For Sale by Owners... Does Your House TALK? - 09/30/08 07:48 PM
Are you selling your home "For Sale by Owner" in the Rochester area? If so, I don't blame you. With the economy in such an uncertain state, we're all trying to save our hard-earned money whenever possible.
How have you been marketing your home? On a FSBO website or Craigslist? In the Democrat and Chronicle? Those are all good options, but they probably won't make your home stand out from the rest.
I would like to tell you about a sensational marketing tool I rent to FSBOs that can help you sell your home more quickly and for more money!

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The Price is Right! Or is It... - 09/30/08 10:56 AM
In the blog post I wrote yesterday, Staging to Sell, I gave sellers some ideas about how to make their homes more appealing to potential buyers. In addition to staging, there's another extremely important element in getting your home sold in today's market that I haven't touched on yet, and that's pricing.
Pricing is a much more personal subject for most sellers, but it's the most important component in getting their homes sold. Our homes have sentimental value to us, and understandably so. Most of us have years of memories there! We've completed home improvements projects, decorated, and created an oasis … (6 comments)

Staging to Sell! - 09/29/08 03:48 PM
In today's buyer's market, I'm seeing far too many homes languish on the market for months without selling. It's easy for sellers to become frustrated and feel like they have no control over the situation, but in truth, there are steps they can take to help make their homes more appealing to buyers.
Ever watch HGTV? There's a good chance your buyers do. Buyers today want homes that are crisp, clean, and move-in ready. It's just part of the buying culture. But don't fear, there are some easy projects that can make your home appealing. It's called staging your home.
Here … (4 comments)

On Second Thought, Maybe I Don't Want the Appliances... - 09/28/08 04:11 PM

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Weekly Market Statistics for Western Wayne County - 09/26/08 12:39 PM
MacedonActive: 56                    Average list price: $121,359Pending: 14                 Average list price: $97,960Sold this week: 1          Sale price: $27,000 (Foreclosure)
WalworthActive: 72                    Average list price: $148,057Pending: 22                 Average list price: $111,983Sold this week: 11        Average sale price: $102,833
PalmyraActive: 43                    Average list price: $127,680Pending: 7                   Average list price: $97,028Sold this week: 2           Average sale price: $108,500
It was a great week for Walworth with 11 closings! Overall, the number of homes on the market is still fairly high compared to what's selling, but the prices are remaining stable.
If you would like to see data from anywhere else in the Rochester area, just … (0 comments)

Keep Rochester NICE! - 09/26/08 11:05 AM
In case you haven't gleaned it from previous posts, I love Autumn.

I didn't have anything scheduled this morning, so I had the luxury of being able to take my dog, Bear, for a walk. It was pure paradise for me. The air was crisp and clean, the trees were beginning to change colors, and I had my best buddy to keep me company.

I was also delighted that, as usual, everyone in my neighborhood was so friendly. Every car that passed by returned my wave, every homeowner out tending their yard took the time to say hello. It's … (0 comments)

The Real Estate Roller Coaster... Experience it Yourself! - 09/25/08 02:39 PM
Here's a unique video to pass the time on your Thursday afternoon.
 
Did you catch the years flying by in the lower right? The market certainly has taken some plunges over the years, and it always comes ticking back up.
Next time you think about how bad things are, both with the real estate market and the economy in general, remember this video. No matter how uniquely negative our national situation seems, we've been here at the bottom before, and we'll eventually be on top again.
Just hang on tight and ride it out...
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How to Avoid Dishonest Contractors, Thanks to New York State! - 09/23/08 10:13 PM
As a real estate agent, I too often see shoddy work done by dishonest contractors. That's why I'm very glad to see that Andrew Cuomo, New York State's Attorney General, recently created a website called Know Your Contractor.
New York residents can use the site to search their area for contractors that have had complaints or judgments filed against them. The new site also has information on what to do before you hire a contractor, links to consumer protection agencies, and even procedures for filing a complaint against a contractor.

I'm glad to see that our government took the time to … (0 comments)

Enjoy Autumn in Rochester! - 09/22/08 06:27 PM
Autumn is my favorite time of year. The weather is getting comfortably cool, the leaves are changing to their brilliant oranges, reds, and yellows, and there's so much to do in the Rochester area!
Here are some of my favorite autumn activities:

 
Apple Picking. There's something satisfying about reaching up and plucking down your own apple from a tree. My favorite place to pick apples is The Apple Farm on Route 444 in Victor.
Haunted Hayrides. A spook-tacular way to celebrate the Halloween season! Many local farm markets have their own hayrides. Rochester's longest running (and my favorite) haunted … (0 comments)

