Irondequoit Branch Hosts Community Halloween Party

The agents of the Nothnagle Irondequoit Branch recently hosted a Halloween Party for neighborhood children. The event was a tremendous success and fun was had by all who attended! Even the Nothnagle agents got into the spirit of Halloween and came up with some unique and creative costumes. We're not sure who had more fun....the kids or our agents!

Nothnagle Realtors has a proud history of community involvement. We don't just work in the neighborhoods we serve, we live there too! And we're always looking for opportunities to give back to our neighbors, customers and clients.

Check out These New Vendors Added to our Home Services

Nothnagle Home Services is a one-stop shopping service for our clients. We can assist you with home-related products and services before, during and after your move.....as well as other services that help to save you time and money! For more information, check back frequently to see our list of providers as we are always adding more.

We are excited to add these vendors to our team!

Comprehensive Mold Management
One of the area's premier environmental testing and mitigation firms handling mold, lead and asbestos. Currently offering free mold inspections in Monroe County.

Flower City Pest Elimination
Over 25 years serving Rochester and surrounding counties. Whether its control, elimination or prevention, Flower City Pest Elimination can help.

Invision Design Partners
Interior design, staging, space planning, custom furniture design. With 30 years of experience and a masters degree in design, they can assist you with every aspect of design for your office or home.

Feels Like Home Restorations
From testing and diagnosis to complete restoration, they do it all! Mold, flooding, fire, air quality. Nothnagle clients qualify for free fogging treatment and a one-year transferable warranty for your clients.

Exodus Exterminating
This locally-owned company can help you with all of your pest and wildlife solutions. Squirrels, raccoons, birds, bedbugs or bees....they keep them from coming back. Includes one-year transferable warranty.

Contact your Nothnagle agent today to find out more about all of our Home Services or call 899-MOVE.

Rochester Named 10th Smartest City

The Rochester region was ranked 10th out of 55 American cities on The Daily Beast's list of "America's Smartest (and Dumbest) Cities."

This is the second year the publication has published the list; last year Rochester ranked 26th. The ranking is based on data organized on a per-capita basis so that larger cities don't get an advantage. Only regions with a population of 1 million or more were considered.

Criteria includes the number of residents over 25 years of age with bachelor's and advanced degrees, sales of nonfiction books and the number of institutions of higher learning and public libraries. Last year's criteria was slightly modified - more weight was given to advanced degrees and the number of higher learning institutions.

Five counties make up the Rochester MSA (metropolitan statistical area). Nineteen percent of residents hold a bachelor's degree and 13% have graduate degrees. Over 750,000 nonfiction titles were sold in the Rochester area so far this year.

New York City ranked 16th and last on the list at 55th was Las Vegas. The ranking of the Top 10 Cities is as follows:

1. Boston
2. Hartford-New Haven
3. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
4. Raleigh-Durham
5. Denver
6. Seattle-Tacoma
7. Austin
8. Minneapolis-St. Paul
9. Washington, DC
10. Rochester, NY

Click here to read the full report.

Dispelling the Myth - There is NO 4% "Sales Tax" Being Imposed on Home Sales

Contrary to reports and newspaper articles circulating widely on the Internet, there is not a 4% "sales tax" or "transfer tax" on the sale of a home included in the health care reform bill. There are no changes to existing real estate tax laws as a result of this legislation.

What was included in the health bill is a provision that imposes a new 3.8% Medicare tax for some higher income households that have "net investment income." This new tax will apply to households with Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of more than $200,000 for individuals or more than $250,000 for married couples. Since capital gains are included in the definition of "net investment income," an additional tax obligation might result from the sale of real property.

In the case of the sale of a principal residence, the existing $250,000/$500,000 exclusion from capital gains on the sale of a principal residence remains unchanged. Consequently, even when the AGI limits are met, the new tax would not be applied to all capital gains that result from the sale of a home. Rather, it would only apply to any home sale gain realized in excess of the $250K/$500K existing primary home exclusion that pushes the filer's AGI over the $200K/$250K adjusted gross income limit.

