That gorgeous day I wrote about yesterday turned into a wonderful - if breezy - night! I tried to park for the 7:30 program on Genesee Street at West Lake, but there were too many cars (for the first time, I might add!) I parked around the corner, across from Tops and followed Bob Eggleston in to the Creamery.
The presenter was Lynn Pascale from Farmer Street Pantry by way of the Onondaga Historical Society. She started by saying how rich our area is in history - the Erie Canal, the lakes, various communities - and then told us about the Nonesuch company which made mincemeat in Syracuse for many, many years (1885-1981). I had always used it without knowing it was local. Just last week I sent in a mincemeat pie to my mother-in-law. (That one I didn't make - Heart & Hand did.)
On to granola, and its relationship with the Glen Haven hydrotherapy approach. It was famous for helping people to get well or at least get healthy. The lake, being sooooo cold, was the perfect place for it to be located. The hills behind the buildings were perfect for walking. A typical day for residents/patients was breakfast, a bath in 72-80 degree water, a walk, lunch, another bath, another walk, and rest. People came and stayed for months sometimes. A room could be had for $5 a week, or $10 if you wanted a fireplace.
The owners were a man who was a known abolitionist, prominent in the movement. His wife was one of the first female doctors in New York State. Together with another female doctor they ran the Cure, opening it in 1847.
The food was not rich - just healthy and minimal. They depended a lot on graham flour, which was ground at New Hope Mills just up the road. To make it easier to prepare, they would add milk the night before and it would turn into something else by the morning - our first granula/granola or cereal. Eventually a Mr. Kellogg came for a stay in their second "spa" in Dansville, NY, and then went back to his home in Battle Creek, Michigan.....the rest is history.
A side note I enjoyed was the description of the clothing the women wore. Corsets were not going to make it on the regimented hikes up the hill, so they adopted bloomers that could be worn outdoors as virtual pants. They also wanted the women to be able to breathe, so gone were the tight-fitting bodices, replaced by an over-blouse to match the pants. The "American Costume" was born. (My grandmother was chastised for wearing pants in the early 1900s, so apparently it was not fully adopted by the fashion world.)
This was a marvelous 45-minute program and then we were served samples of mincemeat and applesauce from the Farmer Street Pantry. (http://farmerstreetpantry.com)
For more information about upcoming events at the Creamery at 28 Hannum Street in Skaneateles go to skaneateleshistoricalsociety.org
There are several holiday programs, the Creamery is festive anyway, and it's an excellent place to buy presents. I am planning to take high tea with the Queen and friends on December 17th!
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Skaneateles Real Estate - The Post-Thanksgiving Update
What a gorgeous day it is here! I am in the office, the streets are quiet because it's a weekday and the Dickens people are elsewhere, but the lake is wild, the "surf" pounding. We are experiencing one of those late fall anomalies we get on occasion....blue skies, brilliant sunshine, decent temperatures (50s). Tomorrow it may snow, but for now it is lovely.
Unbelievably, there are currently ONLY 29 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. (A first!) Of these, 4 are in the Village and 8 are considered waterfront. They range in price from $49,000 to over 5 million.
In the Skaneateles School District there are 37 homes, encompassing towns like Marcellus, Spafford and Sennett, as well as Skaneateles. My marvelous listing, 29 Calemad in Parcell Woods, is an example - but it just closed.
Waiting to close are 16 properties in the Town of Skaneateles. They range in price from $39,000 to the mid-$500,000s.
To date there are 109 single family homes sold and closed. Nine of these are new. If the under contract homes all close before the end of the year, then it will be a great year - not record-setting, but a great year.
Unbelievably, there are currently ONLY 29 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. (A first!) Of these, 4 are in the Village and 8 are considered waterfront. They range in price from $49,000 to over 5 million.
In the Skaneateles School District there are 37 homes, encompassing towns like Marcellus, Spafford and Sennett, as well as Skaneateles. My marvelous listing, 29 Calemad in Parcell Woods, is an example - but it just closed.
Waiting to close are 16 properties in the Town of Skaneateles. They range in price from $39,000 to the mid-$500,000s.
To date there are 109 single family homes sold and closed. Nine of these are new. If the under contract homes all close before the end of the year, then it will be a great year - not record-setting, but a great year.
Thursday, November 9, 2017
Taxes, Service Animals, and Letters to Sellers
I'm not really going to take these issues on because I am in no way an expert in these fields. As a Realtor and home-owner, I am impacted though.
This past Monday we had a company-wide meeting of Berkshire Hathaway CNY agents, held at the Greater Syracuse Association of Realtors building on Taft Road in North Syracuse. The room was packed, with people coming from Utica and Oswego, and Skaneateles representing the far western boundaries.
Anthony Gatto, Director of Legal Services for the NYS Association of Realtors, spoke on legal matters. The two topics were personal letters and service animals. Many buyers will want to include letters with their purchase offer, trying to convince sellers to choose them over another group of buyers. This can lead to discrimination and the perception of discrimination. Fair housing laws are strong, and the letters, drafted with all good intentions, can be lethal.
Service animals are becoming more common these days. In rental situations they can be problematic because landlords may prohibit pets. As we learned, service animals are not pets. They should be considered as necessary "props" for the person with the disability who requires them. His example was perfect - you would not disallow a wheelchair in a rental unit, so consider the pet to be as essential as a wheelchair. (Or a wheelchair!) Very helpful concept!
At the close of the meeting Dan Hartnett, our broker/owner extraordinaire, talked about taxes. He and another agent had approached Representative Katko to voice their opposition to the proposed tax legislation. A basic outline:
Property tax exemptions will be capped at $10,000. This means, according to the National Association of Realtors, that the average cost to taxpayers who pay over that will be $815 per year. We are a high-taxed state. It will certainly impact us, as Realtors and homeowners, greatly.
Because of this, the value of homes over $300,000 will drop 10%.
A third issue was capital gains. Currently you must live in a house for 2 of the 5 years you own it to not pay capital gains on its sale. Dan says the new proposal is 5 of the 8 years. Since the average length of time people stay in a home is 6 years, this is problematic.
As I say - I took notes and got as much down as I could. To find out more, go to the National Association of Realtors website - there are articles there about these tax issues. And stay informed - call your representative - listen to the news. It's a complex issue and once the reform is in place it may be there for years and years to come.
This past Monday we had a company-wide meeting of Berkshire Hathaway CNY agents, held at the Greater Syracuse Association of Realtors building on Taft Road in North Syracuse. The room was packed, with people coming from Utica and Oswego, and Skaneateles representing the far western boundaries.
Anthony Gatto, Director of Legal Services for the NYS Association of Realtors, spoke on legal matters. The two topics were personal letters and service animals. Many buyers will want to include letters with their purchase offer, trying to convince sellers to choose them over another group of buyers. This can lead to discrimination and the perception of discrimination. Fair housing laws are strong, and the letters, drafted with all good intentions, can be lethal.
Service animals are becoming more common these days. In rental situations they can be problematic because landlords may prohibit pets. As we learned, service animals are not pets. They should be considered as necessary "props" for the person with the disability who requires them. His example was perfect - you would not disallow a wheelchair in a rental unit, so consider the pet to be as essential as a wheelchair. (Or a wheelchair!) Very helpful concept!
At the close of the meeting Dan Hartnett, our broker/owner extraordinaire, talked about taxes. He and another agent had approached Representative Katko to voice their opposition to the proposed tax legislation. A basic outline:
Property tax exemptions will be capped at $10,000. This means, according to the National Association of Realtors, that the average cost to taxpayers who pay over that will be $815 per year. We are a high-taxed state. It will certainly impact us, as Realtors and homeowners, greatly.
Because of this, the value of homes over $300,000 will drop 10%.
A third issue was capital gains. Currently you must live in a house for 2 of the 5 years you own it to not pay capital gains on its sale. Dan says the new proposal is 5 of the 8 years. Since the average length of time people stay in a home is 6 years, this is problematic.
As I say - I took notes and got as much down as I could. To find out more, go to the National Association of Realtors website - there are articles there about these tax issues. And stay informed - call your representative - listen to the news. It's a complex issue and once the reform is in place it may be there for years and years to come.
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
The Fifth Twenty
Catching up! Closed since August 29th....
The following listings are all from the Village of Skaneateles.
5 Hawthorne Woods Court $375,000
62 West Elizabeth Street $335,000
5 East Lake Street $455,000
42 East Elizabeth Street $349,000
9 West Elizabeth Street $257,750
43 Griffin Street $175,000
The following listings were all in the Skaneateles area (non-Village) of the multiple listing service.
2008 West Lake Road $2,475,000
1682 Amerman Road $489,000
2111 West Lake Road $450,000
3441 East Lake Road $429,000
2314 West Lake Road $699,900
1686 Amerman Road $441,800
32 Lake Vista $395,000
1552 Heifer Road $318,000
2595 Benson Road $269,000
3960 Jordan Road $184,900
639 School Street $107,000
2762 Rickard Road $260,000
659 Crow Hill Road $190,000
4846 Jordan Road $65,000
The following listings are all from the Village of Skaneateles.
5 Hawthorne Woods Court $375,000
62 West Elizabeth Street $335,000
5 East Lake Street $455,000
42 East Elizabeth Street $349,000
9 West Elizabeth Street $257,750
43 Griffin Street $175,000
The following listings were all in the Skaneateles area (non-Village) of the multiple listing service.
2008 West Lake Road $2,475,000
1682 Amerman Road $489,000
2111 West Lake Road $450,000
3441 East Lake Road $429,000
2314 West Lake Road $699,900
1686 Amerman Road $441,800
32 Lake Vista $395,000
1552 Heifer Road $318,000
2595 Benson Road $269,000
3960 Jordan Road $184,900
639 School Street $107,000
2762 Rickard Road $260,000
659 Crow Hill Road $190,000
4846 Jordan Road $65,000
Monday, October 30, 2017
Skaneateles Real Estate - The Long Time Coming Update
With many apologies....sitting at the computer was just not happening the past few months. I did open houses almost every weekend, traveled a bit, got several houses listed and sold, plus ran around with buyers to find their new homes. It wasn't rushed, it was quite pleasurable, and I think I accomplished a lot. Just keeping up with this blog was definitely not one of those accomplishments!
But it's windy and rainy - Seattle weather - and Boss is curled up at my feet, the fire is keeping us warm, and my curiosity was piqued to see what exactly has been happening in the Skaneateles market overall.
Currently there are 39 single family homes listed in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. I have been writing this blog for over 10 years - I've never seen a number so low! I know by experience that yes, there are very few homes out there for sale these days....but 39?
Then I remembered that a while back the CNYIS group who run the MLS started fining people for putting listings in the wrong townships. For example, my listing at 82 Lakewood Lane is in the Town of Niles, but on Skaneateles Lake. I used to be able to put it in as Skaneateles because of the lake, but I would be fined if I did so now. Is it in the best interest of the sellers? I think not - people from out of town won't know to look in Niles but will certainly look under Skaneateles for a place on the lake. The rationale is that we must fully disclose, and "promising" one town and delivering another is not being fully transparent. And for the most part Realtors are complying with this new regulation, making sure they write in Skaneateles as the waterfront so searches can proceed with that as the criteria. Of course, this is why buyers need Realtors to represent them....
