Introducing Nothnagle's 7-Step Marketing System

We're excited to launch our new landing page and ad campaign to promote our 7-Step Marketing System, exclusive to Nothnagle Realtors. What do you get when you spend six decades perfecting the process of selling homes? The most effective home-selling system in the area.

The Nothnagle 7-Step Marketing System is proven to sell the most homes in Rochester. That's because we use marketing tools that other brokers don't. Like our Weekly Market Report to keep you up to date on inquiries about your property and other listings in your neighborhood. A posting on Rochester's #1 real estate web site. Guaranteed print advertising. And the area's most effect real estate agents.

Contact a Nothnagle agent direct or 899-MOVE today to find out more or visit Nothnagle.com/7Steps.

6 Reasons to Use a Real Estate Agent

Once you have made the decision to sell your home, the first step you should take is to find an agent. While some sellers may be tempted by the thought to sell the home on their own, study after study shows that sellers will net more for their house using an agent versus selling it on their own.

Here are 6 reasons to take into consideration when buying or selling a home:

1. Pricing is Difficult

A few years ago, you didn’t have to worry about overpricing your home. The situation is quite different today. In this market, time costs you money. A professional real estate agent will discuss how increasing inventory could dramatically impact the value of your property in the months to come. They will help you set the right price in today’s market.

2. Having a Professional to Negotiate

Buyers today have an almost unlimited supply of homes from which to choose. They realize that puts them in a great negotiating position. Most buyers are now being represented by an agent. Sellers need to also be represented by a professional expert trained to negotiate real estate contracts.

3. Financing is Key for Buyers

The biggest impact of the housing market collapse is that lending standards are much stricter today than they were a few short years ago. Rules are constantly changing. Even FHA has gone through a guidelines overhaul in the last several months. You need a real estate expert who has teamed up with a knowledgeable mortgage professional to make sure that the buyer in the deal is in fact capable of obtaining a mortgage. Losing time with an unqualified buyer costs you money in a market where prices are falling.

4. Your Safety

Real estate agents are trained to take steps to protect themselves and their clients. Take advantage of putting a person between you and the person calling on an ad or yard sign. Your agent will also be able to check-in on your vacant home if you have not sold it before moving to a new location.

5. Less Time and Stress

Selling a home could turn into a full time job. Learning the necessary disclosures, coordinating the dates of your closings, dealing with a challenge regarding your appraisal and re-negotiating the offer after an engineer’s report are just a few of the concerns you may face. Your time is more valuable and better spent on the items important to you and your family, while leaving the challenges to your agent.

6. Spreading the Word

Once you list your property with a member of the local MLS, every other member of the system is alerted that your house is now available for purchase. In a matter of hours, thousands of real estate professionals have the ability to easily share the specifics of your home with each of their buyers. There is nothing an individual seller can do to come close to this immediate exposure to thousands of potential buyers. Additionally, your realtor will keep up to date on the most recent ways to advertise your home. Not only do they rely on traditional means of advertising, such as newspaper and television, they will also advertise your home on YouTube, Facebook, and Trulia to name a few. It would be impossible for a seller to get the width of exposure the real estate agent has at his/her fingertips.

In the long run, having a real estate agent represent you on either side of a transaction will give you the best advice, get you the most money or the best price, they will also save you time and unnecessary stress!

And remember, not all real estate agents are equal. A Nothnagle agent can give you additional benefits, tools and resources not available anywhere else.

Innovative Open House Ideas!

Have you been experiencing slow traffic or no traffic at all during your open houses? Try these 3 ideas to discuss with your agent to make your house stand out from the rest!

1. Have a Garage Sale at the same time.

This is a great idea for two reasons. Garage sales always bring people. If they know that there is an open house at the same time, they will most likely stop in. The more people the better because word of mouth will help to get your house sold! You can also "de-clutter" your house at the same time, which makes it easier to stage as well as make a lighter move.

2. Don't host an open house when everyone else does.

Open houses are typically on Sundays in the afternoon. Why not have one during the week after 5 when people will be driving by on their way home from work? Adding some wine and cheese will also offer a nice transition into dinner time. Even weekday mornings could work after people drop their kids off at school.

