My Team VP

2015 Mid-Year Real Estate Market Report

From the desk of Broker/Owner Bill Soffel…

The 2015 Mid Year Real Estate Market Report for not only our company, but as well as our local market and nationally: We’ve been receiving great news at the national level regarding market activity, consumer confidence, and generally good news regarding how things are going in the housing market. On a local level, we are actually up 22% in new listings as compared to last year. Nationally, the statistics show the listings have raised about 13%. In terms of closed volume, our company is up 5% this year as opposed to a national trend of about 10%. On a local level, as we compare our company’s performance to the local board, we’ve got some exciting news to share; ERA Team VP had a days on market statistic of only 118 days compared to our local market of 135. As far as list to sales price ratio, which would be the selling price of properties compared to the listing price, ERA Team VP had 94% as opposed our local board and industry average of 92%. Those two statistics really illustrate what a great job our agents are doing of properly pricing their properties relative to market value and marketing the properties to maximize exposure. Of course, we’ve got lots of great marketing and internet tools available to us through our ERA affiliation; and it’s great to see our agents are taking full advantage.

I’d like to specifically highlight two of our offices which were brand new offices at the time of our last market report, Bradford, Pennsylvania and Yorkshire, New York. Both offices are fully up and running now; transitioned into the ERA Team VP platform and agents in both of those locations are seeing really active markets, so we’re excited to report on that. In addition to the great market outlook as we look forward to the next 6 months, in large part fueled by the continuing low interest rates, is a brand new technology platform being rolled out as we speak by ERA Real Estate. The product is called Zap, it’s technology based and will serve both ERA on a national and international level as well as our company, ERA Team VP, and all of our agents with brand new websites. This is a great opportunity to showcase all of the properties that are available not only through our company but through our various MLS affiliations and will really enable our agents to stay in great contact with their customers and clients about what’s happening in the marketplace, more so, than any of our competition so we are very excited about that. Stay tuned, more exciting news to come!

ERA Team VP Real Estate serves Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania with offices located in Mayville, Chautauqua Institution, Ellicottville, Fredonia, Yorkshire, Cuba, Lakewood, and Bemus Point NY as well as Warren and Bradford PA.

2015 Agents of Hope Golf Raffle Results

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Our agents of Hope Golf Tournament will be held Wednesday August 26th, we still have room for golfers as well as sponsors and raffle prize donations, so if anyone is interested in participating please give us a call at 716-789-2600. We are very excited to support the fight against Lou Gehrig’s Disease and ALS. This is our 6th year of the golf tournament, we’ve raised over 50,000 to date and we are anxious to add to that total. On Friday, August 7th we raffled off three prizes, which all proceeds from ticket sales benefiting the ALS Association and the ALS Division of MDA. The first prize was the August 29th, Bemus Bay Pops Chill Lounge event for the Stevie Wonder Tribute Concert valued at $750, and our winner was Greg Marshall from Ellicottville NY. Our second prize was a free registration for our Agents of Hope golf tournament this year, valued at $100 won by one of our very own real estate brokers from Ellicottville NY, Patti Crist. And the third prize was a round of golf and the Chautauqua Golf Club, valued at $50, which Jan Friend-Davis, from Chautauqua NY won. We thank everyone who participated in this year’s raffle and look forward to seeing you at the tournament!

ERA Team VP Real Estate & Vacation Rentals Recognizes Rental Property Owners in Ellicottville, NY

Leading local real estate & vacation rental management office, ERA Team VP Real Estate & Vacation Rentals in Ellicottville, NY hosted a cocktail reception to recognize the property owners and clients affiliated with their Vacation Rental Management program.

Leading local real estate & vacation rental management office, ERA Team VP Real Estate & Vacation Rentals in Ellicottville, NY hosted a cocktail reception to recognize the property owners and clients affiliated with their Vacation Rental Management program. The reception was held on Saturday, May 16 at Dina’s Restaurant on Washington Street.

Team VP brought their clients together to thank them for their continued support and loyalty. The reception served as an enjoyable meet and greet to celebrate the end to a busy ski season, as well as a platform to launch a new and exciting marketing campaign for Team VP’s Vacation Rental Management Department, called, “Live Like a Local”.

“We are very excited to be launching our “Live Like a Local” campaign, as it will encourage and drive awareness for our owners, tenants, and other visitors to further experience the Ellicottville and surrounding areas as a local. When people visit our area, our team wants them to step inside one of our rental properties, feel immediately at home, and live as though a local would, says Rachael Wiley-Steffen, Director of Corporate Marketing and Vacation Rental Management at ERA Team VP.

