The only reason I have time to update my blog this week is that more than half of the houses that I've called on to schedule a showing have already been sold. In fact, one house had an accepted offer at 6 pm on the very day it was put on the market. I think it is safe to say that the $8000 first time home buyer tax credit is doing it's job to stimulate the real estate market.
I did a quick check of houses that went pending today in the MLS system. At 4 pm, we had 37 new pendings, with an average sale price of $133,900 and average days on market is 62.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
The Seach for the Ugly House
Some of my clients think I'm a little crazy when I advocate for buying ugly houses. Now I'm not talking butt-ugly. I'm talking about the type of ugly that a coat of paint or perhaps new carpet will fix. And I advocate for that type of house because that is where the best deals are.
Houses with "Pottery Barn Decor" are fun to look at but you will "ohh and ahh" all the way to the bank if you purchase this type of house. Sparkling clean and tastefully decorated houses command top dollar but keep in mind that the furniture and art work will be gone when you move in.
Everybody wants to buy a beautiful house. It's just not as exciting to tell all your friends, "Well, it has green and orange shag carpeting from the '70's BUT the roof is new and the furnace is only a couple of years old!"
Here are a few tips for ugly house shopping.
1. Do your homework so you can budget for remodeling jobs. Kitchens, for example, and be remodeled for a few thousand dollars or tens of thousands, depending on your standards. Even wall-to-wall carpeting comes in a wide variety of designs and quality and so no real estate agent can honestly give you a ball-park figure for these projects.
2. Have a checklist so that you are certain to check all the mechanicals, such as electric, hotwater heater, roof. It would be down-right depressing to have an ugly house that also leaks every time it rains. This is not to say you won't have the house inspected, but you should check for obvious problems before you put in an offer.
www.RochestersBestHomes.com
Houses with "Pottery Barn Decor" are fun to look at but you will "ohh and ahh" all the way to the bank if you purchase this type of house. Sparkling clean and tastefully decorated houses command top dollar but keep in mind that the furniture and art work will be gone when you move in.
Everybody wants to buy a beautiful house. It's just not as exciting to tell all your friends, "Well, it has green and orange shag carpeting from the '70's BUT the roof is new and the furnace is only a couple of years old!"
Here are a few tips for ugly house shopping.
1. Do your homework so you can budget for remodeling jobs. Kitchens, for example, and be remodeled for a few thousand dollars or tens of thousands, depending on your standards. Even wall-to-wall carpeting comes in a wide variety of designs and quality and so no real estate agent can honestly give you a ball-park figure for these projects.
2. Have a checklist so that you are certain to check all the mechanicals, such as electric, hotwater heater, roof. It would be down-right depressing to have an ugly house that also leaks every time it rains. This is not to say you won't have the house inspected, but you should check for obvious problems before you put in an offer.
3. Analyze the layout. This is especially important in kitchens. You may be able to improve its looks but it also needs to function well.
4. Don't be afraid to ask for help. If you'd don't know how to decorate, hire an interior designer. Generally, they charge a few hundred dollars for an initial consultation which is a bargain if you saved thousands on the purchase.
Want to go ugly house shopping? Give me a call. I don't mind showing you beautiful houses as well.www.RochestersBestHomes.com
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Lobbyist For a Day
I spent the day in Albany yesterday with approximately 50 other Realtors from both Rochester and Buffalo to meet with several of our state legislators to discuss upcoming legislation that affects local homeowners and the real estate market.
The most important item on our agenda was the need for property tax relief. New Yorkers pay an exorbitant amount of property taxes and Western New Yorkers pay more in taxes relative to their property value than the rest of the state. For example, the New York State Comptroller's Office reports that approximate property taxes on a home in Rochester valued at $100,000 are just under $4,000. In comparison, taxes on a $100,000 home in Yonkers are less than half of that ($1,773) and in Southampton, they are almost a tenth of that ($456).
