What A Great Day For Everything Syracuse

Tune in to ESPN at 3:20.

Syracuse: In the eye of the beholder, one beautiful town

By Sean Kirst / The Post Standard

Tuesday morning, before I left for work, I made a call to Ray, a mechanic at Ed & Frank’s on South Avenue. A headlight was out on our van, and I wondered if I could stop by later in the week to get it fixed.

“Stop by now,” Ray said. So I drove to the garage on my way downtown. Ray took a break from what he was doing. He came out and fixed the light.

A mechanic you can trust, who’s there when you need him. I’ve lived in towns where I never found anyone like that, and maybe it doesn’t sound like that big a deal, but it helps to explain why we’re still in Syracuse.

It’s been 20 years. That hit me last week, a day or two before Christmas, as I was standing in line at the Columbus Bakery on Pearl Street. As you get older, you fully appreciate the little pleasures. One of my favorite rituals in this town is getting some black coffee at Freedom of Espresso, and then walking over to Columbus for a loaf of bread that smells about as good as anything on earth.

As I waited, I got to thinking about how my family is closing out 20 years in Syracuse, and just how much we’ve come to love this place. The funny thing is, we had zero connection when we arrived. I had been working at a paper in Niagara Falls, and my wife and I needed better jobs. We both had ailing parents and we didn’t want to leave the region, so I sent applications to every big paper at this end of the state.

They hired me here. I started off in a bureau in Oswego, and The Post-Standard eventually brought me into Syracuse. I “came downtown,” as we called it at the paper, with limited knowledge of the community: I knew the Iroquois Confederacy was born near Onondaga Lake. I knew Lee Alexander was a brilliant mayor whose self-destruction broke the city’s heart. I knew about the famous green-over-red traffic signal on Tipperary Hill.

That was about it. We were nomads, and we were used to moving around, and we had no belief that we’d settle in Syracuse. We started off with a flat in a noisy college neighborhood, but everything changed on the day we moved into our second apartment, on South Geddes Street. That night, the dog and I took a walk to the top of the nearby Woodland Reservoir. I turned and saw the lights of the city rolling toward the horizon, and I thought:

My God. What a beautiful town.

Which it is, even if it hardly gets projected that way. We discovered that Syracuse is a magnificent place for moonlight sledding, because it is a city of vistas. I love the view from Tipp Hill, in which the spires of Sacred Heart and the faraway Church of the Assumption line up like celestial goal posts, or the view from Schiller Park of the rippling farmland beyond the city, or the incredible view that opens up as you near Syracuse on Interstate 81, and you see the towers of downtown tucked into the green folds of the valley.

As for daily life, we’d always dreamed of finding a neighborhood where our kids could walk to school and play kickball in the street, a place where they’d grow up with friends from a wild hodgepodge of experience.

By good fortune, in Syracuse, that fell into our laps.

So we stayed. My wife became a teacher in the city schools, and I came into a job that for me is as good as it gets. Any notion of going elsewhere slipped away. The door of our house, in a city neighborhood, is within a few minutes’ walk of quiet trails in the woods. In the autumn, we can drive to pick apples in 10 minutes. I still treasure my monthly visits at the Regional Market with Louie, the same barber who gave my kids their first haircuts.

And despite many instances locally of sheer political madness, we’ve found solace in thoughtful friends — true believers — who dare to think Syracuse can be great ...

Which it is, depending on what you see and what you want. Twenty years ago, we arrived with no plans to settle here. Then you wake up one day surrounded by neighbors that you love, in a city whose grand vistas never fail to lift your heart.

No one says it. It just happens. You realize you are home.


http://www.syracuse.com/kirst/index.ssf/2010/12/syracuse_in_the_eye_of_this_be.html

The Value Of Their Words: Teaching Life Through Art in Syracuse

Forget about math and science for a moment...
This is the kind of learning that will give these kids Hope...
without which, math and science don't matter much.


