My Team VP

10 Reasons to List Your House During the Holidays

Have you been slowly preparing to list your home for sale, but just not quite sure you’re ready to pull the trigger? Or has it crossed your mind, but you just don’t think “now” is the time? Have you told yourself, “It’s best to wait until Spring to sell”. Well, believe it or not, there’s several advantages to listing your home now, despite the holidays being right around the corner!

People who are looking for home around the holidays are more serious buyers. Who would spend their holidays going around looking at houses they will never actually buy? Not many. If your home is listed for sale during the holidays and showings are scheduled, you can be confident those viewing your home are serious and committed to making a purchase soon.
Less competition. Many folks prepping to list their home for sale are in the same boat you were in before reading this- they’re going to wait until spring, or even a few years down the road. This means that those serious buyers looking at homes have less to choose from, resulting in a higher chance of them moving forward on yours.
Homes show better when decorated for the holidays. This is a no brainer- don’t you love your home more when it’s decorated for the holidays? So will everyone else!

Buyers have more time to look for a home during the holidays. Many people plan vacation time during the holidays, therefore have time off from work. If those people are serious about buying, they’re spending that time house hunting!
Many people want to buy before the tax year ends.
January is traditionally the month for transfers. Transferees can’t wait until Spring to buy. You must be on the market to capture that market.

Buyers are more emotional around the holidays. They’re considering their families, future children, and perhaps even future generations enjoying years to come.
It’s possible to restrict showings during special family holiday gatherings and events, just let your Agent know this ahead of time.
You can sell now, but specify a delayed closing or extended occupancy until next year if you desire.
By selling, you have an opportunity to look for something to buy in the Spring, when there’s more inventory on the market!

For more information about listing your home for sale, or if you’re interested in buying, contact your local ERA Team VP Agent today!

Ellicottville, NY 2019-20 Seasonal Rentals

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Man, one weekend on the slopes just isn’t enough!” Then this is your opportunity to take the plunge and secure a seasonal rental in Ellicottville! Seasonal rentals are available to be secured for the entire ski season, usually for the dates of 12/1-4/1, allowing you and your family to come and go as you please and soak up as much skiing as you can.

For those of you that don’t know, Ellicottville, NY is known for it’s two quaint, yet evolving ski resorts and appealing village life. Holiday Valley Resort was named 3^rd in the East according to Ski Magazine in 2015, while HoliMont is the largest private ski resort in the country, and they’re just 2.5 miles apart from each other with a quaint village nestled between.

Not only does Holiday Valley offer 60 well-groomed ski slopes, 13 lifts, and 3 phenomenal lodges, but also an incredible Aerial Park, Climbing Forest and a Mountain Coaster, all for year-round entertainment. Not to mention the dozens of hiking and biking trails, 18 hole golf course, and a fun summer cabana bar adjacent to the 3 public pools.

Across town, HoliMont is equipped with 55 trails, 8 lifts, and loads of hiking and biking trails as well. The HoliMont board members and staff take pride in being the only ski area in North America to use what they call “Mountain Men” to service their ski slopes during ski hours, rather than mechanized equipment like other resorts. HoliMont membership information can be found on their website, however, guests that stay with ERA Team VP can be signed in as guests during their stay as well (maximum of 3 weekends). Both resorts are fabulous venues for weddings, corporate events and retreats as well.

It doesn’t end there! The Ellicottville Village offers even more with the perfect balance of local charm, unique retail offerings, phenomenal dining options, and overall fun atmosphere. Some of our favorite spots are The Purple Doorknob, Watson’s Chocolates, Adventure Bound on the Fly, Bike and Bean, and Ellicottville Brewing Company. Not a skier? The Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce does an excellent job at filling the calendar with exciting, family friendly events throughout the year, so you’ll be sure the whole family will be entertained while you’re here!

Whether you’re ready to dive into a seasonal rental or just looking to stay a weekend, ERA Team VP has you covered! Contact our Ellicottville office today for availability and pricing!

716-699-4800
rentals@teamvp.com

ERA Team VP Real Estate Attends 2019 Fuel Conference in Las Vegas

Mayville, NY – ERA Team VP Real Estate attended the 2019 Fuel ERA Real Estate Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada that was held March 19-22 at the MGM Grand Hotel.

At Fuel ERA, (formally known as ERA International Business Conference) 16 ERA Team VP real estate and staff professionals, alongside other national and international ERA Real Estate affiliates, had the opportunity to attend a multitude of professional development classes, trainings, lectures, and sessions. Numerous speakers and guest lecturers were at this event, as well as several celebrity guests including the hosts of HGTV’s Property Brothers and actor, writer, producer, author, and director, Mindy Kaling.

