Howard Hanna Holt

Part II: A Beginner’s Guide to Listing your home on the Web

2011-11-20T10:21:00.001-08:00

This is the second part in a three part series. To read part 1 Click Here

Part Two: One Great Website is Good, Many good Websites is Great
Unfortunately for those who work in the SEO field, no one website will show up highly in all relevant search fields. While an individual brokerage can climb search rankings for real estate related searches in their market, like Chautauqua County, competition because much harder if not impossible for larger fields, such as New York, or heaven forbid, simply Real Estate. Good Brokerages recognize this and develop relationships with larger sites to make sure their listings are displayed there as well. The technical term for this is syndication.
To explain this, I will use our company, Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate as an example. Our main websitehttp://www.howardhannaholt.com does very well if someone was going to search a general market term like. “Chautauqua County Real Estate”. We also run local office and agent websites, such ashttp://www.hhhfredoniahomes.com to cater to individual market searches such as, “Fredonia NY homes for sale”. However many of our buyers come from outside markets. Our listings also are displayed on howardhanna.com, which has the largest market share in NY, PA, OH, and WV. Additionally our listings are displayed on qualified member sites of the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, the largest network of brokerages that exists. That same listing will also be displayed on industry staples such as REALTOR.com, Trulia, Zillow, Yahoo Real Estate, and many more. While we like to keep some of our cards in hand, a listing with us will not just go up on our local board, office, or agent’s website, but over 500 other sites nationwide.
Simply put, the more places a buyer can find your home, the better.

Nick Holt is a licensed sales associate, member of "The Peak Team", and director of web-based marketing for Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate. Chautauqua County-headquartered Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. Owned by the Holt family, the local affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the Bemus Bay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the third-largest independent real estate company in the

United States

, the country's fourth-largest full service real estate company and the sixth largest mortgage banking company in the nation. The company serves the Western New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

A Beginner’s Guide to Listing your home on the Web

2011-11-17T13:30:00.000-08:00

A Beginner’s Guide to Listing your home on the Web.By Nick Holt
Hello to everyone out on the blogosphere. Fair-warning, today’s post is going to be different from our usual press releases, updates, and announcements. This will be the first of a three-part series on Internet Marketing for Real Estate.

According to NAR’s 2010 “Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers”, 89% of home buyers searched the internet ‘frequently’ for a home in 2010. And the share of home buyers who found their home on the internet jumped from 8% in 2001 to 37% 2010. In meeting with my clients and other agents, it’s very clear to me that while everyone recognizes the importance of using the internet effectively to sell real estate, many have little to no idea what exactly that entails. To help answer these questions, advise for sale by owners on how to do this, and to try to explain why a job-title like “Director of Web-Based Marketing exists; I’d like to touch on three important aspects of utilizing the internet as a marketing tool.

Part One: All Web Listings Are Not Created Equal
Many discount Real Estate Brokerages, Craig’s List Aficionados, and For Sale by Owner Sites, are happy to tell you that they will put your listing up on the internet, and then give you the link so that you can see exactly where it is. It is important to realize that, while this makes up part of internet marketing, it does not mean that your home is being effectively marketed on the internet. Remember, possible buyers for your home do not have that direct link to the listing, they have to find it organically. Try using your favorite search engine to find a home like your buyer does, i.e. search real estate in your county, town, village or neighborhood and see if the broker’s website shows up. If you are having a hard time finding it, the buyers probably are too. You wouldn’t advertize in a newspaper nobody reads, the same goes your listing website.
Good real estate companies and listing services recognize this and employ tech wizards (like this guy), called SEO’s tomonitor the algorithms that search engines use, and tailor their websites so that they show up at or near the top of the search engines’ rankings on relevant searches. Without doing this, all a company is doing when talking about their “web presence” is giving you lip service.

Thanks for reading and check back tomorrow for Part II "One Great Website is Good, Many Good Websites are Great".
Nick Holt is a licensed sales associate, member of "The Peak Team", and director of web-based marketing for Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate. Chautauqua County-headquartered Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. Owned by the Holt family, the local affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the Bemus Bay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the third-largest independent real estate company in the

United States

Holts attend Managers' Advance

2011-11-10T14:25:00.001-08:00

George (Pete), Steve, and Nick Holt had the pleasure of attending the Howard Hanna Managers advance in Cleveland this week. The Holts put their brains together with Howard Hanna's 130+ Office Managers from across PA, OH, NY & WV, Department Heads, Regional and Senior Management in downtown Cleveland for the company’s annual ‘Manager’s Advance’ meetings.
The Hanna Team of 170 were welcomed at the Intercontinental Hotel by Hanna Ohio President, Hoby Hanna along with Cuyahoga County Executive, Ed Fitzgerald.
This afternoon ‘Positively Cleveland’ designed a ‘Discover Cleveland Scavenger Hunt’ for the group to get out and see the sights of Downtown and all it has to offer.
Special guest speakers on the agenda include Dick Finnegan of Finnegan MacKenzie, The Retention Firm and Sandra Pinalto, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
The goal of Howard Hanna’s Manager Advance is to bring all Hanna Managers together for camaraderie, networking, knowledge and enhanced customer service initiatives with emphasis on the traditional values of the 54-year old company as the company moves forward into the new year.
CEO Hoddy Hanna’s presentations include an overview of the real estate market today – both locally and nationally, an update on operations in Cleveland, Erie, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Youngstown regions, along with the company’s mortgage, title and insurance companies.
How many offices does Howard Hanna have? The company has more than 130 offices across the four states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia with more than 4,000 sales associates, management and staff.
How many of the offices are in Ohio? Currently, Howard Hanna has 49 offices in the state of Ohio with approximately 2,000 sales associates.
How does Howard Hanna’s Manager’s Advance Meeting affect local people? The company’s sales associates and management team influence the real estate activity in every market they are in. By being the most knowledgeable and up-to-date, they are able to better serve their clients.
Howard Hanna is pleased to be contributing to the city of Cleveland economy rather that a resort or hotel in a market in which they do not do business. The company will be purchasing approximately 170 rooms at the Intercontinental Hotel, providing meals and entertainment for two days and bringing many people to Cleveland who have never been before --many of which will venture out to the shops and dining establishments on their free time.

HHH Agents Learn From HGTV's Brian Copeland

2011-10-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

ERIE PA- Several members of the Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate sales team attended a class in Erie, PA. The event,featuring speaker Brian Copeland, was held by the Greater Erie Board Of REALTORs. Copeland is best known from serving as the featured agent on The Learning Channel's Flip That House and HGTV's House Hunters. Copeland has also been featured on HGTV's Goodbuy/Badbuy and other homebuying oriented HGTV programming.

“We are pleased that our agents are always looking to better themselves,” said HHH Vice-President Steve Holt. “In a changing real estate climate, it is more important than ever to educate yourself on the latest news and techniques.”

The presentation was focused on helping agents better serve their buyers. It included sections on how to better counsel buyers, work with each generation, and find the right home for the buyer faster.

REALTOR Associate Catherine Brooks was excited after the full-day event. “I learned more about the newest technology than I thought was possible in a day. Many older agents fight against the new techniques, but if they don’t change with the times, they’re dead in the water.”

Chautauqua County-headquartered Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, www.HowardHannaHolt.com, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. Owned by the Holt family, the local affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the Bemus Bay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the third-largest independent real estate company in the United States, the country's fourth-largest full service real estate company and the sixth largest mortgage banking company in the nation. The company serves the Western New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

Habitat for Humanity announces Donation

2011-09-30T12:21:00.000-07:00

Chautauqua County Habitat for Humanity spokesperson Mike Rickets, announced today that Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate has made another sizeable donation to Habitat. “We have had very strong support from the community for our building efforts. We have over 200 volunteers who have helped in our building efforts. It is extremely nice to see companies such as Howard Hanna Holt stepping up to support us.”

“We believe that everyone deserves to have a home they can call their own,” said Steve Holt, Vice President of Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to help Habitat for Humanity in its mission to build homes for the people of Chautauqua County.”

The local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, www.habitatchaut.org, was founded in 1989 and undertakes projects throughout Chautauqua County. To date they have has helped 22 families become homeowners. Anyone interested in volunteering to assist the organization can call 716-269-7772 or send an email to build@habitatchaut.org.

Agent joins Howard Hanna Holt

2011-09-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

Mayville (NY) September 1, 2011:

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate is proud to report they have added a new agent to their staff. Adele Harrington of Westfield has joined Howard Hanna Holt’s Mayville office, located at 79 West Lake Road.

When asked why she chose Howard Hanna Holt as the company to affiliate Harrington said “When I decided to start my career selling real estate there was only one company I would consider working for and that is Howard Hanna Holt. As a property manager of one of the largest homeowners associations in Chautauqua County for the past 8 years I have had the opportunity to see first hand how different real estate companies conduct business. I wanted to be associated with the company that offers the most to their clients and that hands down is Howard Hanna Holt.”

Steve Holt, Vice President “I am excited about the addition of Adele to our staff of top producing agents. I have known Adele for years and have been impressed with her work ethic and her attention to detail.” Committed to keeping the company at the top of the Chautauqua County real estate market Howard Hanna Holt has taken steps to boost their market share by recruiting top-producing and results-driven agents.

