Skaneateles Real Estate - The Weekly Update

Back on track!  It's been such a wonderful summer and I have worked hard to enjoy it.  Real estate can swamp an agent, but there are so many things to do in the Finger Lakes in the summer that by prioritizing it can all get done.  Last week we went to the Nationals at the Fairgrounds.  Despite all the hot, hot weather we've been having, the day was cooler and breezy making touring so much better.  It's a rite of summer - like the Sidewalk Sale (aka Curbstone Festival), the library book sale, and this weekend the Antique Boat Show.  We have had an unprecedented lack of rain - possibly the driest July on record - so it might be due this Saturday or Sunday. Go early, go often.

Currently there are 116 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 25 are in the village and 29 are waterfront.  As a side note, I have been searching in Syracuse for the perfect house for some friends.  As I open that category every day, I see that there are about 425 active listings - in all of Syracuse.  I know that "Skaneateles area" is loosely interpreted, and the City of Syracuse is not, but this seems disproportionate with the populations.  Still, there are excellent deals to be had in Skaneateles - and it is a great place to live even at its higher prices for homes.  (JT would like to remind everyone to check out the listing in Woodmere that is still available - a very lovely home in an excellent Village location!)

Speaking of lovely....two new listings came on in the past week.  One is a knock your socks off house out in the country for well over a million, but with six full baths.  The other is a village home that personifies the old village of the mid-19th century, the agent writes.

We still have 34 homes under contract with four new ones in this category - two in the village (there's that theme again) and two in the town.

Fifty-seven single family homes have closed so far this year.  Two were just reported - one of those good bargains in Spafford and the other in the actual Town of Skaneateles.

So walk around the village this weekend, take in the sights and sounds of summer.  Admire the boats and think of the old days when the wooden cruisers dominated the lake.  Oh yes - and please buy a house while you are here!

Skaneateles Real Estate - The Summer Edition

It's been a couple very busy weeks.  I have seen houses for listing and I am very excited about some new prospects, shown and sold houses, and still had time to celebrate Liam's first birthday.  When I first started I wrote that I intended this blog to be about a Realtor's life in Skaneateles.  In the summer I take my time off when I can find it, and generally very few people know where I am at any given time, just that I am working. Whether I answer the phone from the park near the East River or at the lake, or in Auburn eating lunch at Connie's with Intrepid Janet, I am vacationing and working at the same time.  My Fiat is my vacation - top down (except in this heat) and flying down the lake.

(Sign by Absolute Sign Company on Erie Blvd.)

There are currently 118 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 26 are in the Village and 29 are considered waterfront.  Eight new ones came on in the past two weeks (July 4th through today, July 18th).  Two are re-lists.  A huge, gorgeous waterfront property is available at well over 2 million dollars.  One in the town - close to the village - is now on the market for over $300,000 while a smaller house just a little bit farther out is listed at $200,000.  A couple are fixer-uppers - and their prices reflect that.  A pretty village home is also there for under $300,000.

While I'm thinking of it, my clients are looking for a home that has a first floor master bedroom/bath and is in good condition, close to the village.  They are well-qualified and their home has sold.  Pricing somewhere around $200,000 would be wonderful.  If you are thinking of selling, or know someone who is, and the home meets these criteria, please call or e-mail me:  MBrooks@REMAX.net 

I am trying out a new way of reporting on the CUP homes.  These are the ones that have a contract on them and are in some stage of the selling process.  They could be anywhere from a contract contingent on a home to sell or a day or two away from closing.  To you it probably doesn't matter, and since I don't name houses it wouldn't help anyway.  So!  There are currently 32 homes in this C (contingent) U (under contract, do not show) P (pending) category.  Five are new in the past two weeks.  They range in price from the low $200,000 list price to a high around $500,000.  They are all recently built (stay tuned to why that is important!)

We now have 55 homes that have sold and closed year-to-date.  Seven are new in the past two weeks. Two are large waterfront homes and one is smaller, with a smaller price.  Three are homes in the town and one is in the village.  Except for one of these homes, all are in great shape and the vast majority were built in the last 15 years.  I think what we are seeing is a trend towards newer homes, or homes that have been updated, especially the kitchens. Not a single one of the new CUPs or sales was built prior to 1920.

But the spectacular news is the volume of sales.  When I say we've been busy - we were!  To reiterate, 55 in 2012 to date.  Only 30 in 2011, 36 in 2010, 45 in 2009, and sadly only 23 (!) in 2008 had closed by this date.

My suggestion to everyone - sellers or buyers - is not to delay!