Taking it another step, I checked the number of active listings under Skaneateles School District as the primary criteria: now there are 51 listings. Of these, like the first group, 6 are in the Village (for obvious reasons.) The other towns represented are Spafford, Marcellus, Niles, Sennett and Owasco. Spafford actually has 9 listings within the district! Buyers beware - go a few miles out of the Village and across the town line and you will still have Skaneateles Schools. And if you are in the Township of Skaneateles there are no guarantees that the house will be in the district!
To finish up.....There are 18 single family homes in the Town of Skaneateles under contract at the this time and hopefully they will close this year. In the School District there are 26 homes under contract.
The best news - there are 100 (exactly) homes closed in the Town and 120 in the District. We are on track for another record-breaking year - even with the new regulations!
But it's windy and rainy - Seattle weather - and Boss is curled up at my feet, the fire is keeping us warm, and my curiosity was piqued to see what exactly has been happening in the Skaneateles market overall.
Currently there are 39 single family homes listed in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. I have been writing this blog for over 10 years - I've never seen a number so low! I know by experience that yes, there are very few homes out there for sale these days....but 39?
Then I remembered that a while back the CNYIS group who run the MLS started fining people for putting listings in the wrong townships. For example, my listing at 82 Lakewood Lane is in the Town of Niles, but on Skaneateles Lake. I used to be able to put it in as Skaneateles because of the lake, but I would be fined if I did so now. Is it in the best interest of the sellers? I think not - people from out of town won't know to look in Niles but will certainly look under Skaneateles for a place on the lake. The rationale is that we must fully disclose, and "promising" one town and delivering another is not being fully transparent. And for the most part Realtors are complying with this new regulation, making sure they write in Skaneateles as the waterfront so searches can proceed with that as the criteria. Of course, this is why buyers need Realtors to represent them....
Taking it another step, I checked the number of active listings under Skaneateles School District as the primary criteria: now there are 51 listings. Of these, like the first group, 6 are in the Village (for obvious reasons.) The other towns represented are Spafford, Marcellus, Niles, Sennett and Owasco. Spafford actually has 9 listings within the district! Buyers beware - go a few miles out of the Village and across the town line and you will still have Skaneateles Schools. And if you are in the Township of Skaneateles there are no guarantees that the house will be in the district!
To finish up.....There are 18 single family homes in the Town of Skaneateles under contract at the this time and hopefully they will close this year. In the School District there are 26 homes under contract.
The best news - there are 100 (exactly) homes closed in the Town and 120 in the District. We are on track for another record-breaking year - even with the new regulations!
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Open Sunday - October 15th - 82 Lakewood Lane on Skaneateles Lake
OPEN Sunday 1:00 to 3:00!
ML#S1080906 for more photos and the listing!
Thursday, October 12, 2017
Is it Fall Yet?
The last six weeks have been incredible. I've spent more time at the lake soaking in what should have happened in July - warm weather, moons rising, suns rising, paddling, talking to neighbors. It's been lovely! At the same time I've listed houses and sold those very same houses. There's a new crop that came on over the past week, and I will start there.
This pretty home built in 2012 is 111 Shire Way in Camillus. The sellers built it as their retirement home, but then decided that Florida was a bit warmer...can you imagine? They came through the hurricane and are now willing to part with this home. It's located in Westshire, a small community about 5 minutes outside the Village. It has a huge master bedroom/bath, great room with cathedral ceilings, small morning room looking out on the fields beyond, and two bedrooms in the front of the house with a hall bath. They added an egress window in the basement with a rough-in for a full bath. It has rented easily over the years. The current tenants pay $2,300 and have enjoyed their time here. The list price is $229,000. The ML# is S1080504. There won't be any open houses, so if you want to see it please call to set up an appointment. Oh yes! There's an HOA that plows and mows!
We don't just do residential listings at Berkshire Hathaway CNY Realty. This is a 2-family in the Village of East Syracuse. You are looking at the rear of the house actually. That little side porch opens into the first floor apartment, a 2-bedroom. Upstairs the entrance is in the front; there are 3 bedrooms, a larger bath, and even hook-ups for laundry (you bring the washer and dryer). The chain link fence on the right side of the photo belongs with a corner parking lot. Only a block off West Manlius Street, five minutes to Bridge Street and 690. Rents are $750 and $800 plus utilities, and the tenants want to stay. 103 West Ellis Street - ML# S1080446 - $82,500.
More to come - including the waterfront cottage that will be open this Sunday, 1:00 to 3:00. Mark your calendars!
This pretty home built in 2012 is 111 Shire Way in Camillus. The sellers built it as their retirement home, but then decided that Florida was a bit warmer...can you imagine? They came through the hurricane and are now willing to part with this home. It's located in Westshire, a small community about 5 minutes outside the Village. It has a huge master bedroom/bath, great room with cathedral ceilings, small morning room looking out on the fields beyond, and two bedrooms in the front of the house with a hall bath. They added an egress window in the basement with a rough-in for a full bath. It has rented easily over the years. The current tenants pay $2,300 and have enjoyed their time here. The list price is $229,000. The ML# is S1080504. There won't be any open houses, so if you want to see it please call to set up an appointment. Oh yes! There's an HOA that plows and mows!
We don't just do residential listings at Berkshire Hathaway CNY Realty. This is a 2-family in the Village of East Syracuse. You are looking at the rear of the house actually. That little side porch opens into the first floor apartment, a 2-bedroom. Upstairs the entrance is in the front; there are 3 bedrooms, a larger bath, and even hook-ups for laundry (you bring the washer and dryer). The chain link fence on the right side of the photo belongs with a corner parking lot. Only a block off West Manlius Street, five minutes to Bridge Street and 690. Rents are $750 and $800 plus utilities, and the tenants want to stay. 103 West Ellis Street - ML# S1080446 - $82,500.
More to come - including the waterfront cottage that will be open this Sunday, 1:00 to 3:00. Mark your calendars!
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
The Fourth Twenty - Really!
Wow! Not even three-quarters through the year and we have 80 closings. These are from July 22nd through today, August 29th.
In the Village:
25 Onondaga Street $214,000
21 Hannum Street $300,250
15 Fennell Street $330,000
26 Onondaga Street $583,000
In the Town:
3856 State Street Road $209,000
987 Old Seneca Tpke $210,000
4773 Foster Road $223,000
68 Onondaga Street $224,900
1567 Pork Street $237,000
833 Franklin Street $250,000
3318 Kane Avenue $262,500
762 Franklin Street $286,000
1819 Cherry Valley $301,676
2774 West Lake Road $345,000
1287 Hencoop Road $370,000
3799 Highland Avenue $520,000
2631 Rickard Road $530,000
3602 County Line Road $649,000
1677 Pork Street $1,500,000
3193 B East Lake Road $1,900,000
In the Village:
25 Onondaga Street $214,000
21 Hannum Street $300,250
15 Fennell Street $330,000
26 Onondaga Street $583,000
In the Town:
3856 State Street Road $209,000
987 Old Seneca Tpke $210,000
4773 Foster Road $223,000
68 Onondaga Street $224,900
1567 Pork Street $237,000
833 Franklin Street $250,000
3318 Kane Avenue $262,500
762 Franklin Street $286,000
1819 Cherry Valley $301,676
2774 West Lake Road $345,000
1287 Hencoop Road $370,000
3799 Highland Avenue $520,000
2631 Rickard Road $530,000
3602 County Line Road $649,000
1677 Pork Street $1,500,000
3193 B East Lake Road $1,900,000
The Third Twenty
Then it all sped up....these closings happened between June 20th and July 21st.
In the Village:
43 East Elizabeth $397,000
72 East Lake Street $450,000
6 Woodmere $450,000
8 Lakeview Circle $462,000
8 Woodmere $465,000
8C Gayle Road $2,600,000
In the Town:
4029 Mill Road $49,900
1153 Old Seneca Tpke $77,757
731 Crow Hill Road $195,000
1713 Lee Mulroy Rd $236,500
73 Onondaga Street $255,000
169 East Genesee St. $256,000
3816 Knightsbridge Rd. $269,000
3012 Rickard Rd. $278,000
3134 East Lake Rd. $287,000
75 Onondaga St. $293,000
1419 Thornton Hts. $315,000
4384 County Line Rd. $397,250
3429A East Lake Rd. $405,000
3547 Lost Hollow Rd. $570,000
In the Village:
43 East Elizabeth $397,000
72 East Lake Street $450,000
6 Woodmere $450,000
8 Lakeview Circle $462,000
8 Woodmere $465,000
8C Gayle Road $2,600,000
In the Town:
4029 Mill Road $49,900
1153 Old Seneca Tpke $77,757
731 Crow Hill Road $195,000
1713 Lee Mulroy Rd $236,500
73 Onondaga Street $255,000
169 East Genesee St. $256,000
3816 Knightsbridge Rd. $269,000
3012 Rickard Rd. $278,000
3134 East Lake Rd. $287,000
75 Onondaga St. $293,000
1419 Thornton Hts. $315,000
4384 County Line Rd. $397,250
3429A East Lake Rd. $405,000
3547 Lost Hollow Rd. $570,000
The Second Twenty
Playing catch-up here....everything happened slowly and then exploded! These sales go from April 19th to June 19th.
In the Village:
121 Jordan Street $435,000
18 Goodspeed Place $405,000
53 Onondaga $258,750
127 East Genesee St. $256,900
80 West Elizabeth St. $205,000
20 East Street $230,000
60 East Elizabeth $235,000
In the Town
1034 Butters Farm Lane $885,000
2605 East Lake Rd $1,425,000
3221 East Lake Rd $1,500,000
3064 East Lake Rd $2,750,000
1340 Laxton Lane $550,000
3436 East Lake Road $760,000
1661 New Seneca Tpke $259,000
2428 West Lake Road $259,900
3704 Fisher Road $279,900
4011 State Street Rd $376,000
4920 Foster Road $238,000
3835 Sadler Road $245,000
4515 Jordan Road $32,000
In the Village:
121 Jordan Street $435,000
18 Goodspeed Place $405,000
53 Onondaga $258,750
127 East Genesee St. $256,900
80 West Elizabeth St. $205,000
20 East Street $230,000
60 East Elizabeth $235,000
In the Town
1034 Butters Farm Lane $885,000
2605 East Lake Rd $1,425,000
3221 East Lake Rd $1,500,000
3064 East Lake Rd $2,750,000
1340 Laxton Lane $550,000
3436 East Lake Road $760,000
1661 New Seneca Tpke $259,000
2428 West Lake Road $259,900
3704 Fisher Road $279,900
4011 State Street Rd $376,000
4920 Foster Road $238,000
3835 Sadler Road $245,000
4515 Jordan Road $32,000
Monday, July 24, 2017
Skaneateles Real Estate - The Rainy Day(s) Update
It has been wild, the last few weeks. Except for the lots in Sennett on Calemad Drive - Skaneateles Schools! - my listings have sold or received offers and my buyers are (for the most part) settled. I still need an adorable little (under 1600sf) home that needs very little work and lists for under $145,000. Camillus preferred, but the market is so very strong there still that even though we get to houses the day they are listed, we have yet to find something. There is little thinking time.
