Open House Alert! 50 West Genesee Street

See it again...for the first time!  1:00 to 3:00 Sunday, September 29th  ML#S280791
($400,000...4 Bedrooms, 3 Full Baths - over 3,000sf includes the third story)


I hadn't seen it like this....totally vacant, devoid of furniture, people and dogs.  I was afraid after the tenant left that it would seem "old" or somehow there would be flaws that weren't noticeable when it was filled with the previous people's things.  But no - as a matter of fact what shows up more are the graceful features that make it so lovely, such a treasure.

So much is included in this photo!  You can see the stained glass on the landing, the marvelous spindles on the oak staircase.  Up on the wall to the right of the window is one of two sconces.  The floors are all hardwood, upstairs and down.  Under the staircase is a closet - excellent use of all space.  The walls were painted (no more wallpaper) and embellished by Chuck Gridley.  The doorway you are looking through leads to the dining room and to the right of that is a small parlor with a wood burning fireplace and bay window.  There are four sets of pocket doors, and they move very easily so they are actually useful.  Beyond the dining room is the kitchen (granite and cherry) and beyond that is a family room/office-type of space. It's so well-lit because of the sliding glass doors that lead out to a deck, then the yard and garage.

It's a home that gets "visited."  I've had two brokers' opens there (two separate listings) and agents return even though they've seen it before, simply because they like the feel of the place.  Past occupants/owners come to the open houses. Even though they've moved on they want to return, and the house welcomes them back.

Come on Sunday between 1:00 and 3:00 to see if the home has the same impact on you!  As usual there will be refreshments of some kind, and possibly a fall surprise and/or incentive to buy it soon.

Skaneateles Real Estate - The Occasional Update (September 18th)

I was already to go with the update, but then realized I had to get in the open house alert for last Sunday at 149 N. Main Street in Jordan.  And I am glad I did!  I was busy all the time - just lovely, and everyone really liked the house too which is always important.  From that moment on I was swamped with work and did not get back to the update....so this one uses September 18th statistics.

There are currently 102 single family homes on the market in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 25 are in the Village and 27 are considered waterfront.  Eight of the nine "new" listings in the past week or so are actually re-listings.

There are 24 properties waiting to close, or to have contingencies removed.  Two new Village properties came under contract.

As of the 18th, 74 single family homes had closed, year-to-date.  Two were in the town, and the third is in the Village.  We are getting closer to the Fourth Twenty!  I can almost see 100 sales this year for the second year in a row....

Speaking of 100 sales.....I attended very sadly the funeral of Mary Toman from Realty USA's Camillus office last week.  The church was filled; her calling hours on Wednesday night lasted 5 hours.

Mary was a fixture in the real estate world I joined over ten years ago.  We did several sales together, and there always seemed time for her to talk a bit.  She was a legend - she did over 100 sales a year, every year, for the past 15 years.  She - personally - without a huge team.

But what was more poignant for me was her beginning, lovingly described by Mark Re.  She had lost both parents by the age of 14, so she lived alone on Shonnard Street and attended St. Pat's School on Tipp Hill.  The powers that be felt this was not appropriate, and wanted to put her in an orphanage.  At the court date a woman who cleaned the school stepped forward and agreed to take Mary - whom she didn't really know - into her home.  Such love and compassion Mary paid back over the years in her own attention to the family she eventually had.  And what I thought was also fascinating....she only started her remarkable real estate career at the age of 47.

I will miss her.

Open House Alert! 149 North Main Street - Jordan

What a gorgeous weekend this is going to be!  The Jordan Fall Festival will be ongoing from Friday to Sunday with all sorts of fun events.  Check it out at jordanfallfestival.com.

149 North Main Street
Village of Jordan
13080

Meanwhile, a short distance away in the Village of Jordan, I will have the beautiful home at 149 North Main Street (ML#S296384) open on Sunday, from 1:00 to 3:00.  It was built in the mid-1800s and they certainly knew how to erect homes that lasted back then.  The walls are thick, and the owners are amazed at how little the utilities cost for over 3,000sf of living space.  The bedrooms are large - something that is usually only seen in master bedrooms these days.  The kitchen has a walk-in (and around) pantry, plus there's a small office just off the living room.

