Jean Singleton

Moving to the Saratoga County area in the future, but not quite ready to move yet? Buy a home (how about a lovely 2 BR, 2 BA Townhouse 1.5 miles from Global Foundries and just a few miles from Saratoga Springs) - and rent it out for the Saratoga Racing Season. Rents are going for a premium price, and the income will more than cover your mortgage while you work on selling your current home, or pack up your apartment.

Call 518-858-9421 for more details.

I know - February seems a little early to be talking about where you're renting for the 2012 Summer Racing Season at the Saratoga Racetrack. Trust me - it's not.

Saratoga Springs and the surrounding locale open their arms wide for the Saratoga Race Track Racing Season renters, but many of the homes are rented out annually by "regulars" who stay in the same home or rooms, year after year. And they've already got their claim in for the Saratoga 2012 Racing Season.

For those homes that are still available for the Racing Season, many are advertising now. Saratoga has a unique rental schedule. In some cases, families leave their primary residence and go on vacation during the Racing Season, renting out their home for the duration of the Season. In other cases, Saratoga area rental properties are rented to military servicemen and women stationed at the West Milton Navy Training Facility from September - June, rented to Summer renters for a month or so, and then rented to Saratoga Race Track renters for the Racing Season. Others rent out individual rooms in their homes just for the racing season. Some local home owners turn their front yards and backyards into paid parking lots during the Racing Season.

The rental opportunities are truly diverse - from single rooms to modest two-family homes to gorgeous mansions renting for $25,000 or more just for the racing season, you can really choose the lifestyle you wish for your racing enjoyment. Just don't wait - or your choices will be come increasingly limited. And be prepared to pay considerably more than "average" rental prices, especially if you're within a mile or so of the Saratoga Racetrack.

For all your Saratoga Racing Season Rental Needs, as a homeowner or a renter - call or text 518-858-9421.

Just read an article on FoxNews23.com that said nearly 2,000 people turned out for the Global Foundries Job Fair yesterday in Ballston Spa. The job fair was set up to help fill 400 positions at the Fab 8 Global Foundries Chip Plant in Malta, NY.

According to the article, Global Foundries Communications Specialist, Jessica Kerley, said that over 65 percent of the jobs available at Global Foundries are in positions that only need an Associates Degree. Kerley also said that Global Foundries keeps all resumes on file for a year, and sometimes even refer candidates to other "support" companies that are moving into the area because of Global Foundries.

If you've been dreaming about working at the Fab 8 Global Foundries chip plant, you might want to consider attending the job fair sponsored by Global Foundries and the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, tomorrow, Thursday, January 12, 2012. The job fair (also called a career fair) is at the Saratoga County Administration Building, 40 McMaster Street, Ballston Spa from 4pm - 7pm.

According to CBS 6, the job fair will match prospective candidates with current openings at the Fab 8 Global Foundries Chip Plant in Malta, NY. The job fair will also offer information to help candidates in the semiconductor industry better prepare for future job openings. Global Foundries, Malta, NY is expecting to fill at least 400 positions before the end of 2012.

Here's a link from the Global Foundries web site for some job openings. NOTE: This site firmly requests that you only apply ONCE per application, or you will be automatically disqualified from the process. I would take that to mean, if you're planning on applying while at the job fair - DON'T apply online, unless the people at the job fair direct you to do so.

I would also note that this is most likely NOT a comprehensive list - there may be many other open positions available at the job fair, so if your particular field is not listed here - go to the job fair, anyway. What can it hurt? You might find out a little more about the company you'd like to work for someday.

I know - it's January. A new year begun - all bright and fresh. But somewhere in the back of your mind is that niggling little thought - I have to get my taxes ready, soon. Well, don't forget those "OTHER" taxes - your property taxes - because that ONE DAY a year when you are allowed to go before the Board of Assessment Review quickly follows tax day.

January is the PERFECT time to start the tax grievance process if you're unhappy with your property's tax assessment. At Ron DiDonna Real Estate & Appraisal we offer a discount if you start early. The data is in, the statistics are available - now all we need is YOU to give us a call and set up an appointment for us to come by and see your home.

If you're unsure of whether or not you're over-assessed, give us a call and we'll do a quick look-up of your information and give you an idea of what we think. We also have a process available where for a smaller fee we come by your house, do a walk-through, take pictures and then go back to the office and run a data search to see if it looks like you'll be a candidate for a reduced assessment. If not - you've only lost the small fee - and you'll know that your house is worth more than you'd thought! If it does appear that your house is over assessed, you can decide if you want to go further in the process. If yes - the fee you've already paid will be counted towards the total cost of the tax grievance.

We will then do a complete appraisal that is specifically "purposed" for a Tax Grievance. (The law requires that you can ONLY use appraisals that are specifically purposed for "review of tax assessment" or "tax grievances.") We file ALL your paperwork. We go to the meeting with the Board of Assessment Review on your behalf. And - if you should happen to get denied and your home is owner occupied - we will go to Small Claims Court on your behalf, as well. (For the record - we have a win rate for tax grievances of owner-occupied houses of over 98%). (If you are not owner occupied and you get denied at the Board of Assessment Review, there is a different process that you must follow to contest the denial - but more on that at a later date.)

So - what are you waiting for? Start the year fresh by SAVING MONEY on your taxes!!! If you don't already have an appraiser that you work with, call Ron DiDonna Real Estate & Appraisal at 518-377-2251. We cover a large portion of the Capital District, especially Saratoga County and Schenectady County and if we don't go to your area, we can help you find someone who does.

We can also tell you what you need to do if you want to try to grieve the taxes by yourself. We obviously recommend using an appraisal because it is a certified record of your property's market value - but you can try it without an appraisal. The process is not difficult - it's just time-consuming and requires paperwork being filled out in detail and several copies of all the information being delivered by exact dates to several different places. They can throw the whole thing out on a technicality if they are so inclined, so be very meticulous in your preparation.

If you tried a Tax Grievance last year and were denied - you might want to consider trying again. Some of the data that was required for last year's tax grievance still included the period during which the Home Buyer Tax Credit was an incentive. Houses sold at a slighly higher price during that period, as buyers were more eager to purchase in order to get the tax credit. As a result, it pushed up the "market value" of the properties being appraised. This year's data that must be used when doing the tax grievance appraisals is from July 1, 2010 - July 1, 2011 and does not include that Home Buyer Tax Credit period.

I will be giving further information and helps as the tax season progresses.

Happy New Year!!