ERA Team VP Real Estate was well represented at the Fuel conference. ERA Team VP Broker/Owner Bill Soffel served on a marketing panel, “Is it Time to Boost Your Marketing Efforts?” with leaders from other ERA brokerages nationwide. The panelists for this interactive session shared marketing techniques and programs that have had proven results for each company. Effective social media and PR strategies were also discussed in how to better reach and accommodate clients and potential customers. Additionally, team members Anne Walters and Jerod Zahn were finalists for national awards, the Office Coordinator of the Year Award and the Brenda W. Casserly Memorial Award for Top All-Around Sales Associate, respectively.

To kick off the conference, ERA Real Estate CEO, Simon Chen, spoke about the market and competitive landscape, new technology and programs and how ERA is strategically responding and utilizing all that’s happening in the industry. The second day of Fuel, known as RGX Day because of ERA’s collaboration with Realogy, commenced with Ryan Schnieder, President & CEO of Realogy. Schnieder explained the theme of the day “Realize” which was designed to help attendees fully realize the power of the Realogy network. Through leveraging the company’s scale, technology and data to help brokers and agents boost productivity, and to drive efficiency to ultimately become well versed and more successful with the real estate business. After another full day of learning sessions, the day closed with an exclusive concert from Imagine Dragons!

“ERA Real Estate offers so many resources that help our agents to be constantly informed, and ultimately put ERA a step ahead of the competition,” stated Bill Soffel, Broker/Owner of ERA Team VP Real Estate. “To have such a great representation of ERA Team VP Real Estate at this year’s conference is a reflection of our motivation to “be the best”, which is one of our team’s core values, shared not only as a company, but as individual agents and staff members as well.”

For more information about ERA Team VP Real Estate  and Vacation Rentals  and the real estate/vacation rental  market in the Southern Tier of Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania visit  www.erateamvp.com  or call  their main office at 716.413.0200.

ERA Real Estate Announces Two ERA Team VP Members as National Award Finalists

ERA Team VP celebrating at the International Business Conference in 2017

Mayville, NY – ERA Real Estate recently announced ERA Team VP Real Estate & Vacation Rentals team members Anne Walters and Jerod Zahn as 2018 Circle of Success Award Finalists.

ERA Real Estate, a global leader in real estate franchising, will be holding its annual international business conference in Las Vegas, Nevada March 19-22. At this conference, Anne Walters will be recognized as a finalist for the Office Coordinator of the Year award. Additionally, Jerod Zahn will be recognized as a finalist for the Brenda W. Casserly Memorial Award for Top All-Around Sales Associate. Winners will be announced throughout the conference.

ERA Real Estate’s Office Coordinator of the Year Award honors an ERA professional who manages the local ERA company’s day-to-day business and sees that it coordinates year-round with the national ERA operations and goals.

The Brenda W. Casserly Memorial Award for Top All-Around Sales Associate is the ERA brand’s highest honor for an independent sales associate. It is based on criteria such as: total units closed, usage of technology tools, participation in ERA Mortgage and ERA Select Services® Program, and customer satisfaction survey results.

“It is a great honor to have two team members from ERA Team VP be recognized for these national ERA awards,” commented William Soffel, Broker/Owner of ERA Team VP Real Estate and Vacation Rentals. “Both Annie and Jerod are essential team members that exemplify ERA Team VP’s commitment to our core values. To have their hard work recognized nationally is quite an honor for our entire company.”

For more information about ERA Team VP Real Estate and Vacation Rentals  and the real estate/vacation rental  market in the Southern Tier of Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania visit  www.erateamvp.com  or call  their main office at 716.413.0200.

ERA Team VP Real Estate Launches Commercial Division

Jamestown, NY – ERA Team VP Real Estate, the leading residential and vacation properties brokerage in the Southern Tier of Western New York and Northwest Pennsylvania, has announced the addition of a Commercial Real Estate Division to be based in downtown Jamestown, NY.

According to ERA Team VP Broker/Owner William Soffel, “Over the past few years, we have been presented with more and more opportunities to represent commercial real estate transactions, and felt the timing was now right to diversify our offerings into the commercial arena. Our entire team is looking forward to this opportunity, and we are especially excited about basing our commercial division in Jamestown and being a part of all the positive energy that continues to build downtown.”

Michael McVinney, Associate Broker, has been named the ERA Team VP Commercial Division Team Leader, and will oversee the division’s daily operations, sales efforts, and growth opportunities. Prior to joining ERA, Mike gained commercial real estate experience with CBRE in Erie, Pa., and LRES in Jamestown. Joining Mike on the commercial team are licensed sales associates Ted Bodgan, Heather Lynn, Amanda Saddler, Taylor Scott, and Tom Wight.

