn't usually a leadoff batter, but Coach Neylan decided that I would be for the championship game.  I can still recall the butterflies as I stepped up to the plate to face off against Walter, a kid that threw the ball harder than any other kid in the league.  Being the leadoff batter, I didn't even get the chance to check him out before facing him.  The adrenaline was pumping, and I managed to get a hold of one of Walter's pitches, and sent the ball sailing into a gap in the outfield.  As I rounded second base, I hesitated slightly, long enough for the ball to return to the infield.  After a short rundown, I slid in safely to third base.  A leadoff triple!  What a way to start the game.  I ended up scoring, and we took a 1-0 lead into the second inning.

That run would be our last for most of the game, while our opponents racked up 10 runs.  We finally rallied in the last inning.  We spent most of the inning with the bases loaded, and we closed the gap to a one-run margin.  The score was 10-9 with two outs and bases loaded.  Unfortunately, the batter due up was one of the weakest hitters on the team, and he grounded softly to the pitcher to end our rally and our championship dream.  We played hard and fought until the end, but came up a bit short.  I was disappointed, but happy that I played well.

This team stayed together for two more seasons, and lost another championship game to our rivals - the Yankees.  I can still recall most every kid crying except for me.  As competitive as I was, and still am, I never saw the point in crying over losing a game.  We never did win a championship during our four years together, but we always played hard, and came close a few times.  In the fifth season, most of my team moved up to the higher division without me because my birthday fell late in the year, causing me to miss the cut-off date.

It was during the holdback season that I finally got to play for my dad.  He had already been the coach of my younger brother's team for four seasons.  It was exciting to finally be on his team.  My dad was probably the fairest coach that anyone has ever played for, which is likely why his teams usually had a losing record.  To him, it was more important to give every kid a chance then it was to try and win games. 

The season that I played for him, we actually had a winning record, due in large part to a handful of good players.  Since I was now one of the oldest players in the league, I was also one of the most dominant players too.  In that 16 game season, I hit 5 home runs, a bunch of triples, and had around 30 RBI's and 15 or so stolen bases.  I was a catcher in little league, but my dad let me pitch one game just for fun.  I threw harder than most of the kids in the league, but I was by no means a pitcher.  That day, we won the game as I struck out 10 of the Senators players.  I also walked 6 of them, and if kids weren't swinging out of fear, my strikeout-to-walk ratio probably would have been much worse. 

The highlight of that year, aside from playing for my dad, was playing in the All-Star game.  It took place on the same fenced field as the championship game from years earlier.  I was batting in the clean-up position in this game.  When I stepped up to the plate against James T., I was thinking home run.  He laid the first pitch right over the plate, and I foolishly let it go by for a strike.  I knew that was the pitch that I wanted, and didn't know if I'd see it again.  Fortunately for me, James threw his second pitch to the exact same spot, and this time I sent it sailing about 50 feet over the fence onto another field.  It is a baseball moment that I will always remember with pride.

The other thing that I'll always remember about baseball is my father taking us to see a Mets game every year at Shea Stadium.  We always had so much fun at the games, although in our younger days, it was more about eating whatever junk food came around, and less about watching the actual game. 

I will always cherish those days, and I've kept up the tradition with my son.  Unfortunately, my father passed away in 2001, so he was never able to attend these games with me and my son.  If he had, I'm sure that he would have loved to have been the one to fill my son's belly with all of the junk food that the stadium has to offer.

My first major league game was at Shea Stadium with my dad, and my son's first major league game was at Shea Stadium with me.  While my son and I will see games in the new stadium that is being built, my memories of seeing games with my dad are all at Shea Stadium.  I understand that times change, and that teams are all getting new ballparks, but it saddens me that Shea Stadium is going to be torn down soon, because I won't have the chance to create baseball memories with my dad in the new stadium. 

When Shea Stadium gets torn down, it will not just be crumbling concrete to me.  A piece of my heart is going to be torn down on that day too.  Although no one can ever take away the memories of the times that I spent in Shea Stadium with my dad, it hurts to know that I will never be able to step foot inside the actual stadium again to relive my childhood baseball memories.

Real estate trends vary from market-to-market, so the use of broad statistics doesn't usually give you an accurate assessment of what is going on in your particular market.  In this Suffolk County report, you will find a sampling of six markets broken down by school district, rather than town. 

On Long Island, school districts are very important to determining what's going on in the housing market, and since school district lines are cut in a unique way here, this is the most accurate way of reporting market trends.

When reading these reports, please understand that this is purely based on averages, and that the value of an individual's home cannot be determined strictly by using averages.  The purpose of these reports is to give Long Islanders a sampling of where the market was last time at this year, and where it is now.  For more specific data about your individual home, please feel free to contact me directly.  My contact information is listed at the bottom of the page.

