EXISTING HOMES SOLD RISE 15.6%% IN NORTHEAST IN FEBRUARY

AS PER KEN SWEET AT FOX NEWS MONDAY MARCH 23, 2009

The number of existing homes sold in February unexpectedly rose last month, an industry trade organization said Monday, as distressed home sales continued to remain the dominant force in the nation’s impaired housing market.
According to the National Association of Realtors, the number of homes sold rose 5.1% to a seasonally-adjusted rate of 4.72 million units in February up from 4.49 million annualized units.
The jump in sales was much better than what economists had predicted, who were expecting existing home sales to fall to 4.45 million units. The data helped boost stocks broadly, pushing the Dow Jones Industrial Average up nearly 300 points.
While the increased sale of homes is a welcome sign to Wall Street -- as many believe that the housing will eventually lead the nation’s economy out of this recession -- the bulk of February’s sales were distressed purchases. The average price for a home sold was $165,400, down 15.5% from a year ago.
“Because entry level buyers are shopping for bargains, distressed sales accounted for 40% to 45% of the transactions in February,” said NAR’s chief economist Lawrence Yun in a statement.
As it has been for the past couple months, existing home sales were stronger in the West than the rest of the nation -- primarily in the struggling housing market of California. Existing home sales in the region were up 2.6% from a month ago to 1.2 million annualized units, and are up 30.4% from a year ago.
In the Northeast, sales rose 15.6% to an annualized rate of 740,000 units and are down 14.9% from a year ago. In the Midwest, sales were basically flat -- up 1% -- to 1.04 million units.
In the struggling Southern market, existing home sales rose 6.1% to an annualized rate of 1.74 million units, according to the trade organization.

It is always hard to predict when a bottom is happening. I read active rain comments by Realtors in California and they feel their market is bottoming. We usually follow California so if you are thinking of buying a home or second home this might be the time to look with rates at 4.6% and in some places even lower.

Most people see the bottom AFTER it happens.

Call me at 845- 417-1314

The sure sign of spring!

I know Spring officially is here on March 20th. Other than the date I am so happy to be seeing true signs of spring. Our office calls have picked up and walk ins, those wonderful walk ins are back. People look for Robins, I look for walk ins.

This has been an especially hard winter. Not just the snow and cold and ice and sleet. The economy has created a river none of us have walked into before. But I have hope, thanks to the walk ins. I would like to take some time to thank them and to tell them just what they do for this real estate person.

Like the first crocus who push their cute faces out to the sun early walk ins are the adventurers of real estate. You know they have been thinking and planning this and they are as excited as I am for the adventure. They are ready with information, maps and a beautiful pre approval. They have driven up, or driven over, tested the local B&B's, motels or campsites, have enjoyed an early breakfast and are "ready for the hunt".

I am ready as well. I know my inventory. I have all the resouces to help my new clients to have a positive real estate experience and I am excited as I have gotten what the walk in and the Realtor wait for---

THE HOPE OF A NEW LISTING!!!!! A home that will match someone. A place that when you bring your new client/custiomer there you know it fits as they run their hand along the mantle of the fireplace or stand on the deck looking happily out at the landscape. There are not too many great feelings like the feeling of success when you have been the matchmaker of a person or persons to a home.

Walk ins, call ins, web site newbies, I love them all. Welcome. You're right on time.

Is that the sweet smell of Spring????

Saturday was an insane day for me. It was my daughter's birthday and I had promised her we would spend time together and of course as soon as I said that everything broke loose. So, trying to find enough time in the day for clients and family, which is always a hard balancing act in this business, I ran and did and showed and ran and----wait, what is that smell in the air? Smells familiar. Some good thoughts from long ago permeate my brain. Could it---- is it---- Is that the sweet smell of Spring?????? And just as fast it was gone. But it was undeniable. It was Spring. How exciting. It has been a long winter. I really look forward to Spring and warmer weather. And that smell was wonderful. Dirt...fresh unfrozen dirt with flowers ready to pop out and trees ready to bloom and fishing season just around the corner. Yiiippeee! Hang in there girl! it's just around the corner.

THIS MIGHT BE THE RIGHT TIME TO LIST YOUR HOME

I was busy and happy this first weekend of 2009.. After showing only a couple of homes in the New Paltz area, I met and spoke with some fellow agents and we all agreed that there is very little inventory on the market right now, especially in the New Paltz area.. As I walked away from our gathering I realized that it appears that NOW is the time to put a house on the market IF:

1- It is priced appropriately.
2- It is priced appropriately
3- It is priced appropriately.

This is the most important item in relation to selling a home. Other things are relative such as staging and condition but this is paramount. Especially now.

Rates have come down somewhat and this is beneficial for both seller and buyer.

So, if you are thinking of selling your home and it is in Ulster County, I would be happy to come to your home and do a market analysis and tell you about the company I work for, Westwood Metes & Bounds. It has been the number 1 selling real estate agency in Ulster County for 13 years based on multiple listing services residential sold statistics.

Wishing you all the very best of this new year.

