The market is booming. I have clients looking for a home in the West Genesee, Marcellus, Westhill or Skaneateles Districts. We've see quite a few, enough to get a good feel for what you can buy for around $200,000. One early house we saw came on the market just above that - and had 7 scheduled appointments before I could schedule ours. More buyers than homes.
We saw another one this weekend. The house was priced under the assessed value and staged very well. We saw it after 6:00 on the first evening it was available to be shown. When I called the agent to ask about coming back, she said there were already two offers in and a couple more expected. Oh my! One of the offers was taken the next afternoon.
I felt like I was rushing them when I said it would be gone. That old Realtor game...hurry up and buy! But no, I wasn't, and certainly how it all played out proved that.
The message here is simple. Be ready. See a lot of houses if you must, but when you see one you want - take it. I always think the test is asking yourself...."How would I feel if it were gone the next day?" If there would be sincere regret, don't play around....take it.
You take it by giving the sellers their asking price, or a bit more. You make it hassle-free. If you can tolerate no inspections and can say "we'll deal with whatever comes our way," then you add to the value of your offer.
Very few places have unique homes in the way Skaneateles does. I know homes in this Village that literally get "visits" when they come on the market. People will say, "I loved this house 10 years ago when it was for sale. I have no intention of buying, but can I just take a peak?" They know they may not have a chance for another decade if they don't look now.
That's the same with buying. It may be another 15 years before the house emerges onto the market again. A family will have raised their children there, spent Christmases and watched parades, walked home from the fireworks on Labor day... and then turn it over to another generation. If you see a home like that, and you can afford it, take it. Enjoy it. Plant your lilacs, watch your dogs play, walk your kids to school.
Just do it!
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Saturday, May 28, 2016
The Second Twenty
I am so pleased to tell you that I am working from the office today during my 10:00 to 2:00 floor time. The weather is phenomenal - hot, even,and filled with sunshine - but the Office is still cool. Mary MacKaig, the VP of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services CNY Realty (and that is a mouthful!) stopped by and we put up a flag. People are looking in the windows and I can hear bits of conversation floating by....So lovely!
There is rhyme and reason to how I am organizing closed listings. Can you guess? "Town" and "Village" of course refer to Skaneateles....If the property is listed in the Skaneateles area because of the school district or some other reason allowed, but is really in another town I will put the town's name.
7 Academy Street Village $290,000
1682 Amerman Rd Town $385,000
2595 Benson Rd Town $230,000
21 Calemad Dr Sennett $575,000
3827 Clapp Rd Town $250,000
3092 County Line Town $314,000
13 East Lake Street Village $206,900
50 East Street Village $271,000
3754 Fisher Rd Town $160,000
1190 Greenfield Town $1,285,000
4331 Jordan Rd Town $130,000
1889 W Lake Rd Town $175,100
2138 W Lake Rd Town $382,000
2356 W Lake Rd Town $362,000
3087 W Lake Rd Town $299,900
1031 Old Seneca Town $134,500
780 Sheldon Rd Town $164,600
24 State Street Village $273,000
2338 Thornton Town $1,460,000
4338 Vinegar Hill Town $153,000
I was thinking also of delineating which were waterfront, but somehow I bet you can guess that too!
Get outside and enjoy this day!
There is rhyme and reason to how I am organizing closed listings. Can you guess? "Town" and "Village" of course refer to Skaneateles....If the property is listed in the Skaneateles area because of the school district or some other reason allowed, but is really in another town I will put the town's name.
7 Academy Street Village $290,000
1682 Amerman Rd Town $385,000
2595 Benson Rd Town $230,000
21 Calemad Dr Sennett $575,000
3827 Clapp Rd Town $250,000
3092 County Line Town $314,000
13 East Lake Street Village $206,900
50 East Street Village $271,000
3754 Fisher Rd Town $160,000
1190 Greenfield Town $1,285,000
4331 Jordan Rd Town $130,000
1889 W Lake Rd Town $175,100
2138 W Lake Rd Town $382,000
2356 W Lake Rd Town $362,000
3087 W Lake Rd Town $299,900
1031 Old Seneca Town $134,500
780 Sheldon Rd Town $164,600
24 State Street Village $273,000
2338 Thornton Town $1,460,000
4338 Vinegar Hill Town $153,000
I was thinking also of delineating which were waterfront, but somehow I bet you can guess that too!
Get outside and enjoy this day!