This campaign will encourage those visiting the Greater Ellicottville area to enjoy life as a local by highlighting places to eat, local events and activities, and much more. Visitors and vacationers will experience the inside secrets of one of western New York’s premiere vacation destinations. Follow #LiveLikeALocal on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

ERA Team VP Real Estate & Vacation Rentals currently holds 55+ privately owned homes, chalets, condos and townhomes in their Vacation Rental Management program in Ellicottville, NY.

If you’ve thought about renting your home and want to take advantage of Team VP’s property marketing expertise please call (716) 699-4800, visit www.myteamvp.com or stop in their Ellicottville office located at 12 Washington Street.

2015 First Quarter Market Report

As I’m sure you know it’s been a very brutal winter here in Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania: very cold, lots of snow, incredibly low, sub-zero temperatures and that did effect our real estate market. As you can imagine many buyers and sellers were thinking of other things besides buying and selling homes; however, we have had a remarkably good first quarter company wide, even though the weather conditions were not ideal. Our listings inventory, this year compared to last year, is up 9%. Low inventory has been an issue in the real estate market nationwide, so an increase in inventory is definitely a good thing for our company. earth map . Our transaction numbers, in terms of closed transactions year-to-date compared to last year, are up 20%, so we’re very excited that our company continues to grow we continue to increase our market share.

Some more exciting news for ERA Team VP Real Estate’s first quarter, we’ve opened two new satellite locations: one in Yorkshire, New York, which is located between our Ellicottville office and Buffalo, formerly the Buncy Real Estate company. We’ve got a great group of agents from Buncy who are now part of ERA Team VP. We’ve also opened in Bradford, Pennsylvania, formerly Real Living Avista properties. We’ve got a great group of agents in Bradford who complement our Warren, Pennsylvania location very well. We’re excited that we can continue to expand our footprint in the southern tier of Western New York as well as the Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Bill Soffel, Broker/Owner of ERA Team VP Real Estate & Vacation Rentals

2015 Ellicottville Mardi Gras Weekend

ERA Team VP Real Estate hosts Kick Off Party! — Click on this photo for full video article!

Ahoy Mateys! Welcome to Mardi Gras in Ellicottville New York! This weekend is sure to be a blast especially with ERA Team VP. Mardi Gras in Ellicottville is crazy fun, the slopes at Holiday Valley and HoliMont are packed and the village is hopping busy. The biggest attraction by far for the weekend is the Parade on Saturday night, I’ve seen everything from super heroes, to nuns, sports teams, the Blues Brothers, and if you can’t tell, this year ERA agents and our office are decked out with the pirate gear. Unfortunately Johnny Depp couldn’t make it for his surprise guest appearance… trust me I tried! At 5:00 pm we’ll be kicking off one of our company’s biggest parties of the year! We invite all of our clients, customers, and friends to enjoy the music, dancing, and the finest pirate grub and ale. The parade starts at 6:30 and you’ll see Washington St lined up with thousands of spectators. Prizes are awarded for the best dressed team so be sure to cheer on your favorite group of pirates! Make sure you’re ready to catch some beads because this group of pirates have snuck on to Captain Hook’s pirate ship and found 10 treasure chests full of the beloved beads. Sunday is also packed full of fun: more costumes, more food and drink, and of course, more beads! One of the coolest things to be a part of is the ski parade on the Mardi Gras ski slope at Holiday Valley. You’ll see tons of people dressed up in costumes skiing down this awesome slope. So if you’re ready for a weekend of fun in Ellicottville, hop aboard the ERA Team VP Real Estate buccaneer and we’ll be sure to show you a good time. Yo Ho Ho Mateys!!

~Ciji Riley, Licensed Real Estate Associate Broker

ERA Team VP and DFT sponsor OFN Run/Walk/Swim

http://chqdaily.com/2013/08/03/era-team-vp-and-dft-sponsor-ofn-runwalkswim/

The Old First Night Run/Walk/Swim is a timeless tradition that has recently been given an upgrade.

This year was the first time advance registration for the race was made available online. And in an embrace of the many ways social media can connect Chautauquans — regardless of where one is physically located on Aug. 3 — there will be a new dimension to the Run/Walk/Swim: an Around the World Race.

Those who register for the Around the World Race will be able to participate in the race remotely and share their experience, photos and videos on Chautauqua Institution’s Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts.

It is DFT Communications, Partners in Technology which has generously sponsored the Around the World Race, expanding the OFN tradition to the virtual world.

Ellen Ditonto, director of sales and business development at DFT Communications, said the company “is thrilled to be a sponsor for the first ‘virtual’ Old First Night race on Aug. 3.”

“What better way for us to showcase our technology solutions company to the Chautauqua Institution community than to help bring together runners from all over the world who want to be part of the Old First Night tradition?” Ditonto said. “We know that Chautauquans can be found worldwide, and with technology, barriers like time and distance can be dissolved so that the community can experience greater camaraderie. We felt it was a perfect match for DFT Communications to expand our partnership with Chautauqua.”

