Buffalo Niagara Falls Real Estate and Homes Sales

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So you have a bad tenant…
2008-03-31 18:25:00
Western New York has a variety of duplex, triplex and Quad homes available to investors.  With that brings the need for tenants and the potential for te need to evict a bad tenant.  Eviction reasons, processes, periods, and participants vary from state to state. Read Also:  Niagara Falls Duplex, Triplex & Quad Market Report March 2008 Below is a general overview of evicting a tenant.  It is best to consult with an attorney in the event you are looking to evict a tenant.  Reasons to Evict a Tenant: Nonpayment of rent Violation of the rental agreement If the lease period has expired, most states don’t require a reason to evict but they do require proper notification. Tenant Eviction Basics: The landlord must first serve a notice to correct the problem. The notice gives the tenant a specified number of days to pay the rent or comply with the rental agreement. If the tenant has not fixed the problem within the specified time, the landlord can begin litigation by filing...

Financing for Canadian Investors in US Real Estate
2008-03-30 15:59:00
My friend in San Diego California, Brian Brady, recently wrote an interesting article about Canadian investors and important information they needed to know when investing in the US. It is important understand that financing is slightly different for Foreign Nationals than US citizens with differences in down payment and interest rates. Read Also: Foreign Investors may have to shift focus Do You have the Credit Score Blues? Buffalo Niagara Real Estate 13th Best Market in Nation Documents to gather before meeting with your Niagara Falls Mortgage Professional   Brian points out that: Canadian investors have been flocking to the US to buy prime American real estate at a bargain. The strong Canadian dollar, while inopportune for Canadian manufacturing firms, is giving Canadian investors built in downside protection when they buy American real estate. The vacuum, however, lies in the mortgage financing for Canadian investors. Mortgage companies require as much as 35% down payment...
More About: Real Estate , Financing

Mary Poppins Showing Advice
2008-03-29 15:43:00
    Having your WNY home for sale it can be tough, and keeping it in showing condition can be overwhelming. Some of the best advice I can give you comes from Mary Poppins, keep it up as you go along. And if you have a showing of your WNY home, hum this Julie Andrews classic while you prepare for the showing. It might just relieve some of the stress as you get ready. How can you not smile singing “A Spoonful of Sugar”?   Quick Showing Checklist before you leave your home for a showing: Freshen the bathroom and put the toilet seat down and close the shower curtain, put fresh towels out Turn on soft music through the house light a single sented candle in the home Make sure all the window shades and curtains are open All lights are on (with 100 watt bulbs!) Beds made, rooms tidy All dishes put away, counters clear of clutter Art Gallery on Fridge removed? Get out of the house before the showing! Interested in selling your WNY home...
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Buffalo Homecoming 2008
2008-03-29 10:22:00
Calling all those that lived in Western New York at sometime and then moved away!  We want you back!   Thinking of coming back for a visit?  Why not come to Buffalo Homecoming in June?   This four day celebration will give you reason to fall in love with Buffalo all over again!  Like many other Western New Yorkers, Marti Gorman the organizer of this event, I am back in the Buffalo area after years of living elsewhere.   What is Buffalo Homecoming?   Buffalo Homecoming 2008 is a celebration of the best of Buffalo for those who are in Buffalo because they want to be, and for those who are not in Buffalo, but wish they were… This grass roots event is run by volunteers with extensive support from the community. This year, students from the Niagara University College of Hospitality & Tourism are gaining valuable experience and supporting every aspect of this massive event by rolling up their sleeves and pitching in. It is a labor of love for those of us who beli...

