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As a part of our exclusive Real Estate Agent Success Stories series, we spotlight inspiring stories of the most successful real estate agents in the industry!

In today’s issue, we’re going to highlight the fascinating story of a highly successful real estate agent in New York, NY — Ms. Adie Kriegstein.

This article takes a look at the highest paying jobs you can get with a real estate license according to industry experts.

Whether you are an agent looking for part-time jobs that you can do with a real estate license or only considering starting a real estate career, this article will suggest options to choose from.

For the last 17 years, Adie Kriegstein has built an impeccable reputation in the real estate industry with her customer-first ideology.

Some people need to sell their home, like, now. Maybe you are moving yourself, or you need money quickly. Perhaps there’s been a death in the family, a divorce, or you found your dream house, but you can’t move forward unless you sell your current home first. Whatever the reason, you’ve got to sell your home now, and there’s simply no time to upgrade, fix up the home or add curb appeal.

 

There's more to making a winning offer on a home than just meeting the asking price.

Whether you’re buying or selling a home, a real estate agent or Realtor can be an invaluable ally. They can help you shop for or list a home, negotiate an offer and close the deal. For the past few decades, the seller of a home paid a commission of 5% to 6% of the purchase price, which was split between the seller’s agent and the buyer’s agent.

Home prices have continued to climb in the past few months, a trend that is showing no signs of slowing down. The latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index, released May 28, found that prices reached a record high in March 2024. The 20-City House Price Index rose 7.4% from a year earlier, while the 10-City Composite saw an increase of 8.2%.

Home prices have continued to climb in the past few months, a trend that is showing no signs of slowing down. The latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index, released May 28, found that prices reached a record high in March 2024. The 20-City House Price Index rose 7.4% from a year earlier, while the 10-City Composite saw an increase of 8.2%.

If you’re thinking if you can get a real estate job without a license, know that there are a multitude of non-licensed real estate jobs to explore, including ‘work from home’ opportunities.

When selling your home, it’s natural to want to present the property in the most favorable light possible. However, don’t let this zest for perfection lead to concealing potential problems with the home. Hiding any issues from the potential seller can have negative consequences — up to and including potential buyers walking away from the purchasing process.

Many enter the real estate profession as a part-time job, but is it possible to make a successful career out of it?

In this post, I will show you how to pass the New York state real estate salesperson exam and share some additional tips to make it less stressful.

Traditional home buyers become owners of the physical real estate they’ve purchased. But this isn’t the only route to homeownership. By purchasing into a co-op, you become a shareholder in a co-op property – typically an apartment complex or building with attached residences within a large metro area.

Are you wondering if debt consolidation will affect your ability to buy a home? This article explores the impact of debt consolidation on your ability to secure a mortgage, including its effects on debt-to-income ratios and credit scores. Discover how to make informed financial decisions on your path to homeownership.

According to a recent Redfin report, 16.3% of pending home sales were canceled in September. This is the highest level of failed transactions since October of last year.

The first-time homebuyer in 2023 looks a little different than they did when baby boomers were buying their starter homes.

There’s something frozen about this housing market. “Zoom towns” like Boise and Austin aside, home prices nationwide have just refused to drop. 

Here’s how a real estate transaction typically goes. You go to an open house, decide you love it (or could love it), write up an offer that’ll drain your savings account, and send it off to the housing equivalent of the man behind the curtain. Sure, the seller’s name is on the contract, but unless you have superior sleuthing abilities and time, you’re probably not going to find out much — and you’re definitely not going to make contact.

This article provides a list of skills needed to be a real estate agent. It discusses hard and soft skills and abilities a real estate agent or broker should have on their resume to leverage in their career.

This year has been difficult for many prospective homebuyers. Issues like high mortgage rates, limited inventory and high listing prices have kept some real estate shoppers at bay. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t find good deals in this market.

This year has been difficult for many prospective homebuyers. Issues like high mortgage rates, limited inventory and high listing prices have kept some real estate shoppers at bay. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t find good deals in this market.

