In a recent Citistat update (March 2, 2007) Paul Wolf, Chief of Staff for the Common Coucil reported the following...
While looking through the on-line catalog prepared by John Hannon's staff - sort of looks like a late night middle school web project - I quickly noticed a house the City is trying to sell at 2 Girard Place. It's strangely marked as "sale pending" and fixBuffalo readers will remember it - right here.
From the hundreds - and perhaps thousands - the City owns, one quickly begins to wonder why these properties were chosen over others. Pix are about as good as what you might get from your realtor. Looking at a number of the pix in the City's "on-line catalog", I was struck by the number of cars parked in City owned driveways.
A small step in the right direction. If you've purchased a house from the City recently, do share your experience...
__________________________________________________________________________Marketing Available City Owned PropertiesWell...don't know if the deadline was met, yet here's the link and catalog [.pdf] off the City's site. See, prior to this link, the only way to know what property was for sale was to go to the 9th floor of City Hall and ask for the catalog, actually a 10-15 page packet. If you were somehow in the loop you could sometimes get the packet mailed to you.
The CitiStat panel discussed the need to market the many properties owned by the City for new development opportunities. The need to establish a marketing plan was discussed. The idea of utilizing a real estate company or a private marketing company to market available City owned properties was also discussed as something to look into. At the very least Mr. Wanamaker stated that within the next 30 days an effort will occur to at least put photos of available City properties on the City’s web page.
While looking through the on-line catalog prepared by John Hannon's staff - sort of looks like a late night middle school web project - I quickly noticed a house the City is trying to sell at 2 Girard Place. It's strangely marked as "sale pending" and fixBuffalo readers will remember it - right here.
From the hundreds - and perhaps thousands - the City owns, one quickly begins to wonder why these properties were chosen over others. Pix are about as good as what you might get from your realtor. Looking at a number of the pix in the City's "on-line catalog", I was struck by the number of cars parked in City owned driveways.
A small step in the right direction. If you've purchased a house from the City recently, do share your experience...
Artspace • BAVPA • Tour d'Neglect - 2007 • Woodlawn Row Houses • faq • my flickr
the creativity exchange • CEOs for Cities
19 comments:
Fabulous!
I'm amazed how many 6 bedroom houses there are.
This is front page news!! Now, once they're on-line, advertised and available, how long will they sit until sold, what is the average asking and selling price, etc... all the usual statistics that a real estate company and region track, we need to know about the City properties.
183 Laurel, 373 Landon, 2 Oxford all look cool.
The six bedrooms are pry mostly 3/3 doubles.
Just under 100 properties. I think they are still missing a few thousand =)
The fair market value they are "required" to get should be $1. Move these on and set performance requirements for the buyer with penalties.
Where are the brick structures I am looking for? These look pure residential. No closed bars on the list ;)
Wait...I see 211 Lombard is a tavern... =)
david
what's up with 2 Girard. the list notes it as sale pending
Steel...
Was in Housing Court and asked Judge Nowak not to sign a demo-order. He refused. It's actually on the City's demo list.
Since I started photographing 2 Girard its gotten progressively worse..."urban erosion" me thinks...
This is a huge step forward. We need to get the word out.
There ought to be some way to systematically hook up industrious working class families with the most salvagable city-owned houses AND with the resources and incentives needed to rehab them -- creating an anchor in that neighborhood for further rehab and community-building.
Or am I just a naive optimist...?
16 Harwood Place looks particularly cool.
This is a TINY step in the right direction.
But the lack of purchase prices is "priceless". I hear there are no "for sale" signs either.
How many buildings does the city actually own? And is there any known plan for those infamous 1500 or so MBBA properties?
I fear that my estimates of 25,000 housing vacancies is way low based on new census estimates. There may be 27,000 housing vacancies, as the city is relentlessly building 100's more heavily subsidized "affordable" housing units?
Is there any known plan as to which 1,000 buildings are to come down this year as part of the city's 10 yr plan to demolish 1,000 buildings annually?
Is there ANY plan for any of this?
Dick Kern
so Girard is being demoed and the city lists it as sale pending. Well so much for this list.
Steel...
There is no rhyme or reason behind this list. Was at stake-holders meeting this morning on a related project where serious concerns were raised regarding the usefullness of this list as it contains flawed data beyond the 2 Girard example...
It should be called the Division of Fake Estate. Is there an inventory of City-owned properties, and a maintenance and sale plan?
I'm gathering additional input from community activists all over the City regarding this list.
If anyone here has specific knowledge about a particular house or patterns that you see emerging from the list, let me know...
Nothng like this has been done before...and Yes its a small step but its in the right direction...
A lot of these houses will end up getting demo'd.
Sadly though, this is probably for the best--there's really no tangible economic impulse for maintaining this massive surplus of housing supply.
would there be any merit in making up some inexpensive "for sale" signs? and placing them in front of these houses?
A nice stencil with "Available from Buffalo Real Estate -- call 851 - 5261" could be used repeatedly on the grey boards just for the cost of paint
From the PDF:
The city is required to receive FAIR MARKET VALUE for its real
property.
...
If the purchase is for an improved parcel (home or other structure),
purchaser is required to:
—provide estimates for necessary repairs
—proof of financial ability to complete purchase and repairs
Oh, brilliant! So the purchaser is required to pay "market value" AND jump through hoops that aren't necessary on the open market. So tell me: What possible reason does anyone have for buying these properties? If the price is the same, wouldn't you go the route that *doesn't* require you to fill out some stupid and degrading forms?
Either the city's going to have to be flexible on the price, or make concessions (such as tax relief, attractive financing, or expedited permits). Otherwise, these are just going to sit on the market.
(BTW, I just discovered this blog -- GREAT stuff! I actually live in San Francisco, but want to invest in upstate NY soon.)
2 girard was like a castle in its hey day the family kept it so nice. the kids moved away and dear old mom as she was called passed away,then it started to fall apart.
Post a Comment