Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the steps to the perfect in ground pool?(3)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;   I'll never forget the look on my father's face the day I asked for an in-ground swimming pool. I must have been 10 or 11 years old, and he looked at me as if I'd asked for a helipad or another brother. "Go outside and run around the house," he barked. Not even close to the response I was hoping for.
Back then, above-ground swimming pools were popular, but "dug-in" pools were rather rare. In fact, there was only one in our entire neighborhood. Times sure have changed: According to the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals, there are about 5 million existing in-ground pools in the U.S., and 175,000 to 200,000 new pools are built each year.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the steps to the perfect in ground pool?(2)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  There's nothing like installing a concrete swimming pool to one-up your neighbor's above-ground version. But planning your dream pool can be harder than it first seems. Consider your options and obligations before breaking ground, and in-ground pool construction will proceed swimmingly.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the steps to the perfect in ground pool?(1)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says; Popular Mechanics is a service magazine covering a variety of information on home improvement, automotive needs, electronics, computers, telecommunications, outdoors, fitness and science and technology. Popular Mechanics also features product evaluations, practical applications, how-to information and news of technological developments.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 features luxury home buyers want? (6)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  SECURITY. Gated communities with private security are in high demand for individuals living the luxury lifestyle. These extra protective measures provide peace of mind by keeping their most prized possessions safe and sound as well as ensuring that their time at home will not be interrupted by those otherwise uninvited.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 features luxury home buyers want? (5)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;   CURB APPEAL. From xeriscape and earth friendly to stylistic manicured gardens, the luxurious appeal of the home must begin from the drive and continue to the roof line. Well appointed landscaping sets the stage for the magnificence of the home.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 features luxury home buyers want? (4)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  ENTERTAINING. Today’s luxury home owner dreams of being an executive chef or at least looking like one so the best of the best is required in the kitchen. From top of the line commercial appliances, stone, granite and custom tile surfaces, specialty appliances including brick ovens, wine chilling sinks and built-in cellars, the ultimate luxury kitchen has everything the master chef desires to make every entertaining event spectacular.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 features luxury home buyers want? (3)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  PAMPERING. Substantial his and hers ensuite bathrooms generously appointed with the ultimate in spa features including sauna, marble, stone and imported tile surfaces, custom tub enclosures, dual climate control, high-end toilets, and of course, heated towel racks are preferred. The larger and more opulent the space, the more welcoming and relaxing it’s sure to be.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 features luxury home buyers want? (2)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  Here are the features most  buyers are looking for in their next luxury home: TECHNOLOGY. INTEGRATED ELECTRONICS. Whether it’s an integrated sound system that combines connection among interior spaces with those outside, including outdoor entertainment areas and poolside, luxury home buyers want connectivity throughout their home and all at the touch of a button. Computerized operations centers and state of the art in-home theaters also top the list of wants for those interested in getting the most out of their home while entertaining and enjoying their leisure time.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 features luxury home buyers want? (1)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  The top 5 luxury home features buyers want whether searching for their next McMansion or the ultimate dream estate, are particular and varied. For these buyers, comfort and upgrades are not negotiable. Thanks to a roller coaster economy, it’s now a buyer’s market and in order to make that sale, your property needs to have the best of everything.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 things you can do to help avoid buying a money pit? (5b)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says; Final Step to Avoid Buying a Money Pit. If you hired a qualified and seasoned professional Realtor to help advise and guide you it can save you a lot of headaches and stress down the road. A professional agent will be able to refer you to top qualify inspectors for all aspects of the property so you can make an informed buying decision.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 things you can do to help avoid buying a money pit? (5a)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;   5.  Prioritize Price Reductions and Credits over Seller Repairs. For the most part, I feel that buyers will select their own materials and repair contractors with more care and are generally more deeply invested in ensuring that repairs are completed to their satisfaction than an outgoing seller. If you are negotiating with your home’s seller over repairs that need to happen, discuss with your agent whether it might make sense to ask for a price reduction or a closing cost credit to offset the cost of the repairs so you can have them completed to your standards, and with the materials and by the contractors of your choice, after closing.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 things you can do to help avoid buying a money pit? (4b)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  Even if you expect to cut costs by doing some work yourself, I urge you to contact and obtain bids on the repairs and upgrades you plan from actual professionals, so you can at least be armed with the information about what it will cost to get them done if you can’t complete them for any reason.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 things you can do to help avoid buying a money pit? (4a)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  4.  Stop Overconfidence In Its Tracks.  Having managed two extensive remodeling projects myself, I can vouch – unless you are a construction professional (and sometimes even then!), all but the most minor home improvement or repair projects tends to take more time and money to do yourself than you expect at the outset. (With my own two hands, I took down wallpaper and painted a room in January of 2002, and am still experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. One room, people.)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 things you can do to help avoid buying a money pit? (3b)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says; Avoid surprises by getting multiple repair bids from reputable contractors while you are still within the inspection contingency time frame of your contract. These repair estimates can also provide the basis for any renegotiation you and your agent choose to initiate with the seller for price reduction, repairs or increased closing cost credits.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 things you can do to help avoid buying a money pit? (3a)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says; 3.  Get Multiple Repair Bids.  While your pest, roof and other inspection specialists may offer you a repair cost estimate with your report, most general property inspectors do not – many states even forbid it by law.  Money pits often occur when buyers take a place knowing it needs what they thought was a little work, that actually turns out to be a much more costly or involved repair, once the actual repair contractor takes a look or starts the work.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 things you can do to help avoid buying a money pit? (2c)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  It behooves you to follow up on your reading of reports and disclosures by working with your agent to:

