Put a Holiday Home Sale on Your Wish List

With more than 2 billion cookies consumed in the United States each year, it might seem that every day is Cookie Day. But Friday, December 4 is as good an occasion as any to join our REALTORS® in celebrating with a dozen or two of your favorite cookies from these great bakeries around Long Island.

• Buttercooky Bakery - 495 New York Ave., Huntington, NY 11743
  The name of Buttercooky Bakery gives you a hint about their slogan: "Baked with Butter, Makes It Better." Owner Ben Borgognone's European-style baked goods are so highly regarded that he was asked to be the star of a pastry chef reality show. The bakery, located minutes from Huntington homes for sale, offers so many different types of cookies that it takes four categories to list them all. Buttercooky Bakery is open daily from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.

After preparing your home to add to the inventory of Nassau County homes for sale, you've accepted an offer. While it may feel like the hard work is over, you still have to make it through the home inspection. Unfortunately, it's common for real estate deals to fall through due to a poor home inspection. Here are a few tips home sellers should follow throughout the home inspection process. 

1. Leave Your Property During the Home Inspection
   While it's common for homebuyers to attend a portion or even all of a home inspection, our REALTORS® recommend that the home seller leave their home during the inspection. You're only going to be nervous and anxious watching someone spend hours combing your home looking for problems.
   
   Your presence may also be awkward for the buyer. Pack up your family (including your pets) and vacate your home during the inspection.

Whether you're fully remodeling your kitchen or just giving it a bit of a facelift, choosing the right backsplash is one of the most important decisions in the design process. When showing homes, our real estate agents find that a kitchen's backsplash can have a make-it-or-break-it effect. It might not be a large space we're talking about, but it puts the finishing touches on your new look and ties everything together.

Here are five tips to help you pick the right backsplash for your kitchen.

1. Try Before You Buy
   How materials and paint colors look in the store, under harsh fluorescent lighting, is one thing; how they'll look in your home is quite another. Never commit to anything before taking samples home with you. Prop the backsplash samples up against your existing backsplash, along with other samples you are considering, and just live with them for a few days. Notice how they look as the lighting in your kitchen changes throughout the day, and how they coordinate with other samples such as paint chips.

We know preparing Thanksgiving dinner requires time and effort. Long Island has many fine dining establishments with special Thanksgiving menus for those who prefer to enjoy the holiday without the stress of cooking. While the COVID-19 pandemic may limit dine-in availability, many of these restaurants are offering takeout options this year. Below are some Thanksgiving dining recommendations from our REALTORS®.

• The Capital Grille - 630 Old Country Rd., Garden City, NY 11530
  The Capital Grille is a great option for Thanksgiving dinner in Garden City, and their dining room's comfortable elegance can serve as a perfect backdrop for your family meal. They offer a special Thanksgiving day menu, which features slow-roasted turkey and brioche stuffing. However, if you're in the mood for one of their famous dry-aged steaks, you can order off the regular menu as well. After dinner, check out some of these Garden City homes for sale.