Are We There Yet? Summer Travel Tips for WNY Parents... By Colleen Kulikowski It is the summer travel season and car trips (and plane trips too) and traveling with antsy children. It doesn't matter if you are just going twenty minutes or spending several hours heading to Rochester or Elmira traveling with kids can be stressful. It seems that "Are we there yet?" has been issued already more times than your nerves can handle. I feel your pain. I have now the joy of older children and they have iPods, DVD's and the laptop computer to keep them occupied. The best $500 investment years ago was the behind the seat DVD player with headsets. Parents today can pick one up for considerably less. If you are planning a car trip this Holiday season with the kids, here are a few suggestions, on thing... 05/31/2008

Replacement Windows in your WNY homes future? By Colleen Kulikowski •  Category: Home Improvement Do you need Replacement Windows? Are you thinking about Replacement Windows in your WNY home?  Here are some quick facts for any consumer thinking about purchasing and installing replacement windows.  At first glance they seem to be simple pieces of glass placed in the wall, but closer attention will bring to light important details. Energy Savings According to the U.S. Department of Energy, leaky windows account for 25 percent of the average household energy bill. The Energy Department says homeowners can cut electricity costs by about 15 percent if they install Energy Star rated windows. Noise reduction Double-pane glass windows reduce noise pollution. Double-pane windows have up to one i... 05/29/2008

Western New York is a wonderful place to live. There are so many wonderful places to see! Why not come and explore the beauty and wonder of Western New York this summer? If you are interested in more information about owning a home in Western New York, call me! There are so many wonderful things that you will find here in Western New York and enjoy if given the chance to explore it! Call me at (716) 990-7384 today for information regarding living here in Western New York. 05/24/2008

Now to the positive news of Western New York: The Upstate New York metropolitan areas of Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse rank in the top five best mid-sized cities for relocating families, according to a new study.   In cities with population of 600,000 to 1.3 million, Syracuse ranked second, followed by Rochester with Buffalo placing fifth. None of the Upstate markets ranked in the top five a year ago.   Read More >>>> Tonight, the Bandits held off Portland 14-13 to win the National Lacrosse League's Champion's Cup, the world championship of professional lacrosse, down at HSBC Arena.  Read More >>>> Jim Locke and his late wife Mary started a garden at 75 Lancaster Avenue in Buffalo. After Mary lost her battle to cancer, a few years went by and Annabelle Irey appeared on the scene, brin... 05/18/2008

 How to have a successful WNY Real Estate Flip There was a time when you could purchase any home, do minor painting and turn it around 30 days later making a heafty profit. In case you hadn't noticed, those days are over. Does that mean that you cannot make a profit in Real Estate investment? Not necessarily, but it means that you will need to make informed decisions that make sound financial sense.   {More»}Active Listings  -  Niagara Falls Home For Sale - 1821 North Avenue Niagara Falls NY 14305» Here is a great opportunity to purchase a home in Niagara Falls for $30,000. This Niagara Falls home features 3 bedrooms, 1 bath home, vinyl siding and hardwood floors.Sell my WNY Home  -  Why You May Need a Price Reduction on your WNY home» Is it time to reduce your Western New York home's p... 04/20/2008

From the Desk of Don Draughn, Professional Mortgage ConsultantWebsite:  http://ahfmortgage.elliemae.net/ddraughn Over the last year, the mortgage industry has gone through a tremendous amount of turmoil.  Some banks cut back drastically on the loan programs they offered.  Others added some more stable loan products to replace the ones they discontinued.  Still other banks just went out of business all together.  For some people, it is hard to know if purchasing their first home is even possible.  Hopefully, the next few paragraphs will be useful to help the First Time Home Buyer wade through all the mire and muck of mortgage lending and give them the opportunity to realize the American Dream of home ownership.What should the First Time Home Buyer be prepared for when applying for a mort... 02/15/2008

 I've done my part in the past ten days or so to make rich oil executives richer. My real estate business has taken me on numerous road trips that have included Bethany, several trips to LeRoy, Mt. Morris, a couple times around Conesus Lake and one trip to Honeoye Lake. I'm getting to know Avon very well, as well as Scottsville and Caledonia. I've been all over the city of Rochester and surrounding suburbs. It's been such a whirlwind there were a couple of times I could not remember where I was the day before. I shutter to think what my gasoline bill will be this month.Anyway, there has also been a lot of wheeling and dealing going on and it has included a bunch of strange stuff. For example, I have buyers that put an offer in on a nice property that's been on the market all summer. The... 07/22/2007