Friday, May 27, 2016
After Hours with the Chamber - The Citizen
Each month (or even more often) the Skaneateles Chamber sponsors an "after hours" event. I wrote about the one at Finger Lakes On Tap (www.fingerlakesontap.com) a while back. My first one was at Anyela's (www.anyelasvineyards.com) (...hmmm...a theme is developing here). I missed the Last Shot Distillery (http://www.lastshotdistillery.com) after hours with the move to Berkshire Hathaway taking up some time. (Definite theme.) This week I made it to The Citizen in Auburn though. No, not a new bar - the newspaper! (www.auburnpub.com)
The Citizen has been publishing since 1816....amazing! It covers the Auburn and Cayuga County areas with a 6-day publishing schedule. It also publishes the weekly Skaneateles Journal - or actually the West Onondaga County Journal, as it's now known. The Journal was published for 10 years covering solely Skaneateles, but was re-branded this year to add Marcellus, Spafford and Elbridge. You can find it at http://wocjournal.com.
Tara Lynn, the Chamber's Director, gathered us together for a quick tour of the facilities. I was really surprised at how cumbersome the machinery was...how "old school" it seemed to me. The papers were put through several machines to create the colors. Somehow I had thought they were spit out of a vast copying machine! What a process! And how much paper is used to make the Citizen, Journal and the Chamber's Directory, which it also prints.
We were all astounded....this amount of paper you see here - it's only one month's worth!
I think I will go to as many of the after hours events as I can attend. I really enjoyed the time - thanks, Tara!
And oh yes, the Chamber's website: www.skaneateles.com
The Citizen has been publishing since 1816....amazing! It covers the Auburn and Cayuga County areas with a 6-day publishing schedule. It also publishes the weekly Skaneateles Journal - or actually the West Onondaga County Journal, as it's now known. The Journal was published for 10 years covering solely Skaneateles, but was re-branded this year to add Marcellus, Spafford and Elbridge. You can find it at http://wocjournal.com.
Tara Lynn, the Chamber's Director, gathered us together for a quick tour of the facilities. I was really surprised at how cumbersome the machinery was...how "old school" it seemed to me. The papers were put through several machines to create the colors. Somehow I had thought they were spit out of a vast copying machine! What a process! And how much paper is used to make the Citizen, Journal and the Chamber's Directory, which it also prints.
We were all astounded....this amount of paper you see here - it's only one month's worth!
I think I will go to as many of the after hours events as I can attend. I really enjoyed the time - thanks, Tara!
And oh yes, the Chamber's website: www.skaneateles.com
Thursday, May 26, 2016
The Berkshire Hathaway Office - First Floor Time
This is the view from the front desk, where I sat to do floor time yesterday. The front door was open, and while it was a bit noisy, the air felt phenomenal. Intrepid Janet and Sarah (Facebook) Cole stopped in to visit and gave the office enthusiastic thumbs up. No clock is necessary...we have the M&T clock to watch. In the upper right-hand corner of the shelving is the listing for the Purple Monkey.
The view from the deck is amazing. We don't have chairs yet, but will soon. Heavy, wrought iron chairs so when the wind swirls around they will stay in place. Sun comes in all day long because it's southern exposure. I remember from my Gallinger days that you can watch the moon cross the night sky. When you walk out onto the pier, look back: the building is light yellow and and you can see the deck clearly. Walk through town and if I'm in the office I'll give you a tour.
The first floor time was a bit on the quiet side. The computer guy was there installing the large screen monitor in the conference room. Another man assembled file cabinets. The nice thing about an office this size - 1200sf or so? - is that everything must have a place and be in that place. Kind of like our camp...nothing extra...just what is needed. And because everything is exposed it must be neatly placed as well. Nautical, is the term we always use.
I'll take more photos as the days go by. It was extraordinarily bright in there - all windows across the rear - so I was having trouble with my camera settings. At one point Janet remarked how cool it was. I checked the temperature outside - 87 degrees! But with the front and rear doors wide open the breeze came through and naturally cooled the space. Janet said, and I agree, there is nothing like the breeze from a lake. And especially Skaneateles Lake.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Skaneateles Real Estate - The First Floor Time Update
One of the things I like about Berkshire Hathaway's new office in the Village is floor time. I had it at Gallinger when I started and it grew my business rapidly. One-third of all my sales in the first couple years came from floor time....another third was from WelchAllyn and the last came from open houses and friends. But as a new agent, that floor time was invaluable. I remember the people coming through that first fall so vividly! Floor time is simply time dedicated each week to time spent in the office as The Agent. Phone calls and walk-ins go directly to The Agent, unless of course the potential buyer/seller is looking for a specific agent or property already listed by Berkshire Hathaway.
My time today is 1:00 to 5:00. Saturday I will be there from 10:00 to 2:00. Please stop in!