“The commercial division addition of ERA Team VP is an exciting endeavor, and we are all thrilled to be a part of this new opportunity,” commented Michael McVinney, Associate Broker and ERA Team VP Commercial Division Team Leader. “With ERA’s main focus on innovation and technology, we are excited to be even more visible and accessible to our communities and the commercial real estate market.”

For more information about ERA Team VP Real Estate  and Vacation Rentals  and the real estate/vacation rental  market in the Southern Tier of Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania visit  www.erateamvp.com  or call  their main office at 716.413.0200.

ERA Team VP Releases First Company Exclusive Listing Magazine

Mayville, NY – ERA Team VP Real Estate and Vacation Rentals released its first company exclusive listing magazine. This magazine will be distributed among 10 different office locations along with businesses in those areas.

This new publication showcases listings in two vacation markets; the Ellicottville and Chautauqua areas, features local businesses, and spotlights the aforementioned communities. Available at no cost, this magazine creates another outlet for home buyers to find their new dream home, and for sellers to expand the marketing reach of their properties.

“We are thrilled with the look of this new publication and the opportunity to showcase some of our region’s most distinctive properties,” says Bill Soffel, Broker/Owner of ERA Team VP Real Estate & Vacation Rentals. “Helping people through the homebuying process is so much more than finding a house that fits their checklist, it’s finding a community that feels like home. We feel strongly that this publication supports this approach.”

This opportunity for ERA Team VP to be more present in the surrounding areas is matched with the company’s desire to help clients find their dream home or vacation stay. ERA Team VP plans on releasing this publication four times a year in order to better serve clientele in Ellicottville, Chautauqua and surrounding areas.

For more information about ERA Team VP Real Estate and Vacation Rentals  and the real estate/vacation rental  market in the Southern Tier of Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania visit  www.erateamvp.com  or call  their main office at 716.413.0200.

ERA Team VP Participates in #GivingTuesday

ERA Team VP Real Estate & Vacation Rentals Announces Participation in the “Feed the Need” Campaign

ERA Team VP Real Estate & Vacation Rentals announced its collaboration with ERA Real Estate and other ERA affiliated brokerages across the country to join together in their “Feed the Need” initiative, a national campaign to fight against hunger. The campaign will kick off on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, also known as #GivingTuesday. Furthermore, it will work in tandem with the national hunger-fighting non-profit organization Move For Hunger.

#GivingTuesday

ERA Team VP is hosting a community initiative to gather non-perishable and unused food items for local food pantries. This is part of an overall effort to help stock food pantries nationwide in advance of the holiday season.

Additionally, ERA Team VP will have collection boxes at nine of their offices from November 27 through December 11.

Bradford, PA
Cuba, NY
Ellicottville, NY
Fredonia, NY
Jamestown, NY
Mayville, NY
Olean, NY
Warren, PA
Yorkshire, NY

Move For Hunger is dedicated to improving the accessibility of food to individuals and families who are food insecure. Moreover, the organization mobilizes the relocation industry to collect non-perishable food items and deliver them to food banks across North America in an effort to reduce food waste and fight hunger.

“Our team cares about this community and has a passion to make it even stronger,” said Bill Soffel, ERA Team VP Broker/Owner. “We are urging everyone in the community to join us in this important campaign to make sure our local food pantries are adequately stocked to meet the needs of its clients this holiday season.”

“This is such an important cause, especially this time of year, to reflect on how we can help our communities. We are motivated by this opportunity to help our neighbors, and we encourage our fellow community members to join us in this initiative,” says Soffel.

For more information about ERA Team VP Real Estate and Vacation Rentals and the real estate/vacation rental market in the Southern Tier of Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania visit www.erateamvp.com or call their main office at 716-413-0200.

Curb Appeal and Décor for the Winter Months

Creating a Wintry Curb Appeal

It’s getting to be that time of year again that us Western New Yorkers and Northwestern Pennsylvanians prepare for – winter. Although we are the best of the best for toughing out a snowstorm, there’s always room for improvement to boost your curb appeal. Whether you’re trying to sell, or just want to step up your curb appeal game, here are some helpful tips for the wintry season!

Plan Ahead

Bare trees and white snow create clear sight-lines to your home. If you have faded or chipped paint, or your house is just in need of a fresh coat, take advantage of the sunny, cool days in fall to do this update. It’s simple, but makes a huge difference.