Rochester, Where Buying Makes Sense! - 09/21/08 04:41 PM
How ironic. Just days ago I posted a blog entry entitled To Buy, or Not to Buy? touting the benefits of buying a home in the Rochester area. Now, it appears that MSN agrees with me!
Yesterday, MSN Real Estate published an article entitled 66 cities where buying makes sense. In it, they refer to new data compiled by the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Center for Economic and Policy Research.
Their research found that the top 10 cities where owning a home makes sense are as follows:
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas San Antonio, Texas New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, La. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas Dallas-Fort … (0 comments)

Open House Alert! 9/21/08 2-4 p.m. - 09/20/08 02:01 PM
I'm holding the following property open tomorrow for an agent in my office who is going to be out of town. Feel free to stop by and say hello if you're going to be in the area!
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Market Statistics for 9/19/08 - 09/19/08 09:51 AM
I decided to begin posting my market statistics in chart form to make the data more "user friendly". I also switched to listing the total number of pending listings rather than just the ones that went under contract in the past week. Many listings don't become listed as pending until more than a week after the contract is written, so that didn't seem like a valid number to share.

Compared to last week, the number of listings has gone up very slightly in all three areas. There were also closings this week in two out of the three, which is up one … (0 comments)

To Buy, or Not to Buy? - 09/18/08 03:47 PM
If you listen to the evening news, chances are good you've heard some negative news about the real estate market recently. The housing market continues to drop, another large financial institution declares bankruptcy, foreclosure rates remain at their peak, etc. It's no wonder many buyers are afraid to purchase a home!
You may be surprised to learn, then, that many experts believe it's actually an excellent time to buy! This is especially true in the Rochester area. Why? Here are just a few reasons:
 
Interest rates are low (hovering around 6% for a 30-year loan), which can save you a … (3 comments)

Put Your Paws Together for Barktober Fest 2008! - 09/17/08 03:26 PM
In a little over a week, Lollypop Farm in Fairport will be hosting their 11th annual Barktober Fest!
Date: 9/27/08Time: 9 am-3 pmLocation: Egypt Park (next to Lollypop Farm)
Barktober Fest features a 5-mile run for the most ambitious canines (and owners!), a more leisurely 1.5-mile walk on a scenic nature trail, and tons of other contests and fun events!
You can also raise money to help offset the costs of this fantastic non-profit organization.
Take a look at the complete schedule of events on the Lollypop Farm website.
For those who don't know, Lollypop Farm is an animal shelter in … (0 comments)

Pet Peeves - 09/16/08 04:28 PM
These are my pets.
Fluffy is a 17-year-old cat I've had since he was a kitten, and Bear is a 4-year-old Border Collie Mix I adopted from Lollipop Farm this past spring. I adore them both and can't imagine life without them. They bring me so much joy and contentment.
As I was trapped on the couch this afternoon with Fluffy dozing on my lap, I began brainstorming about the importance of factoring your pets into the sale of your home.
Everyone loves their pets. They tend to take over our homes and our hearts, to the point that we don't … (0 comments)

Sunday Funny - 09/14/08 02:27 PM
I guess this is one way to attract buyers...

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Market Statistics - 09/12/08 03:34 PM
I want to share some statistics about area home sales. My plan is to post them every Friday so you can see for yourself the trends that are happening in our local market.
Note that Gananda homes are spread out between the towns of Macedon and Walworth.
Macedon
Active: 49 homes (+ 2 townhomes)Average List Price: $172,168
Under Contract Since 9/6/08: 1 homeList Price: $127,900
Closed Since 9/6/09: 0 homes
Walworth
Active: 68 homes (+ 2 townhomes)Average List Price: $184,455
Under Contract Since 9/6/08: 0 homes (1 with Walworth mailing; see Macedon Under Contract)
Closed Since 9/6/08: 1 homeSale Price: $223,000
Palmyra
Active: 38 homesAverage List … (0 comments)

First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit - 09/11/08 03:00 PM
Since I tend to work with a large number of first-time home buyers, I have gotten quite a few questions about the first-time home buyer tax credit enacted in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. I thought it would be useful to address it here.
Firstly, I want to direct anyone who is interested to visit the National Association of Home Builders' First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit page. They have a fantastic overview of both the credit and the entire recovery act.
I'll also summarize it myself. In a nutshell, the tax credit provides first-time buyers with an interest-free … (0 comments)

Taking the Plunge! - 09/10/08 07:45 PM
It's official. I'm taking the plunge and entering the wonderful world of blogging. I've been putting this off, because I was afraid I wouldn't have enough to write about or wouldn't be interesting enough, but I'm finally ready. I've realized that not every post needs to be deep and insightful.
So, starting today, I'm going to do my best to share information with my readers that I would want to read myself. Community events, real estate jokes, local market statistics... it's all fair game!
I suppose the first thing to do is share a little bit about myself. I grew up … (1 comments)