3. Have a "Full Service" Open House

Ask your agent about involving a loan officer at your open house. Potential buyers will be able to find out what financing is available to them and possibly get pre qualified. Additionally, including a contractor helps buyers envision their "dream home". They can bring sample materials, photos and digital renderings to show the potential of the property.

Cartons for Christmas 2010

The Nothnagle Spencerport branch will be serving as an early drop-off location from November 8 - December 3 for non-perishable food items. The goal of this community project is to provide food and toys for local families in need at the holidays. Last year the Cartons for Christmas project delivered 10,500 food items and 350 toys to 132 families (526 people). Nothnagle is helping to collect food items for the cartons that will be delivered at Christmas. Non-perishable items such as canned fruits and vegetables, jarred/canned gravy, boxed items such as pasta, rice or side dishes, or other items that will not expire and do not require refrigeration are being sought. Monetary donations are also being accepted. Checks should be made payable to "Cartons for Christmas" and can also be dropped off at the Spencerport branch, located at 85 South Union Street.

Good News for Rochester as Unemployment Rate Drops

According to the Democrat and Chronicle on November 18, Rochester is on their way to economic recovery. State officials announced on November 18 that the region added 1,500 private sector jobs within the last 12 months.

This has resulted in the first increase in total payrolls for the five-county statistical area since October 2008.

The unemployment rate for the area is now down to 7.3 percent from 7.4 percent in September, which was previously 7.7 percent in October of 2009.

The state of New York as a whole has a better unemployment rate at 8.3 percent compared to the rest of the nation which is at 9.6 percent.

To view the full article click on Democrat and Chronicle

2010 Sales Master Award Winners!

Nothnagle REALTORS® is pleased to announce winners of this year’s Sales Master Awards. The following agents are recipients of the award, given out by the Greater Rochester Association of REALTORS® at their annual awards event held Friday, November 12, 2010, at Oak Hill Country Club:

Sales Master Platinum:
Michael Drouin
Marcia Glenn
Vickie Howard
Debbi Jacob
Kathy Keogh
Doug Logory
Cathy McWilliams
Sam Morreale
Dan Patterson
Richard Sarkis
Steve Wrobbel


Sales Master Gold:
Irene Bennett
Janet Campbell
Pam Dickson
Joe DiPasquale
Brian Donovan
Judy Farrell
Bob Finocchio
Ginny Hronek
Susan Kautz
Mary Lobene
John Masters
Patty Pagani
Janis Reding
Cathy Shelansky
Joy Sherry
Mary Tubiolo
Carol Verbridge


Sales Master:
Carol Andrews
Christa Barbagallo
Roger Benton
Cathy Bianchi
Lisa Bolzner
James Briggs
Garry Britton
Lisa Chantra
Toni Connors
Nancy Crocker
Sharon Diamond
John Dretto
Don Fackelman
Larry Fisher
Beth Forester
Joan Greeno
Jamey Hinman
Keith Hiscock
Mark Hiscock
Susan Hughes
Josie Licata
John Majchrzak
Leif Mermagen
Jim Peck
John Pratt
Dennis Price
Danielle Riley
Kitty Rossetti
Annette Rotondo
Chris Saunders
Warren Seeley
Robbin Smith
Robin St. George
Vickie Sweet
David Teske
Audrey Valenti
James Van Schaffel
Geetha Vijay
Bonnie Wetzel
Cliff Wilson
Linda Wilson
Terry Wolak

The following criteria must be met to reach each level of award:

• Sales Master Platinum 100+ Closed MLS transactions or $10,000,000+ closed volume
• Sales Master Gold 60-99 Closed MLS transactions or $6,000,000+ closed volume.
• Sales Master 35-59 Closed MLS transactions or $4,000,000+ closed volume.

Why NOW is the Time to Buy!

Today's market offers plenty of opportunities for buyers looking to purchase a home. Whether it's your first home or your tenth, there may never be a better time to buy than today. Why? The combination of low interest rates, healthy supply of inventory and stable prices makes this a perfect storm.

Buyers may be disappointed that the tax credit has passed but with interest rates at historic lows, the cost of homeownership has never been more affordable - even without the tax credit.

