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Think about all that has happened in the last two weeks.  Devastating news, Christmas, fiscal cliffing, snow, more Christmas....It's that time of year. In real estate in our small town, so much resembling Newtown in so many ways, houses have been listed, viewed and sold.  People have decided to move, others to stay.  Offers have been accepted and others refused.  Plans have been put on hold because houses don't sell, while others are accelerated because they do.  Weave a holiday in there, too. Currently there are only 83 houses actively listed in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 23 are in the Village, 21 are considered waterfront of some kind, and the rest are in the town or surrounding towns.  Three new listings came on, actually a re-list in the Village at a reduced price and two new ones in the town.  There's a sweet, much-beloved one out there for under $100,000 - call now if you might be interested. Of the 18 - only 18! - single family

Lovely evening, late afternoon.  I am in the office enjoying the company of our new "person at the front desk," Danielle.  She is busy putting together a project Chris Evans gave her.  Neither Chris nor I can handle the copier, but everyone else in Danielle's position can make it hum.  If you're in the Village, stop in and say hello to her. Currently there are only - and I do mean ONLY - 85 homes for sale in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 24 are in the Village and 23 are waterfront.  But that's an amazing number.  Just a couple years ago we flirted with the 150 active listings figure.  And that's when we were closing around 75, so we had a two year inventory. In the "under contract" categories there are 22 single family homes.  This is down, because houses are closing, trying to get people in before the holidays and the New Year.  Which the attorneys have been able to accomplish! We now have - drum roll please - 119

The update...but there is very little to update.  The previous blog covers the only new listing to have come on the market in the past two weeks! There are currently in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service only 91 homes on the market.  That's it!  Better buy them now before someone else does...Of these, 27 are in the Village and 23 are considered waterfront. In the under contract categories there are 28 homes waiting to close.  Since it's the end of the month, I am sure we will have additions to closing figures next week.  Two new ones, both hovering around $300,000, were newly contracted. Closings - we are up to 111 for the year.  Way more than are on the market... All three were town properties, as opposed to Village.  Two closed for under $200,000 and the third was new construction of around $400,000.  Lovely houses all! Don't forget Dickens this weekend.  There really is excitement in the air and now that we will be in the month of December (finally) we

I sincerely hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We certainly did, the highlight being for me strolling Liam down Madison Avenue and looking in all the store windows on Sunday afternoon.  There is nothing like New York - except maybe coming back and going over the rise on 41 (Cortland County) to see the lake spread out before you. Which reminds me....you can have that view every day.  I just listed a magnificent home in Niles that has that exact view.  From the eat-in kitchen, the living room, two of the bedrooms...there it is!  Because of the snow lately I haven't gotten THE PHOTO yet, but you can see it for yourself this Sunday (December 2nd) from 1:00 to 3:00 during my open house.  It's supposed to be warm, so come out and walk the acreage (over 9 acres!) and enjoy a few refreshments.  You can see the listing on whatever site you use - S282803 - or go to my Facebook page:   http://Facebook.com/MegBrooksRealtor.   Sarah takes care of it for me and promises something n

The title of this blog says it all.  Amazing, the number of homes sold.  Is it pent-up desire?  Great prices? Low ("historically low" as they say) mortgage rates?  I think it's really a combination of them all.  I am not looking a gift horse in the mouth (is that really the phrase?) So, in no particular order: 55 Calemad Drive - Town of Sennett - $390,000 4674 Vinegar Hill Road - Town of Skaneateles - $215,000 2092 West Lake Road - Town of Skaneateles - $240,000 3104 East Lake Road - Town of Skaneateles - $242,500 2575 East Lake Road - Town of Skaneateles - $710,000 2098 West Lake Road - Town of Skaneateles - $217,000 2895 East Lake Road - Town of Skaneateles - $999,999 2556 West Lake Road FL25 - Town of Skaneateles - $465,000 16 Academy Street - Village of Skaneateles - $400,000 1940 Collard Road - Town of Spafford - $265,600 1552 Heifer Road - Town of Skaneateles - $298,000 1916 West Lake Road - Town of Skaneateles - $856,000 2621 West Lake Road - Town of Skaneateles -