To prepare for floor time and answering questions about the area, I decided it would be helpful to write an update. I always love quoting the number of sales, the listings, the breakdown in categories. I write the update as much for me as for you. I know other agents take advantage of it too!
Currently there are 71 listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 27 are in the Village and 16 are considered waterfront. The latter is an increase of 6 properties in the past 16 days....Memorial Day is this weekend, after all. (Plus the weather decided to go from winter to summer this week.) Thirteen of these listings are new, with only two being re-lists. Four of them are priced over a million dollars. Seven are waterfront, while only three are in the Village, a new development away from past trends, certainly because of the approach of summer. The median price is $569,000....a huge jump since it has been hovering around $300,000 for the past couple years.
In the under contract category, 28 single family properties are waiting to close. Three are new additions to this list since the last update on May 8th.
Hooray! We now have 41 sold and closed homes for the year. This is exactly the same number as last year at this time! And remember, last year there were a record number of closings....129. We are on track for another record-breaking year! That also means I will be writing "The Second Twenty" sometime soon.
So once again, please stop by at 32 East Genesee Street and say hello. The office is bright but cool, the deck overlooks the lake, and hopefully the phones are now working despite the Verizon strike. If you want to reach me, please text or call my cell: 315-447-0441.
Have a wonderful Memorial Day!
My time today is 1:00 to 5:00. Saturday I will be there from 10:00 to 2:00. Please stop in!
To prepare for floor time and answering questions about the area, I decided it would be helpful to write an update. I always love quoting the number of sales, the listings, the breakdown in categories. I write the update as much for me as for you. I know other agents take advantage of it too!
Currently there are 71 listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 27 are in the Village and 16 are considered waterfront. The latter is an increase of 6 properties in the past 16 days....Memorial Day is this weekend, after all. (Plus the weather decided to go from winter to summer this week.) Thirteen of these listings are new, with only two being re-lists. Four of them are priced over a million dollars. Seven are waterfront, while only three are in the Village, a new development away from past trends, certainly because of the approach of summer. The median price is $569,000....a huge jump since it has been hovering around $300,000 for the past couple years.
In the under contract category, 28 single family properties are waiting to close. Three are new additions to this list since the last update on May 8th.
Hooray! We now have 41 sold and closed homes for the year. This is exactly the same number as last year at this time! And remember, last year there were a record number of closings....129. We are on track for another record-breaking year! That also means I will be writing "The Second Twenty" sometime soon.
So once again, please stop by at 32 East Genesee Street and say hello. The office is bright but cool, the deck overlooks the lake, and hopefully the phones are now working despite the Verizon strike. If you want to reach me, please text or call my cell: 315-447-0441.
Have a wonderful Memorial Day!
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
New York First Home Initiative
Each week I receive an e-mail from the New York State Realtor Association. I read it and keep going...Local issues are far more pressing, as are my sellers' and buyers' needs. But the one I received today made me explore further.
Under consideration by the legislature is a bill to help first time homebuyers. It's not a grant, as much as a dedicated savings account. The small blurb says "The program would allow individuals to save up to $5,000 ($10,000 for couples) per year in a designated savings account to be used solely for costs associated with the purchase of a first home."
I am not sure I quite understand....is this before taxes? I was more interested in the figures they used to promote this. New York State had the lowest rate of home ownership in the country in 2014. The lowest! The national average was about 64% while NYS came in at 52.9%. That is low! The disparity was even greater prior to the recession in 2008.
The reasons given were two-fold: property taxes are among the highest in the nation (as if we didn't know!) and closing costs consistently are the highest of all the states (nyfirsthome.com). So when buying a new home, not only do buyers have to come up with as much as a year in (high) taxes to escrow, but they also pay higher closing costs. Cash at closing, taxes, costs associated with buying (appraisal, attorney fees, etc.) can easily be more than $10,000. Even when the houses are under $100,000 in price.
In some ways this keeps the prices of houses artificially low. I hear from people who relocate here that they can't believe the prices compared with where they were. Our education systems are excellent, for the most part, our roads decent, communities accessible, and commutes (another blog to come) reasonable. Once in a house the low costs are reflected in the monthly mortgage bill....it's the getting to the monthly mortgage bill that causes the problems.
I'll keep an eye on this program. You are more than welcome to check it out: http://nyfirsthome.com. I would love to hear what you think!
Under consideration by the legislature is a bill to help first time homebuyers. It's not a grant, as much as a dedicated savings account. The small blurb says "The program would allow individuals to save up to $5,000 ($10,000 for couples) per year in a designated savings account to be used solely for costs associated with the purchase of a first home."