Rainy day - but better than the floods that have inundated the area. The water came into camp on the 1st of July, but we mopped up - thank goodness we were there! - and went on with our weekend with the kids. When we got up to the road we found everyone had been affected - not just older camps, like ours, but ones newly built. The rain turned our hill into a river, bringing not just water but the proverbial flotsam and jetsam down into camps and front yards. The lake has logs in it still; our docks are floating.
But in the midst of all the rain houses have been listed, sold and closed! The last blog update was six-plus weeks ago.
Currently there are a measly 47 single family properties listed in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 7 - only - are in the Village and 11 are considered waterfront. (It is summer, a very good time to show and sell waterfront, after all!) Fourteen are new listings, but in actuality only 10 are truly new. Three are waterfront and only one is a Village home.
Under contract are 34 homes, just waiting to close! Nine of those properties are new in the past 6 weeks - which isn't really a lot, but then there are very few to sell!
Here's where the action is - attorneys' offices! Twenty-four homes (24!) have closed since the last update. That's HUGE! We now have 58 sold and closed single family properties year-to-date. And remember, there are 34 more going to attorneys. Comparing the numbers to our past couple record years: 64 had closed by this time last year, and 56 in 2015. That was a year - we ended up with 129 sold and closed homes. We are right on track.
A couple other interesting facts have come out of this. Going back and looking at the recent closings the median list price was $397,000. The median list price for the whole year so far is $297,000, a significant difference. It was truly a wild and prosperous time since the beginning of April for the sellers. Let's hope the fall market does as well.
Rainy day - but better than the floods that have inundated the area. The water came into camp on the 1st of July, but we mopped up - thank goodness we were there! - and went on with our weekend with the kids. When we got up to the road we found everyone had been affected - not just older camps, like ours, but ones newly built. The rain turned our hill into a river, bringing not just water but the proverbial flotsam and jetsam down into camps and front yards. The lake has logs in it still; our docks are floating.
But in the midst of all the rain houses have been listed, sold and closed! The last blog update was six-plus weeks ago.
Currently there are a measly 47 single family properties listed in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 7 - only - are in the Village and 11 are considered waterfront. (It is summer, a very good time to show and sell waterfront, after all!) Fourteen are new listings, but in actuality only 10 are truly new. Three are waterfront and only one is a Village home.
Under contract are 34 homes, just waiting to close! Nine of those properties are new in the past 6 weeks - which isn't really a lot, but then there are very few to sell!
Here's where the action is - attorneys' offices! Twenty-four homes (24!) have closed since the last update. That's HUGE! We now have 58 sold and closed single family properties year-to-date. And remember, there are 34 more going to attorneys. Comparing the numbers to our past couple record years: 64 had closed by this time last year, and 56 in 2015. That was a year - we ended up with 129 sold and closed homes. We are right on track.
A couple other interesting facts have come out of this. Going back and looking at the recent closings the median list price was $397,000. The median list price for the whole year so far is $297,000, a significant difference. It was truly a wild and prosperous time since the beginning of April for the sellers. Let's hope the fall market does as well.
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Skaneateles Real Estate - Heating Up!
 |
| Bittersweet Cottage - open this weekend, 9:00 to 4:00 2348 Brick Church Road - Weedsport |
After the fourth soggiest May on record, it appears as if the market is taking off in Skaneateles. We've known that about the western suburbs, but Skaneateles still had a ways to go with about a six month supply of homes. That has changed since the last update, a little over 3 weeks ago.
Currently there are 42 listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service, the lowest number of listings that I can remember. Of these, 5 are in the Village and 12 are considered waterfront. The median price is $415,000 - and that's high for all homes. The lowest priced home in the Village is just under $400,000. Again, quite high...but indicative of the historically low inventory.
Thirteen listings have come on the market in the past three weeks. Only 6 are new. One is a revised version of a listing, and the other 6 are re-lists, homes that haven't sold and are being refreshed.
Discussion is warranted here. About a month ago the MLS notified everyone that changes were coming. It has always been policy that listings must be displayed in the town in which the listing resides. However, in order to get the listing seen by buyers, sometimes listing agents use a different town. I've done that, most recently with 2474 Nunnery Road. I listed it in Skaneateles because it is in the school district, has a 13152 address, and would not be seen as readily in Spafford. (Note: Realtor.com refers to Spafford as "Stafford," for whatever reason....sigh....) I received a notification that I needed to change it to Spafford within a few days or be fined. It was changed. Other times I have done this for lakefront property. I doubt out-of-staters search Sempronius for Skaneateles Lake listings! Do you know where Sempronius is? There's a lovely Berkshire Hathaway listing there now! (S1053804)
The MLS is getting serious, however, and has stated it will REALLY fine everyone a lot of $$ and more rapidly.
This affects my statistics, going forth. Monitor and adjust....I am adding a new category: Skaneateles waterfront. Although only 12 homes appear as waterfront under Skaneateles now, there are actually 21 listed as waterfront irrespective of their Townships. I think this will be more accurate. (I must note that it is interesting that 2 listings not in the Town of Skaneateles are still listed as such....so we are not 100% there yet with accuracy.)
Back to the update...
There are 47 properties in the under contract category. WOW! And 18 are new - almost one a day for the past three weeks! Four of these are Village homes.
Sold and closed? Only 34 year-to-date, which is low...but with the backlog of under contract homes that number will soon be close to the past few years. Nine of these closings are new, too.
Come see me on Sunday at 152 Greencastle Street - it's air conditioned!
 |
| ML#S1053924 |
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Open House Alert! 152 Greencastle
I just love this drawing! The artist sent this over yesterday and I keep going back to it, over and over. It captures the sweetness of the house, the charm of the area.
The home is 152 Greencastle in the Annesgrove community in Camillus. It's a ranch with a partially finished basement. The HOA maintains the green spaces and common areas, plows and mows for the residents. The community was developed in the early 2000s and has grown up the hillside. I've sold several homes in there, worked with a few couples to build, and leased this one out many times. The owners now want to sell it.
I will hold it open on Sunday, June 18th from 12:00 to 2:00. The price is $189,900. Please come!
The MLS# is S1053924 to see more photos.
Over the years I've watched it change. There are now pretty flowers in front, and a few years ago the owners put in an egress window (at a good cost) in the lower level (aka basement) so they could use it as a guest bedroom. They had already carpeted it, and put in a second full bath. Over the course of years the home had been rented while the owners went south to warmer climes and traveled the world. Last year the downstairs was a child's play room and the smaller upstairs bedroom her nursery.
When Annesgrove first came into being I was smitten! I was a new agent, and I brought my mother over with the thought that she could move in and be well-cared for in a smaller home, but still be able to walk her dog, Dulcinea. She chose our home instead, but said she wished she had made the move to someplace like this ten years before after my father passed away. It was the first time she'd ever said anything like that! I think it paved the way for her eventual move, just seeing the possibilities.
We went out to California in the spring of 2003 when Alex was in Americorps in Sacramento. Going up into the wine country, we stayed in Calistoga. And there they were! Homes and a village atmosphere, just like Annesgrove.
I will be sad to see this home sold, and I will certainly miss the owners. I hope the new owners will love it too!
Monday, May 29, 2017
A Holiday from Real Estate
It's Memorial Day. We walked Boss this morning in the misty rain and strong winds, then I settled into looking at new listings in the areas I follow. There were 8. That done, I started a wash, Bob went off to see a house that needs painting, and in the afternoon I plan to take Boss to Seneca Lake for a good walk in sunshine! (I saw on my phone that it's expected to be there about 2:00 pm).
So it's time for a holiday. Recently Bob has been on a roll with his choices for movies that we see through Netflix or Amazon on nights when we have no other plans. If I choose, they are generally awful. I fall asleep and he is left watching. The past six times I have not only stayed awake, but felt totally encompassed by them. Yes, there have been tears - but also laughter, and suspense. I recommend these to you on a rainy Memorial Day!
Founder. Michael Keaton as the founder of MacDonald's....what a great story! I had no idea!
Hidden Figures. We all "know" women can't do math....haha! This is a great story of how - not so very long ago - women, especially women of color - were not allowed to be smart. Thank goodness for their pursuit, and the people who believed in them! Love the actresses, too!
The Prestige. An older film (as in not recent - 2008?) about magicians and magic. Hugh Jackman - how can it miss when he's not Wolverining? Suspense, a period piece, and a mostly satisfying ending.
St. Ralph. One of those grand stories that inspire me to get up the next day and do the impossible.
A Streetcat Named Bob. My Bob had been waiting to see this, knowing that one day he would be able to talk me into taking a chance on it. Such a good movie! Probably my favorite of all these...have your handkerchief ready, please. But worth it.
Bernie Madoff - the HBO film with Robert DeNiro. Also Michelle Pfeiffer - she always looks gorgeous! We love anything DeNiro, so it was an easy fit. Expertly written, I think. You think you know the story, but seeing it play out was riveting for me.
So thank you, Bob! No pressure here on your next choice!
So it's time for a holiday. Recently Bob has been on a roll with his choices for movies that we see through Netflix or Amazon on nights when we have no other plans. If I choose, they are generally awful. I fall asleep and he is left watching. The past six times I have not only stayed awake, but felt totally encompassed by them. Yes, there have been tears - but also laughter, and suspense. I recommend these to you on a rainy Memorial Day!
Founder. Michael Keaton as the founder of MacDonald's....what a great story! I had no idea!
Hidden Figures. We all "know" women can't do math....haha! This is a great story of how - not so very long ago - women, especially women of color - were not allowed to be smart. Thank goodness for their pursuit, and the people who believed in them! Love the actresses, too!
The Prestige. An older film (as in not recent - 2008?) about magicians and magic. Hugh Jackman - how can it miss when he's not Wolverining? Suspense, a period piece, and a mostly satisfying ending.
St. Ralph. One of those grand stories that inspire me to get up the next day and do the impossible.
A Streetcat Named Bob. My Bob had been waiting to see this, knowing that one day he would be able to talk me into taking a chance on it. Such a good movie! Probably my favorite of all these...have your handkerchief ready, please. But worth it.
Bernie Madoff - the HBO film with Robert DeNiro. Also Michelle Pfeiffer - she always looks gorgeous! We love anything DeNiro, so it was an easy fit. Expertly written, I think. You think you know the story, but seeing it play out was riveting for me.
So thank you, Bob! No pressure here on your next choice!