A conventional home mortgage loan – one backed by private lenders instead of a government agency – is the most common type of financing used by home buyers. Conventional home loans offer several advantages and disadvantages that are important to understand.

Most people who are ready to buy a home start by getting mortgage preapproval to ensure they can borrow enough money. However, you also will need cash for out-of-pocket expenses, such as the down payment and closing costs. You show sellers you can afford those costs by providing a proof of funds letter from your bank or financial institution.

A new RealEstateBees.com survey of over 1,000 active real estate professionals found average closing costs for sellers and buyers in New York.

They say home is where the heart is. But home is also where the IRS, your mortgage lender, and your local municipality expect you to be most of the time. That's because there are laws and rules in place about primary residences, which every homeowner, landlord, and tenant should be aware of.

If you want to access your home’s equity without resorting to a cash-out refinance — which can be harder to qualify for and may raise your interest rate — you have several options available. A home equity loan, a home equity line of credit (HELOC), or a shared equity agreement are only a few alternatives to cash-out refinancing. Each option has its benefits and drawbacks, and not every choice is right for all individuals, so it’s worth looking into each option before deciding which is best for you.

You might not have thought that those intricately patterned drapes are making your space feel tiny or that those holes in the wall seriously bring down the vibes. That’s why we’ve reached out to realtors to have them weighed in on mistakes that make your home less appealing.

Homebuyers faced more misery today as mortgage rates shot up to just below 7 percent - after rising for three weeks in a row.

Data from Government-backed lender Freddie Mac shows that the average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is now 6.96 percent - more than double what it was two years ago.

Homebuyers could take advantage of lower interest rates by taking over a seller’s mortgage

The weather is heating up, and so is the real estate market in America.

While you might be debating a big move to a cool location that everyone can point out on the map, it might also be worthwhile to check out some up-and-coming locations to consider buying in, too. After all, the United States is a big country with lots of markets remaining hidden gems.

Are there any sellers who don’t fantasize about listing their home and landing the ultimate offer they can’t refuse?

In a dream world, the best offer would be from a buyer who has secured financing and offers thousands above your asking price with no contingencies.

America is becoming a nation of 'accidental landlords' because soaring mortgage rates have left homeowners unwilling to give up their cheap deals, experts say.

Homeowners looking to change up their living space face the dilemma of renovating vs. buying a home. At times, renovating can make more sense, such as if you love your location and just want extra space. Other times, however, buying a new home is the more efficient route.

The time has finally come to start shopping for a home and kiss the annoyances of rental life, like rude landlords, goodbye.

As a real estate writer, I usually maintain a strict “to each their own” philosophy regarding home improvement. It’s your house, your money, your rules.

However, when I got wind of relatives who were planning to remove a bathroom in the home they had just purchased, I nearly passed out.

Selling off an asset, such as real estate, property, or equipment only to turn around and lease it back might seem like a strange concept, but it’s a fairly common practice. And it can often be a mutually beneficial arrangement for both the buyers and sellers of the asset.

Anyone who has ever bought or sold a home knows that things don’t always go exactly as planned. Oftentimes this is because the person selling the place needs a little more time to move out, and a sale-leaseback can be a convenient way to bridge that gap. But that’s not the only time a leaseback arrangement makes sense for both parties involved in the agreement.

Buying a home can be intimidating — and expensive. You have to save up for a down payment, find a home, negotiate the price, and pay closing costs, all before you even live in the property.

It’s a lot to take on, to say the least.

When making an offer on a home in a competitive market, aspiring buyers may consider waiving contingencies to make their bid more attractive to the seller.

Once a seller accepts your offer to buy a home, both parties sign a purchase and sale agreement that formalizes the terms of the deal and sets common contingencies for completing the sale. One condition most mortgage lenders require is an appraisal contingency, which allows the buyer to cancel the sale if the appraised value of the home is lower than expected.