Syracuse University Magazine Fall/Winter 2010

The students in Adam Lutwin’s 11th-grade English class are reading A Streetcar Named Desire and focusing on detailing their daily surroundings—in their photographs and writings. When Lutwin asks if anyone wants to share from their journal, Demetria Smith volunteers. She reads about noisy children and barking dogs in her neighborhood and looking forward to it quieting down with fall’s arrival. “No more feeling annoyed from unnecessary noises,” she says.

Lutwin sees the opportunity to link classroom instruction with the students documenting observations and thoughts about their everyday lives as a way to help them grow as individuals. “The program draws kids into the true beauty of self-expression, the most important expression of them all,” he says. “You cannot attach a test score to a student who tries something new and finds a voice that previously remained silent.”

Read More...

Plan Your Room

http://planyourroom.com/


This is a great tool if your moving into a new place, buying new furniture, or just thinking of rearranging things.

I've tried alot of different room planners and short of buying some expensive software this is the best I've found.
 
It's simple to use and gives you everything you need. 
This has made shopping for furniture and doing rennovations much easier.

There is however, the pre-requisite that you know how to use a measuring tape. 
If you don't, give me a call so I can tell you to get a clue.

Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail ~ John Wooden

Good Luck and Happy Holidays!

http://planyourroom.com/

Holiday Home Life

It's snowing in Syracuse today...just enough to make it feel like the holidays and not so much that we are shovelling...yet.   

Syracuse Home Life would like to share a few things that we can do at home to make this holiday season especially enjoyable and peaceful.

1. Reassess and PrioritizeHoliday stress sets in when you try to do it all. "Stress is an emotional reaction to circumstances that you feel are out of control," says Ann Vernon, a counseling professor at the University of Northern Iowa. "To cope, take some time out, rethink what's stressing you out, and look for alternatives." Vernon also advises changing your demands to preferences: Tell yourself, "If I have time, I'll do this and that. If not, I'll only do that."
2. Delegate!Does the house need cleaning or decorating? Let each family member be responsible for a room. Or Vernon suggests, create a "job jar." Everybody takes a turn choosing what his or her job will be. Jobs can be color-coded according to age. "When you delegate, you have to make your expectations clear to your kids, and you may have to lower your standards a little bit," says Vernon.
3. Don't Give in to the "Gimmes""I want, I want!" This familiar phrase can wear parents down over the holidays, but giving in to your child's every request can cause financial distress. Psychologist Dorothy Cantor says, "It's okay to tell your child that a gift is too expensive. Tell him that even Santa Claus has limited funds." Another way to fight the commercialism of the holidays is to beef up on the traditions that don't cost any extra money. Vernon says, "Bake cookies, go caroling, give to needy families, or volunteer. Explain to your kids that there are a lot of families who don't have as much as they do." To get kids into the spirit of giving, ask them to pick a few of their old toys to donate to the less fortunate.
4. Be Realistic About RelativesWhen the in-laws visit this season, have realistic expectations for the short term. "Don't try to solve past issues with family members over the holidays," warns Vernon. "It's not the time to bring up every little irritation. Use discretion." And if going to a certain relative's house every year causes a lot of holiday stress, decide if you really need to do it. Maybe you can go every other year instead.
5. Flexibility Can Buy You TimeHow can you get anything done when the little ones are home on vacation and you only have a few days off? University of Indiana education professor Janette Shaw suggests parents take turns looking after kids with neighbors or colleagues. And Vernon recommends hiring a babysitter to take the kids to the movies or to play with them for a few hours while you're working around the house.
6. Set Limits for College KidsA college student home for the holidays can wreak havoc on family routines. For months now, your teen has been on his own and doing things very differently. The disruption could be the college girlfriend who plans to sleep in your son's bed. Or perhaps your daughter is now accustomed to sleeping with the radio blaring. Whatever the case, you'll need to set some ground rules in advance. "Everyone's going to have to compromise during the visit," says Vernon. "So it's important that parents and kids be respectful of each other."
Above all else, Vernon says everyone should take it easy on themselves over the holidays: "This time of year, people are so concerned by what others might say about them if they don't do everything perfectly." Ask yourself what imperfection really means. Surprise! You're human — like everyone else.
  *Plan for holiday parties: Get dropped off and picked up if your drinking.  This is not a good time for a DWI or accident.     If you do become over stressed...Acknowledge it and do something about it... go for a run or make a snow angel.
 