Friday, May 26, 2017
2474 Nunnery Road
 |
| This is the home in early spring. |
 |
| Summertime! |
 |
| Late winter - with lake views from upstairs |
These are photos to get you interested. Please go to the listing S1035805 to see more pictures.
2474 Nunnery Road.....in Borodino which is about seven miles down East Lake Road, but in the Skaneateles School District and with a Skaneateles mailing address. The price is $198,000.
Everyone who comes to the house expresses surprise and pleasure. The house was superbly renovated in 2012, with a gorgeous kitchen, new bathrooms, beautiful hardwoods, and overall brightness. Add to that a lovely well-lit pantry, sweet front porch, and a usable attic - a hidden treasure! It's over 2000 square feet of living space with four bedrooms, two full baths upstairs and a half bath downstairs. A fireplace is between the dining and living rooms.
The lake is also accessible. Pull out your kayak, paddleboard or fishing boat and go about half a mile down Bockes Road to the Town of Spafford's launching site. You are allowed as a resident! And the property is L-shaped, so you actually have frontage on Bockes Road itself.
Let's review: renovated home for under $200,000, gorgeous interior space, Skaneateles School District which means those wonderful low taxes, access to the purest lake around, easy drive into the Village or into Syracuse.....
Come and buy it!
Monday, May 22, 2017
Skaneateles Real Estate - The Late Winter Early Summer Update
I always liked this picture of Otisco Lake. It belongs with the listing I've had for Causeway Road over the years. Causeway Road is going to close so by way of saying good-bye I thought I would open with this.
There are currently 50 listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 8 are in the Village and 10 are considered waterfront. They range in price from $50,000 to 4.3 million..... Six are over one million and there are 6 listings under $200,000. The median price is $370,000 overall, with $390,000 in the Village and 1.4M for waterfront.
Since I last wrote on April 20th there have been 14 new listings, 5 of which are actually re-lists. I also ran across the fact that 8 of these are already under contract!
In the under contract status, there are 34 listings! 12 are from the Village, and 5 are waterfront. The overall median is $339,000. In the Village, however, the median is $429,000! There were 24 listings placed under contract in the past month. As I said in my last blog, we were busy!
Twenty-five homes have sold and closed so far this year. Interestingly, the median price was under $300,000. Even more interesting, the five new closures were all between $200,000 and $300,000.
In the past month the ten year anniversary of this blog went flying by. Every day I would list the blog's anniversary post on my "to do" list, and every day it would be postponed. Today I was determined to get a blog in.....and was foiled for a few hours by my new computer. I love it, but I had grown accustomed to just finding my blog on it and going right in to write. This time it took me to another page and frustration! But I actually figured it out (after a bit of whining)..............
So please enjoy the blog as I have enjoyed writing it all these years. We've both come a long way!
Friday, April 21, 2017
The First Twenty
For those of you new to the blog, this is a list of the homes that have sold in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. The First Twenty are the ones that have closed since the beginning of the year. I report the sales as they will be, or have been, shown in the public record. Seller concessions are often included in the sale price even though the actual net to the seller is less. This is simply a way for the buyers to mortgage slightly more than they are paying to the seller - totally legal, limited by the type of mortgage, and perfectly allowable. In my reporting I only note the actual sales price, however.
In my last blog I challenged readers to come up with the number of Village closings - see how well you guessed!
1031 Butters Farm Town of Skaneateles $462,000
35 Firelane 13A Town of Niles $460,000
1611 West Lake Rd Town of Skaneateles $314,000
3819 Sadler Rd Town of Skaneateles $305,000
728 Reynolds Rd Town of Skaneateles $287,000
2678 East Lake Rd Town of Skaneateles $235,000
4059 Jordan Road Town of Skaneateles $185,250
1954 Amnaste Town of Skaneateles $155,000
4393 Chapman Road Town of Skaneateles $130,289
28 West Lake Street Village of Skaneateles $1,228,500
46 West Lake Street Village of Skaneateles $1,000,000
8 West Lake Street Village of Skaneateles $570,000
2 West Lake Street Village of Skaneateles $529,000
98 W. Genesee St. Village of Skaneateles $354,900
27 State Street Village of Skaneateles $320,000
10 Fuller Street Village of Skaneateles $280,000
64 E. Elizabeth St. Village of Skaneateles $275,000
20 W. Elizabeth St. Village of Skaneateles $266,500
188 E. Genesee St. Village of Skaneateles $233,500
9 West Austin St. Village of Skaneateles $186,000
In my last blog I challenged readers to come up with the number of Village closings - see how well you guessed!
1031 Butters Farm Town of Skaneateles $462,000
35 Firelane 13A Town of Niles $460,000
1611 West Lake Rd Town of Skaneateles $314,000
3819 Sadler Rd Town of Skaneateles $305,000
728 Reynolds Rd Town of Skaneateles $287,000
2678 East Lake Rd Town of Skaneateles $235,000
4059 Jordan Road Town of Skaneateles $185,250
1954 Amnaste Town of Skaneateles $155,000
4393 Chapman Road Town of Skaneateles $130,289
28 West Lake Street Village of Skaneateles $1,228,500
46 West Lake Street Village of Skaneateles $1,000,000
8 West Lake Street Village of Skaneateles $570,000
2 West Lake Street Village of Skaneateles $529,000
98 W. Genesee St. Village of Skaneateles $354,900
27 State Street Village of Skaneateles $320,000
10 Fuller Street Village of Skaneateles $280,000
64 E. Elizabeth St. Village of Skaneateles $275,000
20 W. Elizabeth St. Village of Skaneateles $266,500
188 E. Genesee St. Village of Skaneateles $233,500
9 West Austin St. Village of Skaneateles $186,000
Thursday, April 20, 2017
Skaneateles Real Estate - The "Oh Boy Have I Been Busy" Update
It won't be reflected so much in the Skaneateles listings, but the spring buying season has been raging for about 4 weeks. I have buyers in Camillus, Baldwinsville and Syracuse who have been racing against other buyers to get to houses before they are sold. Last weekend was an example - a home came on the market, had 7 showings in the first five hours, and the agent cut off showings the next day because they had a multitude of offers. Presumably the house sold for over asking price. This was one example of many we encountered.
But currently in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service there are 57 listings. Our inventory is so low! Eight of these are listed over 1 million dollars and 17 are in the Village. Twelve are waterfront properties. Only two of these lakefront homes are under $750,000 while 6 are above one million. Waterfront is tough this year, just like last year!
Since the last update way back on the first of March, only 11 new listings have come on the market, and only three of these are in the Village. That's over 51 days which is over 7 weeks! I know each and every day because I have buyers looking in the Village, too. Four of these new listings have already been contracted. That quickly - yes! Overall, 16 are under contract.
The good news is that we have the first 20 sales of the year. However, by this time last year there were 31 sales! It's all about the inventory....if the price is right, it sells! Guess how many of these 20 homes that have sold and closed were in the Village! I will write out the "First Twenty" in the next few days and you will get your answer. I promise!
But currently in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service there are 57 listings. Our inventory is so low! Eight of these are listed over 1 million dollars and 17 are in the Village. Twelve are waterfront properties. Only two of these lakefront homes are under $750,000 while 6 are above one million. Waterfront is tough this year, just like last year!
Since the last update way back on the first of March, only 11 new listings have come on the market, and only three of these are in the Village. That's over 51 days which is over 7 weeks! I know each and every day because I have buyers looking in the Village, too. Four of these new listings have already been contracted. That quickly - yes! Overall, 16 are under contract.
The good news is that we have the first 20 sales of the year. However, by this time last year there were 31 sales! It's all about the inventory....if the price is right, it sells! Guess how many of these 20 homes that have sold and closed were in the Village! I will write out the "First Twenty" in the next few days and you will get your answer. I promise!
Friday, March 31, 2017
The Plot Against America - "Book Review"
I read at night all the time. Yesterday Boss and I spent a wonderful hour in the afternoon by the fire - I read, he slept. I wanted to finish the book that has mesmerized me for the past month.
I first heard about it on NPR. It was easy to remember the author - Philip Roth of Good-bye Columbus fame - and when I got home I asked Bob to order it for me through Amazon. It came quickly as always and I immersed myself in it. In some ways I am glad it's finished - I thought about it way too much during the day! I admit to a couple nightmares, too, book-inspired.
The New York Times Book Review on the front cover: "A terrific political novel....sinister, vivid, dreamlike....creepily plausible...You turn the pages, astonished and frightened." I usually think sentences like that are hyperbolic - but not this time.
USA Today: "A breathtaking leap of imagination..."
Published in 2004.
You learn in the first paragraph that this is a fictional history which poses the question - "What would have happened if Lindbergh had defeated FDR?" In the interview I heard, Roth said it was one of those questions that got batted around and a few years later he developed the novel. It is a novel - thank goodness. Or is it? (My version of hyperbole.)
As I heard in the interview, Roth talked about the election and how Lindbergh, a young hero at the time, was able to commandeer the most powerful job in the world. His motto - "America First" - is based on the actual tenets of a real movement in 1940, as I am sure you know.
I won't spoil the novel for you. Roth's writing is wonderful - easy to read but with a depth of insight and "facts" that reminds me at times of Moby Dick - but don't let that keep you from reading it! The story is about a young boy - Roth himself - growing up in Newark at this time. His family is Jewish, his life is that of a Jewish boy in an Eastern city. Terrifyingly real.
I kept comparing the events Roth plotted with the reality of the past two years and the daily political news stories. So eerie.... I wondered early on if Trump had actually read the book - or friends had - and had put into play some of the methods and techniques. If his whole Presidency came from the novel. Published in 2004.
I hope you read it - as the grandmother of Jewish boys growing up in an Eastern city it is so close to my heart right now. As citizens of America, it may affect you too.
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
The Lightning 80th Anniversary
Last evening I attended the monthly meeting of the Skaneateles Historical Society at the Creamery at 28 Hannum Street. I've been going regularly since last fall but I've contributed over the years, not knowing how wonderful these programs are and how much I would look forward to them.
Mike Yates presented on the Anniversary celebration scheduled for NEXT year between July 6th and 9th. The plans sound fantastic, but a HUGE undertaking. They hope to have 120 boats in three separate races. There of course will be the true racers, then the sailors who race more for the fun of it, and a third group of older boats....all up and down the lake!
Mike was hoping to entice the Historical Society into joining in with the celebration. The Creamery houses an actual Lightning, so presumably visitors to the area will want to see it. He has also been working with local shopkeepers and interested citizens to make it a fun extended weekend for the families as well as the sailors. Of course my mind starting turning over ideas and we will see what comes of them. There will be people from all over the world coming to this event. It will be the weekend following the Fourth, so it waill also include all the families who come for that holiday which occurs mid-week. Get your parking space now!
A side note: Years ago when I lived in Saratoga I went to an estate sale. There was a photograph of Ruth Gordon (think Rosemary's Baby) sailing her Lightning on Skaneateles Lake. I mulled over buying it, then decided against it. I am so sorry I did!
If you would like to volunteer or learn how you can help, the committee's e-mail is: Lightning80th@gmail.com.
