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        <title>Heritage Hills Real Estate Blog </title>
        <link>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/</link>
        <description>Heritage Hills Somers NY condos and real estate market updates and area information.</description>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/newly-listed-condos-for-sale-in-heritage-hills.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/newly-listed-condos-for-sale-in-heritage-hills.html</link>
        <author>mike@HeritageHills.com (Mike Trinchitella)</author>
        <title>Newly listed Condos for sale in Heritage Hills</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
View all newly listed condos for sale in Heritage Hills listed in the past 7 days.
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    <pubDate>Fri, 05 Nov 2021 13:22:00 -0400</pubDate>
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<item>
    <guid>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/decicco-sons-somers-ny-grand-opening.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/decicco-sons-somers-ny-grand-opening.html</link>
        <author>mike@HeritageHills.com (Mike Trinchitella)</author>
        <title>DeCicco &amp; Sons Somers NY Grand Opening</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
The long awaited grand opening is finally here Friday May 3, 2019 at 7:30am. The Somers location of Decicco's is 20,000 square feet and will be the largest among all of their locations including popular locations in Ardsley, Armonk, Brewster, Harrison, Larchmont, Millwood and Pelham. DeCicco &amp; Sons is located at 266 Route 202, Somers, New York right across the street from Heritage Hills condos in Somers


As per the store's Facebook page:


We are so happy to announce that DeCicco &amp; Sons Somers will be opening FRIDAY, MAY 3RD Please join us in celebrating and enjoy special Grand Opening deals throughout the store We can’t wait to be joining the Somers community See everyone next FridayClick below:


DeCicco &amp; Sons Somers Facebook page
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    <pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2019 15:58:00 -0400</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/lovely-updated-3-bedroom-jefferson-model-in-heritage-hills.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/lovely-updated-3-bedroom-jefferson-model-in-heritage-hills.html</link>
        <author>mike@HeritageHills.com (Mike Trinchitella)</author>
        <title>Lovely Updated 3 bedroom Jefferson Model in Heritage Hills</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
Stunning totally renovated No Step, One Level Condos 3 bedroom Jefferson Model in sought after Heritage Hills with seasonal pond views Features include, New: kitchen, baths, hardwood floors, paint, moldings, top of the line everything Living room with fireplace, huge dining room, large master suite with custom walk-in-closet, new bath w/jacuzzi, new patio overlooking pond. Heritage Hills features 7 tennis courts, 5 pools, 2 golf courses, 2 restaurants, fitness center, travel club, numerous clubs and activities, entertainment, holiday parties, 24 hour security + EMS, shuttle to &amp; from train &amp; shops, Rte 100 &amp; Rt 684. A must see Low taxes, approx. $3,700 after Star rebate. Asking only $425,000.  For more info visit: 164B Heritage Hills
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    <pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2019 15:48:00 -0400</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/just-listed-one-level-guilford-model-in-heritage-hills.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/just-listed-one-level-guilford-model-in-heritage-hills.html</link>
        <author>mike@HeritageHills.com (Mike Trinchitella)</author>
        <title>Just listed - One Level Guilford Model in Heritage Hills</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
Gorgeous no step Guilford model with beautiful Western views from deck. Hardwood floors throughout. Plenty of guest parking, original sales model location Large living room with fireplace. Large eat-in-kitchen with great views. Master bedroom and bath, walk-in-closet. Huge attic storage. Basement/crawl space under deck with 900+ sq foot of storage. Heat pump and hot water heater replaced, new refrigerator. Custom garage .Low taxes of approx $1,495/yr after Star rebate.  Asking $329,000.For more info view listing here:  Guilford Model in Heritage Hills
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    <pubDate>Sun, 12 Mar 2017 16:18:00 -0400</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/safer-alternatives-to-rock-salt-for-melting-ice.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/safer-alternatives-to-rock-salt-for-melting-ice.html</link>
        <author>mike@HeritageHills.com (Mike Trinchitella)</author>
        <title>Safer alternatives to rock salt for melting ice</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
Safer alternatives to rock salt


The snow season is here and in the past I have written about home sellers being sure to keep the driveway and walkways clean so buyers can easily view your home; you also need to be aware of the negatives of using salt to melt ice and some good alternatives to try.


