My Team VP

ERA Team VP Real Estate sent 12 team members to Dallas, TX to attend the 2017 ERA Real Estate International Business Conference (IBC) held March 19-21 at the Omni Dallas Hotel.  Joining 1500+ ERA Real Estate affiliated participants from ERA companies and offices worldwide, the local attendees had the opportunity to celebrate professional achievements, learn from real estate industry experts, and network with ERA colleagues to share best practices for their real estate businesses.

“Dream Big. Think Big. Be Big.” was the theme for the 2017 ERA Conference, reminding all in attendance that opportunities are endless to embrace innovation, enhance the ERA brand, continue to train and yield new ideas, and most importantly to stay motivated and inspired to consistently be bigger and better!

“My team and I are thrilled that 12 members of ERA Team VP attended this year’s ERA International Business Conference,” said ERA Real Estate President and Chief Executive Officer, Sue Yannaccone. “This team’s participation and real estate expertise contributes greatly to our ERA brand’s surging momentum and commitment to continually transforming the way we do business through service excellence and a relentless focus on innovation.  Their unwavering engagement enables our network to think big when it comes to the future and I am very proud that they see the importance of joining us at our annual conference so they can each leverage holistic learning opportunities to elevate productivity and level of knowledge.”

ERA’s IBC is much more than just a Real Estate conference, it is a chance to learn, consult, and collaborate with the very best from ERA. “The energy that ERA brings to the National Conference is amazing”, says Tonya Studley, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson with ERA Team VP Real Estate. “It really gets you geared up for a good year.”

Denise Whipp, ERA Team VP Associate Broker & Branch Leader of Pennsylvania offices said, “I enjoyed meeting the corporate staff. We always hear their names, but it is so nice to put faces to their names and voices.”  With three days of jam-packed sessions, idea sharing, events, and networking opportunities, team members set out to divide and conquer in order to achieve and acquire personal growth, knowledge, and new skill sets from industry leaders. “I was most impressed with the top agent round table discussions. It was a real WOW”, said Jane Grice, Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker with ERA Team VP Real Estate.

“Our strategic focus at ERA Team VP centers on growth and innovation. Returning from IBC in Dallas last week, our team is energized and excited, and is in the true ERA mindset of ‘Dream Big. Think Big. Be Big.’  This fits hand-in-hand with the ERA Team VP motto: Teamwork. Trust. Results.,” says Bill Soffel, President & CEO of ERA Team VP Real Estate.  “With ample opportunities for hands-on learning on a variety of game changing technology platforms our team is ready to share their experience to help better serve our clients and community.”

ERA Team VP Real Estate has 11 office locations serving Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania. For more information visit www.myteamvp.com or call 716-413-0200.

Western New York is one of the best places to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!  This year’s celebration is packed full of fun filled events and activities for you to enjoy.  Here is a list of the events that you will not want to miss out on in the Chautauqua and Cattaraugus county area.

Start off the weekend at Webb’s Deck in Mayville, NY for their annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration on Friday, March 17^th starting at 4PM!  Bring your friends and family for some live music and some specialty St. Patty’s Day themed food and drinks!  After this event, head on down to the Lakeview Hotel for the St. Patrick’s Day Bash w/ Splitfoot at 9:30 PM.  Bring your friends, dress in your best green attire, listen to great live music, and party all night!

If you are in the Mayville area, why not head over to Lakewood, NY on Friday for more fun events!  Try out the fantastic new restaurant, Craft Burgers & Brews for the First Annual St. Patrick’s Day Party at 5 PM.  Enjoy some live fiddling, great drink specials, and authentic Irish food.  If you find yourself in Jamestown, NY on Friday, visit the St. Patrick’s Day Prendergast Library Fundraiser at 5:30 PM. Celebrate Jamestown’s founder’s heritage and help support the library by purchasing a 5-dollar ticket for free beer, wine, and snacks!