You may also want: www.SkaneatelesHistoricalSociety.org to learn more about The Creamery and future programs. (April is once again about the Erie Canal.)
To find out more about Lightnings and their sailing history and early production in Skaneateles check out Wikipedia under "Lightning boat" or Olin Stephens, their designer.
Mike Yates presented on the Anniversary celebration scheduled for NEXT year between July 6th and 9th. The plans sound fantastic, but a HUGE undertaking. They hope to have 120 boats in three separate races. There of course will be the true racers, then the sailors who race more for the fun of it, and a third group of older boats....all up and down the lake!
Mike was hoping to entice the Historical Society into joining in with the celebration. The Creamery houses an actual Lightning, so presumably visitors to the area will want to see it. He has also been working with local shopkeepers and interested citizens to make it a fun extended weekend for the families as well as the sailors. Of course my mind starting turning over ideas and we will see what comes of them. There will be people from all over the world coming to this event. It will be the weekend following the Fourth, so it waill also include all the families who come for that holiday which occurs mid-week. Get your parking space now!
A side note: Years ago when I lived in Saratoga I went to an estate sale. There was a photograph of Ruth Gordon (think Rosemary's Baby) sailing her Lightning on Skaneateles Lake. I mulled over buying it, then decided against it. I am so sorry I did!
If you would like to volunteer or learn how you can help, the committee's e-mail is: Lightning80th@gmail.com.
You may also want: www.SkaneatelesHistoricalSociety.org to learn more about The Creamery and future programs. (April is once again about the Erie Canal.)
To find out more about Lightnings and their sailing history and early production in Skaneateles check out Wikipedia under "Lightning boat" or Olin Stephens, their designer.
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Buying/Selling a HUD Home
Lately there has been a lot of interest in HUD homes. I see them coming on, including a recent one in Skaneateles. Candy Costa, the agent who was handling the listing, told me of a little-advertised class to be taught by Ray Warda of BLB Resources, the new asset management company (since October 2016) for our area. So I went yesterday morning for a couple hours to the GSAR building and was one of about 60 agents to attend. I have to admit I saw no one I knew from our area.
Ray likes bullets - keep it simple when e-mailing him, he said. This blog follows that dictum.
Ray likes bullets - keep it simple when e-mailing him, he said. This blog follows that dictum.
- The goal for the talk: "To bring agents from hate to slightly like HUD homes."
- When searching for a HUD home, start with the HUD Home Store first. Listings will appear there before they reach the MLS.
- After a bid is placed there will be a quick response, usually within 24 hours.
- An owner occupant is defined as a buyer who will make the home his/her primary residence for 12 months. He/she may not have purchased a HUD home within the past 24 months.
- Closing expectations: investors and cash buyers - 30 days; 45 days for financed homes; 60 days allowed for financing with a 203K loan
- Extensions may be granted in 15 day intervals for a cost of $10/day
- The down payment can be as low as $100
- http://.BLBResources.com
- http://FarnettRealEstate.com (Candy Costa's brokerage)
- http://Adolfi.com John Adolfi also handles HUD homes and has for many years.
- http://www.HUDHomeStore.com
Did it make me like HUD homes any better? Not really. I find the process very stressful because of the time factor and the little unimportant (to me) issues, such as using blue ink to verify that someone actually touched the paper. Bidding is done online and with deadlines that can be hours away. Once a bid is accepted, all the pages must be sent out within 48 hours. I think the closing deadlines are extremely short for owner occupants who finance. When I successfully sold a home a couple years ago John Adolfi and his staff were incredibly helpful and talked me through it, as well as Martin Carpenter of RE/MAX Realty Plus. Of course HUDs wait for no one - it was being processed while I was on a rare vacation. Of course!
The crowd - and I do mean crowd - was attentive and quiet for two hours while Ray took everyone through the process. We see so few homes in the Skaneateles area that are HUD homes, and there are so many other online bidding companies, it is difficult to practice once the process is learned. But was the workshop helpful? Yes.
Thursday, March 16, 2017
The Buying Process - Part Two
You found a home! Even with blizzards raging, you found a home! Of course, you say, you need to get it for the right price and under the right conditions.
Assume right now it's a normal sale....you have no other house to sell before you can buy this one, there's nothing very different about your mortgage - conventional or FHA - so you can go ahead and write the offer. Your Realtor - let's make it me - says let's meet and do it! Sometimes I meet people at the office and we have access to the scanner so I can e-mail it afterwards to the other agent. Sometimes I choose Panera Bread in Fairmount because 7/8 offers I've written there have gone through. I've written offers in the house being sold, on the hoods of cars, sitting on park benches....I believe that when you, the buyer, wants a house we need to write it up and get it done! ("If you snooze, you lose!")
That also goes for pricing. Yes, my job is to get the house for you at the best price possible. I generally come armed to a serious showing with comparable sales in the area. If I've been with a buyer in a specific location for a while, we both know what has sold and for what price. But if you see the home you want, and the price isn't unreasonable, buy it by going to the list price. There are no rules that say you must get it for less... Today each $1,000 in price represents about $5 per month in mortgage payments. Coming in $5,000 off the price means $300 will be saved in 5 years. Rates are going up - waiting for another house you can get for less may mean paying more to begin with - and if this is the home you want, then buy it.
There are contingencies to any offer. Written into the contract we use from the Central New York Information Service is a paragraph stating that your attorney has three days to review the signed offer and can, with no reason having to be given, disapprove of the contract. This "out" is rarely used, but it is used. He/she can also add further contingencies.
Purchases may also be contingent on a home inspection and radon test, as I noted in Part One. These are generally done within 7 days of signing by both parties - the quicker the better - and then you can have another day or days to negotiate.
So say you make it through these, but you are financing. After you have applied for your mortgage, then the appraiser goes into the house. The appraiser's job is to "guarantee" to the mortgage company that the house is worth what you are paying for it. There are no guarantees, but the appraiser puts his/her name on the assertion that the house will not lose the bank money. Appraisers do say no, at times. As far as the purchase offer goes, you can say that any repairs that the appraiser wants done must be made by the seller, or you can offer to pay for them.
Abstracts (the history of the house) and surveys follow. The attorneys - buyer, seller and bank attorneys - check the house for liens, judgments, and issues with the land being purchased under the house. There have been several homes that I know of in which the house was actually part of a neighbor's property. Not a good thing to find out....especially after closing! Have a survey done - please!
Other contingencies are well and septic tests. Certainly you want sufficient potable water and a septic system that works. The seller, in our contract, is responsible for testing them. I loved the gardens of my first home in Skaneateles; yup, the septic had failed under it and those gardens were "fertilized." The seller paid for a new one.
All these contingencies are in the offer you have written.
The CNYIS purchase offer is 7 pages long, plus you usually will have disclosures from the sellers about the house to the best of their knowledge, a lead-base paint disclosure for houses built prior to 1979, and sometimes other information such as the MLS sheet, your pre-approval from the mortgage company, and possibly an old survey. You submit it through your Realtor to the listing agent and you wait - for a counter, an acceptance, a refusal - usually no longer than 24 hours.
Check out Part Three (coming soon!) to see if you get your offer!
Assume right now it's a normal sale....you have no other house to sell before you can buy this one, there's nothing very different about your mortgage - conventional or FHA - so you can go ahead and write the offer. Your Realtor - let's make it me - says let's meet and do it! Sometimes I meet people at the office and we have access to the scanner so I can e-mail it afterwards to the other agent. Sometimes I choose Panera Bread in Fairmount because 7/8 offers I've written there have gone through. I've written offers in the house being sold, on the hoods of cars, sitting on park benches....I believe that when you, the buyer, wants a house we need to write it up and get it done! ("If you snooze, you lose!")
That also goes for pricing. Yes, my job is to get the house for you at the best price possible. I generally come armed to a serious showing with comparable sales in the area. If I've been with a buyer in a specific location for a while, we both know what has sold and for what price. But if you see the home you want, and the price isn't unreasonable, buy it by going to the list price. There are no rules that say you must get it for less... Today each $1,000 in price represents about $5 per month in mortgage payments. Coming in $5,000 off the price means $300 will be saved in 5 years. Rates are going up - waiting for another house you can get for less may mean paying more to begin with - and if this is the home you want, then buy it.
There are contingencies to any offer. Written into the contract we use from the Central New York Information Service is a paragraph stating that your attorney has three days to review the signed offer and can, with no reason having to be given, disapprove of the contract. This "out" is rarely used, but it is used. He/she can also add further contingencies.
Purchases may also be contingent on a home inspection and radon test, as I noted in Part One. These are generally done within 7 days of signing by both parties - the quicker the better - and then you can have another day or days to negotiate.
So say you make it through these, but you are financing. After you have applied for your mortgage, then the appraiser goes into the house. The appraiser's job is to "guarantee" to the mortgage company that the house is worth what you are paying for it. There are no guarantees, but the appraiser puts his/her name on the assertion that the house will not lose the bank money. Appraisers do say no, at times. As far as the purchase offer goes, you can say that any repairs that the appraiser wants done must be made by the seller, or you can offer to pay for them.
Abstracts (the history of the house) and surveys follow. The attorneys - buyer, seller and bank attorneys - check the house for liens, judgments, and issues with the land being purchased under the house. There have been several homes that I know of in which the house was actually part of a neighbor's property. Not a good thing to find out....especially after closing! Have a survey done - please!
Other contingencies are well and septic tests. Certainly you want sufficient potable water and a septic system that works. The seller, in our contract, is responsible for testing them. I loved the gardens of my first home in Skaneateles; yup, the septic had failed under it and those gardens were "fertilized." The seller paid for a new one.
All these contingencies are in the offer you have written.
The CNYIS purchase offer is 7 pages long, plus you usually will have disclosures from the sellers about the house to the best of their knowledge, a lead-base paint disclosure for houses built prior to 1979, and sometimes other information such as the MLS sheet, your pre-approval from the mortgage company, and possibly an old survey. You submit it through your Realtor to the listing agent and you wait - for a counter, an acceptance, a refusal - usually no longer than 24 hours.
Check out Part Three (coming soon!) to see if you get your offer!
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Blizzards
Nothing like a good blizzard, especially in March! Growing up here I was used to missing a few days of school now and then, but a real blizzard was rare. I can vaguely remember the Blizzard of '66; my recollection is helped along by photos of me playing in the snow. Our street in Syracuse was always one of the last to be plowed out. I certainly didn't care back then. We had mounds of snow to play in and Thornden Park behind our house for sledding. And no school for days!
The Blizzard of '93 we missed. Alex and I left Skaneateles and went to Saratoga, figuring it would be fun to be snowed in there with friends for a few days. It was - I loved the huge snow tunnels through the roads. It felt like I imagined Colorado mountain towns to be in the winter, or Switzerland. But when we got home we had three feet of snow in the driveway. I never had anyone plow. We lived on a corner where the wind blew the snow away, and besides, Alex and I both knew well how to wield a shovel. We waded in to the house, got a shovel, and started digging. Within a couple minutes the shovel broke! We couldn't leave the car in the road, so we drove to a friend's house to get another shovel. And we shoveled enough to get the car off the street. Not a good plan to be away....
