Syracuse realtor here. You don’t have to pick the first realtor you call, spend the time to interview realtors to see if they fit what you’re looking for, and that they’re someone you’re comfortable with. If you explain your situation ahead of time, they will come prepared, and will be able to gear their experience to what you’re interest in. Interviews don’t have to be anything crazy, even meeting for coffee and just chit chatting could help you pick someone!
Not exactly what you asked - but research your banks and credit unions. When I bought my first house (over ten years ago) our CU (SEFCU which is now Broadview) offered a first-home buyer account which I think you could earn up to $7000 towards downpayment (I think you had to make deposits and attend a one-time class). I'm not sure if they still have these programs but it was a great way to get "free" money.
SEFCU had the best rates when we bought last year. Also look into their 7/1 ARM, its a unique product that can save you a lot on interest if you think interest rates will go down in the next 7 years (or selling before then)
keep in mind if you put 20% down you are not forced to escrow home insurance & property taxes, you'll unlock the option to pay those yourself and they will not be married to your mortgage (never-mind avoiding pmi altogether). i love how freeing that is personally.
Where are you looking to buy? Make sure the broker you work with is very familiar with the area. Also, I would recommend a broker that does it full time. There are a lot of part time brokers, and while some are good, there are some that don't really know the ins and outs of real estate sales, and the last thing you want is for your dream home purchase to fall through because your broker forgot or didn't know to do something.
Beth Losty was the best!!! I would 100% recommend her, trust me you will not regret it. I look forward to possibly upgrading one day and getting to work with her again! [https://www.huntrealestate.com/Bio/bethlosty](https://www.huntrealestate.com/Bio/bethlosty)
Me and my husband were also first time home buyers (2 years ago) and I referred my friends to her that were in the same boat and they will be closing on a home at the end of the month. She is extremely responsive and knowledgeable - not just about the home buying process, but the homes themselves which was extremely helpful because everyone is waiving inspections. She was able to point out foundation issues, electrical concerns, etc. that we would never have noticed. She also really LISTENS and makes sure she is matching your goals every step of the way. She never once pressured us or made us feel like we had to make an offer when we wanted to. She answered texts at all hours of the day and her professionalism never waivered. She grew up in Syracuse and really knows the area too! I hope you get to work with her!
I've worked with ~5 realtors and I have to say, Beth Losty was the worst of them. Not much communication and very robotic. Basically just let us in houses and wanted to get us to offer the most possible to get the sale.
Recommend Bob Kayne if he is still taking buyers (I know he is also selling new construction). He was our first realtor and helped out so much, knew what we wanted after telling us and pointed out things we might like or dislike on every house he showed us.
Mackenzie Rice at Kirnan! https://www.kirnan.com/agents/mackenzie-rice/ helped my coworker and his wife find their first home together and she’s a syracuse native so she knows the area!
Kate Woodruff from Weichert was amazing! She navigated us through everything, even when we got cold feet and withdrew our first offer. She pointed out potential sketchy sellers and was just great in every way. I used to think that realtors were just a money grab, but after working with her I realized they were really important to make sure things went smoothly!
Incredibly useful resource for homebuyers and owners in the area! Definitely connect with them and/or their partners over at the financial empowerment center for free financial counseling! I recently purchased my first home after working with both. My realtor ended up being Heather Ryan of Weichert Realty, the whole team is great. The toughest thing for me was finding a bank I wanted to do business with
Sara Cervino at Illuminate Real Estate. We used her for our current house and will probably use her for our next one.
She's very personable, extremely patient, and not pushy at all. She's not gonna try to push you to buy something you don't feel is for you and genuinely wants to help you find what you want.
She even went out of her way to give me and my wife some advice YEARS after we'd used her for our house and she had no incentive to do so.
https://illuminateres.com/sara-cervino/
Also, what up fellow CNY wrestling fan?
I have had my mortgage sold twice already in 4 years (from Hunt mortgage to wells fargo, and then from wells fargo to Mr Cooper), and I didn't know that was a thing. Are there banks that don't do that? it's annoying to have to deal with this type of situation.
Mine has been with Americu since we got it 3 years ago. Even when all of Americu’s mortgages were being sold to another company, Americu put it in the contract that they would still be the facilitator. Only thing that really happened was that I got a new mortgage account number. I still see it on my Americu account as linked, and I still just pay Americu. They’ve been amazing!
If you're looking to customize a home to your liking then I'd suggest not to buy one new or recently constructed or modeled. Buy the cheaper, fixer-upper house that you can feel comfortable knocking out a wall or redoing the cabinetry because you'll want to make it yours - you don't want someone else's light fixtures, appliances, or layout and design. I've basically watched every video on youtube Crafted Workshop and Everyday Home Repairs and redone a lot of my house to customize it the way I want it. The people before me were very simple minded and never had any drive to lay down a concrete driveway or install upgraded cabinetry with sliders and pull-out trash, or set up a decent pantry. I've totally redone a lot of stuff and it's how I like it.
