think spring: The Home Builders & Remodelers of CNY will host its annual event March 15-18.
EXPANDING: The owners of Wild Bird Center in Manlius are moving up, opening a new shop.
“We tried to think of something that fit well with the Wild Bird Center and liked the idea of buying local.�
“The 2012 Home & Garden Show will highlight hundreds of businesses, services and products to help you improve your home or build a new one.�
To read more see page 3
To read more see page 5.
looking ahead: On Feb. 15 read about the vehicles and automotive services to be found in CNY in Automotive Excellence as well as what area merchants offer in Excellence in Retail Sales & Service.
2012excellence
Excellence in Home, Garden & Energy
‘The best time to buy’ February 8, 2012
A supplement to Eagle Newspapers
CNY real estate market holding its own
Re, who has been in real estate for 32 years, said this is a great time to buy a house. “In my whole career I have never seen the three things that are occurring right now happen together,� he said. “That is there is affordable housing with low interest rates and a huge selection of houses. This is the best time to buy real estate in CNY. If you are selling your house and want to move into a bigger house when you sell your house you’re not getting as much as you would have years ago, but the house you are looking to buy is also priced less. That is why it is important to price your house appropriately.� “It’s not easy, in fact it’s harder than it used to be, but I look at it as the new normal,� Re said. “We’ll never see another 2005 again, but it’s not as dire as you may think from listening to the national news, with foreclosures, short bails and people losing their homes in Florida, Arizona and California.� Re said he is optimistic for the future.
By Jennifer Wing
Mark W. Re
Realty USA Central Region
Dan Bargabos Heritage Homes
The Central New York home real estate market experienced a bit of growth, according to Mark W. Re, vice president and general manager of RealtyUSA Central Region and president of Central New York Information Service Inc. “Central New York was insulated from the bubble and the bad times and the foreclosures,� Re said. “We certainly were not booming in 2011, but we were not hit hard. We never do go up a lot or down a lot, and are fairly steady.� Re said Central New York was the only part of the country not affected by recent trends in the market. “In fact, Central New York had a two or three percent appreciation,� he said. His firm had a successful 2011, he added, in part because they have priced the homes correctly for the market. “Here in Central New York it used to be, in 2005 or before, you would give a house worth $125,000 a cushion and maybe ask $129,900. Today, you can’t have that cushion. If you price it at the correct price for the market and it will sell. In fact, for those homes offered at 5 percent less than market value we’ve seen multiple offers.�
See CNY on page 2
One town’s experience: Upswing in home construction in 2011
stock photo
If Clay follows national trends, the town could see a marked increase in residential new construction starts, as well as housing sales as a whole, in 2012. According to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors, the housing market, both in terms of the sale of existing homes and in new home sales, is expected to see a recovery, with double-digit gains in both new home sales and construction starts nationwide. â€Żâ€œTight mortgage credit conditions have been holding back home buyers all year, and consumer confidence has been shaky recently,â€? said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “Nonetheless, there is a sizeable pent-up demand based on population
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growth, employment levels and a doubling-up phenomenon that can’t continue indefinitely. This demand could quickly stimulate the market when conditions improve.� According to the report, new home sales are expected to rise to 372,000, up from 302,000 in 2011, and new home construction should climb to 630,000 units, up from 583,000 in 2011. As it stands, 2011 saw more new construction than 2010, according to Clay Planning Commissioner Mark Territo. “This year to date, in terms of single family construction, we have 75 new construction starts,� Territo said. “In 2010, there were a total of 88. Those are
See Clay on page 2
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By Sarah Hall
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