Skaneateles Real Estate - The "Oh So Busy" Update

It's been about six weeks since I wrote last....oh my!  During that time my clients listed property, sold property, closed on property and we got rid of the snow!  What a difference from last year, when everyone waited until the snow melted.  This year the rush came on during the Ides of March and is only just slowing.

Without further adieu, I will try to summarize.  Currently there are 82 single family homes on the market in Skaneateles.  Of these, 19 are in the Village and 11 are considered waterfront.

Since the beginning of March, 26 properties have come on the market.  Eight of these are Village homes and also eight are re-lists.  None - hard to believe, but I checked it - were waterfront.  (Will this be a trend this year?)  

In the "under contract" category there are 19 listings.  Five of these came on the market since the last blog post, and are already waiting to close.  Eleven properties "sold" during this time - hence the busy-ness.  Five were in the Village and 6 in the town.

But now we come to the exciting part!  There are 29 sold and closed listings since the beginning of the year! In the past 6 weeks, 18 - count them! - homes closed.  Wow!  Five were Village homes and one was waterfront (there's that trend again!)  This means I will write out The First Twenty in the next week so you can see what closed and what price was paid.  You might be surprised....really! Hint....hint....

But get outside - go enjoy these lovely days!  I always say no one appreciates spring like Central New Yorkers....

Open House Alert! Two on Sunday!

This is the morning room at 125 Snowberry, Town of Camillus.  Isn't it great?  Plenty of room for a huge family dinner....with the overflow going into the formal dining room.  It overlooks the back yard and the trees on the hill; a door opens to the deck, equally as large.  You can see the sunsets from here.

The home will be open Sunday, March 15th from 1:00 until 3:00.  The price of the house is $284,000, a bargain in Scenic Meadows.  There are 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and a walkout lower level.  I will be there to greet you!  (ML#S320784)

A vastly different experience awaits you at 4625 Phillips Road in Skaneateles Falls.  This is one of the two upstairs bedrooms that is as quaint and sweet as it can be.  Unlike other country farmhouses, this room actually has a very deep walk-in closet, then more storage over the downstairs rooms.  Hardwood
floors, a quiet street, a front porch for passing summer evenings - it's all here.

The home will be open from 12:30 to 2:00 Sunday, March 15th as well.  Since I can't be in two places at once, Amber Spain from our office will be your Realtor.  There are 3-4 bedrooms, a full bath on the first floor, and a detached garage.  Price?  A mere $95,000.  (ML#S323104 - J-E Schools)

Please come!  And as always, tell us that you read about it on this blog!

Upcoming Event - Wednesday, March 11th

Last December I went to the pre-Christmas sale at the Methodist Church in the Village.   I was looking for mittens for Liam - there's a woman who makes the prettiest felted mittens out of old sweaters!  I found her, bought a pair, and then ran into David Figura from the Post-Standard. He was selling his book, So What Are the Guys Doing?, and we had a chance to talk.

The book interested me because I was in the age group for whom it was written, and had similar concerns.  I was also coming out of the questioning period and into full enjoyment of my age and what it offers.  When he told me there would be panel discussions I told him about my rather radical career change into real estate.  I also volunteered to be on a panel.

I left it there, bought a book and he signed it, gave it to Bob for Christmas...  but about a month ago David called and invited me to be on the Career Change panel.  I love it!

Tomorrow evening - as you see above - I will join others for a discussion.  I am really looking forward to this.  Bob asked me yesterday if I was nervous, and I said no.  Besides trying to figure out what to wear - something I am very much not good at doing - I am simply excited. Usually when I am presenting - as in the old charter school days - a couple days ahead I wonder what possessed me to agree to talk.  But not now.  Real estate is what I love to do, and as a panel member I can be quiet and listen, contributing that way also.

I asked a few friends to come for moral support, but I only know that Bob will come for certain.  If you are anywhere near Auburn tomorrow night, please stop in.   

Skaneateles Real Estate - The "In Like a Lion" Update

The photo above is of our backyard about the first of March.  Please note the yardstick coming out of the snow on the table - about 32 inches of snow.  We carved paths for the dogs, and the one you see is to the birdfeeder.  Way in the back is our dog park fence - maybe a few inches of fencing exposed.  Darling Louie, our new cat, has managed to use the railings to get about.  We've been here a dozen winters and never saw it like this.  But it's March!

There are currently only 67 single family homes listed in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  When people say "inventory is down," this is in comparison to 150 homes a few years back.  Admittedly it is winter - and this winter in particular - but fewer houses means more rapid transactions.  Of the 67, 15 are in the Village and 11 are considered waterfront.  Oh yes - only one new listing has come on the market.

Waiting to close or at least under contract are 26 homes.  Even with this weather 6 new ones have been put under contract in the past couple weeks.  People are out there buying, unlike last year when everyone waited it out.