Speaking of fall, make sure you take care of your leaves before the snow piles on top. Clean out your gutters and rake up your lawn to avoid piled up debris.
Fall in Chautauqua

Keep it Tidy

Keep your driveway, walkway, and stairs clear of snow and ice. Whether you have buyers looking at your home, or guests coming to visit, you definitely do not want anyone slipping or trudging through the snow.

Light it Up

Lighting up your walkway and porch makes your house look homey, and it’s safer for guests to walk along. These warm lights create a welcoming atmosphere and illuminates your porch décor as well. Keep an eye out for rustic and stylish lights or lanterns at thrift stores, flea markets, and garage sales. Don’t feel like having them wired? Use an outdoor-rated battery-operated light.

Evergreens & Year-round plants

Evergreens are great in the winter because they bring a nice, rich color amid a white landscape. Although they are called evergreens, you can also get them in yellows or blues, and let’s not forget the variety of styles. Make sure that these evergreens are trimmed and maintained! These fine details will make your curb appeal that much better.

Pine trees with simple lights

Consider including trees and shrubs that hold onto their berries through fall winter to have an additional pop of color! You’d also be surprised at the number of plants that have foliage year-round. When stocking up on perennials, check out the plant label and see if it has foliage in the winter months as well.

Bare Trees, Full texture

Just because your deciduous trees lose their leaves in the winter, does not make them any less pretty. Dogwoods and birch trees have great bark for texture and color when all their leaves are gone and create an attractive focus for your winter landscape.

Trees in the winter

Winter Decorations

Simple still makes a statement when decorating for winter months. Evergreen boughs and red ribbons are perfect for wintertime. Hanging a wreath on the front door looks nice, or a neatly stacking a pile of firewood on the porch. Planters are another great way to add color to a fence or banister. Fill these planters with evergreens, berries, and pinecones to achieve those winter vibes.

Of course, adorning these decorations with simple white lights adds a nice tone to these already attractive decorations.

Holiday wreath

Check out your hardscape

Take advantage of winter to examine your hardscape! While evergreens and year-round plants are important for a winter landscape, what your lawn may be missing is something different. Check your focal points and see if a trellis, a bench, an arbor, or garden sculpture is what your lawn is missing. Adding to your hardscape is equally as important and can create a thoughtful, aesthetic look.

New Opportunities with New Jamestown Office Location

ERA Team VP and Lynn Development's new office location in the Spain Building downtown Jamestown — ERA Team VP and Lynn Development’s new office location in the Spain Building downtown Jamestown

ERA Team VP Opens New Office in Downtown Jamestown

Jamestown, NY – On Friday, September 7, ERA Team VP Real Estate and Vacation Rentals held an open house for its new office location in downtown Jamestown.

The Spain Building on 3^rdStreet in Jamestown recently underwent renovations, creating several new commercial spaces. As a result of this revitalization, ERA Team VP, Lynn Development, and other local businesses took residency.

ERA Team VP and Lynn Development formulated a strategic alliance over the past few years. ERA Team VP and Lynn Development specialize in residential and commercial real estate respectively. Both companies embraced the benefits that a working relationship would bring. When Lynn Development decided to open an office space in the Spain Building, they invited ERA Team VP to join them in this endeavor.

Right to left: business development/broker for Lynn Real Estate Solutions, Michael McVinney; Mayor Sam Teresi (Jamestown, NY); broker/owner of ERA Team VP, Bill Soffel

Progressive Revitalization

Furthermore, this is an opportune time for ERA Team VP to have a physical presence in downtown Jamestown. Jamestown’s noteworthy development is due to existing businesses and organizations renovating, and new ones opening. The opening of the National Comedy Center this past summer has certainly added to this growth.

“Jamestown is going through a sort of renaissance right now. ERA Team VP sees the growth and positive things that are happening, and to be a part of that is really awesome,” says broker/owner of ERA Team VP Bill Soffel.

ERA Team VP cutting the ribbon for the new office location in Jamestown, NY

Consequently, this growth has encouraged individuals to stay or move back to the Jamestown and Chautauqua County area. The real estate market is very good nationally, and likewise Chautauqua County is starting to feel the effects of this change. Homes are selling for closer to the asking price and are on the market for shorter periods of time. ERA Team VP is certainly prepared for this progressive shift. As a result of having a presence in 11 different locations, ERA Team VP is equipped to represent clients on a local and personalized basis.

Visit www.ERATeamVP.com or call 716-413-0200 for more information about real estate and vacation rentals in the Southern Tier of Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania.

ERA Team VP, Lynn Development, and other local businesses cutting the ribbon for the opening of the revitalized Spain Building