I've been out of town for a bit, busy with listings and sales and near-sales for a bit, but whenever I opened up the hotsheet I was always amazed at how many sales there seemed to be in Skaneateles.  Wait until YOU see! Currently there are 97 listings - under 100! - in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing system.  Of these, 29 are in the Village and 26 are considered waterfront.  Five new ones came on the market in the past two weeks - well, 3 re-lists, one sizeable re-list reduction, and my new listing at 1983 Collard Road. I don't usually show you interiors, but this is so beautiful I must share it.  The house is Timberframe construction (built in 2000), so you know there's a great deal of wood and beams.  You are looking at the downstairs living room from the perspective of a gorgeous stone fireplace and two windows looking out on a cornfield and the lake beyond.  Upstairs is a loft - now used as an art studio.  Under the loft is the new kitchen - soapstone count

The world goes on - despite Sandy, despite the loss of friends.  And that's how it should be.  So without further adieu.... There are currently 101 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  (This update encompasses October 24th through October 31st.)  Of these, 30 are in the Village and 28 are waterfront.  Only two new listings came on and they are both re-lists. In the under contract categories there are now 39 waiting to close.  Three are new, two in the Town and one in the Village. The number of closings is now 97 - unbelievable!  At this time last year Skaneateles had only 55 closed single family homes.  Think of it!  Looking at the surrounding towns - Camillus, Marcellus, and Elbridge plus Auburn - each and every one has more closings than they did (year-to-date) in 2011.  The entire county of Onondaga has 3,116 homes sold - last year at this time it was only 2,838.  These are significant statistics - the world is changing once again, and as usu

A couple weeks ago Billy Lang from Gallinger/Realty USA in Marcellus passed away.  As it said in the paper, he had run his mother's real estate firm (Verna Lang) for 40 years.  A friend said he had either "birthed 'em or buried 'em" and sometimes both over the course of his time.  His office walls were lined with the heads of animals he had hunted.  His hair was long and spoke volumes about who he was.  You could always tell when someone was on the phone with Billy - the listener made a lot of agreeing noises, but rarely got a chance to speak.  I can still hear his voice.  When I heard he was sick, a couple years ago, it was hard to believe because he was so active, so energized all the time.  But he was, and will be missed. On Saturday evening Janet Tardiff from Williams Realty in Skaneateles also passed away.  I hadn't heard she had been sick, and thankfully she wasn't for long.  I had wondered in passing why she didn't go look at Ten Mile Point when

I don't want to be cavalier about it, but between selling and showing things, closing others and this storm that never materialized in Skaneateles, it's been a long week.  I also held an open house at 5731 Sandbank Road in Elbridge and came away with a deeper appreciation for the property.  It's an amazing house, as everyone agreed who came through the open a couple days ago.  Add the property - 1.5 acres of truly a park-like setting - and it is much more than it appears from the outside.  Also, it demonstrates what you need to do prior to listing, if you look at the landscaping.  Fall is a great time to put a home on the market for this reason - all those colors!  You can see the full listing at REMAX.com or Realtor.com:  ML#S280235. (Sorry - I tried to upload a photo but blogger was having none of it today...could it be the storm?) During this week, there were 104 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 31 were in the Village an

Before I forget (as if I would) I have an open house this weekend at my new (sort of) listing in Skaneateles.  Please come!  Tell me you saw it here!  The house is 50 West Genesee, almost across from the new Krebs. If the photo or the location sounds familiar, it is.  I listed and sold this last year.  The owners are relocating and want the house to move with them, but alas, it can't.  So you have the opportunity to buy it!  Hooray! Four bedrooms, three full baths, a third floor that is now being used as a media room.  Incredible woodwork throughout - really, a pleasure to show.  Check it out online: ML# S280791  It's priced below where we had it last year, even - now $415,000.  See you between 1:00 and 3:00 on Sunday. There are actually only 109 listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 32 are in the Village and 29 are waterfront.  Besides this beauty above, five other houses came on the market during this time frame.  Three are waterfront, r

As you can tell, it's still busy and I am still out and about way too much it seems.  I pulled together the research for this blog and just never got a chance to write it out.  It helped me get a listing - I love knowing what I am talking about and being able to throw out exact numbers.  I feel like I could take on a candidate running for Realtor in Skaneateles!  I just need to find the time to communicate what I know to my readers.  And I know they will decrease without my publishing regularly, so I will do better by writing more often.  Starting here today. During this period there were 111 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 33 were in the Village and 27 were considered waterfront.  Eight new listings came on the market, but 5 of these were re-lists with reductions in price.  One of the new ones was a beautiful Village home priced just under one million.  A home in the town but not far outside was priced around $200,000 and a water