The locally-owned affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the Bemus Bay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.

Pittsburgh-headquartered Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the 3^rd largest independent real estate company in the United States and the country’s 4^th largest full service real estate company. The firm serves the Western New York, Western and Central Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

Chautauqua County Event June 20-26

2011-06-20T13:28:00.000-07:00

The Chautauqua Season is Finally Here!

Over the course of the summer, Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate will be providing a weekly peak into what's going on in the Chautauqua Area this week.

June 21st- June 23

Paddle Tours
Tues: 5:30pm Lake Erie Daddle
Weds: 5:30 PM Chautauqua Lake
Thurs: 7 AM Chautauqua Lake
716.763.2266

June 23
Sunset Celebration
7 PM-11PM
Cabanana Sams - Irving
716.934.9953

June 24

Lily Dale Assembly Season Begins
lilydaleassembly.com

June 25

Chautauqua Institution Season Kicks Off

Mommon Tabernacle Choir Conceert
2PM & 7:30 PM
Chautauaqua Institution
716.357.6250 ciweb.org

June 26

Bemus Bay Pos Concer Series Begins
Billy Volk Memorial Tribute & New Oddesy
2:30 PM Floating Stage, Bemus Point
bemusbaypops.com

Praise on the Lake
9 AM Floating Stage, Bemus Point
bpumc.com

Chautauqua County-headquartered Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. The locally-owned affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville, Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the Bemus Bay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the third-largest independent real estate company in the United States, the country's fourth-largest full service real estate company and the sixth-largest mortgage banking company in the nation. The company serves the Western New York, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

Hanna Open Houses App Released for Android

2011-03-10T08:42:00.000-08:00

As part of our continuing effort to bring convienience to our clients throughout the homebuying process, we our pleased to announce the release of an app for the Android Market, while reminding you of our other apps and mobile sites.

With the Hanna Home app now even more smartphone and mobile phone users can satisfy their Open House appetite. Download the Hanna Home app today for your android market mobile phone, the iPhone®, iPad® or iPod Touch®, and Droid Markets and get up-to-the-minute info about every Howard Hanna Open House.

We also have mobile friendly listing searches on http://www.howardhannaholt.com/mobile and http://www.hhhfredoniahomes.com/mobile.

Howard Hanna Holt Releases New Website

2011-03-10T08:33:00.000-08:00

As per the Dunkirk Observer
We are also pleased to announce the premier of our Fredonia Real Estate Site

MAYVILLE Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate rolls out its all-new website, offering even faster, easier access to nearly 1,200 homes for sale in the Chautauqua County area. The heart of the website is a robust property search that allows buyers to search for properties that match their needs.
Driven by consumer feedback, the all-new HowardHannaHolt.com offers more direct access to the information homebuyers and sellers want, whether they are searching for a home or looking for advice.
"This is a huge step forward for our customers. Our updated property search will allow the consumer to go to one site and search all the properties available in Chautauqua County," said company vice-president Steve Holt. "Our customers are able to request a personalized property search and will be notified of any new property within 24 hours after it comes on the market."
Howard Hanna Holt's mission is to give our customers the most accurate and up to date information available for Chautauqua County real estate. The combination of our website along with our staff of award winning agents makes Howard Hanna Holt a complete resource for buying or selling.
Chautauqua County-headquartered Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, www.HowardHannaHolt.com, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals.
The locally-owned affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the Bemus Bay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.
Pittsburgh-headquartered Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the 3rd largest independent real estate company in the United States and the country's 4th largest full service real estate company. The firm serves the Western New York, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

Laurel Haight Join HHH

2011-02-22T09:28:00.000-08:00

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate (HHH), one of Chautauqua County's leading providers of real estate services, is pleased to announce the recent addition of Laurel Haight as the Coordinator of Rental and Property Management Services. This addition will allow HHH to sustain and build upon the growth it has enjoyed in recent years.
"Joining Howard Hanna is an exciting move for me," Haight said. "I'm happy to be part of a strong and growing company that has such a wide variety of services to offer."
"Adding Laurel to the HHH team further strengthens our ability to meet the diverse needs of our clients," Steve Holt, Vice President of HHH, said. "We're very pleased to welcome her aboard, and we expect that her 19 years of rental and property management experience will be of great benefit to our company and our clients."
Chautauqua County-headquartered Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. The locally-owned affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville, Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the Bemus Bay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the third-largest independent real estate company in the United States, the country's fourth-largest full service real estate company and the sixth-largest mortgage banking company in the nation. The company serves the Western New York, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

The Chautauqua Institution to be Featured on PBS Special

2011-01-27T12:59:00.000-08:00

PBS in Buffalo will be premiering Chautauqua: An An American Narrative on January 31st at 10 pm.

According to the program's website:
     "Chautauqua: An American Narrative captures the unique environment and opportunities provided by the
      Chautauqua Institution. The program focuses on the contemporary story of Chautauqua today while using
      the Institution's rich history to provide context and perspective. It is an exploration of this uniquely American
      experience and its pervasive-- yet sometimes forgotten-- place in American culture and history.
Check your local listings or visit the PBS site for more details.

Reminder: Our Men and Women in Uniform still eligible for tax credit

2010-05-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

While the contract deadline for the homebuyer tax credit for most Americans has come and gone, members of the armed services and certain other federal employees still have time to take advantage of the incentive.

For those that served outside of the U.S. for at least 90 days during the period beginning after December 31, 2008, and ending before May 1, 2010, the deadline is extended to April 30, 2011. If a binding contract is entered into by that date, the taxpayer has until June 30, 2011, to close on the purchase. Both the $8,000 first-time and the $6,500 repeat homebuyer tax credits are included in the extension.

Weekend Open Houses

2010-04-22T10:14:00.001-07:00

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate is hosting a slew of open houses this weekend.

The Fredonia Office will be having their open houses tonight from 6-7:30 at the following locations.

57 Castile Drive

110 Clinton Street

54 Castile Drive

183 CHESTNUT STREET

52 Castile Drive

The Mayville and Westfield Office will hold their open houses on Saturday from 1-3 pm at the following locations:

Westfield:

145 South Portage Sreet

200 EAST MAIN (RTE 20)

7625 Prospect Road

22 Cottage Street

7862 Martin Wright Road

163 Bliss Street

79 North Portage

And at Bemus Bay Condominiums at 50 Lakeside Drive in Bemus Point.

DID YOU KNOW? You can quickly access any howardhannaholt listing by typing theaddress.howardhanna.com. ie. http://22cottagestreet.howardhanna.com

For all your real estate needs in Chautauqua County and advice on real estate outside of it, visit http://www.howardhannaholt.com or stop by one of our 6 convenient locations.

Howard Hanna Partners with Zillow.com

2010-04-19T09:58:00.001-07:00

Zillow.com® Partners with Howard Hanna Real Estate Services

Fourth Largest Real Estate Company in the United States Joins Zillow® Listings Feed Program

SEATTLE April 15, 2010– Zillow.com and Howard Hanna Real Estate Services today announced a partnership which enables Howard Hanna to automatically feed all of their 21,000 for-sale listings to Zillow.com. The syndication of Howard Hanna’s listings to Zillow will improve the real estate search experience for Zillow users in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and New York.

Howard Hanna joins more than eight hundred partners participating in the Zillow Listings Feed Program which launched in November 2007, and has grown to more than four million for-sale listings, and over 65,000 rental listings today. The program allows listing providers to automatically receive free marketing exposure for their listings on one of the most-visited real estate sites in the country, while providing Zillow’s users with a more robust search experience.

Each listing Howard Hanna feeds to Zillow includes a description of the property with multiple photos, full marketing text, agent contact information, and a link back to the Howard Hanna website.

“Zillow is proud to partner with Howard Hanna, the fourth largest real estate company in the nation^{^[i]}, and a highly regarded brokerage that has been a leader in the real estate community for over 50 years,” said Spencer Rascoff, Zillow’s chief operating officer.

Howard W. “Hoddy” Hanna, III, Chairman and CEO, added, “We continually seek out ways to innovate and maximize marketing exposure for our associates and listings. By distributing our listings to Zillow, we are able to expose our clients to Zillow’s audience of more than 10 million unique visitors^{^[ii]}. each month. This offers a tremendous marketing opportunity for our 4,000 sales associates, and their sellers.”

In addition to being displayed on the Zillow.com Web site, Howard Hanna listings will also appear on the Zillow iPhone® App, the number one real estate application in the Apple® iTunes Store®, the Zillow Android® App, the leading real estate app in the Android Market, and on Zillow on iPad®.

For more information on Zillow Listings Feeds, visit www.zillowfeeds.com.

About Howard Hanna Real Estate Services

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the 4th largest real estate company in the United States. The company specializes in residential and commercial brokerage service, mortgages, closing and title insurance, land development, appraisal services, insurance services, and corporate relocation. With 131 offices across Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and West Virginia, Howard Hanna’s more than 4,700 sales associates, management and staff are guided by a spirit of integrity in all aspects of the real estate process. Visit www.howardhanna.com for more information.