Of course, in keeping with an already well-established partnership with the Institution, ERA Team VP, formerly Vacation Properties Group, will continue to sponsor the traditional OFN race taking place on the grounds.

Bill Soffel, owner and broker of ERA Team VP, is excited for the company to continue its commitment to Chautauqua.

“While our company has grown throughout Chautauqua County and beyond, we started in Chautauqua,” Soffel said, “and supporting the Institution is still a major and important part of our business. We continue to be very involved with real estate sales, vacation rentals and property management on the grounds. We think it’s important to give back to Chautauqua and to support everything that the Institution stands for.”

The OFN Run/Walk/Swim is a tradition ERA Team VP would like to continue to support.

“We’ve enjoyed a nice partnership with Chautauqua over the years, and we look forward to continuing our great relationship into the future,” Soffel said.

Dale Sandberg, ERA Team VP Real Estate, Raises $1,200 For the Upstate New York Chapter of the ALS Association

[Chautauqua, NY] (7/18/2013) – Always willing to support a worthy cause, Dale Sandberg, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson of ERA Team VP Real Estate recently raised $1,200 along with Scott Kelemen of Wells Fargo, to benefit the Upstate New York Chapter of the ALS Association.

Established in 1985, the ALS Association’s mission is to lead the fight to cure and treat ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease) through global cutting-edge research, and to empower people with Lou Gehrig’s Disease and their families to live fuller lives by providing them with compassionate care and support. The ALS Association has committed more than $67 million to find effective treatments and a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

New techniques and products are continually emerging that make it increasingly possible for people with ALS to adapt to the disease, to pursue their interests, and to continue to live rich and rewarding lives.

The ALS Association’s research, services, advocacy and information programs are made possible through the generosity of individuals, sponsors and private contributors.

“ERA Team VP Real Estate has actively supported the ALS Association since 2010, and with the incredible support of Dale Sandberg and our team we are able to make a positive impact on the lives of those affected by this disease,” said Bill Soffel, Broker/Owner of ERA Team VP Real Estate.

For more information about Dale Sandberg and ERA Team VP Real Estate visit www.daleasandberg.com or www.myteamvp.com or call (716) 789-2600.

“Capture Your Hometown” Photo Contest to Support the Fight Against ALS

ERA Team VP searches for local photographs that capture the essence of each area, to be raffled at 4^th Annual Agents of Hope Scramble Golf Tournament, with winning photographers awarded a cash prize and a chance to win an Ellicottville vacation getaway.

ERA Team VP Real Estate is looking for local photographs that best represent the “hometown” areas of western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania that ERA serves. Nine winning photographs, each representing a different “hometown”, will be unveiled at this year’s 4^th Annual Agents of Hope Scramble Golf Tournament that ERA Team VP will be hosting on Wednesday, August 28^th, 2013. One of the nine winners will be randomly selected to receive a two night stay, for up to four people, at the Ellicottville Inn Condominiums. The Ellicottville in is located right in the heart of Ellicottville, within walking distance to restaurants and shopping. The remaining winning photographers will be awarded a $25 debit card and all photographs will be featured on ERA Team VP Real Estate’s company websites.

The nine winning photographs will be raffled off with all proceeds, as well as tournament proceeds, benefiting The ALS Division of MDA & ALSA (the ALS Association); whose mission is to lead the fight to cure and treat ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, through global cutting-edge research, and to empower those affected and their families to live fuller lives by providing them with compassionate care and support.

Photo submissions should represent one of the following areas: Bemus Point, Mayville/Westfield, Fredonia, Lakewood/Jamestown, Chautauqua Institution, Ellicottville, Cuba/Olean, Bradford (PA), or Warren (PA).

The deadline for submissions is August 7^th at 5:00pm, and entries must be a minimum width of 1680px. Please include your name, phone number, and the specific area you believe the photo represents. Multiple submissions per photographer will be accepted.

Submit your photos to Taylor Lehman at taylor.lehman@ERA.com. For more information or to submit further inquiries visit ERA Team VP’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ERATeamVP.RealEstate. If you choose to include people in your submission, you are responsible for obtaining the necessary releases from the individuals depicted, and must be able to provide copies of those releases to ERA Team VP upon request. In submitting a photograph, you grant ERA Team VP a royalty-free, nonexclusive right, in perpetuity, to: use the photograph on the Internet and company publications and promotions.

To register as a sponsor, individual entry, or four-person team for the 4^th Annual Agents of Hope Scramble Golf Tournament, or for more information, contact Hanna Soffel Briggs at (716) 789-2093 or hanna.soffel@ERA.com or visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AgentsOfHopeGolf.