As real estate agents, we were able to give real life experiences about how homebuyers and homeowners struggle to purchase or keep their homes due to high taxes. I had a fun conversation with Assemblyman Bob Oaks (Cayuga, Oswego and Wayne Counties) telling him about trying to explain NY state property taxes with STAR deductions and STAR rebates to individuals moving here from another state. Property tax relief needs to be a top legislative priority for lawmakers!
Some of the other items we discussed was to request support of a bill that would simplify the language on the state's property condition disclosure and to vote against a bill that would restrict the availability of real property information for consumers as well as licensed real estate practitioners. If you'd like information on these bills or others that we discussed with legislators, don't hesitate to give me a call at 585-414-5513.
One of the best things about the trip yesterday was the feeling that our elected officials do want to hear from their constituents. If you'd like to contact your elected state officials, the state has put together an excellent web site that allows you to type in your address and receive a complete list of who represents you. http://nymap.elections.state.ny.us/nysboe/ From there, you can make a few clicks to get everything from a biography to sponsored legislation to contact information for your officials. It's pretty painless to become informed and involved through this site.
With this trip behind me, I hope to get back on the blogging bandwagon and do a much better job of keeping this source of information up to date.
As real estate agents, we were able to give real life experiences about how homebuyers and homeowners struggle to purchase or keep their homes due to high taxes. I had a fun conversation with Assemblyman Bob Oaks (Cayuga, Oswego and Wayne Counties) telling him about trying to explain NY state property taxes with STAR deductions and STAR rebates to individuals moving here from another state. Property tax relief needs to be a top legislative priority for lawmakers!
Some of the other items we discussed was to request support of a bill that would simplify the language on the state's property condition disclosure and to vote against a bill that would restrict the availability of real property information for consumers as well as licensed real estate practitioners. If you'd like information on these bills or others that we discussed with legislators, don't hesitate to give me a call at 585-414-5513.
One of the best things about the trip yesterday was the feeling that our elected officials do want to hear from their constituents. If you'd like to contact your elected state officials, the state has put together an excellent web site that allows you to type in your address and receive a complete list of who represents you. http://nymap.elections.state.ny.us/nysboe/ From there, you can make a few clicks to get everything from a biography to sponsored legislation to contact information for your officials. It's pretty painless to become informed and involved through this site.
With this trip behind me, I hope to get back on the blogging bandwagon and do a much better job of keeping this source of information up to date.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Another Detail on the Stimulus Bill
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has plenty of good news for first time home buyers that buy between January 1 and November 3, 2009. See yesterday's post for more information. One new detail has emerged that I didn't know yesterday. If a buyer takes the tax credit, it doesn't need to be repaid if they stay in the house for three years or more. If they sell before three years, the tax credit will be repaid from proceeds of the sale of the property.
Don't hesitate to contact me if you have not owned a house in the past three years and are considering a purchase.
Don't hesitate to contact me if you have not owned a house in the past three years and are considering a purchase.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Real Estate and the Stimulus Bill
Unless you've been hiding out in a dark cave for the past month or so, you probably know that President Obama is signing into law a huge economic package designed to rescue the economy. Since real estate is a major part of the U.S. economy there are several important provisions that hopefully will stimulate the U.S. and Rochester real estate markets.
Since this is still a bill and not yet a law, a lot of the information out there is still vague. For example, rumor has it that the bill will provide an $8000 credit for first time home buyers that purchase a home before December 1, 2009. No one has been able to tell me yet if that means they need to close the transaction before December 1 or simply have an offer accepted.
Here is what we do know. A first time homebuyer is defined as someone who has not owned property in the past three years. There are income restrictions; the credit is available to individuals making $75,000 a year or less or couples making $150,000 or less per year. As a tax credit, this should not be confused with grants or closing cost assistance. The tax credit will be taken in 2010 when homebuyers file their income tax returns for 2009.