The new Medicare tax will take effect January 1, 2013.

Nothnagle Announces Recent Appointments

Nothnagle REALTORS® has announced the appointment of Mike Smith, Associate Broker, as Branch Manager of the Geneseo office.

Licensed in 1978, Mike Smith has spent his entire career at Nothnagle. He is a Past President of the Genesee Valley Board of REALTORS®, has chaired a number of committees at the state and local level, served as a NYS Regional Vice President and continues to serve on committees at the local, state and national levels. He is a certified NYS instructor for continuing education and has taught courses on various real estate issues and current topics throughout the state. In 2008, Mike was honored as the New York State REALTOR® of the Year by the New York State Association of REALTORS®.

The position was previously held by Andy Kachaylo, who also manages Lakeville and Dansville and oversaw the Company’s mergers with Youngs and Linfoot and The Edmond Agency earlier this year. The mergers expanded the Geneseo branch and added the Dansville location for Nothnagle. Andy Kachaylo will continue to manage the Lakeville and Dansville offices while Mike Smith will immediately take over the Geneseo office. Michelle Schlossel will remain as Senior Manager overseeing all three locations.

In addition to the branch appointment, Nothnagle announced Jennifer Clark has assumed the role of Manager of Home Services. Jennifer started her career with Nothnagle as a Homes Services Coordinator in 2002. In 2006, she was named IDX Coordinator, overseeing the Internet Data Exchange program for the Company.

Bob Benjamin will maintain his role of Sales Account Executive for Home Services. Bob will continue to build and foster relationships with area vendors, contractors and retailers to meet our client's needs and expand our Home Services offerings.

What the New Foreclosure Mess Means to You

The media has been reporting on issues involving foreclosures...but what does it mean to you? "Houston, we [may] have a problem."

Because of the flood of foreclosures that have needed to be processed, there were employees who were signing off on thousands of foreclosures attesting to the accuracy of the documents without having much personal knowledge of what they contained. These employees are known as "robo-signers." It now appears that many homes may have been foreclosed on without proper procedures being followed. The result? Several major lenders have suspended foreclosure procedings across the country. Now tens of thousands of foreclosures - in all stages of the process - have come to a screeching halt.

1. For homeowners in the foreclosure process: It appears that some banks will be backing away from following through with normal foreclosure processes until they can be assured that their paperwork is in order. Estimates are calling for a 30-90 day delay....this does NOT mean that each particular situation will be delayed, it is unknown at this time how many properties are affected or delayed.

2. For buyers who are in the process of purchasing a foreclosure: A portion of the inventory has been frozen. Some stories report people who were set to close and now are in limbo. The issue is that the banks need to make sure they actually own the properties legally before they can complete the sale. There will likely not be a large number of cancellations, however delays are to be expected.

3. If you are selling a home: The removal of foreclosures from some markets may help bolster overall housing prices. However, the longer the delay to return these properties to the market, the harder it may hit the market once a flood of homes comes back on the market. While there could be short term gains for sellers in some markets, this is not an ideal time to throw a wrench in the recovery of the housing market with the economic challenges the country is facing today. The longer the delay, the longer the recovery - pushing it back months, if not years.

The unknown:

1. Whether politicians are going to push for a moratorium on ALL foreclosures. If so, for how long? Expect longer delays should this happen.

2. How many homes were mistakenly foreclosed on? Experts are saying that the odds are that it is NOT a large number of homes affected. However, if instances where errors or fraud are uncovered, this will likely cause mass delays. Same if some former homeowners start to file class action lawsuits.

The National Association of REALTORS has issued a statement urging the freeze to be lifted.

Nothnagle's Exclusive Buy First, Sell Later Program

By selecting Nothnagle to market your home, you have an opportunity to participate in our “Buy First, Sell Later” program – exclusively available through our affiliated mortgage company, Nothnagle Home Securities Corp. Existing homeowners who are looking to buy a new home can take advantage of the many benefits this program offers, including:

• Having the ability to negotiate a non-contingent offer on the home you wish to purchase, putting you at a better advantage.