I am not sure that I have EVER written a Fourth Twenty - certainly not at this time of year!  The Third Twenty was published on August 8th, so we are only about 7 weeks past that.  Magnificent! The list is a bit odd - I will point out where - but I believe that it closely follows what has occurred.  We are well into the 80s for closings anyway.... 1905 Stump Road - Town of Skaneateles - unpublished sale price 1719 Russells Landing - Town of Skaneateles - $355,000 80 West Elizabeth Street - Village of Skaneateles - $150,000 1863 Sugar Maple Lane - Town of Skaneateles - $198,000  (reported twice) 9 Academy Street - Village of Skaneateles - $295,000 174 East Genesee Street - Village of Skaneateles - $270,000 2812 East Lake Road - Town of Skaneateles - $293,000 38 Academy Street - Village of Skaneateles - $349,900 25 Hannum Street - Village of Skaneateles - $225,000 4755 Austin Road - Town of Skaneateles - $278,000 1711 Lancelot Lane - Town of Skaneateles - $280,000 628 Crow Hill Road - To

Summer is over, sort of, but it doesn't feel like it is.  I've had only one new apple so far thanks to the frost, and it was hard!  Usually I stop on Route 20 coming out of Lafayette and grab the first of the Jersey Macs.  Besides not having time this year, it just hasn't felt right.  Maybe because the rush is still on for real estate, and I haven't done the fall open house with cider and donuts because everything is selling.  It's just very different this year. What is really different is the amount of business we are all doing.  Hold on to your hat! Currently there are 117 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 34 are in the Village and 27 are reputed to be waterfront properties.  Since I last wrote on September 5th, 13 new listings have come on the market.  Five of these are re-listings with a good deal of price reductions.  All of the three waterfront listings are in this category.  In the Village there are four new h

The past three weeks is the longest time I've been away from this blog ever, in the five or so years I've been writing it.  But business has never been better!  I start the day before dawn when Charlie gets me up if I'm at home, and then fall into my chair at night around 8:00, content to have a Corona Light and talk about the day, or just sit there.  If I'm at the lake I skip dinner altogether and go straight to a movie and falling asleep in my wicker chair.  "Make hay while the sun shines..."  It's been a bit cloudy over the past few years, not in my business, but in the market as a whole.  August.  Who knew? So to catch up.  In the listings area there really wasn't much action.  Currently there are 109 active single family homes in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 30 are in the Village and 27 are listed as waterfront.  In the past three weeks only 6 homes have come on the market for the first time.  Each and every on

Yes, it's been two very busy weeks for me, so I didn't do last week's blog update.  But it's summer, the days are winding down...no, I haven't been hanging out on my paddleboard at the lake, but I have been getting a couple very sweet new listings, one of which I will add to the update. This is my new listing at 1020 Ten Mile Point, just south of Lourdes Camp.  Look at that beach!  It has 295 feet of level small rocks, two current docks, and a cottage up in the trees.  The price is $250,000 - and no, this is not a giveaway.  Contributing to the peace and quiet you see here is the limited accessibility - a good thing in this rush-around world!  No cars, no roads, no traffic.  Take a short boat ride or woodland path past other camps along the shoreline and find silence, only the lapping of the waves and the birds in the many trees.  You are truly away from it all, but only minutes to the Village. So!  There are currently 117 other active listings in the Skaneateles ar

Saundra Smokes passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday in Syracuse.  She was a columnist for the Post-Standard for years, and only returned in May to write again in her hometown.  She was writing during the years before I tried to get my charter school off the ground, and she was an inspiration to me, pushing me (although she had no idea) to go out there and do things I never thought I could ever do.  But I should do them because I believed in them, no matter how hard.  Because it was the right thing to do. I never wrote to her, as I had planned to do since her return.  I wanted to say thank you. But this is a column she wrote that was hung up in my house on East Street in Skaneateles, and then made its way with me to Elbridge.  It resides on the back of the pantry door.  To remind me. Put Resolve in Your Resolutions One of my sister-friends and I were talking about the foolishness of making the same old New Year's resolutions. I am going to lose weight. I am going to get organized.

