kaulat

Ready, set, go.......to 115 Raspberry in Scenic Meadows!  Come Sunday, March 3rd - I will be there from 12:00 to 2:00 showing off this lovely 5 bedroom, 2.5 bath home high on the hill.  It has three levels of living space - the bedrooms up, the family, living and dining rooms on the first floor, and then another kids' play area as well as a bar and office in the basement. Please tell me you saw this blog - it will make my day!  And let's hope we have gorgeous, sunny weather and blue skies so you can really take in the view. From 690, take 695 (Route 5) towards Auburn.  When you get off, turn right at the light and an immediate right onto Scenic Drive.  Within half a mile you will come to Raspberry on the left.  Go up the hill - tour around the community - and return to #115.  Refreshments and a great home await!

Real estate, as I have said before, is my "encore career," a nice descriptive phrase I picked up from the paper today (see Syracuse.com for the article).  Although the reference cites many examples that have to do with finishing one career and then going into another for a less profitable, more altruistic motive, I still like the idea of "encore."  Except in my case, I think teaching and administration was more a prelude and real estate is my primary career! When I worked in schools, I mostly received a paycheck every two weeks or bi-monthly.  It wasn't the greatest paycheck (my Waldorf School experience in Saratoga stands out) but it was a paycheck I could rely on for the most part.  Health insurance was paid for or partially paid by the district (except for again, the Waldorf School).  I think real estate is fairly far removed from my administrative days at Spring Hill, but I wouldn't have lost those two years for any amount of money. So I live commission ...

This morning in the Sunday Post-Standard I read with great interest Stephen Kimatian's article in the Opinion section of the paper.  I had had this thought before, but he put it very succinctly and illustrated it with actual facts and a compelling story. His thesis in "How one effort can help vacant homes, unemployment at the same time" is simple.  Syracuse has an overabundance of vacant houses, just sitting there waiting for help that won't come from the owners, previous or otherwise.  It also has a strong community which dislikes vacancy and works hard.  Combine the two, and you have dozens of "Marios," Kimatian's subject. Mario bought a vacant house, fixed it up and rented it out.  That went so well he did it again - and again.  To date he has rehabilitated on his own ten houses.  These are now ten houses that not only produce rent for him, but also are on the tax rolls.  Not only that, they have filled a need for families who will round out ...

When I first started doing real estate in 2001 I was told by a woman who owned a business in town that she used to do it.  She said she stopped because she felt she was a glorified tour guide.  Most of the time no one bought a house through her, but she spent hours showing people the area. I just spent the last two afternoons being a tour guide - but in this case, a very happy tour guide.  A prospective client came from out-of-state to see Central New York and decide whether to accept a position that had been offered.  My job was to familiarize him with the communities within a few minutes commute and show him a few housing options. We had a wonderful time, despite the snow (coming in February is tough!).  We wandered the first day from Auburn to Syracuse, took in Skaneateles, Marcellus and Camillus, and went up to the University and over to Destiny.  I saw the area through his eyes, which made it very instructive for me.  He saw new building, especial...

This Saturday at the SU-Georgetown basketball game at the Dome a record number of people will attend the game.  They've managed to squeeze in another few seats to create a new record.  The demand arises from the last Dome appearance for arch rival Georgetown while the two teams are in the rapidly descending Big East conference.  SU leaves next year for the Atlantic Coast Conference. Ten years ago SU won the NCAA Division I basketball championship with Carmelo Anthony as the star freshman.  He left after one year and has certainly taken the NBA by storm.  There is talk this year of him winning the MVP for bringing the Knicks back to prominence.  He is a star, both for the NBA and our Olympic team. His jersey will be retired on Saturday at halftime.  I haven't seen official word that he will be at the game, but everyone I talk to says he will.  And the Knicks aren't playing - I checked - so he most likely will be there.  He has also contributed...

Yesterday I went over to Grant Ave in Sennett to run some errands.  On the way back I listened to NPR's Talk of the Nation.  Neil Conan had a re-broadcast of an interview with Dan Buettner who wrote Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way.   I was fascinated. His contention is that there are places on earth in which people are happier than others, and that happiness is in some part a function of what you do and where you live.  Since I was driving, I couldn't take notes.  But as with any project that is heard only auditorily, I grasped at items to remember that meant something to me. So of course I compared our lives in Central New York with his happiness claims. He cited four cities that were the happiest statistically on each continent.  Singapore was one, and I must admit I didn't pay much attention as to the why, as well as a city in Mexico, I believe.  (Yes, get the book, as will I!) Denmark (must have been a city attached) was quite happy, e...

Since I started this whole blog with the idea of describing what life as a Realtor is like in this area, I want to share a bit of how I organize my week.  Or try to.  I spoke with an agent yesterday who was bemoaning the fact that she had to work on Sunday (!) and had wanted to take Monday off but couldn't.  I understand to a point, and I know how it all can overrun the the best of plans, but planning is necessary to conquer "it."  "It" in this case being a career in real estate. I start off Mondays as "domestic Monday."  I usually have worked Sunday - open houses, people who can only get in on the weekend, etc.  But somehow Monday mornings have turned out to be a good time to get some things done.  I do the bills, do the wash (nice to work at home), and run errands - post office, Kinney's, store sometimes.  The day falls apart rapidly after 10:00, but I can generally get the bills and banking done. Today is no exception.  The photo is the vi...

After hearing from a couple people that they've been reading my blog, I have felt the guilt for not writing more.  So I will, as I always say.  I need to put in a regular time - but then that time can be swept away by clients because they ALWAYS come first.  Still, I am in the office on a Sunday having written an offer, I do have a fabulous new listing, and I need to step it up a notch. Without further preamble...There are currently only 74 active listings in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  That's right - only 74.  We closed many more than that last year, so it means that inventory is WAAAAAAY down.  Of these, 18 are in the Village and another 18 are considered waterfront. In the under contract category, 19 are waiting to close.  Three new ones were added to the list in the past two weeks, two in the town and one waterfront.  Yes indeedy, waterfront does sell in the winter!  How else can they be ready when summer rolls ...

Usually I like to predict what will happen.  I think ahead, weigh some factors, and come up with numbers concerning closings and listings, what will sell and what won't.  It's kind of like when a seller asks me "What do you think our house will sell for?"  I say to him/her that I don't have an answer.  But when it comes to predictions I come up with what I think are answers.  After last year I can't do that, not even in jest.  It was a grand year - and one I hope - but can't predict - gets repeated this year. I haven't written in a while because as you'll see, not a whole lot has happened.  It's snowed and gotten cold, then we had a day of spring, and it got cold again.  Really cold!  My poor Sheba and Charlie had trouble walking.  Charlie I can carry....Sheba, even with the loss of 20 fat pounds, is not the carrying type.  They both celebrate this week one year of life with us. Currently there are only 76 active listings in the Ska...

All the legends of the game were quoted. Enzo, Larocca, Doc Wilson and ex Doc Yardney, Zheng, Zigomanis. Even Joye, before he became AFR's Tom Clancy. The themes were recurring and blunt, propelled by trouser tightening headlines and lustful quotes. Housing shortage; property reaching new heights; superannuation sucks (damn that asset class!); you need to provide for your retirement; the population is going bananas; and streets awash with renters offering bodily organs to live in your apartment. The folder was prepared by "one of Australia's leading property investment companies". No mention where they sat on the modesty scale. After optimistic forecasts based on yesterday, zero attention to risk and 100% financing (using two banks), the real focus became the newspaper clippings featuring our experts. Then, the amateur psychology - indecision kills wealth building opportunities. Don't procrastinate, don't sit on your hands. Don't think this over. Just act ...