Kristen Wahl

In case you haven't gleaned it from previous posts, I love Autumn.

I didn't have anything scheduled this morning, so I had the luxury of being able to take my dog, Bear, for a walk. It was pure paradise for me. The air was crisp and clean, the trees were beginning to change colors, and I had my best buddy to keep me company.

I was also delighted that, as usual, everyone in my neighborhood was so friendly. Every car that passed by returned my wave, every homeowner out tending their yard took the time to say hello. It's not just my small neighborhood in Macedon, this is something I've noticed all over Rochester. People really are just... nice!

Last summer, I had some buyers who were moving to the Rochester area from New Jersey. They drove up for a few days so I could take them around and show them the area. Right away, they expressed their amazement at just how friendly everyone was here. They were used to cashiers being cranky and drivers vying for their position on the roads. Of course, every area has some people like that, but, after thinking about what they had said, I realized they were right. Overall, Rochester is just a nice city!

So, you may be asking, what's the point of this post? I guess I would just urge you to do two things this autumn season.

One, enjoy the lovely fall weather while we have it! It doesn't last long enough.

Two, take the time to say hello to someone today. It's too easy to get wrapped up in our busy lives, but our friendliness to others really does make a difference.

Let's keep Rochester NICE!

Here's a unique video to pass the time on your Thursday afternoon.

Did you catch the years flying by in the lower right? The market certainly has taken some plunges over the years, and it always comes ticking back up.

Next time you think about how bad things are, both with the real estate market and the economy in general, remember this video. No matter how uniquely negative our national situation seems, we've been here at the bottom before, and we'll eventually be on top again.

Just hang on tight and ride it out...

As a real estate agent, I too often see shoddy work done by dishonest contractors. That's why I'm very glad to see that Andrew Cuomo, New York State's Attorney General, recently created a website called Know Your Contractor.

New York residents can use the site to search their area for contractors that have had complaints or judgments filed against them. The new site also has information on what to do before you hire a contractor, links to consumer protection agencies, and even procedures for filing a complaint against a contractor.

I'm glad to see that our government took the time to look out for homeowners. I will certainly be telling all my potential clients to check this site before they make a decision on their home improvements!

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Kristen Wahl
RealtyUSA
(585) 455-5524
KWahl@RealtyUSA.com

Autumn is my favorite time of year. The weather is getting comfortably cool, the leaves are changing to their brilliant oranges, reds, and yellows, and there's so much to do in the Rochester area!

Here are some of my favorite autumn activities:

Apple Picking. There's something satisfying about reaching up and plucking down your own apple from a tree. My favorite place to pick apples is The Apple Farm on Route 444 in Victor.

Haunted Hayrides. A spook-tacular way to celebrate the Halloween season! Many local farm markets have their own hayrides. Rochester's longest running (and my favorite) haunted hayride is at De Fisher Fruit Farms in Williamson. They put on an amazing show!

Scenic Drives. The Rochester area has some of the most beautiful Autumn scenery I've ever seen. The hills around the Finger Lakes in particular look spectacular this time of year. My favorite fall drive is down Route 64 from Canandaigua to Naples. This is also a great time of year to do some wine tasting in the Finger Lakes.

Chair Lift Rides. Bristol Mountain Ski Resort in Bristol offers Sky Rides on their chair lift on weekends through October 26^th. It's another way to see the fantastic Finger Lakes foliage... from above! You can check out the New York State Foliage Report to find out the best time to visit.

The Amazing Maize Maze. Long Acre Farms in Macedon is the home to New York's first cornfield maze, in its 11^thyear. This year's theme is "Fit to be A-mazed"! Your family will love searching for clues as you wander through the impressive maze.

Choosing the Perfect Pumpkin. Most local farm markets are chock full of pumpkins this time of year. I recommend visiting Powers Farm Market in Pittsford. Not only do they have a great selection of pumpkins, they also have haunted TeePees for the kids. Don't forget to grab some cider and doughnuts!

Fall Festivals. This coming weekend, September 27-28, is the Grape Festival in Naples. You can sample amazing grape baked goods, listen to live music, and wander through the craft exhibits. The following weekend, October 4-5, is the Hilton Apple Fest. Both are fantastic ways to get out and enjoy our comfortable fall weather!

If you have any other favorite activities I missed, don't hesitate to leave a comment and share your thoughts. Now let's all get out there and enjoy the season!

How ironic. Just days ago I posted a blog entry entitled To Buy, or Not to Buy? touting the benefits of buying a home in the Rochester area. Now, it appears that MSN agrees with me!

Yesterday, MSN Real Estate published an article entitled 66 cities where buying makes sense. In it, they refer to new data compiled by the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Center for Economic and Policy Research.

Their research found that the top 10 cities where owning a home makes sense are as follows:

1. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas
2. San Antonio, Texas
3. New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, La.
4. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas
5. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
6. Rochester, N.Y.
7. Syracuse, N.Y.
8. Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y.
9. Jackson, Miss.
10. Austin-Round Rock, Texas

Upstate New York captured 3 of the top 10 slots in the entire nation, with Rochester at number 6! That says a great deal about the stability of our local housing market.

In Rochester, the data shows that a buyer with a loan at the current rate of 6% can gain $82,898 in equity in a low-priced home by the year 2012. That's only 4 years away!

According to the article, "In these slow-growing, smaller cities, prices never got run up to the sky. Now, homes are still affordable. And most importantly, the prices aren't likely to come crashing down."

In some cases, depending on the buyer's credit score, owning a home may even be more affordable than renting.

This MSN article just proves what people in our city have been saying for years... Rochester is made for living!

Source: MSN Real Estate, Marilyn Lewis (09/15/08)

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Kristen Wahl is a licensed sales agent with RealtyUSA and specializes in working with buyers and sellers of residential property in the Rochester, NY area. Visit Kristen's website at www.YourNYDreamHome.com to learn about how she can help your dream of home ownership come true!