Dear Syracuse, I Can't Wait To See You Soon!

There's gonna be alot going on while your in Syracuse for Thanksgiving and you won't have much time, so I thought it would be nice to highlight some activities that would be worth checking out.  For those visiting for the first time, we hope you enjoy your stay and take advantage of all that we have to offer.

After you've stuffed your face with Turkey and caught up with the fam, it's now time to catch up with the 315, because we know you've missed us as much as we've missed you.

On Wednesday 
Make sure you check out all that's new in Armory Square as it grows every year. Check out Urban Outfitters (Notice construction of the Creek Walk to be completed in 2011 linking Armory Square to the Inner Harbor and Beyond).  You might notice construcion of a new indooor bus terminal away from Salina St. to be completed in 2012, this will re-open Salina St. to a flurry of activity including shopping, dining and art. Check out a few new culinary joints and a few new saloons. If your bringing a date home for the first time, take them for a skate on the Clinton Square ice rink and then maybe Raji's Tea Lounge for a warm sip.  If your going out to dinner, skip dessert, and bring your new crush to Biscotti's for something sweet and warm.

On Thanksgiving 
After the turkey and some football, get the family off the couch and head out to Lights on the Lake for a relaxing time before the tryptophan takes you down.

On Black Friday
After racking up some great deals...Enter the Christmas season in style with Tiny Tim and Jacob Marley as Dickens Christmas opens in Skaneateles.  If you've put this off in years past, now is the time to check it out.  You won't be disappointed.
If you'd like a glimpse into the progress of Syracuse's Creative Class and Near West Side make a trip to Rick Destito's Open House .
Oh, and don't forget that SU Hoops plays Michigan at 8:00 on the Tele from Atlantic City.

On Saturday 
The Bowl Bound SU Football team will play Boston College in the Carrier Dome.  Get tickets for a memorable afternoon of College Football.
If Football's not your fancy, bring your friends to see the Barenaked Ladies up close and personal at The Turning Stone Events Center.
SU Hoops will play the winner of Georgia Tech/UTEP at 5:30/8:00, again on the Tele from AC.


On Sunday
For a special brunch before you leave town, there is none better than L'Adour.  With the tastiest toast and exceptional service, they make even the French look good.

"Nothing To Do, Is Everything With You"
Check the Events Page...for something to do for everyone.
If you'd like help finding things to do...don't hesitate to ask.

Your REALTOR® Can Help You Build A New Home

There are dozens of  reasons to use a REALTOR® when building new construction.    

