THIS MONTH’S FEATURED REAL ESTATE ARTICLE
New York State Property Taxes – What to Know About Assessments
It’s happening again. Revaluation is increasing assessment values based on top of the market sales. What’s worse is that people don’t know how much their taxes will be until county and school budgets are finalized months from now. This month’s real estate feature will try to explain the complex assessment process in New York. Each state has different rules and methods; however, the underlying principle is the same – to treat all property owners fairly for tax purposes by adjusting property assessments to recent market […]
Tear Downs, Demolition Real Estate
Recently it seems like houses, modest and grand, have been disappearing. Here one day and gone the next, including one of Main Street’s mystery houses. For our environmental issue, this article explores why demolition is occurring, how long it takes, and how much it costs.
It’s not worth saving
Why do owners make the decision to tear down a house or a barn or fill in a pool? Sometimes it is the careful calculation of the cost to repair and renovate versus building new. The structure […]
Real Estate 10 Years Later
Ten years ago, when Main Street planned its first issue, we realized that readers wanted news about real estate activity, which was still suffering from the Great Recession of 2008. Initially our editorial focus was very specific, and monthly articles tracked the characteristics, performance, and trends in specific towns and villages in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Over time, coverage was broadened to include issues related to all things real estate including conservation easements, staging, and even septic systems. On this anniversary, at another time […]
The Allure of Log Houses
December is a time of gatherings and celebrations and often conjures up visions of log cabins in the snow with roaring fires in a massive, stone fireplace, and flannel pajamas. Log homes’ distinctive construction material can create a rustic Lincoln cabin or a grand Adirondack camp. For this holiday issue we researched the history of log homes, their presence in our region, and visit some that are available for purchase just in time for Christmas.
A very brief history of log home building
Log homes have always occupied […]
More Mystery Houses
Exactly three years ago Main Street published its first article on mystery houses just in time for Halloween. Our readers responded enthusiastically to the story, so three years later we are revisiting some of our original mystery houses and adding new ones to watch. We ask readers to walk around their neighborhood and look out the car window and ask, “Is that a mystery house? – What will happen to it?” Please send your mysteries to info@mainstreetmag.com and […]