About Zillow.com

Zillow.com is an online real estate marketplace where homeowners, buyers, sellers, renters, real estate agents, and mortgage professionals find and share vital information about homes and mortgages. Launched in early 2006 with Zestimate home values and data on millions of U.S. homes, Zillow has since added homes for sale and homes for rent, a directory of real estate and lending professionals, Zillow Advice and Zillow Mortgage Marketplace. One of the most-visited real estate Web sites, with more than 10 million^{^[iii]} unique visitors per month, Zillow's goal is to help people become smarter about homes and real estate in every stage of their lives -- home buying, selling, renting, remodeling and financing. The company is headquartered in Seattle and has raised $87 million in funding.

Zillow.com and Zillow are registered trademarks of Zillow, Inc. Apple, iPhone, iPad and iTunes are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc.

Android is a trademark of Google Inc.

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is a registered trademark of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, Inc.

Time Running out on tax credit

2010-04-15T12:38:00.000-07:00

Home sales must be under contract before April 30th.

But don't freak out, call a Howard Hanna Holt agent and let them help you take advantage of this opportunity before it passes you by.

Our visibility featured in Dunkirk Observer

2010-04-12T08:10:00.000-07:00

The the following was in the Dunkirk Observer.

It's no secret that real estate firms compete to get property listings and sales. But how they go about it for their clients and customers defines them.
Locally-owned and operated Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate has developed a "superior visibility" approach to marketing the residential and commercial properties it represents.
"We have made major investments to make sure the properties we have listed are well exposed to potential buyers," said company vice president Stephen Holt. "We continue to invest in signage and traditional print advertising, but more and more of our promotional resources are devoted to internet marketing. That's where today's buyers look first."
"No real estate company in Chautauqua County has its properties listed on as many Web sites as Howard Hanna Holt," Holt said. "The company's property listings are on more than 300 internet sites.
The superior visibility concept was internally-generated, Holt noted, saying, "We want to stay in the marketing forefront and want our clients to know it. Anyone who lists their property with us expects the highest level of service and we expect to provide it."
For example, he explained, potential property purchasers are contacted by the company's headquarters staff within a week to make sure they received a timely response from the listing agent and that all their questions were answered.
"Superior visibility efforts need to be complimented by total quality service," Holt said. "That results in very satisfied sellers and buyers."
Locally-owned Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, www.howardhannaholt.com, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. The Chautauqua County-headquartered affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the Bemus Bay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.
Pittsburgh-headquartered Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the third-largest independent real estate company in the United States, the country's fourth-largest full service real estate company and the sixth-largest mortgage banking company in the nation.

Howard Hanna Holt realtors earn short sale certifications

2010-03-30T12:08:00.000-07:00

From Dunkirk Observer- story

Homeowners who can no longer keep up with their mortgage payments and need to sell a house to avoid bankruptcy or foreclosure have an alternative. It's called a short sale.

Two Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate agents recently earned their certification from the National Association of REALTORS in short sales and can assist homeowners in arranging a short sale transaction.

Roger Britz, Sr. and William Carlson at the firm's Fredonia office now have valuable knowledge to help both buyers and sellers who want to better understand how a short sale works.

"We aren't attorneys or public accountants and we can't offer that professional advice," explained Britz. "What we can do is explain how the process works and the steps involved."

Carlson said, "A short sale can be arranged if the lender is willing to accept less than mortgage amount due. A short sale often can avoid the cost to both the homeowner and the lender of going through a foreclosure proceeding."

"Short sale sellers and buyers need well-qualified professional representation," emphasized Howard Hanna Holt president George W. "Pete" Holt. "Short sales are an option, but we always advise our customers and clients to get professional legal and accounting advice in these types of transactions."

In the simplest of terms, a short sale involves the following steps:

A seller signs a listing agreement with a real estate agent;

A buyer makes an offer that may be less than the mortgage the bank has on the home;

The buyer and seller agree on a price and the lender approves the offer.

"The basics are fairly straightforward," Britz said. "But working through the process can be challenging if someone isn't working with a real estate agent who understands the many details involved."

Carlson said, "Having specialized training is definitely a benefit to our short sale sellers and buyers. We can offer them a superior quality of service."

Locally-owned Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, www.howardhannaholt.com, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. The Chautauqua County-headquartered affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the Bemus Bay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.

Pittsburgh-headquartered Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the 3rd largest independent real estate company in the United States, the country's 4th largest full service real estate company and the 6th largest mortgage banking company in the nation. The third-generation company serves the Western New York, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

Homebuyers Class a Sucess

2010-03-05T11:37:00.000-08:00

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate would like to thank all the customers and service providers who attended the Homebuyers' Workshop yesterday, March 4th in Fredonia. A standing room only crowd made it hard to take photos, but showed us that our community and clients do have a desire to learn more about the options available to them during this exciting and at times stressful time in the real estate market.

If you missed this session and would like to learn more, please contact us by calling your local office, visiting our website http://www.howardhannaholt.com, or emailing sales@howardhannaholt.com.

Howard Hanna Holt Associates Earn National Real Estate Awards

2010-03-04T20:56:00.001-08:00

MAVILLE (NY) – Five Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate associates have earned national recognition for the service they provide to the firm’s clients and customers.

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services recently announced the awards at a ceremony in Pittsburgh, PA.

William Carlson, Diana Holt, Stephen Holt, Anne LaPaglia and Edward Miller III received the “national sales excellence” designation by The Realty Alliance. The distinction recognizes the top five percent of REALTORS® in the country.

The Realty Alliance is a network of North America's elite real estate firms serving most every major market on the continent. Its members are considered the most qualified to provide expert analysis and guidance to residential real estate sellers and buyers.

“As a member of the Howard Hanna Real Estate Services organization, we are honored that five of our associates have been recognized as among the best in the nation for their exceptional performance in the residential real estate profession,” said George W. “Pete” Holt, president of Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate.

The recognition Howard Hanna Holt’s associates received cited the “esteem and admiration” of The Realty Alliance. “These awards are limited to the best of the best residential real estate agents,” Holt said. “It is an honor for our firm to have several of them serving the residents of Chautauqua County.”

Chautauqua County-headquartered Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals.

Pittsburgh-headquartered Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the 3^rd largest independent real estate company in the

United States

and the country’s 4^th largest full service real estate company. The firm serves the Western New York, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

HHH (Fredonia) to Host Homebuyer Workshop March 4th

2010-02-25T08:33:00.000-08:00

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate will host a homebuyer's workshop at 5:30 p.m. on March 4 at the company's Fredonia office, 45-47 E. Main St.

"Right now is one of the best times to buy a home," said Howard Hanna Holt company vice president Stephen Holt. "There are tax incentives available and interest rates remain low."
Roger Britz Sr., the company's Fredonia office manager said, "This workshop is designed to provide potential homebuyers with a simple, clear understanding of the home buying process and the benefits of buying now."
Britz said the workshop will be an opportunity for anyone interested in buying a home to get information from professional advisers:
Larry McCutcheon, McCutcheon's Inspection Services, will discuss the home inspection process.
Attorney Neil Robinson will review the legal aspects involved in a residential real estate transaction.
Donna Phillips, Wells Fargo Mortgage, will explain the many financing options available to prospective home buyers.

Certified Public Accountant Rose Crino will detail the tax benefits offered by buying and owning a home.

"The workshop will be comprehensive, but brief," said Britz who noted the program is scheduled to conclude by 7 p.m. "People spend many days, many hours looking for the home they want to buy. In an hour and a half at this workshop, they'll get very valuable insight into the home buying process and the advantages of becoming a homeowner, especially right now."
The workshop is free. Advance registration is recommended. Call Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate's Fredonia office at 673-1800 to make a reservation to attend.
Locally owned Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, www.howardhannaholt.com, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. The Chautauqua County-headquartered affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the Bemus Bay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.
Pittsburgh-headquartered Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the third largest independent real estate company in the United States, the country's fourth largest full service real estate company and the 6th largest mortgage banking company in the nation. The third-generation company serves the Western New York, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

Colvin Joins Howard Hanna Holt Sales Team.

2010-02-10T07:51:00.000-08:00

Sorry I missed this one, as per the observer.

Story

MAYVILLE - Jeanette "Jan" Colvin has joined Howard Hanna Real Estate as a REALTOR associate.

"I've always wanted to be in real estate sales," said Colvin, a Cherry Creek resident. "I looked into it 20 years ago when I was first starting my family. I am thrilled to finally get into the profession."

"Colvin is a registered nurse who brings exceptional people skills to our firm," said Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate president George W. "Pete" Holt. "Jan has spent the past 15 years caring for people and she clearly cares about her real estate clients and customers."

"I'm used to helping people under stress," Colvin said, "and buying or selling a home can be very stressful. I have always been convinced my skills as a nurse would allow me to serve home sellers and buyers exceptionally well. I can help bring some calm to everyone involved in what can be a very trying experience."

Colvin said she chose to join Howard Hanna Holt because of the tremendous resources the firm and its relationship with Pittsburgh-headquartered Howard Hanna Real Estate Services offer.

"To be associated with a premier local company and the third-largest independent real estate firm in the country, one that is focused on the markets that help us help sellers of Chautauqua County homes, is really exciting," Colvin said.

Colvin is a member of the local, state and national REALTOR associations and works out of Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate's Fredonia office at 45-47 East Main St.

