Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Skaneateles Real Estate - The Weekly Update

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 adorable, came on.  A fourth listing was for a house with lake rights, positioned under $400,000.  The remainder were re-lists, with freshening or some reduction in price.

Three houses are newly contingent, bringing the total number of all homes waiting to close to 33, a fairly high number.  Of the three, two were on the market less than two weeks when they received their offers.   This is great news for everyone.

And of course, which is so lovely to say, we have another property that closed this week.  It was located in the town and sold for about 12% off its original list price.

What will next week bring?  Stay tuned! And have a peaceful and happy Memorial Day!


A Reminder

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 married.  He attended our shower, a shower I had protested against but am now so glad I gave into having, in early May.  Then the doctor's appointments started.  Alex graduated from Mary Washington College the next weekend and we checked train schedules in case Bob had to get back quickly.  Mr. C passed away on Tuesday, the calling hours were Thursday, funeral Friday and we were married on Saturday.  He was going to walk me down the aisle, but instead we had a ton more guests than originally planned.

So Sean's article hit me.  I look at the photos now - my aunts and one of Bob's are gone, as is my mother.  Alex's best friend passed away in the interim too - we didn't know he was sick until later that summer.  Cheri and Wayne McDonald catered our wedding reception, adjusting to an extra fifty guests without a blink.  Wayne is gone, too.  Our home holds those memories, just as Sean described.

This week we welcomed a baby into the world, my brother- and sister-in-law's first grandbaby, Jason.  Stop in to Hobby House and tell them congratulations if you get a chance.  The baby's father was on his way home from Afghanistan for the birth and didn't make it in time - Jason had other plans apparently.  But he's there now, and a new generation has begun.


So as you buy houses and sell houses, prices are of course important as are the conditions of the house and all the legal and financial work that goes into the process - but they are also homes.  Homes in which people have lived or will live.  Where memories are made and forgotten.  Thank you, Sean, for reminding me.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Skaneateles Real Estate - The Weekly Update

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 returned to the market after a hiatus, possibly because of winter or renting or to re-freshen the numbers.

There is nothing new in the contingent, under contract or pending statuses - 31 homes are waiting to remove contingencies or close.

But once again, two more houses have sold and closed, bringing the year's total to an amazing 29 homes.  One sold at a markedly low price, but it was in need of work.  The other needed nothing, a gorgeous village home.
Last year at this time there were only 16 closed sales.  It took us until July 16th of 2011 to get to 29 closings. We made up for it some in August, but if the summer closings continue (and I have a couple that will add to this number) then we will have a record year.  But then again - it could all just stop.

Interesting figure - the median list price of the first 29 homes that closed last year was $275,000.  This year it's $279,000 - hardly a huge swing. (Thank you, JT, for keeping this in my mind!)

So go now - rates are incredibly low!  Keep all of us Realtors busy!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Skaneateles Real Estate - The Weekly Update

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 on the lake, ready for your architect to design the camp of your dreams, on a dead end road (hate to say cul-de-sac because it gives it a different flavor - there aren't cul-de-sacs in the Adirondacks, are there?).  This one has steps, because that's the way it is on the Southwest side of the lake - but only 17.  The lot is on a wooded hillside - think decks and walk-outs - next to a stream.  Recently perked and ready to be built on.

This is the view - oh my!  The price is $179,900.  You could be in by the fall - or relaxing on this decking by June!  Watch the lighting of the lake on the Third!  Come on down! Firelane 16A in Cayuga County, about 10 miles down the lake on the west side - just follow my signs.  ML#S271935.

There are currently 96 active single family homes in the Skaneateles area of the multiple listing service.  Of these, 25 are in the village and 26 are considered waterfront.  This past week 5 new listings came on the market, all in the higher price bracket.  Two are waterfront - one above $500,000 and the other below.  Two stately  homes came on just outside the village - one above $500,000 and the other just below.  Another home with 25 acres and in the Jordan-Elbridge school district also entered the market.

Homes are selling, too.  There are 34 (an unheard of number) houses under some form of contract.  Three were new - two from the Village and one waterfront.  There are the trends.  Village and Waterfront.

Again, two more homes closed, bringing the year-to-date number to 27.  Waterfront and village - amazing.  We are doing well - hooray!

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Skaneateles Real Estate - The Weekly Update

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 and 26 are waterfront.  We are still far under last year's numbers of active listings.  Two new homes came on the market this week, and two others were re-listed.  The new ones are both in the upper $200,000s, one in the village and the other with lake rights in the town.

In the under contract category there are 30 homes - the highest number I can remember seeing in these blogging years.  Four new ones went contingent, coincidentally (or not) all Village homes too.  Their prices range from the mid-$100,000 to almost $600,000 - at least those are the published list prices.

We now have 25 closed properties so far this year.  One of the smaller ones closed, and not in the Village.  This bodes well for 1650 Coon Hill - one less competitive home.  Check out more photos online - the ML# is S261632.  See you this Sunday!