Yes every kid is jumping up and down for job. and every parent is wondering how am I going to keep them busy... I know for me that is what I go through every year.. but, I have been pretty lucky that my oldest can keep her self busy.. (teen) and my youngest still wants to do the summer day camp thing..which helps out a lot..

As for me Summer means CRUNCH time.. it kind of slows down, and not too many people are looking to buy a home,... you know with summer trips and vacations and party's, no to many people out and about.... but that is the time to look.. lets face it if you want to be in your new home by the start of the new school year.. now is the time to buy.. and buy fast.......inventory in Central New York is very strong.. In the area that I work the most.. you can have the pick of the crop.. (kind of like strawberry picking) you have this whole crop to pick... but.. don't wait too long to pick because homes are like those Strawberry corps.. before you know it all the good ones are gone... because buyers know that its the best time of the season to get out there and buy..

So have a great summer, enjoy your kids being home.. enjoy the party's and the beach... but most of all if your in the market for a new home, make sure you make time to get out there and look

Happy Buying

1. PICK THE RIGHT BROKER: Look for local agents who are listing, marketing and selling in your community. Ask several of them to make a listing presentation to discuss your home's value and explain how they would market your property, Lets face any one can put an ad in the paper.. but ask them what other methods and how aggressive are the methods they use, ask to see samples and reports of how effective there methods work.. lets fact it the web is a HUGE marketing tool. how is your agent going to use the internet to market your home? do they even know were the on/off button is?

2. UNDERSTAND THE REAL MARKETPLACE: To negotiate effectively, you need to know up-to-the minute sale prices and the deal-making behind them, Your agent should know or and even have you on some kind of "alert" system for when a home comes on the market in your area.. and when a home sells, and what did that home sell for. did the seller of that home give any special incentives, competition is tough.. and in this market you got to be one step ahead of the game.

3. SWEETEN THE DEAL: Sellers are reportedly offering some unusual sales incentives we all seen that. TVs, trips, golf carts, just to name a few.. lets face it if the buyer is knowing they are getting something of value then chances are the buyer is more likely to purchase your home. FYI. incentives to the selling may sound nice.. but if your home is priced well, the agent will show your home, maybe a small gift after the sale would be nice..

4. BE FLEXIBLE ON THE DEPOSIT: To bind the deal.. the buyer should put down a good size deposit.. in some cases it is required 1% of purchase price.. (this is separate form the down payment), of course you would like the biggest deposit you can get, but in a slow market you may have to settle for less.

5. MONITOR AND UPDATE YOUR LISTING: If it is April and your home has been on the market since February, displaying a snowman in the front yard.. it is time to change that photo.. even the inside photos lets face it when you took the photos your home was decorated for winter ... now that Spring and Summer are here, you may have some "light" decorations displayed, or windows maybe open.. something about a home in the Summer with lots of flowers says alot..

There are alot of things you can do in a slow market.. to make your home stand out.. but the number one thing is Price. if it is priced and condition. if it is priced well and shows well.. it will sell.

Happy Selling......

Well it is official, Central New York is not like the other areas, and it is high time we have been recognized.. and by the looks of the report I got off our boards web site.. things are looking great... 

Syracuse named 1 of 4 "HEALTHY OR IMPROVING"Markets in U.S.

In a National Press Release by the National Association of REALTORS®

There is a lot to be said right now for living in an "affordable" housing market:

Syracuse 6th Lowest Foreclosure Rate of the 100 Top U.S. Cities

Top City to Raise a Child

Top Colleges

Top City for Quality of U.S. News and World Report

Life and Logistics

For CNY Housing News updated weekly, visit http://www.cnyrealtor.com/

(this information from Central New Yorks Board of Realtors. posting)

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter... and just remember Spring is here and that means Sales..

Sping is here.. and that means for sale signs are popping up all over the place,

so if you are thinking of buying or selling.. now is the time.. and yes the market in Syracuse is still strong and going well, we have been so lucky in this market..home sales are still climbing and prices are not falling. You can expect to pay any were from 100 to 120 for a 3bed room 1.5 bath home in the city and 115 to 160 in the suburbs.. I know I have been busy, along with fellow agents in my office.. so all the doom and gloom you are reading about and hearing about is not for us in Central New York.....Don't for get to check with your bank for the current rates,as you will see they are still low.. yes they go up but we are still lower then we have been in years..

So get ready get set and buy or sell... because now is a great time..

Stay tuned for more updates and also tips on how you can get ready for this market..

Happy House Hunting and Happy Spring.

There is so much talk today how we as agents have to work harder then before.. I was one of the lucky agents who came into the market.. in 2003 when the iron was hot.. and the only skill I needed was to smile.. and the house would sell. Now today I have to work.. there is much more then putting that sign out in front of the home and getting an offer by 5pm.. no more listing a home at 10am and saying showings start at noon and offers presented at 5 and boom the house is sold.....