• The opportunity to lock-in at today’s low interest rates instead of waiting until your home sells.

• Advances your equity allowing for your preferred down payment – which means lower mortgage payments.

Benefits of going Non-Contingent:

• Allows you to “Buy Right.” You will have more leverage in your negotiations since there’s no need to “sweeten the pot” to get your non-contingent offer accepted.

• No fear of getting “BUMPED” on your dream home.

• You have actual dates to work from to plan your move.

• Eliminates the anxiety of being forced to close on your current home before having a new home to move into.

Contact a Nothnagle agent today for more information or our affiliated mortgage partner, Nothnagle Home Securities.

*Restrictions apply and applicants must meet certain program requirements.

Selecting the Best Home for You

If you're in the market to find a home, like most buyers you start out with a price, style and features in mind. And like most buyers, you're in search of the perfect home. But does the perfect home always exist? Some times, but more often than not as you start looking you will have to make some compromises.

So where should you start?

1. It's very important to not compromise on the features you MUST have. So before you begin, make a list. What will fit your needs? Your family's needs? As an example, if you have three teenage girls, settling on a 1-bath house may not work for your family. In this example, having at least two bathrooms and four bedrooms may be a priority as well as a necessity.

2. What area do you want to live in? What fits your lifestyle? If you are an urban dweller by nature, looking for homes in rural areas is probably a waste of time. If the thought of having neighbors close by makes you cringe, then you need to look outside of the suburbs and in more rural towns. Try to narrow your search down to 2-3 areas.

3. Next, make a second list of features that you would like but are not critical. A powder room off of the kitchen may be convenient if you entertain, appliances included, a walk out basement, master suite, pool....these may be features you would prefer but if one is missing you may be willing to compromise without it being a major inconvenience.

4. Your final list should include features that don't matter one way or another to you. Septic vs. sewer, well vs. public water, air conditioning, pool, walk out basement...the items that will have no bearing on your decision whether or not to buy that particular house.

This is in no way meant to pursued you to buy before you are ready but if you set yourself up to find the "perfect" house, you may be setting yourself up to be searching for an unattainable goal. Even if you are building a new house, you will likely find yourself having to compromise on certain things. Often it's related to cost or sometimes having a 4th bedroom means you can't have a 2-story family room....then you have to decide which is more important?

Before you go out in the market, do research online and ask your agent for some guidance. In today's market, there are many choices for buyers to be selective but if you're serious, you will find the home that is best for you!

Preparing Your Home for Sale in Today's Market

Now more than ever it is critical that you effectively prepare your home for sale before you put it on the market. Unless you are marketing it as a "fixer upper" (and the price is reflective of this), your home needs to be in top condition.

Today's buyer has many options and will quickly pass on a less than perfect condition house. This does not mean you have to spend big dollars making over your home. Neat, clean and well maintained is what is important. Anything less and a prospective buyer may assume that your home has not been taken care of properly. A thorough cleaning and some inexpensive repairs may be all that you need.

First impression is the only impression that counts when you are selling your home! Here are some tips to follow PRIOR to listing your house.

1. Create curb appeal. Buyers need to like your home from the outside first. Make sure your lawn and landscaping is weeded, trimmed and neat. Important for this time of year - get rid of the leaves! How does your front door look? Shutters? Garage door? A quick coat of paint may be in order. What about your mailbox? While buyers may not notice that it is new, they WILL notice if it is old and rusty!

2. Windows. Make sure your windows are clean - and the screens too. Clean windows will add brightness to your home.

3. The importance of Paint. Remember, you may love your bright pink living room but many buyers won't. Neutral is key. Buy an off-white neutral and get rid of the pink! Also, chipped or peeling pain is a big no-no....sanding and a quick coat of paint will do wonders for the showability of your house.