I had wished that the bill will include all home buyers, not just first time home buyers. You see, in Rochester we have a shortage of inventory. I am currently working with 4 first time homebuyers that are looking in the $130,000 to $150,000 range and they are having a difficult time finding homes to look at much less purchase. One couple, in particular, had 4 houses purchased out from under them, several before they even were able to go see them and one before they could do a second walk through. I do believe that a credit to all buyers would motivate more sellers to move up or even down size.
Since this is still a bill and not yet a law, a lot of the information out there is still vague. For example, rumor has it that the bill will provide an $8000 credit for first time home buyers that purchase a home before December 1, 2009. No one has been able to tell me yet if that means they need to close the transaction before December 1 or simply have an offer accepted.
Here is what we do know. A first time homebuyer is defined as someone who has not owned property in the past three years. There are income restrictions; the credit is available to individuals making $75,000 a year or less or couples making $150,000 or less per year. As a tax credit, this should not be confused with grants or closing cost assistance. The tax credit will be taken in 2010 when homebuyers file their income tax returns for 2009.
I had wished that the bill will include all home buyers, not just first time home buyers. You see, in Rochester we have a shortage of inventory. I am currently working with 4 first time homebuyers that are looking in the $130,000 to $150,000 range and they are having a difficult time finding homes to look at much less purchase. One couple, in particular, had 4 houses purchased out from under them, several before they even were able to go see them and one before they could do a second walk through. I do believe that a credit to all buyers would motivate more sellers to move up or even down size.Why is that good? Well, of course it means a payday for me but there are many other individuals that derive their income from the housing market, i.e., inspectors, appraisers, attorneys, surveyors, mortgage loan officers, title companies, etc. The government makes a few dollars as well with transfer tax, mortgage tax, recording fees, etc. and most new home owners pump additional dollars into the economy by hanging out at Lowes, Home Depot and other home improvement shops as well as potentially buying furniture, curtains and other items to make that house their home. In other words, a good real estate market stimulates the economy.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Getting a Mortgage in 2009
I am running into buyers that cannot be convinced to sit down with a mortgage loan officer to be pre-approved for financing early in the home searching process. Perhaps if I share a true life story about getting a mortgage in 2009, they will be more receptive to my nagging!
A client that I've worked with for several years was pre-approved for financing with a score approaching 800. During the time that he was shopping around for investment property, he made a major purchase on a deferred payment plan. The payment plan was a new line of credit and adversely effected his credit score by 70 points! He no longer qualified for the mortgage because his credit score was 7 points too low and he was stunned. He assumed that because he paid all his bills on time his credit was excellent. To make this even harder to understand, this buyer has enough cash in the bank to make a cash purchase but the lenders absolutely will not give him a mortgage.
In another situation, I had a client who's credit card company simply reduced the line of credit because of the credit crunch. Initially, my client was not the least bit concerned because she doesn't carry high balances but when she applied for a mortgage, she didn't qualify for as good of a rate as she had three months earlier. Her credit scores increased significantly because the reduction in the line of credit meant suddenly she had a higher debt ratio to credit available. It was the same effect as if she had made a major purchase on credit but this was totally not a result of her actions!!!!
There are many things that effect the FICO score that is used to qualify an individual for financing. Payment history is very important but so is the amount of debt owed as well as the number of new credit accounts opened and the length of the credit history. And from time to time, I still run into buyers that do not have any credit history which makes it just as difficult to get a mortgage as bad credit.
If you are thinking about buying real estate and have not recently won the lottery, please, please, pretty please start the process with a meeting with a mortgage loan officer. Not only will you avoid waisting a lot of time, you will be much less likely to have surprises and disappointments when you find a property that you want to purchase.
A client that I've worked with for several years was pre-approved for financing with a score approaching 800. During the time that he was shopping around for investment property, he made a major purchase on a deferred payment plan. The payment plan was a new line of credit and adversely effected his credit score by 70 points! He no longer qualified for the mortgage because his credit score was 7 points too low and he was stunned. He assumed that because he paid all his bills on time his credit was excellent. To make this even harder to understand, this buyer has enough cash in the bank to make a cash purchase but the lenders absolutely will not give him a mortgage.