Chautauqua County-headquartered Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. The locally-owned affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the Bemus Bay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the third-largest independent real estate company in the United States, the country's fourth-largest full service real estate company and the sixth largest mortgage banking company in the nation. The company serves the Western New York, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

Howard Hanna Holt, Habit For Humanity Team up

2010-01-28T14:01:00.000-08:00

MAYVILLE (NY) – Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate and Habitat for Humanity have teamed-up to help provide home ownership opportunities for Chautauqua County residents.

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate is one of the county’s premier real estate agencies.

Habitat for Humanity works to help people in need by building and renovating homes. The non-profit organization, since the local chapter’s founding in the county, has helped 22 families become homeowners.

“We are proud to contribute to help our community,” said company president George W. “Pete” Holt. “We are a family-owned, locally-owned business.”

Nick Holt, who joined the firm last year, has been coordinating its relationship with Habitat.

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate this year donated $1,500 to the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity International from the sale of a house he negotiated.

“The organization offers a hand up, not a hand out,” he explained, noting that recipient families devote an average of 500 hours of “sweat equity” into each rehabilitation project.

Partner families are selected after an application process based on their need for decent housing, ability to pay on a no-interest mortgage and willingness to work with Habitat volunteers.

“Seeing the amount of work the volunteers put into helping a family achieve their dream of home ownership, and seeing the families work along side them is an incredible experience,” Nick Holt said.

Howard Hanna Holt’s donation is being used toward a current home improvement project that the Chautauqua Area Habitat for Humanity is working on, according to vice president Ted First.
He said the project will result in a fully-renovated “green” home.

“We’re always working to get greener in the projects we do,” First said. “We’ll use the existing structure to reduce consumption of new materials and solar energy will be incorporated into the rehabilitation. We strive to make all of our projects affordable and energy efficient.”

Volunteers are critical to Habitat for Humanity’s success noted construction committee co-chair Marsha Butler. “We welcome people who want to help, whether it’s for two hours or the whole day, whenever they have the time.”

The local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, www.habitatchaut.org, was founded in 1989 and undertakes projects throughout Chautauqua County. Anyone interested in volunteering to assist the organization can call 716-269-7772 or send an email to build@habitatchaut.org.

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, www.howardhannaholt.com, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. The Chautauqua County-headquartered affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the Bemus Bay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.

Pittsburgh-headquartered Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the 3rd largest independent real estate company in the United States and the country’s 4th largest full service real estate company. The firm serves the Western New York, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

Holt Real Estate, Habitat for Humanity Team-Up

2010-01-27T13:05:00.000-08:00

MAYVILLE (NY) – Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate and Habitat for Humanity have teamed-up to help provide home ownership opportunities for residents of Chautauqua County that may not be able to own their own home otherwise.

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate is one of the county’s premier real estate agencies.

Habitat for Humanity works to help people in need by building and renovating homes. The non-profit organization, since its founding in Chautauqua County, has helped 22 families become homeowners.

“We are proud to contribute to help our community,” said company president George W. “Pete” Holt. “We are a family-owned, locally-owned business.”

Nick Holt, who joined the firm last year, has been coordinating its relationship with Habitat.

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate this year donated $1,500 to the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity International from the sale of a house he negotiated.

“The organization offers a hand up, not a hand out,” he explained, noting that recipient families devote an average of 500 hours of “sweat equity” into each rehabilitation project.

Partner families are selected after an application process based on their need for decent housing, ability to pay on a no-interest mortgage and willingness to work with Habitat volunteers.

“Seeing the amount of work the volunteers put into helping a family achieve their dream of home ownership, and seeing the families work along side them is an incredible experience,” Nick Holt said.

Howard Hanna Holt’s donation is being used toward a current home improvement project that the Chautauqua Area Habitat for Humanity is working on, according to vice president Ted First.

He said the project will result in a fully-renovated “green” home.

“We’re always working to get greener in the projects we do,” First said. “We’ll use the existing structure to reduce consumption of new materials and solar energy will be incorporated into the rehabilitation. We strive to make all of our projects affordable and energy efficient.”

Volunteers are critical to Habitat for Humanity’s success noted construction committee co-chair Marsha Butler. “We welcome people who want to help, whether it’s for two hours or the whole day, whenever they have the time.”

The local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, www.habitatchaut.org, was founded in 1989 and undertakes projects throughout Chautauqua County. To get involved please call 716-269-7772 or email to build@habitatchaut.org.

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, www.howardhannaholt.com, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. The Chautauqua County-headquartered affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the Bemus Bay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.

Pittsburgh-headquartered Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the 3^rd largest independent real estate company in the United States and the country’s 4^th largest full service real estate company. The firm serves the Western New York, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

Local Market Strong

2010-01-26T09:23:00.000-08:00

In this weeks' Westfield Republican, Alex Gerould wrote a piece on the local market. Below is an excerpt. To read the complete article please visit the Republican's site.

Looks Can Be Deceiving as Local Real Estate Market is Strong
By S. Alex Gerould
WESTFIELD – James Woodruff isn’t a real estate expert.

A member of the U.S. Army, Woodruff, a 2002 Westfield Academy and Central School graduate, has seen two tours of duty in Iraq while stationed in Hawaii. Shortly, he will be heading to Texas for additional training before moving to an Army base in North Carolina.
He’s seen a lot of things and been to a lot of places. He’s also someone who can tell you how Westfield has changed during the time he has been gone.
While driving with this reporter down South Portage Street on the way to Jamestown, Woodruff remarked on something which has affected most of the country recently – real estate.
“It seems every house is for sale in Westfield,” he said, as we passed a house with a Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate sign propped up in the front lawn.
Woodruff may be right to some extent. While not every house in Westfield is for a sale, during a quick, 10 minute drive through the streets of the village, more than 10 houses and properties, along with several businesses, had “for sale” signs in their front yard.

However, looks can be deceiving, at least according to some real estate experts.
“I think what you’re seeing right now is that there are some properties for sale on the major streets,” said Steve Holt. A broker associate with Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate. “I think it’s just been the location where they are that they stand out a little more.”
Helen Baran, a real estate agent for ERA Real Estate, said, even if a house has a “for sale” sign in its front yard, it doesn’t necessarily mean a house is for sale. She said real estate agents may keep signs up until the sale is definite in an effort to not scare other potential buyers away.
“At any time you have a house that has a ‘for sale’ sign on it, it might also be under contract,” Mrs. Baran said. “There are a lot of them (houses) on the market, but there’s also quite a few that are under contract right now.”
While it may seem there are many houses for sale in Westfield, Nick Holt, Steve Holt’s son and also a real estate agent, was quick to point out that 2009 was a really good year for his company.
“Despite what everyone has termed a down year, Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate had our best year ever in 2009, posting record sales with double digit growth,” Nick said. “The truth is that, with the proper marketing, pricing and expectations, now is as good a time as any to sell or buy in this area, particularly when you consider how low interest rates are.”

THE ECONOMY’S IMPACT
While other parts of the country have faced real estate meltdowns recently, Westfield and Chautauqua County has remained stable, and, in some cases, fairly robust.
“Prices in this market were never really artificially inflated, and local lenders were very good about avoiding predatory practices,” Nick Holt said. “So, when the bubble burst, we didn’t take the hit that other areas did.”
“The smaller communities … fared very well,” Steve Holt added. “We really didn’t see what the rest of the country was seeing. Even the vacation home market was pretty strong. We didn’t have the bubble. We didn’t have the big up, and we didn’t have the big down.”
While local real estate experts have said Westfield and Chautauqua County were not hit as hard by the real estate meltdown as other areas, Rawlin said any impact on what the WDC considers its number one asset – the quality of the community’s housing stock – can have some implications.
“We have, like the rest of the country, been hit by the downturn, but not really as bad as many locations,” Rawlinson said. “In fact, Western New York faired very well in the overall housing market debacle.”

WHY WESTFIELD?
Thanks to a larger Internet presence, Nick Holt said Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate has had inquires on homes in the area from as far away as California, Colorado and Florida. People, he said, come from all over looking for a small, quaint town to call home.
“I am always amazed at the interest people have in moving to Westfield,” Nick Holt said. “There are very few old fashioned small towns anymore, with a downtown strip and good neighborhoods within the village. We find people all the time who stop in and fall in love.”
Steve Holt agreed, adding many people looking to relocate are looking for a change to their lifestyle.
“When they come to areas like here, number one they get a great buy for their money, and they’re more apt here to truly pick the community they want to pick,” he said. “Communities like Westfield are the ones that a lot of people are picking. It’s because of the quality of the lifestyle. There are things going on, and it’s that small town atmosphere where people want to raise kids and retire.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chautauqua County-headquartered Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. The locally-owned affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the BemusBay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.

Pittsburgh-headquartered Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the 3rd largest independent real estate company in the United States, the country’s 4th largest full service real estate company and the 6th largest mortgage banking company in the nation. The company serves the Western New York, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

Slopes running at the Peak!

2009-12-29T12:29:00.000-08:00

Ski Season is in full swing at our office at Peek n' Peak Resort.

The Resort has been packed but many vacationers have still found the time to stop in and take a look at some of our great condos.

To view some of our listings and learn more about what the Peak has to offer visit our site.