Amazing.  Just amazing - that there could be so much activity this very hot summer.  With no rational reason for this order: 1711 Borodino Bluffs - Town of Spafford - $921,500 1541 East Lake Road - Town of Spafford - $284,000 1 Elson Lane - Village of Skaneateles - $140,000 1012 Butters Farm - Town of Skaneateles - $600,000 3332 Kane Avenue - Town of Skaneateles - $217,500 1721 Lancelot Place - Town of Skaneateles - $159,000 8 Goodspeed Place - Village of Skaneateles - $300,000 205 Hemlock Hollow - Town of Niles - $458,000 887 West Elizabeth Street - Town of Skaneateles - $245,000 82 State Street - Village of Skaneateles - $300,000 10 Fuller Street - Village of Skaneateles - $263,000 2155 Singing Woods - Town of Spafford - $544,000 6787 Glen Haven Road - Town of Sempronius - $110,000 1760 Tamarack Trail - Town of Skaneateles - $1,225,000 3130 East Lake Road - Town of Skaneateles - $234,000 160 East Genesee Street - Village of Skaneateles - $210,000 5 Ramble Wood Drive - Village of Skan

The moon rose last night over the lake.  It's a blue moon - or rather, the first full moon in the month of August and there will be another at the end, I guess making that the actual blue moon.  I learned that the cycle between full moons is 29.5 days, which explains why it isn't the same day every year, every month.  The moon slipped in and out of the pink clouds, at times totally obscured.  We watched from our deck with guests there for dinner - and the light show! What a summer!  Both for weather and for real estate. There are currently 119 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 26 are in the village and 30 are waterfront.  Three homes were re-listed this past week, each with significant reductions in price.  Four others came on the market - a little bit of everything: new construction, almost new construction, a ranch down the lake, and a sweet Village home. The already contracted houses number 34, just waiting to close.  Three m

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 abou

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,

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

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 - $34

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 hous

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 extre

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

The last blog I wrote turned out to be the 500th published blog.  Five hundred.  I would bet that the largest portion was the update - whether weekly, bi-monthly, the Wedding Edition.  I have enjoyed the process but like most writers I know the "sitting down to it" is the hardest part.  But 500 times I did. And what that has gained me is an insight into the Skaneateles market that comes readily when asked.  I was at a conference the past two days on Long Island and most of the Realtors I spoke with had never heard of Skaneateles.  Amazing to me.  But I remember when Rachel and Alex wanted a destination wedding and they chose Skaneateles and the Sherwood Inn, a vast majority of her downstate family and friends had no clue where the Finger Lakes were, much less Skaneateles.  But the agents politely asked me about the market - sales, average prices, trends....and the words came swimmingly off my tongue.  Of course the conference was in part about knowing me and my trends and sta

I came to the rather brilliant conclusion, way overdue, that buying a house is not like buying a car.  I have had and will continue to have buyers who want specific criteria in a home.  Some want village, and village only.  Others want a view of the lake or waterfront that is cleared and easily accessible.  I had my stream people a few years ago who wanted to fish but also had a budget.  Homes can be changed, I think, to a certain extent.  Locations can't.  When I bought my Fiat convertible recently I had several choices - red, black, black with red interior - and except for varying delivery dates and promotions I could have gotten it in March or September - virtually the same car.  Not so with houses.  Once that house has gone, especially in Skaneateles, it doesn't come around again in six months (usually).  The rates are so low that adding another $10,000 or so to get the house that the buyer specifically wants does not add a great deal to monthly payments - probably less tha

I just got back from an afternoon of driving around.  First I went to meet the owners of 1650 Coon Hill which will be open on Sunday from 2:00 until 4:00.  We talked drainage - they have a great system they installed a few years ago - and wells.  The pump went on and off, giving the impression that there was sometimes a lag in the water pressure.  A plumber put in a new valve and all is well - consistent excellent pressure, just in time for the open house.  Then on to 169 Garrow Street Extension to put up the Open Sunday sign.  That will be open from 11:00 to 1:00 in Auburn.  My favorite part of the house is the private stone patio on the side. Afterwards I stopped at Panera Bread.  I got a gift card for Rachel because she's so excited that Panera Bread is opening in her Manhattan neighborhood.  I also got one for Jolanta who has been recovering from rotator cuff surgery.  Nice to do... And of course since I was there I indulged in a fruit pastry and coffee.  The woman who served m

