It is still very much a seller’s market in New York. Low inventory is causing an imbalance in the dynamic of supply and demand with no indications of change in the foreseeable future. Bidding wars are still common, and with even fewer homes on the market as we approach the holidays, we seldom see listings […]

I should preface this by saying that I do not loathe people who endeavor to sell their home without an agent, commonly known as “For Sale by Owner” or FSBO. I’ve actually listed hundreds of FSBO clients over the decades, and I even had a side business conceived to assist them from about 2006-2010. I […]

The north side of Yonkers off Fort Hill is one of my favorite areas of the city. It’s quite close to the border of the Edgemont section of Greenburgh (Scarsdale post office) as well as a stone’s throw from Central Avenue and the world famous Nathan’s hot dogs. Much of the housing there is post […]

I was recently asked to manage the White Plains office by Marsha Rand, our founder. It was a rare speechless moment, and if you know me, you can appreciate that statement. White Plains is the second biggest Rand office in New York by closed volume, and has over 100 agents. There was a bittersweet component […]

With home values still going ever higher, it is nice to see someone snag a great single family home in a fantastic community like Ossining for under $500,000 like the one at 25 Belleview our clients recently closed on. I’ll let the listing description paint the picture: Choose your Hudson view from your front porch […]

Tarrytown, like many of the River Towns of Westchester County, offers a pretty amazing lifestyle. The architecture is varied and stunning, parks and waterfront are plentiful with the Hudson River nearby, and the downtowns are super charming. Tarrytown has a breathtaking view of the Hudson and Tappan Zee bridge (Note: I will not call it […]

When I bought my home in 2007, its assessed value was $32,500. I paid about 20 times that amount, but that was how the municipality did assessments back then. Assessed values that do not reflect full market value can be extremely confusing for consumers. They also give real estate professionals a big headache, because it’s […]

Prices south of $500,000 for any structure over 2000 square feet are rare these days, and when they do happen the circumstances are atypical. That’s exactly what happened with the sale of 37 Fair Street in Carmel, which our seller client closed on last week. Often, lower price points are relegated to fixer uppers or […]

Two days ago I had an interview on camera for News 4 with Lynda Baquero. It’s always special to appear on TV, and there were some fairly good sound bytes that made it to the air. What didn’t make the broadcast is what I’d like to share here. The premise of the piece is that […]

I don’t remember the first time I was introduced to Leah Caro, but I do recall the early days of getting acquainted. I was a fledgling member of the MLS board of directors, and she had just completed her second term as President of the then Westchester County Board of Realtors. She was broker owner […]

If you are looking in or around Stamford Connecticut for your next home, here is an example of what $515,000 is in purchasing power. Last week we closed on this 2 bedroom townhome at 68 Hope Street in the small, charming Catalpa Terrace complex. The MLS description was as follows: Conveniently located townhome condo in […]

I just off the phone with a guy who initially sounded like a telemarketer, but claimed that he wanted me to list some acreage he owns about 90 minutes north of me to pay for an upcoming surgery. He must have done a little bit of homework, because he got the name right of the […]

Buying a home can be stressful. I mean, look at the picture: the largest expenditure of most lives, housing, borrowing, lawyers, mortgages, down payments, contingencies, credit, taxes, closing costs, monthly payments, inspections…does any of that sound soothing? Another decidedly NOT soothing word is “decisions,” and consumers have to make quite a few of them throughout […]

If you are in the market for a 4 bedroom, 3 bath colonial, this property would have been for you. Set on .8 acres, it backs up to Ryder Park in the town of Ossining. While technically a 1966 build, another home was previously built on the lot and the original fireplace and mantel were […]

Here’s a short cautionary tale. Many years ago I was representing a buyer client in their purchase of a home in Westchester County. We found a listing in Cortlandt that appeared to check all the boxes, but Mrs. Buyer Client had something last minute come up and I saw it with Mr. Buyer Client only. […]

Inventory may be historically low, but quality options are still out there. A good example is this awesome cape we just sold on behalf of a long time relationship seller client in White Plains, NY. 33 Prospect Street is a 4 bedroom home in a quiet neighborhood but only a few hundred yards from downtown […]

I am paraphrasing the great Yogi Berra when I say that predicting the future is easy, but getting it right is a bit trickier. Many of my colleagues have offered their prognostications in a market that is the perfect storm of black swans, judicial actions, economic uncertainty, and so many competing interests that there doesn’t […]

A quick one today while I have a moment: I’m a NY Giants fan from way back. I remember when Fran Tarkenton was the quarterback and the futile 1970s when the team stunk. Just about every guy I know has a team they follow, and I’ll share with you some dots I connected back when […]

Everyone lives indoors. I share this with my team fairly frequently in our weekly training, and while it’s always good for a smile, the facts are that our shelter needs don’t change with election maps unless you yourself just got elected to something and have to relocate to Washington DC. If you are expecting twins […]

If I hadn’t gone through this myself with my own mother I doubt I would write about it. I do think that my (and my brothers’) experience is worth sharing for those who are considering this as an option. First, it is worth noting that getting old is good fortune. Not all people get to […]