So why buy now? Here's six reasons why:

1. You can get a great deal.
2. Mortgages are cheap.
3. Plenty of choices.
4. You can get more for your money, i.e. a "better" home.
5. It's forced savings, allowing you to build up your nest egg for the future.
6. Sooner or later the market will clear and your home will continue to be a solid investment as the value appreciates.

Don't delay! Contact a Nothnagle agent and also sign up today on MyNothnagle to receive listings that fit your criteria as they come on the market.

Getting Past the "Doom and Gloom" About Real Estate

Turn on the news and what do you hear when it comes to real estate? Doom and gloom. We've all heard that bad news sells - and it's true that some markets are still in a bad state. But in Upstate New York, we have so many positives going for our region and for real estate. Some publications and analysts are also starting to focus on the positives of the current market - it is a great time to buy.

Interest rates are unbelievably low. Would you rather save $60,000 over the term of your mortgage or get a $8,000 tax credit? Because today that is the reality in the aftermath of the tax credit era. Fannie Mae recently conducted a national housing survey in September, 2010. The results? 70% of respondents think it is a good time to buy a house and of those respondents, 36% think it is a "very good" time to buy.

U.S. News and World Report recently featured an article about the five things you should do with the interest rates as low as they are. What was #1? Buy a home. "The combination of low rates and falling real estate prices make for a perfect time to buy a home. Particularly for first time buyers, there may never be a better time to take the plunge into homeownership than over the next year."

In Upstate New York, we didn't experience double-digit appreciation so conversely we have not experienced a major drop in price. But with interest rates at historic lows combined with a healthy supply of inventory and stable prices....it is an ideal time to buy.

So if you're on the fence or starting to begin to think about homeownership, contact a Nothnagle agent today to get the facts about the local market and your buying power in the current market.

Home for the Holidays

Are you delinquent on your mortgage or a homeowner at risk of falling behind? Don't despair, there is help available. The Housing Council is hosting "Home For the Holidays," a FREE event on Saturday, November 13, from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the United Way building located at 75 College Avenue (off of Goodman Street, near Village Gate).

On site will be foreclosure prevention counselors and 16 representatives from five different lenders. Registration is suggested but not required. To sign up or to get more information, call 546-3700 x. 3003 or find information on their website.

The Housing Council is a HUD-approved counseling organization. All of their foreclosure prevention services are available free of charge to homeowners at risk of losing their home. Don't delay....if you are in need of help, contact The Housing Council for assistance today.

How to Improve Your Insurance Score

Wondering what too many credit cards has to do with the limb that landed on your roof? More than you’d think, it turns out.

Insurers claim the use of credit-based insurance scores is fair and actually works in favor of fiscally responsible consumers. Most people expect the cost of homeowners insurance to go up after a claim is filed. But it may surprise you to know that how good you are at managing your finances can have just as big an effect on your premium as the tree that fell on your house.

Insurers look to your credit history to calculate an insurance score that’s used to judge how much of a financial risk you are. The lower the score, the higher the risk—and the higher the premium you’ll likely pay on your homeowners insurance. Don’t despair. There are strategies, including paying bills on time, that can help improve your insurance score.

How your insurance score is calculated
Your insurance score starts with your credit report, which provides a history of your credit use. What credit cards and loans do you have? What are the balances? How promptly do you pay? Your report also includes information gleaned from public records such as bankruptcies and liens. FICO is the best-known company that turns the information in credit reports into credit scores. FICO credit scores range from 300 to 850.

Insurers are less concerned than lenders about your ability to pay back a specific amount than your overall ability to manage money, says Allstate spokesman Adam Shores, especially whether you make late payments and how long since delinquencies took place. Your insurance claims history, as recorded in your CLUE report, also affects your insurance score. So can your age, the construction of your house, and whether you’ve installed smoke detectors and other safety equipment.

Your claims history lives on in CLUE
The CLUE Personal Property report, which pertains to homeowners insurance, is divided into two parts: your personal record of claims (“Claims for the Subject”) and the claims on your home (“Claims History for Risk”). The number of claims in either section will affect whether you can get insurance for your home, how much coverage you can get, and how much you’ll pay in premiums. If you’re turned down for homeowners insurance because of information in your CLUE report, your insurance company is required to let you know why you were rejected.

Since the database is used by most insurance companies, your claims history follows you from one insurer to another. Actual claims, as opposed to inquiries, remain in the CLUE database for seven years from the date you filed them.

