Archive for November 2019

Complaints about home improvement contractors are one of the most frequent grievances received by the Better Business Bureau and the office of State Attorneys General. Below are a few ways that you can improve your chances of finding a reputable contractor:

1. Get referrals from other building professionals. Ask professionals who you know. For example, ask your plumber, roofer, painter or real estate professional for recommendations. Since they work with other contractors on other jobs, they know who is good and who is not.
2. Get references. Get three customer references from the contractor for similar projects that were completed in the past two years. Check these references carefully and if you are able to; maybe even see the work that was done. Ask them if they would hire the contractor again in the future.
3. Check the contractor’s license, insurance, and permits. Make sure they are in order. Contact the Registrar of Contractors in your area.
4. Get a written cost estimate with specific details, schedules, and the projected completion dates for all work that needs to be done.

Filed under: Blog, Brooklyn, Buying, Contractor, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, Real Estate, Selling by Ryan Roberts
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We are living in a fast paced, ever changing environment where it is extremely important for us to not only stay connected but also maneuver seamlessly between our personal products, our social networks and above all; our surroundings.  Our homes are no different.  Homeowners are looking for smart solutions to make their lives more efficient and enjoyable.   

Take a look at some of the most of the most widely used smart tools to automate your home and building.

Smart Intercom

What if you could open and manage doors with a swipe of your smartphone, issue virtual keys to your family, friends and guests or enable your Alexa or Siri device to unlock doors with the sound of your voice.  Well…Butterfly MX allows you to do just that.  It is a cloud based virtual doorman smart intercom system.  Since the system is cloud based it provides many benefits.  Developers can cut costs because there are no wires needed to install visual intercoms within each apartment.  Property managers can also enhance the tenant experience through efficient interaction with one another through the online portal.  Take a look below to see how it works.

Smart Thermostat 

The Ecobee Smart Thermostat is a wifi based thermostat that lets you control your home heating and air condtioning system directly from an app or your own voice.  Ecobee also supports all of your favorite voice assistants; Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant.  

Smart Plug

If you use a lot of lamps, fans or common small appliances; smart plugs can be the secret to a seamless smart home. Scheduling, timer, power and away modes are some of the features you can expect from an effective smart plug. Here are a few smart plugs that are leading the way. TP-Link Kasa Smart WiFi Plug Mini. This space saving device works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa and also offers a multitude of options to customize scheduling and timers. If your on a budget the SmartThings WiFi Smart Plug might be the right fit you. Retailing at just $18; this one of the most affordable options on the market. Energy usage monitoring and voice control makes this device a solid choice.

Filed under: Blog, Brooklyn, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, Real Estate, Smart Home, Uncategorized by Ryan Roberts
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It really depends on the house and the situation.  There may be two reasons a house is marketed as an “As Is” Property.  The first may be because the seller just doesn’t have the money to make the necessary repairs, and wants to get out from under the cost of repairing the property. 

The second reason is much more difficult.  A word of caution is in order.  The house may have serious problems! Something serious may be defective…so buyers beware.  Generally speaking, an “As Is” property tends could have a major structural or functionally obsolete (i.e. expensive!) problem.  Typical problems may range from a faulty roof, termite damage, problems with the foundation, leaking pipes or other plumbing problems, to problems with the electrical or mechanical systems to name a few.

It is in the buyer’s best interest to have a full home inspection completed and all the problems documented, so that the buyer is aware of any potential problems with the property. 

Filed under: Blog, Electrical, Home Inspections, Investing, Real Estate, Roof, Uncategorized by Ryan Roberts
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