Local chefs feel the heat of ‘Hell’s Kitchen’
2008-03-28 21:27:00
    Ramsay and his happy troupe of chefs will be heading back into Hell ’s Kitchen on Tuesday, April 1, 2008, at 9pm Eastern. Right now, the show is slated to be a one-hour premiere. WNY has a reason to be excited; we have two talented chef’s competing in season 4 with Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen.  Shayna Raichilson-Zadok and Bobby Anderson give the Buffalo Niagara Region reason to be proud!  They are among 15 chefs competing in the fourth edition of the popular reality show, which premieres at 9 p.m. Tuesday on WUTV.  read more | digg story Interested in starting your own WNY restaurant?   Then I have the ideal property in in Niagara County on Ridge Road — currently the Ridge Family Restaurant could be a great start for someone.  The owner is retiring, the building, land and equipment is listed for $185,000.    For those of you who might not know this, Cambria NY has a very limited amount of commercial space.   Ideally located on ...
More About: Local , Heat , Feel

For Sale By Owner many times means frustration for homesellers.
2008-03-28 19:57:00
True, you do not have to list your home with a Real Estate Professional. You can do it by yourself, there are homes that do sell. Here are some things to think about before you list your home by yourself: 70% to 80% of for sale by owners end up listing with a real estate agent after the house fails to sell Many For Sale By Owner homes are not priced correctly costing them a significant amount of time and money Do you have a way to prequalify potential buyers? You will have strangers walking through your home, how safe can you feel? Many people are “tire kickers” How are you going to handle showings? Read Also: For Sale by yourself in Niagara Falls Observations of a FSBO It is a lot of work to sell your home by yourself, so much so that dealing with phone calls, open houses, appointments for showing your home, and the complicated paperwork many home owners decide to list with a professional. Want to find out how we can assist you in selling your Western New York home? C...
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Orchard Park Single family home 1st Quarter 2008 Market Report
2008-03-28 05:39:00
[where: 14217] Orchard Park NY is home to the Buffalo Bills and a diverse selection of homes for Western New Yorkers. It is also a popular choice for many families. For the period of January 1 - March 27, 2008 the Sales Activity for Orchard Park single-family homes is as follows: Year to date (YTD) there are 40 homes that have sold in Orchard Park averaging a sales price of $265,621 spending an average of 75 days on the market (DOM). The highest priced home that sold YTD sold for $699,500 spending 200 DOM and the lowest priced single family home in Orchard Park sold for $54,500 spending 0 DOM. Today there are 113 active single-family homes and 7 pending/under contract homes averaging a list price of $353,012 (Highest: $1,100,000 Lowest: $86,900) Today there are 4 homes for sale in Orchard Park under $100,000: 108 Burmon Dr. MLS:298582 988 sf 3 Bedroom/1 Bath Ranch home listed for $95,000 208 Burmon MLS:298561 1,502 sf 3 Bedroom/2 Bath Ranch home listed for $89,900 6463 Chestnut R...
More About: Family , Market , Home , Report

Pendelton NY Single Family Home Market Report March 2008
2008-03-27 17:38:00
Unlike Pendelton NY’s neighbor of Cambria, Pendenton NY is clearly in a buyer’s market.  The absorption rate jumped from 8.75 months last month to 18.5 months in the past 30 days.  Pricing is key to getting your Pendelton NY home sold.   If you do not price it correctly from the start, the buyers will look elsewhere where they percieve there is better value for the dollar. Read Also:  February Market Report for Cambira In the past 30 days Pendenton Single-family homes had 2 closed sales averaging $282,500 and spending an average of 48 days on the market (DOM).  Highest sold for $480,000 (94 DOM) Lowest sold for $85,000 (2 DOM). Year to day closed single family homes in Cambria averaged $194,181 (80 DOM) Highest sold for $380 (173 DOM) and Lowest $39,000 (2 DOM) Currently there are 37 active single-family homes for sale in Pendelton NY.  Average list price is $257,985 (Highest $419,900 Lowest $87,000) Interested in finding out the current market value of yo...
More About: Family , Home , March