After one year of being open for business, Nothnagle Insurance Agency was ranked as the #2 Allstate office in the region! We offer competitive rates and can further explain to you how you can improve your score and save time and money using Nothnagle Insurance Agency. Contact us today for more information.

Your Fall & Winter Maintenance Guide

Certain home maintenance tasks should be completed each season to prevent structural damage, save energy, and keep all your home’s systems running properly.

Here are some maintenance tips for the Fall to help you prepare for the cold winter that will be arriving soon!

• Clean your gutters. Leaving debris in your gutters is an invitation for trouble. Not only can it freeze and damage the gutters themselves, but it also can force freezing water up under your shingles and damage the roof. Even if your home has a covered gutter system, it's still important to remove the covers and clean out any debris that may have still gotten through.

• Clean and put away lawn and garden equipment. Do a visual inspection of the yard to identify anything lying around — garden tools, hoses and nozzles, patio furniture and accessories. Leaving these items out in the snow and ice may damage them so they should be stored somewhere dry for the winter. It's important to leave your lawn mower with an empty tank of gas. Gas left behind can degrade and lose some of its combustion ability. Worse, gas can react with the air in the tank and oxidize, forming deposits that affect the machine’s performance; worse still, moisture can condense inside the tank and cause rust that blocks the fuel lines.

• Schedule a furnace tune-up. The technician will work their way through a checklist of items such as inspecting filters, checking the chimney exhaust, and examining the blower and fuel connections.

• Protect your air conditioning unit. If your outdoor air conditioning unit is located under trees or under the drip line of the house where icicles and snow may fall, give it a little protection by placing a sheet of plywood over the top and draping a dropcloth over it. However, don’t create a fully enclosed space, as that can trap moisture and offer winter protection for rodents.

• Close your storm windows. It’s a simple step, but an easy one to forget. Make sure the windows are shut properly so that the outer pane is up and the inner pane is down; this keeps rain and other forms of precipitation out.

Spending a weekend or two on maintenance can prevent costly repairs and alert you to developing problems. Don't have the time? We can help! Nothnagle's Home Services offers many home-related maintenance services. Let our Home Service Coordinator do all of the work for you, just let us know what you need and we will match your budget with a qualified, pre-screened professional.

Buffalo, Rochester Make Forbes List of "Most Affordable Cities"

Forbes.com recently published a list of "America's Most Affordable Cities," identified as "cities that had a balance of cheap living and economic prosperity--places with solid job markets, but where costs aren't prohibitive."

Buffalo came in 3rd on the list and Rochester ranked 4th. The article went on to explain, "These Northeastern cities have a lot in common, emerging from long slumps after being deserted by their manufacturing economies..........the combination of a newly diversified economy and a history of sustained low costs makes them affordable."

As we've been saying all along, the article also talks about the housing market which in Upstate New York while we didn't experience the "boom" of other areas, we didn't experience the "bust" either.

All of the cities have several factors in common - cost of goods remains low, housing market is stable and residents are maintaining steady incomes and decent jobs.

The complete list of the "Top 10" Most Affordable Cities is as follows:

1. Oklahoma City, OK
2. Pittsburgh, PA
3. Buffalo, NY
4. Rochester, NY
5. Nashville, TN
6. San Antonio, TX
7. Houston, TX
8. Louisville, KY
9. Birmingham, AL
10. Austin TX

Henrietta Branch Participates in "Make a Difference Day"

The agents of the Henrietta branch recently participated in "Make a Difference Day," helping area residents with yard work. The agents spent one entire Saturday visiting a neighborhood in Henrietta picking up leaves, planting fall flowers and helping homeowners with other lawn and garden maintenance projects.

One resident sent a thank you note to the office the following week stating, "An army of leaf rakers arrived here on Saturday morning....and made short work of cleaning up my back lawn. I very much appreciate their thoughtfulness and for giving up a part of their weekend for this."

While the residents appreciated the assistance, our agents were equally gratified to be able to go out on a beautiful fall day and help our neighbors. All in all it proved to be a great day, with just a few sore muscles after to tend to!

Thank you to the residents who allowed us to come to your home, it was a pleasure to meet you!