I am not sure I quite understand....is this before taxes? I was more interested in the figures they used to promote this. New York State had the lowest rate of home ownership in the country in 2014. The lowest! The national average was about 64% while NYS came in at 52.9%. That is low! The disparity was even greater prior to the recession in 2008.
The reasons given were two-fold: property taxes are among the highest in the nation (as if we didn't know!) and closing costs consistently are the highest of all the states (nyfirsthome.com). So when buying a new home, not only do buyers have to come up with as much as a year in (high) taxes to escrow, but they also pay higher closing costs. Cash at closing, taxes, costs associated with buying (appraisal, attorney fees, etc.) can easily be more than $10,000. Even when the houses are under $100,000 in price.
In some ways this keeps the prices of houses artificially low. I hear from people who relocate here that they can't believe the prices compared with where they were. Our education systems are excellent, for the most part, our roads decent, communities accessible, and commutes (another blog to come) reasonable. Once in a house the low costs are reflected in the monthly mortgage bill....it's the getting to the monthly mortgage bill that causes the problems.
I'll keep an eye on this program. You are more than welcome to check it out: http://nyfirsthome.com. I would love to hear what you think!
Monday, May 23, 2016
The Purple Monkey
Yep, I said that...."Purple Monkey." Here he is:
The Purple Monkey
dwarfs the truck!
The Mall is right
next door.
Stay tuned.....too much information for just one blog!
Now that I have your attention....The Purple Monkey is a huge antique store in the Village of Weedsport, Cayuga County. I have driven by it countless times on my way to a friend's house and the NYS Thruway exit 40 which is just a mile down the road. It's western Onondaga County's jumping off point to Rochester and Buffalo. I've been told that the four corners a block away is the busiest intersection in Cayuga County.
So I've driven by, but never stopped. The store sells antiques, and I have more interest in selling than buying, so I've driven by. Last year one of my clients needed a place to sell her grandfather clock, and the people at the Purple Monkey were the only ones who generously took it in and picked it up even. That kindness stayed with me.
But the Purple Monkey is now for sale, and I have the listing, my first since joining Berkshire Hathaway. It's an amazing place, and once I went in I was hooked. Between the store itself and the building next door known as the Weedsport Mall there are 53,000 square feet. Much of it is retail, another good portion is warehouse, but there are other businesses leasing in the mall, apartments, and a workshop stocked with tools.
The Purple Monkeydwarfs the truck!
The Mall is right
next door.
Not only are the buildings included in the listing, but the entire inventory and business. There are literally thousands of items in the store. The sellers have worked the business for over two decades, building up their database and molding their work to fit the technology that exploded. They are not just a storefront, but an international business with clients all over the world. They sell through ebay as well as the old-fashioned way of opening their doors five days a week. They tried advertising, but so many people showed up their small staff couldn't handle it all.
You could do it too. They've made a great living at it but are ready to turn it over to the next generation. They fully expect a team to come in and take it all to a different level. They envision ten people selling online, another crew working the store - longer hours, more advertising, opening the third floor also. Perhaps a different crew could travel to shows like Brimfield in Massachusetts. There is enough inventory to last years, and more still comes in every day. The mall could be a FedEx store, or another showroom. So many options! So much expansion is possible!
If you have the drive, the vision and the energy or even just the curiosity, check out http://purplemonkeyantiques.com for more photos. Also look at the listing: ML#S352999. The price is 2.5M - but the earning power of this business could be so much more.
Stay tuned.....too much information for just one blog!
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Getting Ready to Close - The Walk-through
This is an obvious follow-up to "The Cleanout," but also confirmation that real estate is a balancing act. The first blog in this mini-series left me feeling wiped out, not ready for any more drama - ever! This second one, while it happened the exact same day, is the reason I enjoy real estate so much.
My clients were both sellers and buyers. Their walk-through had happened before they moved out, so their buyers saw the house with boxes and things still on the walls. They knew it would all go, and be gone, and that the sellers were doing them a favor of closing sooner than they wanted. The buyers' lock on their rate was running out that day so they had to close or face extension fees. Agents, attorneys and buyers/sellers all agreed and communicated. It was so positive!
The last bit remaining was the walk-through of my buyers-sellers of their new home. The owner had everything cleared out - more people working on behalf of the deal! They cleaned, they boxed, they removed furniture and clothes even the little itty bitty things that can get left behind, and held an estate sale at the same time. The house looked wonderful!
