Joseph Pettinella's blog

Many homeowners believe that they have the strongest insight into the value of their home; after all, only they understand all of the blood, sweat, and tears (and money) that have been put into countless maintenance and improvement projects over the years! Other people are certain that computer-generated automated valuation models (AVMs), with their access to millions of data points from the overall market, comparable properties, and buyer tendencies, can give estimates that no human can match. So which side is actually better at valuing a home, the owner or the AVM? As it turns out, there isn't really much of a difference between the two options, partially because neither is very good at the job!

We know that buying your first home can be very intimidating and even a bit scary. If you hope to buy a home within the next year, there are things you should be doing right now to prepare yourself for the process. In order to make the best decision for your future, it's extremely important that you are equipped with all the knowledge needed to achieve your goals. Tackling each challenge one at a time may get you there faster than you think!

Thanks to $800,000 in federal grants, the City of Poughkeepsie is currently planning a number of community improvements for next year. According to city administrator Marc Nelson, the money will be put toward sidewalk repair, maintenance of critical infrastructure, and the demolition of dilapidated buildings within the city. Removal of old and damaged structures will free up property for possible redevelopment, which is always welcome news in a time when competition for real estate is so high!