Rochester Sunrise Smart Start: Monday, June 27

ROCHESTER, NY (WROC) — Stay up to date on the latest headlines in today’s Sunrise Smart Start on Monday, June 27, 2022.

Authorities are actively searching for four missing teenage girls last seen leaving their home in the Town of Penfield Sunday night.

According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, deputies believe the four females were together at the time of their disappearance.

Officials say they left their house on Penfield Road in Penfield at approximately 9:45 pm

Authorities have described and identified the missing teens with the following information:

• 1. Leah Ervin — age 16, 5’5” around 200 lbs, with long black and red braids and unknown clothing.
• 2. Destiny Barrett – age 15, 5’5” around 115 lbs, has braces with unknown clothing
• 3. Mahleena Toney – age 12, 5’2” around 100 lbs, with curly brown hair and unknown clothing
• 4. Kah’Maiyah Spirales – age 14, 5’5” around 180 lbs, last seen wearing a gray hoodie with black leggings

A 29-year-old city resident was hospitalized after being shot in the area of ​​Lyell Avenue just before midnight Sunday.

Authorities say officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Lyell Avenue around 11:30 p.m. for reports of shots fired in the area. Once at the location, officers found evidence of a shooting.

Shortly after, police were notified of a walk-in shooting victim dropped off at Strong Memorial Hospital. That person was later identified as the individual believed to have been shot at Lyell Avenue.

Officials say the city resident was determined to have sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

There are no suspects in custody at this time. Anyone with further information is asked to call 911.

Summer is usually the busiest time of the year in the real estate business. But with interest rates on mortgages rising, driving up total prices, things could slow down.

Typically, the housing market operates in waves with more sales going up and closing during the spring and summer. But that competitive field has not let up over the last year. Things could change going into this summer with today’s market prices driving people away and bidding wars dragging sales on.

In the past 12 months, Andrea Mascitti and her partner at ReMax Realty Group have sold 33 houses. The most annual sales she’s ever made in her career. But coming into this summer things could change with more sellers offering delayed negotiations to see who will pay the most.

“It gives you the most opportunity for people to come through the door,” Mascitti said. “And that’s where you’re seeing your bidding wars like $10,000-$50,000 over asking because everybody knows that offer is due.”

Realator.com shows that the median price for a home in the Greater Rochester Area is nearly $225,000. Spending less than two weeks available on the market. But after factoring in inflation, they’ll then have to pay about 5.8% interest on their mortgage. Driving more homebuyers away from the market.

“Last year I think it was like 3.25% and we’re really just coming back to our normal interest rates,” Mascitti said. “People are just upset maybe because they have to buy a little less of a house.”

“Inflation is a big part of it and the rates were just historically low for so long,” Real Estate agent Mark Zambito of Zambito Realtors said. “We knew that couldn’t keep up that way. I think just because it was in the 2% range for so long we kind of got accustomed to it.”

Local realtors like Andrea say the Greater Rochester Area still has about 500 fewer homes on the market than during this time last year. But even with supply not meeting demand on top of higher interest rates, buyers can still find their dream homes with patience and finding the right bank.

“Contact a realtor who can advise them with a person that they know they feel confident to steer them in the right way,” Mascitti said. “Get their credit in order and make sure their ducks are in the right row. Then they’ll be able to steer them.”

As for those trying to sell their homes, experts urge you to figure out the median price range your property is worth and set rates there. This will draw more interest from a variety of people willing to bid on higher offers to give you a bigger profit in the sale.

Even though interest rates on mortgages have jumped again with the total price of property values, many options in homebuying are still more affordable than renting in the Greater Rochester area.

A man was struggling to keep afloat in the Genesee River overnight Sunday on Saint Paul Street near Andrews Street in Rochester.

Crews with the Rochester Fire Department responded to the scene shortly after 2 am Firefighters said the man was struggling to keep his head above water and appeared to be extremely fatigued.

Firefighters threw a floating rescue rope to the individual and were able to pull him to the edge of the river. Officials said this portion of the Genesee River has vertical concrete walls that are approximately 20 feet tall.

Other companies arrived at the scene and quickly placed ladders over the railing and down into the river.

“Once the ladders were in place, two firefighters from Rescue 11 descended and secured the individual keeping his head above water,” a fire crew member said. “At this point with the victim safely in the grasp of the firefighters, a rope harness was lowered down and placed onto the victim. Other firefighters on scene quickly pulled the victim up the wall and onto the walkway where AMR medics administered care.”

The man was semi-conscious and responsive. The quick actions of the first responders are believed to have saved his life. There’s been no information released on how the man ended up in the river.

Temperatures begin this morning in the 60s with low 70s for high Monday afternoon. Outside of a stray shower or two expect a mostly dry, but cooler and rather breezy start to the new week.