Most homeowners in Dix Hills, Melville and Huntington have benefited from the STAR program by saving money on their taxes.  Every homeowner in New York State whose income is $500,000 or less is eligible to participate in this program.

If you have not already applied – or are not already enrolled – you will need to submit your application prior to March 1st.  Download the Basic Star Application from the Town of Huntington Assessor’s Office.

However, if you are enrolled in the Enhanced STAR program for homeowners 65 & over – or with a household income of $79,050 or less you must verify your income every year.  Enhanced STAR recipients may either submit a copy of their income tax return to their local assessor with a STAR application by the March 1st deadline or enroll in the STAR Income Verification Program.  Download the Enhanced Star Application and the Instructions for filling out the form.

As a Senior you may be eligible for a limited income Senior Tax Exemption on your December 2012 tax bill – but your 2011 income cannot exceed $37,400. The deadline to file is March 1st, 2012 in the Town Assessor’s Office.  

Should you have any questions or to pick up an application for any of these programs, please contact the Town of Huntington Assessor’s Office at 631-351-3226 or assessor@huntingtonny.gov   You can also visit the Town’s website at: www.HuntingtonNY.gov. 

FAQS about the New York State STAR Program are in a Brochure Online or download NYS STAR Program FAQS as a pdf.

Contact Cheryl at 631-223-8549 or Cheryl@LIagent.com for help with any of your real estate needs.

There are two critical control valves in your home of which you should know the location: water and electric.  (If you have gas service you need to know that also.) It is important that you be able to deactivate these sources immediately in case of emergency. 

Electrical disconnects may be present at a main or sub panel.  You need to know which breakers control which circuits. Water valves can be present for the sprinkler system, the pool, another structure, or the entire property, so it’s also important to know which valve you are operating.

This 2-minute video explains the main shut-off valves for electric and water.  The electric is pretty easy to find.  A water turn-off can be trickier.  You should locate that now – before an emergency – so you know where to find it when time is of the essence.

Contact Cheryl Grossman at 631-223-8549 or Cheryl@LIagent.com with any of your real estate needs.

A listing of Dix Hills, Melville SD#5 Condos, The Greens Market Update Jan 2012 is available for you to download or view online.  The data is from the Long Island Multiple Listing Service and is compiled for your reference.  No guarantees are made for accuracy as information was supplied by 3rd parties.

 Condos continue to be a desirable housing choice for many homeowners.  The Greens is one of the most sought-after housing developments for Adults 55 and older on Long Island.  Prices continue to be up-scale but taxes and common charges are reasonable.  Other condo developments – The Coves for seniors and those which are non-age restricted have sold well also.  For life-style and cost – condos meet the needs and are a wise choice for many home buyers.

Search the Greens for homes available for sale now.  Use My Quick Search in the sidebar to find all condos for sale on Long Island.  Please contact me with any questions or to view any home you choose – or ask me to select homes which fit your particular needs and requirements.  Call 631-223-8549 or by email:  Cheryl@LIagent.com.

The number of sales contracts in December 2011 were up 5.2% from December 2010.   The total number of housing sales in 2011 showed an increase of 6.2% from 2010 with a price decrease of 2.8% from the year before.  The median sales price seems to be stabilizing at around $350,000.

If you want to know the value of your home in Today’s Market, please contact me for a Complimentary Market Value Report – prepared specifically for your home and your neighborhood.  Call 631-223-8549 or email:  Cheryl@LIagent.com.

A listing of Homes Sold in Dix Hills, Melville SD#5 in 2011 is available for you to download or view online.  The data is from the Long Island Multiple Listing Service and is compiled for your reference.  No guarantees are made for accuracy as information was supplied by 3rd parties.

Everyone wants to know what the house in the neighborhood sold for!  Now this information is available for you on an ongoing basis.  Clicking the menu tab labeled “Search Sold Homes”  on the sidebar of my homepage takes you to a search page where you can find homes recently sold in your neighborhood.  

Want to know the value of your home in Today’s Market? It would be my pleasure to prepare a Complimentary Market Value Report for your home.  Please contact me to arrange an appointment at 631-223-8549 or by email at Cheryl@LIagent.com.  

Many homes in the Dix Hills and Melville area have pull-down stairs to their attics.  We have one in our home.  We’ve been on a clean-out-the-attic campaign the last few weeks and after going up and down the stairs a few times each week we decided they need to be replaced for safety reasons. 

Since pull-down attic stairs seem to be so common on Long Island I thought this video about safety issues with attic stairs might be of interest to many homeowners.  

Attic pull-down stairs have a reputation for problems relating to safety. You may only use them occasionally, but don’t let that infrequency determine how often you inspect for safe operation. 

Properly installed and maintained stairs are absolutely necessary in preventing serious injuries.

Understand we expect these stairs to hold not only our body weight, but also while we are holding several dozen pounds of  belongings!

Find out what you should look for and how to keep your stairs functioning safely.

Call Cheryl with any of your real estate needs – 631-223-8549 or email at Cheryl@LIagent.com.

Two lanes in the eastbound or westbound direction of the Long Island Expressway will be closed in Melville for repair to the Pinelawn Road Bridge.  Maintenance is needed for the structural integrity of the bridge and should be finished before Thanksgiving.

Overhead INFORM electronic signs will warn motorists in advance of closures.  Keep to the speed limits – fines are doubled for violations in work zones!  For 24/7 traffic and travel information, you can call 511 or go to www.511NY.org or www.INFORNY.com.  The mobile site is www.INFORMNY.mobi.

Really hate to see daylight savings time revert back to standard time.  For Long Islanders that means soon our daylight will end by 4:30 in the afternoon.  Let’s hope we don’t have a winter like last year!

An important message is that when clocks are change – the batteries in smoke detectors should be changed also.  It’s easier to remember to do these chores when they’re associated with holidays or seasonal dates.  

Call me if I can help with any of your real estate needs – Cheryl Grossman – 631-223-8549.

All About Smoke Detectors video provided by U.S. Inspect.

The campaign signs are everywhere and, with just a week to go before the November 8 election, many residents still don’t know where the candidates stand on issues important to the Dix Hills/Melville community.

Local and County candidates will be present to answer questions.  You will have the opportunity to meet them before the forum begins.  

As Chair of the Community Awareness Committee for many years, as well as Legislative Chair for HHH PTA Council these forums are dear to my heart.  Before we started the Meet the Candidates Forum and the Town Meeting with Town Officials (held in the Spring) many officials hardly knew where Dix Hills or Melville was located.  The last decade or so, we have had someone in Town Hall who listens to our concerns – and is willing to be an advocate for our community.  The adage, “All politics is local” couldn’t be truer. Our quality of life is directly affected by local decisions.  Don’t miss this opportunity to meet the candidates and determine who you will vote for!

Meet the Candidates Forum at Half Hollow Hills High School East starting at 6:30 pm  on Tuesday, November 1.  See you there!

Market data this week in The Greens indicates that no homes closed or entered under contract.  There currently are 19 homes available for sale now.  The listing prices range from $459,000 for a condo to a high of $1,299,000 for a villa.

Contact Cheryl to View Homes for Sale or Rent in The Greens!
cheryl@liagent.com or 631-223-8549