Beth's Blog

Students and new home owners have arrived!  Our town is bustling as everyone starts settling in and classes start the last week of August at Ithaca College and Cornell.  Be ready for long lines and empty shelves at the grocery stores and other retailers of basic home staples.  Also be prepared for longer than normal waits to connect to services.  There is going to be a delay to establish your cable, telephone and other services.  This is what happens when the population of a small town nearly doubles during the last week of August.  And it happens every year!

Despite the delays it is great to feel the boost of activity and energy as Ithaca is recharged.  While many areas are still enjoying summer we have been fast forwarded into a new school season.  Labor Day is now back to work as usual with Ithaca College and Cornell conducting normal class schedules.  The new season of concerts, theater and special events has begun.

With so many newcomers it is important to stay alert.  This is a peak time for inexperienced drivers to enter our area.  Remember to be patient at least for the next few weeks, plan for some delays and expect the unexpected.  Be sure your insurance for both your car and home are up to date. 

Now is the time to remember there will be peak weekends throughout the year when it will be difficult to make restaurant and hotel reservations or get flights in and out of Ithaca.  Big event weekends at both Cornell or Ithaca College campuses will make scheduling reservations difficult.  Be sure to plan ahead. This is all part of living in Ithaca, NY a place many come to study and sometimes end up living here long term.  I am happy to be one of them.

Sellers whose homes have not sold in the peak selling market of Spring and Summer are worried.  Not enough showings, no offers and how are they going to get their homes sold.  The biggest problem seems to be, as always lack of communication, between the listing agent and the sellers.  Agents don't like to talk to sellers when they have no good news, no activity to report.

The sellers at today's listing appoiintment have had their home listed since February.  They have made price reductions; both times they suggested the reduction to their agent.  Other complaints were that the agent never  made suggestions of what they could do to enhance their home through buyers' eyes.  They were of course concerned that their home will not sell if they do not get buyers in to even look at the house. 

The solution is simple but not simply executed.  Honest, prompt and on-going communication.  We can't change the market but we can try to make the selling process as "pleasant" as possible.  First, sellers need reassurance.  They are "hurt" that no one likes their home. They need a reality check....honest pricing and suggestons about what needs to be done to get their house sold.  They even accept some of the responsibility.  Perhaps they priced the house too high to start.  Mostly it sounds like they were not educated about the process or the market.  Education needs to be on-going.

Many sellers are ready to move on.  Not just to their new life in a new community but until that happens, to a new agent.  Someone who can help them move the process forward.  They don't want false promises.  They are more saavy about the professionals they choose.  This is a great opportunity for agents to prove they are professionals and despite a soft market work with these motivated sellers to markeet the home, bring in new buyers and hopefully put up that red SOLD sign.

Beth Carlson Ganem

Lic. Real Estate Associate Broker

Audrey Edelman Realty USA

www.BethGanem.com

Despite bad news about real estate on the national front, areas like the beautiful Fingerlakes area of Central, NY continue to hold.  This is not to say that inventory is not increasing with more homes on the market but there is not the drastic decrease in list to sale prices seen in other areas of the country.  We have a very stable environment with Education as our primary business.  Cornell University is the biggest employer in Ithaca and the university continues to hire and there continues to be an on going flow of buyers and sellers coming into our market.

Tips for Buying in our area.  If you are not planning on staying long-term investigate what factors make a home a good resale opportunity.  The factors here are simple:  proximity to the University, quiet neighborhood, good acess to services and great views.  We love our lake views here!  As fuel costs escalate more and more buyers are looking at being able to walk to campus, shopping and restaurants.

Tips for Selling in our area.  With inventory growing your home needs to be in good move-in condition.  If you don't want to take the initiative in doing repairs and improvements don't think the buyer will want to when they have lots of choices.  Pricing is very important.  If you home is not well priced then it will probably not sell.  You have to be at market value or slightly below.  If you are at market value 50% of the potential buyers will consider your home.  If you are 10% over market value that number of potential buyers decreases by half.  If you are well priced your home will not only sell but it may sale above asking price.  Even in this market we are seeing well priced, good location and condition homes receiving multiple offers.  If your home is on the market for several weeks and doesn't sell the likelihood is low that you will come as close to the asking price and that you may be in for the long term in showing and trying to sell your home.

Another important factor is the seasonality of our market.  Remember wer are an academic community.  While homes sell throughout the year remember: Graduation is in May.  New faculty and staff start in August.  That means that the prime market for selling is April through June, as it generally takes 6 weeks to close.  If you plan to sell next year call a Realtor now.  Get great photos taken during the "green" season so that you will be ready to go to market when there still may be snow, mud and no leaves pn the trees.  A good Realtor can tell you what to do to have your home in sale ready condition when you are ready to sell.

For more information on home sales, prices and current inventory visit www.BethGanem.com

Your Ithaca Realtor.

Beth Carlson Ganem, Ph.D.

Assoc. Broker, CRS, GRI, ABR, SRES

Audrey Edelman Realty USA

Simply the Best

Real Estate is truly more than listing and selling houses.  As a marketing expert that is what I love most about this business.  It is a profession that allows you to build quality and long lasting relationships which in turn generate more business.  We take on a major responsability in that we are advising clients on one of the largest financial decisions they make.  The successful professionals in this business don't look at it as one "quick sale" but part of our real estate career. 

The small things make a big difference.  Whether they are returning a call, sending a thank you note or just making sure that every small detail in a real estate transaction is attended to in a timely manner.  The key to sucess in real estate is simple.  It is simply doing our job and doing it with the same passion and energy we exert in the areas of our lives we most enjoy.  High Tech is great but it is the High Touch that will make you memorable to your clients.

Enjoy making the marketing pieces and business startegies come together into one sucessful whole.  Some simple reminders can help.  I keep a note beside my phone.  It simply says DWYPYWD.  It stands for Do What You Promised You Would Do.  It is one small reminder that can make a world of difference in your client services.

Be Simply the Best

Beth Carlson Ganem, Ph.D.

Associate Broker, CRS, GRI, ABR, SRES

www.BethGanem.com