I love the porch and deck...Just sit on the front porch (accessed only from the house) and watch the world go by!  In the rear the decks overlook Skaneateles Creek.  Buy this house, and you own 5 acres plus have the pleasure of fishing from your own back yard.

I look around at the old homes on my way to the house and try to imagine what it must have been like when the house was new, and surrounded only by other homes as glorious (or almost!) as this one on the far NW side of the Village.

So come to see it please - you will be pleasantly surprised by all the updates. My personal favorite is the second floor laundry - but then again, the walk-up attic has even more potential.  Remember - 1:00 to 3:00 this Sunday!

The Third Twenty

Below are the list of closings (in no particular order) and the published closing prices.  These single family homes were listed in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service and closed between June 28th and August 7th.


184 East Genesee Street - Village of Skaneateles - $170,000

23 Calemad Drive - Town of Sennett - $480,000

21 East Lake Street - Village of Skaneateles - $260,000

718 Sheldon Road - Town of Skaneateles - $430,000

782 Franklin Street - Town of Skaneateles - $168,400

2111 Terrace Lane South - Town of Skaneateles - $430,000

1983 Collard Road - Town of Spafford - $355,000

1275 Oak Bluff - Town of Skaneateles - $1,150,000

179 East Genesee Street - Village of Skaneateles - $244,900

2671 East Lake Road - Town of Skaneateles - $585,000

50 West Lake Street - Village of Skaneateles - $816,000

10 Goodspeed Place - Village of Skaneateles - $157,000

2445 East Lake Road - Town of Skaneateles - $975,000

3187 West Lake Road - Town of Skaneateles - $996,000

3 West Austin Street - Village of Skaneateles - $400,000

3543 Lost Hollow Road - Town of Skaneateles - $440,000

111 Twisting Lane - Town of Niles - $342,000

2987 East Lake Road - Town of Skaneateles - $2,835,750

871 Franklin Street - Town of Skaneateles - $222,500

3900 East Street - Town of Skaneateles - $280,000

Skaneateles Real Estate - The Six-Week Update

I am not going to bore you with what came on and what sold.  A lot came and went, and there are more single family properties waiting to close than Village listings.  I can summarize though.

Currently there are only 103 listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 24 are in the Village and 30 are waterfront.

There are 26 homes waiting to close.  Of these, 8 are in the Village and only 4 are waterfront.  Village for a second year remains highly desirable.

So far, year-to date, we have 71 homes that have closed.  Of these, 25 (40%) are in the Village and 13 (18%) are waterfront.  The total number of closed homes compares with 2012 when by this date there were 81 sold and closed homes.  Not as good as last year, which was record-setting, but certainly better than 2011 when we only had 50 homes closed.  The trend is upwards, the Village is booming, and the prices have increased also.  The median list price increase is only $10,000, to $300,000.  But there were only 2 homes listing over a million that closed in 2012, and 8 (count 'em!) in 2013.  So far!

Update - All Summer Long

I opened up today to finally write an update.  I took an unprecedented two months away (although it hasn't seemed that long).  I wrote to a friend that I wasn't going to let real estate consume my life - but it did this summer.  This blog falls somewhere between personal and business....I love writing, always have, but like much of my non-professional life it has to take a seat behind the pressing needs of seeing, showing, and selling homes.  This can wait.  And has - way too long!

What was missed in the past couple months?  Personally, I can say the biggest change in my life was the birth of our second grandson, Oliver, on August 2nd.  I was taking photos of my new listing in Jordan (see above, and more on that later) when the call came that maybe we should think about heading down to Manhattan.  Bob came back from his job down the lake, I called for "dog support," and we left around noon.  A few minutes later we learned they were at Mt. Sinai.  An hour later the texts stopped.  At the Scott exit on Route 81South we stopped for a minute - and got the text the Oliver had been born.  We were in the City and able to hold him by 5:00 - amazing!  He is dark-haired (for now) and has a lot of it that sticks straight up.  Smaller than Liam, we know he will hold his own.