ERA Team VP Real Estate Agent Awards

ERA Team VP Real Estate of western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania recently presented awards for 2012 production at their annual Agent Awards Luncheon held in Ellicottville, New York. Sales associates were recognized from all office locations, which include Chautauqua, Lakewood, Bemus Point, Fredonia, Ellicottville and Cuba in New York and Warren and Bradford in Pennsylvania.

Sales Associates received awards for their 2012 sales production and total number of closed transactions in comparison to their ERA Team VP Real Estate colleagues. The following sales associates were recognized for their achievements.

Karen Goodell was #1 in sales production and tied for #3 in closed transactions in the Chautauqua Office, while she ranked #2 in sales production for the entire firm, which includes all office locations. Jane Grice was #2 in both sales production and closed transactions for the Chautauqua Office, while she ranked #3 in sales production and #4 in closed transactions for the entire firm. Dale Sandberg was #1 in closed transactions and #3 in sales production in the Chautauqua Office, while he ranked #2 in closed transactions and #5 in sales production for the entire firm. Wayne Weaver tied for #3 in closed transactions for the Chautauqua Office.

Stacy Stalter was #1 in both sales production and closed transactions for the Fredonia Office. William and Judy Anderson were #2 in sales production and #3 in closed transactions for the Fredonia Office. Heidi Seddon was #3 in sales production and #2 in closed transactions for the Fredonia Office.

Cathy Pritchard was #1 in sales production and #3 in closed transactions in the Ellicottville Office, while she ranked #1 in sales production and #5 in closed transactions for the entire firm, which includes all office locations. Tina Dillon was #1 in closed transactions and #2 in sales production in the Ellicottville Office, while she ranked #1 in closed transactions and #4 in sales production for the entire firm. Ciji Riley was #2 in closed transactions in the Ellicottville Office, while she ranked #3 in closed transactions for the entire firm. Melanie Pritchard was #3 in sales production in the Ellicottville Office.

Paul Conklin was #1 in both sales production and closed transactions for the Cuba Office. Linda Simons was #2 in sales production and #3 in closed transactions for the Cuba Office. Bill Shuler was #3 in sales production and #2 in closed transactions for the Cuba Office.

Joe Whipp was #1 in both sales production and closed transactions for the Warren, Pennsylvania Office. Stephanie Mathyer was #2 in sales production for the Warren Office. John McGarry was #3 in sales production and #2 in closed transactions for the Warren Office. Lori Nuhfer was #3 in closed transactions for the Warren Office.

Jim Anderson was #1 in both sales production and closed transactions for the Bradford Office. Tammy Bizzak was #2 in sales production for the Bradford Office. Fred Pysher was #3 in sales production and #2 in closed transactions for the Bradford Office. Mark Goebl was #3 in closed transactions for the Bradford Office.

The ERA Team VP Real Estate Rookie of the Year Award was received by Debbie Rowe, the highest producing agent new to ERA Team VP Real Estate in 2012. Dale Sandberg and Ciji Riley were also recognized as the ERA Team VP Most Improved Agents for 2012. Dale’s 2012 sales production was a 127% increase over his 2011 sales production. Ciji’s 2012 sales production was a 292% increase over her 2011 sales production.

“Through their dedication, these professionals lead our local real estate market by providing each client the most comprehensive products and services,” remarked Bill Soffel, Broker/CEO of ERA Team VP Real Estate. “Our top producers truly embody the ERA core values of innovation, collaboration and superior service and exemplify ERA Team VP’s commitment to hard work and customer satisfaction.”

Since joining ERA in 2004, ERA Team VP has seen significant growth, both as a result of the agents’ use of ERA systems and tools, and through a series of mergers/acquisitions.

For more information about ERA Team VP Real Estate and the real estate market in the Southern Tier of Western New York visit www.erateamvp.com or call one of the main Western New York office locations: (716) 789-2600 Chautauqua; (716) 672-7990 Fredonia; (716) 699-4800 Ellicottville; (585) 968-2113 Cuba.

Ellicottville Summer Music Festival! Discounted Tickets & Rentals!

We are excited to announce that Gretchen Wilson and Creedance Clearwater Revisited will headline this year’s Ellicottville Summer Music Festival: July 5 – July 7, 2013. Tickets for both of these events are being offered online with no service fee ($5.00 saving per ticket) until Midnight April 14. Visit: www.ellicottvilleny.com.

This is a great opportunity to save some money and also a reminder to book your lodging now as we are sure to sell out!

Team VP is offering some great Ellicottville Summer Rental Promotions! Take advantage of the Summer Music Festival ticket discounts now, and book one of our properties for your weekend stay! Come enjoy the beautiful Summer Season in Ellicottville:

#1: Rent 2 nights at 24 HoliMont Ave. and receive the 3rd night FREE!

Call (716) 699-4800 to plan your summer stay!

Visit www.ellicottville.com for more information & online booking.