Robin Lynch's Discussions

Homes built before 1930 are considered antique.

Hey everyone. Just found out yesterday that the town pool in Silver Lake is getting a major facelift. The town pool will now become an indoor pool and the land is being cleared on the far end of the parking lot for a brand new larger town pool slated to open for the summer of 2008.

Renting might deserve another look right now. After five years in which rents have barely budged while house prices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and elsewhere have doubled, renting has become a surprisingly smart option for many people who never would have considered it before.Owning a home often ties up hundreds of thousands of dollars that might be invested more safely and more lucratively elsewhere over the next decade. And while real estate brokers may hate to acknowledge it, home ownership involves its own versions of throwing money away, like property taxes and the costs of borrowing.Owning a home today is more expensive than renting in much of the Northeast, Florida and California. Only if prices rise well above their already lofty levels will home ownership turn out to be the good deal that it is widely assumed to be.In the Bay Area of California, a typical family that buys a $1 million house - which is average in some towns - will spend about $5,000 a month to live there, according to the Times analysis. The family could rent a similar house for about $2,500, real estate records show, and could pay part of that bill with the interest earned by the money that was not used for a down payment.There are obviously benefits to home ownership beyond the financial, like peace of mind and a feeling of stability. Owners cannot have their home yanked away by a landlord who has decided to move back in. Owners can also change the color of their living room walls or fix a draft seeping through their windows without asking permission.

Hi Richard. I agree with your statement that this is the best time to buy a property. We are in a buyer's market. I have done 2 CMA's for FSBOs who did not want to come down in price. For sellers, you need to price your home accurately so it will sell. Buyers are looking for location, size and amenities, in that order. That is what determines the price of the home and most important, the buyer determines the price of the home.

Bargaining for a good price.Negotiate The Deal The fun starts now because the real potential for making money starts now. The difference between a good negotiator and a poor negotiator is thousands and often tens of thousands of dollars. Good negotiators are prepared. They know exactly what they want to accomplish. They know their limits financially. They know which points they can bargain and which points they can't. As a buyer, you negotiate from a position of strength. You don't have to buy this property. Compromise is your option. If the deal is not to your complete satisfaction, there will always be new opportunities. There will always be other deals. You have to know what you want. You have to know what you will and won't accept. You have to be willing to walk away.One of the first things you should look at when comparing mortgage offers is the interest rate. Generally, the lower the interest rate, the better for you and your expenses. Even a slight difference in interest rates can mean a lot of money over the life of a loan. Make sure you understand if the rate offered includes discount points, which is money you pay up front to lower your interest rate. But the interest rate isn?t the only rate to look for. Another good benchmark for comparing offers is their annual percentage rate (APR). This figure combines the interest costs and other fees charged by a lender over the life of the loan, and expresses them as a yearly percentage. Make sure to ask for an itemized list of what?s included in each APR calculation, so you know you?re making a fair comparison, as some lenders don?t include all of their fees in the calculation. Other details matter too: Do the lock in terms vary? Is there a pre-payment penalty? What are all the closing costs and fees? Ask for a read a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) for each loan, and ask questions if something doesn?t make sense. Last, you?ll also want to consider customer service. Look for a lender who is quick to r

According to an article in the Real Estate Journal, some real estate agents are going green in order to differentiate themselves from the crowd.Over 1,000 agents have taken a $395 class to earn ?EcoBroker? designation, which they display on business cards and websites. Many other regional initiatives are taking hold. The article even features Moss Real Estate Group, ?New York?s first green brokerage?.The green craze may just seem like a trend to some, but many agents consider this a long term investment. People have started thinking (or at least aspiring to) of ?green living? as a practical lifestyle. Savvy agents are taking note and adapting.

The best to place to start is hire a designer to plan the kitchen for you. Ask for plan view as well as 4 (north, south, east, west) elevations. Look at magazines and get ideas of what style, etc. you like. Put all your tearsheets, ideas, etc. in a folder to give to the designer as well. Once you have the plans, you can shop these around to cabinet companies to get quotes (at least 3). If you are planning any structural changes, you may want to hire a general contractor to arrange all the trade work for you. Remember, a kitchen renovation involves 8-10 trades (carpentry, drywall, plumbing, electrical, painting, gas,tiling, etc. so a general contactor is worth his weight in gold. Good luck!

Generally, the cheapest place to gain extra space is through a loft conversion. This depends on the type of property, so check with an estate agent first, to find the best way in which to add value. For the most lucrative extension, you should convert the attic space into a master bedroom, preferably with an en suite bathroom or closet. With a loft conversion, you must consider the structure of your roof and where the beams lie, and you may need dormer windows to receive enough light. You have to ensure that the stairs to the conversion are at the right gradient, and this might mean building across the floor below, so remember that whilst you're gaining space in the roof, you might lose it from another area of the house. With this in mind, you must do thorough calculations, to ensure that an extension is really worth the effort.

Here are three things that affect your energy bills: (1) the weather, (2) the price of energy, and (3) the energy efficiency of your home. There is nothing you can do about the first two, but you can improve the energy efficiency of your home by having a professional energy audit. This could help reduce your energy use by an average of 25 percent, lower your energy bills up to $500 per year, and increase the comfort and value of your home.What is a Professional Home Energy Audit?An energy audit starts with an on-site inspection by a trained energy inspector (energy auditor) who will collect information relating to the energy features of your home. The inspection will take between one and two hours, depending on the size and condition of the home, and take into consideration:Heating and central air conditioning systems: type, fuel used, age, size, efficiency.Distribution system: duct leaks; length of uninsulated ducts or pipes; clock thermostat.Air seal-up: air leakage of envelope; fireplaces.Windows and skylights: size, number, orientation, frame condition, glazing, shades.Insulation (ceilings, walls, floor): type and amount present, measure area that needs additional insulation.Water heater and appliances: type, age, size, condition, fuel.After the inspection, the data are analyzed to estimate how much money will be saved by each improvement, and what the improvements will cost. These estimates, based on the actual observations in the home, will take account of regional variations in weather, labor costs, and fuel prices.How to Choose an AuditEnergy audits should result in an easy-to-understand report that includes a detailed analysis of each feature that could be improved, the estimated savings, costs, payback, and an explanation of how the upgrade reduces energy use. Additional features that enhance some audit reports include: help in finding contractors and financing, information about additional ways that homeowners can save energy with little or

There is quite a difference involving attic fans and whole house fans, in both form and function. Whole house fans are much larger in size and are placed somewhere in a central location of the house?s ceiling. These fans are an efficient way to cool a home, moving a decent amount of air through the house and up to the attic area. They can be run at all times during warmer months, but are most efficient when outside temperatures and humidity levels are not extreme enough to warrant using an air conditioner. This is because a whole house fan can only cool the interior of a house to the outside temperature and cannot dehumidify the inside. Another possible drawback to operating this fan is that they can also draw in outside dust and pollen.Attic (or roof) fans are usually much smaller in size and are usually placed on the interior roofline of a house. These fans are intended to circulate heated air from the attic space to the outside, but can create negative pressures in a home.The pressure can: remove conditioned air from the house through ceiling leaks and bypasses; pull pollutants such as mold, radon and sewer gases inside the house and lastly, the pressure can back draft fireplaces, water heaters and fuel-burning appliances. Roof fans are generally not recommended for most house designs.