And they have been closing, too.  We now have 11 homes closed since the first of the year, five of them since February 10th.  Three of those were Village homes, and the other two were in the Town.  

So stay warm, stay safe.  I gave up and got snow tires from Bernie's garage a couple weeks ago for the Passat.  I had gotten stuck once (very rare for me with front wheel drive and a refusal to go where I might get stuck).  I also managed to scrape the side of the car on a snowplow;  it's not looking as pretty as it once was so it has now officially become my winter rat. Oh, to to be cruising in the Fiat again!  Soon - I promise you - but don't hold me to it!

New Listing! 38 Onondaga Street

Check out this toilet...If you have a small space and want to turn a closet or half bath into a full bath, this is one solution to squeezing everything in.  That is the sink - yes - on the top of the toilet.  Another eye-catcher photo!

In the Village, 38 Onondaga Street is close to everything.  Walk down the street to Genesee Street and the center of the Village, plus the lake.  Go around the corner and a block away are the schools.  It probably doesn't seem realistic now, but you could easily walk to and from the Sherwood for a summer dinner, or get an ice cream at Doug's and relax by the lake.  if you walk for exercise it's a great starting point.  Have little ones to go to the park?  It's an easy stroll.  Dogs would feel privileged to live here - and it has a fenced back yard.

The home is remodeled as well.  Not only the downstairs bath pictured above, but there's a gorgeous quartz counter and double sink upstairs with a jetted tub in the second floor bath.   The kitchen also has quartz countertops plus a brand new stove and refrigerator.  The gas fireplace serves both the eat-in kitchen and the family room.  A separate living room has hardwoods, multiple windows, and access to the deck.

The lower level is a walkout basement with a rec room, laundry and a garage under the family room.  On the second floor are three bedrooms, one with a walk-in closet with built-ins.  And those hardwoods that do gleam!

Priced at $269,000 it has attracted attention and will attract more once we have less than three feet of snow on the ground and windchills in the minus 20s....  So if you are looking for a Village home, please consider 38 Onondaga.  For more photos, please look up ML#S325820.

Skaneateles Real Estate - The BRRRRR Update

I thought this might grab your attention more than a house with icicles hanging off it, and all the houses have icicles hanging off them.  Yes, one of my dear clients actually had the nerve to send me this photo of another place, and another lifestyle.  Really - no shame, no compassion for our plight here!  Ah - but he/she will return here some day...and by choice!  

There are currently 76 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 16 are in the Village and 11 are considered waterfront.  In the past 3 weeks since the last update 11 listings have come on the market, but only five are new listings.  

Waiting to close or under contract are 25 single family homes.  Six were added since the end of January, with five of them being in the Village.  Yes, there are buyers out there, braving the high banks of snow to see homes.  The Village also shows off their little snowplow that does the sidewalk shoveling for you, courtesy of the Village taxes.

We now have six houses that have sold and closed so far this year.  Two are new closings, one a waterfront home and the other a town listing.  

This week is February break for the schools.  With the temperature at -11 this morning and windchills in the -20s, I doubt there would have been school anyway.  

Stay warm!  And get out and enjoy the snow - when it's safe again to do so!

Skaneateles Real Estate Update - The New Year

Let's start out strong and finish up strong!  I did the research a couple days ago and have been on the move ever since, so stats are as of January 27th.

Currently in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service there are 73 - only 73! - active listings.  Of these 19 are in the Village and 11 are considered waterfront.  (Think of it - with 107 closed last year we can run through the inventory fairly rapidly, I would hope!)  Only 4 really new to the market listings have come on since the first of the year.

Waiting to close or at least under contract are 21 single family homes.  Two have come under contract recently.  (January is a tough month - and this year it was a cold cold month with lots of illnesses going around.)

Four homes have closed already, however!  Two were waterfront, one had good acreage, and the fourth was a new build.

Since there is so little to report, I looked at other categories.  As of the 27th there were 3 condos listed as active.  In the town/village 2 multi-families were on the market (meaning 2-4 family homes).  Five commercial properties were listed - 2 for sale and 3 for rent.

The category with the most listings (other than single family) is "Lots/Land/Farms."  In the Town section there are 23, and only one in the Village.  Of the total number (24) three are considered waterfront.

As I always say, it is easier to buy a home than to rent one.  There are six homes listed as residential rentals, and that's the highest number in the Central New York MLS for any one town west of Syracuse.  Craigslist and other listing internet sites have taken over this section of the market.  However, if you want representation by a Realtor, as many homeowners in Skaneateles prefer, then listing your rental through the MLS accomplishes that.  You don't have to take the phone calls or qualify the tenants.

Since this may be my last post prior to the Super Bowl, I have to say "Go Seahawks!"