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Before he became a Realtor, Mark Vinikoor spent more than three decades working as a contractor. Before she became a Realtor, Jan Vinikoor watched her parents build hundreds of houses around Westchester that still stand today.
Together, they make up a husband-wife team in the Rye office of Houlihan Lawrence who can utilize their "power of two" to help you buy and sell your home.
Here are their tips to help you close the deal:
MAKE A TO-DO LIST
Mark: As a contractor, I look at things a bit differently when I show a house. We were working with someone recently whose home needed work, so I gave them the contact numbers for a roofer, painter and mason. It made a big difference. There are easy fixes you can do without spending a lot of money.
CHOOSE A REALTOR WHO HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Jan: We’re grass-roots real estate agents, and we list and sell homes in the towns we live and love. We are speaking from strength and experience, which makes a bigger difference than if you were just Googling statistics about Harrison. We’ve been involved in school PTAs, the League of Women Voters and other local organizations. We have a vested interest in our communities doing well.
KEEP YOUR PETS IN CHECK
Jan: As a homeowner, you have to be cognizant of the fact that a new buyer might not be fond of your cat or dog jumping around, so you might want to take the pet out when the house is being shown. You also might want to shampoo the rugs, and if you have covers over your couches, take me them off. Room fresheners are also a good idea. On the other hand, we have animals and love them too so if you are buying from us and have animals, we can show you where the best parks are, etc.
STRENGTH IN GENDERS
Mark: We bring our own personalities to our clients. When we speak to people, I can offer them a man’s point of view, while Jan can speak to the women. I also tend to look at the mechanical aspects of the house and try to problem shoot, and Jan focuses a lot on its aesthetic features.
For inquiries on listing your home, Jan and Mark Vinikoor can be contacted at (914) 879-9795 or via email at jvinikoor@houlihanlawrence.com.
