Niagara Falls Real Estate & Homes : November 2006

If I am looking for good articles perhaps...some of you are too!   One of the great benefits of this site is that we can exchange information, share and really make a difference for each other...

You see my crystal ball doesn't seem to be working lately.  I have begged and pleaded, tried bribing it, polished it, and treated it very nicely but to no avail.  Anyone know the name of a good Crystal Ball Repairman?   It just doesn't want to tell me what everyone wants to know:

• Have we hit bottom?
• What area will be "hot" in the coming years
• Are we on the upswing?
• What is going to happen to prices in the next 6 months?
• Is Key Marco going to take off?
• Should I purchase a home or a condo?  Which will perform better this year?

The truth be told, I won't know until it is too late and we are on the upswing everyone wants to be purchasing on.  Everyone is afraid that they will purchase on the downswing.  That is how it happens in Real Estate, there are too many variable to say definitively what will happen.  We have indicators and such, but to be honest it is completely localized.  In the same town the absorption rate can vary from 160 weeks to 34 weeks.  What makes an area "hot" today can make it completely undesirable in a couple of years.  

I am looking for things that are positive, that bring into reality what is going on in the Real Estate Market and helpful to the buyers that I have that are sitting on this lovely fence.  Several people have written great posts about timing a purchase and I want to compile the list here, so if you have a post or a link to an article to help in the process of getting some of these buyers off the fence, post it here!

There are many factors that affect us all across the country - Baby Boomers, Generation X, the economy, insurance, disasters to name a few.  How they will affect us will be dependent on many local things.  But there are things that point out that now is the time to buy.   Mortgage rates, lifestyle decisions, and the like play into the decision as importantly as are heading for an upswing in prices.  You may purchase in the downswing while prices go a bit lower, but you run the risk of higher interest rates later on.  If you are planning on keeping the property for long term, this setback is temporary.   If you are too slow you could miss out on that perceived "better opportunity" only paying more and with a higher interest rate.  Because that is also a possibility!

So I will start with a couple of links to assist those on the fence:

• CNN  - Article
• My Articles - Attention Buyers & Collier County Growth Projections
• NAR Article - The Worst is Over
• Brian Brady - Great post - You can't miss 
• Toby Boyce - Economics vs Risk Management & The Worst is Over
• Alameda Sun - Article
• William Collins new to Active Rain - Opportunities Abound
• Kristal Kraft's articles - Investors are Coming & We Are In
• Renee Burrows - Undervalued vs Overvalued
• Christopher Howard had an interesting post - Reading Tea Leaves

Let's see if we can generate some activity and get some sales happening before the end of the year...  I have 48 of these buyers just sitting, not motivated and waiting & watching for the ideal opportunity.  And they could be enjoying a brand new home!  But is there really such a thing as an ideal opportunity?    Yes - the one you missed!  

Colleen Kulikowski is your Western New York Real Estate Expert focusing on Buffalo and Niagara Falls neighborhoods of Western New York.  If you are on Twitter, please follow me... If you enjoyed this post by your Buffalo & Niagara Falls Home Sales Expert, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Email Colleen Kulikowski | All posts by Colleen Kulikowski 
(716) 743-5297 Voicemail

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When it comes to writing ad copy that is...  If you don't have these two great resources on your desk you could be wasting a lot of unnecessary time and energy when writing ad copy!

• Creative Real Estate Advertising Made Easy
• 1001 Ads that Sell!

I also keep a folder of ads, flyer's and the like that my competition is using.   And when I travel I grab all the materials I can from other areas.  Sometimes there are great gems that can be used.

For example I took this initial draft:

3 bedroom plus den 2 bath home just 1/4 mile to I75 new ramp pool home.  Large yard, new roof and exterior paint.

And I transformed it with these two books to read:

Begin here, tucked away on a quiet street just a 1/4 mile to the new on/off ramp for I75 that will open in 2007.  This charming 3 bedroom plus den with 2 baths home is a Christmas Dream that can come true for you!

Come home to comfort and relax in your brand new in-ground pool complete with a state-of-the-art heater/chiller.  A chiller will cool down your pool in the midst of the summer heat -- not many of your friends can boast they can do that with their pool!  This large yard still has room for a swing set for the children, an area for the children to run and play and a large fire pit for the family to enjoy the evening together toasting marshmallows!

Large open design home with Formal Living and Dining (currently being utilized as a family room) opening up to an over-sized eat-in kitchen with Pantry and Island overlooking your pool and yard where you are never very far from what is happening in this wonderful family home.

In love got to have it?  Check out the listing on my website at:  http://www.paradisereport.com/27AVESW

This is a little early for my December update, but I had a call regarding this community and since I had to pull the information together for this person, I thought I would update my stats now.  Berkshire Lakes is one community that I happen to enjoy.  Quiet streets with walkways and paths where neighbors wave when you walk by.  There is a community center with pool, tennis and fishing pier.  This area is a desirable community and not a lot happening in sales.  In fact this is one area that I have seen prices driven down in the past several months.

I had a listing in here, I did not forget about it, I had to leave it behind when I switched companies earlier this month.  I watched this community weekly for my sellers and updated them accordingly. This area of Naples has taken a significant blow in their appreciation from last year, but if you look at the 5 year appreciation it is holding its own. 