The seller met us at the door, and when the family moved into the kitchen with her she presented them with a watercolor painting of the home that a friend had done for her. "You are the new owners, and you should have this," she said, as I teared up. A lovely moment. Then she left to talk with neighbors while we walked through the house we had seen almost a year ago, and were closing on the next day. No complaints...not perfection, but there really can never be.
After we went outside and found the seller in a small group. She introduced the neighbors clustered around her. The two girls met other children their age, and true to form, everyone was a bit shy. They would ride the bus together come fall.
I left them there chatting and drove away with the top down on the Fiat in the warm sunset light. This is what a walk-through should be, I thought, again tearing up. A passage from one family to another, a moment in time remembered as the beginning of a new era. Sweetness, and above all, kindness.
My clients were both sellers and buyers. Their walk-through had happened before they moved out, so their buyers saw the house with boxes and things still on the walls. They knew it would all go, and be gone, and that the sellers were doing them a favor of closing sooner than they wanted. The buyers' lock on their rate was running out that day so they had to close or face extension fees. Agents, attorneys and buyers/sellers all agreed and communicated. It was so positive!
The last bit remaining was the walk-through of my buyers-sellers of their new home. The owner had everything cleared out - more people working on behalf of the deal! They cleaned, they boxed, they removed furniture and clothes even the little itty bitty things that can get left behind, and held an estate sale at the same time. The house looked wonderful!
The seller met us at the door, and when the family moved into the kitchen with her she presented them with a watercolor painting of the home that a friend had done for her. "You are the new owners, and you should have this," she said, as I teared up. A lovely moment. Then she left to talk with neighbors while we walked through the house we had seen almost a year ago, and were closing on the next day. No complaints...not perfection, but there really can never be.
After we went outside and found the seller in a small group. She introduced the neighbors clustered around her. The two girls met other children their age, and true to form, everyone was a bit shy. They would ride the bus together come fall.
I left them there chatting and drove away with the top down on the Fiat in the warm sunset light. This is what a walk-through should be, I thought, again tearing up. A passage from one family to another, a moment in time remembered as the beginning of a new era. Sweetness, and above all, kindness.
Monday, May 16, 2016
Getting Ready to Close - The Cleanout
It's a good week this week....two possible purchases for my buyers, two listings closing, one buyer closing...Lots of last minute details to be worked out.
Some people think that real estate is just showing houses, writing offers, and then picking up the commission check at closing. Heck! Getting the check in the mail is more normal these days. I go to my buyers' closings; it's a big day, and I want to be there to celebrate with them. One of my favorite closings years ago was at Solvay Bank (where I am coincidentally heading tomorrow.) The buyer brought in a case of champagne and gave out bottles to everyone, including any staff who happened to be there. Memorable.
But as my 9th grade social studies teacher used to say....."Into each life some rain must fall..." Yesterday I sat in an ice storm on the phone for an hour, sorting things out. Central New York's version of "some rain." One of my listings had not been cleaned out as purely as the buyer's agent wanted. Admittedly there was a breakdown in communication, but what should have been a joyous occasion was being turned into a stressful series of events. Maybe I can prevent someone else having to go through that with this blog.
When you clean out, take everything. Don't think that the rolled up wallpaper for the den will be what anyone wants. The paint that touches up the bathroom is not wanted. The cans of food need to be donated if the expiration date hasn't occurred. Garbage anywhere goes. Look for it. It can hide in plain sight.
A rule of thumb....Buyers look at everything, and if they want anything that isn't nailed down they will ask at some point. Otherwise they really don't care. Get it gone. Yes, that concrete block is handy, as are the bricks that could be decorative in a garden. Wooden pallets help a lot. But if the buyer doesn't ask for these items, get them gone.
How? Contact one of the many companies online that will take your junk. I had a gentleman a few years ago who came and cleared out a basement in a couple hours - and charged $150. That cleanout would have taken three people days. He didn't look at things - he just took them.
And don't forget that things need to be cleaned, too. The fridge, the oven, the toilets....while not listed in the contract it is very helpful to create a good sense of welcome. (You may even get away with a concrete block or two if the house is clean. But don't bank on it.) The standard is "broom clean." The house that needed more things out yesterday had been swept of cobwebs in the basement. I rarely hear that! Still, the paint had to go.
Try to be done a couple days early so the house can be checked by the listing agent. In some cases that's hard to do, being done early. And some people work better with crunch time. But if it's finished early then it reduces the stress, if nothing else. Allow way more time than you think you'll need...because you will need it.
Of course the time will come when something "of value" is tossed. But if it were that valuable, then it would have been noted, I have to believe.