In this high-interest-rate environment, many prospective homebuyers are put off by high mortgage costs. Homes that might have been in your budget in the past might no longer be affordable when accounting for monthly interest payments.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a major renovation to transform the look and feel of your space. Take those home makeover shows, for example. Yes, the contractors often rip out old fixtures and change the layout, but the house is just big, empty rooms until the interior designers come in: It’s the staging and thoughtful touches that really pull a space together — and no one knows the value of these affordable, easy upgrades better than real estate pros.

There are many costs that come with getting a mortgage. You have the down payment, origination fees, closing costs, and, of course, interest.

Buying a house is an exciting, albeit confusing, process. That’s why it’s important to work with a fully transparent, communicative and supportive lender. Before you commit to a lender, ask these nine questions to ensure you choose the right company and feel confident moving forward with the mortgage process.

Homeownership has long been tied to building wealth—and for good reason. Instead of throwing rent money out the window each month, owning a home allows you to build home equity.

Households are splurging tens of thousands of dollars on ice baths as experts say they have become the trendiest home amenity among the super-wealthy.

Mortgage points — aka discount points — are an upfront fee you pay in exchange for a lower interest rate on your loan. There are times when it makes sense to buy points, and times when it’s best to pass. Here are some of the pros and cons of buying mortgage points.

While overall mortgage interest rates are set by the broader financial market, homebuyers taking out a mortgage can reduce the interest rate on their loan — at least a little bit — by buying mortgage points, also known as discount points.

How much renters insurance you need primarily depends on what it would cost to repair or replace your personal property if it was stolen, damaged, or destroyed in a covered event. Your personal property coverage will include items such as furniture, clothing, and electronics. If you have a lot of newer and more expensive personal belongings, you may need higher coverage limits than someone with less pricey personal property. You may also need additional insurance coverage if a standard renters insurance policy doesn’t cover the loss of all your items.

Are you thinking about buying or selling a house this year? Believe it or not, there are certain months of the year that are historically better for sellers — and other months that are more likely to be better for buyers.

Depending on where you live, you might find yourself in a difficult housing market — interest rates are fluctuating, and the extreme COVID-era seller’s market seems to have passed.

"It's important for buyers to be assertive in their negotiations and to advocate for themselves to get the best possible deal," said Adie Kriegstein, a licensed real estate salesperson at Compass Real Estate, based in New York City.

Buying a new home isn’t cheap, but careful negotiating can allow you to save money. Whether you’re still searching or currently under contract, it’s important to negotiate as many expenses as possible.

The average home inspection cost is usually between $300 to $500, says Realtor.com. That said, the price can vary depending on the size and age of the home and where it’s located. Regardless of the cost and the fact that home inspections aren’t required, homebuyers should always hire a home inspector to do a thorough examination of a house before closing on the sale.

Buying your first home is an exciting venture, but it can also be complicated. Many first-time homeowners end up overlooking some important purchases that would have made their lives easier down the road. Others get caught up in the process and buy things they don’t really need and later regret.

The home improvement industry is booming. In fact, according to the North American Hardware and Paint Association's 2023 Market Measure Report, the retail market was projected to hit a whopping $566 billion in 2022.

Rent-to-own homes can be a good option for aspiring homebuyers who have had trouble saving up for a down payment. This arrangement allows you to rent the home and pay a little extra rent that’s credited toward an eventual down payment that you can use to buy the home at the end of the lease. This makes it easier to save up a down payment while still having a place to live and taking time to get ready to take on a mortgage.

If you want to buy a home but have found it difficult to save enough for a down payment, you’re not alone. Saving that much cash can take a while — especially while paying rent on your current place and saving for other important financial goals.

It’s not the most common homebuying arrangement, but rent-to-own homes are out there. Here are 10 ways to find a rent-to-own home.

If you’re hoping to buy or sell a house, you’ll probably call in a real-estate agent. In fact, nearly nine in 10 home buyers use get professional help to buy their properties—and for good reason.