Skaneateles Real Estate - The Weekly Update

What a busy, busy week!  Marvelous, with Alex, Rachel and Liam coming up from Manhattan.  We are so lucky to live where we do.  They come up the FDR and cross the George Washington Bridge.  On a good day it takes about half an hour, give or take a few minutes.  On Saturday it took an hour and a half.  Mostly sitting in traffic.  Bob and I get perturbed on 690 if we have a slow down!  We are spoiled.  But they left yesterday and stopped for lunch in the Poconos and still made it in and parked on the street in around 5 hours.

So here we are - another update.  make sure you read "The Second Twenty" that I just finished writing.  Very interesting, in that half of the sales in this group were in the Village.  And that it all happened swiftly.

But currently we have 120 single family homes for sale in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 29 are in the village and 27 are considered waterfront.  Three listings came on in the past week; two are re-lists with major reductions in price and the third is a lovely new construction home.

Altogether in the "under contract" category there are 32 homes.  Three of these are new this past week - one in the village and two waterfront homes.  Imagine if all these closed in the next three months!  We would have CLOSED more by September than we did all of last year.

I am enthusiastic because there are now 48 homes that have closed!  Seven are new this past week, at least being reported in the past week. Three were homes in the town, a couple in need of some work.  Three were village homes, snapped up when the buyers saw what they wanted.  The last was considered waterfront because it had private rights to the lake - and a lovely house too!  Congratulations to everyone who got in before the Fourth of July, and who now can enjoy the summer in Skaneateles.

Tomorrow night at the gazebo is the first concert for the community band.  Please - give them your support.  It's a great tradition and the weather promises to be perfect.  And look around while you're there - you may want to buy a home so you can walk to the park next summer....

The Second Twenty

Wow.  So many homes have closed!  Unlike last year, when it took us well into June to get to The First Twenty, I can publish (in no special order) the addresses and selling prices of the second set of 20 homes to have closed in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.

13 Day Lane - Village - $850,000

17 East Elizabeth Street - Village - $288,000

2474 Nunnery Road - Town of Spafford - $153,000

88 State Street - Village - $242,000

85 East Genesee Street - Village - $750,000

4740 Vinegar Hill Road - Town of Skaneateles - $205,000

3 Chestnut Circle - Village - $284,000

10 East Elizabeth Street - Village - $192,000

2 Heritage Woods - Village - $265,000

2487 East Lake Road - Town of Spafford - $225,000

3552 County Line Road - Town of Skaneateles - $335,000

37 West Elizabeth Street - Village - $197,600

1947 Weeks Road - Town of Skaneateles - $235,000

36 West Lake Street - Village - $725,000

2017 West Lake Road - Town of Skaneateles - $300,000

8 Heather Woods Court - Village - $349,500

11 West Elizabeth Street - Village - $160,000

1633 East Seneca Turnpike - Town of Skaneateles - $143,600

4000 State Street Road - Town of Skaneateles - $110,000

7021 Glen Haven Road North - Town of Sempronius - $265,000

Skaneateles Real Estate - The Weekly Update

I have been working to explain seller concessions recently.  Those are the pesky dollars added on to a purchase offer to help the buyer with little cash to finance a house.  They are limited - 3%, I believe, for a conventional mortgage and 6% for an FHA mortgage.  This means that if the purchase offer is $207,000 and the concessions are $7,000 then the seller will net $200,000.  The $7,000 will go back to paying the costs by the buyer of buying the house:  appraisal fees, escrow, attorney's fees and others spelled out in the contract.  The seller never sees the $7,000 - and neither does the buyer, usually, with the expenditure automatic at closing.  This is a difficult concept, stumping other agents sometimes and certainly confusing sales.  The first page of the contract says one number, i.e. $106,000 for an FHA loan and the second page says the $6,000 is going away.  And then because the higher number is financing the deal, that is both the number the appraiser has to say the house is worth and the number reported in the paper!  Plus we are seeing more seller concessions being written.  (Brokers' commissions are based on the net.)

But in the event you want to buy a house in Skaneateles with or without seller concessions, then there are 123 actively listed homes.  Thirty-two are in the village, and 28 are considered waterfront.

Six "new" listings came on this week.  Only one was a true re-list, with a new agent and new price.  The others range in price from the low $100,000 to about $700,000 for a home and acreage, plus other amenities.  In-between are three village homes.

In the contingent category there are 19 homes.  The recent ones are mostly village and except for one stunning waterfront property are listed around $300,000.  One home was sold recently at auction.

The best news, however, is that the number of homes closed year-to-date is now 41.  That doubles - DOUBLES - the number of homes closed in 2011 by this time.  Amazing.  The Second Twenty list will come out this week.  You can go back into the archives of this blog to check it against the First Twenty filed at this time in 2011.  Yes, I would say the recession, in Skaneateles at least, is receding.  Hooray!