• list your questions and concerns,
• ask the inspector(s) and seller any follow-up questions you have,
• obtain follow-up inspections (including obtaining an extension of your inspection contingency, if needed) and
• obtaining reliable repair estimates.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 things you can do to help avoid buying a money pit? (2b)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  In your inspectors’ reports, make sure to notice:

• repair estimates they offer,
• items that seem like they will have to be completed soon (versus upgrades you can do over the long run)
• items that seem like they might run into big ticket dollar amounts, and
• especially watch for any recommendations that you get a specialist to look at something – some of the largest potential repairs are often dealt with in this way by a general property inspector. 

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 things you can do to help avoid buying a money pit? (2a)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  2.  Read the Reports and Disclosures.  Attending your inspection is just the first step. Reading the inspectors’ reports is critical to avoiding a money pit – both the reports generated by your own inspectors, and any reports and disclosures provided to you by the seller. Things to watch for and investigate further in the sellers’ reports and disclosures include: 

• repairs the seller completed themselves,
• repeated repairs to the same home system,
• water and leakage issues, and
• any reports of non-functioning mechanical or other systems in the home.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are some ways you can avoid buying a money pit?

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  Here are 5 of my personal favorite steps that will help you avoid buying a money pit.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 things you can do to help avoid buying a money pit? (1a)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  1.  Attend Inspections. There are lots of things you can outsource and rely on your professional representatives to do when you’re buying a home, but I’d suggest you keep attending your home, pest and roof or other specialty inspections on your own personal to-do list.  When you’re there in person, the inspector is able to physically show you the items that may need repair, and give you their professional opinion of how serious and large needed repairs may actually be at a level of clarity a written report may lack.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the 5 things you can do to help avoid buying a money pit? (1b)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says; Sometimes, written inspection reports convey minor items (like reversed hot and cold faucets) as a red-flagged health and safety issue, and more major items (like a problematic foundation) as something that needs further inspection.  If you are at the inspection in the flesh, you can brief the inspector on what level of cost and effort you consider major (and vice versa), and ask them to help you understand roughly where the property overall and any individual repairs needed fall, from that perspective.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the top 10 tips for buying a luxury home?

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  From a brand-new Trump condo and a historic Newport estate to a golf course community in the South, there's a plethora of choices in high-end homes. Consider these tips from luxury home market pros before buying your dream home.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the top 10 tips for buying a luxury home? (part1)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says; 1. Learn the search process. Many luxury homes go unlisted to protect a seller's privacy. These properties are often found through the Realtor's personal connections as opposed to the MLS.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the top 10 tips for buying a luxury home? (part2)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says; 2. Go beyond the photos. Make sure you don't dismiss properties based on their front elevation photos. Many large homes aren't photogenic that way and you have to see them in person to appreciate. I recommend my clients do a search of the property and vicinity on Google Earth so you can see what's around the home.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the top 10 tips for buying a luxury home? (part3)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  3. Work with a local expert. It's critical to have a good buyers agent who is familiar with the area you want to buy in. There's a bit more control on access to high-end properties in terms of fewer open houses and more appointments have to be made to see them.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the top 10 tips for buying a luxury home? (part4)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  4. Bank on your relationships. I strongly recommend you go to the bank you have a relationship with. They have your portfolio already. Also, know the difference between the pre-approval letter and the pre-qualification letter.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the top 10 tips for buying a luxury home? (part5)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  5. Document everything. There is more scrutiny today in the high-end market. Financial documentation is critical. Anyone who is making a lot of money has a manager or an accountant and tries hard to shelter their money so it can be difficult to show the bank you have the income.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the top 10 tips for buying a luxury home? (part6)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  6. Hire smart, reliable advisers. A good Realtor won't make the client's decisions but will make suggestions. Pay attention to your financial planner and Realtor that you trust. They should agree on what you should be doing and if they don't, arrange a meeting.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the top 10 tips for buying a luxury home? (part7)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  7. Don't forget about title insurance. You need to get title insurance so you'll be insured against any problems that were forgotten about. You want to make sure you have a chance to have a look at the exceptions page of the title insurance process before closing time.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the top 10 tips for buying a luxury home? (part8)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  8. Look into the future.