When I lived in Seattle there was virtually no snow for the seven years I was there. It's changed now - climate change - and they have several inches a year, I hear. About the fifth year there 8 inches fell during the day. People abandoned cars and walked. Schools closed for two days. My friends then were from states that experienced real winters, like Illinois, North Dakota and Ohio. We would sit and dream about snow sparkling under the lights at night. But I really didn't think then I would ever come back to Syracuse winters.
But here I am. This is actually an old photo from February of 2010. You can see Bob and Boo going over the berm to explore our back acreage. Boo loved the snow; it energized him. Boss loves it too - bounding through it from footprint to footprint.
Later I'll put on snowshoes and make a trail for him....I've learned to like the exercise and being outside, cross-country skiing, bringing in wood. Not what I imagined as a kid, but good and solid. Home.
The Blizzard of '93 we missed. Alex and I left Skaneateles and went to Saratoga, figuring it would be fun to be snowed in there with friends for a few days. It was - I loved the huge snow tunnels through the roads. It felt like I imagined Colorado mountain towns to be in the winter, or Switzerland. But when we got home we had three feet of snow in the driveway. I never had anyone plow. We lived on a corner where the wind blew the snow away, and besides, Alex and I both knew well how to wield a shovel. We waded in to the house, got a shovel, and started digging. Within a couple minutes the shovel broke! We couldn't leave the car in the road, so we drove to a friend's house to get another shovel. And we shoveled enough to get the car off the street. Not a good plan to be away....
When I lived in Seattle there was virtually no snow for the seven years I was there. It's changed now - climate change - and they have several inches a year, I hear. About the fifth year there 8 inches fell during the day. People abandoned cars and walked. Schools closed for two days. My friends then were from states that experienced real winters, like Illinois, North Dakota and Ohio. We would sit and dream about snow sparkling under the lights at night. But I really didn't think then I would ever come back to Syracuse winters.
But here I am. This is actually an old photo from February of 2010. You can see Bob and Boo going over the berm to explore our back acreage. Boo loved the snow; it energized him. Boss loves it too - bounding through it from footprint to footprint.
Later I'll put on snowshoes and make a trail for him....I've learned to like the exercise and being outside, cross-country skiing, bringing in wood. Not what I imagined as a kid, but good and solid. Home.
Monday, March 13, 2017
The Buying Process - Part One
I was asked yesterday to explain the process of buying a home. I thought I'd write it as simply as I could here, then personalize for the actual buyer. I don't like to just hand out paperwork because it's rarely a fit for the circumstances. Everyone is unique, everyone's process will therefore be different. We also are blessed with a multitude of houses of varying ages, in varying areas. Add mortgage issues to that and a simple see - like - buy process becomes quite complex.
Start here: Why do you want to buy a house? Figuring this out before you engage in the process will save you headaches and lost time. You need to have a goal in mind - simple and direct - that you can pull out when you are standing in 10 degree weather in an unheated house. "I am here because...." For everyone it's different: "I can't rent because I have pets whom I love dearly and the 5 huskies need a home." "I want a place to help me save $$, not just give it to my landlord every month." "I just got a job here, I am living in rental housing, and my 6 kids and wife started the trek across country..." "My grandmother said I should buy a house and this will make her happy." Whatever the foremost reason - decipher it now.
Go there: How much of a house can you afford? Even if it's cash, know what you want and can spend. I want everyone who works with me and plans to finance to have gone through the pre-approval process for a mortgage. Carol Alger from Paragon Home Loans has been with me from the beginning of my real estate career. I say "with me" - I receive nothing except good service and a quick response time for my clients from her. She will look at your credit rating, income, etc. and let you know what type of mortgage to use and how much you can afford. It's like going to the bank and getting money in hand when you go shopping. CarolAlger@ParagonHomeLoans.com. (Of course you can choose your own lender!)
With cash you will need proof of funds - something from a bank or financial adviser. You may know you can do it, but the agent and attorneys on the listing side want proof. In writing. At the time of the offer. Get it before you shop.
Shop: Think of it as going to the mall....there are many places to buy things, but it's helpful to know what you want to buy. Keep it simple, as with clothes - what size, what cost, what style. This is early on, so see what's out there. There may be a "must have" - room for those huskies, handicapped accessible, a certain school district. Too many of those criteria limit your search.
If there were a mall with many house stores it would be easier. I send my clients from the MLS (multiple listing service) listings that fit their initial criteria. Realtor.com is also available as a good source because it is up-to-date with availability. When I send listings I see what is called "private remarks." I can also see the history of the house and do further research. I try not to limit choices, but give additional information.
Really shop: Choose 6 or 7 possibilities and drive by them. You can't really tell what's inside - don't pre-judge - but you can see the area. Would you and the 5 huskies be comfortable there? Can the kids walk to school safely (if that's important). Then call, text or e-mail me (if you are working with me) these homes and let me look more carefully at them, most likely calling the listing agent too. Make an appointment and see them! More than five homes gets confusing, but in a space of about two-three hours you can see them all.
Repeat shopping: It can take one trip out or several, or years(!) to find the right home. I've always bought the first home I've seen and it's worked out in each case. I knew what I wanted, it happened to be there, and I did it. In 99% of all searches, it's not the first house you see that you buy.
Once you've settled on the home then the real work begins. Stay tuned for another blog - Part Two!
Start here: Why do you want to buy a house? Figuring this out before you engage in the process will save you headaches and lost time. You need to have a goal in mind - simple and direct - that you can pull out when you are standing in 10 degree weather in an unheated house. "I am here because...." For everyone it's different: "I can't rent because I have pets whom I love dearly and the 5 huskies need a home." "I want a place to help me save $$, not just give it to my landlord every month." "I just got a job here, I am living in rental housing, and my 6 kids and wife started the trek across country..." "My grandmother said I should buy a house and this will make her happy." Whatever the foremost reason - decipher it now.
Go there: How much of a house can you afford? Even if it's cash, know what you want and can spend. I want everyone who works with me and plans to finance to have gone through the pre-approval process for a mortgage. Carol Alger from Paragon Home Loans has been with me from the beginning of my real estate career. I say "with me" - I receive nothing except good service and a quick response time for my clients from her. She will look at your credit rating, income, etc. and let you know what type of mortgage to use and how much you can afford. It's like going to the bank and getting money in hand when you go shopping. CarolAlger@ParagonHomeLoans.com. (Of course you can choose your own lender!)
With cash you will need proof of funds - something from a bank or financial adviser. You may know you can do it, but the agent and attorneys on the listing side want proof. In writing. At the time of the offer. Get it before you shop.
Shop: Think of it as going to the mall....there are many places to buy things, but it's helpful to know what you want to buy. Keep it simple, as with clothes - what size, what cost, what style. This is early on, so see what's out there. There may be a "must have" - room for those huskies, handicapped accessible, a certain school district. Too many of those criteria limit your search.
If there were a mall with many house stores it would be easier. I send my clients from the MLS (multiple listing service) listings that fit their initial criteria. Realtor.com is also available as a good source because it is up-to-date with availability. When I send listings I see what is called "private remarks." I can also see the history of the house and do further research. I try not to limit choices, but give additional information.
Really shop: Choose 6 or 7 possibilities and drive by them. You can't really tell what's inside - don't pre-judge - but you can see the area. Would you and the 5 huskies be comfortable there? Can the kids walk to school safely (if that's important). Then call, text or e-mail me (if you are working with me) these homes and let me look more carefully at them, most likely calling the listing agent too. Make an appointment and see them! More than five homes gets confusing, but in a space of about two-three hours you can see them all.
Repeat shopping: It can take one trip out or several, or years(!) to find the right home. I've always bought the first home I've seen and it's worked out in each case. I knew what I wanted, it happened to be there, and I did it. In 99% of all searches, it's not the first house you see that you buy.
Once you've settled on the home then the real work begins. Stay tuned for another blog - Part Two!
Friday, March 10, 2017
Homeless in Hawaii
The snow is coming down here, and it was fairly cold yesterday when I drove across town for an appointment. I listened to the 11:00 NPR program on WAER-FM about homelessness in Hawaii. I found it hard to believe that there were people without shelter there. It always seems so upscale and lush - never having been there - and without the poverty issues we see in the metropolitan cities I am accustomed to visiting.
But because of that upscale lifestyle, there is definitely a homeless population that's growing. Dr. Josh Green, an ER doctor as well as state legislator, has come up with a unique way to combat this problem. He pointed out that the small percentage of homeless people (3% or so) accounted for 61% of all the medicaid payouts. (I was driving, so taking notes really wasn't possible...this is from memory.) The homeless visited hospitals for needed health reasons over and over, costing the state hundreds of thousands of dollars. A homeless person's lifespan averages 50 years; non-homeless lifespans in Hawaii are 81 years. But once a homeless person "had a roof over his head" the hospital visits slowed, or even stopped. But that "roof" in Hawaii cost $1800 per month.
Dr. Green knows this because his proposal revolves around writing a prescription for shelter for a homeless person. This means a change in how the "problem" is viewed: no longer is it a social issue, but now a medical one. I would extend that to the people themselves - they have an illness (chronic homelessness) that can be addressed medically. Their illness is akin to an addiction and can be cured, or at least ended on a day-to-day basis.
It was a fascinating discussion. I have often looked at inner-cities and, especially when I was teaching, wondered what a difference it would make if kids were raised outside of the city. Homelessness is one huge step further into the problem. That Hawaii - with its warmth and beauty - should have these problems also put a whole new spin on everything. Our costs for an apartment are much less, and it should be do-able to bring people in from the cold. Mayor Miner has provided housing for virtually all the Vets - what more can be done? As Dr. Green pointed out, it makes sense fiscally too - All that time and money spent over and over with the same issues that could be ameliorated with a prescription for a roof, social services, and a chance. A problem to be wrestled with over the next few years as the homeless population grows....
But because of that upscale lifestyle, there is definitely a homeless population that's growing. Dr. Josh Green, an ER doctor as well as state legislator, has come up with a unique way to combat this problem. He pointed out that the small percentage of homeless people (3% or so) accounted for 61% of all the medicaid payouts. (I was driving, so taking notes really wasn't possible...this is from memory.) The homeless visited hospitals for needed health reasons over and over, costing the state hundreds of thousands of dollars. A homeless person's lifespan averages 50 years; non-homeless lifespans in Hawaii are 81 years. But once a homeless person "had a roof over his head" the hospital visits slowed, or even stopped. But that "roof" in Hawaii cost $1800 per month.
Dr. Green knows this because his proposal revolves around writing a prescription for shelter for a homeless person. This means a change in how the "problem" is viewed: no longer is it a social issue, but now a medical one. I would extend that to the people themselves - they have an illness (chronic homelessness) that can be addressed medically. Their illness is akin to an addiction and can be cured, or at least ended on a day-to-day basis.
