Esquire Realty Ciaramella & Co.

One of the biggest misconceptions I see when pricing homes is the belief that every dollar spent on renovations automatically increases the value of the property. It doesn’t work that way.

Some improvements consistently help resale value. Others were wonderful for your own enjoyment but do very little for the market. But here’s the truth-

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲.

If you installed something very specific because it made you happy, that is perfectly fine. Homes are meant to be lived in and enjoyed. Just think of those choices as lifestyle upgrades, not necessarily financial investments.

𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗢𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲

🔸Kitchen updates

🔸Bathroom renovations

🔸Refinished hardwood floors

🔸Fresh neutral paint

🔸Landscaping and curb appeal

Many of these projects recover roughly 60 to 90 percent of their cost.

𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗢𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲

🔹Pools in many areas

🔹Highly customized kitchens

🔹Luxury upgrades beyond neighborhood standards

🔹Very personalized design choices

These projects often return 30 to 50 percent of their cost.

𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗻𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁.

One of the easiest ways for a realtor to win a listing is to promise the highest price.Sometimes I simply refuse to do that.

There have been many appointments where I sat down with a seller, reviewed the numbers, and told them something they did not want to hear. Occasionally that means I lose the listing. But I would rather lose the listing than price a home in a way that makes no sense for the market.

When a home is dramatically overpriced, the result is usually the same. The seller becomes frustrated, the agent spends months working on something that cannot realistically sell, and the property eventually ends up selling for less than it might have if it had been priced correctly from the start.

That is not good for you and it is not good for my reputation as someone who understands this market.When I prepare a pricing analysis, I always ask sellers to look carefully at the comparables I bring. Not just the homes that are for sale, but the homes that have actually sold. Active listings show what people hope to get. Sold properties show what buyers were actually willing to pay.

There are situations where pricing slightly higher can make sense. When I represent a fiduciary such as an Executor or Trustee, there can be a responsibility to demonstrate that the property was properly exposed to the market to capture full value. In those cases a slightly higher starting price can sometimes be appropriate. But even then, the pricing still has to live in the realm of reality.

My job is not to tell you what you want to hear.

My job is to help you price your home in a way that gives it the best chance to sell well.

I see properties mispriced all the time, and very often they’re listed by agents who don’t actually live and work in this area.

There are real distinctions between Hamilton Beach, Old Howard Beach, New Howard Beach, and Lindenwood. When those differences are missed, pricing and marketing are off from day one.

I’ve seen open houses scheduled in Hamilton Beach during high tide. I’ve seen houses advertised with the wrong zoned schools listed. Buyers notice these kinds of things immediately.

You also need an agent that’s regularly available to show the property. I recently took over a listing that had been with an agent who lives nearly an hour away. Showings were scheduled around her availability instead of buyer demand. How do you think that works out?

Local knowledge isn’t just comps and contracts- it’s living and breathing the neighborhood, down to the slice.

Everyone thinks their deal will be easy.“It’s a simple purchase.”“No issues.”“Clean deal.”It almost never is.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:

➡️ 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚.Contracts, rider negotiations, approvals, mortgage contingencies — delays cost leverage, money, and sometimes the deal itself.

➡️ 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩-𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙮 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙮𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙬.If someone spends most of their time in court, they’re often unavailable during business hours when real estate actually moves. Deals don’t pause because someone is mid-trial.

➡️ 𝙏𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 “𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙚.”Liens, judgments, estate issues, missing satisfactions, co-op complications- they come up all the time. Attorneys who only dabble in real estate usually don’t see these problems coming until it’s too late.

➡️ 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.Someone who handles real estate every day can spot red flags early, fix issues quietly, and keep transactions moving. Someone who’s done “a few closings” is learning on your deal.

An “easy deal” can turn complicated overnight. And that won’t be the moment you want your attorney Googling solutions.Real estate attorneys don’t just review contracts. They manage risk, timing, pressure, and people, all at once.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗺’𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱’𝘀 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟮.

True story I wish wasn’t so common. Another agent asked to show one of my co-op listings. Their buyer has a 50% DTI. This building requires 33% or less. When I asked about it, the agent didn’t even know what DTI meant… yet had a full day planned showing co-ops the buyer cannot qualify for.

Before you tour a single co-op, your agent should confirm:

• Debt-to-Income limits
• Minimum down payment
• Post-closing liquidity requirements
• Credit score requirements
• Primary residence rules
• Occupancy rules
• Pet policies
• Interview standards

A good agent protects you before you get financially and emotionally invested. A bad one hands you a long list of apartments you were never eligible to buy. Choose your buyer’s agent carefully. Your time matters.

Happy, young couples with big smiles. And even though they work as a dog walker and an under-water basket weaving instructor, they have endless budgets. Everything feels exciting, hopeful, and is neatly wrapped in a bow by the end of the episode. Lol well, that usually ain’t it.

A huge number of real estate transactions start with grief. With divorce. With financial pressure. With families trying to make decisions during some of the hardest moments of their lives. Deaths. Bankruptcies. Siblings that don’t talk. You get the idea.

I bring a lot of technical knowledge to the table, as a broker and as an attorney, and that’s great, but none of that exists in a vacuum. Real estate is the business of people. And people are emotional.You have to be skillful in reading the room, understanding what’s really driving decisions, and knowing when to slow things down versus when to push forward. You have to know when to be firm, and who needs a hug and a dozen donuts.

No TV show ever really captures that part of it. So maybe this blog post isn’t so technically educational, but just acknowledging the emotional side of it all- and that really matters too.

If we’re going to sell your home together, easy access is essential. No matter how beautiful my photography is or how much I advertise, homes don’t sell from the sidewalk.

𝗩𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀: 𝗔 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗯𝗼𝘅 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿 🔐For vacant properties, allowing a lockbox is one of the smartest decisions a seller can make. Access is limited to licensed New York State real estate agents, booked through verified showing platforms, and logged electronically. I also post reminders at the entrance asking agents to secure the home and turn off lights before leaving.

💡𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗰𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗼𝗻? 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝘆. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹!!

𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿-𝗢𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀: 𝗔 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿 🔑🙂

If you live in the home, providing me with key for times when you’re not available allows me to show the property without delays. That flexibility prevents missed opportunities and lets me do my job effectively. I promise I’m not going to snoop through your stuff. I have plenty of weird stuff in my own house too 🤣🏡

𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿- 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲- 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. ❤️🚶‍♂️🏠

When you’re selling real estate as an Executor or Trustee, you’re acting for the benefit of beneficiaries. That means the sale isn’t just about getting to the closing table; 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝘂𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗱, 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿.

Below are key listing principles I use when guiding fiduciaries through the sale of the propery assets.

🔸𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱. I often recommend starting slightly high to demonstrate a good-faith effort to test the open market and avoid later claims that the property was undersold.

🔹𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴. Any price adjustments are data-driven, strategic, and documented.

🔸𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁. Full market exposure, clean offer comparisons, no shortcuts.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗿/ 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀.

At a good open house, I turn into a full-blown party host- greeting nonstop guests, chatting, sharing details, and floating on adrenaline so I don’t even realize how bad my feet hurt.

🚩 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁If

I’m eating a sandwich and cleaning out my trunk during your open house, that means one of two things:

❌ We’re currently overpriced

❌ Or the listing is stale because you insisted we stay overpriced for too long

💡 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘄? 𝗔𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁.It simply means:

📉 Be attentive to cues the market is giving

🔍 If there’s zero traffic, that’s data🧭You

owe it to yourself to reevaluate and adjust strategically

🏚️ 𝗔 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄, 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄

𝗠𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀! 💡