• You will not pay any more to have buyer representation; the builder pays the commission from a marketing fee.  It will not change the price you pay for the home whether you use a Real Estate Agent or not so why wouldn't you want someone to represent you.  You are basically getting, at no extra cost, someone who will watch out for you at every turn and will be there to support you every step of the way.
• The use of a REALTOR® can save you time, money and frustration when looking for and negotiating a new home. At the beginning of the process a REALTOR® can talk to you about your needs, desires and budget and set out the communities and builders that will work for. Then a good realtor will offer to bring you the information on all these builders mainly floor plans, prices, etc. This saves you from driving around going into neighborhoods and builders that may be not right for you and ending up on multiple sales peoples calling lists.
• Once you have narrowed it down to a few different neighborhoods and builders your realtor can schedule showings privately if possible on some spec homes they have available. Once again hopefully making it easier to see which builder is going to be one that you would want to negotiate and avoid dealing with to many sales tactics and repeat calls.
• Your REALTOR® will also be able to inform you on the general condition of the neighborhood. How many phases is it? Are pre-owned homes selling? If so for how much? How much longer will construction be going on? Have foreclosures been a problem in the area?Once you decide to move forward and negotiate with a builder a good REALTOR® can really give you a leg up in negotiating. The name of the game for many builders is upgrades. They will get you in with what seems to be a good price for a good size house, but then of course as soon as you ask about all the nice things in the model home you soon find out the cost goes up quick.
• A REALTOR® can help you prioritize your upgrades and give advice on which ones could be better for resale and which ones could be left to be upgraded down the road. An experienced REALTOR® also can know about the pricing and margins involved in the upgrades and can help you right an initial first offer that is aggressive but not insulting and make sure that you get everything you need at the price you want.

MYTHS ABOUT BUILDERS Your realtor has their pulse on the market and the knowledge, relationships and savvy to help you find the right builder, the right home and the right price in a market that is at best, unstable.  Let your realtor be your resource for real estate!

• MYTH: The Builder will discount the price if I don’t have a REALTOR®.
  • FACT: In most cases, the agent is paid through the seller’s fees. With regards to new construction, the builder has already anticipated this cost. If you go to a builder without the guidance and assistance of a REALTOR®, you’re paying for realty services without reaping the benefits. Why would you put yourself at such a disadvantage? And although most think that a REALTOR® will cost them money, for a homebuyer, these services are free if you use a REALTOR® Broker at The Realty Corner.

• MYTH: Buying directly from the builder will be hassle-free.
  • FACT: There will be many things to consider when purchasing a new construction. As you walk into a model home everything may seem straight-forward. However, getting your home built most often will not be as clear. You’ll benefit from REALTOR® services: to decipher through builder’s jargon, contract language, and even help show you how your option choices can add value to your home. (Read on through “Myths About REALTORS®”)

MYTHS ABOUT REALTORS®

• MYTH: REALTOR® services will not help me in purchasing a new home.
  • FACT: The builder has to develop every parcel of land it owns in order to make a return on its investment. This may mean trying to sell you a lot that may not be suitable for your needs or one that’s difficult to resell. A REALTOR® walks the lot with you, goes through the house, and can recommend ideas to you that can help in making the decision on which lot and which house will be the best for your needs. A REALTOR® is the best sounding board you can have while going through the home-building process. The Realty Corner’s REALTOR® Brokers are trained and specialize in helping your through the entire home building process. We customize our services to fit your needs, from foundation to final walk-through.

• MYTH: The sales agent at the model home works for me.
  • FACT: Although they may be warm and friendly, the sales agent you meet when touring a model home works for the builder, not you. Their interest is in getting the most profit on the houses they sell. You need to have a REALTOR® who you know is working for you. Your REALTOR® will have your interests at heart when helping your make decisions on your new home purchase. And REALTOR® services at The Realty Corner are free to you, the buyer.

So when you walk into a builders model and the builder says are you working with a Realtor, you should answer yes. 

http://www.therealtycorner.com/NewConstruction

Don't Stress Too Much About Approaching CNY Winter Weather

“I don’t see myself living anyplace else”.

In Syracuse,  April through October are as good as it gets. Spring can be cool, but it’s great, especially once it gets warmer. Summers are great. They can be hot, but not so hot that it’s unbearable. Fall is always beautiful. Really, it’s good until December here, and then it’s Christmas. January and February are the toughest months, but that’s right in the middle of basketball and I don’t notice it.”