The week before my poor little Fiat was smashed as I showed a house on Orchard in the Village.  Never seen, it was sent flying over lawns to rest in the street.  No one - thank goodness - was hurt.  The driver experienced the opening of air bags and walked away, refusing medical assistance.  I was able to drive away (sort of) and after 5 long weeks in the Elbridge Summit body shop, am back on the road.  I doubt I will park on a Village street again - and think, please, before you do!  It's the second time I've been hit while parked.

Many of my listings have been sold and closed, with new ones coming on for the fall season.  The beauty above is in the Village of Jordan, at 149 North Main Street.  Huge house with huge bedrooms, a grand deck, sittable front porch, walk in and around pantry, second floor laundry, newer windows and a remarkably low utility cost.  The roof and furnace are basically new - what's to do but enjoy?  Oh yes - you can fish, too - the five acres is bisected by Skaneateles Creek!  An amazing property - listed for $245,000.

100 ways to acquire real estate

This is the best time to purchase real estate whether you are a first home buyer or an investor before the market turns around and properties start becoming unaffordable again. There are many different ways to acquire, finance and sell real estate whether you have cash or not. Having money helps you negotiate a better deal because you can close quicker and eliminate financing fees.

The following are 100 ways to acquire real estate:

1. One of the favorites for investors is for sale by owner (FSBO.) As a buyer you negotiate directly with the seller and are able to find out his needs thus getting a better price
2. Having bird dogs that scout for properties for you to review and purchase and pay them a specific amount when the deal closes. These can be friends, fellow investors, neighbors and others
3. Rental homes are another source of houses for sale. Most landlords are willing to sell a vacant property rather than wait to put another tenant in.
4. Knocking on doors to ask owners if they are interested in selling their property in the future is another way. You may get a call down the line when the owner is ready to sell
5. Probate properties are another great way of acquiring real estate. Find out from your probate department where these properties are usually listed
6. Estate sales can found through antique dealers who may have great contacts
   