Trust me - you don't want 24 pictures of left behind stuff appearing the night before closing in your e-mail. There's always that temptation to say "It will take a couple days to rectify this." The buyer has moving trucks on the way, the lock on the rate expires....everyone gets upset. And what goes around comes around. So I get it done - some way, some how, before closing, too. Ah, the easy life of the Realtor!
Some people think that real estate is just showing houses, writing offers, and then picking up the commission check at closing. Heck! Getting the check in the mail is more normal these days. I go to my buyers' closings; it's a big day, and I want to be there to celebrate with them. One of my favorite closings years ago was at Solvay Bank (where I am coincidentally heading tomorrow.) The buyer brought in a case of champagne and gave out bottles to everyone, including any staff who happened to be there. Memorable.
But as my 9th grade social studies teacher used to say....."Into each life some rain must fall..." Yesterday I sat in an ice storm on the phone for an hour, sorting things out. Central New York's version of "some rain." One of my listings had not been cleaned out as purely as the buyer's agent wanted. Admittedly there was a breakdown in communication, but what should have been a joyous occasion was being turned into a stressful series of events. Maybe I can prevent someone else having to go through that with this blog.
When you clean out, take everything. Don't think that the rolled up wallpaper for the den will be what anyone wants. The paint that touches up the bathroom is not wanted. The cans of food need to be donated if the expiration date hasn't occurred. Garbage anywhere goes. Look for it. It can hide in plain sight.
A rule of thumb....Buyers look at everything, and if they want anything that isn't nailed down they will ask at some point. Otherwise they really don't care. Get it gone. Yes, that concrete block is handy, as are the bricks that could be decorative in a garden. Wooden pallets help a lot. But if the buyer doesn't ask for these items, get them gone.
How? Contact one of the many companies online that will take your junk. I had a gentleman a few years ago who came and cleared out a basement in a couple hours - and charged $150. That cleanout would have taken three people days. He didn't look at things - he just took them.
And don't forget that things need to be cleaned, too. The fridge, the oven, the toilets....while not listed in the contract it is very helpful to create a good sense of welcome. (You may even get away with a concrete block or two if the house is clean. But don't bank on it.) The standard is "broom clean." The house that needed more things out yesterday had been swept of cobwebs in the basement. I rarely hear that! Still, the paint had to go.
Try to be done a couple days early so the house can be checked by the listing agent. In some cases that's hard to do, being done early. And some people work better with crunch time. But if it's finished early then it reduces the stress, if nothing else. Allow way more time than you think you'll need...because you will need it.
Of course the time will come when something "of value" is tossed. But if it were that valuable, then it would have been noted, I have to believe.
Trust me - you don't want 24 pictures of left behind stuff appearing the night before closing in your e-mail. There's always that temptation to say "It will take a couple days to rectify this." The buyer has moving trucks on the way, the lock on the rate expires....everyone gets upset. And what goes around comes around. So I get it done - some way, some how, before closing, too. Ah, the easy life of the Realtor!
Thursday, May 12, 2016
In the Village
Our very good friends, Annie and Tom, came to visit for a brief afternoon. They live outside of Saratoga, and now that they are retired they attend rallies in their HUGE RV. I suppose it's called something else - camp on wheels? - but they love it. They have toured the country many times, generally wintering a bit in California and summering in Saratoga. Not a bad life!
They were attending a rally at the Turning Stone and came over from there. I asked Annie what she wanted to do, and she immediately replied...."Go to Skinny!"
We went to Bluewater for lunch. I had checked the weather a few days ago and yes, indeed, the promise was for 80 degrees. I reserved four places on the deck, with Bob joining us. While it was cooler than expected with the breeze off the lake, it was glorious to be sitting outside and generally just being together again.
For lunch we had an assortment of goodies. Annie tried the Poke Bowl with tuna and calamari. Tom - a big man - relished and ravaged his bowl of lobster bisque and three half sandwiches - chicken salad maybe? Bob had the margherita pizza and a "side" salad that was a meal unto itself. I had my pear and gorgonzola salad with salmon...I am stuck on it! I will also have the other half for dinner! The service was excellent, although the waitress confessed it was her first day. She was a pro and much appreciated.
We walked over to the new Berkshire Hathaway office, but the key wouldn't unlock the door - oh, my! I found out later that the owner of the building had all the locks changed just that morning. Another time.
We went towards the pier afterwards, and Annie was mesmerized by a young goldie chasing a stick in the water over, and over, and over..... She has loved goldies all her life, or at least since her Irish setter days in grad school. Currently they have one dog, Millie, who tours the country with them.