Another place that you will want to make it to on St. Patrick’s Day is Yorkshire, NY!  JD’s Brew Pub is hosting an all day party starting at 11 AM on Friday, March 17^th.  There will be live music, green drink specials, fantastic food, and an all around great atmosphere for you to celebrate this fun day!  You can also head down to Olean, NY for the Kegs and Eggs party at Four Mile Brewing, from 8 AM-10 PM.  Eat some delicious eggs and enjoy some delicious craft beers, including the new release Red Arm Ale.  There will be three different live bands performing throughout entire day, so make sure you make it down for this great event!

There is still time to make plans for St. Patrick’s Day in Western New York this weekend!  No matter where you choose to go, you will not be disappointed!

 

Grab your beads because the annual Mardi Gras festival and Winter Carnival is scheduled for Saturday, March 11^th and Sunday, March 12^th in Ellicottville, NY!  This year marks the 25^th Annual Mardi Gras Parade in downtown Ellicottville, which starts on Saturday at 6:30 PM.  You don’t want to miss out on this year’s event because the activities are planned are promising to make this the best year yet!

Starting on Saturday at 10 AM, head on down to Holiday Valley for some Mardi Gras themed face painting and a cookout that lasts throughout the whole day.  Be sure to pack your skis and snowboards and prepare to soak up the sun on the slopes.  Stop down at the bottom of Yodeler to take a break from skiing and grab a drink at the Mountain Crew Snow Bar.  Starting at 4 PM you can also enjoy some awesome live entertainment at the Yodeler Lodge!

After a day of fun on the slopes, make sure that you save up your energy for one of the best parades you will ever experience!

ERA Team VP Real Estate & Vacation Rentals will be starting the party at 6 PM with a Mardi Gras office party!  Our office is located at the heart of the parade and we can’t wait to greet all of you there. We will have food, drinks, and, of course, BEADS galore!! After the parade make sure you check out some of the best bars and restaurants that Ellicottville has to offer because the party will last all night long!

Starting at 9 AM on Sunday, head back over to Holiday Valley for the Ski Patrol Pancake Breakfast at the top of Champagne.  After a delicious breakfast, get into the Mardi Gras spirit and dress to impress for the Mardi Gras Costume Parade.  The judges will be at the bottom of Mardi Gras, so grab your skis and fly down in the slopes in style.  After the Costume Parade, there will be food, drinks, and entertainment all over the slopes for the rest of the day.  Bring your family and friends and send off this fun filled festival the right way!

If you don’t like to ski, that is no problem because there are plenty of activities and entertainment that are fun for the

whole family!  Explore the beautiful town of Ellicottville by going to the unique shops located in the heart of town, or grab a delicious meal at one of the many unique restaurants in town.  The opportunities are endless, so make sure you contact ERA Team VP Real Estate & Vacation Rentals to book your Mardi Gras weekend trip today!

Still looking for accommodations? ERA Team VP’s featured Vacation Rental for Mardi Gras weekend is Springs Road Chalet. This four bedroom, two bath chalet overlooks the HoliMont slopes! Nestled in a cozy wooded area, Springs Road chalet accommodates 12 people and features a loft, foosball table, Satellite TV, Wi-Fi, and a hot tub! Hitting the slopes for Mardi Gras? The main lower level entry way hosts a convenient mud room, perfect for your ski gear, boots, and equipment! To sweeten the deal, we are offering $100 off each night, so give us a call today to lock in the Springs Road chalet for your Mardi Gras celebration! 716-699-4800

It’s going to be a big year for Chautauqua Institution this summer!  For all you soul fans out there, the Institution has a surprise for you!  Aretha Franklin, otherwise known as “The Queen of Soul”, is coming to the Amphitheater to kick off the 2017 summer season on Saturday, June 24^th at 8:15 PM!  You may also know her for her hit songs, “Respect”, “Chain of Fools”, and “Natural Woman”.  This is one of the biggest performances that Chautauqua has had to offer in many years, so prepare yourself for the best summer yet!

