In the almost 400 transactions I have brokered since first being licensed in the 1990s, anytime there was a problem with the mortgage and the buyer was asked how they chose their lender, I cannot think of one instance where they did not say some variation on the theme that the bank was chosen for […]

New York is an attorney state, and in our area they also prepare contracts. Having a good attorney is crucial, for many reasons, not the least of which is obvious: the other guys have one, and you don’t bring a knife to a gunfight. Lawyers examine title, advocate, and draw up addenda, pre possession and […]

I got an email from a client who was dismayed that his property taxes were raised. It bugged him, and I don’t blame him one bit. The home is a ranch with a finished basement, and I advised him that the finished basement needed a CO (Certificate of Occupancy) from the city to satisfy a buyer’s […]

What can you buy in Peekskill for $335,000? It will buy you a pretty arts and crafts colonial with a rocking chair porch, 2 car garage, updated kitchen, and beautiful woodwork like the one our clients just closed on last week. This home has 4 bedrooms, a formal dining room, a woodburning fireplace, lovely landscaping, […]

Last month when Sara Bonert wrote about Zillow’s new agent review system, I voiced my skepticism. I don’t have a beef with the idea per se, I’ve just had my ups and downs with Zillow, as many of us have. Sara, to her credit, answered me both online and in person when we met at […]

The 2011 Intel Science Semifinalists have been announced, and 18 students from Westchester County qualified. Of the 18, eight were from Ossining High school. This ties Ossining with the renowned Bronx High School for Science as the school with the most qualified students. In all, only 300 students nationwide are chosen as semifinalists, and a […]

A few events lately have me asking why agents defer their professional opinions to the client when the reason lies squarely on their income and no other fact germane to the negotiations. I’ll explain: On more than one transaction, a buyer agent has punctuated their latest negotiation with the remark “and my client is a doctor […]

As an agent with over 40 listings at any given time I understand the seller’s need to know how showings go. I do too. Stakes are high and clients want feedback. My listings have an automated system that sends two emails to all showing agents, but about 2/3 of showings do not get a response. […]

I seldom see this discussed among real estate professionals, but it is worth addressing as more people consider putting their home on the market. There are some exceptions, such as an acrimonious divorce or estate with multiple heirs, but overall it is a rule I run my business by. When I am brought over to […]

Like many of us, I followed yesterday’s news of the shooting in Arizona with sorrow and revulsion at the events. Thus far, half a dozen people, including a 9-year old child and a federal judge have perished and congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is in critical condition after being shot in the head.  I posted on Twitter […]

I’m not a big gambler but I’ve always had a muse about what I would do with windfall money. Like many, the fantasy of setting up close friends and family, a comfortable lifestyle, and a few toys always comes up when the guy on the radio is hawking lottery tickets. Since big numbers like $300+ million come […]

Yes, there are $900,000 breakfasts. There are $400,000 out of town guests. There are also $600,000 naps. Have you ever seen a $300,000 pack of cigarettes? I have. I personally witnessed a $900,000 litter box once this past spring. I’ll never forget the $675,000 dog either.  What I am referring to are the banal, small […]

This is a photo I took of a recent brokers and managers meeting the Westchester-Putnam Association of REALTORS held to bring us up on the recent changes to real estate laws and how that affected our responsibilities to our clients.  The quality of the snapshot isn’t good because I thought it would be a tad obnoxious to use my […]

David Popoff has written an intriguing post, asking us what our top 10 posts o 2010 were. His metric was clicks, but you could, I suppose also do a list for comments. Comments don’t make me money, so I’ll stick with clicks also. Here are my top 10:   The Money You “Lost” in Your Price Reduction […]

I’ll begin this post with the plain fact that if it weren’t for Active Rain, my business would be far less than what it is. I am a big believer in the platform, and I am grateful for how it has enriched me. That said, I am the sort of guy who prefers to talk […]

I never attended a REBarCamp until this past October in Rye at the NYSAR event. I didn’t know what they were all about, but I had a baptism of fire when I was actually conscripted to moderate a session!  If you have never been to a REBarCamp and you are wondering, don’t fret. All you need to […]

I am going to indulge in a brazen self promotional post since the end of the year is here, mainly to state the facts, since Ann tells me I don’t stress the level of performance I, um, perform. So here are a few facts about how J. Philip did in 2010, both myself personally and […]

Now that the holidays are all but past, the “slow season” is officially over. Spring gets busy, but when does Spring start in Westchester real estate? March? After the Super Bowl? In my experience, “Spring” in real estate starts January 2nd. It may sound silly, but motivated buyers have been lurking online for months now, […]

Believe it or not, New Yorkers are not the rudest people I have run into. Having lived in several different places, including Boston, Philadelphia and New Orleans, I have run into some meanies (few in N.O.). But when I moved back to Westchester in 2001, I was pleasantly reminded how comparatively nice my fellow noo […]