I've been lax about blogging lately, but today I came across an article I couldn't resist sharing. It was written by Steve Harney, whose insights I've shared before. I often hear negative perceptions from consumers about the market, and in many cases they're just not true. Yes, sales are down from this time last year, but back then they were artificially inflated by the home buyer tax credits. As Steve says here, there's no doubt about it, homes are selling!   Almost 14,000 Houses Sold Yesterday by The KCM Crew on May 3, 2011 One of the biggest misconceptions in today's housing market is that homes are not selling. That is simply not true. Last month's Existing Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) showed that homes were selling at an "annual rate of 5.10 million"... 05/04/2011

I recently received the following flyer in my e-mail from Chris Koch at Family First Credit Union, a mortgage professional I work with on a regular basis. I'm sure you've heard it said many times, as I have, that buying now with low interest rates does end up saving you money. This flyer is great because it shows a real life example of just how much you can save each and every month. On a $150,000 mortgage, you can pay over $550 less per month than you would have paid in 1990. That's amazing! Now really is a fantastic time to buy a home. If you want to find out how much you can afford, don't hesitate to give Chris a call at (585) 586-8225 x130, and tell him Kristen Wahl sent you!   *****   I am proud to help buyers and sellers in the Greater Rochester, New York area find their dream hom... 03/22/2011

If you enjoy live choral music and are looking for something to do on Sunday, this year's "prism concert" promises to be an enjoyable event. Look for me singing with the Eastman Rochester Chorus! Greater Rochester Choral Consortium - A Taste of Song Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre Sunday, February 27, 2011 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm The Greater Rochester Choral Consortium is pleased to announce "A Taste of Song", a FREE concert that will feature many of the area's top choral groups in one 90 minute concert. The format is unique in that each group performs for only 5 minutes in what is called a "prism" format, with groups singing from various points throughout the theater. Groups perform continuously without a break or applause between groups.  Over 800 singers will be participating, representing... 02/25/2011

As a real estate professional who is used to working in Rochester, it's interesting to experience a different side of real estate. My grandmother, who lived in the tiny town of Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas, passed away two years ago. My father is the executor of her estate. He and his siblings have been trying to sell her house in Arkansas for a year. They listed it with with a small brokerage that is pretty much the only show in town and have been waiting not-so-patiently ever since. It's amazing to me how slow the real estate market is in Horseshoe Bend. We've been lucky to get a showing every few months. The agent there assured my parents that was normal for their current, depressed market. It's mainly a town of retirees, and in the current economy people are having to wait longer and lo... 02/19/2011

Wow! It's a windy day here in the Rochester area! It's been howling outside all day long. I took my dog for a walk this morning and for once was glad he's overweight, otherwise he might have blown away! I also received a text message from one of my sellers this afternoon while I was running errands. He said that if the wind kept up my sign would probably have to be hammered in again, since it was starting to lean a little bit already. He kindly offered to do it, but it reminded me that I'll have to check all my other signs over the weekend. I don't know why, but they're designed a lot like sails; they catch every gust of wind! That got me thinking... as home sellers, what can you do to make sure stormy and/or windy days don't sidetrack your sale? Here are a few suggestions: As mentioned... 02/18/2011

It's Valentine's Day! I hope you all enjoy spending some time with your loved one, whoever that may be. Personally, I'll be spending the evening with a Valentine who is furry and drools! Valentine's Day is also a good time to ask yourself an important question... do you LOVE your home? No home is perfect. There's always something that can be done. But... are you in the right home for you at this point in your life? There's a movement in this county called right-sizing. Gone are the days of McMansions. Now, homeowners in Rochester and around the country are striving to be energy-conscious and own homes that are just the right size for them at that point in their lives, not too big and not too small. So, whether you live in a two bedroom bungalow or a 6 bedroom Colonial with an in-law apa... 02/14/2011

Are you thinking of selling your house in the City of Rochester? If so, you may want to make sure you have it on the market by mid-March so you can take advantage of this year's City Living Sundays events. City Living Sundays is a joint project of Rochester's banks, REALTORS®, community associations, and local government. The purpose of the program is to promote city home ownership in the context of not only buying a home, but also joining a neighborhood, and enjoying the advantages of urban living. The 2011 dates are as follows: MARCH 27 - Save the DateCity Living Sundays (West)T. Roosevelt School #43APRIL 3 - Save the DateCity Living Sundays (East)East High School Each day, those locations will be swarmed by prospective home buyers considering purchasing a house in the City of Rochest... 02/02/2011