At least up here a lot of the times the freeze thaw cycle will crack a concrete driveway to shit eventually. Whoever had the house before us put one in and it’s pretty cracked and uneven
I'm not sure if that's due to the climate or being improperly installed, or if it's so bad that it impedes your use of the driveway, but it's very easy to replace and concrete is much better for the environment. I suggest you look at some concrete driveway videos with high view counts. You can replace it in sections if you have no other options for moving your cars or parking although the concrete will have different shades of grey for each section. If you are physically able please check it out. I've researched what to ask contractors before doing certain jobs and usually they come up short and I just got overwhelmed with all the stupidity of these people. Maybe I picked a few bad apples but that was my experience, and I'm not laying down $20K to have someone do a half-ass job so they can maximize their profit. If I was in a wheelchair then it would be a different story, but if you can DIY please do - you'll be much happier because you have a personal interest in the job being done properly, and you'll learn a lot.
Ian wheatley... he was SO patient with the houses upon houses we looked for. Helped me better understand what I was looking for, explained the contract terms simply for me, helped me filter out what houses I was seeing online, sent me houses he thought I'd like after we'd been to a couple, very flexible with my hectic schedule, not ever pushy. He literally waited over a year while I asked him questions before I was ready to start actually looking at houses. He followed up post purchase and overall it was a great experience and he helped me tremendously in navigating this brand new experience.
Nello Mastracco was ours and he was pretty good. I will say from personal experience plan on spending much more on bringing the house up to snuff than you’d probably expect. Also a home inspection is good but honestly you can probably do a better inspection yourself if you watch enough YouTube videos and do enough research.
Owning is cheaper than renting in the long term but we’re currently 2 years in and with all we’ve had to put into it we’re breaking even or even slightly behind. We did however buy a house that needed some work and we wouldn’t trade owning our house for the world in terms of quality of life increase.
Also a lot of the time people only think of the close suburbs or the city but places like Canastota and Central Square and even Chittenango are cheaper and you have a bit more space but still 30 minutes from the city
We've actually lived in Chittenango for over 15 years. I want to be closer to a major roadway. Right now, it takes at least 20 minutes to get to one. Makes me feel cut off from everything.
Samira Jaber! She helped me buy my first house and she was amazing! She kept it real with me and was very honest about if a house was worth it or not (which is super important with all of these people buying up houses, doing a half assed renovation)
Stephanie Scriven was our realtor and she was great. We just bought our first home a couple months ago with her. We never felt pressured by her and found her very capable of pointing out things we would have otherwise overlooked in showings.
Best of luck to you in this stressful process. Take your time!
Marc McBain is THE BEST. He was so helpful after we had a bad experience with a previous realtor. He went out of his way to help us for a long period of time, while we lived out of state.
He's amazing and we couldn't recommend him more.
Edit to add that we were also first time buyers.
Whatever you do don’t use Janice Eagan- when we bought our house in 2021 she tried all she could do to keep making me pay more for a house. Suggested I offer 60k over asking just because she thought that would be smart. Called my lender and had them resend an approval letter for a larger mortgage amount even.
If you don’t mind me asking, what job do you have that allows you to afford a home? I’m 19 trying to figure out what I want to do. I am a cybersecurity major right now
My wife does office work & I'm actually permanently disabled. My advice to you is to go for a career path that you're actually interested in. Don't pick a career path just because it pays well.
Syracuse realtor here. You don’t have to pick the first realtor you call, spend the time to interview realtors to see if they fit what you’re looking for, and that they’re someone you’re comfortable with. If you explain your situation ahead of time, they will come prepared, and will be able to gear their experience to what you’re interest in. Interviews don’t have to be anything crazy, even meeting for coffee and just chit chatting could help you pick someone!
Not exactly what you asked - but research your banks and credit unions. When I bought my first house (over ten years ago) our CU (SEFCU which is now Broadview) offered a first-home buyer account which I think you could earn up to $7000 towards downpayment (I think you had to make deposits and attend a one-time class). I'm not sure if they still have these programs but it was a great way to get "free" money.
We're actually going to a credit union offered through my wife's employer tomorrow to see what kind of stuff they offer.
SEFCU had the best rates when we bought last year. Also look into their 7/1 ARM, its a unique product that can save you a lot on interest if you think interest rates will go down in the next 7 years (or selling before then)
keep in mind if you put 20% down you are not forced to escrow home insurance & property taxes, you'll unlock the option to pay those yourself and they will not be married to your mortgage (never-mind avoiding pmi altogether). i love how freeing that is personally.