Yesterday I attended an all-day class for continuing education sponsored by the Cayuga Board of Realtors at the Holiday Inn in Auburn.  About 50 Realtors were in attendance;  I had expected more from Skaneateles but saw only Tom, Suzanne and Romy.  It was a great place to hold it - the Holiday Inn was most accommodating with a full breakfast (bacon!) prior to the class and then lunch.  The room was pleasant - not too cold and not too warm for once.  And they asked about the temperature!  Most importantly, Auburn is so close.  Usually we trek up to North Syracuse and need to allow a good 40 minutes each way.  Makes for a long day. Radon.  The presentation was sponsored by Rutgers University.  The instructor was a radon expert and currently a mitigator and tester.  I must say I learned a lot - actually I learned too much to remember it all, but there was great information that I am sure will arise in conversation in the future.  I also know that I am calling a company today to test my ow

So - a bit later than usual, but with all the crises in real estate....Can there be crises?  Yes - end of month closings - will it close or won't it?  Where the heck did that appraiser go?  What do you mean you got another offer?  We have pre-possession - don't make us move!  We want pre-possession....  The glass man will see you now - and I mean NOW!  Yikes!  In New York it takes a collective team to move along a closing - Buyers, Sellers, 3 attorneys usually, appraisers, inspectors, mortgage people (who have their own team), and yes, the Realtors who try to pull it all together.  That's my excuse.  Crises, not of my making. Currently (and this is Wednesday to Wednesday) there are 108 active single family homes listed in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these 30 are in the village and 28 are waterfront.  I looked a bit closer at the numbers and thought these statistics were of interest. The median price for an actively listed home in Skaneateles

I started this blog earlier and got sidetracked into a different sort of blog.  Back to the facts.  And this year the facts are fun.  When I began writing the economy began its downturn.  No, I do not have an ego that suggests I had anything to do with it, but chronicling the fall was not pleasant.  I like this upswing - a lot. Currently there are 106 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing system.  Of these, 31 are in the Village and 26 are considered waterfront.  Frankly I don't go through to see which ones are streams (Skaneateles Creek runs along many boundaries) and which ones have a pond and claim waterfront.  Agents  have no real way to denote lake rights vs. right on the water, so they become "waterfront."  (We need another category!)  I think it's close enough. Nine properties came on the market in the past week.  Two adorable houses in the village well under $300,000 and another in the town not too far out but under $200,000, equally

Reading the Post-Standard (www.syracuse.com) today at breakfast Sean Kirst's article caught me unawares.  I am usually prepared for him, but today I wasn't.  I thought I was reading an article more related to real estate; a man was selling the house his father had built years ago.  But when he got to the part about how his father had kept a box of balls the dog had retrieved on a summer's evening of play when the man was a boy, well, I lost it.  Am again, too, as I write.  A house is a home, not just a commodity. Then I realized why it hit me so hard.  Bob's father also built the house his family grew up in - all seven kids in what today would be considered a small cape on the west side of Syracuse when there were still meadows down the road.  The boys had one bedroom and the girls had another.  Bob's mother is still there and hauling things out that she had saved, just like in Sean's article.  Ten years ago Bob's father passed away, just as we were getting

Oh so busy!  Everyone is saying they are, and as we have all learned - "Make hay while the sun shines!"  it all could end.  Just stop.  Interest rates could rise (what are they doing in Europe!?).  There could be a national disaster (I started real estate four weeks to the day before 9/11).  Fracking could be approved and there could be a platform going up in Bear Swamp or at the polo grounds...no, this won't happen.  Toronto is experiencing a California-like market.  Homes go on for one price and are bid up rapidly.  What happens in a couple years when the owner must relocate?  I know several people stateside to ask, unfortunately.  No, our type of busy is good! Currently there are now over 100 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service (actually 103).  Three new ones came on the market this week: village and town around $500,000, give or take, and one that is further out for around $300,000.  All are relatively newly built.  Three more retur

Wow.  I knew I had started writing this blog in May of some year.  I didn't realize the year was 2007, and that it's been five years.  Time goes by quickly.  A Realtor asked me how I find time to write because he knew I was as busy (almost) as he is, and I don't have the benefit of a team.  Obviously I don't have as much time as I used to, but I love writing.  It helps me to write the update, as I've said before, because then I can rattle off the number of listings in Skaneateles - closings and contingencies - and it keeps me on track.  I can spot trends, know where my listings fit into them (or not). I am a day late getting this blog out because I was in the midst of listing and buying and selling yesterday, morning, noon and yes, even night!  I can't tell you what we bought yet, because it's not done ("we" being my buyers and me) and I can't tell you what I sold, because It's not done either!  I can tell you what I listed, though: a lot o

