So, the key to success in most sales careers has to do with keeping your name or brand in front of everyone. I prefer to think it has more to do with service, but passing the word that service and communication are key returns to the idea of names and faces in front of everyone. After 10 years in real estate, I can't call everyone so I send out post cards of listings and the occasional promotional item.
I think it all came home to me that this is important when I went to an SU game recently. I ran into a friend who introduced me as "This is the woman who is on my refrigerator." Her friend instantly lit up with recognition.
I have received promotional items myself along the way. Carol Alger, a loan officer who is now with Homestead Financial (http://www.homesteadfinancial.net/) has been with me from the start, probably one of the very few professionals who has been. She gives great service, communicates with me quickly and easily via e-mail, and I can reach her when I need her. The feedback from clients is also positive - if it weren't, I would not recommend her. But she also gives out promotional items. When she switched from MetLife I asked her if they would continue to come, because they are fun.
So I still have the old ones. The MetLife apron is red, so it works over the winter months for both Christmas and Valentine's Day. I have on the refirgerator a Snoopy embellished list of emotions, with a marker to show how I am feeling each day. I got stuck on ecstatic when Liam was born last July and can't seem to pull myself off of that. Which is fine!
This morning I finished sending out calendars, a bit late, but I do want to connect and be on more refrigerators. Next week I will send out the new Parcell Woods lots post cards. I think these are the most important, and not necessarily to promote me, but to keep my clients (and friends) informed about new properties.
There is something else that goes along with mailings, whether they are multi-steps like the calendars, or single moments of attaching address labels. Sitting at the kitchen table today I think about each and every person as I put on the mailing label. This is an old method / teaching strategy from my days in Spring Hill School in Saratoga (http://waldorfsaratoga.org/). Teachers were encouraged to bring to mind their students, one at a time, as they fell asleep. This helped to focus on the individuality of each child and solve or prevent problems. As I sat at the table today, I thought of that exercise. It applies to real estate too.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Time and Again
We spent the weekend in Manhattan, visiting Alex, Rachel and Liam. It was a truly lovely - if brief - time away. We made it down there in four hours and twenty minutes, and that included two stops. I never would have believed it possible until I started making the trek through Scranton. As long as there is no George Washington Bridge or FDR tie-up we can do it. We also found a parking spot just a few doors from their building.
I have come to really love the City. I love the energy, the way it really doesn't seem to sleep, the safety of it. I can walk and walk, we are close to parks on either side, there are dogs and kids galore to watch. We ventured out with Liam, now six months old, to a sit-down restaurant, stroller and all. Candlelight, great Vietnamese food, good wine and beer, close to their building....and there were two other little kids at the next table. It was all fine and the wait staff accommodated everyone.
I looked at the City slightly differently this time. I've been reading Time and Again, by Jack Finney, for the second time. I read it years earlier when I was in Seattle, and remembered it fondly. When it was reissued this past year I bought it and also gave a copy of it to Alex and Rachel. Not to give too much away, it is a story that features the NYC of 1882, at the end of January that year.
The details are simply delicious, things I had not known or thought about. There's a scene in which it has snowed a great deal, and everyone has taken the opportunity to bring out their horse-drawn sleighs. Finney evokes this beautifully - the sounds and sights of all those horses and bells in the night air. The protagonist stays at The Dakota, famous in part now due to John Lennon, but when this was published in 1970 it was a star among the Manhattan buildings in its own right. Across the street in Central Park, in 1882, were farms! (For a great photo of it, and a description, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dakota)
There was no snow this weekend, and I didn't make it down to The Dakota as I will some day. The wind blew off the East River and froze us, but the parks were filled with kids on a Saturday afternoon in the sun. So different from Finney's descriptions - but still the same fascinating city.
I have come to really love the City. I love the energy, the way it really doesn't seem to sleep, the safety of it. I can walk and walk, we are close to parks on either side, there are dogs and kids galore to watch. We ventured out with Liam, now six months old, to a sit-down restaurant, stroller and all. Candlelight, great Vietnamese food, good wine and beer, close to their building....and there were two other little kids at the next table. It was all fine and the wait staff accommodated everyone.