Take me out to the Ballpark

We went to the Doubledays' game on Thursday night.  It was one of the 95 degree days, with brilliant sunshine so you knew the evening would be hot and warm.  What Fields of Dreams are made of.

And it was an extraordinarily beautiful night.  Falcon Park in Auburn is right out of a Norman Rockwell painting.  The young men who play may some day make it to the majors, but most likely will not.  They play for pride, I would imagine.  That, and nights like last Thursday when it all comes together.

It was dollar night.  I got a hot dog for a dollar, and a beer (or two) for a dollar.  Admission was $6.  Parking is free, and right across the street.  No reserved seating - box seats (a few rows) and general admission.  It wasn't packed, so we could spread out and easily see the field a few feet away.

Our friend Tammy came with us, rather spur of the moment.  She regaled us with tales of going to a Mets game.  She said the ballpark was phenomenal - well-planned out, very secure, and extremely clean.  She had a hamburger that cost $11.  Ah, those New York City prices!  But that trip took planning.  Bob called her around 5:00 and we met up at 7:00.

The Doubledays were tied with the Batavia Mud Dogs in the 9th, after the sun went down and the lights came on.  Then on through the 10th, the crowd getting a bit raucous and committed to rattling the other team.  But in good humor, certainly okay for childen's ears.  And then hits came in, a manager was ejected, a call disputed by the Doubledays' 3rd base coach and suddenly a hit - and they won.

But we all had won long before, having the rare privilege of being there on such a night.

Buffini and Company

As I alluded to in my last post, I went to a conference called the Turning Point given by Buffini and Company at the Hyatt on Long Island.  I was able to spend Father's Day with Alex, Rachel and Liam in Manhattan (we picnicked in Schurz Park) and then drive out to the hotel.  I had been looking forward to this event for a very long time.

I had seen Brian Buffini in Vegas at the RE/MAX convention years ago.  I think it was 2007.  I came back ready to go and that's when I started my blog.  So I like the way that spawned a new beginning and hopefully Turning Point, at the 500th blog, has started another chapter in my career.

I have always liked the philosophy that Buffini espouses:  real estate success is formed by relationships, not "one and done" fly-by listings and sales.  As I've said before, my clients become friends or acquaintances, people I enjoy meeting on the street or having lunch with.  I have been in business for 11 years almost, and their children have grown up and gone on to their own lives.  I have one entire family which I have watched as the four sons develop their businesses, meet and marry, have children.  And it's not just them, it's their friends to whom they refer me.  I went to a party last year - there were at least 40 transactions represented there, and every single person or part of a family in the room had been my client at some point, most for multiple transactions.

The other part of the Buffini message is a direct expansion of Rational-Emotive Therapy which I studied years ago while doing my Master's in counseling at Ohio University.  RET is based on the assumption that what you tell yourself produces your behavior.  Much simplified.  If you do certain things you will receive rewards, even if the reward is simply telling yourself you did well.  That confidence boost will produce energy that will produce more good things that will increase your energy....and on and on.  You can actually work your way out of a slump or depression.  Therapists hand out homework - do the homework, and in the doing you are actively participating in your recovery and - voila - you recover!

One thing I've always liked about real estate is that, unlike other careers, the harder you work the more you make.  Within reason of course.  So I have worked hard and it has paid off, not only financially but emotionally and socially.

I still needed a tune-up.  I needed and wanted a way to work smarter.  Buffini - through a discussion with our broker, Dave Cramer - had helped me through financial planning so that my money was not scattered but relegated to separate accounts.  Now I needed to find a way to work and have a life.  Last year by necessity I spent days away from Skaneateles with the birth of Liam.  And I had one of my best years - how could that be?  I told Rachel I had to find a way - and that Buffini and Company would make it happen.

They did.  Through two intense days I got the answers I needed.  The answers were there before, of course, but I hadn't been ready to do the work.  Liam's birth pushed me over the edge.  And everyone will benefit.


Basically they gave me a structure to my days and weeks.  One I have to implement and individualize but I am ready.  And it all makes sense.  I hadn't seen the forest for the trees.


So, Brian Buffini, who came to America from Ireland with $92 in his pocket and became a millionaire at a very young age and now employs 370 staff, I thank you.  He told a story the last afternoon about the notes he receives.  He can't keep them all, but he keeps those of the children who write.  They say things like "Thank you for giving me back my mother."  "My father finally saw one of my games."  


I will be there both for my clients and the children of my clients, and my family as well.


http://www.buffiniandcompany.com