Clifton Park and Albany NY Homes for Sale

This beautiful 4 bed, 2.1 bath Clifton Park, NY colonial is located on a quiet cul-de-sac in the popular Oaks sub-division.  It is close to the bike path and walking trails and features a family room, formal living room, formal dining room, finished basement and 2nd floor laundry.  Enjoy the HUGE deck all summer long and stay warm all winter with the no-maintenance gas fireplace.  Listed for $349,900

Please call me for a private showing or visit my WEB SITE to search the entire MLS at no charge.

Listing courtesy of Realty USA.  Advertised with permission.

If you are wondering what to give this Holiday season and you're not sure working in a soup kitchen is the right thing for you, how about donating blood?  Blood banks throughout the country are regularly in need.  So, please contact your local blood bank and ask about donating today!!

To find a local blood drive near you, click HERE for the American Red Cross Web site and useful information.

The Town of Clifton Park NY will be hosting a Blood Drive at Town Hall

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Please contact Pat O’Donnell @ 518-371-6681
to schedule an appointment.

Clifton Park NY Local Business Review

Today's review of a local Clifton Park NY business features Ravenswood Pub.  Known by all the locals simply as “The Wood”, this Clifton Park NY pub is a traditional hometown pub where you’ll never spend time without knowing at least one other person.

The staff is very friendly, just introduce yourself and let them know I sent you.  You’ll find their service is excellent and they are very accommodating.  If you have a special request, just ask because they still understand the meaning of “customer service”.

They have over 14 TVs throughout the bar and dining area so you’ll be sure to catch your favorite team from the High School Sports show all the way to the big leagues.  They also have the NFL Package, so if your team isn’t on National TV, be sure to stop in, watch the game, and enjoy their Sunday afternoon specials.

The menu is varied and can satisfy any appetite or palate.  Without question, their wings are the best.  If you’ve never stopped in, drop by today and order up some wings!!!

They feature free entertainment every Friday and Saturday night.  Click HERE for a look at the upcoming artists.  Or click HERE to learn more about their banquet services.

They are located at 1021 Rte 146, Clifton Park, NY and their Web site can be found HERE.

See you at “The Wood”!

Clifton Park NY Real Estate

With over 300 active listings in Clifton Park NY, the 13 most affordable homes on a dollar per square foot basis are listed below:

As a point of reference, the average $/SF price in Clifton Park is $160.13

I hope you have found this Clifton Park NY information useful.  If you have any questions, please give me a call.

These listings are from the Capital Region Multiple List Service and are brought to you by Broker Reciprocity.  They are not exclusively represented by Prime Property Solutions, LLC.

Radon, Radon, Everywhere......Even in Clifton Park, NY

I have a listing that is located in Clifton Park NY.  This town is well known for having low levels of Radon.  Last year I had a buyer that purchased a home here that was part of an estate and had been vacant for over 6 months.  Even with all this inactivity, it only posted a 4.2 pCi/L.  Needless to say, the sellers re-tested and the new reading came in at 3.5 pCi/L so the average was under 4.0 and we were not able to get a credit at closing.  Below is a map of NYS, click on it and you'll be directed to the NYS Dept of Health Web site regarding statewide radon levels.

Anyway, back to my recent Clifton Park NY listing.  The buyer just finished their test and it came in at 9.7 pCi/L!!!  This goes to show you that no matter where you live, get your buyers to pay for the test (about $100 - $150 in the Clifton Park, NY area), it is WELL worth it and the inspector is there anyway!!!

Well, as it turns out, this listing is my next door neighbor's so I just got my test results back and it came in at 4.8 pCi/L.  I'm not overly concerned with this level, but plan to take steps to help minimize it in my basement.

For additional BUYER tips and articles, click HERE.

Best wishes from Clifton Park NY!!!

Halfmoon Senior Express

The Halfmoon Senior Express serves Halfmoon residents age 55 & up with no-cost transportation to medical appointments and local shopping.  Please call 664-2186 to schedule an appointment for this service.  Please give them as much advance notice as possible to ensure availability.

This is a tremendous service to our local Senior residents and is a wise investment with our tax dollars.

If you have any questions about Halfmoon Real Estate or anything in the entire Capital District, please call me at 518-281-3951 or search the entire MLS at no charge at www.LewisB.com.

On Friday November 27 at 10:00am the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library will have a FREE showing of the film Duplicity.

Julia Roberts and Clive Owen star as CIA Officer Claire Stenwick and MI6 agent Ray Koval, two spies-turned-corporate operatives having a clandestine love affair. They have turned their skills to a high stakes espionage game where they are attempting to secure a product that corporations would do anything to patent. The pair try to stay one double cross ahead of the other, but find that that hardest thing to cheat is their love for one another. Rated PG-13. 2 hours, 5 minutes.

All are welcome to this drop in program; no registration is required. Light refreshments are served. For more information, please call the Library at 371-8622.

If you have any questions about Clifton Park Real Estate please call me at 518-281-3951 or search the entire MLS at no charge on my Web site; www.LewisB.com

Here is a brief outline of the expanded First Time Home Buyer tax credit and the Expanded repeat home buyer tax credit.  It is available for everyone in clifton Park NY.