Cambria NY Single Family Home Market Report - March 2008
2008-03-27 16:19:00
Good news for Cambria NY homesellers!  There has been a considerable amount of activity since the February market report for Cambria NY Single Family homes.   Last month the Absorption rate was 10.5 months, this month it is 3.6 months.   This tells us that buyers are finding great value in the Cambria NY Single-family home market, and if you are a buyer wanting to live in Cambria, he who acts quickly wins. Read Also:  January 2008 Cambria Market Report   Currently there are 18 homes (down from 20 last month) on the market and one pending/under contract in Cambria NY.  Average list price is $166,656 (Highest: $247,900 Lowest:  64,900) Sold in the past 30 days in Cambria are 5 single-family homes  with an average sold price of $113,011 and an average of 115 days on the market (DOM).  Highest sold in the past thirty days sold for $186,000 spending 320 DOM.  Lowest sold for $32,555 spending 6 DOM. Year to date sold in Cambria NY totals 8 single-family homes averag...
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Open Houses don’t sell houses!
2008-03-27 08:21:00
Just one thing we can do to assist to get your home SOLD is hosting an Open House. Most times though Open Houses don’t sell houses! Don’t let a lasts minute showing catch you off guard There we said it. But is that really true? Well Let’s talk about how we approach to having an Open House. Expect that an Open House won’t sell your home. But some homes are sold through an Open House. An Open House is our opportunity to meet potential Buyers and start the home buying process with them. It might sell another home we have, and an open house we have elsewhere may just sell yours. There are no guarantees.
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Buffalo Service Day - Volunteer Opportunity March 29, 2008
2008-03-26 16:55:00
Just found this and thought it would be an excellent thing to do, but of course, I can’t take part, but I thought I would share in case anyone might want to take part this Saturday! March 29th from 10 to 4:00 with party to follow. Work on any of eight (8) sites! We will be painting, cutting trees, boarding up homes, doing a housing assessment, and working various charities and non profits around Buffalo . I’ve toured the sites and they are good! This is your chance to give back to the Buffalo area. There will be a school bus leaving SBU (Murphy Lot) at 8:15 AM on Saturday. Prework meeting at 10:00 at the Valley Center (93 Leddy). Work will begin following. Come and work for a part or the whole day.  Lunch will be provided. Free T-shirts to first 140 volunteers.  Open to all. If you are from the Buffalo area, call your friends and family from home and get them to come out as well. There is plenty of work! There is a party with food and music afterwards at the Valley Cent...
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How to reduce the stress during house hunting for your WNY home.
2008-03-26 05:08:00
They say that searching for a dream home can be one of the most stressful times in a person’s life.  Searching with your spouse, it can be compounded by different expectations.  When you start your home search it is important to clearly define what you can afford and what you desire and the items that are absolute deal breakers for you.   The more clearly you have your requirements defined, the lower the stress level experienced. Read Also:  Reasons not to purchase a home� First things first - how much home can you afford?  If you are going to need a mortgage to purchase the home, then you need to meet with a mortgage professional and at the very least get pre-qualified, preferrably pre-approved for that mortgage.  This is the time to make sure you clear up any issues that may get in your way of obtaining a mortgage.   It will assist us once we identify a home for you, make the very best offer possible. Read Also:  Do you have the Credit Score Blues? Once we have y...
More About: House , Home , Stress , Reduce , Hunting

Niagara Falls Duplex, Triplex & Quad Market Report March 2008
2008-03-25 16:52:00
Niagara Falls has a wide selection of Investment properties for sale.   Here is the current market report for the City of Niagara Falls including DeVeaux and LaSalle: As of today, there are 103 active listings and 15 pending/under contract listings in the City of Niagara Falls with an average list price of $50,139.  The highest list priced multi-family unit (2-4 units) is listed for $159,000 the lowest list price is $5,900. Since January 1, 2008 there has been a total of 15 closed multi-family units with an average sale price of $31,026 spending an average of 86 days on the Market (DOM).  Highest sold multi-family sold for $55,000 (283 DOM) and lowest sold multi-family sold for $6,000. There is great interest in investment properties in Western New York and Niagara Falls not only from local investors, but those Foreign Investors looking for a great return and positive cash flow.  Here is a brief breakdown of those multi-family homes under $20,000: Duplex Listings under $20,00...
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Foreign Investors may have to shift focus
2008-03-25 12:58:00
  My good friend in Florida, David A. Podgursky, writes a lot about Foreign Nationals and financing of Real Estate purchases.  Due to the dwindling availability of loan products and lenders for Foreign Nationals to purchase real estate WNY, many Foreign National Real Estate Buyers in the US are having to change their focus… both in property and investment type. Foreign Nationals will soon see the targets of their purchases changing from the traditional Second Home or Vacation Property to different investment grade properties and other ventures in Real Estate. David brings up several great alternatives for Foreign Nationals in his article if you are considering purchasing in Florida, but we have one for you and your WNY Investment.   How about becoming the Bank instead of the Landlord?  Sound interesting?  Call Carl DeFranco today at (716) 990-3228 to find out more about this exciting option to Foreign Nationals.  Not a Foreign National — this program will work...
More About: Focus , Investors , Shift