Salt damages concrete and can cause pits and cracks on a walkway, patio or driveway. Salt can also ruin the plantings in your landscaping. Anyone who has pets may have them struggle walking outside on the salt as the little chunks of salt often gets caught between their paws. Not only is it painful but the animal may end up licking their paws to remove the salt and ingest the often harmful salt. Salt can also corrode and destroy metal such as fencing, gates or outside patio furniture.


There are a few salt alternatives that are not perfect but may be better alternative for someone’s needs:


Sure Paws - is touted as a no-salt melter that is 100 organic and all-natural. It is safe for pets, paws, and skin. It is non-toxic, safe for lawns, shrubs and vegetation. It is less corrosive on metal surfaces than salt.


Magnesium chloride - doesn’t leave a powdery residue and is safer for pets, people and the environment, it is also less corrosive on metal surfaces. Unfortunately magnesium chloride could possibly damage masonry.


Calcium chloride - wont leave a powdery white residue isn't as damaging to the soil and vegetation as salt, though it may damage concrete. Calcium chloride attracts moisture, so it won't keep surfaces as dry as many other products.


Potassium chloride - doesn't work at extremely low temperatures like other salt alternatives and may cost a little more than salt, but it is relatively safe to vegetation and concrete.


Calcium magnesium acetate - is a non-corrosive, biodegradable de-icer. Will not damage concrete, safe for children and pets, less harmful to plants and will not irritate the skin. Unfortunately it doesn’t melt the ice much and just breaks it up a little bit, you will still have to shovel it away.


Sand is probably the safest thing to use and will provide better traction but won't melt ice. Sometimes just a simple shovel is really the most reliable and safest way to get rid of ice without causing any damage; you may damage your back while doing it buy hey you will have a nice driveway and walkway with no cracks to look at come spring.


Thinking about selling your home? Receive a free home evaluation of your home and find out what it can sell for in this current real estate market. Click HERE for more info.
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    <pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2015 08:56:00 -0500</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/lovely-cape-for-sale-in-mahopac-with-motherdaughter-apartment.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/lovely-cape-for-sale-in-mahopac-with-motherdaughter-apartment.html</link>
        <author>mike@HeritageHills.com (Mike Trinchitella)</author>
        <title>Lovely cape for sale in Mahopac with mother daughter apartment</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
Welcome to 242 Austin Rd in Mahopac NY. MLS 4409318. Lovely over sized cape cod with separate side by side mother/daughter apartment. Features include 3 bed 2 bath in main part of home as well as 1 bed 1 bath apartment with eat-in-kitchen, and family room and finished loft. This lovely home features an updated kitchen with Sub Zero gas range and Sub Zero refrigerator, hardwood floors, 2 fireplaces plus a wood burning stove. Large 1st floor master bedroom with walk-in-closet, updated bathroom. Living room with fireplace, lovely Florida room with radiant heat and wood burning stove, large family room with fireplace. 2 oil burners (main boiler is brand new, 2nd boiler is 2 years old) 2 oil tanks, roof less than 10 years old. Huge 2 car garage and workshop. Lake/Beach rights to Lake MacGregor. Less than 1 mile to school. 2.5 miles to Taconic Parkway. Taxes are $11,346 after STAR deduction. Asking $389,000.
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    <pubDate>Fri, 25 Apr 2014 20:35:00 -0400</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/selling-a-home-with-building-violations.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/selling-a-home-with-building-violations.html</link>
        <author>mike@HeritageHills.com (Mike Trinchitella)</author>
        <title>Selling a home with building violations</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
This issue seems to come up in almost every transaction. Typically, a homeowner made an improvement to the home without obtaining a new certificate of occupancy or proper permit and is now worried it may affect the selling their home.


The most common examples are above ground pools, finishing a basement, making a deck larger, a shed, adding a bathroom or making a 1/2 bath into a full bath. Trying to sell a house with a building violation can be a small or sometimes a big problem. The problem is not with the building department. Building department inspectors do not create the building codes they just enforce them. The problem is the buyer’s bank. For the most part a buyer is not going to be able to get a loan for your house if violations exist. Not only is the bank not going to give a loan on a house with violation, the buyers attorney will not let the buyers buy the house until all permits and/or certifications of occupancy are produced.


