Carol Culkin

Dutchess Dance Theatre presents "The Nutcracker." Saturday. December 6th & & 7th at Roy C. Ketcham High School, 99 Myers Corners Rd.,Wappingers Falls. Reserved seating $18, Senior Citizens and children under age 12 - $12. Box Office and ticket information, 845-226-1434 or 845-221-4834. Tickets will also be available at the door. Additional information at www.pinewoodschoolofdance.com

BEST BUY IN FOUR CORNERS COMMUNITY! SPACIOUS & IMMACULATE CENTER HALL COLONIAL. DRAMATIC FLOORPLAN W/2-STORY FAMILY ROOM & HARDWOOD FLOORS. KITCHEN FEATURES GRANITE COUNTERS & MAPLE CABINETS. 1ST FLOOR HOME OFFICE. MASTER SUITE W/SITTNG AREA. LIFESTYLE AMENITIES FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY TO ENJOY. CONVENIENT SOUTHERN DUTCHESS LOCATION NEAR TSP & I-84. SELLERS HATE TO LEAVE THIS ALMOST NEW HOME DUE TO JOB TRANSFER. PRICED TO SELL! $524,900

Call: Carol Culkin Cell Phone - 845-430-6543

C21 ANITA FERRI REALTY CHESTNUT PLAZA 2020 ROUTE 9 SUITE 31
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY 12601 Office Phone: 845 297-7707 ext. 39

Have you been pre-qualified for a home loan? Are you taking your time looking, convinced that the market will continue to decline? Perhaps you have heard that good things come to those who wait. But, has anybody told you that if you snooze you lose?

Now, I can't predict the future, but thanks to my local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) - I can look to the past. And, sales statistics reveal to me that our local real estate values have declined to beyond 2004 prices. There has never been a better time to buy. And if you don't believe me because I am a salesperson and this is my livelihood, then perhaps you can review the statistics yourself.

If the market has not bottomed out yet, it's might be pretty close by now - although there's no way to actually know this.

But, with fewer buyers being able to qualify for a home loan these days and with inventory high, the law of supply and demand comes into play for those who have been officially pre-approved by a lender - and, especially for buyers who have nothing to sell. The more homes that are now available for sale, the more sellers have had to their lower prices.

If you are a qualified buyer in today's market - the time is NOW!

But, don't listen to me the salesperson.I'm providing statistics and my source is the Mid-Hudson MLS. And, it doesn't get any more accurate and reliable than this ...and, I'm not sure it will ever get any better than this either! Here you have it....

Home Prices

September 2004 Year-To-Date Average Selling Price $397,884

September 2008 Year-To-Date Average Selling Price $363,354

Supply And Demand

September 2004 Available Listings 1232

September 2008 Available Listings 2275

Sales Volume

September 2004 Closed Transactions 198

September 2008 Closed Transactions 101

STOP WAITING! ...CALL ME TODAY TO START YOUR DUTCHESS COUNTY HOME SEARCH!

READY TO BUY? SERIOUS ABOUT BUYING? ...THEN I'M READY TO GO TO WORK FOR YOU!

Carol Culkin
Century 21 - Anita Ferri Realty

Office Phone: (845) 297-7707 Ext.: 39
Cell Phone: (845) 430-6543
Email Me

A caregiver is an everyday hero, they take on many roles. Every single day can oresent new challenges. And, there are many tasks. A caregiver wears many hats - nurse, activities director, cook, housekeeper, chauffer, pharmacist - just to name a few.

For caregivers in the mid-Hudson Valley, a FREE conference will be sponsored by the local chapter of the Alzheimer's Association and cooperative organizations, including the Saint Francis Hospital, Dutchess County Office for the Aging, the Manor at Woodside. Premier Home Health Care, and Wingate Healthcare.

Workshops will be offered at the conference to help cargivers find available resources and understand issues related to a caregiver's needs.

Some of the topics covered will be home care services, elder law and financial matters and pharmaceutical issues. Keynote speaker will be Dr. Albert Riddle, medical director at Wingate Healthcare.

The event is titled "Lean on Me Conference on Caregiving" - and will take place at the Best Western Inn and Conference Center on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie on November 8th from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The conference is FREE but registration is required by November 1st. For more information call 845-471-2655.

Nobody who's ever ventured north of NY City or Westchester County would ever imagine this! Only 70 miles away from the Big Apple is a beautiful and peaceful landscape. Manhattanites who come up here for a weekend drive usually fall in love with the Upstate NY countryside. Often I've heard it said - "I feel like I've died and gone to heaven". No wonder one Hudson Valley town was named Pleasant Valley!

Many stay long enough to check out the local real estate market - and eventually they become residents who commute to work in The City. The smart thing, for those who have jobs that are conducive enough is to figure out a way to telecommute. Some people transition to a 4 day work week. until they can eventually retire here. One of these people is novelist and New York Times bestselling author Michael Korda (former editor-in-chief for Simon and Schuster) - he and his wife gave up city life about 25 years ago and moved to Pleasant Valley. http://www.answers.com/topic/michael-korda

Korda writes about his experiences of becoming a country folk in his book titled: Country Matters - The Pleasures and Tribulations of Moving from a Big City to an Old Country Farmhouse. Entertaining, canny, and moving, Country Matters does for Dutchess County, New York, what Under the Tuscan Sun did for Tuscany. With his inimitable sense of humor and storytelling talent, New York Times bestselling author Michael Korda brings us this charming, hilarious, self-deprecating memoir of a city couple's new life in the country.

Although I have never met Michael Korda personally, after reading his book I feel like I know him.

I'm sure our paths have even probably crossed many times because we share the same Pleasant Valley zip-code. Maybe I've bumped into him at the Pleasant Valley post office, The A&P, or our local Dunkin Donuts!

I also moved here from a bigger city where traffic jams were the norm and smog alerts were reported daily. I fell in love with the Hudson Valley for probably the same reasons Michael Korda did. Fall is one of the obvious times to appreciate the Hudson Valley. As I drove to my office today, I was 1 1/2 miles from my Pleasant Valley home (just about 2 miles to the Town of Poughkeepsie border) when it occurred to me that I should stop and take some photos. I felt the need to share! This is what I see on my daily drives - and this is what others see when they come here and fall in love!