Checklist to prepare your home for sale!
2008-03-25 02:34:00
Are you thinking of selling your home? Here are a few things that you can do before your home is listed to get it ready to shine in this highly competitive market. It is best to get these items completed before your home is seen by potential buyers. It also sets the stage for the photography of your home for all your advertising. It also has the you getting in the habit of having your home always ready for a showing. Read Also: How not to get caught off guard for a showing Bad Real Estate Photos Get Rid of the Clutter! Have a garage sale, donate a bunch of stuff to Goodwill and put anything unnecessary into storage Counters clear, refrigerator art gallery removed and make sure that all lights are working If you think it should be removed - REMOVE IT! Less is more! Make sure each room has a clear purpose Read Also: Things to think about It is all about First Impression! What condition is your mailbox in? Replace it with a new one if it looks sad. Plant flowers around t...
More About: For Sale , Home , Sale

Happy Dyngus Day Western New York! Another great reason to live in WNY!
2008-03-24 06:01:00
Happy Dyngus Day! “Everybody’s Polish On Dyngus Day!”   Buffalo NY is the largest collection of festivities anywhere to celebrate the Polish tradition of Dyngus Day. Dyngus Day celebrates the end of the often restrictive observance of lent and the joy of Easter. This is a Polish experience not matched anywhere else in the United States. Spring has sprung in Western New York . And with Spring comes the thoughts of romance. There are all sort of ways for boys to meet girls. But, this one takes the cake. Sprinkling or drenching with water is your goal. Chase after the ladies with squirt guns, buckets, or other containers of water. The more bold and gallant boys, may choose to use cologne. Hitting (gently, please) the ladies on the legs with switches or pussy willows is also common.
More About: Great , Happy , Live

Pizza and Wings: Where to get them in the Buffalo Niagara Area!
2008-03-23 08:46:00
Pizza & Wings !   The favorite food here in Western New York has to be Pizza and Wings! Having a home in Western New York you are in the center of some of the best food around. If you ask 20 people you will get 20 different suggestions as to where to get Pizza & Wings in Western New York.   But where does one turn to find some of the best Pizza and Wings in WNY? Did you know that there was Gluten Free pizza? Do you know the real story behind the original Chicken Wing? Did you know there is a place that will ship a pizza out of state?
More About: Pizza , Buffalo , Area , Niagara

What is Twitter?
2008-03-22 07:27:00
 Twitter ?  What is it?  Do I need it?   Should I get it?  I will admit that initially I wasn’t too keen on it, but it is growing on me and the more people that I connect with the better it gets.   For those of you who have never heard of Twitter, here is a brief video that I discovered over at Common Craft.  Twitter secrets that you might not know about: Twitter Blocks — see the relationships between people and find new people.   My Twitter block is:  http://explore.twitter.com/blocks/#proper tydiva which I found Missy Caulk at http://explore.twitter.com/blocks/#missyc aulk and then you get the idea how you can find others… http://www.twhirl.org/ will give you a free download to use Twitter from your computer’s desktop. Quotably makes it easy to follow the @replies conversations that people are having on Twitter. Give it a try, it’s very cool. http://www.twitterfeed.com/ will take any blog you have…Active Rain, Blogspot, Flickr&#...

Amherst NY Single Family Market Report - March 2008
2008-03-21 17:10:00
The Real Estate market in Amherst NY remains constant, here is what has happened between February 21 - March 21, 2008 in the Amherst NY single-family home sales: Currently there are 92 active single-family homes for sale and there are 11 pending sales with an average list price of $222,400 (Highest List price $575,000, Lowest list price $92,500) Closed in the past 30 days has been 7 single-family homes with an average sold price of $281,586 spending an average of 54 days on the market (DOM)  The highest sold single-family home in the past 30 days in Amherst NY sold for $708,100 after 137 days on the market.  The lowest sold single-family home sold for $133,000 after 0 days on the market. Read Also:  Amherst NY Single Family Market Report - February 2008 Amherst NY Condo/Townhome Market Report - February 25, 2008 Make Amherst NY Home   Interested in buying or selling a single-family home in Amherst?   Call our office to start the process today at (716) 990-7384.   A...