You may want to think about staying in Chautauqua Institution for the entire summer because the season is ending with another surprise!  The Beach Boys are scheduled to perform on Saturday, August 26^th at 8:15 PM!  This classic band is one of the most iconic American bands in history and they are going to send off this special summer season the right way!

Tickets to the Aretha Franklin concert are $69 a person and tickets for the Beach Boys are $50!  These concerts will be worth every penny, so be sure to purchase your tickets today before it’s too late!  You will not want to miss out on two of the most amazing performances that Western New York has to offer!

If you are new to Chautauqua, this is the perfect weekend for you to book your stay because the iconic Amphitheater is looking better than ever!  There have been several new additions to the Amphitheater, which gives it a newer and nicer look, while keeping the old feel.  Chautauqua Institution will be packed full of great vibes and it is the place that you will want to be this summer!  Just contact ERA Team VP Real Estate & Vacation Rentals at our website, www.myteamvp.com, and book your fun filled summer vacation today!

ERA Team VP Real Estate & Vacation Rentals is a proud sponsor of the 2017 President’s Day Weekend Winter Festival in Mayville, NY.  This year’s schedule of events is chalked full of fun activities for the whole family.  Mark your calendars for Friday, February 17 – Sunday, February 19, because you will not want to miss out on this year’s event!

Unfortunately this year’s weather conditions did not produce enough ice for the famous ice castle to be built, but you won’t want to miss the opening ceremony event that kicks off the weekend on on Friday night at 6pm in the Lakeside Park! Start off your fun filled weekend with a bang and head over to the Lakeview Hotel to listen to the live band, Black Widow starting at 10pm. Bring your friends and family, pack your hot cocoa, and enjoy the beautiful lights and winter views.

Looking for more fun activities and events?  Well Saturday and Sunday are the best days for you to make sure you are at the festival.  Start off your morning with some food at one of the awesome food and craft vendors that are offered.  If you aren’t full after that you might want to check out the kid’s corner edible crafts station in the Community Center.  After you eat, start warming up your arm because there is a snowball distance throwing contest with a chance to win cash prizes!

Looking to keep the kids entertained?  Not to worry because there is an activity or event for everyone to enjoy at this festival!  Bring your children down to the giant slide (weather permitting), the children’s fishing pond or the Legos play area.  Make sure they meet Rainbow the clown to get their faces painted and a balloon animal! If your kids are feeling competitive, make sure they enter the golf ball race, Lego creation building contest, snowman/animal building contest, or even the snowball throwing contest (ages 4+). The list goes on, so bring your kids and be ready for some fun!

If you are hoping for more adventure, there are a few more activities that are perfect for you!  If you are really feeling adventurous, head over to the polar plunge on Saturday at noon to help benefit Food Bank of Western New York! Make sure to get to the lake early to watch the Cold Water Rescue Demo by the Dewittville Fire Department. If taking the plunge isn’t your thing, then you can take snowmobile rides by Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Services or horse drawn carriage rides throughout the weekend as well!

Volleyball players, dust off your knee pads and bundle up the layers! The second annual Fire and Ice Volleyball Tournament will be hosted at the courts behind the Lakeview Hotel starting Sunday morning at 8:45am.

Feeling like just sitting back and relaxing? Enjoy music on Saturday includes Bob Campbell & Liz Osborne from 2-5pm at the Lakeview Hotel, DJ Goodrich at 10pm, and Brian Moore from 2-5pm on Sunday.

To finish off this amazing festival, there will be a pet parade, bonfire, flare parade, and a fireworks display for you to enjoy!  Send this exciting event off in style and admire the beautiful snowy views that Mayville has to offer!

Make sure to register for the Festival Logo Scavenger Hunt before this weekend! For more information visit http://www.chautauquachamber.org.

This festival is right around the corner, so get ready for one of the best winter weekends that Western NY has to offer! Looking for accommodations? We are offering NO BOOKING FEE on any reservation of a NorthShore Condo for President’s Day weekend! Give us a call to reserve your stay.