In another situation, I had a client who's credit card company simply reduced the line of credit because of the credit crunch. Initially, my client was not the least bit concerned because she doesn't carry high balances but when she applied for a mortgage, she didn't qualify for as good of a rate as she had three months earlier. Her credit scores increased significantly because the reduction in the line of credit meant suddenly she had a higher debt ratio to credit available. It was the same effect as if she had made a major purchase on credit but this was totally not a result of her actions!!!!
There are many things that effect the FICO score that is used to qualify an individual for financing. Payment history is very important but so is the amount of debt owed as well as the number of new credit accounts opened and the length of the credit history. And from time to time, I still run into buyers that do not have any credit history which makes it just as difficult to get a mortgage as bad credit.
If you are thinking about buying real estate and have not recently won the lottery, please, please, pretty please start the process with a meeting with a mortgage loan officer. Not only will you avoid waisting a lot of time, you will be much less likely to have surprises and disappointments when you find a property that you want to purchase.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Rochester Best Buy: 1165 Bay Street
Here's a house that definitely should be sale pending! This 3 bedroom colonial with finished basement needs painting and other cosmetics but is a steal at the current list price of $63,000. Details and inside photos at Bay St .
What makes this such a good deal? Similar properties in this neighborhood have sold for prices in the $73,000 to $83,000 range. Here are the recent sales: Customer Full Report
For an appointment, give me a call at 585-756-7457.
Mary
Sunday, January 25, 2009
New York State Property Taxes
This should come as no surprise. New York homeowners pay highest property taxes in nation
According to a recent report by the Washington-based Tax Foundation, New Yorkers are saddled with the highest property tax burden in the nation. The counties paying the highest actual property taxes in the nation are Westchester and Nassau with average burdens nearing $8,000 per year. Monroe County ranks 80th in the nation with an average tax bill of $3,486.
An interesting twist to the data is that when taxes are compared to their homes' value, Monroe County ranks 5th in the nation with median real estate taxes running at 2.84% of median home values. Neighboring Orleans County tops the list!! I guess the eternal optimists in me wants to report this as good news. I mean, we could be paying more than a quarter of a million dollars for a starter home and have huge taxes too.
Anyway, I'm working with a reporter who is doing a story about the impact on the local real estate market of Governor Patterson's proposal to eliminate the STAR rebate checks. If you have some thoughts to share on this subject, either leave a comment on the blog (with contact information) or send me an e-mail at MShelsby@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you.
According to a recent report by the Washington-based Tax Foundation, New Yorkers are saddled with the highest property tax burden in the nation. The counties paying the highest actual property taxes in the nation are Westchester and Nassau with average burdens nearing $8,000 per year. Monroe County ranks 80th in the nation with an average tax bill of $3,486.
An interesting twist to the data is that when taxes are compared to their homes' value, Monroe County ranks 5th in the nation with median real estate taxes running at 2.84% of median home values. Neighboring Orleans County tops the list!! I guess the eternal optimists in me wants to report this as good news. I mean, we could be paying more than a quarter of a million dollars for a starter home and have huge taxes too.
Anyway, I'm working with a reporter who is doing a story about the impact on the local real estate market of Governor Patterson's proposal to eliminate the STAR rebate checks. If you have some thoughts to share on this subject, either leave a comment on the blog (with contact information) or send me an e-mail at MShelsby@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Million Dollar Real Estate
It's a new year and time for new dreams.
Just a few years ago, it was very rare to find a property for sale in the Rochester area for $1,000,000 or more. Currently, there are more than 30 listings of luxury homes with a million dollar or higher price tag. And with today's difficult economic climate, these prices are dropping faster than a brick out of a 3rd floor window.
Here is a link to current Million Dollar Listings. Enjoy and stay warm!
Just a few years ago, it was very rare to find a property for sale in the Rochester area for $1,000,000 or more. Currently, there are more than 30 listings of luxury homes with a million dollar or higher price tag. And with today's difficult economic climate, these prices are dropping faster than a brick out of a 3rd floor window.