The sample school districts chosen for this market report are as follows:  Hauppauge, Commack, Smithtown, Three Village, Kings Park and Half Hollow Hills.  If you would like a trends report for your particular school district, you may contact me directly as well.

Home prices in the Hauppauge School District trended lower, and inventory increased.  The ratio between the asking price and sales price narrowed considerably, and the average days on market was reduced.  This indicates that while less homes were being sold, the homes that did sell were priced more competitively for the market.

Home prices in the Commack School District trended lower, the amount of new listings increased, while the number of closings remained relatively the same, resulting in a slight increase in inventory.  The ratio of asking price to sales price remained flat, while the days on market increased.

Home prices in the Smithtown School District trended lower, inventory rose as there were more listings and less closings than the previous year.  The ratio between asking price and sales price remained flat, and days on market showed only a minimal increase.

Home prices in the Three Village School District trended lower, but large drop in average sales price was due mostly in part to the fact that only a few million dollar homes closed in 2007 vs. a number of million dollar homes closing during the same time in 2006.  The ratio between asking price and sales price, as well as the days on market remained relatively flat.

There was relatively good news for the Kings Park School District, in comparison to other areas, as the sales prices remained basically flat as most other areas trended lower. This is in spite of the inventory increasing.  The ratio of asking price to list price narrowed, and days on the market was reduced, indicating that the homes that sold in Kings Park were more competitvely priced than in 2006. 

The trends in the Half Hollow Hills School District are a bit contradictory.  The inventory rose by a large margin, but the price of homes trended upwards at the same time.  Part of this is due to the fact that there was one home that sold for almost $4 million, but even without that home, the prices were up significantly.  This can be explained by the fact that a number of homes sold in the $1.7 million range, whereas the million dollar homes sold in 2006 were closer to $1.1 - $1.2 million.  The ratio of asking price to sales price remained flat, as did the days on market.  This would indicate that the high end of the market may be starting to recover already.  Future market reports will show whether this is an actual trend or not.

If you have any questions about these reports or your particular home or school district, please feel free to contact me directly.

Real estate trends vary from market-to-market, so the use of broad statistics doesn't usually give you an accurate assessment of what is going on in your particular market.  In this Nassau County report, you will find a sampling of six markets broken down by school district, rather than town. 

On Long Island, school districts are very important to determining what's going on in the housing market, and since school district lines are cut in a unique way here, this is the most accurate way of reporting market trends.

When reading these reports, please understand that this is purely based on averages, and that the value of an individual's home cannot be determined strictly by using averages.  The purpose of these reports is to give Long Islanders a sampling of where the market was last time at this year, and where it is now.  For more specific data about your individual home, please feel free to contact me directly.  My contact information is listed at the bottom of the page.

The sample school districts chosen for this market report are as follows: Syosset, Jericho, Plainview-Old Bethpage, Hicksville, Levittown and Bethpage.   If you would like a trends report for your particular school district, you may contact me directly as well.

PLEASE NOTE:  Due to the fact that there are multimillion dollar homes located within the school districts of Syosset and Jericho, the market trends show greater fluctuations than other markets.

As was noted earlier, the market trends for the Syosset School District are skewed heavily due to the sales of multimillion dollar homes.  Should this report be run without those homes, the numbers would change, however the trends are still the same.  The prices have trended downwards, inventory has increased slightly, the ratio of asking price to sales price has remained flat, as has the average days on market.  

As is the case with the Syosset School District, the Jericho School District also has drastic fluctuations due to the sale of multimillion dollar homes, but the trends would remain without these homes being included.  The prices have trended upwards, and inventory remained flat.  The ratio between asking price and sales price has deteriorated a bit, but the average days on market improved.  It is important to note that the amount of closings in Jericho was so small that these market trends are easily exaggerated.

Home prices in the Plainview Old Bethpage School District trended down, while inventory was slightly increased.  The ratio of asking price to sales price deteriorated slightly, and the average days on market rose slightly.  

Home prices in the Hicksville School District trended down, inventory rose, the ratio of asking price to sales price remained flat, and the days on market improved.

Home prices in the Levittown School District trended down, while the inventory increased.  The ratio of asking price to sales price improved slightly, and the average days on market remained flat.

Great news for home sellers in the Bethpage School District!  The prices trended higher as inventory stayed flat.  The ratio of asking price to sales price remained flat, and the average days on market increased slightly.  At a time when most areas have prices either trending down or staying flat, the Bethpage market is showing great strength.

If you have any questions about these reports or your particular home or school district, please feel free to contact me directly.