Here We Go Again!

I wrote a while ago about properties that are not what they appear. One had a four foot deeded piece of land taken out of the middle which then belonged to someone else; my buyer walked away. Another didn't really own the entire driveway, a fact discovered only after the buyers closed.

And here's another example. My husband was going to buy a lot which would then have been marketed by me as a building lot for a contractor. A win-win. He would make money, I would get the listing and the sale eventually, and my contractor would build the house. Not so! my marvelous attorney persisted and insisted that all avenues be explored, as she should. After months of investigation, it appears that part of the property is owned by a long-lost relative.

Although the chances of this person - or his heirs - returning to claim the portion of the land that was not fully conveyed legally was slim, still it seemed prudent at least that title insurance be paid to back the claim of ownership. The sellers refused the $300 it would cost, but that didn't matter. My husband chose not to pursue the deal.

Imagine that the lot is bought, the home is built and then by golly the gentleman in question shows up! I can see several months if not years of litigation - who could sleep? Certainly not the people who bought the lot and built the house! But then, that's assuming anyone would take that chance.

So here's the question: does that make the land worthless? There are other ways, ways other than what the owners chose to ameliorate the situation. They could continue down that path, and not just do the cheap thing. A family could buy it and the title insurance and take the chance. If they are going to be there for years - sure, why not? If their mortgage company is satisfied and they can sleep - fine!

Again, though: the lesson is to always have an attorney check carefully, assiduously, all the records PRIOR to closing!


I stand corrected: Recently I wrote that Coach Robinson at SU makes over a million dollars and Jim Boeheim, the SU basketball coach made much less. In fact, Boeheim now makes more. It's the Chancellor and Athletic Director who make roughly half as much (as well as Penn State's legendary football coach Joe Paterno).

Wild Boar Alert!

Opening the Post-Standard the other day I was amazed to find an article about the wild boars of New York. Yeah, sure, I thought. Where are they? The Adirondacks?

No, it turns out, they are here. They walk - or charge and pillage - among us.

The article spoke about hunters at the South end of Skaneateles Lake - check it out! - who were hunting deer and instead found boars. Four of them they killed - the other 6 or so got away.

Yeah, sure. Five hundred pound wild boars rooting and snuffling in the leaves at the south end of the lake. Where I was on Monday with a client. In the trees, by the water where they would come to drink. Hmmmm.....

Worse is yet to come! They migrate, those boars do...right up the lake on the east side, out of Cortland County and the Town of Scott up to Spafford even and East Lake Road. Forget deer! I rumbled through there in the fog and rain at 6o miles per hour watching for deer. A five hundred pound wild boar would do real damage to the Scion.

And more! These notorious wild boar have actually made it to the Town of Skaneateles - whoa, Nellie!

And it looks like they are here to stay. My research shows (ask some friendly construction/hunter guys) that wild boar - honest to goodness - double in population every year! Every year! We will be overrun by 2010!

Picture it now: that lovely home down off East Lake Road with the huge perennial garden by the water, the decks covered in vines. You pull in from a lazy afternoon out sailing and there in the decking is - a pig's snout? In the rhododendrons? Can it be - yes! And one is sunning herself - quite pregnant, too - in your favorite lounge!

Be careful out there!

Mechanic & Main

One of my favorite things to do in real estate is to purchase closing gifts. I try very hard to make them personal, to say something about the home my people buy or their lives. I also like to make them fun.

For the next few weeks I will have a closing a week. This gives me a great opportunity to run around and look for gifts. I was doing just that on Thursday when I found a wonderful little shop in the village of Camillus.

Camillus is about ten minutes from Skaneateles on the way to Syracuse. Nine Mile Creek runs through it and the principal industry was the world-famous Camillus Cutlery. This huge enterprise dominated the little village - four acres and 100,000 square feet of building right on the Creek. Closed now, it has been rumored for the past couple years that it will be/was/has been bought and condos and retail centers will pop up there. Unfortunately, none of the above: it will be sold by auction next Wednesday, December 5th, bids starting at $1. We'll know better then what will happen.

But among the stores in the village currently is Mechanic & Main, a store featuring handmade gifts from all over the world. I started to look out of need and curiosity, and remained for over an hour fascinated by what it contained. The owner and his greyhound were also draws - both very sweet and patient with me.

I settled on a "witches' ball," suggested by the owner. This glass ball has fibers inside to catch the evil and keep the home safe. It was lovely and perfect for the young couple buying their first - and perhaps only ever - newly constructed home. Unknown to me, the woman's mother had a witches' ball in her house! And it has kept bad things away - she swears!

I love little shops like Mechanic & Main and I want them to flourish. A year from now I hope the Cutlery has found new life and I can return again to by more closing presents.