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Buffalo, NY Real Estate News

By Lee Ann Obenauer
(Metro Roberts Realty)
You have made the decision to put your home on the market.  Now its time to make it shine from top to bottom.   Nothing turns a buyer off more than a dirty home.  Take a moment to step outside your home and re-enter it as if you were a seller.  Look in all of those corners. Are there spiderwebs?  Do the baseboards need to be wiped down?  Make a list as you walk through your home.  If you don't think you can be objective about your own home, ask a friend or family member who will be brutally honest with you to walk through you home.  After you have made your list. Tackle one room at a time.  Give all of those nooks and crannies a wipe.  People will notice. Take some time to organize the closet and get rid of those things you are not using. Edit, edit, edit.  Do you have too much furnitur...
Comments 5
By Lee Ann Obenauer
(Metro Roberts Realty)
In this age of technology, it is not always necessary for a buyers agents to do a formal presentation of an offer.  In many markets this can be accomplished by faxing or e-mailing over the contract.  Some agents feel the need to present their offers to the sellers in person in order to give a biography of the buyer.  I have even gotten a two page letter outlining the "here's your life" story of the buyer. In most instances knowing the background of the buyer does not make a difference to anyone. What really matters is the offer, qualification and closing date.  Usually this biography is used to sugar coat what is really a low offer.  The agent thinks that by giving you a heart warming story you will some how feel the need to lower your price by $20,000.  It never works. In the long run ...
Comments 9
By Lee Ann Obenauer
(Metro Roberts Realty)
Congressman Higgins has sent a letter to Bass Pro executives giving them 14 days to either move forward with building Bass Pro or Buffalo is moving on without them.  Its about time someone put their foot down and got things rolling.  I am not much into politics, but what I do know is that if you want something done in Buffalo, get Brian Higgins involved.  He is a man of his word and gets things done.  I have no opinion on whether Bass Pro would be good or bad for Buffalo, but what I do know is that we can certainly move forward without them.  There are plenty of other retail anchors that would draw people down to Buffalo to shop.  Ikea would be a great idea.  The closest one is near Toronto.  Many of my family and friends plan day long outings to go there.  It is very popular and custom...
Comments 4
Home staging is a relatively new concept in WNY, funny how we here in Buffalo are such "cool", friendly, "with-it" people and yet how few know the benefits of home staging.  I am going to guide you through the benefits of home staging to all concerned. For Realtor's it is a tool to help you get listings above your competition.  Imagine if on your team or if you are a single. great producer you show up at a listing with your home stager as part of the team?  Do you look more professional?  Yes!  Does it complete your professional image?  Yes!  So now, let's delve into how it works for you and your seller, The home should be staged before it ever goes on the market, first impressions are lasting, remember that from RE 101?  Also keep in mind that your initial cost of home staging is ALWAY...
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By Peter Twain
(Progress)
This is an upper/lower multi-family home which can easily be changed to a single family. Easily accomodate single-family living or upstairs tenants. Good for growing family or for income property. Needs interior work (wash smoke-filled walls, dust, paint ceilings and some walls, rugs need to be replaced or deep-cleaned). Lived in for 20+ years by single male smoker and well-taken care of except dusting/washing/painting inside. Hasn't rented upper in years, upstairs needs work. Dark hardwood floors and paneling downstairs in nice condition. Large tiled kitchen, lots of cupboards, archway to living room. Includes appliances and may include some furniture. Owner looking to move out-of-state. Doesn't want to deal with tenants. Fenced in yard and driveway. 2 Car garage in great condition and...
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By Captain Wayne - Rowlett Real Estate School, Rowlett Real Estate School / Owner and Instructor
(Rowlett Real Estate School)
We invite you to visit the best New York Real Estate School.  Our New York Real Estate Courses are fully accredited and approved. Our New York real estate school is one of the leading online Real Estate Schools in New York offering the best prices for NY online real estate courses available.  Licensed Instructors are available to assist you with your  New York Real Estate course and New York real estate license. The secret to passing the New York real estate license exam is in knowing exactly what is most important to the regulators and knowing the right information to pass the exam. Our first time passing rates meet or exceed any other provider including in-class instruction.http://www.rowlettcareerschool.com/ny-new-york.htm  Our New York online real estate school offers pre and post ...
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By Colleen Irwin, Creative Real Estate Solutions...
(Retired)
Real Estate Answers Real Estate can be confusing for even the most experienced Real Estate Investor. So just imagine how hard it can be for home buyers and sellers! This site is dedicated to assisting you in making those important Real Estate decisions. Buyers that are purchasing for the first time, homeowners looking to move into a larger home or those that are looking to downsizing. How are you going to finance the purchase, deciding on a neighborhood and understanding the new tax credit. Home sellers have many questions from why they may want to seek out the services of a Realtor or go it alone. Should you stage your home? What is my home worth? How should I price my home? Perhaps you are a home seller that has their listing with another Realtor and your listing is about to expire. ...
