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Preparing To Move? Load These Items In Your Car At The Last Minute

Submitted by Joseph Pettinella on September 1, 2015 - 11:10am

Did you know that Federal law prohibits moving companies from transporting hazardous materials?

There are other items, too, besides hazardous materials that moving companies generally will not load in their trucks.  Be prepared to transport your own house plants, perishable food items, and possibly some lawn and pool equipment.

The following list of items are defined as 'hazardous.  You will need to either dispose of them properly, leave them for the new owners (with their approval, of course), or transport them in your own vehicle:

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CENTURY 21 Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction across ALL Home Buyer/Seller Segments for a Second Consecutive Year!

Submitted by Joseph Pettinella on August 6, 2015 - 2:49pm

In J.D. Power's 2015 Home Buyer/Seller Satisfaction Study, Century 21 took home the gold across four categories of consumers!

The study, now in its eighth year, measures satisfaction with the nation’s largest real estate companies among customers in four segments: first-time buyers, repeat buyers, first-time sellers and repeat sellers.

The study examines four factors of the home-buying experience: the agent, the office, the closing process, and additional services. In the home-selling experience, the same four factors are evaluated, but marketing is added to the mix.

The key factor to satisfaction is all about communication. Satisfied customers reported having received timely responses to questions and concerns, information at all important contact points, follow-up communications after closing, and comparable property data.  

“Knowing how and when to communicate with customers is essential for real estate companies,” says Christina Cooley, director in the diversified services industries practice at J.D. Power. “To satisfy first-time customers, it is really about holding their hand by keeping them informed at key points throughout the purchase or selling process to ease their anxiety. For repeat customers, satisfaction hinges more on the timeliness of the response by their real estate agent when questions or concerns arise with the process.”

Read all about it on J.D. Powers website.

Painting Your House This Summer? Here's Some Help Deciding on Colors

Submitted by Joseph Pettinella on July 24, 2015 - 1:26pm

It's such a big decision . . . what color to paint your house!  It's a really hard decision to make.  It's difficult to imagine your home a different color than it is right now, so often people just paint it the same color.  At least you know what you're going to get, right?

To choose the right colors you need to take into consideration the color of your roof and other items that are part of your house that will not be painted as well as the style of your home and your personal tastes.  Do you want your home to stand out in the neighborhood, or blend in with the surrounding homes?  There are many things to consider.

Here's a link to a quick 'quiz' on Houzz that may help you decide what colors speak to you.  If that doesn't help you decide, most of the paint stores, as well as the big box stores, have online color pickers that allow you to upload a photo of your home and experiment with virtual colors.  Here's a link to Sherwin-Williams virtual house painter.

Happy house painting!

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Hudson Valley's Riverside Restaurants Can Serve It Up.

Submitted by Joseph Pettinella on July 22, 2015 - 3:22pm

The Hudson Valley Riverfront restaurants in Highland, Poughkeepsie, Kingston, and Newburgh are the summer hot spots for great food and fun.  Boating on the Hudson and dining in these casual waterside eateries is almost heaven!

Mariner's on the Hudson - Highland 

With their large extended deck that runs right into the river and free docking you can order meals right on your boat or enjoy live music and the tiki bar outdoors.  845-691-4711

River Station Restaurant - Poughkeepsie 

The oldest continually operating restaurant in Poughkeepsie.  They offer free shuttle service to the Walkway Over the Hudson and the Mid Hudson Bridge. You can park your boat at the public dock and your dog is also welcome outdoors.  845-452-9207

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Many Opportunities to Buy New Construction in Dutchess County

Submitted by Joseph Pettinella on July 20, 2015 - 4:43pm

Are you a potential home buyer in the Mid-Hudson Valley who just can't find the right home?  Well you're not alone.  There are lots of frustrated buyers out there who have already looked at everything in their price range but just haven't found the home that makes them want to pull the trigger.

There is some good news this Spring and Summer.  Builder confidence is up.  This means more builders (and their banks) are investing in new subdivisions.  This has created many more opportunities for buyers.

In Dutchess County alone there are hundreds of opportunities to either purchase a newly-constructed home that is 'nearly' completed, get on the ground floor of a home that has just been started, commit to build with the builder in a new subdivision, or purchase raw land and hire your own builder.  

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Well-Done (no pun intended) CIA Video in Hyde Park NY

Submitted by Joseph Pettinella on July 20, 2015 - 12:50pm

Take a minute to watch this video produced by the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park NY.  It showcases the beauty of our Mid-Hudson Valley area as well as the appeal of the large, well-manicured campus.