To find out more about or Ski for Free Promotion, rent a unit, or even check the slope conditions, please call Nick @ (716) 581-1347, or email him @ nickholt@howardhanna.com

Howard Hanna Comments on Homebuyer Stimulus

2009-12-29T12:26:00.000-08:00

The following is taken from this article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

Business Forum: Why I like the 2009 federal stimulus plan

Saturday, December 26, 2009

By Howard W. Hanna Jr.

My name is Howard W. Hanna and I was born in February 1920. I had an ordinary childhood. However in 1934-1935, when I was old enough to go to Boy Scout camp, I could not afford to go.

Instead, my friends and I discovered that Camp Umbstetter (behind Sewickley) was closed due to the Depression but that the pool was kept open. We were able to sleep in empty barracks and cook our own food over an open fire. This was our version of Boy Scout camp.

Eventually, I got a job at the camp digging holes for the Works Progress Administration, a government works program created by Congress and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, building new outhouses. I was then paid $5 a week plus room and board. With the new outhouses, the camp reopened in 1936 and I had a good job every summer while in high school, thanks to the government's WPA program.

My parents and the high school principal insisted that I go to college, which I did from 1938 to 1942. To keep colleges from going broke, the Pennsylvania government allotted bond money for half scholarships to Pennsylvania schools -- $150 per year. This was the only way I could go to college, so I went to the University of Pittsburgh, which allowed me to get a job and live at home for free. Full tuition was $300 a year.

In 1942, I was drafted into the military. After serving several years in India as an American liaison officer with the British and Indian armies, I was discharged as a captain in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1946.

From 1946 to 1949, I got a master's degree in business from Pitt by attending night school. This was paid for by the Veteran's Administration and included books, pencils, etc. The VA also paid for three years of "on the job" training, which subsidized my job pay with $150 per month.

In 1950, and again thanks to the VA, I was able to buy my first home in Mt. Lebanon for $15,750, with nothing down. I parlayed the profit from the sale of this home into the downpayment on a house in Shadyside, as my wife was from Point Breeze and wanted to move closer to her family. Years later, we parlayed the profit from the sale of the Shadyside home into a condo in North Oakland, for which we paid cash -- all thanks to the original G.I. bill.

I probably paid back in taxes everything I had received from the government stimulus programs in one year in the 1950s. If the stimulus had not been possible, the company I founded in 1957 -- with more than 4,700 sales associates and staff today -- would not be in existence.

My two good friends from college went to Pitt same way. After WWII, one went to law school on the G.I. bill, then was on the White House staff and eventually became a prominent Washington attorney. The other owned over 50 lumberbyards in the Midwest.

This is why I like the federal stimulus program.

Howard W. Hanna Jr., is the retired founder of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, based in O'Hara.

Tax Credit Info

2009-12-05T13:45:00.000-08:00

After posting the last story on how the tax credit has helped, I realized I didn't post anything after it was passed so, here goes.

The following excerpt is from this story on CNNMoney.com. As always this is a complicated piece of legistlation that can be difficult to understand. For example the move up credit does not require that you in fact, move up. So please visit http://www.howardhannaholt.com and contact one of our REALTORS to learn more.

$8,000 homebuyers tax credit extended

President Obama reups popular tax credit through June 2010 and expands it to include people with higher incomes and some who want to trade up into new homes.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- President Obama signed an extension and expansion of the first-time homebuyers tax credit on Friday.

The $8,000 credit was scheduled to lapse on Dec. 1 but will now be in effect through the end of June. Homebuyers must sign a contract before April 30 and close by June 30. The income limits were also raised: Single buyers can now earn up to $125,000 and still get the full credit while a married couple can earn $225,000.

The bill also made more homeowners eligible to claim the credit on their taxes. First-time buyers -- those who have not owned a home in the past three years -- still qualify for an $8,000 rebate. But now people who want to trade up can also qualify. Those who have owned and occupied a residence for at least five years out of the past eight can claim a $6,500 tax credit if they close on a purchase by the end of June.

"The new version of the tax credit has the potential to stimulate the housing market even more than the old version due to the fact that more people will qualify under the new rules," said Gibran Nicholas, chairman of the CMPS Institute, an organization that certifies mortgage bankers and brokers.

Who qualifies?

Nicholas provided four scenarios illustrating how the tax credit rules for existing homebuyers will apply:

• Harry owned a home in 2001 and 2002 but sold it to relocate for a job. He would qualify for the $8,000 first-time-buyer credit because he has not owned a home in the past three years.

• Sue purchased a home in 2004 and has lived there since. If she decides to buy a new home, she would qualify for the $6,500 tax credit because she has lived in the same residence for five consecutive years in the past eight.

• Jane purchased her home in 2002, lived there for five consecutive years before she rented it out in 2007. She would qualify because she was an owner/occupier for at least five consecutive years in the past eight.

• Mark purchased a home in 2006 and lived there for the past three years. He would not qualify because he is neither a first-time homebuyer nor someone who lived in the same primary residence for five consecutive years out of the past eight.

Chautauqua County Homes

More info, from an article in the LA Times

But the new law adds a $6,500 credit for "longtime residents of the same home," making it a boon for retirees and those nearing retirement who want to trade down to smaller homes or perhaps move to a sunnier locale.
Both the $8,000 and $6,500 versions of the credit are refundable--meaning if you don't owe that
much in taxes, you get a check back from Uncle Sam.
"It's a windfall for those already set on downsizing," marvels Timothy W. Wyman, a financial
planner with the Center for Financial Planning in Southfield, Mich.
Even if you're not set on downsizing, it's something to consider if you're nearing retirement.
Recent research suggests that the happiest retirees are those who move to new homes while
remaining in their longtime communities.
To claim either the $8,000 or $6,500 version of the credit, you must close on a new home, or be
locked into a contract to close on one, before May 1, 2010. The closing itself must occur before
July 1, 2010.
The new law still gives first-time home buyers a more generous credit: 10% of the purchase price of the new home up to $8,000. But taxpayers who have lived in their olds home for five out of the eight years prior to closing on a new one, can claim 10% of the purchase price on a new home,
up to $6,500.
That could help downsizers on both ends--their new smaller digs will snag them the $6,500 credit and prospective buyers of their old homes are more likely to qualify for a credit too. After all, if an older couple is downsizing, they're probably not selling a starter home. So prospective buyers are likely to be trading up from an existing residence themselves. Congress did put some limits on this.

Home Sales Soar in October

2009-12-05T12:55:00.000-08:00

This CNN Story details how home sales improved in October, with a 32% improvement over last October. The PHSI is also at it's highest level since March of '06. The National Association of REALTORS' (NAR) chief economist Lawrence Yun gave much of the credit to the First-Time Home Owners tax credit and the the newly passed credit for existing homeowners.

"The tax credit is helping unleash a pent-up demand from a large pool of financially qualified renters, much more than borrowing sales from the future," said Yun.

In a related story new construction sales rose by a whopping 6.2 percent.

To search for homes for sale in Chautauqua County or to find out more about the tax credit and the stat of the market please contact a Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate Agent today.

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate
(716) 753-7880
sales@howardhannaholt.com
http://www.howardhannaholt.com

Tax Credit Entension in the works

2009-11-05T12:42:00.000-08:00

The 8,000 tax credit that has been instrumental to getting our customers in their new homes over the past year, looks like it will be extended.
To find out more about the tax credit or buying or selling a property in the Chautauqua County area, please contact us at (716) 753-7880, nickholt@howardhanna.com, or visit or main website at http://www.howardhannaholt.com.

Hellen Hanna was interviewed for the following article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, to view the entire article visit http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09309/1010981-28.stm#ixzz0W1I3vsIC

First-time homebuyers who had been facing a Nov. 30 deadline to take advantage of a $8,000 tax credit offered by the federal government likely will get more time after the Senate approved an extension of the program yesterday by a 98-0 vote.

The extension proposal now goes to the House, where a vote could come as early as today. The bill, which includes 20 more weeks of unemployment benefits for the jobless and tax relief for struggling businesses, then would be forwarded to President Barack Obama for his signature.

Buyers had been racing to meet a Nov. 30 deadline, as those looking to cash in would have had to close on a home by the last day of this month. Under the extension plan, the tax credit would continue until April 30 and would be expanded to include people with higher incomes and some who already own homes. That would cost about $10 billion in the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, according to Congress's Joint Committee on Taxation.

Already though, the looming deadline had served the purpose of breathing life into a moribund housing market.

"The market has been in a frenzy pitch in the last six months as the program is running out," said Helen Hanna Casey, president of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. She said this has been the company's best October in history. "We've seen a continual upswing."

The credit was intended to stimulate the real estate market by encouraging first-time homebuyers, but it has led to increased sales across the board.

"When we sell to a first-time buyer it frees someone who wants to move up," Ms. Casey said. "So, in the last three months we've seen an increase in sales in all price ranges because of this."

Data from West Penn Multi List for the month of October shows single-family home closings have increased 14 percent to 2,242 sales compared with October 2008, the number of homes under contract have jumped 35 percent to 3,623 and the average sales price in the Pittsburgh region is up 1.7 percent to $136,400.

Year-to-date sales in the greater Pittsburgh region, however, are down 6 percent from 19,388 sales in the first 10 months of 2008 to 18,204 sales so far this year. Industry insiders believe the lower sales figures could be due to buyer procrastination in the early months of 2009, and they say a more complete picture could emerge this month.