Both Annie and Tom were thrilled with the color of the water and its clarity. I tend to lose sight of the remarkable quality of the lake....and I love being drawn back into marveling at it. We walked up West Lake Street to where the sidewalk ends, then back into town. A leisurely walk, one I wish we could take more often. We live 150 miles apart, and while Annie and I have been friends since fourth grade we have rarely lived closer since her family moved from Syracuse in seventh grade. She is still the person I call first when tragedy or joy comes my way.
I love that we could share the glorious day - I look forward to many, many more!
They were attending a rally at the Turning Stone and came over from there. I asked Annie what she wanted to do, and she immediately replied...."Go to Skinny!"
We went to Bluewater for lunch. I had checked the weather a few days ago and yes, indeed, the promise was for 80 degrees. I reserved four places on the deck, with Bob joining us. While it was cooler than expected with the breeze off the lake, it was glorious to be sitting outside and generally just being together again.
For lunch we had an assortment of goodies. Annie tried the Poke Bowl with tuna and calamari. Tom - a big man - relished and ravaged his bowl of lobster bisque and three half sandwiches - chicken salad maybe? Bob had the margherita pizza and a "side" salad that was a meal unto itself. I had my pear and gorgonzola salad with salmon...I am stuck on it! I will also have the other half for dinner! The service was excellent, although the waitress confessed it was her first day. She was a pro and much appreciated.
We walked over to the new Berkshire Hathaway office, but the key wouldn't unlock the door - oh, my! I found out later that the owner of the building had all the locks changed just that morning. Another time.
We went towards the pier afterwards, and Annie was mesmerized by a young goldie chasing a stick in the water over, and over, and over..... She has loved goldies all her life, or at least since her Irish setter days in grad school. Currently they have one dog, Millie, who tours the country with them.
Both Annie and Tom were thrilled with the color of the water and its clarity. I tend to lose sight of the remarkable quality of the lake....and I love being drawn back into marveling at it. We walked up West Lake Street to where the sidewalk ends, then back into town. A leisurely walk, one I wish we could take more often. We live 150 miles apart, and while Annie and I have been friends since fourth grade we have rarely lived closer since her family moved from Syracuse in seventh grade. She is still the person I call first when tragedy or joy comes my way.
I love that we could share the glorious day - I look forward to many, many more!
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Skaneateles Real Estate - The First Berkshire Hathaway Update
Ah, filled with "firsts." This is the first update with the new (for me) company, going into the new office space at 32 East Genesee Street in the Village, and I used the new MLS system that the Greater Syracuse Association of Realtors has adopted. I am not good with change, but if I have to do it I throw myself into it - but usually at the very last moment. I tried the system a while ago and found I could do it, if need be, but the old was so easy. Today I chose to write the update using the statistics I found on the new Matrix system. It took a while longer...like half an hour longer...but it was a very helpful exercise. I knew what the numbers should look like, and when they were off I was able to self-correct.
There are currently 66 active listings of single family homes in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 25 are in the Village and 10 are considered waterfront. (I found I can break out the ones that have lake rights with the new system - very helpful!) Since the last time I wrote an update on April 19th, there have been overall 10 new listings, two of which are re-lists. We are still low on inventory...and with supply and demand the prices rise. I'll do some stats about this at a later date.
In the under contract category there are 29 homes waiting to close. Five new ones have come under contract. The number closed for the year has risen to 37; 6 have closed in the past 19 days. By this time last year 35 had closed. In 2014, only 21 properties had closed!
Since I have your attention, I am going to ask for your help, too. I need a rental for a family returning to the area for the summer. They will live in a house and show it while it's on the market, or caretake it, doing the yard work and general maintenance in return for a bit off the rent. Or just rent it. That is challenge number one, and it must be in or close to the Village. Challenge #2 is the search for a home under $200,000 in the general area of Spafford ideally, but anywhere from Owasco to 10 or so miles down the east side of the lake. In both cases we've exhausted what is listed. So if you can help - please do! My cell is 315-447-0441..and you have my many thanks!
Have a wonderful day - mothers, fathers, daughters and sons!
There are currently 66 active listings of single family homes in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 25 are in the Village and 10 are considered waterfront. (I found I can break out the ones that have lake rights with the new system - very helpful!) Since the last time I wrote an update on April 19th, there have been overall 10 new listings, two of which are re-lists. We are still low on inventory...and with supply and demand the prices rise. I'll do some stats about this at a later date.
In the under contract category there are 29 homes waiting to close. Five new ones have come under contract. The number closed for the year has risen to 37; 6 have closed in the past 19 days. By this time last year 35 had closed. In 2014, only 21 properties had closed!