I looked at the City slightly differently this time. I've been reading Time and Again, by Jack Finney, for the second time. I read it years earlier when I was in Seattle, and remembered it fondly. When it was reissued this past year I bought it and also gave a copy of it to Alex and Rachel. Not to give too much away, it is a story that features the NYC of 1882, at the end of January that year.
The details are simply delicious, things I had not known or thought about. There's a scene in which it has snowed a great deal, and everyone has taken the opportunity to bring out their horse-drawn sleighs. Finney evokes this beautifully - the sounds and sights of all those horses and bells in the night air. The protagonist stays at The Dakota, famous in part now due to John Lennon, but when this was published in 1970 it was a star among the Manhattan buildings in its own right. Across the street in Central Park, in 1882, were farms! (For a great photo of it, and a description, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dakota)
There was no snow this weekend, and I didn't make it down to The Dakota as I will some day. The wind blew off the East River and froze us, but the parks were filled with kids on a Saturday afternoon in the sun. So different from Finney's descriptions - but still the same fascinating city.
Friday, January 27, 2012
The Last 10 in 2011
So here they are, the last 10 homes that closed in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service in 2011. This brings the total to 70 homes. It WILL get better in 2012 - I know it!
In no particular order:
181 Hemlock Hollow - $159,750
3859 Highland Avenue - $245,000
9 Wicklow Drive - $309,000
2989 East Lake Road - $1,375,000
1698 Amerman Road - $225,000
2424 West Lake Road - $215,000
48 West Genesee Street - $350,000
14 State Street - $300,000
61 State Street Road - $285,000
25 Leitch Avenue - $530,000
On to a better year!
In no particular order:
181 Hemlock Hollow - $159,750
3859 Highland Avenue - $245,000
9 Wicklow Drive - $309,000
2989 East Lake Road - $1,375,000
1698 Amerman Road - $225,000
2424 West Lake Road - $215,000
48 West Genesee Street - $350,000
14 State Street - $300,000
61 State Street Road - $285,000
25 Leitch Avenue - $530,000
On to a better year!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Skaneateles Real Estate - The Weekly Update
I am learning to navigate through the new year with all my resolutions mostly in place. I still find that I am drawn to doing more than needs to be done and feeling rushed, at least real estate-wise. I rearrange my own schedule - walks, blogging time, friend-time - to accommodate people because I never want to feel the guilt about someone missing out. But then other things don't get done, things that need to be done and things I enjoy, like this blog, and I feel guilty anyway! I know it is all part of living, and subject to "monitor and adjust." Recognizing the issue is the first step towards solution.
Currently there are ONLY (and I do mean ONLY!) 91 active homes in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 29 are in the Village, and 22 are waterfront. I say ONLY because we have been as high as 150 as recently as the past six months. And the new ones that have come on - four in the last week - are all re-lists of homes that have been on the market before. Three of these have been reduced - one has been increased in price. There are no new listings except these.
There are new contingent properties, bringing the total to 5. One is waterfront and the other is Village - great! There is nothing new in the Under contract or Pending categories, which add up to 11 homes.
We added another sold property, a gorgeous home in the Skaneateles School District and listed as Skaneateles, although really in the Town of Sennett. That brings to four the number of closings for 2011 - already! And I know another one that will show up closed within the week.
So go out there and see these few homes. It's almost down to the good old days of showing five homes and saying "Pick one - it may not be here tomorrow!"
Currently there are ONLY (and I do mean ONLY!) 91 active homes in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 29 are in the Village, and 22 are waterfront. I say ONLY because we have been as high as 150 as recently as the past six months. And the new ones that have come on - four in the last week - are all re-lists of homes that have been on the market before. Three of these have been reduced - one has been increased in price. There are no new listings except these.
There are new contingent properties, bringing the total to 5. One is waterfront and the other is Village - great! There is nothing new in the Under contract or Pending categories, which add up to 11 homes.
We added another sold property, a gorgeous home in the Skaneateles School District and listed as Skaneateles, although really in the Town of Sennett. That brings to four the number of closings for 2011 - already! And I know another one that will show up closed within the week.
So go out there and see these few homes. It's almost down to the good old days of showing five homes and saying "Pick one - it may not be here tomorrow!"
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Skaneateles Real Estate - The Weekly Update
I feel so comfortable at this desk. I will probably go back into the office this evening, but I want to get the update done here, with a cup of tea and a dog at my feet. I showed a house this afternoon that froze me totally. Gorgeous house (falling in love with the potential) but colder than the outside temperature of 20 degrees, I swear! I needed to warm up!