More than 1.4 million first-time homebuyers have taken advantage of the tax credit so far, according to the Internal Revenue Service. The credit is equal to 10 percent of the home's purchase price up to $8,000.

Claiming the credit is as simple as filling out a tax return.

"It's a refundable credit, so even if you don't owe any tax you get a check for $8,000," said Howard Davis, president of Davis, Davis & Associates, a Downtown accounting firm. "It's unbelievable. In my 30 years I've never seen anything like this. How long would it take the average person to save $8,000?"

Mr. Davis said first-time homebuyers who qualify for the credit could either include the purchase on their 2009 tax return or treat the purchase as if it occurred last year and claim the credit by amending their 2008 tax return.

To be considered a first-time homebuyer under this program, the buyer must not have owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase. For married couples, that means unless both individuals qualify neither can receive the credit.

Income limits also apply. Under the extension approved by the Senate, individuals with annual incomes up to $125,000 and joint filers with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full credit. Individuals with incomes up to $145,000 and joint filers with incomes up to $245,000 qualify for reduced credits.

The credit does not have to be repaid unless the home is sold within 36 months of the closing date.

In 2008, Congress created a $7,500 first-time homebuyer tax credit, which went into effect April 8, 2008, and was set to expire July 1, 2009. But the problem with that program was that the credit had to be repaid over 15 years and thus was widely viewed as a debt rather than a benefit.

The newer version, which was signed by Mr. Obama in late February, but made retroactive to Jan. 1, 2009, removed the repayment requirement and expanded the credit to $8,000. It also still applies to homes purchased in 2008 under the original program.

"We've noticed over the last couple of months a number of homes we've had for sale have closed and more are under contract hoping to close by the Nov. 30 deadline," said Dick Charles, a broker and owner at ReMax South in Whitehall. "A good number of those sales have been first-time homebuyers. (The tax credit) has had an impact here."

Before yesterday's vote, lawmakers had faced pressure from real estate agents, mortgage brokers and homebuilders to extend the credit.

The extension, according to Walter Molony, a spokesman for the National Association of Realtors in Washington, D.C., would require homebuyers to have a contract in place by April 30, but they then would have 60 days to close on the house, which would give them until the end of June.

The bill also would extend the credit to existing homeowners for a lower dollar amount -- $6,500. Existing homeowners would have to have used their current home as a principal residence for at least five of the past eight years to qualify.

Cameron Findlay, chief economist for LendingTree.com in Charlotte, N.C., said the success or failure of the tax credit program will be regionalized because the impact of the $8,000 credit is greater in a state such as Pennsylvania, where homes cost less, than in California, where they are significantly more expensive. For the sake of comparison, Mr. Findlay said the average list price of a home in Pennsylvania is $286,000, while in California it's $716,000.

"This program is not targeted only for home sales, but to jump-start all industries tied to housing, such as lumber, roofing and labor," he said. "This will get the wheels turning in terms of homes being purchased and getting renters to buy.

"The benefit we see is hopefully some of the excess inventory will go down, which should stabilize prices," he said.

Time Running out on Tax Credit

2009-10-01T12:55:00.000-07:00

To qualify for the 8,000 dollar tax credit, closing must occur by the end of November. Please contact a Howard Hanna Holt agent today before you miss out on this opportunity.

To contact an agent call (716) 753-7880 or visit http://www.howardhannaholt.com to find and contact an agent directly.

62 and Over Reverse Mortgage

2009-09-30T14:36:00.000-07:00

In an effort to continue to explore every avenue of financing available to our clients, several Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate employees met with a lender this afternoon to explore reverse home mortgages, a staple in refinancing for years which recently became an purchasing option.

As a quick overview, Reverse home financing caters to those 62 years of age or older. It allows for someone to purchase or refinance their home with a downpayment and then use their equity to establish a credit line, live without any mortgage payments, etc. The difference is that when you get your bank statement your mortgage balance increases rather than decreases.

While not for everyone, it is a useful tool for individuals to enjoy their golden age by downsizing their home, moving to a more age-friendly area while still owning a home, or just refinance and live off of their equity.
Contact a Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate agent for more information. http://www.howardhannaholt.com

Ellsworth signs first Howard Hanna Holt Listing

2009-09-29T12:31:00.000-07:00

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate's newest agent, Crystal Ellsworth has already inked her first listing with us.
"Crystal has been in Real Estate for years, prior to joining us, so this is no surprise," said Peak Team Manager Nick Holt. "I have been extremely impressed with her work ethic and professionalism since she joined the Howard Hanna Holt family and am sure this will just be the first in a long line of accomplishments that she will have with us."
Her new listing at 1879 Pekin Road in the French Creek Township is a charming 3 bedroom Chalet with a loft and full basement. Within a mile of Peek n' Peak Ski Resort the property has additional acreage available and is has lots for planned development or additional acreage. The 70+ acres in total feature a stocked pond as well as a fisherman friendly creek.

Call today for more information. Also feel free to visit http://1023019.howardhanna.com for more photos.

Chautauqua County-headquartered Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, www.howardhannaholt.com, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. The locally-owned affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the BemusBay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.

Pittsburgh-headquartered Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the 3rd largest independent real estate company in the United States, the country’s 4th largest full service real estate company and the 6th largest mortgage banking company in the nation. The company serves the Western New York, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

Crystal Ellsworth Joins Peak Team

2009-09-25T11:12:00.001-07:00

Crystal K. Ellsworth has joined The Peak Team at Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate.
The company’s Peak Team is a dedicated group of real estate professionals devoted to the marketing of vacation properties at Chautauqua County’s Peek’n Peak Resort and Spa.

Ellsworth, a full-time Realtor®, is a member of the Chautauqua County Board of Realtors and the Greater Erie (PA) Board of Realtors as well as the New York, Pennsylvania and National Associations of Realtors.

She has 25 years of experience in customer service along with 12 years in sales and three years as a small business owner.

“Crystal has extensive knowledge of Chautauqua County and Erie County, Pennsylvania and has a special niche for properties in quaint villages such as Findley Lake and surrounding communities,” said Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate president George W. “Pete” Holt.
“Her strong skills in customer service and relationship building will serve our clients and customers extremely well.”

Holt noted that the company’s Peak Team members have access to the latest technology available in the real estate industry to assist sellers and buyers of Peek’n Peak properties. The resort and spa has 244 traditional condominium units, stand-alone condominium homes, time shares and vacation rentals.

“One of the reasons I joined Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate’s Peak Team is because of the company’s commitment to technology,” Ellsworth said. “It makes it convenient for customers to find and view properties online and enhances the ability of real estate professionals to offer first class guidance and exceptional service.”

Chautauqua County-headquartered Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, www.howardhannaholt.com, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. The locally-owned affiliate of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the BemusBay condominiums and at Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa.

Pittsburgh-headquartered Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the 3rd largest independent real estate company in the United States, the country’s 4th largest full service real estate company and the 6th largest mortgage banking company in the nation. The company serves the Western New York, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia real estate markets.

Howard Hanna Ranked 4th Nationally in Closed Transactions

2009-04-17T11:42:00.001-07:00

PITTSBURGH—Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the 4th largest real estate company in the nation based upon closed transaction sides of real estate sales for 2008. The ranking is according to Real Trends, a Colorado-based research and information service that provides data about the real estate industry. Last year, Howard Hanna was ranked 7th.
Howard Hanna also earned an impressive ranking of 7th nationally in closed sales volume for the year, moving up from 14th position in that category the year earlier.
“These new rankings are especially exciting as 2008 was the most unusual year in real estate and in the world economy. Our sales associates persevered with pride in their performance,” states Howard W. “Hoddy” Hanna III, Chairman and CEO of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. “As great as these new rankings are, it is equally gratifying to report that 72% of experienced Howard Hanna sales associates were up in sales in 2008 over 2007. The American Dream of homeownership is alive and well. Clearly there is a pent up demand for all segments of the buyer market from first time buyer to empty nester.”
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the 4th largest full service real estate company and 3rd largest privately held real estate firm in the United States. The full service company specializes in residential and commercial brokerage service, mortgages, closing and title insurance, land development, appraisal services, insurance services, and corporate relocation. The company has 152 offices across Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia and employs approximately 5,200 sales associates and staff. Visit www.howardhanna.com for more information.

Post Journal Covers Local Real Estate Market

2009-03-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

Also featured in on the page of the March 17th edition of the Jamestown Post Journal was the following article on the local real estate market.

Attitudes Remain Positive Despite Drop In Real Estate Transactions

By Sharon Turano

Area realtors are holding on to hope for the spring and summer home-buying seasons, despite drops in figures for the number of area home sales compared to last year.

Rick McMahon, president of the local board of realtors, said the New York State Association of Realtors' figures sent to him recently report that in January 2008, the median sales price for a Chautauqua County home was $68,700 when 48 homes were sold in the county.

In January 2009, he said, the median sales price was $63,650, when 35 homes were sold.

McMahon said ''a little weight'' could be placed on the economy for the decreases, but, he attributed sales drops more to ''the seasonal situation.''

