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Follow us on Facebook to stay up to date with current specials and sales. Follow The Hidden Door. Follow Pollyanna & Dot. Two chic stores in one, 202 E. Main St. in Downtown Batavia.

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Super charming great location and well maintained are just a few good reasons that you will want to look at this great income property! This solid two family home is the perfect owner occupied investment property -the lower apartment features large room sizes pretty hardwood floors and super open and spacious kitchen dining area for entertaining. Upper apartment is spacious and is 2 possible 3 bedrooms with laundry hookups. All separate utilities and large parking area and within yards of everyone's fav coffee shop makes this an easy to live/rent property! Call Lynn Bezon at Reliant Real Estate today - 585-344-4663! Click here for listing information.

Live Music Friday, April 22nd, Rebels Posse 9:30pm - 1:30am! Stop in and try our lunch specials starting at $5.99 on Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. -- 3 p.m. or our famous breakfast specials on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 8 a.m. -- 1 p.m. Join the Mooney’s Mobile VIP Club now and get $5 off your purchase of $25 or more. Text MBG3 to 51660. Plus stay tuned for more inside offers and updates. Mooney’s Sports Bar & Grill, 65 Lake St., LeRoy, NY. 585-768-4949. Click here to visit our Facebook page.

5 Tips for first‐time home buyers: The home buying season is right around the corner and could be here even earlier with the mild winter we’ve had. Buying your first home can be exciting, but also stressful. While making a purchase like this, it is helpful to know what needs to be done beforehand. Here are five tips to get you started so you can hit the ground running:

1 – Check your credit report and score. Before applying for a mortgage, check your credit report and fix any errors. You’ll also want to check your credit score, which is a direct reflection of consistent payment history, current income and amounts owed on additional accounts. Improving and knowing where your credit score stands could potentially save you thousands of dollars throughout this process by getting you a lower interest rate. To get a free copy of your credit report from the three major credit bureaus, visit www.annualcreditreport.com. While your reports are free, there might be a nominal charge to obtain your score. 

2 – Get pre‐qualified and pre-approved. Understanding how much you can afford before you buy is important to a successful home buying experience. By becoming “prequalified,” you’ll first look at your overall financial situation and determine how much you can afford each month for your mortgage payment. From there, a mortgage representative can help you understand how much mortgage you could likely qualify for. Becoming “preapproved” requires more documentation information. While it is not a formal mortgage commitment, it does include loan terms and conditions that will help show sellers you’re a serious buyer. 

3 – Learn about loans. Each type of mortgage is different, so it is best to know which type of loan works best for you. The most common are Fixed‐Rate or Adjustable‐Rate mortgages. With Fixed‐Rate mortgages, principal plus interest payments remain the same for the life of the loan. With Adjustable‐ Rate mortgages, the interest rates can fluctuate after an initial period, causing the total monthly payment to change periodically. Another option to consider when selecting a mortgage is the term or length of the mortgage loan. The most common term is for 30 years but many mortgage lenders also make mortgage terms for 15 or 20 years available too. With shorter term options, the borrower can expect to pay off their mortgage sooner (and own the home outright) but will typically have a higher monthly mortgage payment. Understanding the different mortgage options and working with an experienced mortgage representative to find the right mortgage option for your own situation will help you feel as comfortable with your mortgage choice as you do in your new home. 

4 – Look for special programs. Some lenders offer programs that provide home buying assistance for qualified buyers. This can provide borrowers with grants or other incentives to make the home buying process more affordable. For borrowers who may not have the funds for a larger down payment and meet certain qualifications may find that an FHA (Federal Housing Administration) loan is the right option for them. The First Home Club^sm is a program sponsored by the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, provides income eligible and approved participants who satisfy all conditions of the program a grant of up to $7,500 through a match of $4 for every $1 that is saved in a special savings account.

5 – Know your closing costs. Closing costs are charges and fees associated with closing of a real estate loan. These can range from 2‐6 percent of the purchase price of your home and can typically include loan processing fees, appraisal fees, credit report fees, mortgage insurance, hazard insurance, title insurance, recording fees, surveyor fees, and up‐front property taxes. Calculators are available to help you estimate these expenses up front to help you better budget for your closing.

Following simple steps like these will make the home buying process smoother and more enjoyable. For more tips and resources as you prepare to buy a home, just stop in any of our branches or visit us online at www.ESL.org.