Veterans day remembered

As I was a teenager of the 60's, Veterans Day is very special to me as many of my close friends that I grew up with, knew and loved went to Vietnam and many did not return. That war was very personal to me and taught me to respect the many men and women who came before that war and who fight for us today.

I stopped at my office today to drop off papers to our support staff. For most of the day I had been thinking of the friends I lost and the family and friends who have served in the military and who currently serve in the military. The woman who helps all of us in our office as our support staff person was there and she came up to me to show me the card she sent to one of our co workers in the office who she had come to find out was a Vietnam vet. The card was wonderful and Cindy told me how emotional our co worker had gotten over receiving the card which simply and eloquently thanked him for fighting for us.

I write this blog to specifically point out the quality of life here in the Hudson Valley. This beautiful gesture is just one part.

I love where I live. I love where I work. I love the people of the Hudson Valley.

A Restaurant at the Train Station in New Paltz, NY...

Growing up in Manhattan I was spoiled by the myriad of great restaurants, bistros, cafes etc. that I could go to have anything from an espresso to a six course meal. So when I thought of moving upstate to open my B&B I thought I would give up all that to gain the beautiful country peace and quiet of upstate New York. Wrong grasshopper. Not only have I found the perfect combo of peace and beauty I also enjoy many cafes and restaurants in our area. Just recently I had a lovely meal at Lombardi's. They have a great cappuccino there. Yesterday I met a fried of mine and we enjoyed a great lunch at La Stanzione's, a restaurant housed in an old railroad station in New Paltz. I decided to write this blog to invite anybody who is thinking of moving to this area and who is a restaurateur to seriously give this area a thought. If you can run a good restaurant with great food, I think you will do well here. If you have good Chinese food I will personally commit to spend wads of money in your establishment. Tonight I will be going out with clients who have become friends to a great eatery called "The Eggs Nest". Set in my favorite hamlet of High Falls this funky, eclectic setting welcomes you for an enjoyable meal, good conversation and friendly service. So if you are thinking--where could I move to settle, make a descent living, enjoy a wonderful area with nice, friendly people, have a nice place for my children to grow or my doggy to run, think of Ulster County in the Hudson Valley. I do not think you will regret it.

Views of the Walkill

$164,900

Energy Efficient Home in New Paltz, NY

$210,000 - 3 Bedrooms

TAG SALE

I love what I do. I think it is so multi -faceted. I market a service and a product, I counsel my clients(and sometimes hold their hand, children, pets and relatives through times like these), I continue to educate myself in such area as web technology, mold remediation etc. but best of all----I GET TO GO TO TAG SALES. That's right, tag sales, garage sales, whatever you want to call it. A placed where my clients, who have now successfully sold their home, can gather up years of collections, what not's, want nots, and various other sundries, bag em tag em and present them to garage sale maniac's like myself.

This Saturday September 27, 2008 , my clients are having a tag sale at 340 South Mountain Road in Gardiner New York from 10-4. My clients have never had a garage sale before. I am a tag sale professional, so I offer my services(free to my clients) to coordinate this fun event. I go on to tell them EVERYTHING they will ever need to know on how to run a successful tag sale. I advise them of the tag sale maniacs who will call them, show up three days earlier than the sale begging them to get a look at the antiques they might have because on the day of the sale these same people will be working(it's Saturday, are they really working or are they antique dealers in disguise). They make a list of all they are willing to part with, come up with reasonable prices so as not to have a thing left at the end of the sale, put an ad in the paper and on Craig's list and we are ready. This will happen rain or shine as it is inside their lovely home which, by the way, sold in about 10 days of listing it. Not bad in a market such as we have right now. I must say, that this house was a gift. From the moment I walked in I thought,how lucky am I to get this lovely home as a listing. So, how lucky am I? I get to do what I love to do, I get first pick of the "stuff" my clients are selling and my clients get to go on their next adventure. I am a happy camper.

SEE YOU AT THE SALE!

THE MONEY PIT

I grew up in New York City. From an early age, I had visions of owning and operating my own Bed and Breakfast and antique shop in a quaint village. On one of my many excursions upstate I fell upon this wonderful area which seemed a bit far from the city but never the less was as quaint and charming as could be. My first ride in Andes NY produced the property I was to buy that very day. As I drove down Route 28 into the village of Andes visions of sugar plums danced in my head.--- That was the last happy thought for years to come, ergo the name of this blog post; The Money Pit. The property needed extensive renovations and I knew absolutely nobody in the area. The rest of my experiences up in Andes followed much of the story lines of The Money Pit. So, years later and now living and working in Real Estate in Ulster County I have decided to create my website and blog to be of service to people moving to our area. It is my hope that you will enjoy reading my blog, maybe enjoy a giggle or two and most of all be able to identify with my adventures and the quality of Life in Ulster County. My resource list is comprised of people who, in my humble opinion, appear to do a descent job in their craft. We are now entering my favorite season. Leaves are starting to change. Time to get some Apple Cider from my favorite place Jenkins and Leukens up on route 299 just outside of New Paltz. Try their delicious Apple Cake. Oct. 4th will see the Oktoberfest up at Hunter Mountain. Hope to see you around the area.