Possibly the most common response I hear from sellers who have obvious violations is that they bought the house that way which is often the truth. Unfortunately the problem is still yours no matter which owner was responsible for the violation. That wood burning stove that has been in your house for 30 years may or may not be on file at the town and you are responsible to make sure it is. Blaming the person you bought it from or the agent who listed the house who made errors in the listing specifications will not change anything. Doing nothing and waiting to see if a buyer’s bank has an issue or will overlook the violations is a big mistake. It can take 3-6 weeks from when you apply for a permit and the c/o (certificate of occupancy) is issued and some times months if the board of health has to get involved. A buyer may not be willing to wait the extra time and back out of the deal. Quite often the additional time it takes to wait for the c/o and close on the house will be beyond the buyers rate lock date and if you want to keep the buyer you will be the one paying for the buyers rate lock extension which can cost a few thousand dollars. So waiting to see what problems will come up can cost you money or possibly your buyer.


Now do not panic, I see this all the time and most homeowners do not even realize the issue with building violations and the remedy for the most part is pretty simple. Fortunately many buyers are still willing to buy your house as long as you are in the process of correcting the violations when they first see the house. Meaning you have already investigated any violations and are in the process of correcting them prior to them seeing the house. Often buyer’s agents will ask you to produce all permits and c/o’s and if you are in the process of getting them and only a few weeks left before they are issued the agents will usually be okay with that.


The 1st thing a seller should do is go to the building department and inspect your file and see what permits and c/o’s are on file for your house. If you have a finished basement but no c/o for it then it must be corrected. If your c/o says you have 2.5 baths but you have 3 baths in the house, it must be corrected. If you remember putting up a pool or extending a deck and you never filed the proper paperwork it must be corrected. Simply speak to the building inspector and let them know you are selling your house or will be soon and want to make sure all permits and c/o’s are in place so you do not run into and problems that may prevent your home from selling.


For things like extra bathrooms, finished basements, you will need to fill out a permit application which essentially is a detail of the work you will be doing. Of course the work has already been done but you still fill it out showing what work you did. From there the building inspector will review it and if all looks good they will set up a day to inspect the home to see if the improvements were done up to code. If there aren’t any problems then the c/o will be issued in within a week or so but if there are problems you will be told what the issues are and you must correct them and then have the inspector come back again to look it over.


Homeowners that have homes with building violations is unfortunately quite common, fixing these issues are not always a big deal just require a little time and effort on your part. Do not wait until the last minute to address these issues as it may cost you a lot of money or even worse you could lose the buyer.


Thinking about selling YOUR home? Worried you may have building violations and not sure what steps to take to correct them? I help homeowners all the time in this situation. I would be happy to provide a free assessment of any violations that may exist as well as tell you what you need to do to correct them. I would also be happy to provide you with a free home evaluation so you know what your home is worth in this current real estate market. Email at Mike@MikeTrinch.com or call me at 914-403-4868.
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    <pubDate>Sat, 12 Apr 2014 20:53:00 -0400</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/getting-a-home-ready-for-the-spring-selling-season.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/getting-a-home-ready-for-the-spring-selling-season.html</link>
        <author>mike@HeritageHills.com (Mike Trinchitella)</author>
        <title>Getting a home ready for the Spring selling season</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
With all the snow still on the ground it is hard to believe that Spring is only a few days away. Because the snow has been sitting on the ground (and your roof) for so many weeks, a Spring do it yourself home inspection is more important than ever.


If you aren’t able to shovel the snow off your roof then go up in the attic and take a look around for any leaks or went spots on the wood. You should do this anyway even if all the snow is off the roof. Most homeowners rarely look around when they are up in the attic other than trying to find more space for their stuff. A slow leak or mold or anything related to water damage usually goes unseen so bring up a flash light and look around to see if there any problems.