This year’s Warren County Winterfest is set for Friday, January 20 – Sunday, January 22 at Chapman State Park.  This event is great for the whole family and it is known to be one of the largest winter events in Pennsylvania!

This fun event will start off with the Jim Lobdell Memorial Sled Dog Race on Friday morning at Chapman State Park!  Come on down with your friends and family and enjoy this exciting event in snow!  Looking for more snow activities?  Ride your snowmobile through some of the best snowmobile trails in Western Pennsylvania.  The Allegheny National Forest Snowmobile Loop goes right through Chapman Park, so spend the day on the trails and stop by Winterfest throughout the weekend for great family fun!

The fun continues Saturday morning with more Lobdell Memorial Sled Dog Races, skiing, ice fishing, and a geocaching seminar that starts at 9 AM!  There will also be Canine Weight Pull competitions going on as well!  Later in the afternoon there will be the Patrick Shine Polar Bear Plunge at 2 PM!  Be sure to register before the event and all the proceeds help to benefit the Salvation Army’s Warren Citadel.

For all of you skaters out there, make sure you bring your ice skates and enjoy the all new ice rink!  If you don’t have skates, it’s not a problem because there will be skates available for you to rent throughout the weekend!

To send off this special event, be at Chapman State Park on Sunday at 2 PM for the Outhouse Races!  Build your own outhouse on top of cross country skis and race to the finish line!  The fastest time wins, so bring your A team and get ready to send off this year’s Winterfest the right way!

The Warren County Winterfest never disappoints and there is something in it for everyone!  You’re your calendars and get ready for the best event yet! Click here for more information and to sign up for events and activities prior to Winterfest!

Buffalo, NY – January 3, 2017 – ERA Team VP was proud to collaborate with Make-A-Wish Western New York to make a special young man’s wish come true over the holidays. Andrew, 16, of Spencerport, wished to have new ski equipment so he could enjoy time with his family on the slopes. Thanks to ERA Team VP, the teen was able to try out his new gear in Ellicottville with a trip to Holiday Valley with his mom, dad and sister.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation booked an ERA Team VP Vacation Rental Fox Ridge condo via Airbnb, which was then partially donated for the special trip. They made Andrew’s family feel so special by beautifully decorating their condo and including presents under the Christmas tree. “We were delighted to see the reservation come through,” says Rachael Wiley-Steffen, Director of Corporate Marketing and Vacation Rental Management. “The Make-A-Wish Foundation is far-reaching and impacts families and entire communities. We were thrilled to have it touch the Ellicottville community.”

Andrew’s family said, “The skiing was wonderful and your village is fabulous! We are sure to make a return visit someday.”

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

For more information about Make-A-Wish programs, visit wny.wish.org.

About  Make-A-Wish:

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Make-A-Wish^® Western New York has to date fulfilled the wishes of more than 2,500 children in the Western New York area. Regional offices are located in Buffalo and Rochester serving 17 counties in New York State. In Fiscal Year 2016, Make-A-Wish Western New York touched the lives of 174 wish children and their families. Make-A-Wish Western New York is a proud participant of the Better Business Bureau Charity Seal Program, which indicates that the organization has met the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability. For more information, visit www.wny.wish.org

Make-A-Wish^® Western New York

Buffalo Office: 4600 Main Street, Suite 101, Snyder, NY  14226 | 716/810-9474 | 716/631-8869 (fax)

Rochester Office: Brighton Commons, 1855 Monroe Ave. Suite 4, Rochester, NY 14618 |  585/272-9474 · 585/272-9463 (fax)

www.wny.wish.org / @makeawishwny / www.facebook.com/makeawishofwny

Skip the grocery stores this Thanksgiving and support local farmers by purchasing a locally sourced, pasture raised turkey!

This November, ERA Team VP Real Estate & Vacation Rentals has teamed up with Good Grass Farm, located in Ashville NY, to encourage local residents to choose a fresh, ethically raised alternative to your usual Thanksgiving bird.

