Get Your Home Ready To Sell In Staten Island, New York!

September 4, 2025

Are you getting ready to sell and don’t know where to start?


First and foremost, find a local Real Estate Professional to get you started. Having a Realtor look at your home through the eyes of a buyer may lead to suggest simple fixes and upgrades that could sell your home for more money and faster!


In situations where a home needs major repairs, it may be worth having a home inspector perform an inspection prior to listing your home. This report will accomplish two things; one, as a seller you may choose to make some necessary repairs in order to enhance the value and salability of your home and two, if you decide to sell it “as is” condition the report can be given to a buyer up front and avoid wasting time with a buyer who is not prepared to do the work.
Some other easy fixes to enhance your homes salability are:


  • First impressions are lasting ones! Spruce up the exterior with paint and gardening. Replace any wood that shows dry rot, pay special attention to wood, trim, gutters, and wrought iron. All woodwork, including the front door, should be freshly painted. Lastly, you should replace any dead trees or plants and have a mowed lawn.
  • Staging can usually help a home sell faster and for a higher price. Declutter or implement minor changes to your home, while creating a cohesive environment.
  • Adjust the chemicals in your pool, leaving it as sparkling clean as possible. Pools can be overlooked but when your home is on display every detail counts.
  • Nothing is more inviting than sparkling clean windows. Repair or replace worn or bent screens cracked or broken window panes.
    Change old light bulbs. Use cool white bulbs to open and brighten your space.
  • Be sure to your home is clean and ready for buyers!


Visit Martino Realty at 7448 Amboy Road in Staten Island, New York or call (718) 608-9400 for more information about buying or selling a home.


Contact Martino Realty today, contact Staten Island’s real estate specialists here!

Thought the Market Passed You By? Think Again.

November 20, 2025
If you stepped back from your home search over the past few years, you’re not alone – and you’re definitely not out of options. In fact, now might be the ideal time to take another look. With more homes to choose from, prices leveling off in many areas, and mortgage rates easing, today’s market is offering something you haven’t had in a while: options. Experts agree, buyers are in a better spot right now than they’ve been in quite a long time. Here’s what they have to say. Affordability Is Finally Improving Lisa Sturtevant, Chief Economist at Bright MLS , says affordability is finally starting to turn the corner: “Slower price growth coupled with a slight drop in mortgage rates will improve affordability and create a window for some buyers to get into the market.” Mortgage rates have eased from their recent highs, price growth has slowed, and that one-two combo is making homes more affordable than they’ve been in months. There Are More Homes on The Market And a big reason prices are easing is because there are more homes on the market. According to the latest from Realtor.com , there are 17% more homes for sale today than there were at this time last year. That means more options, less competition with other buyers, and a chance to find the space that actually works for you. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), shares : “Homebuyers are in the best position in more than five years to find the right home and negotiate for a better price. Current inventory is at its highest since May 2020, during the COVID lockdown.” Take a look at the numbers. As Yun notes, inventory is up everywhere. Compared to this time last year, every region of the country has more homes on the market than at this time last year (see graph below):

Planning To Sell in 2026? Start the Prep Now

November 14, 2025
Planning to sell in 2026? Start prepping now by tackling repairs, decluttering, and making smart updates early for a smoother, stress-free sale next spring.

Why You Don’t Need To Be Afraid of Today’s Mortgage Rates

November 14, 2025
Mortgage rates have been the monster under the bed for a while. Every time they tick up, people flinch and say, “ Maybe I’ll wait .” But here’s the twist. Waiting for that perfect 5-point-something rate could end up haunting your wallet later. The Magic Number According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR): “. . . a 30-year fixed rate mortgage of 6% would make the median-priced home affordable for about 5.5 million more households—including 1.6 million renters. If rates were to hit that magic number, it’s likely that about 10%—or 550,000—of those additional households would buy a home over the next 12 or 18 months. ” When the market hits that mortgage rate sweet spot, as expert forecasters are starting to say is more likely in 2026, the psychological shift to lower rates will kick in for more of today’s hopeful buyers. That will unleash some pent-up demand that’s been waiting on the sidelines, and the increase in activity will cause prices to rise. And while a 5.99% rate might sound like a big win, if you’re waiting for that number to make your move, it might not actually save you as much as you think. Here’s how the math looks when you run the numbers (see chart below):