7. Government Auctions can have cheap properties
8. Expired Listings can get you sellers that are motivated
9. Some investors sell deals at wholesale prices
10. A good relationship with an investor real estate agent can lead you a good deal
11. Buying the remainder interest of a life estate and have the owner deed you their rights
12. Signs out on the road can lead motivated buyers to you
13. Flyers are very inexpensive and can be distributed to homes in the area you want to invest in
14. The more traditional way of driving neighborhoods can help you locate homes that are in bad or desperate condition where the owner might be considering to sell
15. Door hangers in your neighborhood can generate calls from sellers
16. Fire damaged property can be a great deal if you have rehab experience
17. Divorce can force a couple to sell their property
18. Relocating owners are very motivated sellers
19. Judgements that the owner cannot afford can force him to sell his property
20. Out of State owners are more motivated to sell their properties
21. Model Homes can be purchased and then leased back to the developer
22. Vacant Lots purchased can be used as down payments to acquire other properties
23. You can put down reservation on lots and sell them later for a profit
24. Great deals can be found in abandoned home if you are able to track down the owner
25. Bug controllers can refer properties to you that they worked on and have found out the owner want to sell
26. Sheriff’s Sale also have good deals on properties
27. With so many properties on the market, real estate auction companies have become popular and some houses are sold at very good prices
28. IRS also sells homes to recover unpaid taxes
29. The county also sell homes that property taxes are unpaid
30. Estate Sale
31. Veterans Administration also has homes for sale that have been foreclosed on
32. Bank Owned properties are also another source and can be very profitable if the are sold for less than their fair market value
33. Eviction courts have names of landlords who might be considering selling their property
34. Properties with code violations may have owners who do not have funds to correct them and wants to get rid of the property
35. Properties with mechanic liens are also another source of motivated seller
36. Foreclosed properties can be great if you are able to negotiate with the owner
37. Lawsuits can also force an owner to sell his property to free up some cash
38. Partnership liquidation that owns real estate can help you secure great deals
39. Trading homes can be another way of acquiring a property
40. Private lenders can sell you their bad loans or let you take over properties that have been foreclosed on
41. Some people prefer to own a nice car and would prefer to sell their home to purchase it. Car sales men can be a great source of who is wanting to sell their house
42. Reverse mortgage can help you take possession of a property by paying the homeowner until he moves out or passes away
43. If the owner needs cash you can give it to him for part of the equity in the home
44. Assumable loans is one of the ways to acquire a property with little cash down
45. Inheritance is another source of finding great deals on properties. Most children do not need them and can be great for seller financing if they are free and clear
46. Investor bundles are properties being liquidated by investors because they investing in something else
47. Large companies with high a turnover can make great referrals for owners wanting to sell
48. With the world going online a lot of good deals can also be found on the internet
49. Natural disasters can lead to an inventory of homes that need little work to be sold for large profits
50. Other liens placed by the city or county can let you acquire the property if you pay off the lien
51. Tax notices for increased taxes may force owners to start considering selling their homes if they cannot afford the payments
52. Right of redemption can be purchased from the owner after the property has foreclosed and you can purchase that home for yourself at the cheap auction price
53. Title companies can also be a great source of properties that fell through escrow for various reason and you can go acquire them at a great cash price
54. Insurance companies can let you know properties that they do want to pay claims for and you can acquire them for a good price
55. Carpet cleaners can also give good referral for properties going for sale
56. Newspaper Carriers know and see a lot in the neighborhoods and can be a great source
57. Postal workers get move in and move out notices and can provide you with many referrals
58. City Inspectors may know properties that owners may want to sell
59. Divorce Attorneys can refer you clients who want to sell their homes
60. Bankruptcy Attorneys can also refer you clients who want to sell their homes
61. Remodeling Contractors are usually used by owners getting ready to sell
62. Missing Meters can mean utility companies have shut of power  and the owner may be selling his home
63. Bail Bondsman sometimes have properties placed as collateral that are for sale
64. Homeowners Association have liens, deed restriction  and code violations that may force the owner to sell
65. Landlords with section 8 tenants may want to unload at low prices
66. Local Investment clubs have other investors who may also have deals
67. Landscape Companies are can also lead you to great properties
68. Police may have property that need to be auctioned
69. Gambling dealers are also a great referral source
70. Pizza Delivery also see a lot in the neighborhoods and can be a great source
71. You can pay an owners car payment to prevent it from being repossessed for an option to purchase the home
72. Bankers have a lot of contacts and can lead you to some great properties 
73. Funeral Directors may choose to offer your services to bereaved family members
74. Bartender hear a lot and may be a great source of motivated sellers
75. Marriage Counselors may have a divorcing couple who want to sell their property
76. Dentist and Doctors have lots of contacts and can be a great referral source
77. Accountants may have clients who want to sell their properties
78. Subcontractors learn of sellers when performing their contract work and can refer their clients to you
79. Handymen are called for repairs before the sale of the property and also can give you great leads
80. Building Inspectors know of sellers who would prefer to sell than correct a violation
81. Local cable companies provide their service on a move in or move out and can be a great source
82. Private investigators can provide useful owner information on abandoned properties
83. Moving companies can let you know on owners moving and planning to sell their home
84. Churches and charitable organizations receive property as donations and can be a great source of great deals
85. Furniture Rental Stores’ customers usually move eventually and sell their properties
86. Retirements homes have retirees who need to sell their property
87. Foundation and Concrete companies know properties that cannot afford their services and the owner may be willing to sell it
88. Rental Management Companies know when property seller wants to sell and can notify you
89. Hardware store clerks are in touch with owners making some improvements before selling
90. Parent Teacher Associations know a lot about who is moving out of town and you can offer your services to purchase property
91. Window washing companies may also be a great source for leads
92. Garbage men see a lot and can give you good leads
93. Rent to own gives you the opportunity to control the property with little cash down and purchase it at a later date.
94. Flood zones can make an owner uncomfortable with the high insurance payments and may consider selling
95. Water and Sewer hookups can let you know who is moving in or out for owners that may sell their home
96. Check cashing companies can also be a great source for leads of owners with financial trouble that need to sell their home
97. You can offer to pay for roof repairs for an option to purchase the owners home
98. You can also offer to pay college tuition for someone else for the option on the owners property
99. Contractors can refer properties that have rejected their bids as the owner may decide to sell instead
100. Properties with encroachment may not be fully insured by the title company and the owner may consider selling