Here is the activity since my last update earlier this month:

• There are 43 Active single family homes in this community which represents just about 14% for sale.  List prices range from #339,900 to $765,000
• There are two pending sales in Berkshire Lakes and the absorption rate is 65 weeks for for the current inventory if sales happen at this rate per month and no new inventory comes on the market
• There have been 16 homes sold year to date in this community ranging in sold price from $360,000 to $740,000.  Three of those properties closed since November 3rd.
• There were 2 Expired listings (that did not go back on the market) 3 New listings, 1 pending and 5 Price Adjustments.

With the weather getting colder up North, the snow birds are on their way and we are looking forward to a terrific season!  Remember to check out my BLOG about Collier County Projected growth Berkshire Lakes is just a few miles from the center of this projected growth and remember prices will not remain this low for long!  Now is the time to purchase your piece of paradise!  Need a reason to convince your mate to move?  Check out my Reasons to Move to Florida article!

All statistical information is gathered from the Sunshine MLS LLC.

Colleen Kulikowski Real Estate Professional DeFrancoRealEstate.com 481 19th Street Niagara Falls, NY, 14303 US	Work: 716-990-7384 Mobile: 407-288-0017  paradisereport@gmail.com http://www.buffaloniagararealestatehomesales.com/wnyrealtor
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Colleen Kulikowski is your Western New York Real Estate Expert focusing on Buffalo and Niagara Falls neighborhoods of Western New York.  If you are on Twitter, please follow me... If you enjoyed this post by your Buffalo & Niagara Falls Home Sales Expert, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Back in July when I joined Active Rain, I thought this would be a neat resource.  Never in my mind did I think that I would form great friendships and learn so much!  There have been a lot of people who have had hit milestones this past month (please forgive me if I missed yours...) 

• Sharon Sims - 100,000 Points
• Angus Woodbury - 100th Post
• Kristal Kraft - 100,000 Points
• Tony Marriott and myself - Made the First Page
• I finally made the top 5 in Florida and I am #21 of almost 10,000
• Linda Gatewood  just joined and has begun to play in the rain...

Joining Active Rain I was lucky back then, I was #1 on Marco Island by just joining.   Becoming #1 in Collier county took a little bit of work and began the madness for me.  Once I got to the #1 in Collier County I wanted to be the #1 in the State of Florida.   Guess what -- I have Broker Bryant, Teri Isner and Sharon Sims to compete with -- I have to say to be in such company is amazing.  First was my goal for the top 25 in Florida and slowly but surely I moved up.   Then there was the goal to make it on Page one -- the top 25 in all of Active Rain...  

Along the way it became a lot less about earning the points and raising in the ranks.  It became a way to get my name out there, and to give myself some exposure.  I have made several connections as a result of it.  I have had old friends discover me and friendships rekindled.  I have focused on writing community market updates and education and giving back to this wonderful community.  I honestly believe that with the segmentation will be helpful for all of us, and I am looking forward to seeing the Consumer side of Active Rain.   It wasn't long ago that I wrote about the Consumer Needs and soon we will be seeing it in action.  So I write Market Updates and focus on information for the consumer...

Congratulations on the 6 Month Anniversary of Active Rain!

Colleen Kulikowski is your Western New York Real Estate Expert focusing on Buffalo and Niagara Falls neighborhoods of Western New York.  If you are on Twitter, please follow me... If you enjoyed this post by your Buffalo & Niagara Falls Home Sales Expert, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Email Colleen Kulikowski | All posts by Colleen Kulikowski 
(716) 743-5297 Voicemail

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I was speaking with Kristal Kraft earlier this evening about Absorption Rate and discount brokerage -- but that is another BLOG.  Earlier this month she wrote a great BLOG How to calculate Absorption Rate.  Most of the Naples/Marco Island Market looks not so great - especially when you see 280 weeks to absorb the current inventory.  But dig down and there are some areas that are doing better than others.

Lets take for example Naples overall -- the absorption Rate is 160 weeks.  Ouch!  But now let's look at another smaller subset of the Naples Market - Golden Gate City 65.31 weeks, better but that is still a year!  Golden Gate City stats look like this:

• There are 173 active listings in this area ranging from $215,000 to $499,900. 
• In the past month there were 14 closed sales ranging closed from $257,294 to $362,000. 
• There are 38 Pending listings in Golden Gate City
• Since January 1 there have been 170 closed sales ranging from 215-499,99 in all of Golden Gate City. 

Drill further down and look at a specific section Golden Gate Unit 6 the absorption rate is 28.17 weeks.  This is good news for my new listing in this area of Golden Gate City! 

• There are 12 Active Listings ranging $244,900 to $395,000
• There is 1 Pending with a list price of $325,000
• Since January 1 there have been 22 closed sales ranging from $257,294 to $389,900
• Check out my listing in this unit at my website - 5470 27th Ave SW

With the weather getting colder up North, the snow birds are on their way and we are looking forward to a terrific season!  Remember to check out my BLOG about Collier County Projected growth (Golden Gate City is centered in that projected growth!)and remember prices will not remain this low for long!  Now is the time to purchase your piece of paradise!  Need a reason to convince your mate to move?  Check out my Reasons to Move to Florida BLOG!

If you are interested in more information on this community or any other Southwest Florida community, please email me at colleen@paradisereport.com or call me at (239) 821-3063.  To see additional Statistical Information please visit my website at http://www.paradisereport.com/ and click on Activity Reports on the left side.

All statistical information is gathered from the Sunshine MLS LLC.