4. Declutter. Go through your entire house and get rid of the clutter. Then go through again and declutter more! Pay special attention to cupboards, pantries and closets. Buyers will look inside! Remove large pieces of furniture. Put away your out of season clothes. Donate what you can and throw away what you cannot. For the items you may want to keep but need to remove, investing in a storage unit may pay off in the long run.

5. Clean your house from top to bottom. Dust, vaccuum, clean stains out of carpets, polish hardwoods, clean appliances, scrub the toilet and bath....now is the time to make your home sparkle! Don't have the time? We can help! Nothnagle's Home Services offers affordable options for cleaning services.

6. Check for leaks and squeeks. Fix leaky faucets and fixtures and oil those squeeky door hinges.

Your agent can give you personalized tips to maximize the showability of your home. Ask friends and families for their honest opinion. Look at your home through the eyes of a stranger - what you think is perfect, just may not be so to others. Criticism may be hard to take but in the end it will pay off. Because a properly priced home that is in good condition will sell much faster allowing you to get on with your life.

New Yorkers Love Their Homes, Hate Their Taxes

The New York State Association of Realtors and the Siena Research Institute recently conducted the first-ever New York Homeownership Survey. Of the 1,015 New Yorkers who responded, the survey found that New Yorkers love their homes but hate their taxes. Not surprising with nine out of 10 counties from New York State on the Tax Foundation's list of highest property taxes in the nation when compared to home value.

Eight-four percent of respondents said they consider homeownership to be a very significant part of the American Dream and 81% consider their home to be a comfort rather than a burden. Nearly all respondents (97%) said they were either very satisfied (66%) or somewhat satisfied (31%) with owning their own home.

Most New Yorkers believe homeownership is a good investment, with 81% indicating it is a better investment than the stock market and 69% feel the value of their home will increase over the next five years.

However, respondents feel that it is becoming increasingly difficult to attain homeownership due to unrestrained property tax increases, high closing costs and real estate transaction taxes. In fact, 75% of New York homeowners think their real estate taxes are too high and 79% said it is taking a bigger piece of their budget each year. Sixty-four percent do not believe their tax money is being well managed or used efficiently and 76% are in favor of a cap on the rate of which property taxes can increase. Eighty-four percent support keeping the tax deduction for home mortgage interest.

In addition, the majority of New Yorkers think that working with a REALTOR is beneficial. Nearly 80% believe a REALTOR will sell a home more quickly (percentage is probably higher for those who have used a Nothnagle agent!).

Location is most important when buying a home but respondents also cite a need for ample closets (65% ranked as "very important"), a garage (51%), a newer roof (48%), an updated kitchen (42%), more than two baths (36%), a master bedroom suite (32%) and a well-landscaped home (28%).

Bob Maves Named 2010 Realtor of the Year

Bob Maves, Senior Manager, was recently honored as the 2010 Realtor of the Year by the Greater Rochester Association of Realtors at their annual awards luncheon held on October 7, 2010.

Every year the Association recognizes one Realtor member who demonstrates distinguished service in the advancement of the ideals of the real estate profession. Bob, manager of the Pittsford branch, has been in real estate for 27 years and joined Nothnagle in 1997. He previously served as manager of the Fairport branch prior to moving to Pittsford in 2002.

Bob is well-respected by colleagues and clients alike and has maintained a strong reputation as someone who is constantly learning, constantly sharing his knowledge and expertise with those he has mentored. In addition to managing Nothnagle's highest producing office, Bob also has served as Chairman of the Genesee Real Estate Information Services, Inc. Board of Directors since 2007, and is on the GRAR Board of Directors along with several committees.

On behalf of all of Nothnagle, congratulations to Bob Maves on winning this prestigious award!

Nothnagle Introduces New "Buy First, Sell Later" Program

By selecting Nothnagle to market your home, you have an opportunity to participate in our “Buy First, Sell Later” program – exclusively available through our affiliated mortgage company, Nothnagle Home Securities Corp. Existing homeowners who are looking to buy a new home can take advantage of the many benefits this program offers, including:

• Having the ability to negotiate a non-contingent offer on the home you wish to purchase, putting you at a better advantage.