Head down to the basement and check for any signs for water especially during the warmer days when the snow starts to melt. Check the walls and floors as well as corners to see if any water has pooled up. Be sure to look in the hard to reach areas behind water heaters, water softeners and heating system. You may not always see the problem when it is happening and may have dried up by the time you go and look. If you see a white flaky powder residue on the concrete in the basement, that is a sign of water or moisture. That white powder coating concrete walls and floors is caused by a mineral salt called efflorescence. This is a powder that's left behind as water vapor passes through the concrete walls and floors. I recommend hiring a professional if there are any signs of a water problem in the basement.


Since it may have been a few months since any windows have been opened in the house, go around the house and check all the windows and make sure they open without a problem. Tighten any screws if needed or spay some lubricant spray if any windows are squeaking.


An often overlooked maintenance item is the gutters and most homeowners never clean them out. In addition to twigs and leaves there could be snow and ice building up and making problems worse. The gutters will not function the way they were intended and well as they can start pulling and hanging away from the house. Gutters help keep water away from the house and foundation and gutters problems can eventually lead to water problems around the foundation. Be sure to clean out any debris that may be clogging the gutters.


If you have a septic system and make sure to have the septic pumped because most likey any buyer you find will ask to have it pumped if it has not been plumped in the last year.


If you are not very handy or just do not have the time then I highly recommend hiring an inspector to inspect your entire house inside and out. Not only will this help you to undercover any problems while you are living there but will allow you to fix them before a buyer does once they do their own inspection.


If you are getting ready to list your home or if it is already on the market be sure to follow these simple steps that can help you avoid larger problems down the road and possibly losing a buyer to a problem you did not even know existed.
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 19 Mar 2014 23:02:00 -0400</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/buying-a-home-with-a-buried-underground-oil-tank.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/buying-a-home-with-a-buried-underground-oil-tank.html</link>
        <author>mike@HeritageHills.com (Mike Trinchitella)</author>
        <title>Buying a home with a buried underground oil tank</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
More and more buyers are coming across homes with underground oil tanks and more and more sellers are starting to realize that buyers do no want anything to do with an underground oil tank. Not only are buyers becoming more concerned but the first thing a buyers agent asks me about my listings with oil heat is “where is the oil tank.?” They often ask this question before they even book an appointment to show the house.


So what is the big deal? The buyer pays for an oil tank inspection, soil test and if everything turns out okay they just move forward with the purchase. As long as the oil tank is not leaking and passed the oil pressure test, the oil tank is in working condition the seller is not responsible to remove the tank and replace with an above ground oil tank. Now lets talk reality…..


An underground oil tank can make a home harder to sell or worth less to a potential buyer. It can also increase the chances of complications with getting to the closing table and the home sold. Mortgage lenders are increasingly wary of buried oil tanks and may refuse to lend on a home with an underground tank. Its also getting harder to find insurance companies that will provide homeowners insurance on house with an underground oil tank.


Many home buyers in this current real estate market want nothing to do with an underground oil tank. They do not even care if all tests come back okay and will often refuse to test it and want the tank removed before closing. I have had a lot of deals lately where the buyers submit an offer with the removal of the oil tank being part of the terms. If the owner refuses then they move onto another house. What does this all come down too? In reality about $3,500-$4,000 give or take to remove an old buried tank and put a new one either in the garage or somewhere outside close to the house.


What should a seller do about a buried oil tank? Some homeowners will actually remove the tank before listing their home so there are no concerns or issues at all with any prospective buyer with regards to the oil tank. Some homeowners will list the home and just wait to see if a buyer has an issue with it. Most buyers will test the tank and soil and if no issues will move forward with buying the house. As I previously mentioned some buyers will insist it be taken out in order for them to buy the house. In that case the seller and buyer go to contract, after the buyer receives the mortgage commitment from their bank the seller has the tank removed. In some instances a buyer will just take a credit at closing from the seller for the cost of the removal. Most sellers prefer this as do their attorneys; let the buyer deal with it when they move in.