Since I have your attention, I am going to ask for your help, too. I need a rental for a family returning to the area for the summer. They will live in a house and show it while it's on the market, or caretake it, doing the yard work and general maintenance in return for a bit off the rent. Or just rent it. That is challenge number one, and it must be in or close to the Village. Challenge #2 is the search for a home under $200,000 in the general area of Spafford ideally, but anywhere from Owasco to 10 or so miles down the east side of the lake. In both cases we've exhausted what is listed. So if you can help - please do! My cell is 315-447-0441..and you have my many thanks!
Have a wonderful day - mothers, fathers, daughters and sons!
Friday, May 6, 2016
Breaking Up is Hard To Do
I haven't written in some 17 days, but it feels like 17 years. During those couple weeks I went down to the City to babysit the boys while Alex and Rachel had a rare night away to a family wedding. We went to bed early, knowing they would be up early. Didn't figure on midnight though....Bob held Ollie's hand while he slept until 4:45, then I took over. It was fun though. So much fun I went back to take care of Oliver five days later, then Alex brought Liam up to Elbridge for a few days....Phew! Most marvelous of times. Busy times. And, oh yes, somewhere in there I moved from RE/MAX to Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, CNY Realty.
Last Sunday, in the rain, I closed up my desk at the office on Jordan Street. I cleaned out drawers, and discovered that I had bought a lot of coffees at the Bakery across the street. Every drawer had the little plastic stoppers that kept me from spilling the coffee as I jaywalked across the street and pushed open the door. The T.S. Eliot line came obviously to mind...."I have measured out my life in coffee spoons....." from Prufrock. That line was also etched into the woodwork in the town's coffee house in South Hadley, where I went to college. It follows me.
But I digress....
I am moving because my life is moving on. I have no quibble with RE/MAX,,,,they have been very, very good to me over the past 10 years. It was probably just about this time that the Skaneateles office opened, actually. It was the site of my former hair salon. My new desk was situated where I had had my hair cut and dyed (it's not natural - imagine!) over the previous 10 years. I chose the front desk so I could see out the door and liked it ever so much. People stopped in to talk. I loved the autonomy, the independence that I had craved.
My life has changed since then. Rachel married Alex, the boys came, my business expanded...and now it's time to move around the block, back to East Genesee Street where I had started with Gallinger in 2001. It's just a third phase of my real estate career, a re-invention of myself yet again. I am there in part because Mary MacKaig who had managed the Gallinger Office and had recruited and trained me is back in the Village. The company is the fast-growing Berkshire Hathaway....Warren Buffett's conception. I think it's a good fit to my lifestyle. I am hoping I will have more time to write this blog, quite frankly.
So come and visit....32 East Genesee Street....A bit down from Vermont Coffee, up from Bluewater. We'll sit on the back deck. Look out at the changing lakefront. I'll wave as you walk by when I am sitting in the front for floor time.... And starting a new collection of coffee stoppers, for the next 10 years.
Last Sunday, in the rain, I closed up my desk at the office on Jordan Street. I cleaned out drawers, and discovered that I had bought a lot of coffees at the Bakery across the street. Every drawer had the little plastic stoppers that kept me from spilling the coffee as I jaywalked across the street and pushed open the door. The T.S. Eliot line came obviously to mind...."I have measured out my life in coffee spoons....." from Prufrock. That line was also etched into the woodwork in the town's coffee house in South Hadley, where I went to college. It follows me.
But I digress....
I am moving because my life is moving on. I have no quibble with RE/MAX,,,,they have been very, very good to me over the past 10 years. It was probably just about this time that the Skaneateles office opened, actually. It was the site of my former hair salon. My new desk was situated where I had had my hair cut and dyed (it's not natural - imagine!) over the previous 10 years. I chose the front desk so I could see out the door and liked it ever so much. People stopped in to talk. I loved the autonomy, the independence that I had craved.
My life has changed since then. Rachel married Alex, the boys came, my business expanded...and now it's time to move around the block, back to East Genesee Street where I had started with Gallinger in 2001. It's just a third phase of my real estate career, a re-invention of myself yet again. I am there in part because Mary MacKaig who had managed the Gallinger Office and had recruited and trained me is back in the Village. The company is the fast-growing Berkshire Hathaway....Warren Buffett's conception. I think it's a good fit to my lifestyle. I am hoping I will have more time to write this blog, quite frankly.
So come and visit....32 East Genesee Street....A bit down from Vermont Coffee, up from Bluewater. We'll sit on the back deck. Look out at the changing lakefront. I'll wave as you walk by when I am sitting in the front for floor time.... And starting a new collection of coffee stoppers, for the next 10 years.
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