Extended New Purchaser $8,000 Tax Credit

• The $8000 Tax credit is for first-time home buyers. For the tax credit program, the IRS defines a first-time buyer home buyer as someone who has never owned a home or has not owned a home in the past three years. The tax credit does not have to be repaid.

• The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.

• The tax credit applies only to homes priced at $800,000 or less.

• The tax credit now applies to sales occurring on or after January 1, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010. However, in cases where a binding sales contract is signed by April 30, 2010, a home purchase completed by June 30, 2010 will qualify.

• For homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and on or before November 6, 2009, the income limits are $75,000 for single taxpayers and $150,000 for a married couples filing jointly.

• For homes purchase after November 6, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010, single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

The $6,500 Move-Up / Repeat Home Buyer Tax Credit

• To be eligible to claim the tax credit, buyers must have owned and lived in their previous home for five consecutive years out of the last eight years.

• The tax credit does not have to be repaid.

• The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home's purchase price up to a maximum of $6,500.

• The tax credit only applies only to homes priced at $800,000 or less.

• The credit is available for homes purchased after November 6, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010. However, in cases where a binding sales contract is signed by April 30, 2010, the home purchase qualifies provided it is completed by June 30, 2010.

• Single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

If you have any questions about this or any Clifton Park NY Real Estate needs, please call me at 518-281-3951, or visit my Web site to search the entire Capital District MLS at no charge; www.LewisB.com.  Thank you, Lewis Beynon, Prime Property Solutions, LLC.

Working with buyers is the best part of my job.  Although the process is basically the same for helping any buyer, I enjoy it because I learned a long time ago in my professional career that I simply like helping people.  No matter what project we were working on, I was always closely involved, always stayed until the end, and always offered to help a colleague.

Another reason I enjoy working with buyers is because no two people are the same.  I have enjoyed meeting people from all over the country (Europe too).  I have a particular interest in listening to people's life-stories; where they are from, what kind of job they have, and how they got here.  I also have a particular interest in learning about my buyer's line of work.  I've learned that most industries are far more complicated than I ever imagined.

I especially enjoy helping first time home buyers becasue I enjoy teaching people.  I'll never forget the emotions I had when I purchased my first home and I like helping people feel the same way.

So, if you need any help looking for a home in Clifton Park or the Capital District of Albany, NY please be sure to give me a call at 518-281-3951.  It would be my pleasure to help.  Meanwhile, feel free to search the entire MLS (Multiple Listing Service) at no charge on my Web site: www.LewisB.com

Radon - Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring gas which is part of the air that we all breathe every day. It is present in all homes. You cannot see, smell or taste Radon and the only way to determine if unsafe levels of Radon exist in your home is to test it.

Q: How much will it cost to fix my Radon problem?
Cost are dependent on your needs. Generally, mitigation costs approximately $1,300 to $1,700.

Q: Where is Radon Found?
The major source of Radon in high levels is in the soil and bedrock surrounding and under the house. Radon is found all over the United States and around the world in varying concentrations. Problems with Radon have been identified in every state.

Q: What are the health risks?
Almost all scientists agree that Radon is a health hazard to humans and that it causes lung cancer, however the exact risk calculation and the action level usually raise debate. The EPA has declared Radon to be a "Class A Carcinogen," which means that it has been shown to cause cancer in humans.

Q: What levels are too high?
Radon is measured in pico-Curies per liter (pCi/L) of air. A picoCurie is a measure of the amount of radioactivity of a particular substance. The level of Radon in outdoor air is about 0.4 pCi/L. The average indoor Radon level is about 1.3 pCi/L. The EPA has established 4.0 pCi/L as the action level for Radon in homes, schools and workplaces.

Q: How does Radon get into homes?
Radon is a soil gas that typically moves up through the ground to the air above. Air pressure inside a home is usually lower than pressure in the soil around the home's foundation. Homes draw Radon in through dirt floors, hollow-block walls, cracks in the foundation floor and walls, and openings around floor drains, pipes and sump pumps.

Q: Should every home be tested for Radon?
Yes, every home should be tested for Radon, since testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from Radon. Both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes.

Q: I have sandy soil around my house. I don't have Radon gas, right?
You still might! Sandy soils tend to produce a lower percentage of homes that test above the EPA Guideline, however homes with high levels of Radon gas are still found in such soils.

Q: I already have an existing Radon Mitigation system. There is no need to test my home, right?
Actually, yes. The home should be tested to ascertain if the mitigation system is effective and still functioning.

Q: How does it work for radon testing when selling your home?
EPA has developed specific testing protocols for use during real estate transactions. For passive tests the recommendation is: "Take an initial short-term test for at least 48 hours. After the first test has been completed, take a follow-up short-term test for at least 48 hours." or "Take two short-term tests at the same time in the same location for at least 48 hours." For either approach, "Fix the home if the average of two tests is 4 pCi/L or more." For an active test, "Test the home with a continuous monitor for at least 48 hours. Fix the home if the average Radon level is 4 pCi/L or more."

I hope this FAQ helps you in your search or sale process.  If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact me at 518-281-3951.  Lewis Beynon, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Prime Property Solutions, LLC.  Or, seach the entire Capital District MLS on my Web site at no charge: www.LewisB.com