Currently there are only 96 single family homes listed as active in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 31 are in the Village and 22 are considered to be waterfront. Three properties came back on the market this week, two in the village and (brrrrr) a lovely waterfront home. The median list price of all these homes is $325,000. The lowest is $89,900 (and the only one under $100,000) and the highest is $3,095,000.
There are only three homes marked contingent, but one of them is new - a fine home in the town which I showed repeatedly to no avail. Alack and alas! Someone is getting a very pretty home! In the under contract, do not show - may I just refer to it as "U" please? - category there are seven homes listed. In the pending column are five. I can assure you the pended homes would like to become "SOLD!" As would their buyers, sellers, attorneys and agents....probably also the loan officers who get tired of hearing from the buyers, sellers...etc.
We still have only three homes sold this year - see the previous paragraph please!
Currently there are only 96 single family homes listed as active in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service. Of these, 31 are in the Village and 22 are considered to be waterfront. Three properties came back on the market this week, two in the village and (brrrrr) a lovely waterfront home. The median list price of all these homes is $325,000. The lowest is $89,900 (and the only one under $100,000) and the highest is $3,095,000.
There are only three homes marked contingent, but one of them is new - a fine home in the town which I showed repeatedly to no avail. Alack and alas! Someone is getting a very pretty home! In the under contract, do not show - may I just refer to it as "U" please? - category there are seven homes listed. In the pending column are five. I can assure you the pended homes would like to become "SOLD!" As would their buyers, sellers, attorneys and agents....probably also the loan officers who get tired of hearing from the buyers, sellers...etc.
We still have only three homes sold this year - see the previous paragraph please!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The Year that Was
I got so involved in the statistics that my tea got cold and the sun went down! Fascinating.
This is only a first part of other blogs (or blog) about the area and what happened in 2011 real estate-wise. I just need to feed the dog, figure out dinner, and get some other work done. If I stay with the multiple listing service none of this will happen.
So! In Skaneateles in 2011 we sold and closed 70 homes. Of these, 20 were in the village and 15 were waterfront. This compares with previous years:
2010 75 closed 13 village 17 waterfront
2009 81 n/a 18
2008 66 n/a 20
("Village" as a category was only begun in 2010)
Then I got into the fun stuff. Thanks to JT, I decided to look at median prices, because I know that despite the numbers there was at least the sense of a turn-around.
Going the other way....(for dramatic effect...) Median list price is of homes that closed...
2008 $415,000 median list price $400,000 median sale price
2009 $335,000 median list price $335,000 median sale price
2010 $250,000 median list price $230,000 median sale price
2011 $299,000 median list price $290,000 median sale price
So we are moving up, at least as far as the sale prices go which is a very welcome sign! And if you look at the 2008 figure, that was the year with the most waterfront homes having closed amid the fewest overall closings - a certain influence on the median.
This is only a first part of other blogs (or blog) about the area and what happened in 2011 real estate-wise. I just need to feed the dog, figure out dinner, and get some other work done. If I stay with the multiple listing service none of this will happen.
So! In Skaneateles in 2011 we sold and closed 70 homes. Of these, 20 were in the village and 15 were waterfront. This compares with previous years:
2010 75 closed 13 village 17 waterfront
2009 81 n/a 18
2008 66 n/a 20
("Village" as a category was only begun in 2010)
Then I got into the fun stuff. Thanks to JT, I decided to look at median prices, because I know that despite the numbers there was at least the sense of a turn-around.
Going the other way....(for dramatic effect...) Median list price is of homes that closed...
2008 $415,000 median list price $400,000 median sale price
2009 $335,000 median list price $335,000 median sale price
2010 $250,000 median list price $230,000 median sale price
2011 $299,000 median list price $290,000 median sale price
So we are moving up, at least as far as the sale prices go which is a very welcome sign! And if you look at the 2008 figure, that was the year with the most waterfront homes having closed amid the fewest overall closings - a certain influence on the median.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Triskadekaphobic I am Not!
However, after a few hours this morning I was beginning to wonder....
