Summer’s End

Where has the time gone?  It seems like just yesterday it was the Memorial Day Weekend and the long summer was stretched out in front of us like a pristine sandy beach with no footprints in it yet.  And now despite the fact that there are three calendar weeks of summer left, for most of [...]

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Renting vs. Buying

To everything there is a season, including renting and buying.  I am a fan of Suze Orman who is a very straight shooter about telling people what they can afford and what they can’t afford.  Many is the time that I have seen her tell someone that they simply can’t afford to buy a car [...]

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Fixer Upper vs. As Is

It’s not unusual to see a real estate property defined as a “fixer upper”.  There is an entire market of people out there who would prefer to buy a “fixer upper”.  Why?  Well, generally a fixer upper will be offered at a discount.  The seller acknowledges that work will have to be done to the [...]

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The REO Investor

Someone asked me the other day who the typical REO investor is?  I couldn’t answer the question effectively because there really isn’t a typical REO investor.
In my day to day business I see everything from Grandparents to overseas investors to hard core real estate investors.  Right now we have a women’s investment group who is [...]

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The REO Process

A home doesn’t become REO property overnight; it is actually a rather lengthy process.  First there is an extensive foreclosure process after which a property will be offered at auction.  If the property fails to sell at auction it will then become REO or Bank Owned property.  At that time the bank with generally bring [...]

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Gutted and Gorgeous

First, let me say that at Island Advantage Realty LLC we deal with a wide range of REO property, most of which needs only minimal repair work.  Occasionally, we will get a property that has more extensive damage that will actually need a very specific investor who is actually looking for a home to basically [...]

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REO FAQs

The REO market is booming in the Metro NY, Long Island area right now.  Despite the publicity that this huge market is receiving now, there is still some confusion among the general public about what REO property really is.  Here are some frequently asked questions and my answers:
What is REO property?
REO stands for Real Estate [...]

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The Dog Days of Summer

My Grandfather always called this time of year the “Dog Days of Summer” he said it was the time of year when even a dog had lost the urge to lie in the sun and longed for the shade of an old oak tree.  There is a feeling in the air, people trying to squeeze [...]

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Olympic Fever

Now that the Olympics are in full swing I find that I have caught the Olympic fever.  It’s great to watch top athletes from around the world compete for the coveted gold medal.  I love to see all of the pride that athletes have for their native countries.  My favorite thing about the Olympics is [...]

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Back to School Shopping

I went back to school shopping with my cousin Lydia last weekend.  Lydia is blessed with three beautiful children, all girls, between the ages of 8 and 13.  I was amazed at how much 3 growing girls need to be able to go to school.  Between shoes and clothes and backpacks my cousin managed to [...]

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