''It's been an ungodly brutal winter,'' McMahon said, adding people don't want to go out and look at homes when it's 17 degrees outside. Despite that, he said, there has been ''an uptic in phone calls'' recently for both residences and those wanting to look at purchasing homes along the lake.

It is a good time to buy, he said.

''It's a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing,'' said McMahon about a federal $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers that has been made available by the federal government. McMahon said interest rates are hovering at about 5 percent and programs are available to subsidize closing costs.

''There's never been that kind of convergence before,'' he said about all of the factors coming together at once to make it a good time to buy a home.

''It's definitely gone down,'' said Chautauqua County Clerk Sandra Sopak about the number of deeds recorded in her office. She said there is usually a downturn during winter months when people don't want to move or pull children out of one district midway through the school year to start in another school when they could wait to buy a home in a new location during the summer months.

''People classically ... sit tight through the winter here,'' said Mrs. Sopak, adding that ''stands to reason.''

Despite that, however, she said, there has been a 20 percent decrease in deeds filed, in addition to what is usually seen in winter. She attributes that to different factors, including the economy, people losing jobs, a new U.S. president leading to people's uncertainty about the future.

She said in January and February 2008, her office recorded 563 deeds for property transfers. Although there was an increase for the same time period in 2009, when 593 deeds were recorded, she attributed 146 deed transfers to the county tax sale held in September for the first time in four years. She said that although the sale was held in September, paperwork was not fully completed until the January, February time frame. Therefore, she said, if one subtracts the146 tax sale deeds, the 20 percent decline of 447 properties sold for January, February 2009 would be accurate.

''We're not at a down right now,'' said Tony Parinella, office manager at Coldwell Banker Phil Mathyer Real Estate. He said the local real estate market never made huge amounts of money, so it has not seen declines evidenced in other areas, where homes sold for huge amounts and recently took a nose-dive due to people not being able to afford purchasing the higher-priced homes.

''We've been fairly busy,'' he said, adding other states are feeling the hardship more. Parinella said the area real estate market is steady and stable in Chautauqua County.

Existing single-family home sales in 2008 across New York State fell by 16.2 percent compared to 2007 due to tighter mortgage availability, a shrinking economy and a decline in consumer confidence, according to preliminary single-family sales data accumulated by the New York State Association of Realtors', their Web site states. The statewide median sales price also finished the year down 8.5 percent compared to 2007, reports the Web site.

Bemus Bay in Post Journal

2009-03-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

The following article was on the front page of the Jamestown Post Journal on March 17th.

Optimistic View

Developer Ready For Summer Season

By Sharon Turano

Optimism in sales was expressed by Paul Goldberg of Bemus Point Investments LLC project co-developer of 40 new condominiums on the lake in Bemus Point.

''We'll weather the storm ok and have 40 happy purchasers pretty soon,'' he said after the firm recently announced its first round of sales have been completed at the newly constructed Bemus Bay condominiums. The development features the homes in two buildings, named Browning and Columbian, that have been architecturally designed to resemble the two early 20th century hotels of the same names that once stood on the site. Each of the homes at Bemus Bay includes a private boat slip on Chautauqua Lake as well as secured entry, handicapped access, elevator service, a garage and reserved parking spaces.

Four different floor plans with three bedrooms and two or three baths include air conditioning, granite countertops, master suites with whirlpool baths, access to the courtyard's heated swimming pool and hot tub and a view of Chautauqua Lake.

Goldberg said the number of homes sold so far is in the teens, and, he said, he expects more sales soon. Sales are also expected to grow during the spring and summer months, now that finishing touches to the condominiums are being completed, according to a news release about the condominium sales.

''We're doing fine,'' he said, adding the number of sales are about what was expected at this point.

Although Goldberg said the project was entered into before the market ''really took a nose dive,'' he said, the condominiums are ''a very special product.'' Goldberg said enough people remain interested in the homes, which sell in the range of $300,000 to $600,000.

''People do come to the lake for vacations, second homes,'' he said, adding the condominiums cover a wide economic spectrum of people interested in them, including wealthier buyers. Goldberg said those buyers' ''portfolios may have suffered a bit of a hit,'' due to recent economics, but, he remains confident there are enough people who still have resources available who want a condominium in Bemus Point.

''It will satisfy their lifestyle objectives,'' said Goldberg of the homes. He said his firm's staff may not be happy with the way economics changed, and will probably be impacted, but, he said the homes' sales remain ''well-positioned.'

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate is extremely proud to represent Bemus Bay Condominiums. Here, in an exclusive lakefront enclave, you can enjoy a luxurious, carefree lifestyle without any mowing, pool cleaning, fixing, painting or dock maintenance. Just sit back and enjoy the view, stroll through the village, or take your boat out and catch the "big one."

Sales are moving quickly, so you need to act now to get the views, floor plan and location you want.

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, www.howardhannaholt.com, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. It has offices in Fredonia, Mayville, Peek n' Peak resort, and Westfield, and seasonal offices on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution and at the Bemus Bay condominiums, www.bemusbaycondos.com, in Bemus Point.

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate Employees attend Tri-State REALTOR event

2009-03-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

The following article was in the Dunkirk Observer today

MAYVILLE Chautauqua County-based Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate was well represented at the recent annual winter meeting of Tri-State REALTORS.

The convention and trade exposition in Atlantic City, N.J., presented by the New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania real estate associations, is one of the largest events of its type in the U.S.

An estimated 6,000 industry professionals use the opportunity each year to learn new skills at educational sessions, hear top national industry speakers and trainers, discover the latest trends, network with their peers and explore the latest products and service innovations.

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate president George W. "Pete" Holt was joined at the convention by associate brokers Diana Holt and Steve Holt as well as Judy Porpiglia who manages agent relations for the company and Olivia James, an associate broker specializing in Chautauqua Lake properties.

"This was a very valuable opportunity for our firm," Holt said. "It helps keep us up to date on industry trends and the ever changing and improving technology used to market the properties our company handles.

"It is so important to us to be ahead of the curve to best serve our clients and customers. That is something I feel keeps Howard Hanna Holt in the forefront in our market. We work day in and day out at trying to be the best."

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals.

The company has permanent offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, as well as specialized offices on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, at the Edgewater condominiums in Westfield, Bemus Bay condominiums, www.bemusbaycondos.com, in Bemus Point, and at Peek'n Peak Resort & Spa (1-800-388-3689) where the company is the exclusive marketing agent for all newly constructed and resale condominiums.

Howard Hanna is the third largest independent real estate company in the United States, the country's fifth largest full service real estate company and the sixth largest mortgage banking company in the nation.

Read the Article in the Observer

Bemus Bay Photos

2009-03-14T16:19:00.000-07:00

Closings at Bemus Bay

2009-03-06T05:30:00.000-08:00

The following article appeared in today's Dunkirk Observer.

BEMUS POINT (NY) The first round of sales are being completed at the newly constructed Bemus Bay condominiums, according to the project developers.

The Bemus Bay development features 40 Chautauqua Lake homes in two buildings, named Browning and Columbian, that have been architecturally designed to resemble the two, early 20th century hotels of the same names that once stood on the site.

Each of the homes at Bemus Bay, www.bemusbaycondos.com, includes a private boat slip on Chautauqua Lake as well as secured entry, handicapped access, elevator service, a garage and reserved parking spaces.

Four different floor plans with three bedrooms and two or three baths include air conditioning, granite countertops, master suites with whirlpool baths, easy access to the courtyard's heated swimming pool and hot tub, and a stunning view of Chautauqua Lake.

"This is a magnificent project and we are very excited to be completing home sales and seeing the owners moving in," said Bemus Point Investments LLC project co-developer Lee Chilcote. He said many of the homes were pre-sold during construction and he expects sales to grow this spring and summer now that there are just some finishing touches to be completed.

"We have some minor items, mostly exterior work, that will be addressed this spring," said co-developer Paul Goldberg. "When people arrive this summer they will see a beautiful new development, fully landscaped with an inviting pool and hot tub. Bemus Bay offers high-quality homes for year-round enjoyment."

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate, www.howardhannaholt.com, is the exclusive marketing agent for the Bemus Bay condominiums. Complete offering terms are available by calling the real estate company toll-free at 1-888-269-7460.

Peekn' Peak Press Release

2009-03-05T11:40:00.000-08:00

Peek’n Peak Enters Marketing Agreement with Real Estate Firm

FINDLEY LAKE (NY) – Peek’n Peak Resort and Spa has entered into a marketing agreement with one of Chautauqua County’s leading real estate companies.

Mayville, NY-headquartered Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate will be the exclusive on-site marketing agent for all new residential properties being constructed at the resort as well as its resale units.

“We are honored to be selected to market Peek’n Peak’s properties,” said George W. “Pete” Holt, president of the real estate company. “This is a premier, year-round destination that offers outstanding facilities and amenities.”

Established in 1964, Peek’n Peak, www.PKnPK.com, features 27 ski slopes and trials, 10 miles of cross country skiing terrain, two highly acclaimed golf courses, an exquisite day spa, fine dining and a vast selection of resident and guest accommodations. The resort has received the prestigious RCI Gold Crown rating.

Condominiums at Peek’n Peak range in size from one bedroom units up to 4,500 square foot, free standing homes offering 7 bedrooms and baths.