If you have read any of my blogs before you know what I am going to ask.  Why are agents not using PROFESSIONAL home stagers?  Here is my latest listing at 110 Hampden that Michelle Wiest, my business partner at Stage It List It Sell It, and I staged.  The price is $79,900:   http://www.realestateshows.com/show.php?mls=basic&id=550562 01/29/2011

2011 is here! If you're considering buying a home in the Rochester area this year but aren't certain it's the right move for you, here is some fantastic advice from Steve Harney, a leading real estate blogger. In this area, our prices are remaining relatively stable, so we're even better off than most of the country! Still, this article offers some great suggestions about concentrating on the cost of your new home vs. the price. Happy New Year!    3 Questions You Must Answer Before Buying a Home by The KCM Crew on January 4, 2011 If you are thinking about purchasing a home right now, you are surely getting a lot of advice. And most of that advice is probably negative. Why buy now with prices still falling? Don't you realize real estate is no longer a good investment? Don't you know that... 01/06/2011

December 15, 2010 I hear this question a lot recently because as I write this we are in the middle of December -- prospects are saying, "it's the holidays, we don't want to be inconvenienced", no-one is buying now, it's better to wait until the spring, etc. I would suggest that this might be in fact the best time to sell.  What I find is that people this time of year are typically thinking about family, coming back to visit family and may have thoughts of moving back home and/or moving to a bigger or smaller home. No-one is buying now is another objection that I get this time of year, selling my home in Webster, NY won't be a good idea this time of year.  I would like to offer that between the 15th of December and the 31st last year there were 180 contracts that were ratified during tha... 12/16/2010

Have you ever been driving along, minding your own business, when another car comes flying up behind you and starts riding your back bumper? Sometimes, they're so close you can't even see their headlights. What do they think they're going to do, push you out of the way? Of course, being the rational human being that I am, I always do one thing when I'm being tailgated... SLOW DOWN. Yes, it actually is the safe thing to do. If I have to stop quickly and they hit me, it's safer to be going slowly. But let's face it, that's not really why I do it. I do it because they're annoying me, and it gives me satisfaction to know that I'm frustrating them. Is it the nicest thing to do? I admit that it's not. But it's human nature! That's why there's so much road rage going on in the world today. Whe... 11/27/2010

Be sure to check out the handmade zippered covers at the Craft Antique Co-op in Greece NY at only $19.90. The outside has a zippered pocket for the charger and inside is a firm backed piece with elastic in the corners to hold in your hand. Judy Adams makes them, she started because she had a customer ask her to custom make one for her - Judy didn't know what a Kindle was. So, today she mentioned she hadn't sold any yet that were not custom orders, I said, Judy, you have to go where the Kindle users go! LOL. So I took the photos and uploaded it with a little blurb. She makes the water bottle straps that are really popular, cosmetic bags and other things as well.  If you would like more information on them, let me know and I'll put you in touch with Judy. I had a serious week here in the ... 09/10/2010

There's been a lot this week about family, friends, people we love, and people we've lost. Good things and bad, hard times and uplifting times. So, I figured, I may as well get another one out on the table. Earlier this week I wrote about football, and my younger son.  My older son John played in high school too for 3 years, if you ask him about it, he'll tell you he played left bench. He was a better wrestler than football player. He is better at things that he is more independent at. But, alas, there were serious problems with the coach and suffice it to say that after a serious incident where several young men became ill and one had to be treated at a hospital - after the boys took it upon themselves to do something - a group of them resigned from the team together. Good boys, who ha... 09/08/2010

Erie Harbor design upsets some in the South Wedge Article from the democrate and chronicle Sept. 8 2010 JIM STINSON • STAFF WRITER D&C • SEPTEMBER 8, 2010 "One of Rochester's most significant residential developments is drawing criticism before construction, partially for its color scheme and modern design that have upset some South Wedge residents. Erie Harbor is a 131-unit development planned for a site along the Genesee River, just south of downtown, where River Park Commons once stood. River Park Commons, a public housing monolith, was long a sore spot in the South Wedge. Constructed in the early 1970s, it was razed last year while the new owner, Conifer Realty LLC, worked on renovating the adjacent public-housing tower, now named the Hamilton. Grumbling began about that time, when... 09/08/2010