Good Grass Farm

Opened in 2002, and operating under Good Grass Farm since 2008, the local homestead prides itself on being a diversified, sustainable, pasture-based meat farm. Owners Jeffrey & Karen Creager seasonally raise beef cattle, broiler chickens, turkeys, and a flock of layer hens. They also grow blueberries (free from herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers) and organic heirloom produce. The small-scale sustainable farm’s goal is to “raise and grow the best food possible, for [their] table and yours.”

 

 

Raised with Love

Good Grass Farm receives day old chicks (also known as poults) in the middle of June from Ohio’s Myer Hatchery. Raising these young birds into happy, healthy turkeys is no easy feat! Unlike chickens, who are born with the natural ability to forage, turkey poults need a little guidance to start off their journey. Jeffrey teaches the poults how to eat by lovingly dipping their beaks into their feed and water. The first 4-6 weeks of the bird’s life is spent in a temperature controlled brooder. Then they are moved to a large pasture-pen (to protect the birds from predators) where they spend the summer outside grazing on fresh blades of grass.

 

 

Fresh and Flavorful

Poults are fed a milled mix of grains, corn, oats, roasted soy beans, and natural minerals, but the real secret to the extra special flavor is a result of their upbringing. “Past customers think the bird tastes so good because it’s fresh. They don’t really realize it’s also the way the bird is raised and what the birds eat, they aren’t raised in a dark room crammed with 1,000 other birds,” explains Jeffrey Creager, “the birds get moved as necessary to fresh grass, and they graze it right down as a cow does. They’ll scratch and pick and dig up worms and bugs, and it really changes the flavor profile of the bird.”

 

 

Reserve your Bird

This year, the farm has 59 Broad-breasted white turkeys for sale, with 20 already reserved, so there is still time to reserve you very own locally sourced bird for your Thanksgiving table. All birds are processed on the farm, by the owners, by hand, in a very sanitary and humane method, without the use of machines. Processing takes place Sunday – Tuesday before Thanksgiving, with pick-ups scheduled anytime on Monday – Wednesday, guaranteeing that your bird will be fresh for your holiday table! Visit GoodGrassFarm.com for more information.

This year’s average turkey will weigh between 16-22 pounds, with a purchase price of $4.50/lb.

Enter to Win!

ERA Team VP is thankful for local farms providing our plates with locally sourced, ethically raised cuisine!  Everyone who comments on our “What Are You Thankful For?” Facebook post AND likes our Facebook page will be entered to win a Good Grass Farm’s pasture raised Broad-breasted white turkey for Thanksgiving! The winner will be drawn on Friday, November 18^th at noon and will be notified through Facebook. Prize valued at approximately $80.

 

 

 

 

Continue reading Enter to Win a Locally Pasture Raised Turkey!

2016 Trick or Treat Times

Western New York

Ashville: 6-8pm

Bemus Point:  6-8pm

Brocton: 5:30-7pm

Cassadaga: 5-7pm

Cuba: 6-8pm

Dunkirk: 4-8pm

Ellicottville: 6-8pm

Falconer: 5:30-7pm

Fredonia: 4-7pm

Frewsburg: 6-8pm

Gowanda: 5:30-7:30pm

Great Valley: 6-8pm

Jamestown: 6-8pm

Lakewood: 6-8pm

Ischua: Oct. 29 6-8pm

Little Valley: 5-7pm

Mayville: 5-7pm

North Harmony: 5-7pm

Olean: 6-8pm

Randolph: 6-7:30pm

Salamanca: 6-8pm

Sheridan: Oct. 30 3-5pm

Silver Creek: 5-7pm

South Dayton: 5-8pm

Westfield: 6-8pm

Northwestern Pennsylvania

Bradford: 6-7:30pm

Conewango Township: 6 -8

Pine Grove Township & Russell: 6-8pm

Sheffield: 6-8pm

Sugar Grove: 6-8pm

Tidioute: 6-8pm

Youngsville: 6-8pm

Warren: 6-8pm

**list updated as of 10/24/16

11 Office Locations throughout Western New York & Northwestern Pennsylvania