High Estates

It is the most famous town of the Hamptons. It is a town located in southeastern Suffolk County, New York. It is the easternmost town on the South Shore of Long Island. The town includes the village of East Hampton and four hamlets of Montauk, Amagansett, Wainscott and Springs.

It is the easternmost point in the state of New York and is surrounded by the ocean on three sides. The town is a peninsula forming the tip of the South Fork. On its south side you will find the Atlantic Ocean, the east by The Block Island Sound and the north by several bays such as, Gardiner’s Bay and Fort Pond Bay.

East Hampton earned its reputation as “the playground for the rich”. Living here is very expensive. In 2006, the median price of a house was $895,000. Last 2005, the cost of living in this town was 326% of the national average. Several houses in this town now sell at tens of millions of dollars.

Famous residents include: Martha Stewart, Jerry Seinfeld and Puff daddy among others. Two first ladies also spent their childhood here, Julia Gardiner Tyler and Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis.

If you watch Sex and the City, you will notice that Carrie and her friends spend some of their summers and weekends at what they call, “The Hamptons”. It is a three hour drive from New York City. Most New Yorkers retreat to the Hamptons after their chaotic work in the city during weekends.

The Hamptons specifically refers to the towns of East Hampton and Southampton, South Fork, Suffolk County, New York on the east end of Long Island. It is surrounded by the ocean on three sides. Anyone who has a lot financial resources aspires for the Hamptons as a weekend getaway. It has earned its reputation as the playground for the rich and famous especially for the town of East Hampton wherein two first ladies spent their childhood and resided in the area.

When shopping around for financing options for your second home, realize that oyu need to make a bigger down payment on your second home than if you were buying yout first home. The reason behind this is that lenders consider second home investments as having bigger risks than primary properties. Second home investments are usually more volatile, and borrowers are more likely to take advantage of different investment opportunities instead of following through with owning a second home. When lenders ask for a higher down payment, they compensate for the bigger risk. You will also have to pay higher interest rates, but by getting adjustable rate mortgages or interest only mortgages, you can go on a sort term strategy to make lower monthly mortgage payments.

Don’t let your debts stop you from purchasing your home. Here are some ways you can deal with your debt before you buy.

Renegotiate the terms. Although it might seem like your lender is trying to ruin your credit record, most will be happy to help you out by renegotiating the terms of your loan agreement. Speak to your lender when you have financial problems so you can save yourself from any more dire situations.

Get a credit counselor. There are professionals out there who are certified to help you deal with you’re going through. Credit counseling agencies are there to help you get back on your feet and present you with options for debt relief. They will act as a third party to speak to your creditors in your behalf

There are a lot of advantages to buying a condominium unit, the main one being that you don’t need to worry about maintenance of the property. When you buy a condo, you will be charged a monthly fee that goes to the condominium association. This fee is different from the one you pay for your mortgage. Every condo owner has to pay association dues. While it might seem like an unnecessary fee at first, these are used to cover all types of maintenance the building might need. For instance, if the roof needs to be replaced, the condo owners don’t need to shoulder the expenses. The association fees also cover upkeep of the property, the salary of the maintenance crew, and the maintenance of the amenities like the swimming pool.

Manufactured homes are commonly thought of as “trailer homes” or “mobile homes”. Today, however, manufactured homes come in different styles and offer more options than in previous years. Manufactured homes are usually built in a factory according to the standards of the Federal Building Code or the HUD code, as well as local codes. Made out of a non-removable steel chassis, portions of a manufactured home or the entire home itself can be moved to the site from the factory using its own wheels. Once the manufactured home reaches the site, they are assembled and the utilities are connected. An inspector looks at the work that has been done before the structure is approved. While less expensive than modular homes, the value of a manufactured home often decreases with time.

Home renovations are very flexible but before you can even hammer a single nail, you’re going to need money to pay for it.

You can turn to cash and liquid assets to fund your home renovation - your savings and checking accounts, as well as saving bonds. This way you don’t have to deal with interest rates, extra charges, nor do you have to be dependent on anyone else. On the downside, this could deplete your savings. This option is only good if you have lots of cash to spare.

If you’re doing a specific project, you can take out a home equity loan. This is ideal for large projects like additional rooms, and it offers lower interest rates than credit cards or personal loans. However, if you deplete your equity, the sum you receive when you eventually sell your house will be significantly lower. Also, the large amount you will receive might tempt you to buy things that are not part of the renovation project.

Here are some more ways you can find a real estate agent who will listen to your needs.

Attending open houses is one way you can meet various real estate agents in a work environment. Get their business cards and write notes on each real estate agent. Observe if he or she is polite, knowledgeable, and professional, and pay attention to the way the agent shows the home.

Look at the listings in your neighborhood and pay attention to the day they are placed and when the sold sign is placed. An agent who sells homes fastest might be better than one who has a lot of “for sale” signs.

Also look at print ads. There are usually two kinds of print ads run by real estate agents - the first sells a specific property while the second promotes the agent. Look for ads of properties in your ideal neighborhood and then research online about the agents who are advertising them.

Working with a real estate agent makes the transaction a lot less complicated. The best agent out there doesn’t have to work for a big firm; he or she is a professional who will listen to your needs, who knows your market, and who will work with you in an ethical manner.

One way you can find a real estate agent is through referrals. Ask your friends or family members in the area who they have hired and their experience with that agent. A good agent usually makes sure that customer satisfaction is the main priority and places the client’s needs first.

You can also find a real estate agent through the internet, but you have no assurance of the quality of their work. Try to Google the best real estate companies in your area, check out their websites, and look at the profiles of their agents as well as the customer testimonials.

Some home buyers who are looking for a good deal usually consider getting a house in foreclosure. Sellers go into foreclosure for various reasons: they got laid off or fired from their job, mounting debt and bills, transfer to another state, or are unable to work because of medical conditions.

Before buying a house in foreclosure, remember that the proceedings differ from state to state. Some homeowners can occupy the property up to a year; in other states, the seller has about four months before he or she vacates the house.

You also need to determine if you’re the kind of person who can take advantage of the seller’s unfortunate circumstances. Some might argue that this is just business while others believe they are helping the seller, but deep down you know that isn’t true.