Here is a link to current Million Dollar Listings. Enjoy and stay warm!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Rochester Real Estate - The Year in Review
Happy New Year Everyone! This is a perfect time of the year to reflect back and plan for the future. As I look back over 2008, the thing that keeps coming to mind is "The Day the Phone Stopped Ringing!" Literally! I was having a little slower than average year with about 20 sales when suddenly, around September 1, 2008 no one wanted to look at real estate, no one wanted to sell real estate, no one even wanted to talk about real estate.
Things have improved, somewhat. Since Thanksgiving 2008, I've been busy. I showed property the day before Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve (two different clients) and even to three different clients this week and just about every day in between. My phone is ringing like crazy. Buy I'm not selling property. People are skittish! Buyers are not writing and when they do, the offers are so low that the sellers aren't biting. And sellers are wanting more for their property than they will probably get. It is tough to make a living in real estate these days.
The other striking thing about 2008, was how difficult it was to work with the banks. My first canceled contract came the first week of January in which the bank simply changed its mind about giving a mortgage for a two family property because it was in a neighborhood zoned low-density residential. It was sad as the family had everything packed and were ready to move when the bank backed out. Some of the other frustrations came from banks requiring two appraisals on properties owned less than 6 months and a few incidences of the appraiser acting more like an inspector. Some of the bank changes are good. An individual should have a job and a history of paying their bills on time before a bank loans them a ton of money. That only makes sense.
There was, fortunately, more to 2008 than our financial crisis. I got to work with lots of wonderful people. I got to help young couples like Megan & Ev, Marci & Paul and Lynn & Jason purchase their first homes. I helped several families transition from a long time residence to something new. And I worked with numerous investors that decided they liked the return on real estate much better than the stock market. I guess more than anything, I feel like I made lots of new friends this year as I assisted them with their real estate business. It's not been an easy year, but very rewarding, if not financial.
I'm headed to North Carolina for a little R&R with my husband, Jim, but best wishes to you and yours for the New Year. Please don't hesitate to call if I can assist with your 2009 real estate needs.
Things have improved, somewhat. Since Thanksgiving 2008, I've been busy. I showed property the day before Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve (two different clients) and even to three different clients this week and just about every day in between. My phone is ringing like crazy. Buy I'm not selling property. People are skittish! Buyers are not writing and when they do, the offers are so low that the sellers aren't biting. And sellers are wanting more for their property than they will probably get. It is tough to make a living in real estate these days.
The other striking thing about 2008, was how difficult it was to work with the banks. My first canceled contract came the first week of January in which the bank simply changed its mind about giving a mortgage for a two family property because it was in a neighborhood zoned low-density residential. It was sad as the family had everything packed and were ready to move when the bank backed out. Some of the other frustrations came from banks requiring two appraisals on properties owned less than 6 months and a few incidences of the appraiser acting more like an inspector. Some of the bank changes are good. An individual should have a job and a history of paying their bills on time before a bank loans them a ton of money. That only makes sense.
There was, fortunately, more to 2008 than our financial crisis. I got to work with lots of wonderful people. I got to help young couples like Megan & Ev, Marci & Paul and Lynn & Jason purchase their first homes. I helped several families transition from a long time residence to something new. And I worked with numerous investors that decided they liked the return on real estate much better than the stock market. I guess more than anything, I feel like I made lots of new friends this year as I assisted them with their real estate business. It's not been an easy year, but very rewarding, if not financial.
I'm headed to North Carolina for a little R&R with my husband, Jim, but best wishes to you and yours for the New Year. Please don't hesitate to call if I can assist with your 2009 real estate needs.
Monday, December 22, 2008
It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!
Santa's sled should have no problem swooping from roof top to roof top here in the Rochester area as we have about 2 feet of snow on the ground. And once he gets inside, boy what treasures for his eyes! I put out an invite to my former clients and all blog readers to submit photos of their holiday decoration, and boy, what a treat it has been.