My opinion for any homeowners with a buried oil tank, if you can afford to remove the tank before listing your home it is money well spent. If you are considering removing your oil tank or would like an estimate feel free and contact me, I would be happy to share the companies my clients have used with great success.
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    <pubDate>Wed, 19 Mar 2014 22:57:00 -0400</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/selling-and-buying-a-home-at-the-same-time.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.heritagehills.com/blog/selling-and-buying-a-home-at-the-same-time.html</link>
        <author>mike@HeritageHills.com (Mike Trinchitella)</author>
        <title>Selling and Buying a home at the same time</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
In this high paced real estate market many homeowners who are trying to sell their home are also buying a home during the same time. The most important thing to do in this sort of situation is put your home up for sale far in advance of buying a new one. You may want to consider selling first especially in a buyers market. This way you will know exactly how much money you will have when buying a new home. Too many potential sellers start looking at homes before they put theirs on the market and often fall in love with something and then have to rush to get their home on the market. They price it low in order for a quick sale to find a buyer right away to avoid losing the home they like to another buyer who has nothing to sell and is ready to move forward.  The ideal situation would be to sell your home and have a place to stay while you are looking for another home. This will give you more time to find something you really like instead of buying something right away because you found a buyer for your home and needs to close in 45-60 days. Sometimes you can get lucky and will find another seller who is willing to wait for your current home to close and then you can do a simultaneous closing on your sale and purchase the same day.  Most people who are selling a home and buying another one need the proceeds from the sale in order to buy the new home. Finding a seller who will be willing to go to contract with you and wait for your home to close is VERY rare. This situation is called a sale contingency and not something you should expect to find, especially in a buyers market where it takes a while to sell a home. For people who do not have the luxury of selling and living somewhere else for a while possibly with family or a rental then getting the home on the market right away is still the 1st priority. As soon as the house goes on the market then you can start browsing the market for something to buy. You may or may not find something right away and if you do then you will just have to hope you find a buyer real soon on your home.  Even though most sellers will not accept a sale contingency, I often see sellers willing to work with a buyer who may have not sold their current home but is in contract with a buyer. This scenario is a little more common and makes things a lot easier. Keep in mind though even if you have a buyer for your house and you are in contract, you may run into situations where a seller will not go to contract with you until your buyer gets their mortgage commitment and it can take 30-45 days after you sign a contract with your buyer for them to get the commitment. This can be stressful because during those 30-45 days there is a chance that you may lose the house you like to another buyer.The reason why a seller of a house you want to buy will not go to contract with you until your buyer receives the mortgage commitment is because not every buyer gets approved for a loan. There is the ever so popular and easy to acquire “pre-approval” but what is important is the mortgage approval. The frustrating part of this process is that the buyer will not find that out for 30+ days after they sign a contract if they are approved for the loan. Many things can happen that would force a bank to deny the buyer a loan. An appraisal on the home can come in way too low, the buyer(s) lose their job, the buyers do not have enough cash in the bank to make it to the closing to cover the rest of the down payment and the closing costs. There are other reasons why a buyer could get turned down for a loan and these are just a few examples. So just because you are in contract with a buyer does not mean that the sale is really going to go through.There is one way to assure yourself that a seller will go to contract with you even if you have not sold your home and that is to waive the sale contingency. You are essentially saying that you do not need to sell your home to be able to afford the next one. You will have to get approved from your bank proving to the seller that you can get a loan without selling your current home. This tells the seller that if for some reason your buyer does not get approved for the loan and your sale falls through, you will still be buying their home otherwise you will lose your down payment. Though a lot of this seems difficult and stressful, I do double closings all the time. Close on the sale of your home in the morning and close on the purchase of the other one later that day or sometimes 1st thing the next day.So what happens if you put your house on the market, found a buyer but have not found a new home yet? You do not have another place to stay once you sell your home. You can try to negotiate a long close or convenient rent-back option, where you can stay in the house as a rental tenant until you take possession of your new home. Typical closings take 45-60 days and in this situation you could see if the buyer would wait 90-120 days for your to close. In the event that you are lucky to find a buyer this flexible just realize that you will need to be out of the house by the 120 days regardless if you found another home or not.Selling a house can be stressful, selling and buying at the same time can be an extremely stressful situation and coordinating the move seems to be the nerve-racking part of it all. Millions of people do it every year but just make sure to give yourself time to prepare for the whole thing. Get your home on the market early and if possible try to have another place to stay if you can’t coordinate the sale and purchase around the same time.
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    <pubDate>Wed, 19 Mar 2014 22:53:00 -0400</pubDate>
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