This past Saturday was my High School Reunion. We are the class of 1970 (you can figure the math!) I am so glad I attended. I have gone to all of the reunions they've had and have really been so glad. Cardinal Mooney was a split co-ed school.  Physically, it was a "V" shaped school - a mirror image on each side. From the front, the east wing was the boys school and the west wing the girls. Heaven help the poor soul who wandered onto the wrong side! So, for the most part the girls and boys only knew each other if your friends were dating a boy/girl in your group, otherwise zip! It so happens my hubby Peter was in the class of 1969, but I never knew him until we met in 1977. We also married that year after a whirlwind 4 month romance.  ;-)  In 1980 we attended my 10th year reunion. A coup... 09/07/2010

On the front page of Yahoo, there is currently an article entitled, "Why the housing market is stalling again". It's just another reminder to me that you shouldn't always believe what you read in the national headlines. Real estate is local, and in my experience, this is not the case in Rochester! Our market did stall after the tax credits expired. That much is true. However, activity has started to swell tremendously in this area in the past few weeks. Ever since the 4th of July holiday, buyers and sellers have been coming out of the woodwork. It has been a long-anticipated boost to our local market. Homes that were sitting stagnant on the market without many showing have started to be shown again and, in many cases, receiving offers. It does a Realtor's heart good to have the phones r... 07/22/2010

The holiday weekend is quickly approaching. If you're still looking for a way to celebrate the Fourth of July, there are some fantastic fireworks displays going on around the Rochester area. The City of Rochester puts on an amazing Fourth of July Celebration. Free musical entertainment starts on the Main Street bridge at 7 p.m. on Sunday. At 10 p.m., the Rochester Philharmonic Orchesta will accompany the area's premier fireworks display. I attended last year, and it was a great event. The music and the fireworks were superb. This year, I'll be attending Henrietta's fireworks display. They always put on a great show. If you watch from the Veteran's Memorial Park on Calkins Road, you can hear the music accompanying the fireworks. There are all sorts of other displays and events throughout... 07/02/2010

  *****   I am proud to help buyers and sellers in the Greater Rochester, New York area find their dream homes. If you are considering purchasing or selling a home in the Rochester area, don't hesitate to contact me. I pride myself in providing the best possible service for my clients! When you work with me... Visit my website at www.YourNYDreamHome.com to learn more about the services I offer! Sellers: Find out how much your home is worth by requesting a FREE Home Evaluation! Buyers: Become a savvy consumer by requesting FREE Home Buying Tips! Contact:Kristen WahlRealtor Associate(585) 455-5524KWahl@RealtyUSA.com        Connect with Me On These Social Networks...           06/30/2010

Finger Lakes Real Estate The concert I enjoyed at Conesus Lake on Sunday prompted me to post about the market for waterfront homes on the Finger Lakes. It makes sense that people would tighten their belts and hold off on purchasing second homes during these difficult economic times, so how are the Finger Lakes markets faring? Here are some statistics about the eight Finger Lakes closest to the Rochester region:   Cayuga Lake Two homes have sold since the beginning of 2010. The average square footage was 1274. The average list price was $188,950, and the average sale price was $172,000. That means the average home on Cayuga Lake sold for $128/square foot so far this year. Seneca Lake Five homes have sold since the beginning of 2010. The average square footage was 975. The average list pr... 06/29/2010

Last night, I was reminded of what a fantastic place the Rochester area is in the summertime. I attended a free concert at the north end of Conesus Lake. One of my favorite bands, Girlyman, played as part of Livonia's summer concert series at Vitale Park. We all sat around on folding chairs and beach blankets, watched children playing and people swimming off their anchored boats, and listened to Girlyman's soaring harmonies. The rain even held off until just after the concert ended. It was a wonderful evening. The Vitale Park concert series is only one of a plethora of concerts offered in the Rochester area this summer. I attended a free Rusted Root concert that was part of Rochester's Party in the Park concert series several weeks ago. That series also continues throughout the summer. ... 06/28/2010