   It is also great to know that real estate coaches and managers know this and are there to help us and train us.. for me.. I know I have to work hard, I know what I need to do.. I have always been one to think out side of the box.. but this is a little challenge.. right now.. there is more to it then putting that sign in front of the home,

one thing I have learned is pricing the home.. I really have to work hard at that.. because pricing is 95% of marketing the home.. if the home is priced well it will sell. .. then there is other other things that I need to work on and that is marketing the home, not just putting an add in the paper and be done.. no.. I got to let everyone know about this house.. get on the phone call the neighbors, call past customers and clients. and call other agents.... talk about it every chance I get.. some-days when I walk into my office and I say good morning to everyone I say oh don't for get about my listing over here or over there.. I got to remember I am sales professional what do sales professionals do.? sell right..so I got to get out there and sell my product and my product is my listing..

There are a 1000 things we can do today to work hard, the great thing is that a little hard work never hurt any one... even me..

I was watching the news last night and it talked about the large number of realtors that are getting out of the business. Well I wish that was true in my market.. LOL..my board has over 2200 agents and I know that is not alot compared to other boards.. but.. I say yee hoo less competition for me..
but serious.. I am struggling a bit..I mean alot of us are.. but I love this career I would never leave.. If I had to I would take on a part time job.. matter of fact I did at Christmas time, I was in a call center for a gas company.. but.. my motto this year is to work harder, loose weight and sell lots of homes...
so maybe those of us who thought we could get in this business for a quick buck and make a ton of money are those who think they did not have to "work" and well 5 years ago when I did come into this business I did not have to.. and today I am really working and working hard.. but ... a little hard work dose not hurt any one.. and I think those of us who do stay are the ones who will continue to make a good living..

Good luck all

Well it is Mid to end of January and some might say this winter has been kind of un eventful..were the weather is concerned that maybe true for some but people who are north of me are not saying that.. Fulton and Oswego had a 3 feet snow fall over the weekend of Jan 20, 2008.. but for us people who live East of that are loving it.. with that we did not get the snow like they did... But...and yes there is a but.. we are getting record cold days and wind-chills,... ok what dose that mean for selling homes are things picking up?? well I have to say YES.. I have been out showing homes, my company sold over 20 homes this weekend.. and my two listings are getting lots of action.. so yea this weather dose help.. and it also helps that things in "Central New York" market are not as gloom and doom as others... interest rates are very well. (call your local mortgage company for up to-date info) and people are buying homes..

Yes inventory is still large but.. look at the bright side. no more bidding wars, todays buyer can really have a choice and feel comfortable in knowing if they go see 5 more homes in the same area that they first one will most likly will still be there when they decide to look again. This may sound had for sellers ... how ever if the home is priced well which most homes are it will sell.

So there you have it .. yes it is picking up.. and with that.. go see my pick of the week... which is a wonderful Ranch home in Fayetteville. close to everything.open floor plan wonderful fireplace finished lower level with lots of room. super large yard deck with a screened cover.. really nice home.. call me for details..

Have a great day..

I know it is has been some time since my last blog and I do apologize,.. it is not like me I am not going to use the excuse that I was busy and it was the holidays, then I had to de decorate the house then I got my office in order and packed up all the old files went through some junk paper cleaned up my office and made it the best work environment I could possibility make it.. ok so that is the reason why I have not been on.. but

I am hear ready to rock and roll, I have been prospecting and send out letters and such my next plan of action is to call my COI and say Happy New Year...

I do have a brand new listing that I am proud of.. so I am working.. and yes off to a good start..

and I am ready to go Glad you stopped by, keep stopping in.... I will have what I seen and liked back up and running.. along with other things.

bye for now.......

The business plan list that is... yes it is that time of the year again when I sit down and go over everything I did for the year.. one of the best things I did was join this community which is great, made my own web site www.anitalewicki.comthat is were you can see all my great listings and catch up on the real estate world and search for a your dream home, I am also making my plans for the new year. my goals, and what I would like to do in my business first thing off the bat my goal is to help people find a home... that first time buyer who has had it with renting or who is ready to own a home call it there own paint it the way they want.. get there hands dirty with there own garden.. things you can't do when you rent.. my goal is to help 10 first time buyers. the other part is to help 10 2nd time buyers people who own a home, but who have grown out of it due to a growing family or who need to down size.. someone who knows ok this 4 bed room 2 bath home is too much for just me or us.. and they are looking for something that is a bit more manageable a clean slate a place were they can make it their own and pay more attention to the home and what the home needs.. the last part of my goal is to help 15 home owners sell there home.. maybe it is those same 10 who need to down size or up size or move away from the area, due to a number of reasons, I can even get them help were ever they are moving. I have a large resource of information and people who I network with that I can call and say "will you help my people find a home" now you say that sound easy enough you need to sell 35 homes, well that maybe true. but the list I am going to make is the blue print of how am I going to sell 35 homes, how do I go about it, what is the first thing  need to do? what is the most important thing I need to do? and what do I need to keep doing? what steps are the nice steps to take and what do I need to do to say out of trouble and not be naughty? that is easy the only think I can think of right now is the word slacking.. so Slacking will not be on that list..  So with that I need to get busy, busy, busy.. and start making that list..

 Have a great 2008 see you in the new year!!!!!!!!!!!!!