I received several entries from Mendon, including this nicely decorated fireplace in a beautiful farmhouse on Lanning Road from Jeff and Jeanne. Another Mendon family put their angels in front of the tree instead of on the tree. Lexie, Addy and Mia look gorgeous in front of the tree, don't you agree?The furthermost entry received was from Wanakena, NY in the Adirondacks. Patty and Roy reported that they simply decorate their fence and the local deer pose as ornaments!
I also received an entry from the very block in which I live. Vern and Joan sent a very nice photo of their Alberta spruce they decorated in their yard. And my neighbors Geri and Joe invited me over to photograph their beautiful home all decked out for the annual Sector 6 Holiday Buffet.
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Fran and Pat (yes, the one and only from http://www.patandfran.com/ fame!) from the neighborhood of the arts e-mailed me a beautiful photo of their Christmas tree. It's been several years since I've been inside their home so it was nice to get a glimpse of it from the photo. I received several entries from the suburbs as well! Mark and Tricia of Mumford sent a photo of their beautiful red Isaac Memorial Tree which they set up in memory of their beautiful baby boy who went to Heaven before his first Christmas.
From Gates, Juanita and Derrick sent this photo of the beautiful table setting for the holidays. Boy, doesn't that look like a great spot to spend Christmas dinner?
Giovanni & Elizabeth also sent in a photo of a very beautiful Christmas tree set up in their home in Greece. Giovanni, a fairly recent U.S. citizen, is from Cuba and some day I'd like to tell his story of arriving in the U.S. on a small boat and making a very nice life for himself and his family here. 
My very favorite Christmas tree photo was taken at L.David Salon in East Rochester, which by the way, is a great place to go if you need to get spiffed up for your New Year celebration or any other celebration, for that matter. And now, the moment everyone has been waiting for. As promised, I put all the names in a hat and had a random drawing for a $50 gift certificate to the restaurant of their choice. And the winner is.....
Pat and Fran Reed! Congratulations. And to everyone else, thank you for taking the time during this busy season to e-mail photos to me and better luck next year.
Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season.
Mary Shelsby
Monday, December 01, 2008
Buying and Selling Real Estate During the Holiday Season
It is a question that comes up a lot this time of year, “should we keep our house on the market through the holidays?” One for thing is certain, you have a much better chance of selling it if it is on the market than off. That being said, keep in mind that there are fewer home shoppers during late November and the month of December. Those that are out there are generally pretty serious shoppers. Another consideration in making this decision is how do you feel about keeping your home in ready-to-show condition throughout the holiday season?
The holiday season can be a great time to buy a house if you are willing to squeeze house shopping into your busy schedule. Just last year, I negotiated nearly $50,000 off the asking price of a waterfront property during Thanksgiving weekend and for another client submitted an aggressive purchase offer on Christmas Eve for an East Ave condo that was accepted without a counter. In both of these instances, the properties had been on the market for a while and the sellers had moved on to new homes and not interested in maintaining the property over the cold winter months. Not all sellers are that eager to sell but there are good deals to be had over the holidays.
If you are interested in buying or selling real estate during the holiday season, please don’t hesitate to give me a call.
The holiday season can be a great time to buy a house if you are willing to squeeze house shopping into your busy schedule. Just last year, I negotiated nearly $50,000 off the asking price of a waterfront property during Thanksgiving weekend and for another client submitted an aggressive purchase offer on Christmas Eve for an East Ave condo that was accepted without a counter. In both of these instances, the properties had been on the market for a while and the sellers had moved on to new homes and not interested in maintaining the property over the cold winter months. Not all sellers are that eager to sell but there are good deals to be had over the holidays.
If you are interested in buying or selling real estate during the holiday season, please don’t hesitate to give me a call.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Let's Have Some Fun! Contest Time....Send me your photos.