It was a fascinating discussion. I have often looked at inner-cities and, especially when I was teaching, wondered what a difference it would make if kids were raised outside of the city. Homelessness is one huge step further into the problem. That Hawaii - with its warmth and beauty - should have these problems also put a whole new spin on everything. Our costs for an apartment are much less, and it should be do-able to bring people in from the cold. Mayor Miner has provided housing for virtually all the Vets - what more can be done? As Dr. Green pointed out, it makes sense fiscally too - All that time and money spent over and over with the same issues that could be ameliorated with a prescription for a roof, social services, and a chance. A problem to be wrestled with over the next few years as the homeless population grows....
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Continuing Education - The E-Pro Day
When I started this blog way back in 2007, the emphasis was on what a Realtor does on a day-to-day basis, using my life and my experiences. It has since morphed into more information about the Skaneateles housing market. I'll bring it back a bit with this blog, ending up somewhere between the personal and the market.
As licensed salespersons with the State of New York we must complete 23 hours of continuing education every two years. This can be done online or in classes. I much prefer the classes: give and take, questions, getting more than the outline of a course. Plus, since I work from home a lot, I like getting out and seeing people in a classroom setting. For these reasons I've traveled to Watertown, Ithaca and Saratoga to take classes which interest me.
One of my favorite teachers is Randy Templeman. He knows so much from years of experience in his own brokerage and as a presenter. It came up in class that he may sleep only rarely, he does so much. He is entertaining but the wealth of knowledge! Oh my! Over the 8 instruction hours I took 10 pages of notes. And those notes were to remind me of the information he imparted outside of the 127-page book. Plus my own notes about what I wanted to do as a result of this class.
Some of those notes follow, mostly paraphrased:
"We are no longer in the information business but rather in the interpretation business."
The average age of Realtors is 57. Only 5% are under 30.
Marketing cannot be "spray and pray."
"Whether you rent or whether you buy, you will pay for your living space."
"Today people research on their own for 3-4 months, then find a Realtor to help them."
I learned overall more than I ever needed or wanted to know about social media. I need to sleep, and I like staying in touch with my clients through direct, personalized contact. I send notes, e-mail, call, and see people as they walk by the office (at 32 East Genesee Street, by the way). My clients have become friends - I know about their lives and they know about mine. Skaneateles is still a small town. I like that, just as I liked Saratoga. I will market, yes. But I also know in the end it is the personal connection that counts for me.
Randy will be back in April and June to the Greater Syracuse Association of Realtors office in North Syracuse. I will be too.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Skaneateles Real Estate - The Spring or Winter Update
The title of this blog references the fact that yesterday, the first day of March, I took Boss out into our dog park for a brief play period with the ball and stayed there the rest of the afternoon working from the table on the deck. It was SOOOOO gorgeous! Somewhere around 65 degrees, at least! Today as I look out the window over this computer I see birds hoping for a few sunflower seeds under the snow-encrusted feeder, swaying with the (almost) hurricane-force winds. You have to love Central New York weather!
Tuesday evening I parked on Genesee Street and enjoyed a blissful walk over to the Creamery on Hannum Street for the monthly historical society meeting. Please see www.SkaneatelesHistoricalSociety.org for an article about the program. Ron Beavers spoke about his home on West Lake Street, and the years-long project he went through to discover its history and renovate it, preserving as much as possible the original structure from the 1830s. Imagine a home on West Lake Street with 50 acres! The part I liked the best (besides the cookies from Heart 'n Hand - www.heartnhandpies.com) was the comparison of his house with another in Aurora. Apparently even back then the same general home was re-built, just as the builders do today.
This long lead-in to the actual update is because there is very little to report, and that is because the inventory is so low. I heard the same from my Realtor friend in Colorado....there are few houses coming on the market and when they do, they sell. This could be why the price of homes, at least in NYS, has risen 8% in the past year. That old supply and demand market at work again!
There are currently 53 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 15 are in the Village and (only) 9 are considered waterfront. Of these 9, 3 are in the Village and are more like condos than lakehouses or camps. And also with the 9 waterfront listings, only 3 are under a million.
In the past few weeks since the last update on February 9th, 9 (all these 9s!) listings have come on the market, but only 4 are actually new. Houses have been selling - 16 are under contract and of these - you guessed it! - 9 are new sales!
Year-to-date we have 8 sold and closed single family properties. We are about average with the rest of the state in that we will have (statistically) run through the current listings in about 7-8 months. It is definitely the time to put houses on the market - before everyone else does and while the market is hot. I have buyers looking and I know others who do, too. Even if it is winter - today!
Tuesday evening I parked on Genesee Street and enjoyed a blissful walk over to the Creamery on Hannum Street for the monthly historical society meeting. Please see www.SkaneatelesHistoricalSociety.org for an article about the program. Ron Beavers spoke about his home on West Lake Street, and the years-long project he went through to discover its history and renovate it, preserving as much as possible the original structure from the 1830s. Imagine a home on West Lake Street with 50 acres! The part I liked the best (besides the cookies from Heart 'n Hand - www.heartnhandpies.com) was the comparison of his house with another in Aurora. Apparently even back then the same general home was re-built, just as the builders do today.
This long lead-in to the actual update is because there is very little to report, and that is because the inventory is so low. I heard the same from my Realtor friend in Colorado....there are few houses coming on the market and when they do, they sell. This could be why the price of homes, at least in NYS, has risen 8% in the past year. That old supply and demand market at work again!
There are currently 53 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 15 are in the Village and (only) 9 are considered waterfront. Of these 9, 3 are in the Village and are more like condos than lakehouses or camps. And also with the 9 waterfront listings, only 3 are under a million.
In the past few weeks since the last update on February 9th, 9 (all these 9s!) listings have come on the market, but only 4 are actually new. Houses have been selling - 16 are under contract and of these - you guessed it! - 9 are new sales!
Year-to-date we have 8 sold and closed single family properties. We are about average with the rest of the state in that we will have (statistically) run through the current listings in about 7-8 months. It is definitely the time to put houses on the market - before everyone else does and while the market is hot. I have buyers looking and I know others who do, too. Even if it is winter - today!
Sunday, February 26, 2017
The SU vs. Duke Game
A little background here....We have always (always!) been SU basketball and football fans. I grew up in the University area, spent fall Saturdays up on Thornden Park hill cheering when we heard a roar from Archbold Stadium which meant a score. My father took me to games early on, convinced he could turn me into a sports fan. He was absolutely right! My mother and I listened to SU basketball games at the kitchen table for years and years... a great memory. When I got older I went with friends to the games, walking to Manley Fieldhouse from Berkeley Drive and my dear friend Dodie's house. I got Boeheim's autograph - not Dave Bing's - when the Nottingham basketball team had a sports banquet. I liked that nerdie guy - and I always pulled for the less popular player.
Even when I was away for so many years - college, grad school, Seattle and Saratoga - Syracuse sports remained a constant in my life.
I brought up Alex (born in Seattle, raised until 11 in Saratoga) with the same fervor for the team, any SU team. He is bringing up Liam (now 5 years old) in the same way.
(An old photo - but you get the idea!)
When the Duke game was scheduled during their school break, we should have bought the tickets. We gave up our season tickets this year - too much going on, and we gave them away a lot last year. Friends had taken a break or moved away, so we didn't have them. We also never knew if Alex would have to work. Administrators in schools can opt for vacation, but....
A couple weeks before the break Alex knew he would be clear to drive up from Manhattan. The weather even cooperated - it would be balmy even! He had drilled Liam on the players and they had watched the games together...Liam knew them all, and having participated in a local league in January even had an appreciation for the game as a player.
Now to get those tickets... Alex found two in the front row of the upper section for a goodly amount, and we found some even higher for a less-goodly amount. We left before 5:00 for the 7:00 game. They got to go down to courtside and see the players warm up. Cousin Mike with the towel behind the opponents (second half) basket was in his usual form. Niece Kelly turned up behind us with kids from her school - National Grid had given them 250 tickets! It was wild and wonderful.
We said no matter what happened in the game, it was worth the $$$. There's something very special about seeing one's son and grandson continuing a family tradition. Liam had a sign he and Papa Bob had made; I was so pleased that Alex could come and would come.
And then the game....and the fantastic finish....the screaming and the yelling, the eruption from the stands as Gillon scored. My phone blew up with texts from friends all around the country who had been watching. It was incredible. We met up with Alex and Liam by the Ernie Davis' sculpture and walked out to the car parked in Thornden Park listening to everyone around us still talking about the game. I got a text from my Louisville Realtor friend with whom I've talked for years now congratulating us.
At home Liam and Alex headed to bed while Bob and I replayed the second half of the game....we've never done that before but it was so good!
Sport has always been such a great surprise - like a David Blaine street magic trick, you never know what will happen and can hardly believe your eyes. I am so happy that I can pass that on, and that Syracuse produces such phenomenal moments.
Let's go, Orange!
Even when I was away for so many years - college, grad school, Seattle and Saratoga - Syracuse sports remained a constant in my life.
I brought up Alex (born in Seattle, raised until 11 in Saratoga) with the same fervor for the team, any SU team. He is bringing up Liam (now 5 years old) in the same way.
(An old photo - but you get the idea!)
When the Duke game was scheduled during their school break, we should have bought the tickets. We gave up our season tickets this year - too much going on, and we gave them away a lot last year. Friends had taken a break or moved away, so we didn't have them. We also never knew if Alex would have to work. Administrators in schools can opt for vacation, but....
A couple weeks before the break Alex knew he would be clear to drive up from Manhattan. The weather even cooperated - it would be balmy even! He had drilled Liam on the players and they had watched the games together...Liam knew them all, and having participated in a local league in January even had an appreciation for the game as a player.
Now to get those tickets... Alex found two in the front row of the upper section for a goodly amount, and we found some even higher for a less-goodly amount. We left before 5:00 for the 7:00 game. They got to go down to courtside and see the players warm up. Cousin Mike with the towel behind the opponents (second half) basket was in his usual form. Niece Kelly turned up behind us with kids from her school - National Grid had given them 250 tickets! It was wild and wonderful.
We said no matter what happened in the game, it was worth the $$$. There's something very special about seeing one's son and grandson continuing a family tradition. Liam had a sign he and Papa Bob had made; I was so pleased that Alex could come and would come.
And then the game....and the fantastic finish....the screaming and the yelling, the eruption from the stands as Gillon scored. My phone blew up with texts from friends all around the country who had been watching. It was incredible. We met up with Alex and Liam by the Ernie Davis' sculpture and walked out to the car parked in Thornden Park listening to everyone around us still talking about the game. I got a text from my Louisville Realtor friend with whom I've talked for years now congratulating us.
At home Liam and Alex headed to bed while Bob and I replayed the second half of the game....we've never done that before but it was so good!
Sport has always been such a great surprise - like a David Blaine street magic trick, you never know what will happen and can hardly believe your eyes. I am so happy that I can pass that on, and that Syracuse produces such phenomenal moments.
