Thoughts on Last Week

 I was tired.  I had stayed up to watch the Georgia returns, so about 1:30 I built a fire in the fireplace, got my book and a cup of tea (a cookie too, I am sure), a blanket and turned on the overhead light which simulates sunshine to me.  Soon Boss had snuggled in, the book was closed and I slept.

I awakened around 4:00 and checked my phone for the time.  It had blown up with cryptic texts - "He should be arrested."  "I can't believe this is happening."  There were others.  I turned on Jake Tapper - but got the videos of the Capitol being stormed.  

I responded to everyone who had texted and watched, unbelieving.  Only later did I start to think how much worse it could have gotten, how we had watched "Designated Survivor" the first season and realized the possibilities.  I was shaken.

It reminded me of a time in Norway, my second trip to Europe.  I was so young, so idealistic.  I hitched by myself, going where and when I wanted.  I followed my own "rules" - never hitch at night, say no to a ride if I caught weird vibes, drink only with friends. For the most part - unlike my first trip - I was alone.  Hey - I knew what I was doing.

I had come across on the ferry to Norway, and was hitching with a young man from Victoria, B.C.  Hitching with Canadians bought a sense of protection.  America was not the most loved country then; Canadians were revered.  We were picked up by a couple who invited us to spend the night at their camp high in the mountains.  We had a marvelous time - they loved showing us around and then dropped us off the next day on our way east.

Somehow we were let off at a store later in the afternoon.  A group of older boys were hanging around.  My friend was asked to look at something inside the store and I was left with the group.  They knew by then that I was American.  They surrounded me and taunted me, saying I supported Nixon if I was American.  I looked for escape and there was none, just waited it out.  They grabbed at my backpack containing everything I owned - clothes, money, passport.  At that point my hitching partner came out and I pulled him back into the store for my safety and to tell him what had happened.  He shrugged it off, the small crowd of boys dissipated, and we hitched a ride somehow out of there.  I had never felt so American as I did then.  And so surprised that I could be targeted.  Especially for something a President I had never supported had done.  But I felt I needed to defend him, somehow.  Weird.

So what will it be like for other Americans traveling abroad after last week.  I can't imagine.  I know I am happy to be here in Central New York, fairly removed from conflict, "safe."  But I am very saddened that the innocence I had they will never know.

Skaneateles Real Estate Update - Now and Then

 I hadn't done a review of the listings and sales of single family homes in months.  I knew that homes were going fast and for higher prices than in the past.  Was this a bubble?  Could Skaneateles sustain these prices?  What would happen when the pandemic was over and people started returning to the cities?  Or would they return?  I already miss NYC - but will it be the same?  Such a stark time.

But what we do know is that there are currently only 20 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 6 are in the Village and 9 are considered waterfront.  List prices range from $170,000 to 7.5 million dollars.  Of the 20 active listings, 10 are over a million.

If you look at the Skaneateles School district which includes parts of other towns, there is only one additional listing.  Overall, there are 3 single family homes under contract.

These numbers are historic lows.  A house goes on the market and a bidding war ensues.  This holds true not only for Skaneateles but also the surrounding communities, to a lesser degree.  Prices reflect this - one home sold for well over $100,000 after multiple offers. 

In 2020, in the Town of Skaneateles, 113 single family homes closed.  Of these, 48 were in the Village.  There were 14 true waterfront homes (not shared lakefront) that closed.  Prices ranged from $91,000 to over 6 million.  Ten of the 113 homes were over one million; 9 were under $200,000.  

In the Skaneateles School District there were 141 sold and closed properties.  Of these, 25 were waterfront homes.

I looked at other years, years that did not have a pandemic or ridiculously low interest rates, and found that overall 2020 was not all that different.  

• In 2019, there were 108 sales of which 32 were in the Village.  The median price was $340,000.  
• In 2018, there were 94 sales of which 38 were in the Village.  The median price was $322,000.
• In 2020, there were 113 sales of which 48 were in the Village.  The median price was $415,000.

The trend in the past few years has been towards Village living, and why not?  Skaneateles is a truly beautiful place to live, pandemic or not.  People are willing to pay for this privilege, and with the rates so low this was the year to buy - if you found the home.  That's the difference - so few homes are on the market.  This year will be very interesting - but I can't imagine it will be as wild as 2020.

The Start of a New Year

 How amazing...after years and years of writing this blog I gave it up during the height (I hope it was) of the Covid-19 pandemic.  I had time, supposedly, to write.  We had the kids a lot - Alex, Rachel and the boys had rented a home in the Village to escape Manhattan.  We served as "recess" and then summer camp when school was out.  They moved to Connecticut in July, giving up their apartment and city-living after almost 14 years.  They needed a full, 3 bedroom home with a yard and basketball hoop.  You couldn't squeeze them into their Upper East side home after they had lived the good life in Skaneateles.

They were gone, I had time to write.  My computer didn't cooperate, the office was not as enticing when I was trying to be safe and hunker.  I was busy - very busy - with real estate.  It was a good, if chaotic, year.

Moreover, I didn't really miss writing.  I read instead, enjoyed my neighbors at the lake.  It was a year like no other and frankly, I hope it stays that way.  As an only child I knew how to be alone without being lonely.  It was time for many deep breaths and long walks.

This past weekend it hit me.  A friend, past and possibly future client who I hadn't seen in years, called and asked to see a house.  I was thrilled that she had remembered me, and tracked me from RE/MAX to Berkshire Hathaway.  

As we walked the property she noted "Your blog is down." 

I agreed.  Yup, it was.  And why?

I keep a Pearls Before Swine cartoon by my computer.  Pig writes:  

            Dear World, 

           You've done lots to try to bring me down this year.

           But I'm still standing.

           IN YOUR FACE, WORLD.

     (He comments to Mouse:)  "Sometimes you gotta let the world know who's boss."

So in an odd, only child way I think I was letting the world know I could make choices - to write or not to write.  To come out of my hunkering and see people (or not).  To be a Grandma playing with her grandsons, walking the dog, watching the tree house be built - and loving it even while the world fell apart elsewhere.  

Sara Green Carmichael wrote a column on New Year resolutions.  I paraphrase:

       1.  Make only one resolution.

       2.  Small goals are better than big ones.

       3.  Frame the resolution as positive.

       4.  Give yourself a time limit.

       5.   Aim for progress.

Years ago I was very successful with one resolution, which wouldn't meet her standards.  I resolved not to rush (a negative as I phrased it.)   I learned to be un-rushed.  I got to appointments early, amused myself with Words with Friends or opening, seeing the property.   Enjoyed the time I had earned by not rushing.  It changed a lot.

So this year my one resolution is to connect with people.  Over the holidays two clients I had known for years passed away.  I spent time putting up bags of goodies for my in-laws, which meant I baked a lot.  There are no measurable goals - the time limit is open-ended, hopefully a lifetime.  Progress is in my eye.  I will not burden myself with a blogging demand as I used to do years ago.  But blogging is part of connecting.

Next blog (sometime) will be about Skaneateles Real Estate (I think).