Mary Blevins is the branch manager at the Batavia office of ESL Federal Credit Union. She oversees branch operations, including loan and shares, compliance policies and the management of branch personnel.​

Secluded country property that has a large barn for extra storage, stocked spring-fed pond, beautiful grounds, an extra large home with the possibility of guest suite. Something for everyone, you must look to see all the possibilities offered here. Interior is super roomy, featuring a living room that has cool wood look and exposed cathedral ceiling. Currently home has a separate apartment, perfect for inlaw situation but could be master bedroom suite! For more information, click here to view the listing. Call Lynn Bezon at Reliant Real Estate today, 585-344-HOME!

Location, location, location! This country ranch home is in the Batavia City School District but offers all the benefits of country living-quiet, scenic, limited neighbors, PLUS the perks of public water and quick commutes to all the good stuff! This is a super cute and super spacious 2 bedroom, 2 full bath home with awesome open concept, making it both roomy and cozy! Most everything is five years young, leaving you little to do but move in and enjoy the great views! Yard is landscaped and in a few years you will enjoy the 96 planted trees! Definitely one to check out! Call Lynn Bezon at Reliant Real Estate today - 585-344-4663. Click here to view listing.

HIgh Voltage is proud to introduce our new tattoo artist, Dan “The Man” Manhardt. Dan is originally from Pembroke, New York and currently resides in Corfu, New York. Dan always figured he would be good at tattooing since he had loved taking art classes, sketching and taking things apart. He started getting into tattooing after high school when he was 18 years old. He began researching tattooing and experimented on himself and few close friends at home for about a year. In January 2014 Dan moved to Jersey City, New Jersey to apprentice at Body and Soul Tattoo under Oksana Weber and Guy Prandstatter. He finished his apprenticeship in September of 2015 and started working at The Ultimate in Rochester, New York in October 2015­­­. Dan started working at High Voltage Tattoo & Piercing this March. Help us welcome Dan, call the shop today to book your appointment - 585-201-1127. High Voltage Tattoo & Piercing is located at 110 W. Main St. in Batavia. Stay up-to-date & check out new designs, like us on Facebook.

It’s been a long cold winter and now it’s time to “think spring.” And there’s no way better way to beat those long winter blues than by attending the second annual Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Home Show. The Home Show will be held at Falleti Ice Arena in Batavia Friday through Sunday, April 1st - April 3rd.
 
Here’s your chance to talk face to face with more than 60 area businesses attending this year’s Home Show for help with your home ideas and projects. And while you’re there, make sure you register for a chance to win a $500 gift certificate from the Home Show vendor business of your choice. The winner will be drawn at the conclusion of the Home Show and you do not need to be present to win.
 
The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Home Show will be open Friday, April 1 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday, April 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. And if you’re hungry, the concessions are being run by Alex’s Place, so you know the food will be excellent!
 
Admission is only $3 per person and children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Parking is free at the Falleti Ice Arena. Coupons good for $1 off all admissions are available at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce office, 210 E. Main St., Batavia, or at any of the participating businesses. For a complete list of participating businesses go to www.geneseeny.com/homeshow. For more information, call the Chamber office at 343-7440.

Genesee Symphony Orchestra presents: "American Made Concert" on Sunday, April 17. Bryan Eckenrode, conductor. Pre-Concert Talk: 3:15 - 3:30 p.m. Concert at 4 p.m. at the Elba Central School Auditorium. It is located at 57 S. Main St. in Elba.

Featuring participants of the 2016 GSO String Workshop. An All-American lineup of works composed or transcribed by American composers, including Batavians, Gary Call Hanley and Ross Chua.

Program:
Short Overture to an Unwritten Opera | Don Gillis
Rodeo -- Aaron Copland, Saturday Night Waltz, Corral Nocturne, Hoedown
Frankie & Johnny Overture | Maurice C. Whitney
Blues in 6/8 | Milton Weinstein
West Side Story | Leonard Bernstein; Arr. by Jack Mason
A Spectacle in Flight | Ross Chua
Plight of the Common Man | Gary Call Hanley
Paul Bunyan Suite | William Bergsma
Dance of the Blue Ox, Country Dance, Night
Variations on a Theme by Handel | Maurice Whitney
Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban | John Williams; Arr. by Michael Story

For tickets, please visit: 
GO ART!, Roxy's Music Store, Batavia Senior Center, or in Le Roy at the Bank of Castile. Adults -- $15, Students -- $7, Senior -- $10, Family -- $35 (Parents and Children 12 & under).

Tickets are also available at www.geneseesymphony.com. The Genesee County Symphony is on FACEBOOK. Check out our page and “Friend” us!

This concert is made possible , in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New State Legislature.