Make sure you know what building is planned around you. What happens if someone pushes the bar and builds another building even taller?" "Know the timeline. You don't want to tie your cash up for a long period of time if there are any kinds of construction delays.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the top 10 tips for buying a luxury home? (part9)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  9. Know what to expect with cooperatives and condominiums. For co-ops and condos you want to be represented by an Realtor or Attorney who will research the building on its financial viability.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What are the top 10 tips for buying a luxury home? (part10)

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  10. There's room to negotiate. It's individual points, the view or remodeling that makes these properties one of a kind and makes them able to command a particular price. Have your agent research the comparable properties that have recently sold, getting closing prices, right before you make an offer.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What is the blueprint for the new American home? (part7) Then: Soaker tub, Now: Steam shower.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says; Jacuzzis and big soaker tubs are boom era legacies that families say were rarely used. Replacing them with big shower stalls which allow plenty of room to shave and steam their pores. A spokes woman for Kohler Co., a manufacturer of kitchen & bath fixtures, says the shower category has grown faster than tubs. The company recently launched a digital shower system that allows users to push a button for steam, music & lights.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What is the blueprint for the new American home? (part4) Then: Formal Living rooms, Now: open family rooms.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  Then: Formal Living rooms, Now: open family rooms. A family with four of their six children out of the nest, Karen & Bill downsized from a 6 bedroom 5,600 sq ft home to almost half the size 4 bedroom home. We converted the formal living room to a open family room."we used the formal living room for the Christmas tree and the occasionally family party. Even though this home is smaller there seems to be more family friendly usable space and we get more use out of it. There is no wasted space."

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What is the blueprint for the new American home? (part5) Then: Second stair case, Now: elevator.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  A spiral staircase out front with a second set off the kitchen or family room is another by gone feature. More buyers who plan to grow old in their homes for-see the day when those stairs become an obstacle. This has prompted more builders to add a ground floor bedroom with a bath and to replace that 2nd stairway with an elevator.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What is the blueprint for the new American home? (part6) Then: Dad's office, Now: lifestyle center.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America says;  Mobile devices and laptops allow work to be done all over the house now, dad is no longer chained to the big mahogany desk. A llifestyle center is a mutifunctional area off the kitchen where parents can work from home, print school assignments, do crafts & wrap presents. It is a great common area work space, you can be cooking in the kitchen & keep an eye on the kids doing homework.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What is the blueprint for the new American home? (part1) Then: Grand entryway, Now: Expanded Living space.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; The once popular Grand entryway, is increasingly seen as a waste of space. Instead, wide open layouts combining the living room, dining room and a work space are in vogue builders say.  They are expanding the spaces the family uses, more practical doesn't have to mean small.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What is the blueprint for the new American home? (part2) Then: Breakfast nook, Now: Indoor/outdoor room.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; As kitchens have opened up to the dining room, there is less need for a breakfast nook. Builders say they are installing sliding doors from the kitchen to an outside patio that blur the space between outside & inside. The outdoor room with an indoor living space feel & a fire pit. According to builders, people are maximizing on the space they have with a dream spaces they have always wanted.

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks; What is the blueprint for the new American home? (part3) Then: Grand foyers, Now: "drop zones".

Petruccelli L.T.D of North America asks;  Then: Grand foyer, once a must have was the double story entrance foyer are now seen as a waste of space and energy inefficient, homeowners & builders say. Few suburban families enter their home through the front door, so the grand entry way is a vestige of a house meant to impress others. Replacing the foyer is the so called drop zone. As large as 10x10, these rooms are a more elegant  version of the mud rooms once common in homes,with places to unload clutter before it is deposited throughout the house. Incorporating bins, baskets, nooks & hooks for everything from backpacks to mail.

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