I had made plans with an old friend to meet for lunch at the Hotel Clarence (http://www.hotelclarence.com/) in Seneca Falls, about halfway between her home in East Bloomfield and the Skaneateles RE/MAX office. The purpose was to re-connect, but also to celebrate her birthday. Of course the snow changed everything, and we decided to postpone our lunch.
But I grew up in snow, so to me playing in it was welcome. Bob has a flu thing going for the third day, so I trudged out with Boo for the early morning...well, trudge. Not cold enough for skis, and I wasn't ready for snowshoes. This was just exploratory.
We went up to the fields behind our property and the wind almost took us both away. Boo loved it, running circles while I slid on the mud and wet leaves under the snow coming down the trail. We got to an area we call The Arboretum where we've planted a few trees over the years, a cleared out section in the middle of our acreage. Bob has planted and cleared, I should say. I am the official admirer. This is also where Boo waits to get his treat and a lead put on so he doesn't invade the neighbor's yard on the way back home.
While Boo waited, I noticed that one of the cages surrounding a sapling had fallen over. The sapling (probably less than that) was one of his prized pawpaws. (If you don't know pawpaws, you are not alone...unless you lived in southeastern Ohio or know the kids' jingle..."Picking up pawpaws, Put them in your pocket, Save them for a rainy day..." you may never have heard of pawpaws.) So I picked up the cage - very carefully - and the top two-thirds snapped. I felt so badly!
I 'fessed up when we got to the house. Bob thought and thought, told me it was okay, then dressed in his snowsuit and with Boo went out to investigate. He bound the poor little thing up with red wire, covered the cage with an old t-shirt, and came back home. To find out that I had turned the pellet stove down and it had gone out. Such an awful start to Friday the 13th!
It got better from there. Not that the three properties I am waiting to close got a scheduled closing date, or anything. But we settled in to a quiet day of "Words with Friends" (me) and updating his iPod (Bob). The next Friday the 13th I won't take as lightly! Or make plans!
Enjoy the snow! And if you want more information check out the Pawpaw Festival near one of my alma maters, Ohio University in Athens: http://www.ohiopawpawfest.com/ or www.fred.net/kathy/pawpaws.html for more general information.
I had made plans with an old friend to meet for lunch at the Hotel Clarence (http://www.hotelclarence.com/) in Seneca Falls, about halfway between her home in East Bloomfield and the Skaneateles RE/MAX office. The purpose was to re-connect, but also to celebrate her birthday. Of course the snow changed everything, and we decided to postpone our lunch.
But I grew up in snow, so to me playing in it was welcome. Bob has a flu thing going for the third day, so I trudged out with Boo for the early morning...well, trudge. Not cold enough for skis, and I wasn't ready for snowshoes. This was just exploratory.
We went up to the fields behind our property and the wind almost took us both away. Boo loved it, running circles while I slid on the mud and wet leaves under the snow coming down the trail. We got to an area we call The Arboretum where we've planted a few trees over the years, a cleared out section in the middle of our acreage. Bob has planted and cleared, I should say. I am the official admirer. This is also where Boo waits to get his treat and a lead put on so he doesn't invade the neighbor's yard on the way back home.
While Boo waited, I noticed that one of the cages surrounding a sapling had fallen over. The sapling (probably less than that) was one of his prized pawpaws. (If you don't know pawpaws, you are not alone...unless you lived in southeastern Ohio or know the kids' jingle..."Picking up pawpaws, Put them in your pocket, Save them for a rainy day..." you may never have heard of pawpaws.) So I picked up the cage - very carefully - and the top two-thirds snapped. I felt so badly!
I 'fessed up when we got to the house. Bob thought and thought, told me it was okay, then dressed in his snowsuit and with Boo went out to investigate. He bound the poor little thing up with red wire, covered the cage with an old t-shirt, and came back home. To find out that I had turned the pellet stove down and it had gone out. Such an awful start to Friday the 13th!
It got better from there. Not that the three properties I am waiting to close got a scheduled closing date, or anything. But we settled in to a quiet day of "Words with Friends" (me) and updating his iPod (Bob). The next Friday the 13th I won't take as lightly! Or make plans!
Enjoy the snow! And if you want more information check out the Pawpaw Festival near one of my alma maters, Ohio University in Athens: http://www.ohiopawpawfest.com/ or www.fred.net/kathy/pawpaws.html for more general information.
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