Frequently asked questions

Spring and early summer are traditionally the busiest seasons, in New Jersey especially. But the calendar matters less than two other things: how much competition your home has right now, and when you need to be out. We'll look at current listings and recent sales in your area and pick a launch date around your plans.

Yes, but there's less room for mistakes. Buyers in a slower market compare every listing with what closed last month, so the price has to come from the most recent sales, not from last year's peak. The first weeks on the market bring the most attention: launch ready, with repairs done and good photos. If offers are slow, a well-placed concession (help with closing costs, flexible dates) sometimes does more than a price cut. We review showings and feedback with you every week and tell you plainly when something needs to change.

No one can time the market reliably, including us. What we can do is show you where prices in your area have actually moved and how long homes like yours are taking to sell. If you're also buying, a softer market usually helps on the purchase side, and that can matter more than the sale price alone.

Deep-clean, declutter and put away personal items so buyers can picture themselves there. Fix the small things (dripping faucets, cracked tiles, running toilets, broken windows) before the first showing. Neutral paint beats bold colors, and curb appeal counts. We'll give you a prioritized list and tell you what isn't worth the money.

It isn't required. If the home is empty, staging usually helps buyers understand the rooms. If you live there, removing or rearranging a few pieces is often enough. We'll tell you which applies to your house.

Price is the biggest decision in the sale. An overpriced home sits and often ends up selling for less; an underpriced one makes buyers wonder what's wrong. We prepare a comparative market analysis from recent sales of similar homes. Market value isn't the same as assessed value, and online estimates miss details that matter.

Two clocks run here: time on the market and time from accepted offer to closing. The first depends on price and competition. The second depends on the buyer's financing and, in New York, on attorneys and co-op boards. Tell us early about any deadline, such as a purchase or a job start, and we'll plan around it.

In New Jersey, the signed contract goes through attorney review before it's binding, then come the inspection, the appraisal and the buyer's mortgage commitment. In New York, the attorneys negotiate and sign the contract, the buyer puts down a deposit, and for a co-op the buyer applies to the board. We track every deadline with your attorney until closing.

No one can require it. But pricing, marketing, qualifying buyers and negotiating are where most of the money in a sale is made or lost, and that's what we do every day.

It depends on your finances and on both markets. Selling first gives you a firm budget and a stronger offer, but you may need somewhere to live in between. Buying first avoids a double move but can mean carrying two homes for a while. Many of our clients do both at once, with the closings timed together. We'll lay out the options for your situation.

Yes. Dmitry is licensed in New York and New Jersey, so one broker plans the sale and the purchase together and keeps both closing dates in view. Start with our relocation guide.

It depends on your income, debts and down payment, and only a lender can give you an accurate number. Talk to a mortgage broker first: you'll know your range, you can start gathering documents, and you'll have a pre-approval letter ready when the right house comes up. We can introduce you to lenders we've worked with.

Get pre-approved and make your A-B-C list: must-haves, nice-to-haves, deal-breakers. Then call us and we'll set up the search and the first tours.

Mostly it depends on loan approval and the appraisal, and in New York on the attorneys and, for co-ops, the board. Stay in close touch with us and your lender to keep things moving.

After you sign, the contract goes through an attorney review period before it's final. Property taxes vary widely between towns, so we compare them before you fall for a house. Inspections usually happen during the contract period.

Attorneys for both sides draft and negotiate the contract. In a co-op you're buying shares and must be approved by the board, which reviews your finances and often interviews you. Condos and houses skip the board. Before we show you property, read our Standardized Operating Procedure.

Some buyers know at the first house; others see twenty. A clear A-B-C list and honest feedback after each tour shorten the search.

No one can predict appreciation, but comparing the house with recent sales nearby tells you whether the price is fair today. We pull those numbers and explain them before you make an offer.

Yes, new construction included. An inspection doesn't have to end a deal, but you should know what you're buying and what to negotiate.

Yes. Dmitry is a licensed New York broker and serves buyers and sellers in Manhattan, as well as in Brooklyn and on Staten Island.

Yes. There's no cost and no obligation to list with us.

No. A comparative market analysis is a broker's opinion of market value based on recent sales. A licensed appraisal is a separate service, usually ordered by the buyer's lender.

We start with recent sales of homes like yours nearby, add what's under contract and what's competing right now, then adjust for size, condition, layout, lot and anything unusual. You get a range and the reasoning behind it, not a single figure out of a black box.

Automated estimates work from public records and don't see inside your home. They can't tell a renovated kitchen from a 1980s one, and they don't know your co-op's rules. A broker's analysis can.

Not to start. We can give you a first range from the address and a few details. For a number you'd list at, a short walk-through makes it much sharper.

No. As one client put it, Dmitry “was not pushing for a sale/purchase and was very accommodating.” (ITLogi · Zillow)

Yes: co-ops, condos and houses in New York, and houses and condos in New Jersey.

Tell us in the form. If you're selling in New York and buying in New Jersey, we'll plan both sides together.

No. Livingston is our base and our busiest town, but we've closed sales in ten New Jersey counties, from Bergen to Monmouth.

Yes. Dmitry is licensed in New York and New Jersey, so one broker can handle your sale and your purchase and plan the dates together.

Yes. Dmitry works with clients in English and Russian.

No. Dmitry is licensed in New York and New Jersey and can represent you in both transactions.

Selling first means you know exactly what you can spend and you negotiate as a buyer without a home to sell. Buying first means one move instead of two, but you may carry both homes for a while. The most common path among our clients is both at once: the sale and the purchase under contract in parallel, with closings a few days apart. We'll model all three with your numbers.

Sometimes, but it leaves no room for a delay on either side, and New York and New Jersey closings run on different schedules. A gap of a few days, or an agreement to stay in your home briefly after the sale closes, is usually safer.

It's possible, but a sale contingency weakens your offer, especially when several buyers are competing. Often the stronger move is to have your New York home under contract, or at least listed and priced to sell, before you make the offer.

Start with commute, budget, property taxes and the kind of house you want. Livingston and the surrounding Essex County towns are where we do the most business; Morris, Union, Bergen and Monmouth counties each work for different commutes and price points. We'll compare towns on those facts. Public school information: see the official NJ School Performance Reports.

They're calculated differently. In New Jersey, taxes depend on the town's rate and your assessment, and they vary a lot between neighboring towns. We look them up for every house you consider and include them in your monthly budget.

Yes. One of our clients sold on Staten Island in three days and put a deposit on a New Jersey home after one day of searching. See the full story in our guide.

Same approach. Dmitry is licensed in New York and serves sellers in Manhattan, so the sale and the New Jersey purchase can be planned by one broker.

Yes. Dmitry works with clients in English and Russian.

The one closest to the property: Livingston for New Jersey, Sheepshead Bay for New York. Call first and we'll make sure Dmitry is there.

Yes. Text (917) 232-7197 or message on WhatsApp, whichever is easier.