Downtown Buffalo New York

Entries from June 2009

Niagara Homecoming Schedule of Events!

June 24, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Categories: Uncategorized

SONYMA Mortgages Explained

June 18, 2009 · Leave a Comment

What is a SONYMA Mortgage?

First time home buyers have many options.

First time home buyers have many options.

Mortgage Option for First Time Homebuyers

If you are a first time home buyer currently living in a 2 family home, wouldn’t you love to own it and have your tenants pay part or most of your mortgage?  As a first time homeowner, you may be qualified for New York State’s SONYMA mortgage.

Here is how it works.  All you need is a down payment of 3%, of which only 1/3 of it has to be your own money.  The remaining 2/3 can come from a gift from family.  On top of it, SONYMA will also give you a grant of $5000 or 5% of the loan amount, which ever is greater, to use for closing costs.  It gets better, your interest rate, depending on income can range from 5.75 to 6.25%.

Read Also: Documents to gather before meeting with your Niagara Falls Mortgage Professional.

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Categories: Real Estate Finance
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How not to sell your home!

June 11, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Ways to Sabotage Your Home Sale


I understand that you really don’t want to sell your Western New York home.  You have wonderful memories and you love your absolutely perfect WNY home.

To ensure that you don’t get solid offers from qualified buyers and more importantly no showings then you need to do the following:

  • Get your Real Estate advice from your cousin, neighbor, coworkers at the office who saw a program on TV or read something in the media.
  • Don’t use the many resources available via the Internet to post your listing to potential buyers.
  • Cut the commission we offer Buyer’s Agents
  • Ignore what is going on in the Western New York market and list the house for more than what your agent suggests

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Categories: Home Selling
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Buffalo Area Foreclosure List

June 7, 2009 · Leave a Comment

WNY Foreclosure Properties June 2009 List

Every WNY foreclosure is a tragedy and an opportunity. A Western New York property enters foreclosure when the original mortgage holder can no longer pay or settle a debt to the lending institution. The property then enters foreclosure, with the lender taking full possession of the WNY property. In most cases, the lender then puts the real estate up for public auction at a reduced price.

When you buy a foreclosed home, you’re cashing in on a home or investment someone was no longer able to pay for. Foreclosures are difficult–both to locate and to execute the transactions–but the potential to turn them over for a tidy profit may be there.

Foreclosed Properties – Commercial

MLS # Price Address Township Bed Bath
312030 $159,900 3466 Genesee Cheektowaga
312033 $129,900 2135 Clinton West Seneca

Foreclosed Properties – Lots and Land

MLS # Price Address Township Bed Bath
315347 $19,900 0 Bennett CHEEKTOWAGA
330943 $21,999 5211 River Tonawanda
337703 $199,999 333 Losson CHEEKTOWAGA

Foreclosed Properties – Multi-Family Home

MLS # Price Address Township Bed Bath
337896 $19,900 1056 West Buffalo
334405 $22,900 412 Park Dunkirk
334480 $29,900 218-22 Eagle MEDINA

Foreclosed Properties – Single Family Home

MLS # Price Address Township Bed Bath
334660 $32,900 4625 Woodard Niagara 2 1.5
335217 $32,000 6367 Shongo Valley Caneadea 3 1.5
335538 $74,900 5324 Gooseneck Ashford 4 3
336155 $55,000 5829 Lakeview Hamburg 3 1.5
337552 $28,500 34 S Century Cheektowaga 3 1.5
337937 $18,000 162 Benzinger Buffalo 3 1.5
337706 $35,500 28 W 4th Dunkirk 4 1.5
331842 $184,900 217 Kenton Hamburg 4 3
332868 $109,900 4667 CREEK RD. LEWISTON 3 3
334296 $79,900 4691 CLIFTON PKWAY HAMBURG 3 3
328616 $39,500 11028 West Shelby Rd Shelby 3 1.5
329922 $49,900 9031 GENESEE RD. CONCORD 3 1.5

Are you interesting in purchasing Foreclosed Real estate? Interested in finding out the current market value of your single family home, condo or investment property? Then call Colleen Kulikowski at (716) 743-5297 to discuss what is happening in today’s Western New York Real Estate Market.

Categories: Buffalo Real Estate

Fair Housing Act

June 4, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Fair Housing Rules Affect WNY Buyers


Fair Housing Rules prevent Realtors from giving their opinion on neignborhoods.

Fair Housing Rules prevent Realtors from giving their opinion on neignborhoods.

Fair Housing Rules Stop Us From Answering Some of Your Questions!


What a New York Realtor® cannot tell you about a neighborhood might surprise you. We recognize that the purchase of your Western New York home is a huge life altering decision and you want to make sure that you have not only the perfect home, but also that have all the facts you need to make that decision.

Fair housing has been in the news in Western New York lately and it is a good time to explain how Fair Housing affects the Western New York Buyer.  As a licensed Real Estate Salesperson and Realtor® in the State of New York we must adhere to strict rules regarding housing because of the Federal Fair Housing Act.

We cannot discuss things like schools, crime statistics, and demographics.

We cannot render or express an opinion about the status of the neighborhood.


We understand as Western New York Buyers, your need to know the answers to your questions regarding these topics!

The Federal Fair Housing Act keeps us from making certain determinations about a neighborhood. We have put together some resources to answer your very important questions. The Internet is a wonderful resource and there are many great resources in addition to this list.

In addition to our showing of your potential WNY home, we suggest that before you decide to put an offer on a Western New York home that you:

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Categories: Buffalo Real Estate · Home Buying · Home Selling
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