kaulat

"Inundated!"  That was my word for the rental market this past week.  So many calls for the two properties I have listed in Skaneateles - each $1,300, each 3 bedrooms.  Last Sunday I held two open houses and told people to come - one couple came to both, and another took an application for one of the homes.  People insisted that they see these homes - but then didn't come.  The rental market is a difficult one - but I wasn't alone.  The "inundated" also came from another agent who was beset with calls.  So many people can't buy, for one reason or another, that they want to rent.  And what better place to rent than in Skaneateles? Currently there are 146 active single family residences for sale in the Skaneateles area.  Of these, 46 are in the Village and 31 are considered waterfront.  This week there were no new listings - just a re-list with a HUGE drop in price for a waterfront home.  There were also no new contingent sales, so the number remains at se

Last night as I came home from the office I thought I might have left my cell phone there which would not have been good.  It wasn't in its cupholder, and as it was dark by then, I had to pull over into Butters Farm.  The cell was on the seat, once I turned on the lights, but rather than back up and out I continued up the hill to do the loop back to Jordan Road.  I usually go up that way in the daytime to show houses, rarely at night.  It was lovely - most of the homes had spectacular lighting, and with the landscaping and fall decorations it was really beautiful.  One of those "not taking the straight way home" moments that proved worthwhile. Currently in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service there are 150 homes listed as active, with 47 of them in the village.  These numbers have been fairly constant for a long time now.  There are 33 homes considered to be waterfront as well. Two new listings came on, both in the $300,000 plus range.  One is a village ho

So the rant continues.  I went in to a closing this morning.  Correction - I started driving in to a closing this morning but received a call as I drove up Old Seneca Turnpike outside of Marcellus.  All the paperwork hadn't arrived from the mortgage company - Wells-Fargo - so we would be delayed an hour.  Not a big deal, but since we had had a difficult time getting to this point, a bit worrisome.  They are located out west, in a different time zone...maybe that was it. I went back to the lake, did a bit of work there, took a phone call or two, then headed into Syracuse to be in time for the now-10:00 closing.  My clients met me in the coffee shop.  "Another half hour."  So we talked and shared a few stories. The seller's attorney arrived for 10:30.  Still no documents, but we caught up a bit.  I decided that waiting around was not going to make things happen, so I left.  I went out to Pier One and shopped, then as I was leaving (at noon) I got a text that said "

Just getting this out there.....a bit of a rant.  For the past two weeks several of my properties have been ready to close, but have not closed due primarily to bank issues.  This goes across the board - national mortgage lenders, local banks, and even a credit union have held up families from moving.  In one case, four families have been affected due to the need to close the first so the others can close.  Issues have ranged from mitigating the radon (after the bank had seen the contract weeks and weeks ago and apparently said a credit at closing was possible) to asking for more information at the last minute.  We have not - thank goodness - gotten to the closing table only to leave and go home to packed trucks.  But it has been disheartening. I will report that one attorney, who shall remain nameless in this blog, has told me that he/she will not deal with either Bank of America or Wells-Fargo.  His/her approval for any contract these days states that explicitly:  "I approve...a