Let's go, Orange!
Friday, February 17, 2017
The Lots at Parcell Woods on Calemad Drive
 |
| Not exactly sure which one this is - it's been a few years - but it captures trees and pathways leading to building lots. |
I first came upon them when I was working with WelchAllyn for relocation. They seemed ideal for the families moving into the area: large lots of 2-4 acres, one huge mile-long circle for walking dogs or kids, a community that prided itself on independence but were also interdependent. Houses that weren't in any way ticky-tacky. It was also about three miles from the State Street Road facility.
The primary builder in there early on was Kevin McCormick and his Colin Homes. He was picky about his homes, particular in their design and construction. I remember a workman who told me they had installed a stainless steel exhaust hood over the stove. Kevin saw a blemish so it all had to come out again. Old world craftsmanship... in Parcell Woods. (www.colin-homes.com)
Then the Great Recession happened. Homes came on the market in the district. Numbers climbed, sellers competed to sell homes because jobs had disappeared. People stopped building.
So the building lots are still there. I have 11 of them listed, each different from the other. If you like long and narrow with a home built way back in - I have a few for you! Want a pond or two? Sure - can do! Only two interior lots remain, both on curves with wide frontages. Then there are a couple cleared lots. Your choice! Bring a builder with you or ask to be connected with one working with Berkshire Hathaway agents.
You don't have to put up a huge house; covenants say only at least 2200sf. You will need to drill a well, but the septic designs are done. There are utilities - gas, electric and cable - out there already, waiting for your home to be built.
Calemad is special to me, because that's where we came across Louie, our cat. He had been a resident there until his family left for a less hospitable-to-cats community. So Louie traded in his two acres for our dozen when I sold the Calemad house and has been seen walking over our berm to the woods here ever since.
So yes, the lots are calling....go see them, please! Simply go out Old Seneca Turnpike west towards Auburn. It becomes Franklin Street Road in Cayuga County. Turn right after a couple miles onto Parcell, then you'll see the long drive in to the houses on Calemad. Go! Explore! It's a magical place!
Monday, February 13, 2017
Boss
Boss has come into our lives. Not "The Boss," just Boss. Or Boss Man.
"Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call
Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call
Well, you ain't so big, you're just tall, that's all
Got me working, boss man, working 'round the clock..."
by Jimmy Reed (also covered by Elvis and The Dead)
Boss is the Heinz 57 varieties, as Doc Schnabel at Weedsport Animal Hospital called him. On the form where we adopted him he was listed alternately as a border collie (in his dreams!) and as a terrier. He is a tri-color, he did weigh 15 lbs at Doc's, and he (supposedly) was born August 13th of last year.
Whatever he is and isn't, he's adorable!
He came to us from Helping Hounds in Dewitt. You may have read Marnie Eisenstadt's wonderful articles recently about the Soda Pop dogs either in the Post-Standard or online. (http://syracuse.com/marnieeisenstadt/sodapop)
He is not a soda pop dog. Those puppies weighed in around 21 pounds at 12 weeks. We enjoyed our Boo, Sheba and Sebastian in the past, but we wanted a smaller dog who could go more places and be more of a playmate for the boys. We also wanted to not have to say good-by so soon as we did with the others. So we got Boss (formerly known as Dakota.)
He came from Texas on January 21st with 60 other dogs and puppies. He was fostered for a few weeks by a woman who had fostered 70 other dogs before him. Other than the little she wrote about him, we know only that he had been one of a litter surrendered to a shelter which doesn't keep dogs forever. We watched the video of the dogs going on the truck, and saw him come off on Helping Hounds Facebook page. We reserved him just from his looks, liking his alertness, size and color (like Boo.) What a leap of faith!
He is a puppy, but a very, very good one. He loves his walks and loves his cats, especially Louie. We've been on walks - Bob in the lead, then Boss and me, and Louie following. Boss is still unsure about men, but oh how he loves the women! He loves the snow, too, although he hadn't seen it in his short life in Texas. He bounds through it, seldom seems to get cold, and sticks his head down in to smell whatever dogs can smell that we can't.
He also loves to ride in the car, so much so that I invent places to go so I can take him along. He's sitting at my feet now, having moved out of his bed by the computer when Bob returned from skiing.
He's in our hearts, no matter what he is!
A shout-out to http://cnypettraining.com for helping us through the puppy stuff!
"Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call
Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call
Well, you ain't so big, you're just tall, that's all
Got me working, boss man, working 'round the clock..."
by Jimmy Reed (also covered by Elvis and The Dead)
Boss is the Heinz 57 varieties, as Doc Schnabel at Weedsport Animal Hospital called him. On the form where we adopted him he was listed alternately as a border collie (in his dreams!) and as a terrier. He is a tri-color, he did weigh 15 lbs at Doc's, and he (supposedly) was born August 13th of last year.
Whatever he is and isn't, he's adorable!
He came to us from Helping Hounds in Dewitt. You may have read Marnie Eisenstadt's wonderful articles recently about the Soda Pop dogs either in the Post-Standard or online. (http://syracuse.com/marnieeisenstadt/sodapop)
He is not a soda pop dog. Those puppies weighed in around 21 pounds at 12 weeks. We enjoyed our Boo, Sheba and Sebastian in the past, but we wanted a smaller dog who could go more places and be more of a playmate for the boys. We also wanted to not have to say good-by so soon as we did with the others. So we got Boss (formerly known as Dakota.)
He came from Texas on January 21st with 60 other dogs and puppies. He was fostered for a few weeks by a woman who had fostered 70 other dogs before him. Other than the little she wrote about him, we know only that he had been one of a litter surrendered to a shelter which doesn't keep dogs forever. We watched the video of the dogs going on the truck, and saw him come off on Helping Hounds Facebook page. We reserved him just from his looks, liking his alertness, size and color (like Boo.) What a leap of faith!
He is a puppy, but a very, very good one. He loves his walks and loves his cats, especially Louie. We've been on walks - Bob in the lead, then Boss and me, and Louie following. Boss is still unsure about men, but oh how he loves the women! He loves the snow, too, although he hadn't seen it in his short life in Texas. He bounds through it, seldom seems to get cold, and sticks his head down in to smell whatever dogs can smell that we can't.
He also loves to ride in the car, so much so that I invent places to go so I can take him along. He's sitting at my feet now, having moved out of his bed by the computer when Bob returned from skiing.
He's in our hearts, no matter what he is!
A shout-out to http://cnypettraining.com for helping us through the puppy stuff!
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Skaneateles Real Estate - The Chilly Update
It's chilly sitting here at my desk. I'll keep it all brief and to the point!
There are currently only 47 - that's all, folks! - active single family listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 11 are in the Village and 9 are considered waterfront. The range in price begins with $44,000 (yes, you can buy a home within a couple miles of the Village but be prepared to do a "bit" of work), to 4 million dollars. Even 10 years ago the higher end would have been unreal. Now there are only 3 waterfront homes listed under a million dollars.
Seventeen properties are under contract. Nine are in the Village and 2 are waterfront - places sell, even in the winter! This range is a similar $80,000 to 3 million.
So far this year - 40 days into the year - there are already 7 closed properties. Interestingly their listing prices ranged from $130,000 to $570,000. They all sold within 10% of their list price, with the majority coming in around 5%. It's an active market out there! Do not delay your listing or selling!
I added the logo here because, in part, I had such a wonderful time meeting people at Winterfest a couple weeks back. I want you all to know that our office is open at 32 East Genesee Street (lakeside) in Skaneateles. Please stop in - or check out our window with listings from all over the area! Warren Buffett knows what he's doing - and he's investing in Skaneateles by locating his 11th CNY office there! Http://bhhscnyrealty.com or call the office at (315) 685-7000. Of course you can always reach me at (315) 447-0441 or MBrooks@bhhscnyrealty.com.
There are currently only 47 - that's all, folks! - active single family listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 11 are in the Village and 9 are considered waterfront. The range in price begins with $44,000 (yes, you can buy a home within a couple miles of the Village but be prepared to do a "bit" of work), to 4 million dollars. Even 10 years ago the higher end would have been unreal. Now there are only 3 waterfront homes listed under a million dollars.
Seventeen properties are under contract. Nine are in the Village and 2 are waterfront - places sell, even in the winter! This range is a similar $80,000 to 3 million.
So far this year - 40 days into the year - there are already 7 closed properties. Interestingly their listing prices ranged from $130,000 to $570,000. They all sold within 10% of their list price, with the majority coming in around 5%. It's an active market out there! Do not delay your listing or selling!
I added the logo here because, in part, I had such a wonderful time meeting people at Winterfest a couple weeks back. I want you all to know that our office is open at 32 East Genesee Street (lakeside) in Skaneateles. Please stop in - or check out our window with listings from all over the area! Warren Buffett knows what he's doing - and he's investing in Skaneateles by locating his 11th CNY office there! Http://bhhscnyrealty.com or call the office at (315) 685-7000. Of course you can always reach me at (315) 447-0441 or MBrooks@bhhscnyrealty.com.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
The Last 17 of 2016
I realized that I hadn't completed this, so before January ends I am finalizing the sold single family properties in Skaneateles. In no particular order, here they are:
930 Old Seneca Turnpike Skaneateles $96,000
4379 Jordan Road Skaneateles $57,500
870 Franklin Street Skaneateles $144,500
4023 Mill Road Skaneateles $129,320
4951 North Road Skaneateles $111,000
38 State Street Skaneateles Village $430,000
7 State Street Skaneateles Village $395,000
4883 Foster Road Skaneateles $383,500
3838 East Street Skaneateles $341,000
82 State Street Skaneateles Village $340,000
54 East Lake Street Skaneateles Village $300,000
1060 Jewett Road Skaneateles $215,000
75 Onondaga Street Skaneateles Village $150,000
2418 Wave Way Skaneateles $1,175,000
52 West Lake Street Skaneateles Village $700,000
40 West Genesee Street Skaneateles Village $529,000
6 Fennell Street Skaneateles Village $455,000
And so it goes.....2016 off into the sunset!
930 Old Seneca Turnpike Skaneateles $96,000
4379 Jordan Road Skaneateles $57,500
870 Franklin Street Skaneateles $144,500
4023 Mill Road Skaneateles $129,320
4951 North Road Skaneateles $111,000
38 State Street Skaneateles Village $430,000
7 State Street Skaneateles Village $395,000
4883 Foster Road Skaneateles $383,500
3838 East Street Skaneateles $341,000
82 State Street Skaneateles Village $340,000
54 East Lake Street Skaneateles Village $300,000
1060 Jewett Road Skaneateles $215,000
75 Onondaga Street Skaneateles Village $150,000
2418 Wave Way Skaneateles $1,175,000
52 West Lake Street Skaneateles Village $700,000
40 West Genesee Street Skaneateles Village $529,000
6 Fennell Street Skaneateles Village $455,000
And so it goes.....2016 off into the sunset!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)