• The opportunity to lock-in at today’s low interest rates instead of waiting until your home sells.

• Advances your equity allowing for your preferred down payment – which means lower mortgage payments.

Benefits of going Non-Contingent:

• Allows you to “Buy Right.” You will have more leverage in your negotiations since there’s no need to “sweeten the pot” to get your non-contingent offer accepted.

• No fear of getting “BUMPED” on your dream home.

• You have actual dates to work from to plan your move.

• Eliminates the anxiety of being forced to close on your current home before having a new home to move into.

Contact a Nothnagle agent today for more information or our affiliated mortgage partner, Nothnagle Home Securities.

*Restrictions apply and applicants must meet certain program requirements.

Nothnagle Expands 4-Sale Line Feature

The Nothnagle 4-Sale Line® just got better! In addition to Nothnagle listings, callers can now access information on all listed properties in the Greater Rochester region.

To get information on a property listed with a Nothnagle agent, nothing has changed. Callers enter the Property Code Number (PC#), which appears on Nothnagle “for sale” yard signs and in advertisements, to get a property description and if desired, connect directly with the listing agent.

To access properties listed by a broker other than Nothnagle, callers can enter the property’s MLS number. The MLS number commonly can be found on most competitors’ advertisements and starts with the letter “R” followed by a series of numbers.

The Nothnagle 4-Sale Line® was established in 1993 and continues to get thousands of calls each month. Callers can obtain information on available homes 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service provides a brief description of the home, including its rooms, features, location and price. Callers can utilize the option to connect directly to an agent to get more information and to set up an appointment to tour the property.

To access the 4-Sale Line® call 585-292-8500 or toll free at 1-800-295-2797.

Vote Today for Rochester's Choice Awards

Since the award's inception, Nothnagle Realtors has been voted "Rochester's Choice" in the Democrat and Chronicle's annual poll. We just celebrated our 62nd year since the company's inception and are very proud to be Rochester's Realtor and the choice for so many individuals and families in our community....and beyond with the continuing expansion of Nothnagle into other parts of the state.

Please take a few moments to complete the Rochester's Choice ballot. And be sure to select your favorite real estate company, Nothnagle Realtors! Also available under the "business" category is our insurance company, Nothnagle Insurance Agency. After only being open for 16 months, Nothnagle Insurance was ranked by Allstate the #2 office in the region.

The Rochester's Choice survey is fun for area residents to vote on various businesses, restaurants and other service providers!

Nothnagle is Expanding to Central New York!

Nothnagle Realtors is pleased to announce the launch of Nothnagle REALTORS®, Moss Ansteth Associates, a franchised office under the ownership and management of industry veterans Aaron Moss and Stephen Ansteth.

The duo has been operating Aaron A. Moss Real Estate, Inc. since 2005 from their location at 1 West Genesee Street in the heart of Skaneateles. The office location will remain the same and all eight agents will be making the transition to the Nothnagle platform. From the Skaneateles location the agents serve all of Central New York, providing a high level of customer service and experience to the clients they work with.

“We want to give local real estate consumers and agents a world-class experience like no other. Both Steve and I have a strong track record of delivering top-quality service to our clients but now through our partnership with Nothnagle REALTORS®, we will be able to offer tools and systems never before available in the Central New York region,” said Aaron Moss, Broker.

“The franchise arrangement allows brokers to maintain their independence while tapping into our successful infrastructure. Aaron and Steve have an exceptional business-sense. We share the same vision and believe that by empowering agents with the most innovative tools in the industry, we can offer the best buyer and seller experience in the Central New York market,” said Armand D’Alfonso, President and CEO of Nothnagle Realtors.

Nothnagle REALTORS®, Moss Ansteth Associates will be the first operation in the Central New York region for the franchise under this platform.