Youngstown NY Single-Family Homes Market Report March 2008
2008-03-21 16:48:00
Youngstown NY is quiet in the winter, but with spring it is coming back to life.   Youngstown NY is in the heart of all things historic here in Western New York with Old Fort Niagara.  Here is the single-family home sales market report for Youngstown NY for the period February 21 - March 21, 2008: There are currently 13 active single-family listings in Youngstown and one pending listing with an average listing price of $245,246 (Highest $535,000 Lowest $86,900) In the last thirty days, one single-family home has sold in Youngstown NY which sold for $90,000 and spent 90 days on the market Year to date there has been 3 closed single-family homes in Youngstown selling for an average of $111,300 and spending an average of 76 days on the market (DOM)  Highest sold for $140,450 (90 DOM) and lowest sold for $90,000 (60 DOM) Read Also:    Youngstown NY Single-Family Homes Market Report February 2008   Thinking of selling your Youngstown home? Interested in finding out the c...

Buyer Assistance Programs in Western New York
2008-03-21 15:19:00
There are times that potential home owners need assistance in purchasing a home in Western New York . But where does one start to look for that assistance? Here is a resource list of programs available to Western New Yorkers. Know about a program that is not listed here? Please let me know so I can add it! Down Payment Assistance and Mortgage Assistance Programs : HART - Allows you to buy a home with no money down. Nehemiah - Buy with no money down when combined with an FHA loan. Neighborhood Gold - Allows to buy a home with no money down. Bad Credit Loans - These types of mortgages are for individuals with: Bankruptcy in the last 2 years, Foreclosure in the last 3 years, Low credit scores below 620 Highland Community Revitalization Committee, Inc. in Niagara Falls. Contact their Director, William Dunn email him at: wdunn338@msn.com call at (716) 282-2325 FHA Loans - Government insured - allow you to buy a home with only a 3% down. VA Loans - If you are a veteran,...
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Grand Island Single-family home Market Report March 2008
2008-03-20 18:52:00
Here are the latest Market Conditions for Grand Island : There are currently 87 Active single-family homes and 1 Pending home with an average list price of $266,187 (High $799,500 Low $64,000) In the past 30 days there have been 17 closed single-family homes on Grand Island with an average SOLD price of $186,671 and spending an average of 61 Days on the Market (DOM).   The higest sold in the past 30 days sold for $395,000 (214 DOM).  Lowest sold in the past 30 days sold for $75,000 (5 DOM). Year to date Sold on Grand Island has been 34 single-family homes with an average list price of $160,000 and spent an average of 65 Days on the Market.  Highest sold YTD single-family home on Grand Island sold for $442,500 which spent a total of 259 days on the market.  The lowest priced sold hom on Grand Island sold for $41,600 and spent 0 days on the market. In 2007 there were a total of 218 closed single-family sales on Grand Island averaging in sale price of $193,422 and spending an ave...
More About: Family , Home , Report

Village Diner in Youngstown - Stop by for a Friday Fish Fry!
2008-03-20 09:11:00
Youngstown Village Diner is owned and operated by: John & Cathy Pasquantino For years they have served Youngstown residents and visitors to the historic Old Fort Niagara the finest homemade homestyle food. If you get the opportunity to vist them on a Friday , definately have the breaded fish sandwhich! They have a full weight watchers menu for those who are watching their waistlines…
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City of Tonawanda NY Single Family Home Sales March 2008
2008-03-20 04:04:00
Here are the Market Conditions for the City of Tonawanda NY as of March 19, 2008: Currently there are 44 Active Listings and 6 Pending with an average list price of $97,370 (High $495,000 Low $30,000 In the Past 30 days there have been two sales with an average sold price of $55,528 that spent an average of 44 Days On Market (High 90,000 117 DOM Low $21,055 44 DOM)   Year to date in the City of Tonawanda NY there have been a total of 14 sales averaging $61,752 70 DOM (High $90,000 181 DOM Low $18,000 7 DOM) In 2007 there were 144 closed sales in the City of Tonawanda NY averaging 44 days on the market and the average sold price was $76,045 (High $140,000 227 DOM Low 10,500 0 DOM) Thinking of selling your City of Tonawanda home? Interested in finding out the current market value of your Tonawanda NY home? Then call Colleen Kulikowski at (716) 990-7384 to discuss what is happening in today’s Western New York Real Estate Market. View additional WNY Market Area Statistic...
More About: Family , Sales , Home