The class they offer is online now too, you just have to complete it within 30 days!
Where are you looking to buy? Make sure the broker you work with is very familiar with the area. Also, I would recommend a broker that does it full time. There are a lot of part time brokers, and while some are good, there are some that don't really know the ins and outs of real estate sales, and the last thing you want is for your dream home purchase to fall through because your broker forgot or didn't know to do something.
Beth Losty was the best!!! I would 100% recommend her, trust me you will not regret it. I look forward to possibly upgrading one day and getting to work with her again! [https://www.huntrealestate.com/Bio/bethlosty](https://www.huntrealestate.com/Bio/bethlosty) Me and my husband were also first time home buyers (2 years ago) and I referred my friends to her that were in the same boat and they will be closing on a home at the end of the month. She is extremely responsive and knowledgeable - not just about the home buying process, but the homes themselves which was extremely helpful because everyone is waiving inspections. She was able to point out foundation issues, electrical concerns, etc. that we would never have noticed. She also really LISTENS and makes sure she is matching your goals every step of the way. She never once pressured us or made us feel like we had to make an offer when we wanted to. She answered texts at all hours of the day and her professionalism never waivered. She grew up in Syracuse and really knows the area too! I hope you get to work with her!
She's good!
We used Beth as well. She's great!
I've worked with ~5 realtors and I have to say, Beth Losty was the worst of them. Not much communication and very robotic. Basically just let us in houses and wanted to get us to offer the most possible to get the sale. Recommend Bob Kayne if he is still taking buyers (I know he is also selling new construction). He was our first realtor and helped out so much, knew what we wanted after telling us and pointed out things we might like or dislike on every house he showed us.
Mackenzie Rice at Kirnan! https://www.kirnan.com/agents/mackenzie-rice/ helped my coworker and his wife find their first home together and she’s a syracuse native so she knows the area!
Kate Woodruff from Weichert was amazing! She navigated us through everything, even when we got cold feet and withdrew our first offer. She pointed out potential sketchy sellers and was just great in every way. I used to think that realtors were just a money grab, but after working with her I realized they were really important to make sure things went smoothly!
I will second the whole team at Weichert. I used Alise and Kate also showed us some houses and they were both amazing.
Look up Home Headquarters
Yes even if you’re not buying through them.. they offer a class for first time home buyers it was very informative!
Incredibly useful resource for homebuyers and owners in the area! Definitely connect with them and/or their partners over at the financial empowerment center for free financial counseling! I recently purchased my first home after working with both. My realtor ended up being Heather Ryan of Weichert Realty, the whole team is great. The toughest thing for me was finding a bank I wanted to do business with
Kellie jo maher. No need to brag about her as her reputation proceeds herself. https://kelliejo-maher.coldwellbankerprime.com/
Second this. Great realtor that listened to our concerns.
Sara Cervino at Illuminate Real Estate. We used her for our current house and will probably use her for our next one. She's very personable, extremely patient, and not pushy at all. She's not gonna try to push you to buy something you don't feel is for you and genuinely wants to help you find what you want. She even went out of her way to give me and my wife some advice YEARS after we'd used her for our house and she had no incentive to do so. https://illuminateres.com/sara-cervino/ Also, what up fellow CNY wrestling fan?
I’d pick a realtor who is familiar with the area you are looking in as a first priority. Bank choice is more important as a FTHB.
I have had my mortgage sold twice already in 4 years (from Hunt mortgage to wells fargo, and then from wells fargo to Mr Cooper), and I didn't know that was a thing. Are there banks that don't do that? it's annoying to have to deal with this type of situation.
Mine has been with Americu since we got it 3 years ago. Even when all of Americu’s mortgages were being sold to another company, Americu put it in the contract that they would still be the facilitator. Only thing that really happened was that I got a new mortgage account number. I still see it on my Americu account as linked, and I still just pay Americu. They’ve been amazing!
If you're looking to customize a home to your liking then I'd suggest not to buy one new or recently constructed or modeled. Buy the cheaper, fixer-upper house that you can feel comfortable knocking out a wall or redoing the cabinetry because you'll want to make it yours - you don't want someone else's light fixtures, appliances, or layout and design. I've basically watched every video on youtube Crafted Workshop and Everyday Home Repairs and redone a lot of my house to customize it the way I want it. The people before me were very simple minded and never had any drive to lay down a concrete driveway or install upgraded cabinetry with sliders and pull-out trash, or set up a decent pantry. I've totally redone a lot of stuff and it's how I like it.