Nice time of year, now that the warmth has returned.  People are out looking and buying actually.  A RE/MAX agent called me today to tell me about a property coming on the market that he knew my buyers would want to see.  The old days are coming back.   "Hurry and buy this house before it goes away!" Which reminds me - we reduced the price of 1650 Coon Hill Road to $169,900 today.  I will hold it open on Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00.  It's had a good deal of activity but no offers - yet.  As I told the sellers, and I firmly believe, there is a price at which the world comes a-calling.  Let's hope it's this price, this weekend - or even before.  Just two miles outside of the village from the light on East Lake Road.  And such a great back yard stretching waaaaay back, with two sheds and sheltering trees on the sides.  Come see! There are currently 96 single family homes available in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 28 are in the village

Everyone I speak with is busy.  Homes appear to be selling at an extraordinary rate, or at least are being viewed.  My listings are truly doing well and I am glad for that.  I just finished putting stamps and address labels on post cards to be sent out about one of my newest listings, 3803 Gray Ledge Terrace.  The post cards coincide with the first open house this Sunday from 1:00 until 3:00.  It has gotten rave reviews from Realtors who saw it at the brokers' open last Tuesday.  The owners have done everything to make it sell - their closets are phenomenally de-cluttered, the countertop is new and quartz, the appliances are upgraded, and if the weather would cooperate the pool would be inviting!  But the most important thing they did years ago - they chose a lot at the very back of Buxton Woods, and a treed lot at that.  Location, location...!  Come Sunday and see - Town of Onondaga but Marcellus Schools.  (Seneca Turnpike past OCC to a right on Cedarvale - ICJ Cookies on one side

Blogger changed yesterday and threw me into a tailspin.  I am proud to say I worked it all out and I can write again.  But for a while I was worried. The very good news is that I am writing about the first twenty closings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service on April 25th.  Last year I wrote on June 27th!  We are doing well, very well. I am changing the reporting just a bit.  The same "just the facts" - address and sale price.  However, I want to break it up a bit for better understanding.  There will be three sections:  Village, Town and Waterfront.  Enjoy! Village 113 Orchard Road - $427,137 (new construction) 116 Orchard Road - $440,000 (new construction) 23 West Elizabeth Street - $128,000 30 East Lake Street - $135,000 23 East Street - $250,000 77 Onondaga Street - $160,000 8 Wicklow Drive - $310,000 8 Highland Street - $127,000 9 State Street - $180,000 Waterfront 3125 East Lake Road - $980,000 72 Carlton's Cliff - $345,000 2686 East Lake Road - $

A few weeks ago Suzanne Thompson from the Camillus office of Realty USA called to ask if I could hold my listing at 208 Dorwin open on Sunday, April 22nd.  The Greater Syracuse Association of Realtors was sponsoring a "Know Your Neighborhood" weekend and encouraging agents in specific areas to have open houses.  This Sunday it's the Valley in Syracuse.  My sellers were thrilled to hear of this program and have worked diligently to make our open house possible.  I will be there from 1:00 to 3:00 - please stop in and say hello, especially if you read about it here on my blog. Just a bit about the home....All those windows you see are the front porch, not included in the square footage because it's a non-heated space - but a great liveable space a good part of the year.  Inside you will find high ceilings in the living room, dining room, kitchen and first floor bed and bathroom.  You can eat in the kitchen in a nook overlooking the very deep back yard.  Upstairs is a ma

I started the day off with a bang.  It was hair day, so I went in to Carlo's on West Genesee in Syracuse.  The proprietor and owner, Carmen Logan, was celebrating his 75th birthday and looking great.  A client brought in champagne, and there we all were sipping out of plastic cups at 9:30 in the morning.  I could get used to this! Currently there are only 98 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 30 are in the village and 26 are considered waterfront. I say "considered," because until the listings change it is difficult to distinguish between lake rights and actual on the water waterfront.  Ponds and rivers are also called waterfront.  Just a note. Two new listings came on.  One is a lovely village home priced to sell in the mid-$300,000 range.  Another is just at the edge of the village for well under $200,000.  I predict both will be gone by September 1st. There are 12 properties marked under contract, none of which are new.