City of Niagara Falls Single Family Homes Market Report March 2008
2008-03-19 19:01:00
The City of Niagara Falls has pockets of development happening, businesses are coming back and the tourism industry is once again taking pride in Niagara Falls.   The following is the Market Conditions for Single Family Homes in all communities of the City of Niagara Falls including DeVeaux and LaSalle. There are currently 161 Active Listings, and 11 pending listings ranging in asking price from $7,900 to $329,900 with an average list price of $60,412 In the past 30 days there has been 17 closed sales with an average sold price of $50,595 (High $95,000 Low $12,500) Year to Day Closed Sales in the city of Niagara Falls has totaled 46 closed sales with an average sold price of $47,476 (High $95,000 Low $12,000 Closed in 2007 was 415 Single Family homes with an average sold price of $53,031 (High $250,00 Low $5,000) Thinking of selling your City of Niagara Falls home? Interested in finding out the current market value of your Niagara Falls City home? Then call Colleen Kulikowski ...
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Join me on March 26 for a Historic Walking Tour of Niagara Falls
2008-03-19 08:10:00
On Wednesday, March 26, 2008 I will be part of a group that will be guiding a tour of Historic Downtown Niagara Falls .  Niagara Rises and I invite you to join us as we explore some of the rich architectural history of the homes in Downtown Niagara Falls.  The historic walking trail goes through Downtown and a neighborhood that was once one of the most prosperous area of Niagara Falls.  The City of Niagara Falls has produced this walking tour of Niagara Falls and Niagara Rises is in the process of organizing Guided Walking Tour s for the summer.  If you are interested in joining us for this walk, here is the information about the tour: March 26, 2008 9:00 am - 10:30 am Meet at 1st Presbyterian Church 311 Rainbow Blvd. | Niagara Falls NY
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Interesting Article at Buffalo Rising - Free House to a Home Owner
2008-03-18 13:49:00
I saw this over on Buffalo Rising and thought this is interesting. What an idea — give the house away to someone who will rehab it and live in it. Well it is happening in Buffalo NY. “So what does the house need? There is some fire damage, and it’s boarded up. So it will need new mechanicals and plumbing… and windows. If done right, it could be an amazing home for someone…”
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What is a Real Estate Appraisal?
2008-03-18 06:45:00
What is an Appraisal? To protect the interest of their investors, the buyer’s mortgage lender hires a licensed appraiser to give an independent, objective opinion of what the property is worth. The appraiser compares the house with similar homes in the neighborhood that have recently sold.  
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Buffalo NY Real Estate at a Glance Allentown March 2008
2008-03-18 04:44:00
Allentown is a trendy community in downtown Buffalo NY.   Many of you may recognize the name Allentown from the famous Allentown Art Festival held there each year.   Allentown is rich in history and is guided by The Allentown National Historic Preservation District.  Allentown is Main Street to Elmwood, and include Virginia, Allen and North Streets.  Notable Landmarks in Allentown include the Butler Mansion, Wilcox Mansion, and the Mark Twain Home.  Designated a local preservation district in 1978 and listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1980, Allentown is one of the first and largest residential historic districts in the United States.  
More About: Estate , Real Estate , Real , March

Buffalo Niagara Film Festival March 24-29, 2008
2008-03-17 19:14:00
  The second annual Buffalo Niagara Film Festival will be happening March 24-29 in Western New York.  Who said all the exciting stuff has to happen in New York City or Los Angeles?   Western New York is all excited about the unique film experience that our region plays host coming March 24-29 at the The Riviera Theatre & The Market Arcade Film & Arts Center.  
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