Taking out a home equity loan on your rental property can be a great way to leverage your investments, but it’s not without some risks. In addition, it may be harder to qualify for a home equity loan on an investment property because these loans are also riskier for the lender.

For many buyers, “Rover will love the fenced-in backyard” can be the difference between continued scrolling or scheduling a showing.

Taking out a home equity loan on your rental property can be a great way to leverage your investments, but it’s not without some risks. In addition, it may be harder to qualify for a home equity loan on an investment property because these loans are also riskier for the lender.

More households have pets than children, Census data shows. Learn how to bring Americans’ love for their furry sidekicks into your marketing.

The ceiling is often called “the fifth wall” of a room and, as such, interior designers are often drawn to adding dramatic colors, accents, and even wallpaper overhead. But if you’re thinking of selling your home in the near future, you might want to hold off on doing anything too off-the-wall (pardon the pun) to your ceiling until you move into the new place.

Your home is great, but you’d like to freshen it up a bit. While a major renovation isn’t part of the plan right now, you’re hoping to do a few small improvements that make a big difference.

In the summer of 2021, Sarah Keats pulled off the kind of move that most people only dream of: cross-country, with two dogs in tow, escaping the rainy Pacific Northwest for a small desert town near Santa Fe, New Mexico.

While it’s understandable that you want things to move along as quickly as possible once your offer on a home is accepted, it’s important to slow down and ask important questions if you want to avoid buyer’s remorse.

An area rug can bring together all the elements of a room, but finding the right one to suit your style and space can be challenging. To help you decide, we turned to real estate pros and asked them about their favorite style of area rug.

Spring is often a busy time for real estate agents as more buyers enter the market, and bidding wars lead to bigger deals. Historically, the average home sells for 12.6% above market value in late spring. But in light of recent economic uncertainty, what should real estate agents expect for the spring 2023 housing market? And how can agents successfully navigate potential challenges?

When you make an offer on a home, adding contingencies into the contract protects you from unforeseen issues that can arise before closing.

There is a new listing to hit the market in the Soo K. Chan of SCDA-designed Five One Five, Hudson Yards’ newest luxury condominium building.

The High Line-adjacent condo that will perhaps best be known for its facade made up of curvy glass fins has now launched sales from $4.3 million.

See what you can get for $5,000/month in neighborhoods like the East Village, Fort Greene, and Midtown

Welcome to the weekly Open House Tour, because who doesn't love a little real estate gawking? This time around, we're looking at what's on the market in the East Village.

Shopping for an apartment can be a real drag. Who really wants to slog through endless open houses, face off in bidding wars or contend with an owners’ board?

At 71 Murray Street, a state-of-the-art chef's kitchen within a three-bedroom, three-bath loft (renting for $20,000/month) looks extra-luminous, thanks to stainless st...

The sauna and steam rooms of this single-family townhouse at 46 East 83rd Street (on the market for $19.995 million) are located down the hall from the private wine ce...

Everything has been customized, core broker Adie Kriegstein told the Observer, stepping into the foyer of 650 Sixth Avenue.

New York City — August is known as one of the slowest real estate months of the year, in which new listings are harder to come by.

One of the biggest selling points of new construction apartments tends to be that everything in the building is, well, new.

A 25-foot-wide, bow-fronted townhouse in the West Village, which served as the setting for movies, was the sale of the week.

This lovely townhouse at 17 Minetta Street in Greenwich Village sold for the first time as a single-family home in 2010 for $5.1 million;

A three-year nip/tuck has transformed this 20-foot-wide, eight-bedroom, six-bathroom, 6,700-square-foot red brick Neo-Federal.

JournalStar: Foreign Buyers Are Starting To Choose Brownstones Over Luxury Condos

As more and more super-pricey luxury condo buildings rise above New York City, international buyers are bucking the trend and purchasing historic townhouses instead.

Most people buy and sell a home just a few times during their lives, so even if you consider yourself a good negotiator, chances are that you’re bit rusty when it comes to acquiring or unloading a co-op or condo.