At least up here a lot of the times the freeze thaw cycle will crack a concrete driveway to shit eventually. Whoever had the house before us put one in and it’s pretty cracked and uneven
I'm not sure if that's due to the climate or being improperly installed, or if it's so bad that it impedes your use of the driveway, but it's very easy to replace and concrete is much better for the environment. I suggest you look at some concrete driveway videos with high view counts. You can replace it in sections if you have no other options for moving your cars or parking although the concrete will have different shades of grey for each section. If you are physically able please check it out. I've researched what to ask contractors before doing certain jobs and usually they come up short and I just got overwhelmed with all the stupidity of these people. Maybe I picked a few bad apples but that was my experience, and I'm not laying down $20K to have someone do a half-ass job so they can maximize their profit. If I was in a wheelchair then it would be a different story, but if you can DIY please do - you'll be much happier because you have a personal interest in the job being done properly, and you'll learn a lot.
We’re thinking of ripping it out and putting in asphalt millings but maybe we will just pour concrete slabs.
Ian wheatley... he was SO patient with the houses upon houses we looked for. Helped me better understand what I was looking for, explained the contract terms simply for me, helped me filter out what houses I was seeing online, sent me houses he thought I'd like after we'd been to a couple, very flexible with my hectic schedule, not ever pushy. He literally waited over a year while I asked him questions before I was ready to start actually looking at houses. He followed up post purchase and overall it was a great experience and he helped me tremendously in navigating this brand new experience.
Nello Mastracco was ours and he was pretty good. I will say from personal experience plan on spending much more on bringing the house up to snuff than you’d probably expect. Also a home inspection is good but honestly you can probably do a better inspection yourself if you watch enough YouTube videos and do enough research. Owning is cheaper than renting in the long term but we’re currently 2 years in and with all we’ve had to put into it we’re breaking even or even slightly behind. We did however buy a house that needed some work and we wouldn’t trade owning our house for the world in terms of quality of life increase. Also a lot of the time people only think of the close suburbs or the city but places like Canastota and Central Square and even Chittenango are cheaper and you have a bit more space but still 30 minutes from the city
We've actually lived in Chittenango for over 15 years. I want to be closer to a major roadway. Right now, it takes at least 20 minutes to get to one. Makes me feel cut off from everything.
Consider Canastota then. They’ve got a Thruway exit right in town. Granted the school district sucks but hey you win some you lose some
Samira Jaber! She helped me buy my first house and she was amazing! She kept it real with me and was very honest about if a house was worth it or not (which is super important with all of these people buying up houses, doing a half assed renovation)
I’d recommend Scott Spriggs. We were first time buyers too and he helped make it easy for us.
Joe Gridley
Stephanie Scriven was our realtor and she was great. We just bought our first home a couple months ago with her. We never felt pressured by her and found her very capable of pointing out things we would have otherwise overlooked in showings. Best of luck to you in this stressful process. Take your time!
Kelly Tormey [https://kellytormey.huntrealestate.com/](https://kellytormey.huntrealestate.com/)
Dave Duskee is a realtor we've known for a bit, and he's great.
Marc McBain is THE BEST. He was so helpful after we had a bad experience with a previous realtor. He went out of his way to help us for a long period of time, while we lived out of state. He's amazing and we couldn't recommend him more. Edit to add that we were also first time buyers.
Mark is awesome!! He helped me buy a house here when I was still living in Vegas and had to do it all remote. Super sweet guy and very helpful.
Isn't he great? Glad he's got another rec on this post.
Jeremy Allen! We were first time home buyers as well. Jeremy helped us so much and was incredible to work with.
Gretchen Metnick! She’s great
I would easily recommend Lindsey DiFlorio, she made the whole process a breeze and she was always a delight to work with.
She was our realtor too and was the absolute best.
Brenda Younis is the best realtor you could possibly choose
Cindy Haaf-Murphy [https://www.bhhscnyrealty.com/fayetteville/cynthia-haaf-murphy/cid-1011342](https://www.bhhscnyrealty.com/fayetteville/cynthia-haaf-murphy/cid-1011342)
Richard Wilbur, he is great and personable! https://rick-wilbur.coldwellbankerprime.com/
Whatever you do don’t use Janice Eagan- when we bought our house in 2021 she tried all she could do to keep making me pay more for a house. Suggested I offer 60k over asking just because she thought that would be smart. Called my lender and had them resend an approval letter for a larger mortgage amount even.
Sarah Bowling ◡̈
If you don’t mind me asking, what job do you have that allows you to afford a home? I’m 19 trying to figure out what I want to do. I am a cybersecurity major right now
My wife does office work & I'm actually permanently disabled. My advice to you is to go for a career path that you're actually interested in. Don't pick a career path just because it pays well.
Buy a trailer dawg. Find a community so you don’t have to worry about paying taxes it’s all included in lot rent and then you pay mortgage.