For the second time in a week I had a conversation where the idea came up that a high volume producer (which, I guess, I am for my market) doesn’t typically give the same level of service to the client as a smaller numbers person who ostensibly has more time. I don’t take umbrage with […]

$350,000 goes pretty far in Brewster these days. Today we closed on a listing at that very price which was quite uncommon: a Victorian manor house on 2 acres with a carriage house/garage and a view of the reservoir. It had been purchased in 2005 for $562,000 and restored before the economy tanked. An 1870 build (by […]

Every first of the month Ronnie, our administrative assistant, arrives at the office and begins the daunting task of addressing letters to several hundred homeowners whose listing expired at the end of the previous month. One of the good people who came off the market on November 30th called me and we met just this evening to see how […]

According to the Empire Access Multiple Listing Service, 82 single family homes closed in Westchester County this past week, with a median sales price of $586,000. In the same period last year, there were 96 single family home closings with a median sale price of $608,000. Given the general abysmal year that 2009 was, that […]

Carmel, NY is a community located in Putnam County, NY about an hour north of New York City. It is very close to Westchester County, but the cost of living, especially the cost of homes and property taxes, are often less than Westchester.  What can you get for $525,000 in Carmel? Well, we just sold this 3000 […]

The Scarsdale postal address can mean Scarsdale/Scarsdale schools, or Scarsdale/Edgemont schools. One is co-terminus with the town/village of Scarsdale and the other (Edgemont) is in the town of Hartsdale. Both are wonderful places to live.  $720,000 in the Edgemont area can buy a nearly 2500 square foot split like the one pictured that we just closed […]

I do endeavor to be semi on top of things, and upon occasion I get a well meaning request from a friend for technical help with something they are doing on their computer or online. But I am really not that great a tekkie. I can type; I rely on others for web design.  I therefore did not really know […]

Just a quick thought on rentals after an experience one of my agents just had. We have a situation where we need to get a client into a rental. They need something specific, she found one they liked and they made an offer. However, the offer was only for about 80% of the monthly rental price. In […]

Another overt self-pimping piece of information: I am rather prominent in a piece run in yesterday’s AOL Daily Finance on the real estate market in Mt Vernon, NY. The article addresses how there are certain pockets of Westchester County more adversely affected by the housing decline than most. Even though I am in the northern part of […]

I had very mixed feelings when I came across the article New Rochelle neighbors get rowdy over Iona dorm plan in the local paper. The neighbors are essentially concerned about more dorms undermining their quality of life and property values. The article talks about broken bottles, loud music and drunk students. Colleges in residential areas can have […]

These days it is tough to find anything in Westchester for under $200,000. Unless, of course, you are talking about a co-op, the “starter home of Westchester” as they say. The Dehaven Drive complex in Yonkers is a terrific collection of condos and cooperatives very conveniently located near shopping, transportation and schools with plenty of parking […]

This is the market data for September of 2010 for single family homes in Peekskill, and all information is sourced from the Empire access (formerly Westchester-Putnam) MLS.   To say that I am bullish on Peekskill is an understatement.  First, the bad news: after an abysmal September report, I skipped October. I shouldn’t have, because […]

  This market report is for single family homes in the Croton-Harmon school district. All data is from the Empire Access (formerly Westchester-Putnam) MLS. Contract and asking prices are list prices, as contractual prices are not disclosed until closing.  Croton is constipated. What else can you say about a market that had 12 pending sales […]

The call came in at 11am this morning, and it was a buyer one of my agents has been working with the past few weekends. They are looking for a home, and that is our favorite kind of client. They had a list if beautiful homes in Southern Westchester for sale they wanted to see.  Unfortunately, […]

This is the second time I have reblogged something by this home inspector, Joseph Michalski, and for good reason. The home inspector’s job, done properly, takes these 10 rules into account. Excellent commentary on a crucial part of the home buying process.  Via Joseph Michalski – PA Home Inspector (Sherlock Homes Inspections): “Are you really […]

  J. Philip real estate excels in providing a strong inventory of pre foreclosures and short sales in Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties that are great for people looking for a handyman or fixer upper at a good price.  We have a  short sale opportunity for a handyman or developer in northern Westchester County. This is a […]

The local rag has quoted me in the Sunday edition of the paper in an article on strategic defaults. The local rag, being, of course, the New York Times. The interview for the article was this past week, and the reporter, Lynnley Brown, was very nice. She said I’m a mortgage broker, which is a […]

This market report is for single family home activity in the Briarcliff Manor school district for November of 2010. All information is derived from the Empire Access (formerly Westchester-Putnam) Multiple Listing Service.  A light month in Briarcliff Manor. Median price is about the same as last November, but only 3 deals closed. Nine homes are under […]

  This market report is for single family home activity in the Ossining school district for October of 2010. All information is derived from the Empire Access (formerly Westchester-Putnam) Multiple Listing Service.  Ossining is a bouncing ball. Last month the median price was $535,000. November’s median was less than $370,000. The true picture is somewhere in the […]

Maybe it started with the emperors thumbs up or thumbs down in the Roman Coliseum. Maybe it culminated with Fonzie. Or Sally Field. Or Facebook. Nobody knows, but the human fascination with rating each other is well-documented. In light of Zillow’s new agent rating system, I am moved to opine on the online versions of how […]