~Jim Boeheim

CLICK HERE For Coach Boeheim's Take On The Syracuse Weather

CLICK HERE For Local Meteorologist/Celebrity Tom Hauf's Take

The Farmers Almanac named Syracuse as the nation's worst (Best?) winter city.  That still may be true but keep in mind that temperatures are slowly warming and that one day, possibly sooner than later, we will have a better winter climate.  I view Oneida Lake as a very good indicator for the area's climate change.  The lake has far less winter ice cover than it used to.  The average summer season water temperature on Oneida Lake has risen from 66 degrees in 1975 to more than 68 degrees today. 

I personally like the winter weather and as Jim Boeheim says, "The weather is great in Syracuse for most of the year and when it's not you have basketball season".  We are very lucky to have such a great diversion during the cold weather months.

 
The Climate Prediction Center is still indicating fairly mild and relatively dry conditions for Central New York for October and November.  Winter conditions will be fairly typical with indications that the heaviest snows will fall in February.  I'll be enjoying the winter weather as well as our fine basketball team.  Go Orange!

~Tom Hauf

GOOD NEWS! National Real Estate Data is not Central New York Data.

I'm not an economist but I can tell you with confidence that the real estate news reported nationally and locally, coming from the Associated Press, Washington Post or New York Times, etc., does NOT portray the real estate market here in Syracuse and Central New York. 

Sure, if your selling your home, the market value is less than you had hoped.  However, if you compare our market to the markets we keep hearing about... Arizona, Nevada, Florida, etc., ...things here look really good.  There aren't alot of foreclosures like we here about nationally, and...Values haven't dropped as drastically as we keep hearing about.  The "Bubble" never became over inflated here. 

If anything, Syracuse is in a position to benefit from the downturn in the rest of the country.  Our cost of living is low... our unemployment is lower than the National and State rate ( 7.5% Syracuse compared to 9.2% National and 8.3% New York State).   People who left the area for jobs and opportunity are strongly considering a move back, and students graduating college are strongly considering building a future here.

This is an amazing time to be a buyer in the Central New York real estate market.  Housing is selling at discounted prices and money is cheap.  Lenders are approving loans at and around 4% for a 30 year mortgage.

I cannot believe some of the deals that are out there.

If you don't believe me...take a look for yourself...I dare you...

http://www.cnyrealtor.com/findahome

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/10/fed_official_upstate_economy_d.html


http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/11/syracuse_areas_unemployment_ra_1.html

If your on the fence about buying a home in the Central New York, Syracuse area...jump over the fence.  You won't regret it.

Syracuse is a great investment!

REbirth Of A City

This New York Times blog is one small example of why Syracuse IS a great place to live.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/10/rebirth-of-a-city/?scp=2&sq=SYRACUSE&st=cse

"I recently moved back to Syracuse as well after floating around to a couple cities (Metro DC and Hartford, CT). I didn't grow up here. Syracuse University is what introduced me to this city. Every day I was away I missed it. I missed its people; its restaurants; Its culture; its diversity. It has the bells and whistles of a large city -- minus the traffic. Sure, it's cold and snowy in the winter here, but the people are anything but cold. I know and trust my neighbors. There's a sense we're "in this together". While this city has been bruised by years of neglect and uncontrollable economic decay, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I bought a house here. I'm invested in Syracuse's future. The tax situation could be better, but still...I pay $1000 a month (taxes included) for a beautiful 4 bedroom home in a safe and inviting city neighborhood. I'm proud to call Syracuse home. It holds a special place in this 29-year-old's heart and will for many years to come."

~ A Young Professional in Syracuse

The Rock

Introducing Syracuse Home Life

It's 2010 and Syracuse, NY is doing well.  People enjoy life here. We are finding ways to achieve our goals and spend time doing things that we enjoy.  Although the national real estate outlook is gloomy, the Syracuse market has not taken as big a hit.  Home values have gone down, and sellers are feeling the crunch, but compared to many other markets it hasn't been that bad.  For those buyers out there who are fortunate to be in the drivers seat, the prices of incredible home are reason to be excited.  For those who are moving to Syracuse to join our ever growing, innovative workforce, the opportunities to find great housing and comfort have never been better.