“We look forward to working with Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate’s staff to promote the resort’s real estate,” said Peek’n Peak owner Paul Kiebler. “The company is a very professional organization with a great deal of expertise in vacation and condominium property marketing.”

He said one of the reasons the resort chose Howard Hanna Holt was its affiliation with Pittsburgh-based Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. Howard Hanna is the 5th largest full-service real estate firm and the 3rd largest independently-owned real estate company in the United States. The company has 122 offices in 55 counties across Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and West Virginia.

“We expect the breadth of Howard Hanna’s reach in the primary market for people seeking recreation in Western New York will be of significant benefit to our promotional program,” Kiebler said.

“The Peak,” as most local residents call it, is located near the New York-Pennsylvania border. Chautauqua Lake and the world-renowned Chautauqua Institution are just a short drive from the resort, and the Seneca Alleghany Casino is less than an hour east on Interstate 86.

Under terms of the marketing agreement, Howard Hanna Holt will staff an office at the resort from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week with professional real estate agents available to ensure a pleasant buying experience for customers.

“We pride ourselves on providing exceptional customer service,” Holt said, “and we look forward to offering each and every customer the highest standards of attention and care.”

Howard Hanna Holt, www.howardhannaholt.com, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals.

Information about Peek’n Peak Resort and Spa is available by calling “The Peak Team” toll-free at 1-800-388-3689.

Howard Hanna Holt's Association with Peek n' Peak covered in Business first.

2009-03-05T10:19:00.001-08:00

Howard Hanna Holt's recent partnership with Peek n' Peak was briefly featured in the following article in business first.

Business First Article

There are a couple of errors and omissions in the article. His figures regarding what the Peak is selling doesn’t take into account that they have a long-term building plan and that Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate will continue working with them through new builds. The numbers in the article also do not reflect our numbers.

The article also fails to mention the creation of a new office at the Peak and the fact that it will be staffed by Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate's "Peak Team", who will specialize in Peak Properties and those in the surrounding area.

Finally, the article confuses Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate at times with it's affiliate, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services.

In addition, some facts about Howard Hanna were misreported, here is some more accurate information.

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the 4th largest full service real estate company and 3rd largest privately held real estate firm in the United States. The full service company specializes in residential and commercial brokerage services, mortgages, closing and title insurance, land development, appraisal services, insurance services, and corporate relocation. The company has 152 offices in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia and employs more that 5,200 sales associates and staff. Visit www.howardhannna.com for more information.

Howard Hanna Holt, www.howardhannaholt.com, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals. The company has permanent offices in Fredonia, Mayville, Peek n' Peak, and Westfield, and seasonal offices on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution and at the Bemus Bay condominiums, www.bemusbaycondos.com, in Bemus Point. Howard Hanna is the third largest independent real estate company in the United States, the country’s 5th largest full service real estate company and the sixth largest mortgage banking company in the nation. The company is a recognized and honored leader in the real estate industry that values each client and adheres to an unwavering commitment to quality service.

Where the markets are going in '09

2009-03-03T11:02:00.001-08:00

Another look at 100 metropolitan real estate markets. Western NY does very well, courtesy of CNNMoney.com.

Top 5 Markets
1.) McAllen, TX
Home Price (median)- $109,000
Price Change (5 years)- 23.3%
Forecast (May '09)- 4.0%
% change in foreclosure rate (1 year)- 23%

2.) Rochester, NY
Home Price (median)- $121,000
Price Change (5 years)- 20.1%
Forecast (May '09)- 2.7%
% change in foreclosure rate (1 year)- 5%

3.) Birmingham
Home Price (median)- $156,000
Price Change (5 years)- 29.4%
Forecast (May '09)- 2.7%
% change in foreclosure rate (1 year)- 20%

4.) Syracuse
Home Price (median)- $126,000
Price Change (5 years)- 29.5%
Forecast (May '09)- 2.6%
% change in foreclosure rate (1 year)- 27%

5.) Buffalo/Niagara Falls
Home Price (median)- $105,000
Price Change (5 years)- 24.5%
Forecast (May '09)- 2.4%
% change in foreclosure rate (1 year)- 14%

Bottom Five
96.) Las Vegas
Home Price (median)- $277,000
Price Change (5 years)- 60.8%
Forecast (May '09)- -18.3%
% change in foreclosure rate (1 year)- 2%

97.) Phoenix
Home Price (median)- $237,000
Price Change (5 years)- 60.9%
Forecast (May '09)- -18.3%
% change in foreclosure rate (1 year)- 9%

98.) Orlando
Home Price (median)- $245,000
Price Change (5 years)- 62.5%
Forecast (May '09)- -21.0%
% change in foreclosure rate (1 year)- 399%

99.) Fort Lauderdale
Home Price (median)- $309,000
Price Change (5 years)- 56.1%
Forecast (May '09)- -22.2%
% change in foreclosure rate (1 year)- 450%

100.) Miami
Home Price (median)- $329,000
Price Change (5 years)- 94.8%
Forecast (May '09)- -24.9%
% change in foreclosure rate (1 year)- 370%

OTHER AREA NOTABLES:
18.) Albany, NY
Home Price (median)- $200,000
Price Change (5 years)- 64.1%
Forecast (May '09)- 0.9%
% change in foreclosure rate (1 year)- 10%

32.)Pittsburgh
Home Price (median)- $144,000
Price Change (5 years)- 18.1%
Forecast (May '09)- -1.3%
% change in foreclosure rate (1 year)- 1%

Click here to view the full list

More good news for area markets!

2009-03-03T07:45:00.000-08:00

Using statistics provided by the National Association of REALTORS, AOL has assembled a list of the 10 strongest metropolitan real estate markets in the 3rd quarter of 2008. Western NY was again well represented as the Buffalo/Niagra Falls area came in at # 10 out of 152 markets, and Elmira, NY came in at #1.

Some information on the Buffalo Market:
2008 3rd Quarter Median Price: $114,200
Percent Change Year Over Year: +3.0%

Some information on the Elmira Market:
2008 3rd Quarter Median Price: $105,000
Percent Change Year Over Year: +12.5%

AOL's complete top-10

Post Journal features article on real estate

2009-02-17T19:53:00.000-08:00

The Post Journal recently ran the following article on Real Estate in Chautauqua County.
http://post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/522403.html?nav=5018

Some quick points from the article were:

There was a 9% drop in the number of Real Estate sales in Chautauqua County.
There was an 18% decline in the number of single-family residential sales in Chaut. County in '08.
The median home price rose 2.3 percent last year in Chaut. County.

What this means in short is that there were fewer homes that sold, but not drastically. This can be attributed to the recession or an unwillingness to buy, which is what the Post Journal article seems to point to. However, the sheer amount of property on the market also greatly influences these numbers.

Meanwhile the rise in the median home price shows that the values throughout the county have not collapsed as they have in so many other areas. Real Estate in Chautauqua County sells at a reasonable price, and was not artificially inflated as it was in other areas, so there was no bubble to burst.

Combine this with low interest rates and government incentives like first-time home buyers tax credit and it makes this a great time to buy real estate in our area.

Howard Hanna Holt, www.howardhannaholt.com, offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals.
The company has permanent offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, and seasonal offices on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution and at the Bemus Bay condominiums (www.bemusbaycondos.com) in Bemus Point.
Howard Hanna is the third largest independent real estate company in the United States, the country's fifth largest full service real estate company and the sixth largest mortgage banking company in the nation.

~Nick Holt

Report finds Buffalo a top real estate market

2009-02-17T19:41:00.000-08:00

The following article in Business First, highlights how well the Buffalo market is doing in comparison to other metropolitan areas during the recession, ranking as the nation's fourth-best housing market. Other non-NYC area markets also did very well: Syracuse ranked 2nd, while Rochester and Albany ranked 15th and 21st, respectively.

For the complete article click here.
http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2009/01/12/daily1.html

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate Announces Buy Your Sweetheart a Home Day!

2009-02-06T10:31:00.000-08:00

Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate will be celebrating Valentines Day and the Mayville Ice Festival by with by hosting a "Buy your sweetheart a home" day. On February 14th from 1-3 Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate will simultaneously hold 10 open houses accross Chautauqua County. The Open Houses are as follows:

Bemus Point: 3585 Mary Ellen Drive

Brocton: 107 West Main Street

Chautauqua: 4827 West Lake Road (The Hunt Lea at Chautauqua)

Forestville: 2-A Eagle Street

Fredonia: 48 Castile Drive, 57 Castille Drive, 43 Holmes Place, 89 Risley Street, 3 Casa Bella Drive, 167 Central Avenue.

For more information contact your local Howard Hanna Holt Real Estate Agent, or call one of our offices: Fredonia (716) 673-1800, Mayville (716) 753-7880, or Westfield (716) 326-7859.

Howard Hanna Holt, http://www.howardhannaholt.com,/ offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate sales, leasing and related services including real property appraisals, property management, development services, vacation property rentals and traditional rentals.
The company has permanent offices in Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield, and seasonal offices on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution and at the Bemus Bay condominiums, http://www.bemusbaycondos.com,/ in Bemus Point.
Howard Hanna is the 3rd largest independent real estate company in the United States, the country's 5th largest full service real estate company and the 6th largest mortgage banking company in the nation.