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By Colleen Irwin, Creative Real Estate Solutions...
(Retired)
Spring means Baseball in WNY! Sports fans in Western New York look forward to the changes in the seasons, it means another sport to cheer!  With Spring it means that it is time for all good Western New York Sports fans to turn their attention to Baseball! Buffalo Bisons Opening Day is April 9th!  Download the 2009 Schedule here Sports Related BLOGS in Western New York to check out: 38 Pitches BfloBlog Buffalo News Inside Pitch Buffalo Sports Stampede Die by the Blade Sports and Leisure Magazine Blog Sports Buffalo Talk Baseball
Comments 4
By John Villella, General Manager - All Pro Home Inspection
(All Pro Home Inspection & Household Environmental Services, Ltd.)
Ok, I've asked this question many times in my market and now I'm tossing this survey out to everyone in this community.  What is or would be the perfect home inspector? There isn't an incorrect answer.  This isn't going to be difficult, but when were done we'll create a list of the good, the bad, and the ugly.  You might be surprised what some inspectors are doing and begin to wonder why your inspector isn't doing or providing you with the same level of service/product.  This will be a learning experience for everyone.  Remember, we all survive from referrals and please don't underestimate what a good or bad inspector/inspection can do to your future referrals. Here's the ground rules - list three or more good things your inspector does and list three or more bad things you dislike abou...
Comments 2
By Ann Edwards
(REALTY EDGE)
Hi Everyone! Ann here from Buffalo NY, land the the perpetual winter! Despite our freezing temps, our market has started to open up. Like clockwork, every year, we see our homebound buyers come out around SuperBowl. Well, it's happened again! I guess they've gotten their first charge card statements, paid them and are looking forward to their IRS refunds. It seems no matter what our market is like, like the return of the geese in Spring, our buyers return the first week in February. Wishing you all a great SPRING MARKET, know that should you have any referrals for the Buffalo area or Niagara Frontier, we here at keller Williams are ready to handle your business! Hope to hear from you soon! Ann Edwards (716)864-0777 
Comments 3
Hope you all had great weekends, Our market in Western New York seems to have opened up. We had showings galore, despite the weather and the SUPERBOWL! What we are seeing are homes selling but complications arising after. Not your usual home inspection problems, but a new twist. I sold a home last week that had been on the market for just a few days. The sellers were thrilled. The buyer was ecstatic, He went into the work for his midnight shift and told his boss proudly about his BIG news. He had just put in an offer on a home and home inspection went well! His agent called me first thing in the morning to say the check was in the mail... but she called back an hour and a half later to say no deal. Her excited buyer was told to HOLD OFF. "His boss then said... Don't buy anything right n...
Comments 4
Forbes recently released an article revealing the 25 strongest real estate markets in the nation.  Among the top on their list?  Buffalo and Rochester!  Because Buffalo and Rochester didn’t experience the housing boom that many other areas in the country faced, today their markets are still strong. These areas are especially appealing to investors, because of the low base cost of housing, strong rental market, and appreciation on property values.     From the article [here]: …housing markets in upstate New York never had the ups and downs of some hot markets in the rest of the country. In Rochester, the birthplace of industrial ancients Xerox (nyse: XRX - news - people ) and Eastman Kodak (nyse: EK - news - people ), real estate values have climbed at a steady 3% rate for the last five ...
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Warning: This is an rant editorial! Recently, the Buffalo News published an article [here] about the declining rate of home flips in the Buffalo, NY area.  The article sites stricter regulations for out of area purchasers as well as other "anti-flipping measures" that have been put in place to prevent someone from purchasing cheap real estate and immediately flipping it for a large profit. Having worked in real estate and property management, I have seen this happen a few times.  There are even some companies and agents who are well known for such practices.  I'm not calling out anyone on their ethics here, but this is a practice that should rightfully be stopped. These are the people who give out of area investors a bad name, usually slumlord. My problem is the limits the new systems p...
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By Buffalo Homes Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
(RealtyUSA)
  Forbes names Buffalo one of the 25 strongest housing markets Posted by Colleen Kulikowski in About WNY Real Estate Hey Buffalo did you hear the news?   There is good news from the National News Media!  Guess what Buffalo made a major list regarding the housing market.   Good news about the Buffalo Real Estate Market! So it helps answer the question Is this a good time to purchase a home in WNY? And the answer is yes! I repeat Buffalo was named on the Forbes list of Strongest Real Estate Markets in America! Let me repeat this...   The Buffalo area was named one of the 25 strongest housing markets in the United States! The Buffalo Area has always been the butt end of the joke in the Real Estate Market.   This isn't news to most of us in the Real Estate Business here in Western New York....