By submitting a photo, you do give me permission to publish the shot here on the my blog. Hopefully the photos will help generate some decorating ideas for those like me that are challenged by such artistic endeavors. So let’s show the world just how nicely Rochesterarians know how to deck the halls for the holidays! Entries should be submitted by e-mail to MShelsby@gmail.com but please put "Deck the Halls Contest" in the subject line.Monday, November 24, 2008
"Let's Say Thanks" In support of our troops
I found a wonderful web site and since it is Thanksgiving week, it is an especially good time to visit it. It is designed to allow the public to send postcards to the troops overseas. The post cards were designed by school children across the country and they are adorable. You choose a design, then choose a message or write one of your own, then hit the send button. Xerox then takes care of printing the card and delivering it to our troops from all military branches on active duty around the globe. The site also will allow you to download one of the postcards so you can mail it yourself to s specific person. Check it out at: http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1024.html And a super thanks to Emily Carpenter for pointing out this site!
Lots to be thankful for this year! I love my career in real estate and the many families I get to work with when they are buying and selling houses. And I am very thankful of my husband, for his love and his support of my career. Without him, I couldn't do what I do in real estate. As a cancer survivor, I am very thankful for my current good health. I'm thankful for Mayor Duffy and all his efforts to make Rochester an even better place. And I'm so very thankful of digital cameras so that I can take as many photos as it takes to occasionally get a good one.
And you? What are you thankful for this year?
Have a safe and fun holiday.
Lots to be thankful for this year! I love my career in real estate and the many families I get to work with when they are buying and selling houses. And I am very thankful of my husband, for his love and his support of my career. Without him, I couldn't do what I do in real estate. As a cancer survivor, I am very thankful for my current good health. I'm thankful for Mayor Duffy and all his efforts to make Rochester an even better place. And I'm so very thankful of digital cameras so that I can take as many photos as it takes to occasionally get a good one.
And you? What are you thankful for this year?
Have a safe and fun holiday.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
What's all the Twitter About Twitter?
Do you twitter? I'm trying! I just signed up this morning and so looking for twitter pointers. Right now I've got one follower. It's Barack Obama! I guess things have slowed way down since the elections because I got a notice that he was following me about 30 minutes after I signed up to twitter. How's that for big brother watching over your shoulder!
Anyway, I'm serious. My Twitter handle is MaryShelsby. Real creative, huh? Look me up. Follow me. Better yet, lead me because I don't know what the heck I'm doing!
Got to run. Doing an open house in Webster today. Stop by if you get chance. I'll be at 1175 Channing Woods Dr. Here is a list of all the opens in Webster today: Webster Open Houses 11/23/08
Stay Warm!!! It feels like February out there!
Anyway, I'm serious. My Twitter handle is MaryShelsby. Real creative, huh? Look me up. Follow me. Better yet, lead me because I don't know what the heck I'm doing!
Got to run. Doing an open house in Webster today. Stop by if you get chance. I'll be at 1175 Channing Woods Dr. Here is a list of all the opens in Webster today: Webster Open Houses 11/23/08
Stay Warm!!! It feels like February out there!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
A Winter Blanket
Some of my least favorite words in Rochester are "Lake Affect!" Well, we've had some lake affect over the past few days which left a nice blanket on Nathaniel Rochester. Photo taken at the Sculpture "Reflecting," located at South Avenue and Alexandria Streets, in the South Wedge.
For more information about Nathaniel Rochester and his interesting life, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Rochester
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Difficult Economic Times
Usually, I can hardly wait to check my e-mail. You might say I'm an e-mail-holic! But it seems that in the past few weeks, I've found more bad news e-mails than good news e-mail. And pretty much all of the bad news has to do with employment, or more accurately, lack of it. All the scary news on television starts to hit home when you hear from a recent client that they no longer have a job or from another that is concerned about the stability of the company he works for. One client I'm very worried about. She is a CPA with excellent experience in the non-profit sector...if you know of an employment opportunity, please let me know so that I might pass the job lead on to her.