About Aaron Moss
Aaron Moss, a Skaneateles native, opened Aaron A. Moss Real Estate, Inc. in 2005. Prior to that, most recently he served as Chief Operating Officer at Jordyn Taylor Properties, Inc., located in South Florida. In less than four years with Jordyn Taylor, Aaron oversaw the opening of 17 real estate offices, hired and trained over 1,500 agents and the company transacted over 25,000 sales.

Aaron currently resides in Skaneateles with his family. He is a Director for the New York State Association of REALTORS® and is past Treasurer of the Cayuga County Association of REALTORS®. In addition to New York, Aaron is licensed in Connecticut, Virginia and Florida.

About Stephen Ansteth
Steve Ansteth has spent the last 5 years as owner/operator of Aaron A. Moss Real Estate, Inc., in Skaneateles. Throughout his time in real estate, Steve has developed a knack with buyers and sellers alike, using his outstanding customer service skills and innovative communication systems.

Steve, from Skaneateles, currently resides in Auburn. He is Treasurer of the Cayuga County Association of REALTORS® and is the co-chairman for the Association’s successful Charity Golf Event which benefits local charities, most recently The Matthew House.

About Nothnagle REALTORS®
Nothnagle REALTORS® was founded in 1948 and is a full-service real estate brokerage boasting 26 offices in Upstate New York and more than $1.1 billion in annual sales. Nothnagle.com was recently named #8 Top Real Estate Brokerage Website in America by 1000watt Consulting and REALTrends. For more information, please visit www.Nothnagle.com.

Nothnagle REALTORS® previously operated the “Gallery of Homes” franchise system for over 30 years. The first real estate franchise in the country, at its peak there was a network of 1,100 Gallery of Homes locations throughout the U.S., Canada and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Company sold off the franchise in the 1980’s.

Nothnagle Expands to Hornell!

Nothnagle Realtors is pleased to announce the launch of Nothnagle REALTORS®, Marino Agency, a franchised office under the ownership and management of industry veteran Martha Marino. Dawn Green, Associate Broker, will be the first sales professional to join her.

Marino and Green make a great team. Each has different strengths and both are full-time agents with industry designations, such as GRI (Graduate, REALTOR® Institute) and ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative). Agents that invest time and money into these designations are clearly investing in themselves as a means to provide better service to their clients and customers.

“I want to give local real estate consumers and agents a world-class experience like no other. Both Dawn and I have a strong track record of delivering top-quality service to our clients but now through my partnership with Nothnagle REALTORS®, we will be able to offer tools and systems never before available in the Hornell market,” said Martha Marino, Broker/Owner.

“We couldn’t think of a better partner in the Hornell market than Martha Marino, one of the area’s most successful sales agents, a dedicated professional with a reputation for top-notch quality service among her peers and past clients. When you combine her market knowledge and experience with Nothnagle’s award-winning systems, it is a perfect match,” said Armand D’Alfonso, President and CEO of Nothnagle Realtors.

Nothnagle Realtors®, Marino Agency will be the first Southern tier operation for the franchise under this platform. However, the Nothnagle name is familiar to many Hornell residents from the “Gallery of Homes” franchise system that was operated by Nothnagle Realtors previously.

Nothnagle REALTORS®, Marino Agency will be located at 188 Main Street in downtown Hornell.

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About Martha Marino
Martha Marino has been licensed to sell real estate in New York State since 1995. She resides in Hornell with her husband Mike. They have two grown daughters.

About Nothnagle Realtors
Nothnagle REALTORS® was founded in 1948 and is a full-service real estate brokerage boasting 26 offices in Upstate New York and more than $1.1 billion in annual sales. Nothnagle.com was recently named #8 Top Real Estate Brokerage Website in America by 1000watt Consulting and REALTrends. For more information, please visit www.Nothnagle.com.

Nothnagle REALTORS® previously operated the “Gallery of Homes” franchise system for over 30 years. The first real estate franchise in the country, at its peak there was a network of 1,100 Gallery of Homes locations throughout the U.S., Canada and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Company sold off the franchise in the 1980’s.