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By Buffalo Homes Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
(RealtyUSA)
Buffalo Homecoming Kickoff Meeting - January 13, 2009 - Studio Arena Theatre You know you want a piece of the action!   Grab on to Buffalo Homecoming 2009 and come along for the ride of a lifetime! On Tuesday, January 13, this fabulous event will kick off at the iconic Studio Arena Theatre. Be there between 6:00-8:00 p.m. to be entertained, enthused and to find your niche. Buffalo Homecoming, and its new counterpart Niagara Homecoming, are grassroots events that provide excellent opportunities to become engaged in the community, network with like-minded individuals and to give back and make our city and region an ever better place to work, raise a family and invest. Homecoming is for the people, by the people and needs your participation to be the best and biggest event yet, on June 25...
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By Buffalo Homes Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
(RealtyUSA)
Allentown Market Report for Single Family Homes - January Update Current Real Estate Market Conditions in Allentown: As of January 12, 2009 the Allentown Single Family Market Report is as follows: 17 active single family homes for sale with an average list price of $211,788 ranging from $45,000 to $399,900 There are two pending sale and one closed sales in the past thirty days for $119,500 after spending 11 days on the market. There are no closed sales as of today for 2009 for the Historic Allentown District of Buffalo New York. Allentown Historic Sales Data by Year: First the good news..  The average sales price is up in the historic district of Allentown in Downtown Buffalo.   And you know that I am going to follow up with some bad, the number of sales is down, the average days on th...
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By Colleen Irwin, Creative Real Estate Solutions...
(Retired)
2008 Year End Allentown Market Report for Single Family Homes Allentown Historic Sales Data by Year: First the good news..  The average sales price is up in the historic district of Allentown in Downtown Buffalo.   And you know that I am going to follow up with some bad, the number of sales is down, the average days on the market is up and highest sold for the year is down from last year's highest sold. Ready for some additional good news?   This is a cycle we have seen in the Allentown area (see chart below).   And if the cycle continues, we will see an increase in sales in 2009! Single Family Homes Year # Closed Average Closed Price Average DOM Highest Sold/DOM 2008 14 $212,428 74 $335,000/332 2007 33 $132,670 46 $390,000/164 2006 19 $135,347 54 $342,500/238 2005 23 $164,073 51 $395,0...
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By Colleen Irwin, Creative Real Estate Solutions...
(Retired)
Title: World's Largest Disco Location: Buffalo Convention Center Link out: Click here Description: 11/29/2008 9pm - 1 am This year marks the 15th anniversary of the best people watching event in WNY. Join 7000 polyester clad disco divas & Travolta wannabes at the largest retro party in the world. All proceeds benefit Camp Good Days and Special Times. The event has been featured on VH-1, CNN, Fox news & the Wall Street Journal. Come see for yourself. h/c access, $ Buffalo Niagara Convention Center Franklin & Court St., Buffalo 14203 Don't have tickets? Join the fun at the Hyatt before the event for Happy to be here Happy Hour with Buffalo Homecoming! Call for more information (716) 635-8668
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By Colleen Irwin, Creative Real Estate Solutions...
(Retired)
  Seth Godin released his latest book Tribes today...   But I was a lucky member of Triiibes (a closed group at this time)   I had gotten an advance copy and read it...  What I have learned from my participation in Triiiibes is tremendous.   I have enjoyed it and shared it with someone that will benefit from reading the book.   In honor of the release he asked the members of Triiibes to write a free ebook.   That ebook, Tribes Casebook is free to all to read.  You may find it interesting, two of the case studies are about ActiveRain. Check out the Casebook: My submission:  How to get a Tribe to accept change...   page 171 Sharon Simms:  The Active Rain Tribe page 114 Also of note: Lola Audu:  The Yellow Rose Tribe page 104   Visit my informative websites at:   www.BuffaloNiagaraRealEsta...
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By Colleen Irwin, Creative Real Estate Solutions...
(Retired)
It is in the heart of Political Season and the campaigns are starting to bore us all!   Here is a fun turn on the politics!   Buffalo New York is fighting to win back our title of Perogi Capital of the World! Click here to see pictures of Buffalo's pierogy pride.Click here to see Buffalo's video. So hurry go and vote for Buffalo NY! Note: Pierogy is a spelling provided by Mrs. T's Pierogies. Spellings vary according to Slavic language. The common Polish spellings are pierog (singular) and pierogi (plural). Read Also: Got Pierogy?  Buffalo Does! Buffalo: Pierogy Capital of US & A Help Make Buffalo the Perogi Capital of the World! Buffalo and Lancaster Compete for $10,000 and the title "Capital of the Pierogy pocket"
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