Rochester's real estate market has slowed down pretty dramatically. I'm still looking for my first November sale, and so if you know someone looking to buy or sell real estate let me know. I've had plenty of idle time on my hands to dream up interesting thank you gifts for your referrals. :-)
Home are still selling in Rochester. I did a quick check of the MLS, and there has been 841 single family homes put on the market since November 1. Of those listings, 31 have gone pending in the first 17 days of the month and two new builds have have already closed. In addition, 2 of the properties have been withdrawn from the market. That means there are 806 fresh listings out there and one of them could be just perfect for you!
Rochester's real estate market has slowed down pretty dramatically. I'm still looking for my first November sale, and so if you know someone looking to buy or sell real estate let me know. I've had plenty of idle time on my hands to dream up interesting thank you gifts for your referrals. :-)
Home are still selling in Rochester. I did a quick check of the MLS, and there has been 841 single family homes put on the market since November 1. Of those listings, 31 have gone pending in the first 17 days of the month and two new builds have have already closed. In addition, 2 of the properties have been withdrawn from the market. That means there are 806 fresh listings out there and one of them could be just perfect for you!
Friday, November 07, 2008
M&T Bank Offers Up to $7500 for First Time Home Buyers!
Usually, the first home is the most difficult to buy. In most cases, you must still pay rent while trying to pull together the funds needed for closing costs and down payment. Well, M & T Bank has a very nice program to help low and moderate income buyers save for a down payment.
The M & T First Home Club is a savings plan in which participants must make a monthly deposit into a M & T savings account and the bank will match those funds $4 for every dollar deposited up to $7500! The program is a 10 month to 24 month program and participants must also participate in HUD approved homeownership education program. Many of the education programs also provide credit counseling and so this could be a good option for a potential homeowner that needs some time to clean up their credit report. There are income requirements to participate in the program. For this program, a first time home buyers is defined as someone who has not owned a home for the past three years.
If you know someone that might be interested in this program, have them call me. My cell phone is the best way to reach me: 414-5513
The M & T First Home Club is a savings plan in which participants must make a monthly deposit into a M & T savings account and the bank will match those funds $4 for every dollar deposited up to $7500! The program is a 10 month to 24 month program and participants must also participate in HUD approved homeownership education program. Many of the education programs also provide credit counseling and so this could be a good option for a potential homeowner that needs some time to clean up their credit report. There are income requirements to participate in the program. For this program, a first time home buyers is defined as someone who has not owned a home for the past three years.
If you know someone that might be interested in this program, have them call me. My cell phone is the best way to reach me: 414-5513
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
When Things Don't Work Out
One of the very best things about being a real estate agent, is turning over the keys to excited buyers at closing. There is always such optimism about the new beginning.
But sometimes things don't work out to be happy ever after, especially in today's economic climate. I just noticed a listing for a house I just sold a couple of years ago. It sold for $127,500 but is now being offered at $114,000 subject to short sale (the bank agreeing to a shortage.) This is sad for those buyers but could be a good opportunity for the new buyer. If you are interested in a large split level on a very quiet cul de sac in West Irondequoit, check this out and give me a call Rochesters Best Homes.com.
Hopefully the new lending guidelines will keep history from repeating itself.
Speaking of lending, big news today is that rates have dropped significantly. There are many good programs out there, especially for first time homebuyers including the $7,500 tax credit. If you know anyone on the fence about buying, have them call me today. 585-414-5513
But sometimes things don't work out to be happy ever after, especially in today's economic climate. I just noticed a listing for a house I just sold a couple of years ago. It sold for $127,500 but is now being offered at $114,000 subject to short sale (the bank agreeing to a shortage.) This is sad for those buyers but could be a good opportunity for the new buyer. If you are interested in a large split level on a very quiet cul de sac in West Irondequoit, check this out and give me a call Rochesters Best Homes.com.
Hopefully the new lending guidelines will keep history from repeating itself.
Speaking of lending, big news today is that rates have dropped significantly. There are many good programs out there, especially for first time homebuyers including the $7,500 tax credit. If you know anyone on the fence about buying, have them call me today. 585-414-5513
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